Cowslip

Other Name(s):

Artetyke, Arthritica, Buckels, Butter Rose, Coqueluchon, Coucou, Crewel, Drelip, English Cowslip, Fairy Caps, Herb Perter, Herbe de Saint Paul, Key Flower, Key of Heaven, Mayflower, Our Lady's Keys, Paigle, Paigle Peggle, Palsywort, Password, Peagle, Peagles, Petty Mulleins, Plumrocks, Primerolle, Primevère, Primevère de Printemps, Primevère Officinale, Primevère Vraie, Primrose, Primula, Primula elatior, Primula officinalis, Primula veris, Printanière.

Overview

Cowslip is a plant. The flower and root are used to make medicine.

Cowslip flower is used for swollen nose and throat, cough, bronchitis, trouble sleeping (insomnia), headache, hysteria, nerve pain (neuralgia), and tremors. It is also used to increase urine production, to reduce muscle spasms, as a “heart tonic” for sensations of dizziness and “weak heart,” and to treat heart failure, whooping cough, asthma, gout, and nervous system complaints.

In combination with gentian root, European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel, cowslip is used for maintaining healthy sinuses and treating swollen and painful sinuses (sinusitis).

How does it work?

Cowslip contains chemicals that might thin and loosen mucus.

SLIDESHOW

Could I Be Allergic? Discover Your Allergy TriggersSee Slideshow

Uses & Effectiveness

Possibly Effective for...

  • Inflamed nasal passages or sinusitis. Some research suggests that taking a specific combination of cowslip, gentian root, European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel (SinuComp by Sinupret) improves symptoms of sinusitis.

Insufficient Evidence to Rate Effectiveness for...

  • Bronchitis. Developing research suggests taking cowslip root in combination with thyme (Bronchipret) by mouth relieves symptoms of bronchitis such as coughing, fever, and increased production of mucus.
  • Cough.
  • Whooping cough.
  • Insomnia.
  • Nervous excitability.
  • Headache.
  • Hysteria.
  • Nerve pain.
  • Tremors.
  • Fluid retention.
  • Spasms.
  • Asthma.
  • Gout.
  • Nervous system complaints.
  • Other conditions.
More evidence is needed to rate the effectiveness of cowslip for these uses.

Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database rates effectiveness based on scientific evidence according to the following scale: Effective, Likely Effective, Possibly Effective, Possibly Ineffective, Likely Ineffective, and Insufficient Evidence to Rate(detailed description of each of the ratings).

Side Effects

Cowslip isPOSSIBLY SAFEfor most people when taken by mouth in small amounts as part of a combination product containing gentian root, European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel (SinuComp, Sinupret). There isn't enough information to know if cowslip is safe when used in medicinal amounts other than as part of the combination product. The combination product can cause digestive system upset and occasionally allergic skin rash.

QUESTION

Allergies can best be described as:See Answer

Special Precautions & Warnings

Pregnancy and breast-feeding: There is not enough reliable information about the safety of taking cowslip if you are pregnant or breast-feeding. Stay on the safe side and avoid use.

High blood pressure, low blood pressure: There is some concern that cowslip might interfere with blood pressure control.

Dosing

The following doses have been studied in scientific research:

BY MOUTH:

  • For sudden or ongoing swollen sinuses (sinusitis): a specific combination product (SinuComp, Sinupret) containing 36 mg of cowslip flower plus 12 mg of gentian root and 36 mg each of European elder flower, verbena, and sorrel three times daily.

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Report Problems to the Food and Drug Administration

You are encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA. Visit theFDA MedWatchwebsite or call 1-800-FDA-1088.

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References

[FLUCTUATION IN THE SAPONIN CONTENT AND THE HEMOLYTIC ACTIVITY OF SAPONARIA OFFICINALIS L., PRIMULA OFFICINALIS (L.) HILL., POLEMONIUM COERULEUM L., AND GLYCYRRHIZA GLABRA L.]. Pharmazie 1964;19:538-540. View abstract.

Anour, R., Leinker, S., and van den, Hoven R. Improvement of the lung function of horses with heaves by treatment with a botanical preparation for 14 days. Vet.Rec. 12-3-2005;157(23):733-736. View abstract.

Cysarz, D., Schurholz, T., Bettermann, H., and Kummell, H. C. Evaluation of modulations in heart rate variability caused by a composition of herbal extracts. Arzneimittelforschung 2000;50(5):420-424. View abstract.

Huck, C. W., Huber, C. G., Ongania, K. H., and Bonn, G. K. Isolation and characterization of methoxylated flavones in the flowers of Primula veris by liquid chromatography and mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 2-18-2000;870(1-2):453-462. View abstract.

Jager, A. K., Gauguin, B., Adsersen, A., and Gudiksen, L. Screening of plants used in Danish folk medicine to treat epilepsy and convulsions. J Ethnopharmacol 4-21-2006;105(1-2):294-300. View abstract.

Muller, A., Ganzera, M., and Stuppner, H. Analysis of phenolic glycosides and saponins in Primula elatior and Primula veris (primula root) by liquid chromatography, evaporative light scattering detection and mass spectrometry. J Chromatogr A 4-21-2006;1112(1-2):218-223. View abstract.

PARIS, R. [On the flavonoids of native species of Primula. Presence of a heteroside of kaempferol in the flowers of Primula officinalis Jacq.]. Ann.Pharm Fr. 1959;17:331-335. View abstract.

Sufka, K. J., Roach, J. T., Chambliss, W. G., Jr., Broom, S. L., Feltenstein, M. W., Wyandt, C. M., and Zeng, L. Anxiolytic properties of botanical extracts in the chick social separation-stress procedure. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 1-1-2001;153(2):219-224. View abstract.

Van Rossum, F. and Triest, L. Fine-Scale Spatial Genetic Structure of the Distylous Primula veris in Fragmented Habitats. Plant Biol (Stuttg) 11-13-2006. View abstract.

Vitas, M., Smith, K. E., Plavec, J., Kesselmeier, J., Pajic, T., Ferlan, A., Zigon, R. D., Kelly, S. L., and Komel, R. Induction of steroidal hydroxylase activity by plant defence compounds in the filamentous fungus Cochliobolus lunatus. Chemosphere 1999;38(4):853-863. View abstract.

Webster, M. A. and Gilmartin, P. A. A comparison of early floral ontogeny in wild-type and floral homeotic mutant phenotypes of Primula. Planta 2003;216(6):903-917. View abstract.

Budzianowski J, Morozowska M, Wesolowska M. Lipophilic flavones of Primula veris L. from field cultivation and in vitro cultures. Phytochemistry 2005;66:1033-9. View abstract.

Ernst E, Marz R, Sieder C. A controlled multi-centre study of herbal versus synthetic secretolytic drugs for acute bronchitis. Phytomedicine 1997;4:287-93.

Marz RW, Ismail C, Popp MA. Action profile and efficacy of a herbal combination preparation for the treatment of sinusitis. Wien Med Wochenschr 1999;149:202-8. View abstract.

Neubauer N, Marz RW. Placebo-controlled, randomized, double-blind, clincal trial with Sinupret sugar coated tablets on the basis of a therapy with antibiotics and decongestant nasal drops in acute sinusitis. Phytomedicine 1994;1:177-81.

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