Sweet Violet - Viola odorata

Violet or sweet violet, Viola odorata, is a beautiful flowering plant native to Europe and Asia. It has been introduced in the North Americas and has spread widely. It is a perennial I have encouraged on my pesticide and herbicide-free land. Traditional uses for violet are as an expectorant, for pain relief, antiseptic, laxative, for skin problems and cancer. The flowers contain essential oil, terpenes, sugar, and melatonin. The leaves contain essential oil, quercetin, salicylic acid, flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, and saponins. The plant has peptides that have been demonstrated to have bactericidal activity against gram-negative bacterias. The salicylic acid speaks to its use in combating inflammation. It’s a very useful plant.

Studies support its use for the headache, diarrhea, myalgia, and cough that accompany viral infections.1 Studies also support its use for chronic insomnia.2 It can be used as a tea, tincture, applied to the skin, or aerosolized for the nostrils.

Suggested dosing: Tincture 2-3 ml up to 3x daily.

Possible side effects: Allergy

Contraindications: Hemolytic anemia, aspirin allergy.

1 Adel Mehraban MS, Shirzad M, Mohammad Taghizadeh Kashani L, Ahmadian-Attari MM, Safari AA, Ansari N, Hatami H, Kamalinejad M. Efficacy and safety of add-on Viola odorata L. in the treatment of COVID-19: A randomized double-blind controlled trial. J Ethnopharmacol. 2023 Mar 25;304:116058. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2022.116058. Epub 2022 Dec 17. PMID: 36535329; PMCID: PMC9757886.

2 Feyzabadi Z, Jafari F, Kamali SH, Ashayeri H, Badiee Aval S, Esfahani MM, Sadeghpour O. Efficacy of Viola odorata in Treatment of Chronic Insomnia. Iran Red Crescent Med J. 2014 Dec 14;16(12):e17511. doi: 10.5812/ircmj.17511. PMID: 25763239; PMCID: PMC4341349.

Disclaimer: These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not intended to diagnose or treat any illness. I am not a medical professional and cannot diagnose or treat any illness.