Black Horehound (Ballota nigra)

Parts used:

Above ground parts

Botany

A perennial herb, it can be found throughout Europe and the Eastern United States. It grows from 0,3 to 1m high. The stemmed flowers are reddish-lilac in colour.

Constituents

Principally contains diterpenoids, including marrubiin, ballonigrin, ballotinone, flavonoids (apigenin, vicenin) and phenylpropanoids (verbascoside, arenarioside). Pinene and humulene as volatile oils have also been identified.

Possible Interactions

Herbs - None known. Drugs - Possible with dopamine agonists

Comments

Traditionally used orally for systematic relief of nervous disorders and coughing. Verbascoside and ballotetraside have powerful antioxidant properties as demonstrated by reactive oxygen species scavenging. Black horehound also has antispasmodic and stimulant effects. Avoid confusion with white horehound.

➥ Pharmacopoeia and Other Monographs

ESCOP 2003, BP 2007, Ph Eur 2007 German Commission E