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Viola tricolor (Heartsease)

Botanic Name

Viola tricolor

Common Name

Heartsease, Wild Pansy, Love-lies-bleeding, Love-in-Idleness, Live-in-Idleness, Loving Idol, Love Idol, Cull Me, Cuddle Me, Call-me-to-you, Jack-jump-up-and-kiss-me, Meet-me-in-the-Entry, Kiss-her-in-the-Buttery, Three-Faces-under-a-Hood (and many others!) 1

Family

Violaceae

Parts Used

Herb

Habitat

Hilly pastures and banks, invading waste places and fallow ground, throughout Britain, Europe, and Asia 2

Constituents

Saponins 2

Salicylates 2

Alkaloid 2

Flavonoids 2

Tannin 2

Mucilage 2

Actions

Expectorant 3

Diuretic 3

Anti-inflammatory 3

Anti-rheumatic 3

Laxative 3

Anodyne 4

Demulcent 4

Diaphoretic 4

Expectorant 4

Vulnerary 4

Applications

Eczema and other skin problems where there is exudate 3

Whooping cough 3

Acute bronchitis 3

Cystitis 3

Painful and frequent urination 3

At its best in complex syndromes such as auto-immune disease where several of these conditions are combined 2

Skin eruptions in children 4

Diarrhoea 4

Chest and Lung inflammations 4

Dosage

Medium Dose Herb

Infusion 1 – 4 gms dried herb tds 2

Tincture 2 – 4 ml tds 3

Combinations

Trifolium, Urtica, Galium – for skin conditions 3

Agropyron, Barosma – for cystitis 3

C/I Cautions

None 5

Excessive doses or prolonged, continuous use can lead to skin problems 4

BHP S/I

Eczema and skin eruptions with serous exudate, particularly when associated with rheumatic symptoms. 6

References
  1. Grieve, M., A Modern Herbal, Tiger, Great Britain, 1994.
  2. Mills, S., The Complete Guide to Modern Herbalism, Thorsons, Great Britain, 1994.
  3. Hoffmann, D., The New Holistic Herbal, Element, Dorset, 1990.
  4. Lust, J., The Herb Book, Bantam Books, USA, 1974.
  5. McGuffin, M., Hobbs, C., Upton, R., Goldberg, A., American Herbal Products Association - Botanical Safety Handbook, CRC Press, 1997.
  6. British Herbal Pharmacopoeia 1983. British Herbal Medical Association. 1989.

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Revised: May 20, 2002 .