Evidence supporting the use of: Vervain
For the health condition: Emotional Sensitivity
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) has a long-standing history in Western herbalism and folk medicine, where it has been used as a remedy for emotional disturbances, including conditions described as “emotional sensitivity,” mild anxiety, melancholy, and nervous tension. The plant was considered sacred by the Druids and has appeared in traditional European herbal texts as a “nervine”—an herb that supports the nervous system and soothes the mind. Nicholas Culpeper, a 17th-century herbalist, mentioned vervain for calming the spirit and easing anxiety.
Despite this rich tradition, scientific evidence for vervain’s effects on emotional sensitivity or related mood disorders is limited. Some animal studies have suggested possible anxiolytic (anxiety-reducing) and sedative properties, but these have not been robustly replicated or translated to human clinical trials. No high-quality, large-scale human studies exist to confirm vervain’s efficacy for emotional regulation or sensitivity. Thus, its use in this context is primarily justified by traditional herbal practice rather than modern scientific validation.
Other ingredients used for Emotional Sensitivity
AcaciaAconite
Albizia
amber
Amor seco
Angelica
anise
ashwagandha
basil
bayleaf
betony
blackthorn
Bombax
borneol
bасора
chamomile
commiphora
Coptis chinensis
dodder
dragonhead
European five-finger grass
fennel
Ficus religiosa
forsythia
frankincense
fringed pink
Fuchsia
gastrodia
Greek mountain tea
Indian frankincense
jujube
Kokilaksha
L-theanine
lemongrass
Ligusticum
linalool
Litsea
Lycopodium
magnesium
mallow
Milk
Monkey flower
nut grass
omega-3 fatty acids
passionflower
paw paw
peony
Pulsatilla
Purple Monkeyflower
Rhodiola
rosemary
rue
Sagebrush
Sandy Everlasting
Scleranthus annus
Sensitive Plant
Sesbania
Sete sangrias
Sichuan Lovage
siler root
Southern Tsangshu
Sphaeranthus indicus
Spikenard
St. John's Wort
star of Bethlehem
sweet flag
Sweet Orange alcohol
Valerian root
Vervain
Violet
vitamin B6
Waterhyssop
Winter Begonia
Winter Savory
Yerba buena
zanthoxylum
Zedoary
Zingiberene
Other health conditions supported by Vervain
AnxietyAnxiety Disorders
Appetite (deficient)
Asthma
Backache
Bites and Stings
Bleeding (external)
Burns and Scalds
Cold Sores
Colds (general)
Colds (prevention)
Colds (with fever)
Congestion
Congestion (bronchial)
Congestion (lungs)
Congestion (lymphatic)
Congestion (sinus)
Cuts
Depression
Diarrhea
Digestion (poor)
Dizziness
Ear Infection or Earache
Emotional Sensitivity
Fever
Glands (swollen lymph)
Headache (general)
Headache (sinus)
Headache (tension)
Indigestion
Insomnia
Itching
Laryngitis
Menopause
Nausea and Vomiting
Nervousness
Pain (general remedies for)
PMS (general)
PMS Type A
PMS Type C
