10 Best Health Benefits of Wild Lettuce

Wild lettuce, a tall leafy plant with tiny yellow buds, is a relative of the domestic lettuce. Wild lettuce is also known as Bitter lettuce (because of its bitter leaves). Its botanical name is Lactuca Virosa. In Latin, Lactuca means ‘milky extract,’ and Virosa means ‘toxic.’ Wild lettuce is also called opium lettuce. This is because the powerful, milk-like latex in the leaves and stem of the wild lettuce was widely used as a substitute for opium in the 19th century.

List of 10 Best Benefits of Wild Lettuce

This herb was well known for its healing qualities and has been relaxing and sedating for thousands of years. It is rich in antioxidants. Continue reading to learn the top ten health benefits of wild lettuce.

1. Helps to relieve pain

The analgesic property and sedative properties make wild lettuce an excellent painkiller. The action of compounds found in the Lactucarium is similar to the act of morphine, which depresses the central nervous system, blunting its ability to feel pain. Therefore, wild lettuce is beneficial for solving colic pain, arthritic pain, muscle spasms, joint pain, muscle pain, and uterine cramps in women during menstruation.

2. Helps to soothe stress and anxiety

Wild lettuce has a mild euphoric property. It is believed to have properties that inhibit the nervous system’s functions. Therefore, wild lettuce is used to soothe stress and anxiety.

3. An excellent remedy for insomnia

The sedative property of the wild lettuce makes it a good choice for treating insomnia. It helps to induce and maintain sleep.

4. Used to treat respiratory issues

Wild lettuce can be used as a natural treatment for asthma and annoying coughs due to its antitussive properties. It helps to bring down the irritation of the bronchial tubes and lungs. It also facilitates the difficulty breathing associated with asthma. Besides, it can be an effective treatment for whooping cough and bronchitis.

5. Helps with migraines and headaches

Wild lettuce works excellent for treating migraines and headaches. One cup of wild lettuce tea ebbs a headache away amazingly fast. The tincture form of wild lettuce is also effective in getting rid of a headache.

6. Hardening of arteries

Atherosclerosis is a condition in which the arteries become thick and stiff; by this means, blood pressure will increase, and the blood flow to the organs and tissues will be restricted. This happens due to cholesterol, fats, and other substances accumulating in the walls of arteries. The seed oil of wild lettuce helps to regain the flexibility and elasticity of the affected arteries.

7. To treat sexual disorders

Wild lettuce helps to hold back the sex drive. Therefore, it treats nymphomania – uncontrollable and extreme sex drive in women.

8. Skin care

Wild lettuce is beneficial in treating itchy, irritated, chapped skin. The latex can be used topically to treat minor skin-related issues like infections and irritation.

9. Used in the treatment of urinary tract problems

Natural diuretics are safer than diuretic medicines as they pose fewer or no side effects. Wild lettuce has a diuretic property and can be used to treat urinary tract infections.

10. Helps in the treatment of PMS (premenstrual syndrome)

Drinking a cup of wild lettuce tea helps to relieve the pain, anxiety, and uneasiness caused by PMS.

More About Wild Lettuce

How to use wild lettuce?

• The leaves can be boiled and then used as food, but I can’t say it is delicious as they are a bit bitter like other bitter lettuce varieties.
• You can rub wild lettuce latex directly on the skin to kill the germs.
• Dried leaves, flowers, and stems of the wild lettuce are used to prepare herbal tea for different ailments.
• It is used in the form of a tincture. 2-3 drops twice a day is safe for even children

What makes wild lettuce an alternative to opium?

Lactucic acid, Lactucopicrin, Lactucone, and Lactucin are the main ingredients of Lactucarium, the milky white latex of wild lettuce. These active ingredients of the wild lettuce bring out its sedative and pain-relieving properties, just like morphine; these ingredients directly act on the central nervous system to reduce pain.

The dosage of wild lettuce

Wild lettuce is used as a tincture, tea, whole smoked dried herbs, and capsules. The most common types, however, include teas and tinctures. The dosage for the pain relies upon a few factors, like the pain’s intensity, the person’s age, and their general health. There is no solid dosage (with a scientific base) for the wild lettuce. Practically,

• 3 to 4 ml of tincture 2-3 times per day
• 2 to 3 cups of tea (made with two teaspoons of chopped leaves or stems of wild lettuce) per day is considered safe, effective, and causes no side effects.

Therefore, wild lettuce is relatively safe if consumed in reasonable doses for small periods. Overdose brings about drowsiness and restlessness. Excessive doses can slow down your breathing and may cause death.

Are there any safety concerns or risk factors associated with wild lettuce?

As mentioned, normal doses of wild lettuce for a short period are safe.

• Applying the milky latex directly to the skin can develop irritation.
• The full impact of the wild lettuce in the body has yet to be fully understood. Therefore, pregnant women and nursing mothers should avoid using it.
• If you are allergic to the Compositae family, including ragweed, daisies, chrysanthemums, marigolds, etc., you can develop severe allergic reactions to wild lettuce.
• If you have a scheduled surgery, stop using this herb two weeks before. As the herb is a sedative, it is dangerous to take along with anesthesia and other sedative medicines after the surgery.
• Avoid the usage of wild lettuce if you have prostatic hyperplasia and glaucoma, as it aggravates those issues.
• Avoid using wild lettuce if you are already on medication for anxiety-related issues or using CNS depressant medicines.

How Wild lettuce fairs in toxicity test?

Lactucarium is brown hardened milky juice(dried) of the plant, which comes out when scratched. It contains properties to decrease gastrointestinal inflammation and relieve dyspnoea. It is also used as a laxative, diuretic, and sedative agent(due to the presence of hyoscyamine). It also decreases uterus contractions.

In the early days, desiccated lactescent juice was used as an analgesic and sedative. Due to its diuretic effect, it is also used for kidney disorders, relieving uterine contractures. It also helped in conditions like icterus and edema.

In the study, it was found that Wild lettuce does have side effects if taken in the wrong way. It could cause –

• Decreased bowel sounds
• Dizziness
• Anxiety
• Sympathetic overactivity
• Mydriasis
• Urinary retention

Where does wild lettuce grow?

Wild lettuce is most commonly spread across North America, Australia, Pakistan, Southern England, Canada, India, and Europe.

Which part of the wild lettuce is useful?

This herb’s leaves, seeds, stems, and latex are the most commonly used parts, both commercially and in herbal medicinal preparations.