Scientific name
Inula helenium
Family
Asteraceae (Compositae)
Origin
Very common weed
Parts Used
Drug given by the roots of elenio.
Chemical constituents
- Inulin;
- Essential oil with anti-inflammatory activity due to the content in chamazulene;
- Triterpene saponins;
- Sesquiterpene lactones.
Elenio in Herbalist: Property of Elenio
In folk medicine, elenio is used for its mucolytic and antitussive properties, due to the presence of triterpenes and essential oil, which have shown interesting biological properties. There are no references to the use of extracts in humans, especially in reference to efficacy and safety.
Contraindications
Avoid the use of elenio in case of ascertained hypersensitivity to one or more components and in any case to other Asteraceae (cross-reactivity).
Pharmacological interactions
- oral hypoglycemic and hypotensive drugs: possible interferences due to the sum of effects.