Mullein

Mullein

Mullein is considered a staple in herbal medicine. It wasn’t native to North America and was brought over by European settlers. Despite the new introduction of the herb, it was quickly adopted into use by the local native Americans and is even referred to commonly as Indian Tobacco.

Mullein is a very safe herb and offers benefits to a number of different systems in the body.

Out of all systems, mullein is most commonly used for respiratory and digestive system conditions. It’s popular as an anti-catarrhal and for both soothing dry coughs, and eliminating catarrh with productive coughs. Although the entire plant can be used for either one, the leaves are generally preferred for dry coughs and the roots for productive coughs.

Mullein is as useful topically as it’s internally for inflammation, muscle spasms, and infection.

What Is Mullein Used For?

Mullein is mainly used for treating respiratory infections and persistent coughs. Somewhat ironically, it’s often smoked for its soothing effect on the lungs. It tends to increase moisture in the lungs, especially the leaves, making it especially useful for unproductive, dry coughs.

It’s also used for gastrointestinal inflammation, parasitic infection, and muscle aches. It tends to have a humidifying effect throughout the body, providing a soothing effect, especially with dryness.

One of the most well-known uses for the herb is in the form of an infused oil for ear infections.

Botanical Information

Mullein belongs to the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae) — a family consisting or roughly 65 different genera and 1800 species.

The Verbascum genus itself contains around 250 different species.

Verbascum is a popular garden plant for its ability to thrive in dry, nutrient-poor soils, and for their incredibly long flower duration.

The herb is biennial — the first season growing in a rosette leaf pattern, the second with a large velvety flower spike. Some mullein plants can grow up to three meters tall.

Phytochemistry

Mullein’s soothing, demulcent character comes first from its mucilage — a load of polysaccharides, abundant in the leaf and flower, that coats and calms irritated mucous membranes and underpins the herb’s use for dry coughs. Layered onto this are bitter iridoid glycosides, chiefly aucubin (concentrated in the leaf), which lend anti-inflammatory and mild antimicrobial activity.

The most studied single phenolic is verbascoside (acteoside), a phenylethanoid glycoside with documented antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and wound-healing actions. The herb’s expectorant reputation is generally credited to triterpene saponins, including verbascosaponin, which help thin and move bronchial secretions; flavonoids such as hesperidin round out the leaf.

Constituent Summary

Constituents below are reported qualitatively in the published literature; reliable quantitative figures for V. thapsus leaf and flower are scarce, hence the No Data entries. No units are shared across the table.

Clinical Applications

Although there are many ways to use mullein, it excels with treating respiratory tract conditions. The leaves are excellent for treating dry coughs, while the root is much better for productive wet coughs.

Mullein is useful as a topical treatment for skin irritations, and as an oil for ear infections, especially the more drying flower of the plant.

Mullein also makes for an excellent lymphatic, both internally and externally.