Scientific name

Teucrium chamaedrys L.

Family

Labiatae

Origin

Synonyms

Querciola grass

Used Parts

Drug consisting of the flowering tops of Camedrio

Chemical constituents

• Vitamins;
• Bitter principles;
• saponins;
• Iridoid glycosides;
• Neoclerodanic diterpenes.

Herbalist's Camedrio: Properties of the Camedrio and warnings

In folk medicine, the camedrio has always been appreciated for its bitter-tonic properties, so much so that it is also used for the preparation of aperitifs and digestives.

The camedrio is considered a plant with a slimming and purifying activity, but in reality it is hepatotoxic: the neoclerodanic diterpenes present in the drug are in fact responsible for acute, chronic and fulminant hepatitis. For this reason, the camedrio must no longer be used either in the form of herbal tea or extract.

Note: neo-clerodanic diterpenes have been found in plants belonging to the genera Teucrium, Ajuga, Scutellaria .

Pharmacological Interactions

The camedrio is not used in therapy, so no interactions with other drugs are known.