Wild Lettuce Herb Plant

Latin Name: Lactuca virosa

Alternate Names: Prickly Lettuce, Lettuce Opium, Poor Man's Opium, Bitter Lettuce

Family: ASTERACEAE

Parts Used: Leaves, latex.

Properties: Analgesic, Anodyne, Antitussive, Diuretic, Expectorant, Galactagogue, Hypnotic, Hypoglycemic, Sedative.

Internal Uses: Anxiety, Bronchitis, Cough, Hyperactivity, Insomnia, Pain, Restlessness, Whooping Cough

Internal Applications: Tea, Tincture, Capsules, Smoke.

Wild Lettuce is believed to inhibit the spinal cord's referral of pain.

Topical Uses: Acne, Poison Ivy, Poison Oak

Topical Applications: Wash or lotion for acne. Used in bath products, lotions and soap.  Latex can be applied to calm the itch of poison ivy.  The dried herb is used in smoking mixtures.

Culinary uses: Young leaves, under 10 inches tall, can be cooked in two changes of water as a potherb. 

Energetics: Bitter, Cool.

Chemical Constituents: Lactucin, lactucarium, sesquiterpene alkaloids (lactucine, lactucopicrin, lactucic acid), sugar, caoutchouc, flavonoids (quercitin), coumarins, phenethylamine.

Contraindications: The latex from the plant can be irritating if it comes in contact with the eyes.  Moderate doses can cause drowsiness, so be careful if driving or operating machinery.

Comments: This plant is the wild ancestor of some of our cultivated lettuces. The entire plant contains a milky white latex that when dried resembles opium. Indeed, it was once used as an adulterant to opium.

The common name Wild Lettuce includes the species Lactuca serriola and Lactuca canadensis.  They share the same medicinal qualities of Lactuca virosa, although Lactuca virosa is a more potent herb.

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