MULLEIN

Description

It’s an herbaceous biennial plant of 30 o 80 cm in height, with a pilose stem. Leaves are narrow, oval-shaped, lanceolate, wide, pilose and silky. Flowers are yellow, composed by 5 petals, two upper ones and smaller and the three lower ones are larger. They are all whitish downy. Stamens are isolated, reddish-yellow with tomentose filaments and transversal anthers or yellow glabrous filaments. Fruits are small and encapsulated, egg-shaped and hold many seeds inside. It belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family.

It blooms between May and August. It’s located in Europe and western Asia. It lives in warm, semi-warm and mild weather. Mullein grows in on hedge-banks, by roadsides and on waste ground.

Part used

The root, leaves and flowers may be used. Flowers are the most recommended part to be used as they contain higher levels of active principles.

Indications

Internal use

• Respiratory disorders: bronchitis, asthma, tonsillitis, cough, tracheitis, laryngitis, pharyngitis, etc.
• Digestive disorders: esophagitis, gastritis, gastroduodenal ulcer, stomatitis, diarrhea.
• Night enuresis.

External use

• Skin disorders: Eczemas, dermatitis, itching, sore spots, cyst maturation, etc.
• Hemorrhoids, varicose ulcer, etc.
• Seeds contain plenty of ictiotoxic saponins (sometimes they are used for furtive fishing, very penalized).

Bibliography

Bézanger-Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M. Les Plantes dans la Therapeutique Moderne. 2ª. Paris: Maloine, 1986, p. 436.

Bézanger-Beauquesne, L; Pinkas, M; Torck, M; Trotin, F. Plantes Médicinales des Regions Tempérées. Paris: Maloine, 1980, p. 307.

Fernández, M; Nieto, A. Plantas Medicinales. Pamplona: Ediciones Universidad de Navarra, 1982, p. 178.

Mulet, L. Estudio Etnobotánico de la Provincia de Castellón. Castellón: Diputación Provincial, 1991, pp. 471-2.

Paris, RR; Moyse, M. Précis de Matière Médicale. Tome III. Paris: Masson, 1971, p. 245.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Vanaclocha, B. Fitoterapia Aplicada. Valencia: M.I. Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos, 1995, pp. 297-8.

Peris, JB; Stübing, G; Figuerola, R. Guía de las Plantas Medicinales de la Comunidad Valenciana. Valencia: Las Provincias, 1996, p. 185.

Rivera, D; Obón, C. La Guía Incafo de las Plantas Útiles y Venenosas de la Península Ibérica y Baleares. Madrid: Incafo, 1991, pp.142; 915-6.

Van Hellemont, J. Compendium de Phytotherapie. Bruxelles: Association Pharmaceutique Belge, 1986, pp. 421-2.

Villar, L; Palacín, JM; Calvo, C; Gómez, D; Montserrat, G. Plantas Medicinales del Pirineo Aragonés y demás tierrras oscenses. 2ª. Huesca: Diputación Provincial, 1992, p. 243.

Wichtl, M. Herbal Drugs and Phytopharmaceutical. A Handbook for Practice on a Scientific basis. Stuttgart: Medpharm Scientific Publishers, 1994, p. 518.