Purple Loosestrife

At a glance

Origin / distribution: Turkey, UK, Iraq, Spain

Cultural traditions: not documented

Recorded uses: Astringent, Diarrhea, Eye, Piles

Science studied: BUTYL-PHTHALATE, CHLOROGENIC-ACID, DIBUTYL-PHTHALATE, DIISOBUTYL-PHTHALATE

Research volume: 0 indexed records · volume only · methodology ↗

Legal status: Varies by jurisdiction; not assessed in this record.

Names and identity

Family: Lythraceae

Scientific name: Lythrum salicaria

Common names: Purple Loosestrife, (pohjan)rantakukka, Almindelig kattehale, Blut-Weiderich, Blutweiderich, Fackelros, Gewöhnlicher Blutweiderich, Gewöhnlicher Blutweiderich (DE), Grote kattenstaart, Gwaedllys Mawr

POWO: 147990-2 · WCVP June 2026 / POWO backbone

History

The source record documents this plant in Turkey, UK, Iraq, Elsewhere, Spain.

It records these historical or traditional applications:

• Astringent
• Diarrhea
• Eye
• Piles
• Tonic
• Wound
• Dysentery
• Antidiarrheic

This summary is limited to the cited source record.

Origins and distribution

• Turkey
• UK
• Iraq
• Elsewhere
• Spain

Documented cultural uses

• Astringent
• Diarrhea
• Eye
• Piles
• Tonic
• Wound
• Dysentery
• Antidiarrheic

Cultural record detail

These entries are transcribed from the cited ethnobotanical source; they do not represent current advice or a claim of efficacy.

• Astringent · Turkey · "
• Diarrhea · Turkey · "
• Eye · UK · "
• Piles · Iraq · "
• Piles · Turkey · "
• Tonic · Turkey · "
• Wound · UK · "
• Dysentery · Turkey · "
• Antidiarrheic · Elsewhere · "
• Diarrhea · Spain · "

Contemporary uses

Contemporary practice is not documented separately in this record.

Scientific research

Indexed records indicate research activity; they do not establish efficacy or safety.

Indexed research records

• The cross compatibility and endogenous hormone variation of distant hybridization between lagerstroemia indica and lythrum salicaria · 2025 source ↗
• [Two new phenolic glucosides with antioxidant activity from Lythrum salicaria]. · 2024 source ↗
• Assessment of Purple Loosestrife (<i>Lythrum salicaria</i> L.) Extracts from Wild Flora of Transylvania: Phenolic Profile, Antioxidant Activity, In Vivo Toxicity, and Gene Expression Variegation Studies. · 2025 source ↗

Scientific compounds

Chemical presence is not evidence of clinical efficacy.

• BUTYL-PHTHALATE
• CHLOROGENIC-ACID
• DIBUTYL-PHTHALATE
• DIISOBUTYL-PHTHALATE
• GALLOTANNINS
• MALVIDIN-3,5-DIGLUCOSIDE
• ORIENTIN
• SALICARIN
• TANNIN
• CYANIDIN-3-MONOGALACTOSIDE
• ISOBUTYL-PHTHALATE
• PECTIN
• P-COUMARIC-ACID
• ELLAGIC-ACID
• NARCISSIN
• BETA-SITOSTEROL

Legality

No exact international trade listing was returned by the CITES checklist for this accepted name. Country-specific law is not assessed here.

Consult the CITES species checklist for current international and national requirements.

Reference images

Sources

Plants of the World Online (POWO) · Kew data terms; cite POWO/WCVP

World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) · CC BY 3.0

CC0 · Dr. Duke raw CSV archive

Contributions and revisions

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