Health‐promoting and disease‐mitigating potential of Verbascum thapsus L. (common mullein): A review

Abstract

Medicinal plants represent rich sources of traditional medicines and numerous currently used medicines are either directly or indirectly derived from plants. Verbascum thapsus L. (great mullein or common mullein), a medicinal herb indigenous to northern Africa, western and central Asia, and Europe, has been brought to the Americas and Australia. It has been used as a medicine for lung, skin and throat disorders and has a long history of therapeutic importance, particularly as an astringent and calming agent. Presently, the dried leaves, flowers, various plant extracts and flower oil are used in several formulations within Indian traditional medicine. An extract taken from the roots is useful in minimizing toothache, and it also relieves stiffness and seizures.V. thapsus contains a wide variety of phytoconstituents, such as flavonoids, iridoid, phenylethanoid and phenylpropanoid glycosides, saponins, as well as vitamin C and minerals. The most valuable constituents are coumarin and hesperidin, which possess healing properties. Emerging literature based on experimental studies on V. thapsus demonstrates various biological and pharmacological properties, including antiviral, antioxidant, analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, hypnotic, antibacterial, antifungal, as well as anticancer activities. The present review provides an updated, comprehensive, and critical evaluation of various health-promoting and disease-mitigating properties of V. thapsus.

Environmentally friendly silver nanoparticles synthesized from Verbascum nudatum var. extract and evaluation of its versatile biological properties and dye degradation activity

“…It is seen that quinic acid, gentisic acid, and protocatechuic acid are more in VNE than other components. When the studies conducted with Verbascum species whose phytochemical components were investigated (Boğa et al 2016 ; Amini et al 2022 ; Gupta et al 2022 ; Tatlı and Akdemir 2004 ; Georgiev et al 2011 ; El Gizawy 2019 ), it was determined that quinic acid, gentisic acid, and protocatechuic acid were absent or very low in other species. In this respect, Verbascum datum differs from other Verbascum species with its major components.…”

Quantitative ethnobotanical exploration of wild medicinal plants of Arang Valley, District Bajaur, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan: a mountainous region of the Hindu Kush Range

“…For skeletal and muscular complaints and healing of the wound, the plants like Verbascum thapsus and Rumex dentatus were administered. Hesperidin and coumarin are the two important compounds that are used to treat wounds and are found in the leaves of the verbascum thapsus (Gupta et al 2022). Plants such as Tribulus terrestris, Bergenia ciliata, Chenopodium album, Equisetum arvense, Solanum nigrum and Xanthium strumarium were frequently primarily used to treat kidney stones and other urogenital disorders.…”

Evaluation of Verbascum flower extracts as a natural source of pigments with potential health benefits

“…Additionally, these plants are utilized in the treatment of hemorrhoids, rheumatic pain, superficial fungal infections, wounds, and diarrhea. 10 Recently, the content of carotenoids and apocarotenoids was evaluated in the flowers of two Verbascum species, V. sinuatum and V. giganteum (Morote et al, 2023a). 43 Crocins concentration in the flowers of both species are around 11 to 14 mg g −1 DW.…”