Verbenaceae
Vervain
Verbena officinalis
✓ Generally Safe
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
Also known as: Common Vervain, Herb of Grace, Holy Herb, Pigeon's Grass
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
LeafFlower
Therapeutic Uses
Nervous exhaustion with tension, depression with anxiety, liver and gallbladder congestion, tension headaches, PMS with irritability, insufficient breast milk, fever management. Classic remedy for 'the tense, over-driven person who cannot relax'.
Herbal Actions
Nervine tonic, antispasmodic, diaphoretic, hepatic tonic, mild bitter, emmenagogue, galactagogue
Active Constituents
Iridoid glycosides (verbenalin, hastatoside, aucubin), flavonoids (luteolin, apigenin), tannins, essential oil, alkaloids
Preparation Methods
☕ Herbal Tea🏺 Tincture
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 1–2 tsp dried herb per 250ml, steep 10 min — distinctly bitter, often preferred as tincture |
| Tincture | 2–4 ml (1:5, 25% ethanol), 3x daily |
| Notes | Best tincture uses fresh herb. Particularly indicated for people who hold tension in jaw, shoulders, neck. Combine with skullcap for nervous exhaustion, with dandelion root for liver support. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
✓ Generally Safe
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
None known
Contraindications: Contraindicated in pregnancy (emmenagogue/uterotonic). Avoid with iron supplementation (tannins reduce absorption).
Side Effects: Bitter taste causes GI discomfort in some. Mild nausea. Generally well tolerated.