Eyebright

What is eyebright?

A herb that is commonly grown in Europe, Asia and North America, eyebright is traditionally used in European herbal medicine for centuries, particularly for redness and irritation in the eyes.

Eyebright is rich in plant compounds, in particular the flavonoids luteolin and quercetin. These two flavonoids prevent mast cells from releasing histamine – because of these antihistamine properties; eyebright is often traditionally used to treat allergies and hayfever.

Health Benefits:

May relieve irritated eyes

As its name suggests, eyebright is often used to treat eye problems – especially in traditional European medicine. There has been some scientific research into the benefits of eyebright, including one test tube study that found eyebright extracts to help control inflammation in the clear tissue the covered the coloured part of the eye – called the cornea.

Another study in adults with eye inflammation found that 81% of the participants had complete relief after using eye drops containing equal parts eyebright and rose extracts three times a day for between six and fourteen days.

History:

The Latin name for eyebright is Euphrasia, which is derived from the Greek word for gladness, “Euphrosyne”. Eyebright was used by the ancient Greeks to treat eye infections and the cure was said to create great happiness.

Typical Uses:

The appropriate dose of eyebright depends on several factors such as the user’s age, health, and several other conditions.

Sources:

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25207164/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.