ÚLTIMOS AVANCES EN LA QUÍMICA Y ACTIVIDADES BACTERIOLÓGICAS EN LAS PLANTAS MEDICINALES
 
1) Methanol exts. of air-dried Verbascum thapsus afforded 12 constituents: laterioside, harpagoside, ajugol, picroside IV, verbascoside, (+)-genipin, a-gardiol, b-gardiol, buddlindeterpenes A-C, and amentoflavone.

2) A review.  Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a medicinal plant readily found in roadsides, meadows and pasture lands and has been used to treat pulmonary problems, inflammatory diseases, asthma, spasmodic coughs, diarrhea and migraine headaches.  Although it has been used medicinally since ancient times, the popularity of common mullein has been increasing com. for the past few years.  Today, the dried leaves and flowers, capsules, alc. exts. and the flower oil of this plant can easily be found in health stores in the United States.  The use of common mullein exts. in folk medicine begun recently to be supported by an increasing no. of research studies.  This paper thoroughly reviews all the scientific research related to Verbascum thapsus including plant tissue cultures and the biol. properties of this plant.
 
3) Purifn. of a-galactosidase from the roots of Verbascum thapsus L. was difficult to achieve using conventional methods due to the presence of colored contaminants.  A newly developed procedure, hybrid affinity chromatog., which is based on a mixed matrix sepn. procedure, using a substrate analog and an immobilized metal affinity matrix as ligands, allowed the purifn. of this enzyme with good recovery.  The method should be applicable to other proteins as well.
 

PARTE UTILIZADA= Used part: flores.

ACCIÓN FARMACOLÓGICA= Pharmacological action: antitusígeno. pectoral , antiespasmódico , antineurálgico , digestivo y emoliente.

POSOLOGÍA= Posology: Infusión de flores: una cucharadade postre por taza. Filtrar por un coladorde algodón pasados 10-15 minutos. Tres tazas al dia, antes de las comidas.

COMPOSICIÓN QUÍMICA= Chemical composition: Mucilago (3%), constituidopor una mezclade polisacáridos. Iridoides: acubina , 6-B-xilosil-aucubina, catalpol, 6-B-xilosil-catalpol, metilcatalpol, isocatalpol, etc. Saponinas: verbascosaponinas y otros. Flavonoides: apigenina, luteolina y sus 7-0-glucósidos, kemferol, rutina, etc. Acidos fenoles: cafeico, ferúlico y protocatéquico. Esteroles: digiprolactona.

ZONA GEOGRÁFICA= Geografical zone: Europa, Asia occidental y Norteamerica.

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Droga: flores.

Propiedades:
Suavizante, emoliente, expectorante, béquica, fluidificante de secreciones bronquiales y diurético.

Origins: Fields, rocky or gavefly banks, waste lands, roadsides, embankments, pastures, and meadows.

Uses: The leaves and flowers are classed as astringent, antitussive, respiratory sedative, antifungal, and anodyne. A tea made &om the leaves is used in Appalachia for colds. The Greeks and Romans dipped dried stalks in wax and used them as candles. The Spanish people of New Mexico smoked the dried leaves, wrapped in corn husks, as a treatment for asthma.

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Common mullein is a biennial plant that is also known as Bunny’s ears, Feltwort, and Flannel leaf.. In its second year it sends up a dramatic six foot stalk of yellow flowers from its cluster of fuzzy, pillowy basal leaves that often measure about a foot in length. Root preparations were widely used for respiratory problems. A tincture made of the root in the first year’s growth was given for cystitis and urinary incontinence. The crushed leaves were treatment for bruises, sprains, and rashes (including diaper rash). Oil in which the flowers were allowed to soak was a remedy for earache and hemorrhoids. The name mullein comes from the Middle English word moleyne (Latin mollis), meaning “soft.” American settlers sometimes used the big leaves as absorbant diaper material. Another name for the plant is Quaker Rouge, because rubbing a leaf on the cheeks brings a blush to the skin without using official makeup. Romans and people through the ages dipped the tall stalks in oil and used them as torches. The flowers contain the insecticidal compound rotenone, and cooled flower tea can be used in the garden as a pesticide;
Toxicity:
it is highly toxic to aquatic wildlife and should not be allowed to contaminate streams or ponds.

Part used::
Flowers, Leaves, Roots

Origin:
Europe, Asia, Africa
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Origin

Temperate Himalayas, Western Ghats and the Nilgiris.

Action:

Herb—soothing and relaxant for irritable respiratory conditions (asthma, emphysema, tracheitis), pectoral demulcent, antispasmodic, mild sedative.

1) Fitoterapia: vademecum de prescripción. 4ª. ed. Barcelona: Masson, 2003,p.271.

2) ALFARO, Txumari, Plantas y remedios naturales de los caminos de santiago. Barcelona: B.S.A. 2008, p. 100.

3) HUSSAIN, Hidayat, et al. Minor chemical constituents of Verbascum thapsus. Biochemical Systematics and Ecology. 2009, Vol.37, nº2, p..124-126
 
4) TURKER, Arzu Ucar; GUREL, Ekrem. Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.): Recent advances in research. Phytotherapy Research. 2005, Vol.19, nº9, p.733-739.
 
5)  BOM, Isaac; VAN WASSENAAR, Dick; BOOT, Johan. Hybrid affinity chromatography of a -galactosidase from Verbascum thapsus L. Journal of Chromatography, A. 1998, Vol.808, nº1 + 2, p.133-139.

6) A guide to medicinal plants of  Appalachia/ Krochmal, Arnold; Walter, Russel S.; Doughty, Richard M.: USA: U.S.D.A Forest Service:,1959

7) Linares Gimeno, Nuria/ Plantas Medicinales: cuaderno de trabajo. UPA: Madrid, 2013. p . - 67

8)) Hull, Kathleen; Photog. Hull, Meredith /Indiana Medical History Museum: Guide to the Medicinal Plant Garden./ USA: Indiana Medical History Museum. 2010. -- p. 58.

9) Khare, C.P./ Indian Medicinal Plants. -- Nueva Dheli: Springer, 2007 . - p 697.