Verbasci flos

Verbasci flos, also called woolly flowers or mullein flowers, is a drug from the dried flowers reduced to the petals, which is taken in herbal medicines for the treatment of catarrhal infections of the upper respiratory tract, among others.

Quality is specified in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur.).

HMPC monograph: Traditional-use. Sore throat with dry cough and cold
ESCOP mon ograph: common cold, cough, sore throat, as a mild expectorant.
Commission E monograph: catarrh of the respiratory tract.

Empirical medicine: Wound treatment

Royal candle blossoms contain between 1.4 and 4 % flavonoids, including the glycosides kaemperol, quercetin, diosmin, apigenin, chrysoeride, luteolin, hesperetin, tamarixetin and eriodictyrol. Other ingredients are invert sugar (11 %), mucilage (3 %), saponins and iridoids such as aucubin.

Royal candle blossoms have an anti-inflammatory, soothing and expectorant effect.

According to Commission E, mullein flowers are used as tea infusions in the treatment of upper respiratory tract catarrhs, coughs and simple colds.

The average daily dose of mullein flowers is 3-4 g. Here the drug is most often used in the form of infusions: 1-1.5 g of dried drug as an infusion, one to three times a day.

There are no known adverse effects.

Allergy to any of the ingredients, children and adolescents under 12 years. Not recommended in lactation and pregnancy due to lack of data.

There are no known interactions with other substances.

1. Serkedjieva J (2000) Combined antiinfluenza virus activity of Flos verbasci infusion and amantadine derivatives. Phytother Res 14:571-574.
2. Slagowska A et al,(1987) Inhibition of herpes simplex virus replication by Flos verbasci infusion. Pol J Pharmacol Pharm 39:55-61.
3. https://arzneipflanzenlexikon.info/koenigskerze.php.
4. https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-verbascum-thapsus-l-v-densiflorum-bertol-v-thapsiforme-schrad_en.pdf
5. Wenigmann M. (2017) Phytotherapy medicinal drugs, phytopharmaceuticals, application. Urban & Fischer, pp. 141-142
6. https://escop.com/wp-content/uploads/edd/2015/09/Verbasci.pdf.