Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus). The flower is the part used in EU tea.

Mullein Tea

Q: Does mullein tea work for cough or sore throat?

Nobody knows from trials. The EU accepts the flower tea as a traditional medicine for sore throat with dry cough and cold, but only because it has been used for a long time. No clinical trial of mullein flower for cough was found. If a cough lasts more than a week, or you have fever, breathlessness or pus-coloured phlegm, see a doctor.

Q: Does mullein ear oil (not tea) help earache in children?

Two trials of a multi-herb oil (garlic, mullein, calendula, St John's wort and others) found pain improved, about as well as numbing drops. But mullein was one of several herbs, nobody got a placebo, and the authors said most of the pain relief was natural recovery. No trial tested mullein oil alone. Children with ear pain should be seen by a doctor, and nothing should go in an ear that may have a ruptured eardrum.

Q: Is mullein tea caffeine-free?

Mullein is not made from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), and no source we read reports caffeine in it. We did not find a measurement either, so we cannot give an amount. Blends may add tea or other herbs, so check the label.

Q: Can the hairs in mullein tea irritate?

Yes, they can. The plant has fine woolly hairs, and an old source quoted by the EU report says they are sometimes irritant to the skin of sensitive people. Old recipes strain the tea to remove the rough hairs. Skin reactions have also been reported.

Q: Can mullein tea cause allergy?

Possibly. Two case reports describe contact dermatitis, one from a worker exposed to airborne gordolobo (Verbascum densiflorum). How common allergy is has not been measured. The EU says not to use it if you are hypersensitive to the plant. Stop and get urgent help for swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing.

Q: Is mullein tea safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding?

It is not recommended. The EU says safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. There are no fertility data. That is lack of data, not proven harm. Ask your doctor or midwife.

Q: Is mullein tea safe for children?

The EU does not recommend the flower tea under 12 years because of a lack of data. The ear-drop trials in children 5 to 18 used a multi-herb oil in the ear, which is a different product. Ask a doctor before giving any herbal product to a child.

Q: Does mullein tea interact with medicines?

The EU says no interactions have been reported, but no interaction studies exist. A review names coumarin as a constituent, but no source we read links mullein to blood thinners. A review also lists sedative effects from experiments. Tell your pharmacist you use it, especially if you take blood thinners or sedatives.

Q: Is mullein tea bad for the liver?

No liver injury from mullein flower was found in the EU reports or our searches, and LiverTox has no entry. The data are very limited, so this is not proof of safety. One mouse study of a different species lowered a liver enzyme in poisoned mice.

Q: What about mullein seeds, rotenone and coumarin?

Mullein seeds were historically used in Europe to stun fish and should not be eaten. A review names coumarin among the constituents of the plant. We could not find a source we could read that gives the rotenoid content of mullein, so we do not claim one. The EU flower tea does not use seeds, and no poisoning from the flower tea has been reported.

Verbascum thapsus L. and V. densiflorum Bertol. (family Scrophulariaceae) · also called Common mullein, great mullein, mullein flower; gordolobo (Spanish, a name shared with other plants); bouillon blanc (French)

Mullein tea is a herbal infusion of the flower (sometimes the leaf) of a tall woolly plant, Verbascum thapsus. The EU accepts the flower tea as a traditional medicine for sore throat with dry cough and cold, based on long use, not trials. No trial of the tea itself was found; the few human trials tested an ear oil and a cream, which are different products. The fine hairs can irritate, skin allergy has been reported, and it is not recommended in pregnancy, breastfeeding or under age 12.

General information, not medical advice. Last substantive update October 25, 2026 · Not medically reviewed. A named clinician has not signed off on this page. How this page is made

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About Mullein Tea

Mullein tea is made from the flower (sometimes the leaf) of Verbascum thapsus and relatives. The EU accepts the flower tea on long use alone, and no clinical trial of the tea was found. The human trials that exist tested a multi-herb ear oil and a cream, not tea. Fine hairs can irritate, skin allergy has been reported, and it is not recommended in pregnancy, breastfeeding or under 12. Interaction and long-term data are missing.

What it is

Mullein is a tall, woolly plant of the Verbascum genus. The medicinal part in Europe is the dried flower of Verbascum thapsus, V. densiflorum or V. phlomoides. Leaves and flower oil are also used traditionally.

Mullein is not from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis). No source we read reports caffeine in mullein, so we do not give a caffeine amount. Check blends for added tea or other ingredients.

Results from one species or part do not carry over to the others, to seeds, or to plants sold as gordolobo.

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What makes it distinctive

The flower contains mucilage (a slippery gel), iridoids such as aucubin and catalpol, verbascoside, flavonoids and saponins. The mucilage is the traditional explanation for a soothing effect on the throat.

The fine hairs can irritate skin and the mouth, so old tea recipes strain it.

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Traditional and current uses

Mullein has been used since ancient times for lung and skin problems, ear and piles oil, and as a tea for catarrh. The EU lists the flower tea as a traditional medicine for sore throat with dry cough and cold, for people from age 12.

In the lab and in animals, extracts show anti-inflammatory and germ-slowing effects, but these tests do not show benefit in people.

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Tea, oil, cream and extract are different

The tea is the dried flower or leaf infused in water. The ear oil (flowers steeped in olive oil), the cream and any tincture or capsule are different products, and so are the lab extracts. Results from one should not be assumed for another, and no study compared their safety. For amounts, ask a doctor or pharmacist.

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What the research shows

Human research is very small and none of it tested the tea. Two trials of a multi-herb ear oil in children found pain improved, but mullein was one of several herbs and there was no placebo group. One trial of a mullein cream on childbirth wounds found a better healing score on day 10.

No trial of mullein tea for cough, sore throat, asthma or bronchitis was found. No studies of mood, sleep or brain health were found.

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At a glance

Traditional uses history, not proof

Flower tea for catarrh, cough and sore throat; EU traditional use for sore throat with dry cough and cold
Flower oil in olive oil for earache and piles (German folk use cited in the EU report)
Poultices, baths and powders on skin irritation and chapped skin (EU report)
Given to tuberculosis patients in the 19th century (EU report)
Seeds used historically to stun fish; not a medicinal use

Studied for research

Ear pain in children (multi-herb ear oil, not tea), very low certainty
Wound healing (cream, not tea), low certainty
Cough, sore throat and colds: traditional use only, insufficient evidence
Asthma and bronchitis: insufficient
Inflammation, germ-fighting, allergy, liver and anti-cancer claims: lab or animal only

Main compounds

Mucilage polysaccharides (2-3% in the flower, per the EU report)
Iridoids (aucubin, catalpol) and verbascoside
Flavonoids (e.g. quercetin) and saponins
Coumarin named in a review; rotenoid content not found in sources read

Common forms

Flower tea (EU traditional use)
Leaf tea, described on consumer sites; not covered by the EU monograph
Flower oil in olive oil, multi-herb ear oils and creams: different products, not tea
Tinctures, capsules and extracts: different products; no trials of these were read

Research links: EU herbal monograph on mullein flower (EMA, 2018) · EU herbal medicine page: Verbasci flos (EMA) · Ear-drop trial in children, Pediatrics 2003 · Episiotomy cream trial, BMC Complement Med Ther 2021 · Review: Verbascum thapsus health potential (Phytother Res 2022) · Research Library · Genes & Biomarkers Library

What it is and its history

Accepted scientific name: Verbascum thapsus L.
Naming authority: L. (Linnaeus)
Synonyms: Verbascum thapsiforme Schrad. (used in the EU monograph as a name for V. densiflorum; the EU report says ITIS does not accept it as a synonym, and GBIF returned only a genus-level match)
Common names: Common mullein, great mullein, mullein flower (English); Gordolobo (Spanish (also used for other plants)); Bouillon blanc (fleur de) (French); Wollblumen (German (from the EU list))
Family or group: Scrophulariaceae
Classification: Plantae > Tracheophyta > Magnoliopsida > Lamiales > Scrophulariaceae > Verbascum > Verbascum thapsus
Native range: Per the EU assessment report: mullein flower is native to central, eastern and southern Europe, Asia Minor, northern Africa and Ethiopia; V. thapsus is found throughout Europe and is abundantly naturalised in the USA. Commercial flower comes mainly from cultivated plants imported from Egypt, Bulgaria and Russia (citing Wichtl 2004).
Habitat: Reviews describe common mullein on roadsides, meadows and pasture land (Turker and Gurel 2005 abstract).
What it looks like: Roots: The root is mentioned by some old references but its medicinal use is not described in the handbooks (EU report).; Stems: Dried stems have been used; stems dipped in suet or wax made torches (old source quoted in the EU report). Not verified in the sources read.; Leaves: Leaves covered in woolly hairs; leaves have been used more than flowers on inflamed mucosa in older sources (EU report). Fine hairs can irritate.; Flowers: The medicinal flower is the dried corolla and androecium (stamens) without the calyx (Ph. Eur., as quoted in the EU report). Pharmacopoeia tests include a swelling index of at least 9 (Ph. Eur. 6.0) and a limit of 5% calyces and brown flowers (German standard).; Fruit: Seeds were used historically to stun fish; they are not a medicinal part.
Cultivation: Commercial flower comes largely from cultivated plants (EU report). Other details not verified in the sources read.
Harvest and processing: The flower is dried; EU preparations are herbal tea. Oils made by steeping flowers in olive oil are traditional in Germany (EU report, citing older sources).
Look-alikes and adulterants: Name: Gordolobo (Gnaphalium and Senecio plants); Note: The Spanish common name gordolobo is shared by plants from at least three genera: Verbascum, Gnaphalium and Senecio (EU report). A product labelled only gordolobo may not be mullein.; Name: Other Verbascum species; Note: Many lab studies use other species such as V. phlomoides, V. mucronatum, V. xanthophoeniceum and V. sinaiticum. Their results may not apply to V. thapsus or V. densiflorum.
Sustainability and conservation: Not verified in the sources read. The plant is described as abundantly naturalised in the USA (EU report).

Photographs

Close-up of common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) flowers — Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus). The flower is the part used in EU tea.

