Latin name: Verbascum thapsus
Family: Scrophulariaceae
Folk Names: Aaron’s Rod, Adam’s flannel, beggars blanket, beggars stock, big taper, blanket, blanket leaves, bollocks lungwort, candlewick plant, clot, cuddy’s lungs, duffle, feltwort, flannel plant, Jacob’s staff, Jupiter staff, old man’s dock, old man’s flannel, our ladies flannel, rag paper, shepherd’s club, shepherd’s staff, torch, velvet dock, velvet plant.
Image Credit: Gardeners World 
Image Credit: Southwest Colorado Wildflowers
DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERISTICS
Part of the Plant Used
Leaves and Flowers
Mullein is thought to have brought to North America by European settlers and can easily be identified by its towering biennial stalk and small cupped yellow flowers, tobacco like leaves covered with flannel like hairs. Aerial portions are considered medicinal.
CONSTITUENTS
- Mucilage
- Volatile oil
- Resin
- Saponins
- Flavonoids
- Glycosides
- Bitter principle
- Vitamin A,B,D, minerals Fe, Mg, K, S
Mullein offers mucilage constituents to soothe inflamed mucus membranes as well as saponins which may act as an expectorant.
THERAPEUTIC ACTIONS
- Expectorant (relaxing)
- Demulcent
- Anti-inflammatory
- Anti-catarrhal (LRT)
- Pulmonary tonic / trophorestorative
- Externally – vulnerary, emollient
- Bronchitis
- LRT catarrh
- Earache with pain and wax in ear
- Painful and hard coughs
- Sore throat, tonsillitis, mumps
- Voice unnaturally high or low due to the inflammation of the pharynx
- Swollen Glands – Dry atrophy of the lymphatic system with poor absorption through the small intestine and weakness in the lymphatics.
- Muscular & Skeletal Problems – has a moistening, lubricating effect on the synovial membranes – so that it is hydrating to the spine and joints.
- Set bones in right place when they have been broken or out of place
**Specific for Bronchitis with hard cough and soreness**
- Dry, irritable cough – harsh, racking – ‘shakes the frame’
- Tuberculosis
- Pleurisy
- Asthma
- Sedative to inflamed & irritated NERVES – sharp nerve pain
- Topical treatment for earache (in olive oil) – Be sure tympanic membrane is not perforated!
Clinical: Bronchitis, coughing, mucus membrane inflammation, cold, congestion, dermatitis, diarrhea, hemorrhoids, inflammation, intestinal disease, respiratory disease, sore throat, tuberculosis, wounds. Analgesic, antibacterial, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, expectorant, among other applications.
Folk: Asthma, cramps, ear ache, ear inflammation, fever, kidney disease, migraine, pain, sores, tumors.
Energetics: Cool, moist with 2nd degree drying. Tastes salty/minerally.
Organ affinities: Respiratory Tract, Lymphatics, Synovial Fluids, Bones.
Ethnobotany: Lining boots to keep feet warm, smoking leaves, dye made from yellow flowers often used for a hair rinse, wiping your bum in the wild. Dried stalks often used to make candles and torches.
HERB-DRUG INTERACTIONS
Allergy to mullein. Use caution with pregnancy, lactation and children. Some reports say mullein may contain coumarin and may increase the risk of bleeding. No reports.
FORMULARY
Dosage
One half to 1 teaspoon of liquid extract Daily. Three to 4 teaspoons of dried or fresh mullein flowers in a cup of hot water once or twice daily. One to two tablespoons of fresh leaves daily, or 1/4 to 1 teaspoon of tincture three to four times daily. Smoking leaves not recommended.
- FLOWER GARGLE: Use infusion for throat inflammations
- SYRUP: Made from infusion. Take for coughs
- INFUSED OIL: Earache, eczema or inflamed eyelids
- LEAF INFUSION: Strong infusion – 50g to 500ml water – for chronic cough and throat inflammations. Promotes sweating – useful in feverish chills with hard coughs
Combinations: Marrubium in acute or chronic bronchitis. Combine with stimulating expectorants for chronic respiratory conditions – sweet violet, anise, thyme or elecampane
