Euphrasia

Elder blossoms are frequently made into a tea, sometimes with eyebright Euphrasia officinalis) and used as an eyewash for conjunctivitis. Elder flowers are mixed with rosewater and applied to the eyes to improve vision. Elder flower tea is a popular "spring tonic," taken first thing in the morning for several weeks. Elder flowers have also been used as a traditional herb in smoking blends. 

Elder blossoms, eyebright (Euphrasia officinalis) and goldenrod herb make a beneficial infusion to treat hay fever due to its anti-inflammatory properties. 

Euphrasia is also employed externally to arrest hemorrhages. 

There is no evidence-based research that any complementary medicines or treatments (e.g. acupuncture, herbal or dietary interventions or homeopathic remedies) are effective to treat hay fever. Butterbur and euphrasia have been used as alternatives to conventional medicines but safety data are lacking. 

New Ci5 iridoid glucosides are scutellariosides I and II from Scutellaria altissima, which are 10-cinnamoylcatalpol and 10-(4-hydroxycinnamoyl)catalpol, respectively. The full paper concerning gluroside from Galeopsis tetrahit (Vol. 6, p. 23) has been published, a new report of melampyroside (Vol. 6, p. 23) from Odontites rubra and Euphrasia rubra has appeared, and the presence of harpagide and its acetate in various Labiatae species is reported. 

Euphrasy herb Euphrasia species E. stricta E. roslkoviana group Scrophulariaceae... 

Drug sample 1 Verbasci ilos 4 Euphrasiae herba... 

Species of eyebright are difficult to distinguish botanically (Harkiss and Timmins 1973). Euphrasia stricta, E. rostikov-iana, and hybrids or mixtures of these species are commonly accepted as eyebright (Wichtl 2004). 

Harkiss, K.J., and P. Timmins. 1973. Studies in the Scrophulariaceae—Part VIII. Phytochemical investigation of Euphrasia officinalis. Planta Med. 23 182. 

Porchezhian, E., S.H. Ansari, and N.K.K. Shreedharan. 2000. Antihyperglycemic activity of Euphrasia officinale leaves. Fitoterapia 71(5) 522-526. 

Matysik, G., and Toczolowski, J. (1997). TLC-densitometric investigation of aucubin penetration from Herba Euphrasiae extract to the aqueous humor of the eye. Chem. Anal. (Warsaw) 42 221-226. 

Source Euphrasia rostkoviana F. Hayne and other Euphrasia spp. (E. officinalis L.) (Family Scrophulariaceae). 

Euphrasia officinalis has been used by modem authors to refer collectively to the genus hence is a collective species and, as such, a nomen ambiguum. Close to 450 species described many into hardly distinguishable microspecies Euphrasia officinalis probably the most useful designation for commercial supplies. 

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