{"id":5786,"date":"2021-11-24T09:35:22","date_gmt":"2021-11-24T09:35:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/?post_type=herb&p=5786"},"modified":"2025-05-25T08:32:32","modified_gmt":"2025-05-25T07:32:32","slug":"mullein","status":"publish","type":"herb","link":"https:\/\/www.herbalreality.com\/herb\/mullein\/","title":{"rendered":"Mullein"},"content":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"featured_media":5790,"parent":0,"menu_order":-230,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":"","beyondwords_generate_audio":"1","beyondwords_project_id":"47224","beyondwords_content_id":"ca470265-935f-4e04-802c-cd0f6681ce34","beyondwords_preview_token":"e2bfcda8-5cda-4d61-9985-059da32a165e","beyondwords_player_content":"","beyondwords_player_style":"","beyondwords_language_code":"","beyondwords_language_id":"","beyondwords_title_voice_id":"","beyondwords_body_voice_id":"","beyondwords_summary_voice_id":"","beyondwords_error_message":"","beyondwords_disabled":"","beyondwords_delete_content":"","beyondwords_podcast_id":"","beyondwords_hash":"","publish_post_to_speechkit":"","speechkit_hash":"","speechkit_generate_audio":"","speechkit_project_id":"","speechkit_podcast_id":"","speechkit_error_message":"","speechkit_disabled":"","speechkit_access_key":"","speechkit_error":"","speechkit_info":"","speechkit_response":"","speechkit_retries":"","speechkit_status":"","speechkit_updated_at":"","_speechkit_link":"","_speechkit_text":""},"tags":[53,54,58,156,533,12],"conditions":[695],"sustainability":[1576],"sense":[17,31],"western_action":[1010,992,993,1000,1005,1025],"chinese_action":[],"ayurvedic_action":[],"energetics_action":[1499,1382,1488,1491,1494],"region":[1893],"class_list":["post-5786","herb","type-herb","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","tag-cold","tag-flu","tag-inflammation","tag-lung","tag-mullein","tag-respiratory","conditions-respiratory-system","sustainability-green-sustainability-status","sense-aromatic","sense-astringent-taste","western_action-expectorant","western_action-anti-inflammatory","western_action-antimicrobial","western_action-astringent","western_action-demulcent","western_action-vulnerary","energetics_action-astringent","energetics_action-cool","energetics_action-moist","energetics_action-neutralising","energetics_action-sweet","region-western-herbs"],"acf":{"last_reviewed":"20211124","herb_author":1235,"banner_text":"Mullein is a great healer for the respiratory system","latin_name":"Verbascum thapsus<\/em>","pseudonym_name":"","family_name":"Scrophulariaceae","herb_summary":"Mullein is a wonderfully soothing remedy for the lungs, used to good effect in irritating, hacking coughs with bronchial congestion.","key_benefits":"Anti-catarrhal\r\nDemulcent\r\nExpectorant\r\nVulnerary (tissue healing)","how_does_it_feel":"Soft, velveteen leaves, like rabbit\u2019s ears to the touch, mullein has a soothing action known as a\u00a0demulcent<\/em>\u00a0activity, this word is derived from the Latin\u00a0demulcere,<\/em>\u00a0to caress. The fresh or dried leaves have little odour, the taste is mucilaginous and slightly bitter.\r\n\r\nThe scent of the 1:3 infused tincture is mildly aromatic. On tasting, initially it is warmly sweet and aromatic with a follow-on soothing demulcent sensation.","hdif_image_1":5792,"hdif_image_2":5791,"hdif_image_3":13654,"hdif_video":"","sense":[17,31],"what_can_i_use_it_for":"Used widely in the form of a tincture or a tea for its antimicrobial, expectorant and demulcent effects, mullein is very well-placed for use in inflammatory conditions of the respiratory tract such as infections, asthma, tracheitis and spasmodic coughs, and is indicated where the lining of the respiratory tract feels sore, inflamed and dry.\r\n\r\nWhen taken internally it has a slightly diaphoretic effect, (promoting perspiration). It would thus make a good accompaniment to elderflowers and\/or lime flowers in the treatment of fevers involving respiratory infections.\r\n\r\nThe infused oil made from the flowers can be used for earache, (see cautions under safety), mouth ulcers, and for burns.\r\n\r\nThe leaves are used topically in the form of a poultice for wounds and burns.","into_the_heart_of":"The leaf has been widely used in the form of an infusion or a tincture for its soothing properties on inflamed, dry and painful throat and chest complaints. Easing breathing and dry, hacking coughs.\r\n\r\nMullein can soothe mucous membranes, reduce inflammation and promote expectoration. It has been used in conditions such as bronchitis, whooping cough, tracheitis, TB and asthma to good effect.\r\n\r\nThe saponins within both the leaf and flower possess the expectorant action which when coupled with the plant\u2019s soothing effects from the mucopolysaccarides means it really helps to bring up hard-to-shift phlegm and soothe irritated mucous membranes.","tradtional_uses":"The name Mullein is derived from the Latin word mollis<\/em>, meaning soft or woolly.\r\n\r\nPrimarily the leaf and flower have been used medicinally and its use has been wide-spread including in Europe, North America, India and Pakistan.\r\n\r\nUses are both internal, (mainly for conditions of the respiratory system) and also external, as a soothing vulnerary (healer) for burns, wounds and bruises.\r\n\r\nThe infused oil of the petals is used in earache and also on haemorrhoids and other mucous membrane inflammations.\r\n\r\nIn the past the leaves were dried and smoked for relief in asthma and coughing spasms.\r\n\r\nRight up until the introduction of antimycobacterial drugs, mullein was cultivated on a large scale in Ireland and sold in chemists as an important remedy in the treatment of tuberculosis (4).","what_practioners_say":"

