Elephant's head

Other Names

bull elephant's-headbutterfly tonguebutterfly-tongue lousewortelephant's-head lousewortelephant-head lousewortelephantellaElephantella groenlandicaElephantella groenlandica var. surrectaelephanthead lousewortGreenland lousewortlittle pink elephantlittle red elephantlousewortpédiculaire du GroenlandPedicularis groenlandicaPedicularis groenlandica f. chlorinaPedicularis groenlandica f. gracilisPedicularis groenlandica f. pallidaPedicularis groenlandica subsp. surrectaPedicularis groenlandica var. surrectaPedicularis incarnataPedicularis surrectapink elephant's head

Synopsis

Elephant's Head (Pedicularis groenlandica Retz.): A Comprehensive Reference

1. Identity: Botanical Classification, Common Names, and Natural Source

Taxonomy and Nomenclature

Pedicularis groenlandica, commonly known as elephant's head or elephanthead lousewort, is a perennial hemiparasitic herb in the family Orobanchaceae, distinguished by its striking pink to purple flowers that form dense racemes resembling the head of an elephant, with a curved, tubular galea acting as the "trunk" or "snout." The scientific name derives from the genus Pedicularis, established by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 from the Latin word pediculus meaning "louse," based on a historical European belief that plants in this genus could infest livestock with lice or, conversely, serve as a remedy for lice when used in treatments. The specific epithet groenlandica refers to Greenland, the type locality where the species was first collected and described by Swedish botanist Anders Jahan Retzius in 1795 in his Flora Scandinavica.

In 1900, the botanist Per Axel Rydberg placed Pedicularis groenlandica in a new genus under the name Elephantella groenlandica along with two other species, a reclassification that found some support with other botanists. As of 2024, Plants of the World Online (POWO), World Flora Online (WFO), and the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service PLANTS database all list Pedicularis groenlandica as the correct classification with no valid subspecies.

The Pedicularis genus as a whole comprises 568 accepted species, 335 synonymous species, and 450 unresolved species. In the context of dietary supplement and herbal medicine use, the common name "elephant's head" refers principally to P. groenlandica, though related species within the genus — including P. densiflora, P. canadensis, and various Asian species — are sometimes grouped under broadly similar traditional and commercial uses.

Common Names

Elephant's head, little pink elephant, elephantella
Greenland lousewort (combining the species epithet with the genus-derived "lousewort," a term historically applied to Pedicularis species due to the louse association)
Butterfly tongue (referencing the long beak on the flower)

Morphology and Habitat

This plant typically reaches heights of 10–70 cm, with clustered stems arising from a caudex, and features basal and cauline leaves that are deeply pinnately lobed, lanceolate, and serrate-margined, measuring 3–15 cm in length. The forehead of the elephant is a structure that protects pollen from the weather called a galea, ranging in size from 1.5–3 millimeters, and extends into the long, slightly coiled beak that resembles the elephant's trunk, measuring 5–18 millimeters; the lateral lobes of the flower resemble an elephant's ears.

This perennial plant typically grows from a system of creeping rhizomes, allowing it to spread and colonize new areas over time, and blooms from late spring to early summer, with flowers primarily pollinated by insects, especially bumblebees. Pedicularis groenlandica is predominantly found in North America, especially in the northern regions, extending from Alaska and Canada down to parts of the northwestern U.S., and is also observed in Greenland. Its habitat includes wet meadows from middle to high elevations, with range across Canada and south through the Cascades and Rockies.

Hemiparasitic Biology

Like many other plants in the genus Pedicularis, it is a parasitic plant and depends on host plants to survive. These species are very unique in that they are facultative hemiparasitic plants; when presented with the opportunity, Pedicularis will connect underground with and parasitize specific plants in its community, favoring woody shrubs and tree species, allowing them to glean water and minerals from the more extensive root systems of these hosts. However, since it is a facultative and not obligate parasite, Pedicularis does not rely on a host and can also survive on its own through photosynthesis.

Natural Forms and Preparations

The aerial portions of P. groenlandica — including leaves, stems, and flowers — are the parts most commonly used in herbal preparations. The aerial parts of the plant were often prepared as teas, tinctures, or poultices to soothe muscle spasms, ease nervous excitement, and relieve pain associated with overexertion or injury. North American species are mostly known for their muscle relaxing and calming properties; most herbalists find the tincture an effective means of preparation, while fresh juice preserved with a minimum of 20% alcohol is another effective method. P. groenlandica is tinctured fresh, using the aboveground parts when the plant is in flower, typically at a ratio of 1:2 in 95% ethanol. Because of the plant's hemiparasitic nature and difficulty of cultivation, most preparations are obtained through wildcrafting in places where this plant grows abundantly.

