Wild Lettuce and Lactuca Virosa Guide Wild Lettuce Extract and Lactuca Info Source

Wild Lettuce and Lactuca Virosa

by wildlettuce

Wild Lettuce, or Lactuca Virosa, also known as Opium Lettuce, Prickly Lettuce and just Lactuca - is related to the common lettuce that we find in our Cobb Salads and on our cheeseburgers, but with a few added twists.   When ingested, wild lettuce can have mild psychotropic effects, sometimes referred to as hypnotic or even sedative in nature.   And, it’s legal.  Cool, right?  We thought so.

Wild lettuce is native to parts of Great Britain and has been introduced to many areas of the U.S., such as California, Alabama, and Iowa and grows wild in many places.  The lettuce plant actually flowers from later summer to early fall.  The active chemicals in Lactuca virosa are lactucopicrin and lactucin as identified in the early 1900′s.  Although sometimes called Opium Lettuce and ingesting gives opiate-like effects, there are NO opiates present in the plant.  At present, the plant is un-scheduled by the FDA and it is legal to grow, purchase and own it without a license or prescription in the U.S.

Wild Lettuce has been used as an anesthetic and a sleep aid as well as a recreational herb.  The wild lettuce effects are felt soon after ingestion but last only from thirty minutes to several hours.  The popularity of wild lettuce extracts and tinctures is increasing and there are now quite a few places online to pick up wild lettuce products.   We figured a site to review these wild lettuce concoctions was in order, not only to separate the good from the bad, but to help people figure out just what to do with this stuff – should you have doubts.

Regardless of why you hunt the lactuca virosa, we are set up to help out.  This site lists some of the top sellers of wild lettuce on the net and tells you where you can buy wild lettuce online, without getting ripped off.  We’ll also provide a ton of content and much more.  Stick around and come back often.  It’s going to be epic!

Azure Green Review

by wildlettuce

AzureGreen has been in business for over 25 years and is currently one of the world’s largest mail-order and online stores for New Age, Wiccan and Pagan materials.  With over 7000 items in stock, they have an expanded variety of products that include art, decor, clothing, jewelry, crystals, and – yes- herbs.  You can absolutely get lost on this site for hours on end and come away with a boatload of really cool stuff.

Of course, they do have Wild Lettuce here, or we wouldn’t be able to include them on this particular site.  Azure Green’s Wild Lettuce is a lactuca virosa leaf cut that you can purchase in either a 1 oz or 1 lb quantity.  The smallest is just $3.95 but will likely not get you very far.  Best to get the larger and use this sort to either make tea or create your own wild lettuce extract if you’re so inclined.  While you’re there, check out some of their other herbs and smoking blends, like the Kanna – good stuff.

AzureGreen has a lot of payment options to satisfy – all major credit cards, Paypal, Money Orders and even Personal Checks.  They ship via both UPS and USPS and do have expedited and International Shipping as well.  AzureGreen stands behind their products and service with a solid return policy and ships most orders within 24 hours.   If you’re looking for some good Wild Lettuce leaf for tea or to make your own wild lettuce extract, definitely give these guys a try.    After you do, be sure to come back and let us know what you think!

The Role of Wild Lettuce With Endometriosis

by wildlettuce

Wild lettuce is also popularly known as Lactuca virosas. It is also named as opium or bitter lettuce and is utilized in traditional medicine as a painkiller and sedative. Wild lettuce extract is much used to treat premenstrual syndrome and the other associated chronic pains. Wild lettuce is found to have considerable effect on endometriosis which is a condition caused due to presence of small lining tissue portions from the inside of a uterus well known as endometrium. It grows in abnormal places like outside of a uterus, pelvis’s floor, bladder, on an appendix, inside an abdomen, along ligaments that hold a uterus, fallopian tubes and other structures of pelvic. This condition usually affects around 20% of women worldwide.