\"\"<\/strong>Lower respiratory system<\/h3>\r\nIt is an excellent dual-purpose respiratory remedy, on the one hand containing large quantities of mucilage and thus exerting a soothing and mucus-producing effect suitable for irritated airways, whilst on the other containing saponins that are responsible for the stimulatory effect on the mucociliary lining of the respiratory system.\r\n

Ears<\/h3>\r\nIt has been used in the form of an infused oil of the flowers when applied as drops to the ear for earache and inflamed external areas of the ear canal as with eczema.\u00a0The infused oil is sometimes combined with garlic for added antimicrobial activity. Used for otitis externa or otitis media.\r\n

Mouth<\/h3>\r\nThe oil made from mullein leaf or flower is also used to good effect in mouth ulcers being that it is healing and antiseptic.\r\n

Skin<\/h3>\r\nOintments prepared from mullein leaves are used for burns (Haughton, 1978). Topically, a poultice of the leaves and\/or flowers is a good healer of wounds and is also beneficial when applied to haemorrhoids (5).","research":"\"\"Tough as old boots, mycobacteria have been intensively studied to find their Achilles\u2019 heel, in particular\u00a0M.tuberculosis<\/em> which causes TB. Due to increasing antibiotic resistance, (extensively drug-resistant TB has been reported in 123 countries worldwide (6)), the search for effective treatments is ongoing and plants are playing a significant role in this.\r\n\r\nMullein has a long tradition of use for TB and other diseases arising from infection with mycobacterium species including leprosy and bovine TB and has been investigated in recent times to see if this can be evidenced (7).\r\n\r\nAntimicrobial effects have been observed in vitro against Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli (8).\r\n\r\nThe iridoid glycosides within Mullein have been investigated for antiproliferative and antiangiogenic activity. Luteolin and 3-O-fucopyranosylsaikogenin F showed promising antiproliferative action by way of inducing cell apoptosis of A549 lung cancer cells (9).\r\n\r\nAqueous and ethanolic extracts of whole plant Mullein have demonstrated antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activity of alcoholic stem extract was investigated using DPPH (antioxidant) assay. Ethanolic extract of the plant resulted up to 85% inhibition of free radical and up to 40% inhibition by water extract (10). Currently no studies have been carried out on the isolated compounds of mullein for antioxidant effects.\r\n\r\nTrials have shown a statistically significant improvement in the symptoms of ear ache in otitis media in children when treated with a blended oil containing garlic, St John\u2019s wort, calendula, lavender, vitamin E and mullein that was comparable to anaesthetic ear drops. The herbs within have combined anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial and pain-relieving effects (11).","did_you_know":"Mullein was considered a magical plant and used in love potions and other such brews, being mentioned in incantations during the Middle Ages.\r\n\r\nThe flowering stems were dipped in tallow and used as torches by the Greeks and Romans.\r\n\r\nThe seeds are narcotic to fish. They have been used by poachers, thrown into the water where they have helped to make catching the fish easier.\u00a0<\/sup>It should be noted that this not an acceptable practice and is illegal in many countries.\u00a0<\/sup>\r\n\r\nThe velvety leaves were put into shoes to act an insulation from the cold, they also have a long tradition of use as a substitute for loo roll, known in the US as \u2018cowboy toilet paper\u2019.","additional_information_right":{"illustration":6028},"additional_information_left":{"botany":"Towering spikes of flowers sit on a single stem that grows from the centre of a basal rosette of leaves on this handsome biennial plant. The flower stems can reach a height of 2 metres with leaves that narrow at their base forming two wings that run down the stem. Native to Europe, North Africa and western and central Asia, it has naturalised in most temperate areas of the world.\u00a0 It is vigorous in growth and each plant can produce upwards of 100,000 seeds (1), so if you grow it, ignore at your peril!<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe seeds also possess impressive longevity, viable seeds have been found in soil samples dated 1300 AD (1).<\/span>\r\n\r\nThe leaves are incredibly soft and velvety in texture. Many ornamentals have been bred from verbascum species. The flowers are a lovely egg yolk-yellow and often bloom rather randomly, dotted about here and there on the tall spikes of the rather charming and sometimes wonky mullein.\u00a0<\/span>\r\n\r\nNowadays it is the leaves and flowers which are used as medicine.<\/span>","common_names":"