Drosera herba

Drosera herba, also known as sundew, is a drug used in herbal medicines for the treatment of poorly healing, superficial wounds and for irritable cough and whooping cough.

Note: The round-leaved sundew(Drosera rotundifolia), which is native to Central Europe, is a carnivorous plant. It grows preferably in raised bogs. For medicinal use, another African sundew species is used instead of Drosera rotundifolia, which can be easily cultivated. Sundew has been used for centuries to treat spasmodic and chesty coughs.

In addition to the round-leaved sundew, the parent plants of Drosera herba include the Moroccan sundew, the long-leaved sundew, the medium sundew (Drosera ramentacea BURCH), the long-leaved sundew (Drosera longifolia) and Drosera intermedia. Drosera madagascareinsis is particularly suitable as a cough tea.

HMPC: not processed

ESCOP: not processed

Commission E-Monograph: Spasmodic and irritable cough

Empirical medicine: Internally supportive for whooping cough, externally for poorly healing wounds, warts, corns

Sundew contains flavonoids (flavone glycosides and their aglycones: quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol), mucilage, various enzymes(proteases), 1,4-naphthoquinone derivatives such as 7-methyl-juglone alongside plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and droserone (4,8-dihydroxy-3-methyl-naphthoquinone).especially 7-methyl-juglone next to plumbagin (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and droserone (4,8-dihydroxy-3-methylnaphthalene-1,2-diones) (0.14 to 0.22 %).

Note: Juglone is isomeric to 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (Lawson), the colorant of henna leaves.

Drosera herba has antitussive, antibacterial, antiphlogistic and bronchospasmolytic effects. Furthermore, the drug experimentally inhibits neutrophil elastase, as well as inflammatory genes that play a role in the activation of human mast cells.

Sundew is used for irritable and whooping cough according to Commission E. The drug is commonly used to treat superficial wounds that heal poorly.

The average daily dose of Drosera herba is 3.0 g and is mostly used in the form of tea infusions or solid dosage forms for external application.

Sundew herb is available in pharmacies as a loose product. To make a tea, pour 150 millilitres of boiling water over two to five tablespoons and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Three to four cups can be drunk throughout the day.

There are no known adverse effects.

There are no known contraindications.

There are no known interactions with other substances.

Already in the 12th century, the Italian physician Matthaeus Platearius described this medicinal herb under the name herba sole as a remedy for chesty cough.

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