Evidence supporting the use of: Fumaritory
For the health condition: Ulcerations (external)
Synopsis
Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2
Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis) has a long history of use in traditional European herbal medicine, particularly for skin conditions such as eczema, dermatitis, and ulcerations. The traditional application of fumitory for external ulcerations (sores or open wounds) can be traced to herbalists from the Middle Ages through to early modern pharmacopeias. The plant was often used as a poultice or wash, with practitioners attributing its benefits to its purported "blood-purifying" and anti-inflammatory properties. Historical texts, such as Culpeper's herbal (17th century), reference fumitory for treating "scurfy" and ulcerated skin. However, scientific evidence supporting the efficacy of fumitory for external ulcerations is minimal. Modern phytochemical analyses have identified alkaloids (notably protopine and fumariline), flavonoids, and other compounds in the plant that may possess mild anti-inflammatory or antimicrobial effects, but no robust clinical studies exist to validate these traditional uses for wound healing or ulcer treatment. Most contemporary references to fumitory’s use for ulcerations simply repeat historical precedent rather than present new evidence. Therefore, the use of fumitory for external ulcerations is best characterized as traditional, with a low evidence rating due to the lack of modern scientific validation.
Other ingredients used for Ulcerations (external)
aloe verabisabolol
dyer’s woad root
Japanese sophora
lactoperoxidase
lauric acid
marshmallow
protease
vitamin C
zinc
rubia cordifolia
yarrow
moss
amber
birch
sheep's sorrel
assam indigo
camphor oil
stillingia
wood betony
white oak
melaleuca alternifolia
arnica
Ardisia
acacia
Agrimony
Antirrhinum majus
Achyranthes
Abrus
Alchornea
Alchemilla
Ajuga
Aucubin
American Liverleaf
Aquilegia formosa
Allantoin
Alkanet
Ampelopsis
Acemannan
Asarabacca
Abuta
Alkanna
Arisaema
Butter
Bai Ji
Baliospermum
Baphicacanthus cusia
Bleeding Heart
Black-Eyed Susan
Bloodroot
Benzoin
Borate
Bletilla
Boxwood
Comfrey
Celandine
Cranesbill
Cedrus libani
Chiococca alba
Cocklebur
Dragon's Blood
Dianthrone
Erigeron
English Elm
European Field Elm
Echinodorus
Elaeagnus glabra
Oak
Other health conditions supported by Fumaritory
Abdominal PainAppetite (deficient)
Boils
Dyspepsia
Edema
Gall Bladder (sluggish or removed)
Gas and Bloating
Gastritis
Glands (swollen lymph)
Inflammation
Itching
Pain (general remedies for)
Parasites (general)
Parasites (nematodes, worms)
Parasites (tapeworm)
Rashes and Hives
Skin (infections)
Ulcerations (external)
Ulcers
Wounds and Sores