Verbena Health Dictionary

Purification, Love... lemon verbena

Lemon Verbena Tea has been known for many years as being an incredible natural remedy for many disorders, especially the ones in the nervous and digestive systems. Lemon verbena (aloysia tryphilla) is native to South America, mainly in Argentina, Brazil and Peru. The herb can grow up to 1-3 meters and it can be recognized by its lancet shaped green leaves and tiny white or lavender-colored flowers. The constituents of lemon verbena are found in its specific oil which contains methyl heptenone, borneol, geraniol and dipentene. How To Make Lemon Verbena Tea To really experience its health benefits, you can make Lemon VerbenaTea by infusing 2 teaspoons of dried lemon verbena herbs into one cup of boiling water. Let the mix boil for a few minutes and then let it steep for about 5 minutes. Lemon verbena has a strong lemony scent and taste. Add some honey to really enhance its taste! Lemon Verbena Tea Benefits

• Lemon VerbenaTea strengthens the nervous system.
• Alleviates colon and stomach spasms.
• Helps reduce fever.
• Acts as a cough remedy.
• Helps with digestion.
• Calms menstrual cramps.

Lemon Verbena Tea Side Effects

• Make sure you do not suffer from any allergies, since Lemon Verbena Tea can cause skin irritation in some people.
• Pregnant and breastfeeding women must avoid drinking Lemon Verbena Tea and other herbal teas.
• Drinking large amounts of Lemon Verbena Tea may irritate the kidneys. Avoid drinking this tea if you suffer from kidney stones or any other kidney problems.

Lemon Verbena Tea is a healthy tea with many health benefits. Make sure you keep in mind its side effects and avoid over-consumption!... lemon verbena tea

Linn.

Family: Verbenaceae.

Habitat: The Himalayas, Khasi and Lushai Hills, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.

English: Vervain, Pigeon's Grass.

Unani: Saal-ul-hamaam, Faristari- un.

Action: Plant—nervine, antidepressant, anticonvulsant; prescribed in liver and gall bladder complaints (spasm of the bladder and strangury), nervous and menstrual disorders; also for bronchitis, asthma and febrile affections.

Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.

The plant contains an iridoid gly- coside, hastatoside; loganin; methyl- cyclopentane monoterpenoid, verbe- nalin; verbascoside and eukovoside. The stem and roots are quite rich in stachyose. Aerial parts gave lupeol, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, aucubin and artemetin.

The herb is credited with weak parasympathomimetic activity. Verbenalin exhibited mild purgative activity in animal studies. Emetic in high doses.

Vervain tea decreased absorption of non-heme iron by 59% in human subjects. (Sharon M. Herr.)... verbena officinalis

Aloysia triphylla

FAMILY: Verbenaceae

SYNONYMS: A. citriodora, Verbena triphylla, Lippia citriodora, L. triphylla, verbena, herb Louisa.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A handsome deciduous perennial shrub up to 5 metres high with a woody stem, very fragrant, delicate, pale green, lanceolate leaves arranged in threes, and small, pale purple flowers. Often grown as an ornamental bush in gardens.

DISTRIBUTION: Native of Chile and Argentina; cultivated (and found semi-wild) in the Mediterranean region – France, Tunisia, Algeria – as well as Kenya and China. The oil is mainly produced in southern France and North Africa.

OTHER SPECIES: Botanically related to the oregano family – see Botanical Classification section. Not to be mistaken for the so-called ‘Spanish verbena’ or ‘verbena’ oil (Spanish) (Thymus hiamalis), nor confused with the herb ‘vervain’ (Verbena officinalis). This is further confused since the French name for verbena is verveine (Verveine citronelle, Verveine odorante).

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: ‘The uses of lemon verbena are similar to those of mint, orange flowers and melissa.’. It is indicated especially in nervous conditions which manifest as digestive complaints. The dried leaves are still used as a popular household tea especially on the Continent, both as a refreshing, uplifting ‘pick-me-up’ and to help restore the liver after a hang-over.

ACTIONS: Antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, detoxifying, digestive, febrifuge, hepatobiliary stimulant, sedative (nervous), stomachic.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the freshly harvested herb.

CHARACTERISTICS: A pale olive or yellow mobile liquid with a sweet, fresh, lemony, fruity-floral fragrance. It blends well with neroli, palmarosa, olibanum, Tolu balsam, elemi, lemon and other citrus oils.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Citral (30–35 per cent), nerol and geraniol, among others.

SAFETY DATA: Possible sensitization; phototoxicity due to high citral levels. Other safety data is unavailable at present – however, true verbena oil is virtually non-existent. Most so-called ‘verbena oil’ is either from the Spanish verbena (an inferior oil), or a mix of lemongrass, lemon, citronella, etc.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE

Digestive system: Cramps, indigestion, liver congestion.

Nervous system: Anxiety, insomnia, nervous tension and stress-related conditions.

OTHER USES: Used in perfumery and citrus colognes – ‘eau de verveine’ is still popular in France, Europe and America.... verbena, lemon