Effects of wild lettuce on endometriosis

Wild lettuce extract contains lactucopicrin that helps to relax the overactive cells of brain which otherwise lead to nervous tension in women suffering from endometriosis during their menstrual cycles. This includes tenderness, insomnia, depression and irritation. This extract even assists the muscle of such women to relax include the muscle of uterine thus resulting in reduction of menstrual cramp symptoms. The antioxidant properties of wild lettuce boost white blood cells to fight against the body invasion by bacteria and virus and in turn it reduces the inflammation which is caused due to adhesion and endometrial implants. Wild lettuce extract integrates optimal flavones levels which help in protection of capillary walls to get broken off. This subsequently enhances the blood circulation in user’s body including the flow of blood to her abdomen leading to reduction in the flow of period as well as menstrual cramps. This unique herbal extract even contains coumarin. This is a bitter tasting substance which has a vital property to thin user’s blood which assists to increase the flow of blood, oxygen transportation and nutrients to the cells resulting in increased functioning of the circulatory system. However, it is important to be noted b a user since this extract is mildly toxic to her body; overdose could lead to kidney and liver damage. Those women suffering from liver disease should necessarily consult their doctor before applying extract of wild lettuce.

Availing wild lettuce extract online

Today, we can easily and instantly procure wild lettuce extract online. This Chinese herbal supplement is best found to treat the endometriosis which is found to grow somewhere else in body other than endometrium. This potent herbal extract is found to react with the hormonal signals that are released in the monthly menstrual cycle of a woman by building up the tissue and effectively breaking and eliminating it via the menstrual period. This option of treating endometriosis is much preferred to women since it is found to be quite cost effective and it is incorporated with minimal or nil side effects. This Chinese herb is found to much improve many endometriosis symptoms in women from painful menstruation to sexual intercourse. Immaterial of whether it is its root, shoot, bark, flower or seed; wild lettuce is found to be an excellent herb for treatment of endometriosis.

How is Wild Lettuce Extract Made and Used

by wildlettuce

There are many varieties of plants that have amazing effects on the body. However, there are also some that have been banned because of their harmful properties. One of these plants is opium. It had been used mainly before as a medicine but it was abused and had been utilized to create heroin, an illegal drug. Another plant that is similar to opium is the Wild Lettuce, although it is not as harmful. Wild Lettuce could be found exclusively on the south east and east of England, as well as some states in North America like Iowa, Washington, Alabama, and California.

The Wild Lettuce has other names like Bitter Lettuce, Poisonous Lettuce, and Opium Lettuce. The process of extracting Wild Lettuce is done by deriving the latex from the stem, similar to how Opium is prepared. The extracts are often used for anesthetic and sedating purposes, as well as recreational. Some teas also incorporate Wild Lettuce extract and oils to induce sleep and there is also the galactagogue which increases the production of breast milk, although the sedative effects are not advisable for the infant. Other ways of using the Wild Lettuce is by adding it to salads, although its leaves taste more bitter compared to other greens. Another is by soaking the leaves in alcohol to create unique beverages.

As medicine, Wild Lettuce has anodyne, anti-spasmodic, hypnotic, and nervine properties. It is often used to treat insomnia, excitability and restlessness. Wild Lettuce could also be used as medicine to whooping cough and dry cough. Other uses of the Wild Lettuce are as an anaphrodisiac, relief from the pain of rheumatism, colic, and dysmennorhea. The Wild Lettuce was also discovered to treat illnesses on the reproductive system, like nymphomania in women, the excessive sex drive, and swollen genitals in men. The seed oil of the Wild Lettuce is also used to harden the arteries of the heart and the latex from the stems could be applied directly to the skin to kill germs. Some people also inhale the vapour of Wild Lettuce to obtain the high or hallucinogenic effect for recreational purposes. But then again, the properties of the Wild Lettuce that enables these effects are not as harmful to the health and society hence it is still legal to grow, purchase and use it.

In the internet, the extract of the Wild Lettuce could be purchased. These extracts could come from the stems of the plant or from the flowers. Another is the Lactucarium Powder which is the powdered form of Wild Lettuce extract. It is believed to be used as a medicine even back in the ancient times. The Wild Lettuce Flower Extract on the other hand is extracted from the flower buds of the Wild Lettuce. The buds are extracted using the maceration method and was able to preserve the sweet scent of the flowers.

Although Wild Lettuce is not generally harmful to the human health, it is still best to observe precautions. Wild Lettuce is not recommended to be taken on large amounts and dosages. Some of the effects of using large amounts of Wild Lettuce are dizziness, vision changes, sweating, palpitations, difficulty in breathing and even death. It is also not advisable for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers, people allergic to ragweed and related plants, people with enlarged prostate and problems with urination, people with narrow angle glaucoma and those who will undergo a surgery.