2. Traditional and Historical Use

Native American Traditions

Pedicularis groenlandica, known as elephant's head, has been utilized in traditional Native American medicine, particularly by the Cheyenne people, who prepared infusions from powdered or smashed leaves and stems to treat persistent coughs. Indigenous naming conventions for P. groenlandica are sparsely documented, with references primarily tied to practical uses rather than specific appellations; the Cheyenne recognized the plant for its medicinal properties, preparing infusions of leaves and stems as a cough remedy, though no distinct tribal name is recorded in ethnobotanical sources. This documentation appears in the ethnobotanical record published by Jeffrey A. Hart in 1981 in the Journal of Ethnopharmacology, covering the Northern Cheyenne Indians of Montana.

Historically, the plant was also used to treat stomach ulcers, rheumatism, and urinary problems; among Ojibwa people it was considered an aphrodisiac. The seeds are edible and can be popped, cooked like a grain, or ground into flour; in addition to the seeds, young leaves were used as nutritious greens.

Traditional Asian Medicine Systems

Pedicularis species are widely used in the traditional medicines of several countries around the world, especially Asian ones, where the pharmacological activities exerted by these species are numerous and interesting, with one species often employed to treat more than one malady and vice versa. Some species of Pedicularis have been widely applied in traditional Chinese medicine.

Pedicularis groenlandica is regarded as one of the most important medicinal plants of Deosai Plateau (Gilgit-Baltistan) in Pakistan, where it grows at high altitude and is used by local communities. In various Asian traditions, this medicinal herb is used in the treatment of leucorrhoea, fevers, sterility, rheumatism, general debility, collapse, and urinary problems, and for revitalizing the blood circulation, improving digestion, and maintaining vitality.

In the realm of traditional Tibetan medicinal practices, Pedicularis oederi Vahl (a related species) occupies a prominent position, predominantly thriving in the elevated terrains of Tibet, along with the provinces of Qinghai and Sichuan.

Different species and their extracts have been shown in traditional use to be beneficial in treating various ailments including fever, cold, cough, debility, exhaustion, collapse, urinary problems, leucorrhoea, revitalizing the blood circulation, stomach ache, digestive and reproductive problems, measles, chronic hepatitis, rheumatism, paralysis, malignant sores, senility, and sterility, and for maintaining vitality.

Modern Western Herbal Tradition

North American species of Pedicularis are mostly known for their muscle-relaxing and calming properties, as presented by herbalist Michael Moore in the mid-1990s. Moore's writings formalized the use of several North American lousewort species, particularly emphasizing skeletal muscle relaxation, anxiety relief, and pain from overuse or injury — applications that have since become core to the contemporary Western herbal tradition surrounding this genus. P. groenlandica is found throughout much of the Sierra Nevada, Cascade, and Rocky Mountain ranges and is one of the more commonly employed species by herbalists in those bioregions.

3. Key Phytochemical Constituents and Active Compounds

Major Chemical Classes

A wide range of chemical components including iridoid glycosides, phenylpropanoid glycosides (PhGs), lignan glycosides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other compounds have been isolated and identified from the genus Pedicularis.

The major phytoconstituents of Pedicularis spp. are phenols, phenylethanoids, phenylpropanoids, flavonoids, iridoids, lignans, and alkaloids, among others.

Iridoid Glycosides

The main chemotaxonomic marker of the Pedicularis genus is aucubin, recognized in 25 of the studied species. From a biogenetic standpoint, aucubin, like other decarboxylated C-10 iridoids observed in species of the order Lamiales, derives from geranyl pyrophosphate. The iridoid aucubin and the phenylethanoid glycoside verbascoside are the two most common compounds in the entire genus, whereas some cases of specific compounds evidenced in only one species have also been observed.

