Heal-All

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Note: The archived version of this monograph has been temporarily removed. For an electronic copy of this archived version, please contact the Natural Health Products Directorate (NHPD) at NHPD_DPSN@hc-sc.gc.ca.

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Date: March 7, 2008

Proper name(s): Prunella vulgaris L. (Lamiaceae) (USDA 2007)

Common name(s): Heal-all, self-heal (USDA 2007; McGuffin et al. 2000), woundwort (Meyer 1993; Lust 1987)

Source material(s): Shoots and young leaves (Bartram 1998; Hoffmann 1996)

Route(s) of administration: Oral, gargle, buccal or topical

Dosage form(s): Those suited to the allowable route(s) of administration.
This monograph is not intended to include food-like dosage forms such as bars, chewing gums or beverages.

Use(s) or Purpose(s): Statement(s) to the effect of:

Oral:

• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve sore throats (Hoffmann 1996; Felter and Lloyd 1983 [1898]; Wren 1907; Meyrick 1790).
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as an astringent (Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907) to help relieve diarrhoea (Hoffmann 1996; Felter and Lloyd 1983 [1898]).
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as an astringent (Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907) to help relieve haemorrhoids (Hoffmann 1996; Meyrick 1790).

Gargle and/or buccal: Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to help relieve sore throats (Felter and Lloyd 1983 [1898]) and mild irritations of the mucous membranes of the mouth (Hoffmann 1996; Grieve 1971[1931]; Wren 1907; Meyrick 1790).

Topical:

• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine to aid in the healing of minor wounds and cuts (vulnerary) (Williamson 2003; Hoffmann 1996; Culpeper 1995 [1653]).
• Traditionally used in Herbal Medicine as an astringent to help relieve haemorrhoids (Hoffmann 1996; Grieve 1971 [1931]).

Dose(s):

Oral: Preparations equivalent to 0.75-4 g dried shoots and young leaves, per day (Chevallier 1996; Hoffmann 1996; Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907)

Gargle and/or buccal: Preparations equivalent to 30 g dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907)

Directions for use: Gargle and/or rinse as needed.

Topical: Preparations equivalent to 30 g dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971 [1931])

Directions for use: Apply to affected area(s) as needed.

See Appendix 1 for examples of appropriate dosage preparations, frequencies of use and directions for use, according to cited references. The purpose of Appendix 1 is to provide guidance to industry.

Duration of use: No statement required.

Risk information: Statement(s) to the effect of:

Caution(s) and warning(s): Consult a health care practitioner if symptoms persist or worsen.

Contraindication(s): No statement required

Known adverse reaction(s): No statement required

Non-medicinal ingredients: Must be chosen from the current NHPD List of Acceptable Non-medicinal Ingredients and must meet the limitations outlined in the list.

Specifications: Must comply with the minimum specifications outlined in the current NHPD Compendium of Monographs.

References cited:

Bartram T. Bartram's Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine. New York (NY): Marlowe and Company; 1998.

Chevallier A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. London (UK): Dorling Kindersley Limited; 1996.

Culpeper N. Complete Herbal. Ware (UK):Wordsworth Editions Limited; 1995. [Reprint of 1653 original].

Felter HW, Lloyd JU. King's American Dispensatory, Volume 1, 18th edition. Sandy (OR): Eclectic Medical Publications; 1983 [Reprint of 1898 original].

Grieve M. A Modern Herbal, Volume 1. New York (NY): Dover Publications; 1971 [Reprint of 1931 Harcourt, Brace & Company publication].

Hoffmann D. The Complete Illustrated Holistic Herbal. Boston (MA): Element Books Ltd; 1996.

Lust J. The Herb Book. New York (NY): Bantam Books Incorporated, published by arrangement with Benedict Lust Publications; 1987.

McGuffin M, Kartesz JT, Leung AY, Tucker AO, editors. Herbs of Commerce, 2nd edition. Silver Spring (MD): American Herbal Products Association; 2000.

Meyer JE. The Herbalist. Glenwood (IL): Meyerbooks; 1993.