What is Wild Lettuce and What are Its Effects

by wildlettuce

Lettuce has three main species in the Lactuca (lettuce) genus, namely: the Lactuca Virosa, Lactuca Canadennis, and Lactuca Serriola. Wild lettuce or lactuca virosa is one of the most popular in the Latuca genus as it is usually ingested for its mild psychotropic, hypnotic, calming, relaxing, pain relieving, and sedative effects which are often characterized similarly with that of opium. You may have heard about the terms people have coined in wild lettuce as bitter lettuce, laitue viruto, opium lettuce, poisonous lettuce, and even rakutu-karyumu-so. Contrary to the taste and use of common garden lettuce, wild lettuce is actually more bitter in taste yet edible and that it is frequently used in everything from sleep tonics to soap to teas. Despite its strong pungent taste, wild lettuce has been an instrumental herbal medicine throughout history mainly as a sleep aid before it has evolved as a strong substitute of opium.

Wild Lettuce Early Beginnings

During the early 19th century, lactuca virosa was used by a lot of physicians when opium could not be obtained legally. Then in 1911, it was studied extensively by the Council of the Pharmaceutical Society of Great Britain. Therewith, they discovered two chemicals responsible for the properties of lactuca virosa. Wild lettuce can be found locally in the southeast and east of England while in North America, it has been widely documented as locally growing in the states of California, Alabama, Iowa, Washington D.C., as well as in other parts of the continent.It is not until the 1970s that the wild lettuce experienced resurgence in popularity within the United States.At present, wild lettuce is legal to grow, to be purchased, and owned without prescription or license, with permission by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Today, you can notice in your local supermarket that lettuce comes in many different varieties and wild lettuce is among them.

The Effects of Wild Lettuce

Since wild lettuce has been widely used for various medicinal purposes, the pharmaceutical industry has produced Lactucarium in the 1940s. Lactucariumis the milky sap secreted from the base of the stems of several species of lettuce, including the wild lettuce. This wild lettuce product has been known as the lettuce opium for is sedative and analgesic properties, though it contains no opiates. When a stem or leaf from a wild lettuce plant is broken or cut, it will bleed a thick milky sap. This sap can be extracted many ways, but the most common is by soaking plant material in alcohol. After several weeks, the plant material is filtered out and thus, extracts Lactucarium. After many studies of the medicinal qualities of wild lettuce have been made, several chemicals which constitute a mild sedative and cough suppressant were found in the lactuca virosa species. Its seed oil is used for hardening of the arteries (atherosclerosis) and as a substitute for wheat germ oil. To most people, wild lettuce latex is applied directly to the skin to kill bacteria and disinfect germs. Additionally, some people inhale lactuca virosa for recreational high or hallucinogenic effect. Medicinally, lactuca virosa is used for the following conditions:

• Whooping cough and common cough
• Asthma
• Urinary tract problems
• Sleeping disorders (insomnia)
• Restlessness
• Excitability in children (commonly associated with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or adhd)
• Painful menstrual periods (dysmenorrhea)
• Excessive sex drive (nymphomania)
• Muscular joint pains
• Poor blood circulation
• Swollen genitals in men (priapism)
• Among many others

Medicinal Uses for Wild Lettuce and Wild Lettuce Extract

by wildlettuce

Wild lettuce, or lactuca virosa, has long been used for several purposes. The Roman emperor Augustus was said to be treated by it when he became gravely ill, and it helped restore him back to health. During the time of Herodotus, the herb was eaten as a vegetable. Diviners have also used wild lettuce as a type of incense in order to help them get visions. While the past is long gone, wild lettuce remains a good herbal remedy for a variety of illnesses. This article takes a look at some of the medicinal properties of this herb.