Phenylpropanoid Glycosides

Among the bioactive components, phenylpropanoid glycosides such as verbascoside, salidroside, martynoside, and jionoside D have been extensively reported for their medicinal value and pharmacological activities because of their high abundance in herbal/medicinal plants. Techniques including preparative reversed-phase HPLC and solid-phase extraction methods revealed that methanolic extracts of Pedicularis possessed three phenylethanoids (verbascoside, martynoside, and isomartynoside), a flavonoid (luteolin 7-O-β-d-glucopyranoside), an iridoid (aucubin), and mannitol, the structures of which were identified using spectroscopic methods.

Genus-Specific Alkaloids

In terms of alkaloids, pediculidine, pedicularidine, pediculine, and pediculinine have been evidenced only in Pedicularis species, and they can serve as chemotaxonomic markers at the genus level. The polyol D-mannitol seems to be highly represented in hemiparasitic entities previously comprised in Scrophulariaceae and now classified as Orobanchaceae.

Flavonoids and Other Polyphenols

Phenylethanoid glycosides represent the second major class of compounds in the genus context. Besides phenols, terpenoids, flavonoids, lignans, tannins, iridoids, and phenylpropanoid glycosides are among the active constituents responsible for multiple health effects. Only one compound belonging to each of the natural classes of alkanes, fatty acids, and coumarins has been isolated from Pedicularis spp.

Phytochemical Variability Due to Hemiparasitism

A critical consideration specific to this genus is the potential for host-plant metabolite transfer. The transfer of metabolites from hosts to the hemiparasitic species has been observed in several cases. Therefore, it is suggested that the results from phytochemical analysis of hemiparasitic plants should be carefully checked and subjected to the required criticism. This complicates the standardization of any Pedicularis-based preparation, as the chemical profile of a wildcrafted sample will partly reflect what host plants were parasitized.

In a study of P. groenlandica extracts prepared in six different solvents, all extracts were found rich in phytochemicals; significant amounts of phenolic and flavonoid contents were found in the methanol extract (95.78 mg GAE/g and 66.90 mg QE/g), with the highest DPPH scavenging potential (IC50 88.65 μg/mL), total antioxidant capacity (60.33 mg AAE/g sample), and total reducing power (83.97 mg AAE/g) for the methanol extract.

4. Mechanisms of Action

Preliminary phytochemical analyses reveal that Pedicularis species contain unique iridoid glycosides and phenylethanoid compounds, which are believed to contribute to their reputed effects. Some laboratory studies suggest these constituents may play a role in modulating neurotransmitter activity, offering a plausible mechanism for the plant's traditional use as a nerve tonic and muscle relaxant.

In some pharmacological studies, phenylpropanoids extracted from Pedicularis spp. have shown potent scavenging effects on superoxide and antioxidant effects.

In vitro and in vivo studies indicated that some monomer compounds and extracts from the genus Pedicularis have been found to possess antitumor, hepatoprotective, anti-oxidative, antihaemolysis, antibacterial activity, fatigue relief of skeletal muscle, nootropic effect, and other activities.

Various in vitro and in vivo studies have reported antioxidant, immunomodulatory, antidiabetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, antipyretic, antitumor, antihemolysis, hepatoprotective, analgesic, diuretic, and muscle-relaxant activity of Pedicularis plants or plants having phytoconstituents similar to Pedicularis spp.

No specific receptor-level mechanism — for example, confirmed direct GABA-A agonism — has been definitively established for P. groenlandica itself in the peer-reviewed literature available at the time of writing. The proposed neurotransmitter-modulating hypothesis remains preliminary and is inferred from phytochemical class properties rather than from direct mechanistic trials on this species.

5. Scientific Evidence by Area of Use

5.1 Skeletal Muscle Relaxation

The use of Pedicularis species as skeletal muscle relaxants represents the most consistently cited application in both traditional and contemporary Western herbal practice. However, the scientific evidence for this application is almost entirely preclinical or based on traditional/observational reports.

A wide range of chemical components including iridoid glycosides, phenylpropanoid glycosides, lignan glycosides, flavonoids, and alkaloids have been isolated from the genus, and in vitro and in vivo studies have indicated these compounds and extracts have fatigue relief of skeletal muscle among their demonstrated activities.

Pedicularis has been used to increase endurance in athletic performance by reducing muscle fatigue. Pedicularis has a general good safety record and negative side effects are uncommon; the most common is the medicine causing some 'spaciness' or mild disorientation.

