Common verbena

Related Terms

9-OHSA, acteoside, acetylacteoside, adenosine, apigenin, beta-carotene, beta-myrcene, beta-sitosterol, brasoside, chrysoeriol, citral, Cleopatra, daucosterol, dihydrochalcone, dihydroverbenalin, epioleanolic acid, epiursolic acid, flavonoids, gelsemiol, hastatoside, hydroxywogonin, iridoid glucosides, iridoids, isoverbascoside, jionoside, littorachalcone, littoralisone, luteolin, martynoside, methoxyflavone glycosides, neohesperidoside, oleanolic acid, phenylethanoid glycosides, phenylethanoids, phenylpropanoid glycoside, pulchelloside, saponins, stigmastene, trihydroxyflavone, triterpenoids, ursolic acid, verbenachalcone, verbascoside, verbascoside-phenylethanoids, Verbena bipinnatifida, Verbena bonariensis, Verbena elegans, Verbena hybrida spp., Verbena littoralis, Verbena officinalis, Verbena stricta, Verbena triphylla, Verbenaceae (family), verbenalin, verbenin, verbenone, vervain, vitamin K.
Note: This monograph does not include lemon verbena (Aloysia triphylla).

Background

Verbena (Verbena officinalis) is a perennial herb native to Europe. Verbena was considered a sacred plant in northern Europe and is said to have been included in love potions. It has been used traditionally in Italian folk medicine for rheumatic pain and wounds and in Ayurvedic medicine as a contraceptive. Verbena is said to be a medicinal plant in Argentina and Paraguay.
Preliminary research suggests potential antioxidant, neurological, and endocrine actions of verbena. However, there is currently insufficient scientific evidence available to support the use of verbena for any condition in humans.

Evidence Table

These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *
These uses have been tested in humans or animals. Safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. GRADE *
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)
* Key to grades

A: Strong scientific evidence for this use
B: Good scientific evidence for this use
C: Unclear scientific evidence for this use
D: Fair scientific evidence for this use (it may not work)
F: Strong scientific evidence against this use (it likley does not work)

Tradition / Theory

The below uses are based on tradition, scientific theories, or limited research. They often have not been thoroughly tested in humans, and safety and effectiveness have not always been proven. Some of these conditions are potentially serious, and should be evaluated by a qualified healthcare provider. There may be other proposed uses that are not listed below.

Dosing

Adults (18 years and older)
There is no proven safe or effective dose for verbena in adults.

Safety

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not strictly regulate herbs and supplements. There is no guarantee of strength, purity or safety of products, and effects may vary. You should always read product labels. If you have a medical condition, or are taking other drugs, herbs, or supplements, you should speak with a qualified healthcare provider before starting a new therapy. Consult a healthcare provider immediately if you experience side effects.

Interactions

Interactions with Drugs
Verbena may alter the risk of bleeding, as it contains vitamin K, which is needed for blood clotting. Verbena may reduce the effectiveness of oral anticoagulant therapy. Verbena may change the risk of bleeding when taken with drugs that increase the risk of bleeding. Some examples include aspirin, anticoagulants (blood thinners) such as warfarin (Coumadin?) or heparin, antiplatelet drugs such as clopidogrel (Plavix?), and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as ibuprofen (Motrin?, Advil?) or naproxen (Naprosyn?, Aleve?).
Verbena may cause changes in blood pressure. Caution is advised in patients taking drugs that affect blood pressure.
Verbena may interfere with the way the body processes certain drugs using the liver's cytochrome P450 enzyme system. As a result, the levels of these drugs may be changed in the blood and may cause increased or decreased effects or potentially serious adverse reactions. Patients using any medications should check the package insert and speak with a qualified healthcare professional, including a pharmacist, about possible interactions.
Because verbena contains estrogen-like chemicals, the effects of other agents believed to have estrogen-like properties may be altered.
Verbena may also interact with antibiotics, anticancer drugs, anti-inflammatory agents, antioxidants, drugs taken by mouth, drugs to prevent kidney stones, fertility agents, gastrointestinal agents (prokinetic), iron, neurological blocking agents, or progestins.

Attribution

This information is based on a systematic review of scientific literature edited and peer-reviewed by contributors to the Natural Standard Research Collaboration (www.naturalstandard.com).

Bibliography

Castro-Gamboa I, Castro O. Iridoids from the aerial parts of (Verbenaceae). Phytochemistry 2004;65(16):2369-2372.
Deepak M, Handa SS. Antiinflammatory activity and chemical composition of extracts of . Phytother Res 2000;14(6):463-465.
De Oliveira AC, Ribeiro-Pinto LF, Otto SS, et al. Induction of liver monooxygenases by beta-myrcene. Toxicology 1997;124(2):135-140.
De Oliveira AC, Ribeiro-Pinto LF, Paumgartten JR. inhibition of CYP2B1 monooxygenase by beta-myrcene and other monoterpenoid compounds. Toxicol Lett 1997;92(1):39-46.
Dudai N, Weinstein Y, Krup M, et al. Citral is a new inducer of caspase-3 in tumor cell lines. Planta Med 2005;71(5):484-488.
Guarrera PM, Forti G, Marignoli S. Ethnobotanical and ethnomedicinal uses of plants in the district of Acquapendente (Latium, Central Italy). J Ethnopharmacol 2005;96(3):429-444.
Hernandez NE, Tereschuk ML, Abdala LR. Antimicrobial activity of flavonoids in medicinal plants from Tafi del Valle (Tucuman, Argentina). J Ethnopharmacol 2000;73(1-2):317-322.
Li Y, Ishibashi M, Chen X, et al. Littorachalcone, a new enhancer of NGF-mediated neurite outgrowth, from . Chem Pharm Bull (Tokyo) 2003;51(7):872-874.
Li Y, Ishibashi M, Satake M, et al. Sterol and triterpenoid constituents of with NGF-potentiating activity. J Nat Prod 2003;66(5):696-698.
Li YS, Matsunaga K, Kato R, et al. Verbenachalcone, a novel dimeric dihydrochalcone with potentiating activity on nerve growth factor-action from . J Nat Prod 2001;64(6):806-808.
Li YS, Matsunaga K, Kato R, et al. Potentiation of nerve growth factor-induced elongation of neurites by gelsemiol and 9-hydroxysemperoside aglucone in PC12D cells. J Pharm Pharmacol 2001;53(6):915-919.
Prakash AO. [Biological evaluation of some medicinal plant extracts for contraceptive efficacy in females]. Contracept Fertil Sex (Paris) 1985;13(4):649-655.
Speroni E, Cervellati R, Costa S, et al. Effects of differential extraction of on rat models of inflammation, cicatrization and gastric damage. Planta Med 2007 ;73(3):227-35.
Wolffenbutte LE. [Verbena in therapy of bacillary dysentery.]. Rev Bras Med 1956;13(3):231-232.
Zava DT, Dollbaum CM, Blen M. Estrogen and progestin bioactivity of foods, herbs, and spices. Proc Soc Exp Biol Med 1998;217(3):369-378.