Traditional use and history history, not clinical proof

Tradition or era	Documented use	Source
Ancient times and the Middle Ages, Europe	The EU report says the traditional use of mullein goes back to ancient times. Mullein preparations were used in the Middle Ages for skin and lung disease in cattle and people. Lonicerus (1564) praised it as an expectorant, a heart and fever medicine and a remedy for warts (as quoted in the EU report from Madaus 1938).	EU assessment report EMEA/HMPC/395206/2007 Corr (2008)
19th century, Europe, UK and USA	Mullein was given to tuberculosis patients, and eclectic physicians used it for inflammatory diseases of the airways, urinary tract and ear canal. A sweetened infusion strained to remove the rough hairs was a domestic remedy for mild catarrh and colic.	EU assessment report (2008), citing Blumenthal 2000, Ellingwood 1983, Grieve 1974
Germany, olive-oil flower preparation	Flowers were steeped in olive oil, and the oil was used for ear infections, piles, frostbite and bruises.	EU assessment report (2008), citing Chevallier 1996 and Grieve 1974
Fishing, northern and central Europe	Mullein seeds were used to stun fish; plant-poison fishing was banned in Spain by a royal edict of 1255 (mullein is named among the plants in later laws).	Svanberg and Locker 2020, J Ethnobiol Ethnomed
Spanish folk medicine	Ten Verbascum species are listed in the Spanish inventory of traditional knowledge, for muscle, bone, circulation, digestion, breathing, infection and sense-organ complaints.	Blanco-Salas 2021, Biology
Modern EU status	HMPC adopted a monograph for the flower in 2008 and revised it on 27 March 2018: a traditional herbal medicine to relieve sore throat associated with dry cough and cold, as a herbal tea.	EU monograph EMA/HMPC/611537/2016

Traditional use shows how it was used. It does not show that it works or is safe today.

What is inside, and how it may work

What it contains and how those compounds act in cells and animals. Laboratory and animal mechanisms are not proven effects in people.

Main compounds

Compound	Family	Where it is concentrated	Activity studied	Level of evidence
Mucilage polysaccharides (arabinogalactan, xyloglucan)	polysaccharides	flower 2-3% (Bradley 2006, as quoted in the EU report); the Ph. Eur. swelling-index test is at least 9	Forms a slippery, swelling gel in water; thought to coat irritated throat tissue. A demulcent (soothing) effect is the traditional explanation, not shown in a trial. ⁶	Pharmacological theory
Aucubin PubChem 91458	iridoid glycosides	flower Iridoid glycosides in total 0.56% in V. phlomoides flower and 0.13% in V. densiflorum flower; V. densiflorum has about 10 times less aucubin but twice as much catalpol than V. phlomoides (EU report)	Cell and animal studies cited in the EU report: lowered paw swelling in rats and suppressed hepatitis B virus DNA in cell culture only after enzyme conversion; also found in the cited work to protect dogs from mushroom poisoning by injection. None of these are human results. ^{6 1}	Animal research
Catalpol PubChem 91520	iridoid glycosides	flower See aucubin line	An iridoid found with aucubin; isolated from V. mucronatum along with aucubin, which showed anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activity as a mixed extract in mice and rats. ^{6 1}	Animal research
Verbascoside (acteoside) PubChem 5281800	phenylethanoid glycosides	flower About 0.6% in V. densiflorum flower but only traces in V. phlomoides (EU report)	In animals, by mouth, showed wound-healing, pain-lowering and anti-inflammatory activity (V. mucronatum). Antioxidant and 5-lipoxygenase effects in cells (EU report). Not detected in the V. phlomoides water extract in one study. ^{1 6 11}	Animal research
Verbascosaponin, thapsuins and related saponins	triterpene saponins	flower (V. phlomoides, V. thapsus) Saponin content is poorly measured: a handbook value of 0.007% for V. phlomoides flower is based on an old method (EU report). No saponins confirmed in V. densiflorum flower.	Saponins can break red blood cells in the lab and are the traditional explanation for a mild expectorant effect; a lab report attributed the antibacterial activity of a mullein flower oil to saponins. Bench tests found saponins toxic to brine shrimp at low concentration. ^{6 22}	Laboratory research
Quercetin PubChem 5280343	flavonoids	flower 17.29 mg/g in a V. phlomoides flower water extract after butanol partition (as reported)	Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in the lab; a review links many traditional uses to quercetin using computer modelling. ^{11 2}	Pharmacological theory
Hesperidin PubChem 10621	flavonoids	flower (reported) Not measured	A 2022 review lists it among the most valuable constituents of V. thapsus, but the EU report says the reported presence of hesperidin in V. phlomoides flower was not confirmed in a later investigation. ^{12 6}	Pharmacological theory
Coumarin PubChem 323	coumarins	not stated Not measured	Named by a 2022 review as one of the most valuable constituents of V. thapsus. No source read gives the amount or a human effect. ¹²	Pharmacological theory
Rosmarinic acid PubChem 5281792	phenolic acids	flower 14.93 mg/g in a V. phlomoides flower water extract after butanol partition (as reported)	Antioxidant in the lab. ¹¹	Laboratory research
Caffeic acid and ferulic acid PubChem 689043	phenolic acids	flower Caffeic acid 39.96 mg/g and ferulic acid 29.61 mg/g in the same extract (as reported)	Antioxidant in the lab. ¹¹	Laboratory research
2',3'-Dihydroxypuberulin	isolated phenolic compound	not stated Not measured	Lowered the allergy receptor FcεRI on mast cells in cell culture. ²⁰	Laboratory research

Mechanisms, receptors and pathways

Target or pathway	Gene or receptor	What was found	Level
Cell adhesion signal in blood-vessel lining cells	ICAM-1 (ICAM1)	A V. phlomoides flower water extract cut TNF-alpha-triggered ICAM-1 by 55-58.8% at 100-200 microgram/mL in human umbilical vein cells, but did not reduce rat paw swelling. Lab result in cells; negative in the animal test. ¹¹	Laboratory research
Inflammation signals in macrophages and complement	IL-6, TNF-alpha, nitric oxide, COX-1; alternative complement pathway	Compounds of V. xanthophoeniceum (a different species) lowered IL-6, nitric oxide and TNF-alpha in mouse macrophages, and the crude extract reduced venom-factor swelling in mice together with lower complement activity. ⁴	Animal research
Allergy cell receptor	FcεRI (IgE receptor) beta chain	2',3'-Dihydroxypuberulin lowered the beta-chain mRNA of FcεRI on mast cells. ²⁰	Laboratory research
Herpes simplex virus type 1 in cell culture	Not identified	A V. thapsus methanol extract showed antiviral activity against HSV-1 at non-toxic doses in a 100-extract screen. ¹³	Laboratory research
Bacterial growth	Not identified	Water extracts of common mullein slowed Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, S. epidermidis and E. coli in bench tests. ²²	Laboratory research
Mucus transport in airways	Not identified	In an old frog-oesophagus tissue test cited by the EU report, a water extract of mullein flower had no effect on the speed of mucus transport, unlike fennel and anise. The authors said saponins might act in other ways. This does not support a mucus-moving effect in people. ⁶	Laboratory research
Wound repair	Not identified	Verbascoside from V. mucronatum flower had wound-healing activity in mice and rats. ¹	Animal research

Absorption, metabolism and elimination

Absorption: No data. The EU assessment report lists pharmacokinetics as no data available.
Distribution: No data.
Metabolism: No data. The EU monograph says pharmacokinetic studies are not required for traditional-use products.
Elimination: No data.
Bioavailability: No data in people or animals found for mullein compounds in the sources read.

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Isolated compounds versus whole extracts

Mullein is used as a whole flower (tea, oil) or as cream. Researchers have also studied single compounds (verbascoside, aucubin, 2',3'-dihydroxypuberulin) and extracts of other species in cells and animals. No study compares whole mullein with a single compound in people. The cream and ear-oil trials used mixtures, so the active part is unknown.

Nutritional composition

Mullein is used as a herbal medicine, not a food. The flower tea is taken for its traditional effect, and no vitamin or mineral role was established in the sources read.

12benefits and uses looked at

24studies and sources checked

Low certaintybest evidence rating found

5lab markers tracked in trials

1 low certainty1 very low certainty10 not enough evidence

What was looked at

The 12 benefits and uses checked for Mullein Tea, each with how strong the evidence is. Tap one to open it.

Ear pain with a middle-ear infection in children: a four- to six-herb ear-drop oil that contains mulleinVery low certainty
Ear pain: mullein oil on its ownNot enough evidence
Sore throat with dry cough and colds (traditional use as a tea)Not enough evidence
Asthma, bronchitis and other lung complaints (folk use)Not enough evidence
Fighting germs: virus and bacteria effects in the labNot enough evidence
Wound healing: mullein cream on a childbirth (episiotomy) woundLow certainty
Skin problems, burns, eczema and piles (traditional topical use)Not enough evidence
Inflammation and pain: cell and animal resultsNot enough evidence
Allergy: a mullein compound in mast-cell testsNot enough evidence
Liver protection in poisoned mice (a different species)Not enough evidence
Digestive complaints and diarrhoea (traditional use)Not enough evidence
Anti-cancer claims: bench tests onlyNot enough evidence

Lab markers tracked in the studies

Ear pain score (visual analogue scale)ICAM-1 on blood-vessel lining cells (lab marker)REEDA wound-healing scoreAST (a liver enzyme) in miceNitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines (lab markers)

What is Mullein Tea good for?

Human research on mullein tea is very small: no trial of the tea itself was found. Here is each studied use and how strong the evidence is. Where a trial tested an ear oil or cream, that is said plainly. Many lab studies used other mullein species.

Benefits, one by one

Each card is a research question, not a promise. Tap a goal to filter. Open a card to see the studies, doses and limits.

Ear pain with a middle-ear infection in children: a four- to six-herb ear-drop oil that contains mullein

Very low certainty

Two trials in Israeli children used olive-oil ear drops that held garlic, mullein, calendula, St John's wort (and in one trial lavender and vitamin E). Pain improved in every group. The drops did about as well as numbing ear drops. Mullein was only one ingredient, so these trials cannot show what mullein does alone.

3 studiesOlive-oil ear drops with several herbs (Otikon in 2001; a similar her…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Trial 1 (2001): 103 children aged 6 to 18 with ear pain from acute otitis media got either Otikon (garlic, mullein, calendula and St John's wort in olive oil) or anaesthetic ear drops. The groups were similar and pain scores improved over 3 days. The authors concluded the herbal drops were as effective as the anaesthetic drops. Trial 2 (2003): 171 children aged 5 to 18 were randomised to the herbal drops (garlic, mullein, calendula, St John's wort, lavender, vitamin E) or anaesthetic drops, with or without amoxicillin. Every group improved. Drops alone did better than drops plus amoxicillin, and results were better in the herbal-drop group than in the controls. The authors also wrote that the pain was mostly (80%) self-limited and could be explained by the time elapsed, and that the best group explained only 7.3% of the total pain reduction. No trial tested mullein oil on its own, and no trial had a placebo group.

Results

Pain scores fell in all groups over 3 days. The herbal combination was as good as anaesthetic drops (2001) and better than the control drops (2003). Most of the improvement was natural recovery according to the 2003 authors.

Effect sizes as reported

Not reported with numbers in the abstracts. 2001: improvement in ear pain over the study period, P = .007 (within-group over time). 2003: 7.3% of total pain reduction explained by the best-responding treatment group, as stated by the authors.

