Vinca minor
Vinca minor/1)Vinca minor.jpg "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
Vinca minor/2) Vinca minor.JPG "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
Vinca minor/3) Vinca minor.JPG "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
Vinca minor/4) Vinca minor.JPG "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
Vinca minor/5) Vinca minor.JPG "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
Vinca minor/6) Vinca minor.jpg "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
Vinca minor/7) Vinca minor.jpg "Vinca minor, Apocynaceae, Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid")
| Botanical Nomenclature | Vinca minor |
| Common Name | Creeping Myrtle, Dwarf Periwinkle, Lesser Periwinkle, Myrtle, Small Periwinkle |
| Taxonomy- Family | Apocynaceae |
| Distinguishing Features of the Plant | Vinca minor is a perennial, evergreen plant growing up to 30cm, with green, shiny, opposite, oval, short stemmed leaves and solitary, blue or purple flowers with five petals and long stems. The plant is trailing, viny shrub with fibrous, white root, which creps. The flowering and the harvesting take place from April to March. |
| Region Found | Epirus |
| Part of the Plant with Active Substances | Leaves, stem, fruit |
| Active Substances | Vincamine, vanillic acid, ursolic acid, p-coumaric acid, beta-sitosterol, reserpine, tannins, depsin, gallic acid |
| Pharmacological Effects - Therapeutic Applications | The whole plant has sedative, astringent, emmenagogue, hemostatic, anti-diarrheal, antiseptic and antispasmodic properties. It is recommended in the form of herbal tea for the treatment of heavy bleeding, menstruation, metrorrhagia, colitis, haemoptysis accompanied with fever, leucorrhoea and glands' inflammation. It is applied externally to the skin as hemostatic and antiseptic for wounds' washing, as well against vaginal discharge, nose bleeding (epistaxis) and in the form of patches against mastitis. Also, it is administered in the form of gargles against throat irritation and oral ulcers. In folk medicine it is used to reduce or stop milk's secretion from the mammary glands, when nursing mothers don't want to breastfeed. |
| Method of Administration | The plant is administered in the form of herbal tea (6g of dried herb in a cup of boiled water for 5-10min, 3 times a day) and infusion (a spoon of dried herb in a cup of boiling water for 10-15min, three times a day ). It is applied externally to the skin in the form of pad soaked with the herbal tea, as well in the form of gargles. Warning: The use of herb preparations is not recommended without seeking advice from your physician or pharmacist. The substances they contain may interact with the subscribed drugs that the patient already takes, thus eliminating their therapeutic efficacy or inducing toxicity. They may also burden further weakened vital functions of the body thus exposing the patient to increased morbidity and life threatened conditions. |
| Toxicity- Adverse Effects | No side effects have been reported. The plant should be avoided from people with constipation problems. |
| References | 1) http://www.webmd.com/vitamins-supplements/ingredientmono-476-periwinkle.aspx?activeingredientid=476&activeingredientname=periwinkle 2)http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail492.php 3)http://www.drugs.com/npp/periwinkle.html 4)http://www.drugs.com/npc/periwinkle.html 5)http://www.pfaf.org/user/plant.aspx?latinname=Vinca+minor |