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Eyebright is a creeping, semi parasitic annual growing to a height of twenty inches. It has tiny oval leaves and small, scallop-edged white flowers with yellow spots and a black center, somewhat resembling an eye.
Common in Europe, eyebright thrives in meadows and open grassland. It is gathered in summer when in flower. The whole herb is used in commercial preparations.
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Eyebright Historical Use
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Eyebright’s use for eye problems was due in part to the Doctrine of Signatures, a 16th century theory that held that a plant’s appearance pointed to the Subjective feelings it treated. Eyebright is a very old and revered folk a substance used in managing discofort for eye troubles. It was first mentioned as a medicinal plant in a 1305 herbal. Eyebright was and continues to be used primarily as a poultice for the topical Favorable Effects of eye sorenesss.
Eyebright had the reputation of being able to restore sight in persons over seventy years of age. The herb also was occasionally employed to treat jaundice, loss of memory, and vertigo.
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Eyebright Remedy For
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- Conjunctivitis
- Blephartis.
- Irritated eyes
Eyebright tightens the mucous membranes of the eye and appears to relieve the soreness of conjunctivitis and blephartis. Its ability to counter mucus means that it is often used for infectious and allergic conditions affecting the eyes, middle ear, sinuses, and nasal passages. Although eyebright counters liquid mucous, it should be used guardedly for dry and stuffy congestion, which tends to be made worse by the plant’s astringency.
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Eyebright Active Constituents
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Eyebright is high in iridoid glycosides, flavonoids, tannins, phenolic acids and volatile oil. The plant has astringent properties that probably account for its usefulness as a topical Favorable Effects for inflammatory states and its ability to reduce mucous drainage.
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Eyebright Typical Dosage
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Traditional herbal texts recommend a compress made with 15 grams of the dried herb combined with 500 ml (2 cups) of water and boiled for ten minutes. The undiluted liquid is used as a compress after cooling.
Internally, eyebright tea, made using the same formula above, can be drunk in the amount of 2 - 3 cups per day. Dried herb, as 2 – 4 grams three times per day, may be taken. The tincture is typically taken in doses of 2 – 6 ml three times per day.
When given internally, eyebright’s mechanism of action is not yet known.
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Eyebright Side Effects
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Due to limited information on the active constituents in eyebright and the need for sterility in substances used topically in the eyes, the traditional use of eyebright as a topical compress currently cannot be recommended without professional support. Used internally in the amounts described above, eyebright is generally safe. However, its safety during pregnancy and lactation has not been proven.
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