Why this rating

Both trials tested a combination, not mullein alone. Neither had a placebo group. Both were by the same lead clinician, the 2001 product was a commercial one, and the abstracts give no effect sizes or confidence intervals. The authors themselves say most of the pain relief was natural recovery.

Form and dose studied

Olive-oil ear drops with several herbs (Otikon in 2001; a similar herbal extract ear-drop mix in 2003). Different product: not a tea.

Who was studied

Children aged 5 to 18 with ear pain and middle-ear infection. Nothing in adults or in children under 5 was found.

Limits

Combination product; no placebo; short follow-up (3 days); pain scores rated on visual scales; one clinic group; funding not stated in the abstracts; the 2003 abstract also says there are no documented side effects, which is not a safety study.

Why researchers looked

Ear pain from acute middle-ear infection is common in children, and most episodes settle without antibiotics. Herbal oils in the ear are an old home remedy, so a clinic group tested a ready-made oil against numbing drops.

Traditional use

Nineteenth-century eclectic doctors used mullein for inflammation of the ear canal, and in Germany mullein flowers steeped in olive oil are used as an ear remedy, according to the EU assessment report.

Proposed mechanism Preliminary mechanism

Lab work suggests mullein flower chemicals such as verbascoside and iridoids have anti-inflammatory effects, and garlic and St John's wort oils have antibacterial properties in the lab. None of this has been shown to be why the drops helped in children.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Do not put any drops in the ear if the eardrum may be perforated (a doctor must check). See the safety tab. Garlic, St John's wort and calendula in the mix add their own allergy and interaction issues.

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Ear pain: mullein oil on its own

Not enough evidence

No human trial of plain mullein flower oil for earache was found. It is used at home, but its use is based on tradition, not on trial results.

1 studiesNot applicable.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

No data.

Why this rating

No human study of mullein alone for ear pain.

Limits

No trials.

Why researchers looked

Mullein flower oil is a well-known home ear remedy in parts of Europe and in the United States.

Traditional use

The EU assessment report notes that in Germany the flowers are steeped in olive oil and the oil is used as an ear remedy, and that nineteenth-century eclectic doctors used mullein for the ear canal.

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

Not studied. Lab studies of the flower's chemicals suggest anti-inflammatory activity, which has not been tested for ear pain.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Never put oil in an ear with a ruptured eardrum, or with discharge, without a doctor's advice.

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Sore throat with dry cough and colds (traditional use as a tea)

Not enough evidence

The EU accepts mullein flower tea as a traditional herbal medicine to relieve sore throat with dry cough and cold. That approval rests on long use, not on trials. The EU report says no clinical studies of mullein flower were available.

3 studiesHerbal tea from the flower (EU monograph: traditional use). Ask a doc…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

No clinical trial of mullein flower or leaf for cough, sore throat or colds was found in PubMed, and the EU assessment report says there are no clinical investigations available on mullein flower. The EU monograph (2018) lists traditional use only, for adults and adolescents from 12 years, with a doctor to be consulted if symptoms last longer than 1 week.

Results

No trial results.

Why this rating

Traditional use and regulatory acceptance, but no controlled human data. The EU explicitly accepts it only as traditional use.

Form and dose studied

Herbal tea from the flower (EU monograph: traditional use). Ask a doctor or pharmacist about amounts.

Who was studied

Adults and adolescents from 12 years in the EU monograph. Not recommended under 12.

Limits

No clinical studies; EU safety review notes missing genotoxicity, carcinogenicity and reproductive-toxicity tests.

Why researchers looked

Mullein has been used for centuries for coughs and chest complaints. The flower contains mucilage (a slippery plant gum) that may coat the throat, plus saponins that may thin phlegm.

Traditional use

Used during the Middle Ages for lung disease in people and cattle, and by the 19th century given in Europe, the UK and the USA to tuberculosis patients. A sweetened infusion, strained to remove the rough hairs, was a domestic remedy for mild catarrh. The EU lists the traditional use as relief of sore throat associated with dry cough and cold, by herbal tea, for adults, adolescents and the elderly.

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

The EU assessment report describes the mucilage as a soothing coating for irritated throat tissue and the saponins as a possible mild expectorant. One older frog-tissue study cited in the report found that a water extract of mullein flower did NOT speed mucus transport (while fennel and anise did); the authors said saponins might act in other ways. These explanations come from handbooks and lab work, not from human trials.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Sources say the fine hairs can irritate the mouth and throat, and old recipes strain the tea. See the safety tab.

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Asthma, bronchitis and other lung complaints (folk use)

Not enough evidence

Reviews list mullein as a folk remedy for asthma, spasmodic cough and lung problems in many countries. No trial in people was found. Lab tests of extracts show some anti-inflammatory and anti-germ effects, which are a long way from proof of benefit in a person with asthma.

4 studiesNot established.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

No trial results.

Why this rating

Folk use and lab or computer work only.

Form and dose studied

Not established.

Limits

No human data. Do not use mullein in place of prescribed asthma treatment.

Why researchers looked

Mullein is one of the most widely used folk plants for the chest across Europe, Asia and the Americas.

Traditional use

Reviews report use for asthma, spasmodic cough, pulmonary problems and migraine, and an Indian-medicine use of leaves, flowers and flower oil. Spanish folk medicine uses mullein for muscle, bone, circulation, digestive and respiratory complaints.

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

A review of Spanish folk uses links many of them to anti-inflammatory plant chemicals such as quercetin, with computer modelling. Lab studies of other mullein species show reduced inflammatory signals in cells and mice.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Asthma can become serious quickly. Do not delay medical care because of a herbal tea.

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Fighting germs: virus and bacteria effects in the lab

Not enough evidence

In test tubes, common mullein extracts slowed several bacteria and stopped herpes simplex virus type 1 in cell culture. No study has tested this in people, so it does not show that mullein treats or prevents infections.

3 studiesLab extracts, not comparable to tea.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

Water, ethanol and methanol extracts of common mullein slowed Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli in bench tests, with the water extract the most active. A methanol extract of V. thapsus was one of nine plant extracts with activity against herpes simplex virus 1 in cell culture at non-toxic doses. The bacterial tests also found toxicity to brine shrimp and radish seeds at higher concentrations.

Effect sizes as reported

Not given in the abstracts.

Why this rating

Test-tube data only. Activity in cells often fails in people.

Form and dose studied

Lab extracts, not comparable to tea.

Limits

Cell and bench tests; no numbers in abstracts; high-dose toxicity in the same tests.

Why researchers looked

Mullein is traditionally used for infections of the airways, so labs have tested extracts against germs.

Traditional use

See cough and sore throat above.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

Not worked out. Iridoids and other chemicals may play a part; one older cited study reported an aucubin-related antiviral effect against hepatitis B virus in cell culture only after enzyme treatment.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Do not use mullein instead of antiviral or antibiotic treatment.

^{22 13 6}

Wound healing: mullein cream on a childbirth (episiotomy) wound

Low certainty

One double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 93 first-time mothers found that a Verbascum thapsus cream healed episiotomy wounds better than placebo cream by day 10. Earlier checks, on days 1 and 3, showed no clear difference.

3 studiesA Verbascum thapsus cream (strength not stated in the abstract) appli…

Studies, doses and limits

What the trials found

Ninety-three first-time mothers in Saveh, Iran were randomly given a Verbascum thapsus cream or a placebo cream, double-blind. They put the cream on the wound for 10 days. Healing was scored on the REEDA scale (redness, swelling, bruising, discharge, closeness of edges) before the cream and on days 1, 3 and 10. Scores on days 1 and 3 favoured mullein but not by a statistically significant amount. On day 10 the REEDA score was significantly better with mullein (p = 0.01). The trial was registered (IRCT201404073106N15) and the authors declared no competing interests.

Results

Better REEDA score with mullein cream than placebo on day 10 (p = 0.01); no significant difference on days 1 and 3.

Effect sizes as reported

p = 0.01 on day 10. Mean scores and confidence intervals are not in the abstract.

Why this rating

One small, registered, placebo-controlled trial with a positive result on the last day only. Plant part and cream strength are not stated in the abstract, and it has not been repeated by an independent group that we found.

Form and dose studied

A Verbascum thapsus cream (strength not stated in the abstract) applied for 10 days. Creams sold today may differ.

Who was studied

Healthy first-time mothers with an episiotomy at one hospital, Iran.

Limits

Single site; the trial ran in 2015 and was published in 2021; the abstract does not give the plant part, strength or mean scores; REEDA is a clinician score, not pain or infection rates.

Why researchers looked

Mullein has been used on wounds since ancient times, and the authors wanted a clinical test for the painful cut made during childbirth.

Traditional use

Folk and eclectic use on wounds, ulcers, burns, chapped skin, frostbite and bruises is recorded in the EU assessment report. The French listing mentions soothing and itch-relieving local use for skin complaints.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

In mice and rats, the mullein-family compound verbascoside (from a different species, V. mucronatum) showed wound-healing and anti-inflammatory activity. Whether this explains the cream result is not known.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Skin reactions to mullein have been reported in case reports; test a small area first. Do not put any herbal product on a wound that looks infected. Ask your midwife or doctor first after childbirth.

^{19 1 6}

Skin problems, burns, eczema and piles (traditional topical use)

Not enough evidence

Mullein leaf and flower oils or poultices are traditional for skin irritation, chapped skin, eczema of the outer ear, piles, frostbite and bruises. Apart from the episiotomy cream trial, no human trial was found.

3 studiesNot established.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

No trial results.

Why this rating

Traditional use only.

Form and dose studied

Not established.

Limits

No human trials. The plant parts used in the old sources are not always clear.

Why researchers looked

A long folk tradition across Europe, Turkey and Spain.

Traditional use

The EU assessment report records: flower oil in olive oil for piles and other inflamed mucous membranes, frostbite and bruises in German country districts; mullein oil for eczema of the ear canal; a bath for skin irritation, and dry flower powder on chapped skin (Latvia); leaves used more than flowers on inflamed mucosa. A Spanish review notes rubbing with hairy leaves on affected areas.

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

Mucilage is thought to form a soothing film, and iridoids and verbascoside have anti-inflammatory activity in animals. A Turkish study of a related mullein species found wound-healing and pain-lowering activity in mice and rats.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Fine hairs and allergy can cause skin reactions. See the safety tab.

^{6 2 1}

Inflammation and pain: cell and animal results

Not enough evidence

Extracts and compounds from mullein species lowered inflammation signals in cells and swelling in mice and rats. Results were mixed: one extract of mullein flower failed to reduce swelling in rats. None of this has been tested in people for pain or arthritis.

