A medicinal herb that is hardly used in medicine in Germany today is common viper’s bugloss, also called wild ox tongue. Sometimes it is still used as an ingredient in cosmetics.
Occurrence and cultivation of the common viper’s bugloss.
The flowers have a resemblance to a snake’s head with a lambent tongue, which is probably why the plant has the name “viper’s head”. Here, the flowers are considered to be a snake’s head, and the protruding pistil with the stamens is considered to be a tongue. The viper’s bugloss (Echium vulgare), also called blue Henry or proud Henry, ox tongue or sky burn, is a biennial or perennial plant that is widespread in Germany, throughout Europe and in western Asia. It grows especially on stony, dry places, for example, forest clearings, embankments and quarries, gravel areas and rubble sites. It grows about one meter high. The viper’s bugloss belongs to the genus Echium and exists in our country as the only representative of this genus. The term “Echium” is derived from the Latin “Echis”, which means otter or viper. The term “vulgare” means common. The viper’s bugloss has many bristles on its stems and leaves. The lance-shaped leaves can grow up to ten centimeters long. Towards the stem they grow narrower. At the top are the flowers arranged in bunches, which are first pink and later turn blue. They have a resemblance to a snake’s head with a lashing tongue, which is probably why the plant has the name “viper’s head”. In this case, the flowers are considered a snake’s head, and the protruding pistil with the stamens is a tongue. After flowering, which lasts from May to early October, split fruits with seeds develop from the flowers.
Effect and application
In the kitchen and as a medicinal herb, the common viper’s bugloss is hardly used. The leaves have a cucumber-like flavor and can be prepared similarly to spinach. This is especially true when preparing the young leaves. Both the plant and its leaves contain pyrrolizidine alkaloids, which are considered liver toxic and carcinogenic. Therefore, it is better not to eat the viper’s bugloss in larger quantities. Especially people with liver diseases should be careful. In general medicine, the common viper’s bugloss is hardly used in Germany. In the past, it was often recommended in herbal books as a remedy for healing wounds caused by snakebites. When used internally, it has a diuretic and diaphoretic effect. Allantoin contained in the plant has a beneficial effect in wound healing, other active substances have an antibacterial effect. One of various applications are respiratory diseases such as cough. Externally, the viper’s bugloss helps with carbuncles and boils. The leaves and herb are collected in the flowering season and dried in shady places. A tea can be prepared from the fresh or dried herb. To do this, boiling water is poured over two teaspoons of viper’s bugloss herb per cup. The tea must steep for five to ten minutes and is then poured through a sieve, sweetened if necessary and drunk in sips. It also helps with colds and headaches. The flowering plant tips can be used very finely cut for a pulpy poultice for nail bed inflammation, boils or carbuncles. The freshly squeezed plant juice helps with skin irritations and redness. The roots of adder’s head contain allantoin, which can be used for poultices or ointments for skin problems and musculoskeletal injuries. In the past, adder’s head was often used to treat snakebites, probably because of the similarity of the flowers to snakeheads. It was also popular for its effects as an aphrodisiac, although this effect is not clearly documented. The roots can be used for dyeing, giving a beautiful red color.
Importance for health, treatment and prevention.
The common viper’s bugloss is one of the medicinal plants, which today still have a sporadic importance in naturopathy, but their use has declined very much. For medicinal use are mainly the dried herb and the dried roots. The viper’s bugloss, when used internally, has a diuretic effect, it helps with coughs, fever and headaches. Used externally, poultices help with sprains, bruises and strains. It is also used as a poultice or in the form of a cream.To make a cream, mix a handful of finely chopped plant tips with 200 g of milking fat and 50 g of rapeseed oil and gently heat in a saucepan until the fat becomes liquid. The liquid must then infuse for 20 min. and then cool. After that it can be transferred into cream tins. A freshly squeezed juice of adder’s head can be applied to reddened and irritated skin. The allantoin contained in the root in combination with the dried root in a cream, if left for a longer time, has a positive effect on bruises, contusions and strains and degenerative diseases of tendons. However, it is not suitable for prolonged use. In case of doubt, a consultation with an alternative practitioner should be made. In the field of esotericism, the blue flowers of the viper’s bugloss are considered “eye candy”. By wetting the “third eye” with a flower extract, the inner vision is said to be improved by Jupiter energy. In the kitchen, the viper’s bugloss is rather not recommended because of the toxic pyrolizidine alkaloids, which are considered liver toxins and are suspected of being carcinogenic. While the plant is not extremely toxic, use over a long period of time is strongly discouraged.
