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Drosera herba
Synonym(s)
DefinitionThis section has been translated automatically.
Drosera herba, also known as sundew, is a drug used in herbal medicines for the treatment of poorly healing, superficial wounds and for irritable cough and whooping cough.
Note: The round-leaved sundew(Drosera rotundifolia), which is native to Central Europe, is a carnivorous plant. It grows preferably in raised bogs. For medicinal use, another African sundew species is used instead of Drosera rotundifolia, which can be easily cultivated. Sundew has been used for centuries to treat spasmodic and chesty coughs.
In addition to the round-leaved sundew, the parent plants of Drosera herba include the Moroccan sundew, the long-leaved sundew, the medium sundew (Drosera ramentacea BURCH), the long-leaved sundew (Drosera longifolia) and Drosera intermedia. Drosera madagascareinsis is particularly suitable as a cough tea.
HMPC: not processed
ESCOP: not processed
Commission E-Monograph: Spasmodic and irritable cough
Empirical medicine: Internally supportive for whooping cough, externally for poorly healing wounds, warts, corns
IngredientsThis section has been translated automatically.
Sundew contains flavonoids (flavone glycosides and their aglycones: quercetin, myricetin, kaempferol), mucilages, various enzymes(proteases), 1,4-naphthoquinoderivatives, etc.a. 7-methyl-juglon in addition to plumbagine (5-hydroxy-2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone) and droserone (4,8-dihydroxy-3-methylnaphthalene-1,2-dione) (0,14 to 0,22 %).
Note: Juglone is isomeric to 2-hydroxy-1,4-naphthoquinone (Lawson), the dye of the henna leaves.
EffectsThis section has been translated automatically.
Drosera herba has antitussive, antibacterial, antiphlogistic and bronchospasmolytic effects. Furthermore, the drug experimentally inhibits neutrophil elastase, as well as inflammatory genes that play a role in the activation of human mast cells.
Field of application/useThis section has been translated automatically.
Sundew is used for irritable and whooping cough according to Commission E. The drug is commonly used to treat superficial wounds that heal poorly.
DosageThis section has been translated automatically.
The average daily dose of Drosera herba is 3.0 g and is mostly used in the form of tea infusions or solid dosage forms for external application.
Sundew herb is available in pharmacies as a loose product. To make a tea, pour 150 millilitres of boiling water over two to five tablespoons and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Three to four cups can be drunk throughout the day.
Undesirable effectsThis section has been translated automatically.
There are no known adverse effects.
ContraindicationThis section has been translated automatically.
There are no known contraindications.
InteractionsThis section has been translated automatically.
There are no known interactions with other substances.
Note(s)This section has been translated automatically.
Already in the 12th century, the Italian physician Matthaeus Platearius described this medicinal herb under the name herba sole as a remedy for chesty cough.
LiteratureThis section has been translated automatically.
- Boam T (2015) Anti-androgenic effects of flavonols in prostate cancer. Ecancermedicalscience 9:585.
- Devi KP et al. (2015) Molecular mechanisms underlying anticancer effects of myricetin. Life Sci 142:19-25.
- Fukushima K et al. (2009) Drosera rotundifolia and Drosera tokaiensis suppress the activation of HMC-1 human mast cells. J Ethnopharmacol 125:90-96.
- Melzig MF et al. (2001) Anti-inflammatory and spasmolytic activity of extracts from Droserae herba. Phytomedicine 8:225-229.
- Ong KC et al. (1997) Biological effects of myricetin. Gen Pharmacol 29:121 126.
- Schilcher H (2016) In: Leitfaden Phytotherapie, Urban & Fischer Verlag Munich, p. 298.
- https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/sonnentau.php
- Wenigmann M.(2017) Phytotherapie Arzneidrogen Phytopharmaka Anwendung. Urban & Fischer: 5.106 Sundew (Droserae herba) p 195-196