4 studiesLab extracts, not comparable to tea or oil.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

V. phlomoides flower water extract reduced TNF-alpha-triggered ICAM-1 in human vein cells by 55-58.8% but did not reduce rat paw swelling, and the authors called the effect weak. V. xanthophoeniceum extract reduced venom-factor swelling in mice, and isolated compounds cut IL-6, nitric oxide and TNF-alpha in mouse macrophages. V. mucronatum flower extracts were anti-inflammatory and pain-lowering in mice and rats. Two of these three studies used species other than the three EU species.

Effect sizes as reported

55-58.8% ICAM-1 inhibition in cells (V. phlomoides); other studies give no numbers in their abstracts.

Why this rating

Cell and animal data only, mixed results, mostly other species.

Form and dose studied

Lab extracts, not comparable to tea or oil.

Limits

Different species and extract types; no human trial; one negative animal result.

Why researchers looked

Many traditional uses of mullein are for inflammatory conditions, so labs have tested its extracts and chemicals.

Traditional use

Folk use for arthrosis, rheumatism, otitis and respiratory inflammation in Spanish medicine.

Proposed mechanism Animal research

Candidate compounds are verbascoside (acteoside), iridoids such as aucubin, flavonoids such as quercetin and some saponins. Reported targets include nitric oxide, TNF-alpha, IL-6, COX enzymes and complement activity in cells and animals.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Do not use mullein instead of medicine for arthritis or other inflammatory disease.

^{11 4 1 2}

Allergy: a mullein compound in mast-cell tests

Not enough evidence

A single compound isolated from Verbascum thapsus lowered an allergy receptor on mast cells in cell culture. That is a drug-discovery lead, not a result for mullein tea. Mullein can also cause skin allergy in some people.

1 studiesNot applicable.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

Active in cell culture; analogue studies found the structure needed for activity.

Effect sizes as reported

Not given in the abstract.

Why this rating

Isolated compound, cells only.

Limits

Not a herbal product; source plant described only as a South American medicinal plant.

Why researchers looked

A Japanese group looked for natural compounds that lower the IgE receptor (FcεRI) on allergy cells.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

2',3'-dihydroxypuberulin lowered the mRNA of the beta chain of FcεRI on mast cells.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Allergy to mullein has also been reported; see the safety tab.

²⁰

Liver protection in poisoned mice (a different species)

Not enough evidence

A hydro-alcoholic extract of a different mullein species, Verbascum sinaiticum, lowered the liver enzyme AST in mice poisoned with carbon tetrachloride. This is an animal result for another species and does not show that mullein protects or harms the human liver.

1 studiesNot applicable.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

AST significantly lower with the V. sinaiticum extract than in poisoned controls (P < 0.05).

Effect sizes as reported

P < 0.05 for AST; ALT result significant only for the other plant.

Why this rating

One mouse study on a different species.

Who was studied

Mice.

Limits

Different species; no human data.

Why researchers looked

V. sinaiticum is used in Ethiopian folk medicine for liver disease.

Traditional use

Ethiopian traditional medicine (other species).

Proposed mechanism Animal research

The authors suggest partly an antioxidant action; the extract scavenged free radicals in a test-tube assay.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Liver safety in people is covered on the safety tab: no liver injury reports were found, but the data are very limited.

²⁴

Digestive complaints and diarrhoea (traditional use)

Not enough evidence

Some countries list mullein for colic, painful functional gut problems, diarrhoea and irritable bowel. No human trial was found.

2 studiesNot established.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

No data.

Why this rating

Traditional use only.

Form and dose studied

Not established.

Limits

No trials.

Why researchers looked

Part of the long folk tradition.

Traditional use

France lists mullein flower as traditionally used as an adjuvant for the painful part of functional digestive disorders; Latvia lists folk use for irritable bowel; Grieve's old text lists a sweetened infusion for mild catarrh and colic; reviews list diarrhoea.

Proposed mechanism Pharmacological theory

Not studied.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Ongoing gut symptoms, blood in stool or weight loss need a doctor.

^{6 23}

Anti-cancer claims: bench tests only

Not enough evidence

Reviews list anticancer effects of mullein, based on cell and plant-tissue tests. No human trial exists, and none of this should be read as a cancer treatment.

3 studiesNot applicable.

Studies, doses and limits

Results

Water, ethanol and methanol extracts of common mullein inhibited Agrobacterium-induced tumours in potato discs; extracts were also toxic to brine shrimp at higher concentrations.

Effect sizes as reported

Not given in the abstract.

Why this rating

Bench tests only.

Limits

Potato-disc tumours are not human cancer. Toxicity in the same tests means activity may simply be general toxicity.

Why researchers looked

Some extracts blocked tumour formation in a potato-disc test and cancer cell growth in dishes.

Proposed mechanism Laboratory research

An older cited study reported that a saponin-rich fraction of V. densiflorum flower blocked protein making in rat liver preparations.

A proposed mechanism does not show that the effect happens in people.

Never use mullein in place of cancer care.

^{22 12 6}

Connections to the rest of health

How Mullein Tea connects to the rest of our health knowledge graph. Every link says what kind of connection it is. A safety link (for example to the liver) is a warning, not a benefit. A study that merely mentions a topic never creates a benefit link.

Explore every connection: goals, body systems, organs, symptoms, genes

Kind of connection Connected to Search

A. Wellness goals

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Immune Support	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Sore throat with dry cough and colds (traditional use as a tea): The EU accepts mullein flower tea as a traditional herbal medicine to relieve sore throat with dry cough and cold. That approval rests on long use, not on trials. The EU report says no clinical studies of mullein flower were available. Asthma, bronchitis and other lung complaints (folk use): Reviews list mullein as a folk remedy for asthma, spasmodic cough and lung problems in many countries. No trial in people was found. Lab tests of extracts show some anti-inflammatory and anti-germ effects, which are a long way from proof of benefit in a person with asthma.	^{7 6 23 12 2 4}
Immune Support	Preliminary mechanism	Not enough evidence	Fighting germs: virus and bacteria effects in the lab: In test tubes, common mullein extracts slowed several bacteria and stopped herpes simplex virus type 1 in cell culture. No study has tested this in people, so it does not show that mullein treats or prevents infections. Allergy: a mullein compound in mast-cell tests: A single compound isolated from Verbascum thapsus lowered an allergy receptor on mast cells in cell culture. That is a drug-discovery lead, not a result for mullein tea. Mullein can also cause skin allergy in some people.	^{22 13 6 20}
Healthy Skin	Demonstrated clinical effect	Low certainty	Wound healing: mullein cream on a childbirth (episiotomy) wound: One double-blind, placebo-controlled trial in 93 first-time mothers found that a Verbascum thapsus cream healed episiotomy wounds better than placebo cream by day 10. Earlier checks, on days 1 and 3, showed no clear difference.	^{19 1 6}
Healthy Skin	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Skin problems, burns, eczema and piles (traditional topical use): Mullein leaf and flower oils or poultices are traditional for skin irritation, chapped skin, eczema of the outer ear, piles, frostbite and bruises. Apart from the episiotomy cream trial, no human trial was found.	^{6 2 1}
Inflammation Balance	Preliminary mechanism	Not enough evidence	Inflammation and pain: cell and animal results: Extracts and compounds from mullein species lowered inflammation signals in cells and swelling in mice and rats. Results were mixed: one extract of mullein flower failed to reduce swelling in rats. None of this has been tested in people for pain or arthritis.	^{11 4 1 2}
Liver Support	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Liver protection in poisoned mice (a different species): A hydro-alcoholic extract of a different mullein species, Verbascum sinaiticum, lowered the liver enzyme AST in mice poisoned with carbon tetrachloride. This is an animal result for another species and does not show that mullein protects or harms the human liver.	²⁴
Digestive Support	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	Digestive complaints and diarrhoea (traditional use): Some countries list mullein for colic, painful functional gut problems, diarrhoea and irritable bowel. No human trial was found.	^{6 23}

B. Body systems

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Skin	Adverse effect or risk	Not enough evidence	Contact dermatitis case reports and irritation from woolly hairs. Preparation or compound: Mullein plant, leaf or flower, contact	^{9 3 6}
Pregnancy and breastfeeding	Contraindication	Not enough evidence	Not recommended in pregnancy or breastfeeding because safety has not been established (EU). Preparation or compound: Mullein flower tea	⁷
Liver	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Lowered AST in poisoned mice; no human liver data and no liver injury reports found. Preparation or compound: V. sinaiticum extract in mice	^{24 6}
Respiratory system	Traditional use	Not enough evidence	EU traditional use for sore throat with dry cough and cold; no clinical trials. EU traditional use for sore throat with dry cough and cold; no clinical trials found. Preparation or compound: Mullein flower tea	^{7 6}
Skin	Potential benefit	Low certainty	Better wound-healing score than placebo on day 10 in 93 women with episiotomy wounds; one small trial. Preparation or compound: Verbascum thapsus cream	¹⁹
Respiratory System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Sore throat with dry cough and colds (traditional use as a tea) Studied for: Asthma, bronchitis and other lung complaints (folk use)	^{7 6 23 12 2 4}
Immune System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Fighting germs: virus and bacteria effects in the lab Studied for: Inflammation and pain: cell and animal results	^{22 13 6 11 4 1 2 20}
Integumentary System	Biological association	Low certainty	Studied for: Wound healing: mullein cream on a childbirth (episiotomy) wound Studied for: Skin problems, burns, eczema and piles (traditional topical use)	^{19 1 6 2}
Hepatic System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Liver protection in poisoned mice (a different species)	²⁴
Digestive System	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Studied for: Digestive complaints and diarrhoea (traditional use)	^{6 23}

I. Biomarkers

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Ear pain score (visual analogue scale)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	^{16 17}
ICAM-1 on blood-vessel lining cells (lab marker)	Biological association	Very low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹¹
REEDA wound-healing score	Biological association	Low certainty	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	¹⁹
AST (a liver enzyme) in mice	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	²⁴
Nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines (lab markers)	Biological association	Not enough evidence	Measured in trials: lowered. A lab change is not the same as a health benefit.	⁴

J. Genes, receptors and enzymes

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
ICAM1 (intercellular adhesion molecule 1)	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	Lower expression in stimulated human vein cells with a V. phlomoides flower extract.	¹¹
TNF and IL6 (inflammatory cytokines)	Preliminary mechanism	Animal	Compounds of a related species lowered these signals in mouse macrophages.	⁴
FCER1B / MS4A2 (FcεRI beta chain)	Preliminary mechanism	In vitro	mRNA of the IgE receptor beta chain lowered by an isolated compound in mast cells. Gene name given by the compiler for the beta chain; the abstract does not name the gene.	²⁰

K. Biological pathways

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Complement alternative pathway	Preliminary mechanism	Animal	Reduced activity in mice given a V. xanthophoeniceum extract.	⁴

