4 Benefits of Wild Lettuce: Dosage & Safety

Wild lettuce is a plant that has been used for centuries in traditional medicine as a pain reliever.

A cousin of common lettuce, wild lettuce was often called “opium lettuce,” for its opium-like properties. It was traditionally used for whooping cough and for its sedative qualities.

In this article, we will look at the health benefits of wild lettuce, its safety, and its history.

What is Wild Lettuce?

Wild lettuce is a biennial herb that is part of the Asteraceae family – the same family as sunflowers and daisies. The plant is indigenous to North Africa, West Asia, and Southwestern Europe, although you can now find it growing in many parts of the northern hemisphere. 

The scientific name for wild lettuce is Lactuca virosa and it is commonly called bitter lettuce or lettuce opium. Although not interchangeable with common lettuce, they share some of the same active constituents. 

In traditional medicine, wild lettuce was used for its pain-relieving and sedating effect on the body. As an infusion or tincture, it has been taken to encourage sleep, especially when rest is needed in relation to pain or an injury. It was also used as an antispasmodic (i.e. a muscle relaxer), specifically to ease dry coughs. 

Modern research shows that the two primary sesquiterpene lactones present in the plant, lactucin, and lactucopicrin, may be responsible for the plant’s analgesic (pain-relieving) and sedating effects. This is why many people use wild lettuce for pain management.

Although wild lettuce can be toxic to humans in higher doses, hundreds of years of traditional use show that it can be supportive in lower doses.

Further, while there is a lack of human clinical trials looking at wild lettuce, animal studies and lab-based research on its active constituents point to Latuca virosa having a number of health benefits.  

Health Benefits of Wild Lettuce:

Although there is limited research on Lactuca virosa, there are some animal studies that indicate that wild lettuce benefits health in a number of ways.

Below are some research-backed studies that involve wild lettuce or its isolated active constituents.

1. Sedating Properties 

Various studies have shown that the active constituents in wild lettuce may have sedating properties. In fact, it was traditionally used as a natural sleep aid.

In an animal study, a crude preparation of wild lettuce helped to sedate/relax the body of mice. The extract that had the most potent effect was the latex from one-year-old plants.

In another trial, researchers found that lactucin and lactucopicrin work to slow the brain activity of mice. This relaxing effect could prove beneficial for improving sleep quality. Although these phytochemicals are present in Lactuca virosa, the specific compounds used in this study were isolated from chicory leaves and roots.  

Researchers discovered that latex extracted for three different Lactuca spp. varieties had significant sedative effects on mice. While Lactuca virosa was not directly used in this study, it carries similar amounts of lactucin and lactucopicrin which were deemed responsible for the sleep-like effects. This study found that these phytochemicals may have an effect on sleep due to their affinity toward a GABAergic mechanism.   

Another study using seed and leaf extracts from a species of Lactuca (Lactuca sativa) found that the extracts had sleep-potentiating activity. Lactucin was believed to exhibit the most potent sedative properties and greatest effect on sleep duration.

In the Eclectic Materia Medica (1922), a traditional herbal text, Dr. Felter mentions wild lettuce has calmative and hypnotic (i.e. sleep-inducing) effects. He states that wild lettuce could be useful for those that experience insomnia from over-working.

Highly esteemed herbalist Christopher Hobbs mentions that wild lettuce is a mild sedative and nervine. He further explains that wild lettuce has a calming effect and is best combined with other sedative herbs.   

2. Pain-Relieving Properties

Many individuals use wild lettuce for pain relief.

Traditional use and modern clinical research have demonstrated wild lettuce’s potential as an herb with analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. 

An animal trial found that various extracts made from wild lettuce have analgesic properties. In the study, the mice were given 30mg of extract before being subjected to a hot plate test. The extract from the aerial parts prolonged the onset of a pain response by 119.7% and the extract from the roots prolonged the onset of a pain response by 103.3%.  

In a study looking at lactucin and lactucopicrin, it was discovered that lactucopicrin demonstrated an analgesic effect on mice. A dose of 30mg exhibited the same pain-relieving effects as 60mg of ibuprofen.

David Hoffman, a highly-revered herbalist, mentions that wild lettuce can be a supportive pain-reliever for those with dysmenorrhea, rheumatism muscle pains, and colic pains.

3. Antitussive Properties

Due to its relaxing properties, it appears that wild lettuce may be beneficial as an antitussive (i.e. cough-relieving) herb.

Due to its muscle relaxing properties, Christopher Hobbs describes wild lettuce as a useful herb for cough medicine. Wild lettuce helps to relax the bronchioles, which works to remedy coughing.

Herbalist David Hoffman mentions that Lactuca virosa can be holistically helpful for those with whooping cough or any cough that is dry and irritated.

In 1814, a German physician documented several medical accounts of wild lettuce. He described the herb as being highly effective for reducing the spasmodic effects the cough has on the diaphragm. After administration, the cough was less violent and therefore prevented vomiting. 

A pharmaceutical company in the 1930s isolated Lactucarium from wild lettuce and created an antitussive drug called Lactucyl. There was 0.2g of both lactucin and lactucopicrin in the drug which was deemed successful in supporting people with emphysema and tuberculosis.