Natural Health Products
Non-traditional solutions to help boost your health and wellness.
Figwort
General Information
Figwort is a flowering plant found throughout the Northern Hemisphere. Most species are found in Asia and a few species grow in Europe and North America. Figwort has been used as a diureticdiuretican agent that increases urine flow, pain reliever, mild laxativelaxativean agent that stimulates bowel movement and relieves constipation, and for skin conditions such as eczema or psoriasis.
Common Name(s)
Scientific Name(s)
Scrophularia nodosa L. (Scrophulariaceae)
How is this product usually used?
Oral forms of figwort include chewables (e.g. gummies, tablets), capsules, strips, powders, or liquids. The dose is measured in drops, teaspoons, or tablespoons.
The aerialaerialplant parts appearing above ground parts, which are the above-ground parts of plant, are used in preparing oral supplements. The dose is usually 0.2 g to 8 g of dried aerial parts per day. It is taken as an infusioninfusionthe process of steeping or soaking plant material in hot or cold water to isolate its active ingredient, fluid extractextractto get, separate, or isolate a desired active ingredient, or tincturetincturea desired active ingredient that is extracted from alcoholic solution.
The following doses and methods of preparation of figwort have been used:
- infusion: prepared with 2 g to 8 g dried aerial parts per day
- fluid extract:
- 1 g to 2 g dried equivalent (1:1, 1 mL to 2 mL), taken 3 times a day
- 2 g to 8 g dried equivalent (1:1, 25% ethanol, 2 mL to 8 mL) per day
- o 1.8 g to 3.6 g dried equivalent (1:1, 1.8 mL to 3.6 mL [30 to 60 drops]) per day
- tincture:
- 0.4 g to 0.8 g dried equivalent (1:5, 40% ethanol, 2 mL to 4 mL), taken 3 times a day
- 0.2 g to 0.4 g dried equivalent (1:10, 45% ethanol, 2 mL to 4 mL) per day
- 0.3 g to 1.2 g dried equivalent (1:2, 76% ethanol, 0.6 mL to 2.4 mL, 10 to 40 drops) per day
Figwort can also be used topicallytopicallyto be applied on the skin (applied to the skin), although there is no reliable dosage information.
Your health care provider may have recommended using this product in other ways. Contact a health care provider if you have questions.
What is this product used for?
orallyorallyto be taken by mouth (swallowed), figwort has been used as:
- a diureticdiuretican agent that increases urine flow (for occasional use only)
- a pain reliever
- to relieve symptoms of chronic skin diseases, eczema, psoriasis, and itchiness
- a mild laxativelaxativean agent that stimulates bowel movement and relieves constipation
topicallytopicallyto be applied on the skin, figwort has been used for:
- chronic skin diseases such as eczema and psoriasis
- itching
- hemorrhoids
- swelling
Your health care provider may have recommended this product for other conditions. Contact a health care provider if you have any questions with this product.
What else should I be aware of?
Figwort taken orallyorallyto be taken by mouth (swallowed) can interact with some medications, such as diureticdiuretican agent that increases urine flows (e.g., furosemide, hydrochlorothiazide) and lithium.
Do not use figwort if you are pregnant or breast feeding, or if you have heart disease or a heart rhythm problem called ventricular tachycardiatachycardiaabnormally fast heartbeat. Do not use figwort if you are allergic to it or to any plants from the Scrophulariaceae family.
If you have diabetes, check with your doctor before using figwort. Figwort may affect blood sugar control, so you may need to check your blood sugar more often.
Talk to your health care provider if your symptoms persist, worsen, or if you have any type of unexpected reaction to figwort.
Before taking any new medications, including natural health products, speak to your physician, pharmacist, or other health care provider. Tell your health care provider about any natural health products you may be taking.
Source(s)
- Figwort (monograph). Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database. (Accessed 06 June 2014)
- Health Canada. Licensed Natural Health Products Database. Figwort. http://webprod.hc-sc.gc.ca/nhpid-bdipsn/monoReq.do?id=87 (Accessed 06 June 2014)
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