L. Active compounds

Connected to	Kind of connection	Evidence status	Context	Studies
Mucilage polysaccharides (arabinogalactan, xyloglucan)	Biological association	Pharmacological theory	Forms a slippery, swelling gel in water; thought to coat irritated throat tissue. A demulcent (soothing) effect is the traditional explanation, not shown in a trial. Preparation or compound: flower	⁶
Aucubin	Biological association	Animal	Cell and animal studies cited in the EU report: lowered paw swelling in rats and suppressed hepatitis B virus DNA in cell culture only after enzyme conversion; also found in the cited work to protect dogs from mushroom poisoning by injection. None of these are human results. Preparation or compound: flower	^{6 1}
Catalpol	Biological association	Animal	An iridoid found with aucubin; isolated from V. mucronatum along with aucubin, which showed anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activity as a mixed extract in mice and rats. Preparation or compound: flower	^{6 1}
Verbascoside (acteoside)	Biological association	Animal	In animals, by mouth, showed wound-healing, pain-lowering and anti-inflammatory activity (V. mucronatum). Antioxidant and 5-lipoxygenase effects in cells (EU report). Not detected in the V. phlomoides water extract in one study. Preparation or compound: flower	^{1 6 11}
Verbascosaponin, thapsuins and related saponins	Biological association	In vitro	Saponins can break red blood cells in the lab and are the traditional explanation for a mild expectorant effect; a lab report attributed the antibacterial activity of a mullein flower oil to saponins. Bench tests found saponins toxic to brine shrimp at low concentration. Preparation or compound: flower (V. phlomoides, V. thapsus)	^{6 22}
Quercetin	Biological association	Pharmacological theory	Antioxidant and anti-inflammatory in the lab; a review links many traditional uses to quercetin using computer modelling. Preparation or compound: flower	^{11 2}
Hesperidin	Biological association	Pharmacological theory	A 2022 review lists it among the most valuable constituents of V. thapsus, but the EU report says the reported presence of hesperidin in V. phlomoides flower was not confirmed in a later investigation. Preparation or compound: flower (reported)	^{12 6}
Coumarin	Biological association	Pharmacological theory	Named by a 2022 review as one of the most valuable constituents of V. thapsus. No source read gives the amount or a human effect.	¹²
Rosmarinic acid	Biological association	In vitro	Antioxidant in the lab. Preparation or compound: flower	¹¹
Caffeic acid and ferulic acid	Biological association	In vitro	Antioxidant in the lab. Preparation or compound: flower	¹¹
2',3'-Dihydroxypuberulin	Biological association	In vitro	Lowered the allergy receptor FcεRI on mast cells in cell culture.	²⁰

Each connection is stored with the ingredient, the connected record, the kind of connection, the evidence status, the supporting studies, the preparation or compound involved, and a review date (last reviewed October 25, 2026).

Evidence at a glance: what changed in 5 lab markers

Tap a number to show only those markers. Counts are markers, not people.

Organ function1 Other4

The evidence

The research centre for Mullein Tea. Every record here was checked against PubMed or the publisher's page; we never list a study we have not verified.

Evidence by outcome

Bars show how many studies we found for each outcome, not how well it works. People are added up across trials only (reviews are not added, to avoid double counting).

How we rate evidence

High certainty

Several well-run trials or reviews agree; further research is unlikely to change the picture much.

Moderate certainty

Good trials point the same way, but some doubt remains.

Low certainty

Small, short or inconsistent trials. The finding could change with better research.

Very low certainty

Very little or very weak human data. Treat as a possibility only.

Mixed findings

Trials or reviews disagree with each other.

Not enough evidence

Not enough human research to say either way.

Evidence against

Good research found no benefit, or found harm.

We take the reviewers' own risk-of-bias and GRADE statements where they exist, and otherwise judge from study size, design, consistency, directness and whether a product matches what is sold. Many publications do not make evidence high. Method note: We searched PubMed and read the EU herbal monograph on mullein flower (2018) in full and the older EU assessment report (2008, marked superseded) selectively. For most studies only the abstract was read; two case reports had no abstract and were read by title only. NCCIH has no page at the address tried, LiverTox and LactMed have no entry found, and the FDA, Commission E, ESCOP and WHO positions are marked not verified. Certainty ratings are the compiler's own reading. No study is cited that we could not verify.

