The Bugleweed Herb

Lycopus virginicus

Bugleweed herb is also known as Sweet Bugle, Water Bugle, Virginia Water Horehound, and Gypsywort.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION AND INFORMATION:

Bugleweed is a herbaceous plant that is native to Europe and Asia and has been naturalized to the United States. It is a member of the mint family and is often referred to as the “odorless mint”. It can grow in all types of soils but needs a moist environment to develop, and can grow profusely in flooded soil.

Bugleweed herb can grow to two feet in height and bears clusters of white, bugle-like flowers with purple spots. The clusters connect the stems to the leaves. The elongated leaves are purple in color initially and then turn green as they unfold. It blooms during the months of June, July, August and September, and bears fruit from August to October.

TARGET AILMENTS:

Take internally for:

* nervousness

* insomnia

* premenstrual syndrome (PMS)

* tension and pain in the breast (mastodynia)

* overactive thyroid

* irritating coughs of nervous origin

* tightness of breathing, shaking and heart palpitations of nervous origin

* Graves’ disease

PREPARATIONS

Over the counter: Bugleweed is available in liquid extract, medicinal tea, tincture, capsules, dried herb, and homeopathic tablets in health food stores.

Tincture: Take 2-4 ml of the tincture three times a day.

At home:

Infusion: Pour one cup of boiling water over 1-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried leaves and let infuse for 10-15 minutes. Drink this three times a day.

Parts used: The leaves and flowers of the bugleweed herb are dried and used medicinally.

Collection: The flowers should be harvested before the buds open.

Constituents: Lithospermic acid, rosmaric acid and other organic acids, falconoid, volatile oil, tannins

Actions: Sedative, astringent, thyrocine antagonist, cardio active diuretic, peripheral vasoconstrictor

Combinations: Bugleweed can be used with nervines such as Skullcap or Valerian.

Bugleweed can be used with Lemon Balm to treat a mildly overactive thyroid.

SAFETY AND SIDE EFFECTS

* should not be taken by people with hypothyroidism.

* should not be used during pregnancy or while breast-feeding.

* High doses of this herb may enlarge the thyroid.