Identity & origin
BOTANICAL IDENTITY
The right name is the first step.
A subshrub or shrub associated primarily with seasonally dry tropical environments. Lippia alba leaf is the inventory entry. Vervains from other genera and essential oils sold under a similar name are not automatically equivalent.
Also known as: No synonyms listed.
Have the species and exact part verified; a photograph alone cannot guarantee identification for consumption.
An illustration is not enough to identify a plant for consumption. Do not forage for a species based solely on this profile.
Uses & evidence
UNDERSTANDING THE USES
Properties & uses.
Listed part — documentary context
ANSM lists Lippia alba for: leaf. This listing specifies neither a clinical indication nor a dosage.
The references do not establish a benefit. Lack of evidence is not assurance of safety.
Read the sourceMigraine: clinical observation without a control group
Hydroalcoholic leaf extract, geranial-carvenone chemotype. Headache scores and frequency improved in the cohort. This was not a randomized trial; it does not establish general efficacy for migraine.
A human study may be positive, negative or inconclusive. Read the findings, preparation and limitations.
Read the sourceThe traditional uses described are not clinical proof of effectiveness. Evidence for one preparation cannot automatically be applied to another.
Precautions before use
BEFORE ANY USE
Precautions & contraindications.
This guidance does not cover every individual situation. Missing information is not a guarantee of safety.
Contraindications & precautions
- Insufficient dataThis targeted audit does not provide a comprehensive contraindication review; this does not mean contraindications are absent.
Medicine interactions
- Insufficient dataThis dossier cannot establish compatibility with medication. A limited study does not replace an interaction review of the exact product.
Other retained warnings · review incomplete
These existing warnings remain relevant to consult. Their exhaustive reassessment is outside this targeted review.
Restrictions and precautions
- The botanical sources cited cannot establish a complete list of contraindications. Do not self-medicate on the basis of this record.
Medicine interactions
- Compatibility with medicines is not established by the sources evaluated here; ask a pharmacist to check the exact product.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and children
Insufficient information here to recommend medicinal use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
No preparation or paediatric dose is validated in this record.
“Reported” does not prove causality; “possible” may reflect indirect evidence. “None reported” means none in the cited source, not that all combinations have been studied. Do not stop a prescribed treatment based on this profile.
Adverse effects
- The botanical inventory does not characterize adverse effects; this does not mean there is no risk.
Pregnancy & breastfeeding
Insufficient information here to recommend medicinal use during pregnancy or breastfeeding.
Children & adolescents
No preparation or paediatric dose is validated in this record.
If symptoms persist, worsen or are unusual, consult a healthcare professional. In an emergency, contact the emergency services.
Available evidence
EXPLORE THE EVIDENCE
The available evidence.
The chemotype is part of the studied preparation’s identity. Even with the correct plant name, another aromatic composition or extraction process does not necessarily reproduce the intervention.
Migraine: clinical observation without a control group
Without controls, natural changes and other factors cannot be separated from the extract’s effect.
A human study may be positive, negative or inconclusive. Read the findings, preparation and limitations.
Read the referenceLimitations to keep in mind.
This record explains a publication without turning it into a prescription. The studied part, process and context must remain identifiable.
Studies, findings & limitations
THE RESEARCH
What the research shows.
A laboratory or animal result alone does not demonstrate a benefit in humans. Each result must be read alongside the preparation studied and its limitations.
Migraine: clinical observation without a control group
A human study may be positive, negative or inconclusive. Read the findings, preparation and limitations.
- Type of research
- Uncontrolled cohort of 21 women, two months.
- Preparation concerned
- Hydroalcoholic leaf extract, geranial-carvenone chemotype.
- Observed results
- Headache scores and frequency improved in the cohort.
- Limitations to consider
- This was not a randomized trial; it does not establish general efficacy for migraine.
What can we take from this?
This summary is not an exhaustive literature review. Clinical observations, animal models and cellular tests are not interchangeable levels of evidence.
Documentary review dated 09/10/2026. The references remain available to check the context.
Sources & last review
CHECKING REFERENCES
Sources for this profile.
- ANSM — Pharmacopée française, liste A (janvier 2026), p. 37Accessed on 09/10/2026
- Kew — Plants of the World Online : Lippia alba (Mill.) N.E.Br. ex Britton & P.WilsonAccessed on 09/10/2026
- Carmona F et al. (2013). Lippia alba (Mill.) N. E. Brown hydroethanolic extract of the leaves is effective in the treatment of migraine in women.Accessed on 09/10/2026
Image: Catriona Hays Howson · CC BY 4.0. View the original image and its licence. Image resized and converted to WebP.