Study library: every study we checked 24

Design Research type Year from Search

Study	Design	People	Product, dose, length	Result
Akdemir 2011 Bioassay-guided isolation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and wound healer glycosides from the flowers of Verbascum mucronatum Lam. J Ethnopharmacol · PMID 20621642 · DOI	Animal research animal	Flowers of Verbascum mucronatum (a different species) tested in mice and rats	Extracts and isolated glycosides of V. mucronatum flowers flower	Extracts showed anti-inflammatory, pain-lowering and wound-healing activity in mouse and rat models. Of the isolated compounds, verbascoside was found to have significant wound-healing, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activity by mouth without obvious acute toxicity or gastric damage. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: A different species (V. mucronatum). Animal work only. Doses not in the abstract. Read: abstract
Blanco-Salas 2021 Searching for Scientific Explanations for the Uses of Spanish Folk Medicine: A Review on the Case of Mullein (Verbascum, Scrophulariaceae). Biology (Basel) · PMID 34356473 · DOI	Narrative review pharmacological-theory	Review of 10 Verbascum species in Spanish folk medicine, plus computer (in silico) modelling		The authors link the traditional uses to anti-inflammatory plant chemicals such as quercetin. They say most traditional uses could rest on an anti-inflammatory action. The modelling shows predicted molecular fits only. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: A review plus computer models, not a clinical test. It supports a possible reason for the uses; it does not show they work in people. Read: abstract
Castro 2006 Occupational airborne dermatitis from gordolobo (Verbascum densiflorum). Contact Dermatitis · PMID 17026698 · DOI	Case report	1 Case report (Burgos, Spain), occupational exposure	Contact with Verbascum plant material	Only the title was available in PubMed (no abstract), so the details of this case are not known to us. The title says airborne skin inflammation at work was caused by gordolobo (Verbascum densiflorum). Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Skin reaction Limitations: No abstract available. Single case report, so it shows that a reaction can happen, not how often. Read: summary-only
Dimitrova 2012 Antiinflammatory properties of extracts and compounds isolated from Verbascum xanthophoeniceum Griseb. Phytother Res · PMID 22389249 · DOI	Animal research animal	Extracts and compounds of Verbascum xanthophoeniceum (a different Balkan species) in mice and mouse cells	Methanol extract and isolated compounds of V. xanthophoeniceum	The crude methanol extract reduced paw swelling caused by cobra venom factor in mice, linked to lower complement activity. Nigroside VI cut IL-6 and nitric oxide, and forsythoside B cut TNF-alpha, in mouse macrophages. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: A different species (not one of the three EU species). Mouse and cell work only. Read: abstract
Escobar 2011 Genotoxic evaluation of a methanolic extract of Verbascum thapsus using micronucleus test in mouse bone marrow. Nat Prod Commun · PMID 21834240	Animal research animal	Mice given a methanol extract of Verbascum thapsus, bone marrow checked for chromosome damage (micronucleus test)	Methanol extract of Verbascum thapsus	At 100, 300 and 500 mg per kg the extract did not raise the number of damaged cells and did not change the ratio of young to mature red cells compared with controls. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: One mouse test, with one extract type; the authors' wording that this "provides security" overstates it. No human data. The EU report says other genotoxicity tests are missing. Read: abstract
European Medicines Agency 2008 Assessment report on Verbascum thapsus L., V. densiflorum Bertol., V. phlomoides L., flos, traditional use (EMEA/HMPC/395206/2007 Corr; marked superseded) · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: full-text
European Medicines Agency 2018 European Union herbal monograph on Verbascum thapsus L., V. densiflorum Bertol. (V. thapsiforme Schrad) and V. phlomoides L., flos (EMA/HMPC/611537/2016) · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: full-text
European Medicines Agency herbal medicine page; page loads (HTTP 200) and is titled Verbasci flos; used only to confirm the page exists. Verbasci flos - herbal medicinal product (EMA web page) · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: summary-only
Flores Echaiz 2017 Simultaneous contact dermatitis caused by Asteraceae and Verbascum thapsus. Contact Dermatitis · PMID 28386973 · DOI	Case report	1 Case report (McGill University Health Centre, Montreal)	Contact with Verbascum plant material	Only the title was available in PubMed (no abstract), so the details of this case are not known to us. The title says contact dermatitis from Asteraceae plants and Verbascum thapsus occurred together in one report. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Skin reaction Limitations: No abstract available. Single case report, so it shows that a reaction can happen, not how often. Read: summary-only
GBIF backbone: ACCEPTED GBIF species match: Verbascum thapsus L. · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: full-text
Grigore 2013 Correlation between polyphenol content and anti-inflammatory activity of Verbascum phlomoides (mullein). Pharm Biol · PMID 23627472 · DOI	Animal research animal	Water extract of dried mullein flowers (Verbascum phlomoides) tested in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and in rats	Water extract of dried flowers, then n-butanol fraction flower	The extract contained 4.18% total polyphenols and had antioxidant activity in a test-tube assay. At 100 and 200 microgram/mL it cut TNF-alpha-triggered ICAM-1 by 55-58.8% in human cells. It did not reduce egg-white-induced paw swelling in rats. The authors call the anti-inflammatory effect weak. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: Different species (V. phlomoides, one of the three species in the EU monograph). Cell and rat work only. One of two anti-inflammatory tests was negative. Read: abstract
Gupta 2022 Health-promoting and disease-mitigating potential of Verbascum thapsus L. (common mullein): A review. Phytother Res · PMID 35088467 · DOI	Narrative review mixed	Review of the health uses and experimental research on Verbascum thapsus		Lists the plant as used traditionally for lung, skin and throat disorders. Names flavonoids, iridoid, phenylethanoid and phenylpropanoid glycosides and saponins, and says coumarin and hesperidin are among the most valuable constituents. Reports antiviral, antioxidant, analgesic, sedative, anti-inflammatory, hypnotic, antibacterial, antifungal and anticancer properties from experimental studies. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: Narrative review. The abstract describes experimental (lab and animal) findings and gives no human trial results. Full text not read. Read: abstract
McCutcheon 1995 Antiviral screening of British Columbian medicinal plants. J Ethnopharmacol · PMID 8847882 · DOI	Laboratory research in-vitro	100 methanol extracts of British Columbian plants tested against seven viruses in cell cultures	Methanol extract of Verbascum thapsus	Verbascum thapsus was one of nine extracts that showed activity against herpes simplex virus type 1 at non-toxic doses in cell culture. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: Cell-culture screening only; part of the plant and strength are not given in the abstract. No human result. Read: abstract
NCBI Taxonomy search returned taxid 39388 for Verbascum thapsus and 1534716 for Verbascum densiflorum. Lineage details were not read beyond the ids. NCBI Taxonomy: Verbascum thapsus and Verbascum densiflorum · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: summary-only
PubChem name lookup returned CIDs 91458 PubChem compound records (aucubin, catalpol, verbascoside/acteoside, quercetin, hesperidin, coumarin, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid) · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: full-text
Sarrell 2001 Efficacy of naturopathic extracts in the management of ear pain associated with acute otitis media. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med · PMID 11434846 · DOI	Controlled trial	103 Children aged 6 to 18 years with ear pain from acute otitis media	Otikon Otic Solution: ear drops containing garlic (Allium sativum), mullein (Verbascum thapsus), calendula flowers and St John's wort (Hypericum perforatum) in olive oil. A four-herb combination. mullein part not stated in abstract Drops into the outer ear canal; amount not stated in abstract 3 days · vs Anaesthetic ear drops (ametocaine and phenazone in glycerin)	The two groups were comparable in pain scores at the start and at each use. Pain improved over the 3 days (P = .007). The authors concluded the herbal drops were as effective as the anaesthetic drops. No difference between the herbal combination and anaesthetic drops reported; no effect size in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Ear pain on two visual scales over 3 days Limitations: Mullein was one of four herbs, so no effect can be given to mullein alone. No placebo group, so natural recovery cannot be separated out. The abstract gives no amounts or confidence intervals. Funding and conflicts: Product of Healthy-On Ltd; funding and conflicts not stated in the abstract (PubMed lists non-US government research support). Read: abstract
Sarrell 2003 Naturopathic treatment for ear pain in children. Pediatrics · PMID 12728112 · DOI	Controlled trial	171 Children aged 5 to 18 years with ear pain and signs of middle-ear infection	Naturopathic Herbal Extract Ear Drops (NHED): garlic, mullein (Verbascum thapsus), calendula, St John's wort, lavender and vitamin E in olive oil. A multi-herb combination. mullein part not stated in abstract Multi-herb ear drops into the ear (not a tea) 3 days · vs Anaesthetic ear drops (amethocaine and phenazone), with or without oral amoxicillin	Every group improved over 3 days. Drops alone did better than drops plus amoxicillin. Results were better in the herbal-drop group than in the controls. The authors also state that the pain was mostly (80%) self-limited and could be explained by time passing, and that the best-responding group explained only 7.3% of the total pain reduction. Better pain scores with the herbal drops than controls; no numbers in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Ear pain on a visual analogue scale over 3 days Limitations: Mullein was one of five or six ingredients, so nothing can be said about mullein alone. The authors themselves say most of the improvement was natural recovery. The abstract gives no p-values or confidence intervals for the group comparison. Funding and conflicts: Funding and conflicts not stated in the abstract. Read: abstract
Svanberg 2020 Ethnoichthyology of freshwater fish in Europe: a review of vanishing traditional fisheries and their cultural significance in changing landscapes from the later medieval period with a focus on northern Europe. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed · PMID 33121508 · DOI	Narrative review	Review of traditional freshwater fishing in Europe from the later medieval period	Mullein seeds used as a fish-stunning plant poison (historical use) seed	The full text (via Europe PMC) says seeds from mullein were used in northern and central Europe to stun fish, and that Spanish law banned plant poisons, including mullein, in fishing from 1255. It does not give any chemistry or human toxicity data. Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Historical use Limitations: Historical record only. Does not measure toxicity to people. Read: full-text
Taleb 2021 The effect of the Verbascum Thapsus on episiotomy wound healing in nulliparous women: a randomized controlled trial. BMC Complement Med Ther · PMID 34103042 · DOI	Controlled trial	93 First-time mothers (primiparous) with an episiotomy wound after childbirth, Saveh, Iran	Verbascum thapsus cream (the abstract does not say which plant part or what strength) Cream on the wound (not a tea) 10 days · vs Placebo cream	Scores on days 1 and 3 were better with mullein but not by a statistically significant amount. On day 10 the REEDA score was significantly better with mullein than with placebo (p = 0.01). p = 0.01 on day 10; no mean scores in the abstract Methods, limits and funding Outcomes: Wound healing on the REEDA scale (redness, swelling, bruising, discharge, edge closeness) on days 1, 3 and 10 Limitations: Single hospital, trial run in 2015 and published in 2021. Plant part and cream strength not stated in the abstract. Only the REEDA score was reported there. Funding and conflicts: Authors declared no competing interests. Registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials IRCT201404073106N15 Read: abstract
Tamura 2018 Inhibitor for FcεRI expression on mast cell from Verbasucum thapsus L. Bioorg Med Chem Lett · PMID 30217416 · DOI	Laboratory research in-vitro	Compound isolated from Verbascum thapsus and tested on mast cells (allergy cells)	2',3'-dihydroxypuberulin from Verbascum thapsus	The compound 2',3'-dihydroxypuberulin lowered expression of the IgE receptor FcεRI on mast cells and was reported as a candidate lead for anti-allergy drugs; it lowered the mRNA of the receptor beta chain. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: Isolated compound in cells; a drug-discovery lead, not a tested herbal product. Source plant described as South American. Read: abstract
The address tried returned HTTP 404 on 2026-10-25. NCCIH status: not found. NCCIH: no mullein page found · Source	Authoritative guidance			Methods, limits and funding Read: summary-only
Turker 2002 Biological activity of common mullein, a medicinal plant. J Ethnopharmacol · PMID 12241986 · DOI	Laboratory research in-vitro	Bench-top tests of common mullein (V. thapsus) extracts and commercial mullein products	Water, ethanol and methanol extracts of common mullein; commercial products plant (parts not stated in abstract)	Water, ethanol and methanol extracts, especially the water extract, slowed growth of Klebsiella pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis and Escherichia coli. All extracts inhibited tumours caused by Agrobacterium in potato discs. At higher concentrations the extracts were toxic to brine shrimp and to radish seed germination and growth. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: Test-tube and plant-tissue tests only. The abstract gives no numbers. Does not show an effect in people. Read: abstract
Turker 2005 Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.): recent advances in research. Phytother Res · PMID 16222647 · DOI	Narrative review mixed	Review of research on common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.), including tissue cultures and biological properties		States that the plant has been used for lung problems, inflammatory disease, asthma, spasmodic cough, diarrhoea and migraine, and that dried leaves, flowers, capsules, alcohol extracts and flower oil are sold in US health stores. Says research increasingly supports the folk uses. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: An older narrative review (2005). The abstract does not report any human trial results. Read: abstract
Umer 2010 Hepatoprotective activities of two Ethiopian medicinal plants. Pharm Biol · PMID 20645727 · DOI	Animal research animal	Mice with carbon-tetrachloride liver injury given extracts of Verbascum sinaiticum (a different species) and Justicia schimperiana	Hydro-alcoholic extract of Verbascum sinaiticum	The Verbascum sinaiticum hydro-alcoholic extract significantly lowered the liver enzyme AST (P < 0.05) compared with the poisoned control, and the methanol extract had antioxidant activity in a test-tube assay. Methods, limits and funding Limitations: A different species (V. sinaiticum). Mouse work only. Protective effect in poisoned mice does not show benefit or safety in people. Read: abstract

What we do not know yet

No trial of mullein tea for cough, sore throat, asthma or bronchitis was found.
The ear-oil trials tested herb mixtures with no placebo group, and the authors said most pain relief was natural recovery.
The one cream trial (low certainty) is not a tea result and has not been repeated.
What is missing: any trial of mullein tea for cough, sore throat, asthma or bronchitis; trials of mullein oil alone; interaction studies.
Rotenoid and coumarin content and amounts in tea were not found in the sources read.
Pregnancy, breastfeeding and child safety data for the tea are missing; genotoxicity, reproductive toxicity and carcinogenicity tests were not done on the flower (EU).
No mind, mood or sleep studies exist.
No source read measures caffeine in mullein.

How new research is added

New studies are found by a saved PubMed search and are placed in a review queue. A person reads each one before it changes any evidence rating or safety wording. New publications never change ratings automatically.

Lab markers

What changed in blood or saliva tests during trials. A changed number is not the same as feeling or being healthier, and we give no "normal ranges".

Organ function 1

▼

AST (a liver enzyme) in mice

Lowered in trials

Aspartate aminotransferase leaks from damaged liver cells; high blood levels point to liver injury.

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Used to test whether an extract protects the liver in poisoned animals.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

An animal protection signal in a different species; not a human benefit and not a safety test.

Safety implication

Not a measure of liver safety in people.

Study	Result	People	Product
²⁴	Plasma AST significantly lower (P < 0.05) with Verbascum sinaiticum extract than carbon-tetrachloride controls.	Swiss albino mice with CCl4 liver injury	Hydro-alcoholic extract of V. sinaiticum before the poison

²⁴

Other 4

▼

Ear pain score (visual analogue scale)

Lowered in trials

A scale where a child or doctor marks pain from none to the worst possible, using numbers, colours or faces.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Pain relief is the main goal in ear-infection treatment while the infection settles.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Pain scores fell in all groups, including those with no herbal drops, and the authors say most of the fall was natural recovery. The scores are self-rated and the herbs are a combination.

Safety implication

None; a symptom score.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁶	Pain scores improved over the 3 days (P = .007) and were similar to anaesthetic drops; numbers not in the abstract.	103 children aged 6 to 18 with ear pain from acute otitis media	Four-herb olive-oil ear drops vs anaesthetic ear drops, 3 days
¹⁷	All groups improved; herbal drops did better than controls according to the abstract, but the authors say most pain was self-limited and the best group explained 7.3% of the pain reduction.	171 children aged 5 to 18 with otalgia and middle-ear infection	Multi-herb ear drops, with or without anaesthetic drops or amoxicillin, 3 days

^{16 17}

▼

ICAM-1 on blood-vessel lining cells (lab marker)

Lowered in trials

A protein on cells lining blood vessels that helps white blood cells stick during inflammation.

Very low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Used in the lab as a sign of anti-inflammatory activity.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A cell-culture marker, with a negative result in the rat test, so not a clinical benefit.

Safety implication

None.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹¹	TNF-alpha-triggered ICAM-1 fell by 55-58.8% at 100 and 200 microgram/mL, but the extract did not reduce egg-white paw swelling in rats.	Human umbilical vein endothelial cells and rats (V. phlomoides flower water extract)	Extract added to cells; extract given to rats

¹¹

▼

REEDA wound-healing score

Lowered in trials

A clinician's score for five signs of a healing wound: redness, oedema (swelling), ecchymosis (bruising), discharge and approximation (how well the edges meet). Lower is better.

