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Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) and Respiratory support: evidence and sources
For educational purposes only, not medical advice. Always consult a qualified practitioner before using medicinal plants, especially alongside prescribed medication, during pregnancy, or for a serious condition.
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Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.) is a medicinal plant readily found in roadsides, meadows and pasture lands and has been used to treat pulmonary problems, inflammatory diseases, asthma, spasmodic coughs, diarrhoea and migraine headaches. Although it has been used medicinally since ancient times, the popularity of common mullein has been increasing commercially for the past few years. Today, the dried leaves and flowers, swallow capsules, alcohol extracts and the flower oil of this plant can easily be found in health stores in the United States. The use of common mullein extracts in folk medicine begun recently to be supported by an increasing number of research studies. This paper thoroughly reviews all the scientific research related to Verbascum thapsus L. including plant tissue cultures and the biological properties of this plant.
Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.) is a medicinal plant readily found in roadsides, meadows and pasture lands and has been used to treat pulmonary problems, inflammatory diseases, asthma, spasmodic coughs, diarrhoea and migraine headaches. Although it has been used medicinally since ancient times, the popularity of common mullein has been increasing commercially for the past few years. Today, the dried leaves and flowers, swallow capsules, alcohol extracts and the flower oil of this plant can easily be found in health stores in the United States. The use of common mullein extracts in folk medicine begun recently to be supported by an increasing number of research studies. This paper thoroughly reviews all the scientific research related to Verbascum thapsus L. including plant tissue cultures and the biological properties of this plant.
4 sources supporting Great Mullein for Respiratory support. Includes scientific publications, books, monographs and traditional-use references.
Mechanistic basis
This use is associated with the plant's expectorant action. Further evidence for that pharmacology:
Medicinal plants represent rich sources of traditional medicines and numerous currently used medicines are either directly or indirectly derived from plants. Verbascum thapsus L. (great mullein or common mullein), a medicinal herb indigenous to northern Africa, western and central Asia, and Europe, has been brought to the Americas and Australia. It has been used as a medicine for lung, skin and throat disorders and has a long history of therapeutic importance, particularly as an astringent and calming agent. Presently, the dried leaves, flowers, various plant extracts and flower oil are used in several formulations within Indian traditional medicine. An extract taken from the roots is useful in minimizing toothache, and it also relieves stiffness and seizures. V. thapsus contains a wide variety of phytoconstituents, such as flavonoids, iridoid, phenylethanoid and phenylpropanoid glycosides, saponins, as well as vitamin C and minerals. The most valuable constituents are coumarin and hesperidin, which possess healing properties. Emerging literature based on experimental studies on V. thapsus demonstrates various biological and pharmacological properties, including antiviral, antioxidant, analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, hypnotic, antibacterial, antifungal, as well as anticancer activities. The present review provides an updated, comprehensive, and critical evaluation of various health-promoting and disease-mitigating properties of V. thapsus.
Background Verbascum thapsus is used in tribal medicine as an antispasmodic, anti-tubercular agent and wormicide. In this study, we investigated the antispasmodic and anthelmintic activities of crude aqueous methanolic extract of the plant. Methods V. thapsus extracts were tested against roundworms (Ascaridia galli) and tapeworms (Raillietina spiralis). Each species of worm was placed into a negative control group, an albendazole treatment group, or a V. thapsus treatment group, and the time taken for paralysis and death was determined. In addition, relaxation activity tests were performed on sections of rabbit's jejunum. Plant extracts were tested on KCl-induced contractions and the relaxation activities were quantified against atropine. V. thapsus calcium chloride curves were constructed to investigate the mode of action of the plant extracts. Results We detected flavonoids, saponins, tannins, terpenoids, glycosides, carbohydrates, proteins, fats and fixed oils in V. thapsus. For both species of worm, paralysis occurred fastest at the highest concentration of extract. The relative index values for paralysis in A. galli were 4.58, 3.41 and 2.08, at concentrations of 10, 20 and 40 mg/ml of plant extract, respectively. The relative index for death in A. galli suggested that V. thapsus extract is wormicidal at high concentration. Similarly, the relative indexes for paralysis and death in R. spiralis suggested that the extract is a more potent wormicidal agent than albendazole. The mean EC(50) relaxation activity values for spontaneous and KCl induced contractions were 7.5 ± 1.4 mg/ml (6.57-8.01, n = 6) and 7.9 ± 0.41 mg/ml (7.44-8.46, n = 6), respectively. The relaxation activity of the extract was 11.42 ± 2, 17.0 ± 3, 28.5 ± 4, and 128.0 ± 7% of the maximum observed for atropine at corresponding concentrations. The calcium chloride curves showed that V. thapsus extracts (3 mg/ml), had a mean EC(50) (log molar [calcium]) value of -1.9 ± 0.06 (-1.87 - -1.98, n = 6) vs. control EC(50) = -2.5 ± 0.12 (-2.37 - -2.56, n = 6), whereas the verapamil (0.1 μM) EC(50) was -1.7 ± 0.1 (-1.6 - -1.8, n = 6) vs. control EC(50) = -2.4 ± 0.09 (-2.3 - -2.47, n = 5). Conclusions Our results suggest that V. thapsus, which is currently used by some tribes in the Malakand region of Pakistan, has anthelmintic and antispasmodic value.