Also known as common verbena or “holy herb”, Verbena officinalis is a plant native to Europe – and naturalized in different regions of America and Asia – used for medicinal purposes since ancient times.Its active ingredients – mainly essential oils,flavonoids,mucilages,saponins,heterosides,and monoterpenes – are attributed with antioxidant,anti-inflammatory,anxiolytic,expectorant,and healing properties,explains herbalist Clara Fuchs.
“Its use as a medicinal plant dates back to classical antiquity, with evidence that the ancient Egyptians used it and the Greeks dedicated it to the goddess Eos. There are also records of its use in early medieval Europe,associated with divine healing properties,and by Celtic peoples as a sacred plant,” shares Fuchs. “Traditionally it has been used to treat colds, coughs, bronchitis, colic, abdominal distension, inflammation, headache, anxiety, and insomnia.“
with more than 20 beneficial plant compounds, several research studies published by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) discuss the benefits of this plant. among the main ones:
Although clinical studies in humans are still lacking, the flavonoids and phenolic acids present in verbena show antioxidant activity, helping to neutralize free radicals. A 2008 study in Phytotherapy Research highlighted that verbena extracts have the ability to protect against oxidative stress.
Research done on rats suggests that verbena extract coudl benefit certain neurological or brain-related conditions and improve brain damage after a stroke. this is because the compound promotes the growth of new blood vessels in the brain -which supply it with oxygen- and improves mitochondrial function (Mitochondria are responsible for energy production in cells,and they need oxygen to do so).
[Image of flowering verbena with caption: Its flowering parts are used to prepare infusions for medicinal purposes. Credit: Rolando Uría – Garden]
Preliminary studies and in vitro tests have identified that verbenaline and plant flavonoids have anti-inflammatory effects in animal and cellular models, inhibiting inflammatory mediators such as cytokines, says nutritionist Milagros Sympson (MN 12067). “It is recommended to treat mild headaches and menstrual pain,” she adds.
Verbena has long been used in folk medicine as a relaxant or nerve tonic.