Medicinal uses of wild lettuce

Some of the medicinal uses of wild lettuce include:

• As a sedative. Wild lettuce has mild sedative properties that can help calm nervousness, and restlessness, as well as mild psychological conditions such as hyperactivity and anxiety. It has also been said to help treat a baby’s colic. Its calming effect can also help people get better sleep. The sedative property of wild lettuce is the reason behind its moniker, lettuce opium, as it has the same effects as the drug without any of its side effects and addictive property.
• As a painkiller. Wild lettuce can help provide pain relief, especially when it comes to muscle pain and joint pain. For this reason, it can be used as a natural remedy to provide relief for the symptoms of arthritis. It can also be used by those who are suffering from premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and dysmenorrhea. It also has antispasmodic properties, which can help provide relief for pain that is associated with spasms.
• As cough medicine. Because of its sedative properties, wild lettuce is believed to help provide relief for cough and cough-related illnesses such as bronchitis. It can also help loosen and expel phlegm, thus helping clear the respiratory tract.
• As a diuretic. Wild lettuce can increase urine flow. It can also make urination easier. This property of the herb is one of the reasons why it is thought to be able to help treat urinary tract infection.
• Other health benefits. Other possible health benefits of wild lettuce include improving circulation and helping prevent atherosclerosis.

How to use wild lettuce

Some manufacturers have produced supplements that contain wild lettuce extract, so you can simply take these if you want to take advantage of the medicinal uses of this herb. Alternatively, you can boil the leaves and drink the extract as tea or take the sap it produces when a leaf is snapped off from the stem and use this as tincture.

It might be a good idea to consult with your doctor before taking anything containing wild lettuce, as the herb can produce mild side effects especially if you take too much of it, or if you use it for a long time. These side effects include psychotropic effects, fatigue, rashes, and even loss of consciousness. It can also make breathing significantly slower and lessen sexual desire. In order to avoid these problems, be sure to talk with your doctor before using wild lettuce as an alternative medicine.

The History of Wild Lettuce

by wildlettuce

Wild lettuce, or Lactuca virosa, is a plant in lettuce (Lactuca) genus taken often for the mild psychotropic effects (sedative or hypnotic) it has, quite similar as commonly described to the effects of opium. However, besides the opium-like effects, it is also notable that the plant also has excellent antioxidant properties due to its flavonoid content. Apart from Wild Lettuce, this member of the lettuce family is also known as the Bitter Lettuce, Opium Lettuce, Laitue vireuse, Rakutu-Karyumu-So, and Poisonous Lettuce. The Wild Lettuce can be locally found in the southeastern and eastern portions of England and have been reported to grow wild in some parts of North America, although planned introduction has taken place in Washington, DC, Iowa, Alabama, and California.

The Wild Lettuce mainly flowers from July to September, a biennal plant quite similar to the Prickly Lettuce. The difference the Wild Lettuce has with the Prickly Lettuce is that the latter is former is taller, capable of growing up to 200 cm. It is also stouter, with leaves spreading out. As for the achene of the Wild Lettuce, it is purplish black and does not have bristles at the tip while it has the same pappus as the Prickly Lettuce.

The history of the Wild Lettuce is said to be traceable down to the Egyptians of the ancient times. Min, the Egyptian god of fertility, is closely tied to the Wild Lettuce as seen in a lot of his depictions where he is holding the plant. As such, the plant in their time was heavily regarded as a sex enhancer and aphrodisiac. The Romans also favored the Wild Lettuce, with Augustus claiming that the plant saved his life and Roman naturalists even writing extensively on the topic of the plant.

In the 19^th century, Wild Lettuce was used whenever doctors couldnt get their hands on opium. In 1911, Great Britains Council of the Pharmaceutical Society extensively studied the plant and discovered that there are two chemicals responsible for imparting the properties the Wild Lettuce has. These chemicals are lactucin and lactucopicrin.

Until the 1940s, pharmaceutical companies set to work producing Lactucarium. Studies on the Wild Lettuce ensued and it was revealed that it was both a cough suppressant and mild sedative. When a Wild Lettuce leaf or stem is broken, milky sap oozes out. When this sap dries, it is called as Lettuce Opium, although it really doesnt contain any opiates. The sap can easily be extracted a number of ways but the most popular method is to soak the plant in alcohol. After several weeks pass, plant material is strained out. The remaining extract is Lactucarium, consumed by dissolving a few drops of the extract into your tea.

In the 1970s, there was renewed interest in Wild Lettuce. And today, it is un-scheduled according to the standards of the Food and Drug Administration, meaning that while the plant is heavily associated to have similar effects as opium, it is legal to own, purchase, and grow your own Wild Lettuce without having to acquire a license or prescription.