Low certainty

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Standard way to compare healing of an episiotomy or perineal tear.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

A clinician-rated healing score, significant at one time point of three. Whether a lower score matters to mothers (pain, infection, return of function) was not reported in the abstract.

Safety implication

None; efficacy score.

Study	Result	People	Product
¹⁹	Day 10 mean REEDA score significantly better with Verbascum cream than placebo (p = 0.01); day 1 and 3 scores better but not significantly. Mean values not in the abstract.	93 first-time mothers with episiotomy	Verbascum thapsus cream vs placebo cream, twice daily for 10 days

¹⁹

▼

Nitric oxide and inflammatory cytokines (lab markers)

Lowered in trials

Signals that cells release during inflammation (nitric oxide, IL-6, TNF-alpha).

Not enough evidence

Results and what it means

Why it was measured

Used to screen plant compounds for anti-inflammatory activity.

Statistical vs. clinical meaning

Cell markers from a different species; not clinical.

Safety implication

None.

Study	Result	People	Product
⁴	Nigroside VI cut IL-6 and nitric oxide, forsythoside B cut TNF-alpha, leucosceptoside B lowered nitric oxide release, in mouse macrophages.	Mouse macrophages and mice	Compounds from Verbascum xanthophoeniceum (a different species)

⁴

Safety

What studies and official sources say about side effects, medicines and who should check first. Each point shows what kind of evidence it comes from.

Main points to know 6

Fine hairs: sources describe straining the tea. The leaves and flowers are covered in woolly hairs. The EU assessment report quotes an old source that the hairs are sometimes irritant to the skin of sensitive people, and an old domestic recipe strains the sweetened infusion to remove the rough hairs. The hairs can tickle and irritate the mouth and throat if they stay in the cup. Old recipes strain it to remove the hairs. No modern study measured hair irritation from tea. Authoritative guidance ⁶
Skin allergy and contact dermatitis. Two case reports link Verbascum to skin disease: one of contact dermatitis from Asteraceae plants and Verbascum thapsus together, and one of airborne dermatitis from gordolobo (Verbascum densiflorum) in a worker. Only the titles were available, so the details are not known. The EU monograph lists hypersensitivity to the plant as a contraindication. How common allergy is has not been measured. Case report ^{9 3 7}
Pregnancy and breastfeeding: not recommended. The EU says safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established and, without enough data, use is not recommended. No fertility data are available. This is lack of data, not a proven harm. Authoritative guidance ^{7 6}
Children under 12: not recommended for the tea. The EU monograph does not recommend the flower tea under age 12 because of a lack of adequate data. The ear-drop trials in children used multi-herb oil in the ear in ages 5 to 18, which is a different product and route. Authoritative guidance ^{7 17}
Coumarin, rotenoids and seeds: what the sources say and what they do not. A 2022 review says the most valuable compounds in Verbascum thapsus include coumarin and hesperidin. Mullein seeds were historically used in Europe to stun fish, and the EU assessment report calls the seeds a fish poison (piscicide). We did not find any source we could read that gives the rotenoid content of mullein or a harm from rotenoids in people, so rotenoid content is NOT verified here. Seeds are not part of any EU preparation and should not be eaten. No liver injury, bleeding or poisoning report was found for flower tea. Authoritative guidance ^{12 18 6}
Ear drops: only with an intact eardrum. In the ear trials the children were first diagnosed by a doctor. Putting oil in an ear with a ruptured eardrum or discharge can be harmful, and this is a general medical caution rather than a mullein finding. See a doctor for ear pain with fever, discharge, or if it lasts more than a couple of days. Pharmacological theory ¹⁷

Side effects 4

Effect	How often	Severity and recovery	Evidence
Skin reaction (contact dermatitis, itching, rash) Frequency unknown. Titles only; one report was an occupational airborne case.	Not established	mild to moderate Not stated in the sources read	Case report ^{9 3}
Irritation of the mouth, throat or skin from the plant's fine hairs From an old source quoted by the EU report. Old recipes strain the tea.	Not established	mild Expected to settle once the hairs are removed (not studied)	Authoritative guidance ⁶
Cough, swollen abdomen or dermatitis reported with plants sold as gordolobo The EU report notes these are single-patient reports with missing dose and diagnosis details, and that at least three plant genera (Verbascum, Gnaphalium, Senecio) share the name gordolobo, so the plant is uncertain.	Not established	not stated not stated	Case report ⁶
No adverse effects known (EU 2018 monograph) The EU lists undesirable effects as none known, and the 2008 report found no adverse reactions reported by Member States and no safety-concern case reports in PubMed. This reflects limited use and study, not proven absence of harm.	Not established	not applicable not applicable	Authoritative guidance ⁷

Liver

No case of liver injury from mullein flower or leaf was found in the EU reports or in our PubMed searches (a Verbascum + liver injury search returned only a mouse study of a different species that protected liver). LiverTox has no mullein entry that we could find. ^{6 24}

How often. Not known. Absence of reports is not proof of safety, because few people have been studied.

Monitoring. No routine blood tests are recommended in the sources read.

This is a safety connection. It is not evidence that Mullein Tea supports liver health.

Medicines and supplements 4

With	Why it matters	Importance	Evidence	What to do
Prescription and over-the-counter medicines in general drug		The EU monograph and report list interactions as none reported and no data for pharmacokinetic or pharmacodynamic interactions. No human interaction study exists.	Authoritative guidance Not enough evidence ^{7 6}	Tell your doctor or pharmacist you use mullein, especially before surgery or if you take regular medicines.
Blood thinners such as warfarin (coumarin-type drugs) drug	Mullein is said to contain coumarin, a plant compound. Plain coumarin is not the same as warfarin, and no source we read shows mullein affecting clotting.	Not known. No case report or study found.	Pharmacological theory Not enough evidence ¹²	If you take a blood thinner, ask your pharmacist before starting mullein.
Sedatives and sleep medicines drug	A 2022 review lists sedative and hypnotic effects of V. thapsus from experimental work.	No human data; the effect, if any, in tea is not known.	Animal research Not enough evidence ¹²	Be careful when combining with sedating medicines until more is known.
Other herbs in multi-herb ear oils (garlic, St John's wort, calendula, lavender) herb	Allergy to any ingredient is possible.	In the ear trials the effect of mullein cannot be separated from the other herbs.	Controlled trial Very low certainty ^{16 17}	Read the label and avoid products containing plants you are allergic to.

Who should check first 5

Situation	Advice	Evidence
Allergy to mullein (Verbascum) or related plants	Do not use. EU contraindication (hypersensitivity).	Authoritative guidance ⁷
Pregnancy and breastfeeding	Not recommended: safety not established.	Authoritative guidance ⁷
Children under 12 (tea)	Not recommended by the EU; ask a doctor.	Authoritative guidance ⁷
Ear drops with a perforated eardrum, ear discharge or ear surgery	Do not use without a doctor's examination.	Pharmacological theory ¹⁷
Open or infected wounds	Do not rely on mullein cream; see a clinician. The cream trial used it on a clean, fresh episiotomy wound under care.	Pharmacological theory ¹⁹

Overdose, product quality and regulators

Summary. Mullein flower tea has a long history with no serious harm reported in the EU reports, but formal safety testing is thin. The EU says tests for reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been performed on the flower.

Animal. Mice given a methanol extract of V. thapsus at three test levels showed no increase in micronucleated bone-marrow cells and no marrow toxicity. This is one genotoxicity test only.

Human doses studied. Ear trials: 3 days of multi-herb drops. Cream trial: twice daily for 10 days. EU monograph tea: traditional use for up to 1 week before seeing a doctor.

Overdose response. No case of overdose has been reported (EU monograph).

Genotoxicity. Adequate tests on reproductive toxicity, genotoxicity and carcinogenicity have not been performed (EU 2018). The 2008 report said the missing Ames test was why inclusion in the EU list of traditional herbal substances could not be recommended.

Toxic or hazardous parts. Seeds: used historically as a fish-stunning poison in Europe; do not eat. Leaf: bench tests found extracts toxic to brine shrimp and radish seeds at higher concentrations, saponins at low concentrations, and a decoction more toxic than an infusion. These are not human data.

No survey of pesticides, heavy metals or adulteration in mullein products was found.

Plants sold as gordolobo. The Spanish name gordolobo is used for Verbascum, Gnaphalium and Senecio plants. We did not verify the contents of those other plants from the sources read, but a wrong plant means the safety record of mullein does not apply. (Some Senecio plants are known to contain liver-toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids; this is general knowledge not checked in the sources read.) ⁶

Different species and plant parts. The EU monograph covers the dried flower of V. thapsus, V. densiflorum and V. phlomoides to the European Pharmacopoeia standard. Leaf, root, seed and other Verbascum species are not covered, and most lab studies used other species. ^{7 6}

Alcohol, oils and multi-herb mixes. Ear oils combine several herbs; the effects and risks of the whole mix are not those of mullein alone. ^{16 17}

Body	Action	Date
European Medicines Agency, HMPC (European Union)	EU herbal monograph (traditional use): flower tea for relief of sore throat associated with dry cough and cold; adults, adolescents and elderly; not under 12; not in pregnancy or breastfeeding; contraindication hypersensitivity; interactions and undesirable effects none known/reported source	2018-03-27
European Medicines Agency, HMPC (older assessment report) (European Union)	Assessment report with traditional use: no clinical investigations available; no signals of harm; genotoxicity (Ames) data missing; GRAS status in the USA and Commission E acceptance quoted from secondary sources. This report is marked superseded. source	2008-07-03
European Medicines Agency herbal page (European Union)	Verbasci flos herbal medicine page source
NCCIH (US) (United States)	No mullein page found source

When to get medical help

Swelling of the face, lips or throat, wheezing or trouble breathing after using mullein (possible severe allergy): call emergency services.
A spreading rash, blisters or severe itching after skin or ear use: stop and seek care.
Shortness of breath, fever or pus-coloured phlegm during a cough or cold (the EU advises seeing a doctor).
Cough or sore throat lasting more than 1 week or getting worse (EU advice).
Ear pain with high fever, ear discharge, swelling behind the ear, stiff neck or weakness of the face: see a doctor urgently.
An infected-looking wound (spreading redness, pus, fever): do not treat at home with herbs.

Stop using the product and contact a clinician or emergency service. In the US, Poison Control is 1-800-222-1222.

General information only, not medical advice. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before use, especially with medicines, in pregnancy or with a health condition. See the Natural Remedy Safety guide.

Frequently asked questions

Does mullein tea work for cough or sore throat?

Nobody knows from trials. The EU accepts the flower tea as a traditional medicine for sore throat with dry cough and cold, but only because it has been used for a long time. No clinical trial of mullein flower for cough was found. If a cough lasts more than a week, or you have fever, breathlessness or pus-coloured phlegm, see a doctor.

^{7 6}

Does mullein ear oil (not tea) help earache in children?

