Figwort

Parts Usually Used

Entire plant

Description of Plant(s) and Culture

Figwort is a perennial plant that grows 2-4 feet high; the knobby rootstock is brown outside, whitish and fibrous inside. The erect, quadrangular, glabrous stem bears opposite, ovate to lanceolate, serrate leaves with an offensive odor. (Foliage is variegated green and creamy yellow on the S. n. variegata variety). Small globular, dark purple flowers appear in terminal panicles from June to October.

Full sun or partial shade; zones 6-9. The plant is disease-free. It goes dormant in the fall; will seed itself so freely it can become a weed. Other varieties: also called figwort (Scrophularia marilandica); the Chinese figwort (S. oldhami) is called Hsuau-shen.

Where Found

Found in rich, damp woodlands, wastelands, and thickets from Maine to Georgia and Tennessee, and west to South Dakota and Kansas. Native to Europe and temperate Asia.

Medicinal Properties

Diuretic, exanthematous, anodyne, depurative

Biochemical Information

Scrophularia nodosa: Stereoptene, propionic and acetic acid Biological activities (Scrophularia scorodonia) ABeta-Inhibitor Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant ACE-Inhibitor Syringin found in Stem Adaptogenic Syringin found in Stem Adenylate-Cyclase-Inhibitor Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Aldose-Reductase-Inhibitor Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Analgesic Harpagide found in Plant Harpagoside found in Flower, Leaf, Plant, Stem Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem AntiHIV Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiaggregant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiallergic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antialzheimeran Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antianaphylactic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiarrhythmic Harpagoside found in Flower, Leaf, Plant, Stem Antiarthritic Harpagide found in Plant Antiatherosclerotic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antibacterial Aucubin found in Plant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Anticoagulant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Anticomplementary Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Syringin found in Stem Antidepressant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiedemic Aucubin found in Plant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antifeedant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antigonadotropic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antihemolytic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antihepatotoxic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antiherpetic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antihypertensive Verbascoside found in Flower ;found in Leaf ;found in Stem Antihyperthyroid Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiinflammatory 8-acetylharpagide found in Plant Aucubin found in Plant Bartsioside found in Leaf, Plant Harpagide found in Plant Harpagoside found in Flower, Leaf, Plant, Stem Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antiintegrase Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antileukemic Aucubin found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antileukotriene Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antilipoperoxidant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antimutagenic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antinephritic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antioxidant Aucubin found in Plant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antiplaque Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiprolactin Aucubin found in Plant Antiproliferant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiprostaglandin Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiproteolytic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antipulmonotic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antipyretic Syringin found in Stem Antiradicular Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiseptic Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antishock Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antistaph Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antistaphylococcic Aucubin found in Plant Antistress Syringin found in Stem Antithyreotropic Syringin found in Stem Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antithyroid Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antitumor Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Antiuremic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Antiviral Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Anxiolytic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Apoptotic Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant COX-1-Inhibitor Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant COX-2-Inhibitor Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Calcium-Antagonist Harpagide found in Plant Harpagoside found in Flower, Leaf, Plant, Stem Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Cancer-Preventive Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Candidicide Aucubin found in Plant Cathartic Aucubin found in Plant Collagenic Aucubin found in Plant Cytotoxic 8-o-acetylharpagide found in Leaf, Plant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Deiodinase-Inhibitor Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Diuretic Aucubin found in Plant Fungicide Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Hepatoprotective Aucubin found in Plant Hypertensive Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Immunomodulator Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Syringin found in Stem Immunostimulant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Syringin found in Stem Immunosuppressant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Lactagogue Aucubin found in Plant Laxative Aucubin found in Plant Lipoxygenase-Inhibitor Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Neuroprotective Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Neurotropic Syringin found in Stem PKC-Inhibitor Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Paralytic Aucubin found in Plant Pesticide Aucubin found in Plant Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem Phytoalexin Verbascoside found in Flower, Leaf, Stem RNA-Inhibitor Aucubin found in Plant Radioprotective Rosmarinic-acid found in Plant Tonic Syringin found in Stem Uricosuric Aucubin found in Plant

Uses

Historically, herbalists primarily utilized figwort for external applications, preparing it as an ointment or fomentation for skin conditions such as eczema, scabies, scurf, rashes, psoriasis, and ringworm. Traditional practitioners also applied it topically to soothe scratches, bruises, minor wounds, varicose veins, hemorrhoids, boils, and generalized swelling, or employed it in attempts to clear facial blemishes, redness, and freckles.

Internally, folk traditions recommended the herb as a glandular deobstruent and administered it for complaints including tonsillitis, gout, rheumatism, sluggish digestion, and constipation.

Bibliography

, Loma Linda, CA 92354, Original copyright 1939, revised edition 1994 Chinese Medicinal Herbs , compiled by Shih-Chen Li, Georgetown Press, San Francisco, California, 1973. The Complete Medicinal Herbal , by Penelope Ody, Dorling Kindersley, Inc, 232 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016, First American Edition, copyright 1993 Culpeper’s Complete Herbal & English Physician: Updated With 117 Modern Herbs , by Nicholas Culpeper, Meyerbooks, publisher, PO Box 427, Glenwood, Illinois 60425, 1990, (reprint of 1814) Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants , by Steven Foster and James A.

, Houghton Mifflin Company, 215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10000 The Herb Book , by John Lust, Bantam Books, 666 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY. copyright 1974. , Pantheon Books, Knopf Publishing Group, New York, 1994, first edition The Magic of Herbs , by David Conway, published by Jonathan Cape, Thirty Bedford Square, London, England. , Lotus Press, PO Box 325, Twin Lakes. , 15 Columbus Circle, New York, NY 10023 The Rodale Herb Book: How to Use, Grow, and Buy Nature’s Miracle Plants (An Organic gardening and farming book) , edited by William H.

Hylton, Rodale Press, Inc. , 1974