Wild Lettuce Extract Supplement | Lactuca virosa Supplement

The scientific/botanical term for wild lettuce is “Lactusa Virosa.” It is a part of the Asteraceae plant family which has 23,600 species of herbs, shrubs, and trees throughout the world, making it a member of one the largest plant families worldwide. Two related plants to the Lactuca Virosa, are the Serriola Lactuca (also called the compass plant) and the Lactuca Canadensis (AKA Canada wild lettuce).

Wild lettuce grows in many regions of the world. In these regions, its presence is quite pervasive during the summer and early fall months. It can be found in backyards, along hiking trails, roadsides, growing up through the cracks in sidewalks, and almost anywhere else you can imagine.

Read more: What is Wild Lettuce?

Wild lettuce contains two beneficial compounds—lactucin and lactucopicrin—that act on the central nervous system. Wild lettuce has the highest concentration of lactucopicrin of all plants, although dandelion root and chicory root are also good sources.

In addition to its sedative and analgesic effects, lactucopicrin is believed to act as an acetylcholinesterase inhibitor, meaning that it blocks cholinesterase enzymes responsible for slowing communication between brain cells. Wild lettuce is also said to exhibit potent antimicrobial activity.

Based on these properties, practitioners of alternative medicine believe that wild lettuce may be able to prevent or help the following health conditions:

• Alzheimer’s disease
• Arthritis
• Asthma
• Atherosclerosis (hardening of the arteries)
• Cough
• Insomnia
• Joint pain
• Malaria
• Menstrual pain

Read more: Benefits of Wild Lettuce

The lactucopicrin in wild lettuce appears to be a robust acetylcholinesterase inhibitor. Among its benefits, a 2018 study in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology found that lactucopicrin increased neuritogenesis in brain cells extracted from lab rats.³

Neuritogenesis is a phenomenon in which nerve cells sprout projections, called neurites, that connect one nerve cell to another. The more neurites there are, the stronger the transmission of nerve signals.

This suggests, but does not prove, that wild lettuce may help preserve brain function in people with Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders like Parkinson’s disease. Further research is needed.

Wild lettuce is one of the medicinal plants known to provide health benefits. Raw wild lettuce has been used for pain relief and to inducing sleep, and is mainly used by people interested in alternatives to conventional medications.

Raw wild lettuce extract, or lactucarium, has also long been used to relieve mild to chronic pain. Lactucarium contains lactucin and lactucopicrin, bitter lettuce substances that act on the central nervous system to produce pain-relieving and sedative effects.

These compounds are considered sesquiterpene lactones, a group of beneficial substances most concentrated in plants belonging to the Asteraceae family — such as lettuce, calendula, and chicory. These make up a large part of the lactucarium secreted by wild lettuce.

While many natural healthcare companies and homeopathic websites promote wild lettuce as a pain treatment, scientific evidence is lacking.

Few studies in humans have examined wild lettuce and pain relief, though some animal studies suggest that the compounds in wild lettuce extract may have pain-relieving properties.

For example, a study in mice demonstrated that at doses of 7 and 13.5 mg per pound (15 and 30 mg per kg) of body weight, lactucin and lactucopicrin combined had comparable pain-relieving effects as 30 mg of ibuprofen.

Take note, animal studies on the pain-relieving properties of wild lettuce are limited, and more research needs to be done that includes humans. We can only rely on anecdotal evidence on this matter.

As mentioned, research on wild lettuce’s effects focused mainly on animals. In rodent studies, wild lettuce and its compounds were used as a pain reliever and found to work as well as ibuprofen. These compounds are also found in other plants that lower inflammation and may help with pain relief. ‌Bitter herbs are sometimes also used to improve digestion.

Dandelion is often used for this purpose, and some people accidentally pick wild lettuce instead. Some compounds in wild lettuce might also help lower irritation in the gut.

But there is very little evidence about wild lettuce for humans. It hasn’t been studied well, and there is insufficient evidence that it can relieve pain or help digestion. In fact, it might actually cause more digestion problems as one of the drug interactions that might occur.

Because so few studies have been conducted, the long-term safety of wild lettuce is unknown. If consumed in reasonable amounts, wild lettuce is generally regarded as safe.

It is unknown if wild lettuce interacts with other drugs. With that said, you should avoid wild lettuce if you are taking sedatives or any sedating drug, including alcohol, opiates, and older antihistamines like Benadryl (diphenhydramine).

Wild lettuce is a natural sedative, it is very good for an over-excited nervous system. It is particularly good for hyperactivity and can be of considerable help with symptoms of over-excitement or inability to sleep. It has been shown to be helpful for adults who suffer from insomnia, restlessness, anxiety or neurosis.

Its natural tranquilizing effects also help the condition of the individual if suffering from whooping cough, or coughs in general. It can also relieve colic-type pain, including menstrual pains and rheumatism. Wild lettuce can help reduce the feeling of restlessness, excitability, and insomnia.

As always, seek professional medical advice before taking any new dietary supplement. Wild lettuce should not be used in pregnant women, breast feeding mothers, or children. These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.