Two trials of a multi-herb oil (garlic, mullein, calendula, St John's wort and others) found pain improved, about as well as numbing drops. But mullein was one of several herbs, nobody got a placebo, and the authors said most of the pain relief was natural recovery. No trial tested mullein oil alone. Children with ear pain should be seen by a doctor, and nothing should go in an ear that may have a ruptured eardrum.

^{16 17}

Is mullein tea caffeine-free?

Mullein is not made from the tea plant (Camellia sinensis), and no source we read reports caffeine in it. We did not find a measurement either, so we cannot give an amount. Blends may add tea or other herbs, so check the label.

^{6 7}

Can the hairs in mullein tea irritate?

Yes, they can. The plant has fine woolly hairs, and an old source quoted by the EU report says they are sometimes irritant to the skin of sensitive people. Old recipes strain the tea to remove the rough hairs. Skin reactions have also been reported.

^{6 9 3}

Can mullein tea cause allergy?

Possibly. Two case reports describe contact dermatitis, one from a worker exposed to airborne gordolobo (Verbascum densiflorum). How common allergy is has not been measured. The EU says not to use it if you are hypersensitive to the plant. Stop and get urgent help for swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing.

^{9 3 7}

Is mullein tea safe in pregnancy or breastfeeding?

It is not recommended. The EU says safety in pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established. There are no fertility data. That is lack of data, not proven harm. Ask your doctor or midwife.

^{7 6}

Is mullein tea safe for children?

The EU does not recommend the flower tea under 12 years because of a lack of data. The ear-drop trials in children 5 to 18 used a multi-herb oil in the ear, which is a different product. Ask a doctor before giving any herbal product to a child.

^{7 17}

Does mullein tea interact with medicines?

The EU says no interactions have been reported, but no interaction studies exist. A review names coumarin as a constituent, but no source we read links mullein to blood thinners. A review also lists sedative effects from experiments. Tell your pharmacist you use it, especially if you take blood thinners or sedatives.

^{7 6 12}

Is mullein tea bad for the liver?

No liver injury from mullein flower was found in the EU reports or our searches, and LiverTox has no entry. The data are very limited, so this is not proof of safety. One mouse study of a different species lowered a liver enzyme in poisoned mice.

^{6 24}

What about mullein seeds, rotenone and coumarin?

Mullein seeds were historically used in Europe to stun fish and should not be eaten. A review names coumarin among the constituents of the plant. We could not find a source we could read that gives the rotenoid content of mullein, so we do not claim one. The EU flower tea does not use seeds, and no poisoning from the flower tea has been reported.

^{18 12 6}

Are different mullein species interchangeable?

Not necessarily. The EU monograph covers the flower of Verbascum thapsus, V. densiflorum and V. phlomoides. Many lab studies used other species. Plants sold as gordolobo in Spanish can be a different plant altogether. Choose a label that names the species and part.

^{7 6}

What do the health agencies say?

The EU (EMA/HMPC, 2018) lists mullein flower as a traditional herbal medicine for sore throat with dry cough and cold. NCCIH: no page found. LiverTox and LactMed: no entry found. The FDA, Commission E, ESCOP and WHO positions were not read directly. For amounts, ask a doctor or pharmacist.

^{7 21 8}

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Editorial transparency

Written by: AlternativeMed editorial team. Research compiled with AI assistance, then checked against PubMed records.
Medical review: None. This page has not been reviewed by a physician or pharmacist.
First published: 2026-10-25
Last substantive update: 2026-10-25
How we research: We searched PubMed and read the EU herbal monograph on mullein flower (2018) in full and the older EU assessment report (2008, marked superseded) selectively. For most studies only the abstract was read; two case reports had no abstract and were read by title only. NCCIH has no page at the address tried, LiverTox and LactMed have no entry found, and the FDA, Commission E, ESCOP and WHO positions are marked not verified. Certainty ratings are the compiler's own reading. No study is cited that we could not verify.
How we rate evidence: See "How we rate evidence" in the Evidence tab.
Independence: No product is promoted on this page. No affiliate links are shown. If one is added later it will be labelled and kept apart from the evidence. Industry links of trials are flagged in the study records.

Sources 24

Each source was opened and checked. Where we read only the abstract, it says so. The small numbers in the text point here.

Akdemir Z, Kahraman C, Tatlı II, et al.. Bioassay-guided isolation of anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive and wound healer glycosides from the flowers of Verbascum mucronatum Lam.. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011. PMID 20621642. DOI 10.1016/j.jep.2010.05.059. (abstract)
Blanco-Salas J, Hortigón-Vinagre MP, Morales-Jadán D, et al.. Searching for Scientific Explanations for the Uses of Spanish Folk Medicine: A Review on the Case of Mullein (Verbascum, Scrophulariaceae).. Biology (Basel). 2021. PMID 34356473. DOI 10.3390/biology10070618. (abstract)
Castro AI, Carmona JB, Gonzales FG, et al.. Occupational airborne dermatitis from gordolobo (Verbascum densiflorum).. Contact Dermatitis. 2006. PMID 17026698. DOI 10.1111/j.1600-0536.2006.00923.x. (summary-only)
Dimitrova P, Kostadinova E, Milanova V, et al.. Antiinflammatory properties of extracts and compounds isolated from Verbascum xanthophoeniceum Griseb.. Phytother Res. 2012. PMID 22389249. DOI 10.1002/ptr.4641. (abstract)
Escobar FM, Sabini MC, Zanon SM, et al.. Genotoxic evaluation of a methanolic extract of Verbascum thapsus using micronucleus test in mouse bone marrow.. Nat Prod Commun. 2011. PMID 21834240. (abstract)
European Medicines Agency, HMPC, 3 July 2008. This is the older, superseded report; the 2018 report was not read. Text extracted by software and read selectively (history, constituents, toxicology, clinical safety).. Assessment report on Verbascum thapsus L., V. densiflorum Bertol., V. phlomoides L., flos, traditional use (EMEA/HMPC/395206/2007 Corr; marked superseded). . 2008. (full-text)
European Medicines Agency, Committee on Herbal Medicinal Products (HMPC). Adopted 27 March 2018. Read in full (6 pages).. European Union herbal monograph on Verbascum thapsus L., V. densiflorum Bertol. (V. thapsiforme Schrad) and V. phlomoides L., flos (EMA/HMPC/611537/2016). . 2018. (full-text)
European Medicines Agency herbal medicine page; page loads (HTTP 200) and is titled Verbasci flos; used only to confirm the page exists.. Verbasci flos - herbal medicinal product (EMA web page). . . (summary-only)
Flores Echaiz C, Al Ali A, Cao AQ, et al.. Simultaneous contact dermatitis caused by Asteraceae and Verbascum thapsus.. Contact Dermatitis. 2017. PMID 28386973. DOI 10.1111/cod.12710. (summary-only)
GBIF backbone: ACCEPTED, exact match, usage key 3171949, family Scrophulariaceae. Also exact accepted matches for V. densiflorum Bertol. (3171939) and V. phlomoides L. (3171948). "Verbascum thapsiforme" returned only a genus-level match.. GBIF species match: Verbascum thapsus L.. . . (full-text)
Grigore A, Colceru-Mihul S, Litescu S, et al.. Correlation between polyphenol content and anti-inflammatory activity of Verbascum phlomoides (mullein).. Pharm Biol. 2013. PMID 23627472. DOI 10.3109/13880209.2013.767361. (abstract)
Gupta A, Atkinson AN, Pandey AK, et al.. Health-promoting and disease-mitigating potential of Verbascum thapsus L. (common mullein): A review.. Phytother Res. 2022. PMID 35088467. DOI 10.1002/ptr.7393. (abstract)
McCutcheon AR, Roberts TE, Gibbons E, et al.. Antiviral screening of British Columbian medicinal plants.. J Ethnopharmacol. 1995. PMID 8847882. DOI 10.1016/0378-8741(95)90037-3. (abstract)
NCBI Taxonomy search returned taxid 39388 for Verbascum thapsus and 1534716 for Verbascum densiflorum. Lineage details were not read beyond the ids.. NCBI Taxonomy: Verbascum thapsus and Verbascum densiflorum. . . (summary-only)
PubChem name lookup returned CIDs 91458, 91520, 5281800, 5280343, 10621, 323, 5281792, 689043, 445858 with formulas.. PubChem compound records (aucubin, catalpol, verbascoside/acteoside, quercetin, hesperidin, coumarin, rosmarinic acid, caffeic acid, ferulic acid). . . (full-text)
Sarrell EM, Mandelberg A, Cohen HA. Efficacy of naturopathic extracts in the management of ear pain associated with acute otitis media.. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2001. PMID 11434846. DOI 10.1001/archpedi.155.7.796. (abstract)
Sarrell EM, Cohen HA, Kahan E. Naturopathic treatment for ear pain in children.. Pediatrics. 2003. PMID 12728112. DOI 10.1542/peds.111.5.e574. (abstract)
Svanberg I, Locker A. Ethnoichthyology of freshwater fish in Europe: a review of vanishing traditional fisheries and their cultural significance in changing landscapes from the later medieval period with a focus on northern Europe.. J Ethnobiol Ethnomed. 2020. PMID 33121508. DOI 10.1186/s13002-020-00410-3. (full-text)
Taleb S, Saeedi M. The effect of the Verbascum Thapsus on episiotomy wound healing in nulliparous women: a randomized controlled trial.. BMC Complement Med Ther. 2021. PMID 34103042. DOI 10.1186/s12906-021-03339-6. (abstract)
Tamura S, Yoshihira K, Kawano T, et al.. Inhibitor for FcεRI expression on mast cell from Verbasucum thapsus L.. Bioorg Med Chem Lett. 2018. PMID 30217416. DOI 10.1016/j.bmcl.2018.09.007. (abstract)
The address tried returned HTTP 404 on 2026-10-25. NCCIH status: not found.. NCCIH: no mullein page found. . . (summary-only)
Turker AU, Camper ND. Biological activity of common mullein, a medicinal plant.. J Ethnopharmacol. 2002. PMID 12241986. DOI 10.1016/s0378-8741(02)00186-1. (abstract)
Turker AU, Gurel E. Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.): recent advances in research.. Phytother Res. 2005. PMID 16222647. DOI 10.1002/ptr.1653. (abstract)
Umer S, Asres K, Veeresham C. Hepatoprotective activities of two Ethiopian medicinal plants.. Pharm Biol. 2010. PMID 20645727. DOI 10.3109/13880200903173593. (abstract)

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Education, not medical advice. This page is for general information. It does not diagnose or treat any condition and is not a substitute for care from a qualified health professional. Natural does not automatically mean safe. Ask a clinician or pharmacist before changing your care, especially if you take medication, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a health condition.