Euphrasia officinalis                         Common name:  Eyebright
Family: Scrophulariaceae

Parts used:  Aerial parts (dried)

Constituents:  Glycosides (aucuboside and aucubin), tannin, acrid bitter principle, volatile oil, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, sterols, choline, flavonoids (rutin, quercetin), vit. C, b-carotene.

Medicinal actions:  anti-inflammatory, anticatarrhal, astringent, vasoconstrictor of nasal and conjunctival membranes

Medicinal uses:  Euphrasia combines astringent and anti-inflammatory actions to produce an anti-catarrhal action.  Euphrasia is used for all types of eye inflammations and superficial injuries to the eye or surrounding tissue. Eye infections, weak eyes, dim vision, hay fever, colds, coughs, hoarseness, earache, headache with sinus congestion, basically all catarrhal conditions of the respiratory tract respond to Euphrasia.

Pharmacy: Infusion:  1 tsp herb/cup water, 1 cup TID. Tincture (fresh) (1:2, 60%), 1-4 ml TID. Compress:   1 tsp dried herb in 1 pint water and boil 10 minutes, let cool. Moisten a compress (cotton wool, gauze, or muslin) in the lukewarm liquid, wring out slightly and place over the eyes.  Leave compress in place for 15 min.

Toxicity: None known.