Verbena officinalis
Vervain
Verbena officinalis, commonly known as vervain, is a perennial herb steeped in historical folklore and traditional medicine. Renowned for its diverse therapeutic properties, this plant has been utilized for centuries to treat ailments ranging from anxiety to digestive issues, offering a potent natural remedy supported by modern herbal studies.
- Scientific name: Verbena officinalis
- Family: Verbenaceae
- Native range: Europe
Taxonomical Classification
This plant, Verbena officinalis, belongs to the kingdom Plantae and the phylum Streptophyta. Within the class Equisetopsida and subclass Magnoliidae, it is classified under the order Lamiales and the family Verbenaceae. Finally, its taxonomic identity is completed by its placement in the genus Verbena.
| Rank | Classification | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kingdom | Plantae | WCVP |
| Phylum | Streptophyta | WCVP |
| Class | Equisetopsida | WCVP |
| Subclass | Magnoliidae | WCVP |
| Order | Lamiales | WCVP |
| Family | Verbenaceae | WCVP |
| Genus | Verbena | WCVP |
Common Names
This plant, known scientifically as Verbena officinalis, is widely recognized across various linguistic regions by its common names. In Simplified Chinese, it is referred to as 马鞭草 (zh-hans) and 马鞭草 (zh-cn), while in Traditional Chinese, it is written as 馬鞭草 (zh-hant). Furthermore, the name 马鞭草 is used in both Hong Kong (zh-hk) and Singapore (zh-sg) contexts.| Language | Common Name | Source |
|---|---|---|
| zh-hans | 马鞭草 | Wikidata |
| zh-hant | 馬鞭草 | Wikidata |
| zh-hk | 馬鞭草 | Wikidata |
| zh-cn | 马鞭草 | Wikidata |
| zh-sg | 马鞭草 | Wikidata |
| zh-tw | 馬鞭草 | Wikidata |
| pl | Werbena pospolita | Wikidata |
| fr | Verveine officinale | Wikidata |
| ko | 마편초 | Wikidata |
| de | Echtes Eisenkraut | Wikidata |
Distribution
This plant exhibits a broad presence across various regions of the European continent. In Northern Europe, its distribution includes the countries of Denmark, Great Britain, and Ireland. Moving toward the central part of the continent, the species is also well-established in Middle Europe. Specifically, it can be found growing within the borders of Austria. Furthermore, its geographical reach extends to include Belgium as part of its Middle European range.
| Region | Area | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Europe | Denmark | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Great Britain | WCVP |
| Northern Europe | Ireland | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Austria | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Belgium | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Czechia-Slovakia | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Germany | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Hungary | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Netherlands | WCVP |
| Middle Europe | Poland | WCVP |
Plant Parts
This plant, Verbena officinalis, is a medicinal species where the entire herba is utilized for its therapeutic properties. In traditional and modern medicine, the herb is often collected as the dried aerial part to ensure stability for long-term storage and preparation. Practitioners frequently utilize various herb extracts to harness its bioactive compounds, often specifically employing a potent leaf extract to treat various ailments.- Total parts
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 7
| Plant Part | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| leaf extract | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herba | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herb extracts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| herb | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| dried aerial part | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Aerial parts | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Chemicals
Verbena officinalis has 24 reported phytochemicals identified across 32 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported chemicals include flavonoids, 4'-hydroxywogonin, apigenin, hastatoside, ursolic acid.
- Total chemicals
- 24
- Scientific sources
- 32
Most Reported Compounds
| Compound | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| flavonoids | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| 4'-hydroxywogonin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| apigenin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| hastatoside | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| ursolic acid | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| verbenalin | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-al | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-epioleanolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| 3-epiursolic acid | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Citral | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Activities
Verbena officinalis has 7 reported activities identified across 13 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported activities include Antioxidant, Antibacterial, Antimicrobial, Analgesic, Anticancer.
- Total activities
- 7
- Scientific sources
- 13
Most Reported Activities
| Activity | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| Antioxidant | 4 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antibacterial | 3 | ★★☆☆☆ |
| Antimicrobial | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Anticonvulsant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Neuroprotective | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
Medicinal Uses
Verbena officinalis has 16 reported medicinal uses identified across 17 scientific publications and several other databases. The most consistently reported uses include antioxidant, Escherichia coli, MRSA, SARS-CoV-2, Seed dormancy.
- Total uses
- 16
- Scientific sources
- 17
Most Reported Uses
| Use | Sources | Confidence |
|---|---|---|
| antioxidant | 2 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Escherichia coli | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| MRSA | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| SARS-CoV-2 | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Seed dormancy | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Vibrio cholerae | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| Yersinia ruckeri | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| analgesic | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| anticonvulsant | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |
| colorectal cancer | 1 | ★☆☆☆☆ |