Meyrick W. The New Family Herbal; or, Domestic Physician: enumerating, with accurate descriptions, all the known vegetables which are any way remarkable for medical efficacy; with an account of their virtues in the several diseases incident to the human frame. Birmingham (UK): Knott and Lloyd; 1790.

USDA 2007: United States Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, National Genetic Resources Program. Germplasm Resources Information Network (GRIN). Prunella vulgaris L.  National Germplasm Resources Laboratory, Beltsville (MD). [Accessed 2008-03-07]. Available from: http://www.ars-grin.gov/cgi-bin/npgs/html/tax_search.pl

Williamson EM. Potter's Herbal Cyclopaedia. Saffron Walden (UK): C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 2003.

Wren RC. Potter's Cyclopedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. London (UK): Potter and Clark; 1907.

References reviewed:

Bensky D and Gamble A. Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica. Revised edition. Seattle (WA): Eastland Press, Incorporated; 1993.

Duke JA, Bogenschutz-Godwin MJ, du Cellier J, Duke PK. Handbook of Medicinal Herbs, 2nd edition. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 2002.

Fauci AS, Braunwald E, Isselbacher KJ, Wilson JD, Martin JB, Kasper DI, Hauser SL and Longo DL, editors. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 14th edition. Toronto (ON): McGraw-Hill Health Professions Division; 1998.

Fetrow CW, Avila JR. Professional's Handbook of Complementary and Alternative Medicines, 3rd edition. Philadelphia (PA): Lippincott Williams and Wilkins; 2004.

Gerard J. The Herbal or General History of Plants. The Complete 1633 Edition as Revised and Enlarged by Thomas Johnson. NY (NY): Dover Publications; 1975.

Hoffmann D. Medical Herbalism. Rochester (VT): Healing Arts Press; 2003.

McGuffin M, Hobbs C, Upton R, Goldberg A, editors. American Herbal Products Association's Botanical Safety Handbook. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press; 1997.

Sherman JA. The Complete Botanical Prescriber, 3rd edition. Corvallis (OR): self-published; 1993.

Shou-zhong Y, translator. The Divine Farmer's Materia Medica - A translation of the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing. Boulder (CO): Blue Poppy Press; 2004.

Wiersema J, León B. World Economic Plants: A Standard Reference. Boca Raton (FL): CRC Press LLC; 1999.

Williamson EM, Evans FJ, Wren RC. Potter's New Cyclopaedia of Botanical Drugs and Preparations. Saffron Walden (UK): C.W. Daniel Company Limited; 1988.

Wiseman N and Ye F. A Practical Dictionary of Chinese Medicine. 2nd edition. Brookline (MA): Paradigm Publications; 1999.

Yeung H. Handbook of Chinese Herbal Formulas. Rosemeade (CA): Institute of Chinese Medicine; 1998.

Appendix 1: Examples of appropriate dosage preparations, frequencies of use and directions for  use

Oral:

Infusion: 4 g dried shoots and young leaves, 7-8 times per day (Grieve 1971[1931]; Wren 1907)

Directions for use: Pour 475 ml (1 pint) of boiling water over 30 g dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907) and infuse. Take in doses of a wineglassful (Felter and Lloyd 1983 [1898])).
60 ml = 2 ounces =1 wineglassful (Felter and Lloyd 1983 [1898])).

Tincture:

• 1 g dried equivalent, 2 to 3 times per day
  (1:5, 40% alcohol, 5 ml) (Chevallier 1996)
• 0.25-0.5 g, 3 times per day
  (1:4, 30% alcohol, 1-2 ml) (Hoffmann 1996)

Gargle and/or buccal:

Infusion: 30 g dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971[1931]; Wren 1907)

Directions for use: Pour 475 ml (1 pint) of boiling water over dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907) and infuse. Gargle and/or rinse as needed.

Topical:

Infusion: 30 g dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971[1931])

Directions for use: Pour 475 ml (1 pint) of boiling water over dried shoots and young leaves (Grieve 1971 [1931]; Wren 1907) and infuse. Apply to affected area(s) as needed.