Evidence strength: Despite promising traditional and biochemical findings, clinical studies involving elephant's head in humans are limited; no large-scale, placebo-controlled trials have yet confirmed its effectiveness or established definitive safety profiles for nutritional use. The fatigue-relief-in-skeletal-muscle activity noted in the literature derives from in vitro and animal models of related species, not from randomized controlled trials in humans for P. groenlandica specifically.

5.2 Antioxidant Activity

All extracts of P. groenlandica were found rich in phytochemicals; a significant amount of phenolic and flavonoid content was found in the methanol extract (95.78 mg GAE/g and 66.90 mg QE/g), with the highest DPPH scavenging potential (IC50 88.65 μg/mL), total antioxidant capacity (60.33 mg AAE/g sample), and total reducing power (83.97 mg AAE/g) found for the same extract.

Evidence strength: These antioxidant data are derived from in vitro assays on extracts of plant material sourced from the Deosai Plateau, Pakistan. No clinical (human) trials have validated antioxidant outcomes from P. groenlandica consumption. Evidence is preliminary.

5.3 Antimicrobial Activity

Disc-diffusion method showed significant antibacterial and antifungal activities in laboratory testing of P. groenlandica extracts. Pedicularis has been shown to have antimicrobial activity against a number of pathogens including P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, S. epidermidis, P. olympica, P. vulgaris, E. coli, K. pneumoniae, C. albicans, M. luteus, and others.

Evidence strength: Entirely in vitro. No human clinical data exist for antimicrobial applications of this species.

5.4 Antidiabetic Activity

To investigate antidiabetic potential, α-amylase inhibition assay was performed and cytotoxicity was tested using brine shrimp assay, with P. groenlandica being studied as one of the most important medicinal plants of Deosai Plateau, Pakistan. The highest alpha-amylase inhibition (74.10%) was found in the n-hexane extract.

It has also demonstrated the ability to repair DNA and lower levels of glucose and other diabetic markers.

Evidence strength: Strictly in vitro and/or animal model data. No human clinical trials on antidiabetic outcomes have been reported for P. groenlandica.

5.5 Anti-Leishmanial Activity

Noticeable growth inhibition in Leishmania tropica was displayed by the n-hexane extract of P. groenlandica (IC50 112 μg/mL).

Evidence strength: Single in vitro study. Highly preliminary; no clinical translation has been reported.

5.6 Neuroprotective / Nootropic Effects

In vitro and in vivo studies of the genus have found nootropic effect among the activities attributed to monomer compounds and extracts from Pedicularis. The mechanisms proposed relate to the iridoid and phenylethanoid constituents that are thought to modulate neurotransmitter systems, but these remain poorly characterized in direct human studies.

Evidence strength: Preclinical only. No clinical trials confirm nootropic benefits from P. groenlandica or closely related North American species.

5.7 Hepatoprotective Effects

The existing literature highlights that the compounds present in Pedicularis possess hepatoprotective properties. These findings are based on in vitro and animal model investigations of genus-wide extracts, principally from Asian species.

Evidence strength: Preclinical. No human liver-protection trials have been conducted for P. groenlandica.

5.8 Anti-inflammatory and Analgesic Effects

The existing literature highlights that the compounds in Pedicularis possess anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties. In vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated antioxidant, antidiabetic, and immunomodulatory activities of different extracts of these plants.

Evidence strength: The available anti-inflammatory evidence is entirely preclinical. Herbalist accounts describe its use for musculoskeletal pain, but these are clinical observations rather than controlled trials.

6. Body Systems and Health Areas of Association

Based on the available ethnobotanical and preclinical literature, P. groenlandica and the broader Pedicularis genus are most frequently associated with the following body systems:

Musculoskeletal system: These phytochemicals have antifatigue and muscle relaxant properties attributable to their secondary metabolites.
Nervous system: Indigenous peoples and herbalists have used the aerial parts of elephant's head, particularly Pedicularis groenlandica, for their purported calming and muscle-relaxant properties.
Hepatic (liver) system: In vitro and in vivo studies indicated hepatoprotective activity among the documented properties of Pedicularis genus compounds.
Immune and inflammatory systems: Pedicularis plants are rich in polyphenols, flavonoids, iridoids, lignans, alkaloids, and other phytochemicals; these phytochemicals have antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and anti-inflammatory properties attributable to their secondary metabolites.
Urinary system: Historically, the plant was used to treat urinary problems.
Respiratory system: The Cheyenne people prepared infusions of leaves and stems to treat persistent coughs.
Metabolic / endocrine system: It has demonstrated the ability to lower levels of glucose and other diabetic markers in laboratory studies.

