Mouse Ear
Botanical Description & Habitat
Hieracium pilosella, Pilosella officinarum
Family
Compositae (Asteraceae)
Common Names
Hawkweed
Mouse bloodwort
Pilosella
Habitat
Indigenous to dry soil on lawns, fields, pastures and waste places of the British Isles, Europe and Western Asia. Also found in Ontario and south to New York and Pennsylvania and west to Michigan.
Medicinal Parts
The dried plant or herb
Historical Properties & Uses
Mouse ear combines the properties of an astringent, cholagogue and diuretic, as do several related plants. It is used to fight diarrhea, and as a gargle for sore throats. The powdered herb is sometimes sniffed into the nose to stop a nosebleed.
As a cholagogue, mouse ear is applied in liver and spleen ailments. Likewise it is used to treat bladder stones and infections. Mouse ear is used in Britain and Europe as an antispasmodic, expectorant and anticatarrhal in the treatment of bronchial problems. These actions can be accounted for by an inspection of the major components.
Method of Action
The Pharmacology of Mouse Ear
Mouse ear contains umbelliferone, a coumarin-like antibiotic compound, essential oils, tannin, and flavones, including luteolin and its 7-glucoside, plus caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid. The astringent, antibiotic, diuretic and cholagogue properties utilized in American herbal medicine depend on the presence of the tannin, flavones and essential oils, plus cholagogyue components as yet not identified.
The uses of mouse ear in British folklore differ substantially from those of the Americans. The British make use primary use of the coumarins and flavonoids of the herb to treat respiratory problems. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes mouse ear as spasmolytic, expectorant, anti-catarrhal, diuretic, sialogogue, and a topical vulnerary, for use in the treatment of bronchitis, bronchitic asthma, whooping cough, hemoptysis and edema, with the specific indications of whooping cough, pulmonary affections with excessive sputum, soreness and hemoptysis. Topically applied as a lotion or compress to treat hernias and fractures. Continental Europeans utilized mouse ear much as the British do, making use of the flavones and coumarins in the plant.
The luteolin and related constituents of mouse ear have been found to possess significant anti-inflammatory activity.
Drug Interactions & Precautions
Known Interactions
Mouse ear, insofar as its diuretic action increases the renal excretion of sodium and chloride, may potentiate the hyperglycemic and hyperuremic effects of glucose elevating agents.
Diuretics may potentiate the action of antihypertensive, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine and norepinephrine.
The effects of dopamine and diuretic agents are additive. Diuretics may potentiate the action of antihypertensive drugs, ganglionic or peripheral adrenergic blocking drugs, tubocurarine and norepinephrine.
Possible Interactions
The anti-inflammatory activity of this herb can be seriously inhibited by phenobarbital and certain other sedatives and hypnotics (chloral hydrate, meprobamate, etc.), as well as beta-adrenergic blocking agents (propanolol).
Colchicine may increase sensitivity or enhance the response to mouse ear.
In conjunction with ACTH or corticosteroids, this diuretic is more prone to produce hypokalemia.
The use of diuretics may require dosage adjustments of antidiabetic drugs. The diuretic action of mouse ear may reduce renal clearance of lithium.
An initial dose of captopril (an antihypertensive) may cause a severe drop in blood pressure within three hours if the person is also using a strong diuretic.
The topical application of this astringent herb in conjunction with the acne product tretinoin (retinoic acid, vitamin a acid) may adversely affect the skin.
1. The tannin in this herb may potentiate the antibiotic activity of echinacea.
2. The tannin in a tea made from this herb may be inactivated by the addition of milk or cream.
The antacid nature of this herb may decrease or delay the absorption of nalidixic acid and the sulfonamides.
Due to the spasmolytic nature of this herb it may interact in unknown ways with CNS depressants or stimulants.
Comments
Prolonged use of this diuretic may affect certain lab test results such as electrolytes (esp. K and na), bun, uric acid, glucose, and pbi.
Strong diuretics such as this in conjunction with indomethacin may produce natriuretic effects.
There is evidence that combining bactericidal and bacteriostatic agents will lower the effectiveness of the '-static' variety. How this finding applies to herbal antibiotics is not known.
Safety Factors & Toxicity
Mouse ear is nontoxic in therapeutic doses
Preparation & Administration
Use three times daily
Infusion
use 2-4g of dried herb
Sweeten with honey or stevia
Liquid Extract
use 2-4ml of 1:1 in 25% alcohol
Simple syrup
use 10--20ml
Note: This Herbal Preparation information is a summary of data from books and articles by various authors. It is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health care professionals.
References
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, British Herbal Medicine Association, 1983.
Braun, H. & Frohne, D. Heilplanzen-Lexikon Fuer Aerzte und Apotheker. Gustav Fisher Verlag, Stuttgart, New York, 1987.
Ilarionov, L., Rainova, L. & Nakov, N. Farmatsiya, (Sofia), 29, 39, 1979.
Mowrey, Daniel B., Ph.D. Exper. Psych., Brigham Young University. Director of Nebo Institute of Herbal Sciences. Director of Behavior Change Agent Training Institute. Director of Research, Nova Corp.
Schauenberg, P. & Paris, F. Guide to Medicinal Plants, Keats Publishing, Inc., New Canaan, Connecticut, 1977.
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