Asteraceae
Wild Lettuce
Lactuca virosa
⚠ Use with Caution
Avoid in Pregnancy
Native to: Central and Southern Europe
Also known as: Bitter Lettuce, Opium Lettuce, Poisonous Lettuce, Prickly Lettuce
Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA
Parts Used
LeafLatex
Therapeutic Uses
Insomnia, anxiety, restlessness, mild pain, dry cough, hyperactivity. Traditional 'herbal opium' — lactucarium was used as opium substitute in Victorian era. Mild but real sedative action.
Herbal Actions
Sedative, analgesic (mild), antispasmodic, antitussive, anxiolytic
Active Constituents
Sesquiterpene lactones (lactucin, lactucopicrin — primary sedative compounds), lactucarium (dried latex — 'lettuce opium'), taraxacin, phenolic acids, flavonoids
Preparation Methods
🏺 Tincture💊 Capsule☕ Herbal Tea
Traditional Preparation Notes
| Herbal Tea | 1–2 tsp dried leaf per 250ml, steep 10 min, 1–3x daily |
| Tincture | 2–4 ml (1:5, 60% ethanol), 1–3x daily |
| Notes | Fresh latex most potent. Dried herb milder but safer. Combine with valerian and passionflower for insomnia. Lactucarium was listed in US pharmacopeia 1820–1926. Do not combine with CNS depressants at high doses. |
Safety Information
Safety Rating
⚠ Use with Caution
Pregnancy
Avoid in Pregnancy
Drug Interactions
Possible — consult doctor
Contraindications: Avoid in pregnancy. Caution with CNS depressants. Glaucoma (intraocular pressure). Do not drive.
Side Effects: Sedation. Dizziness. GI irritation. Sweating. Generally safe at appropriate doses.