7. Dosage Forms and Reported Dosages

There are no standardized, clinically validated dosage protocols for P. groenlandica. The following dosages reflect reports from herbal practice literature and should be understood in that context.

Tincture (Most Common Form)

Herbalists tincture P. groenlandica fresh, using the aboveground parts when the plant is in flower, typically at a ratio of 1:2 in 95% ethanol.

With Pedicularis, it is important to experiment with both quantity and frequency. Some people will find helpful something like 1 dropperful (1.25 ml) every 3 hours or so, while others may do better with a half dropper (0.60 ml) every hour or more.

The herb in flower is used for preparation; for tincture, fresh plant 1:2 preparation and dry plant 1:5 in 50% alcohol are reported, with a suggested dosage of 1–2 teaspoons, up to three times a day.

Tea / Infusion

Infusions were historically prepared by the Cheyenne using powdered or smashed leaves and stems as a cough remedy. Fresh juice preserved with a minimum of 20% alcohol is another effective method of preparation, with the decoction also noted as effective for certain applications.

Extraction Solvents Used in Research

Commonly used extraction solvents in research preparations are ethanol (60%) and methanol. In the phytochemical studies of P. groenlandica, six different solvents were used to prepare plant extracts.

8. Safety Considerations and Interactions

Host-Plant Alkaloid Transfer: The Primary Documented Safety Concern

The most important and source-supported safety consideration specific to P. groenlandica is its documented capacity to absorb toxic alkaloids from host plants through its haustorial root system. Pedicularis groenlandica and P. bracteosa were found to take up the pyrrolizidine alkaloid senecionine from the host Senecio triangularis in a study of five Pedicularis species examined for evidence of alkaloid transfer from host plants. Pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PAs) are well-established hepatotoxins, and their presence in a wildcrafted preparation of P. groenlandica would be entirely a function of which host plants happened to be parasitized at the collection site.

Pedicularis is a hemiparasite and often obtains nutrients from nearby plants through its roots; some of the plants that it parasitizes do have potentially harmful constituents, such as the pyrrolizidine alkaloids from Senecio triangularis, and there is clear proof that this connection exists. Gathering the plant when it is growing very near a toxic plant such as Arrowgrass (Triglochin maritima) is therefore advised against; the recommendation is to avoid gathering near plants known to be toxic, including Aconitum species.

Pedicularis has the potential to pick up toxic compounds from other plants via the root system, so it is key to be careful when harvesting this plant.

Reported Side Effects

Pedicularis has a general good safety record and negative side effects are uncommon; the most common side effect is the medicine causing some 'spaciness' or mild disorientation.

Side effects at large amounts of a potent strain can induce a "safe but peculiar goofiness and physical lethargy."

Interactions and Contraindications

Caution is advised when using large doses in combination with sedative drugs or hypotensives, and in pregnancy. No pharmacokinetic interaction studies have been published for P. groenlandica specifically.

Phytochemical Variability and Lack of Standardization

Like some other plants, different strains of the same Pedicularis species can vary a great deal in relative strength. Since the plant is not commercially cultivated and is sourced almost exclusively by wildcrafting, and since its chemical profile is partly dependent on what host species it parasitizes, meaningful standardization of commercial preparations is not currently achievable.

Further studies in the future are required to explore the various medicinal properties of Pedicularis plants for designing and developing effective and alternative drugs using these plants. Findings to date scientifically support the ethno-medicinal and biological potential of P. groenlandica; in the future, the plant needs to be explored for further identification and isolation of bioactive compounds to develop new drugs to treat several ailments.

Overall Evidence Characterization

Scientific research on Pedicularis species has primarily focused on potential pharmacological properties and therapeutic applications. Clinical trials investigating efficacy in treating specific ailments are limited, with most studies relying on traditional use and anecdotal evidence. In vitro studies have shown promising results, particularly in antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. Pharmacological research suggests that compounds within the plant may contribute to its purported health benefits. However, further rigorous scientific investigation is needed to validate these findings and establish standardized therapeutic protocols.

References

Health Conditions

Health conditions that Elephant's head may help support.

No conditions available.

Body Systems

Body systems that Elephant's head may help support.

No body systems available.