EUPHRASIA

Description

Herbaceous, branched plant, up to 30 cm tall. It lives parasitizing the roots of other plants in thickets, mountain meadows and in cleared forests. Its leaves are sessile, oval and deeply toothed. The flowers are arranged in small, small, whitish-yellow clusters.

Part used

Aerial sumidad.

Active principles

• Iridoid glycosides: aucuboside, euphroside, ixoroside, catalpol.
• Gallic tannins 7%.
• Phenyl carboxylic acids: caffeic, chlorogenic, vanillic.
• Phenyl-propanoid esters: eukuvoside.
• Flavonoids: apigenin, luteolin, kempferol, rhamnetin, quercetin.
• Others: lignans, essential oil, traces of alkaloids, choline.

Pharmacological action

• Astringent.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Antiseptic.
• Nasopharyngeal decongestant.
• The essential oil has eupeptic and antiseptic action.

Indications

• In external use: infusion applied in the form of compresses, drops, eye baths, rinses, etc.
• Ocular affections: blepharitis, conjunctivitis, sties.
• Stomatitis, pharyngitis.
• Rhinitis.
• Diarrhea.
• Dyspepsia.

Contraindications

Pregnancy and lactation.

Precautions

No special precautions at recommended doses.

Drug interactions

None have been described.

Side effects

At recommended doses no side effects are expected.

Bibliography

-.Monografía de la SEFIT (Sociedad Española de Fitoterapia).

-.Fitoterapia Aplicada. J.B. Peris, G. Stübing, B. Vanaclocha. M. I. C. O. F. Valencia.

-.European Medicines Agency (EMA) - Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Assessment report on Euphrasia officinalis L. and Euphrasia rostkoviana Hayne, herba. London: EMA. Doc. Ref.: EMA/HMPC/246799/2009. Adopted: 16 September 2010.

-.Stoss M, Michels C, Peter E, Beutke R, Gorter RW. Prospective cohort trial of Euphrasia single-dose eye drops in conjunctivitis. J Altern Complement Med. 2000; 6 (6): 499-508

-.Paduch R, Woźniak A, Niedziela P, Rejdak R. Assessment of eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis L.) extract activity in relation to human corneal cells using in vitro tests. Balkan Med J. 2014; 31 (1): 29-36.