Verbenaceae
Lemon Verbena
Aloysia citrodora
✓ Generally Safe
Safe in Pregnancy
Native to: South America (Chile, Peru, Argentina)
Also known as: Lemon Beebrush, Hierba Luisa, Verveine Citronnelle
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
Leaf
Therapeutic Uses
Digestive complaints (flatulence, IBS, nausea), anxiety (mild), insomnia, fever management, joint inflammation. Intensely lemon-scented herb. One of the finest aromatic digestive herbs.
Herbal Actions
Carminative, antispasmodic, sedative (mild), antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, digestive
Active Constituents
Volatile oil (citral/neral + geranial, limonene, linalool), iridoids, flavonoids (luteolin, apigenin), phenylpropanoids (verbascoside)
Preparation Methods
☕ Herbal Tea🏺 Tincture⚗️ Essential Oil
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 2 tsp fresh or 1 tsp dried per 250ml, steep 5 min — delicate aroma |
| Tincture | 2–4 ml (1:5, 40% ethanol), 3x daily |
| Notes | Gentle and pleasant — excellent daily digestive tea. Fresh herb far superior. Do not over-steep (volatile oils lost). Excellent combined with chamomile for digestive and anxiolytic effect. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
✓ Generally Safe
Pregnancy
Safe in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
None known
Contraindications: Very few contraindications. Renal caution with very long-term high-dose use. Generally extremely safe.
Side Effects: Extremely rare. Mild GI effects at high doses. Contact dermatitis with essential oil.