What does it help with
- Insomnia and pains
- Pain relief
- Relief cough
- Anxiety
Active compounds
Lactucin, lactucopicrin, essential oils, tannins.
Lactucin binds to opioid receptors — mild sedative and analgesic effect.
How and when to harvest
Harvest periodsummer
Plant partsdried juice
Dryingshade, 35–40 °C
Shelf life1 year
Preparation methods
Tincture (weak)Tea (low dose)
Pro tip: Wild lettuce is truly toxic in higher doses — use only commercial preparations.
Recipes
1 Weak tea for pain ▾
0,3 teaspoons dried leaf pour 250 ml water, steep 5 minutes. Max. 1× a day.
2 Tincture (homemade) ▾
Fill a jar 2/3 with dried herb, pour in 40% vodka or spirit. Seal and leave for 4 weeks in a dark place — shake daily. Strain through gauze into a dark bottle. Dose: max. 5–10 drops in water 1× a day. Wild lettuce is poisonous — never exceed the dose.
3 Cold macerate for calming ▾
Pour 250 ml cold water over 0.3 tsp dried leaf, leave overnight (8 hours). Strain. Drink 1× daily before bed — gentler preparation preserves sedative compounds without toxic risk.
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6 more recipes in the Herbarium
Tincture (medicinal) · Sage combo · Sleep mix (commercial) · Lettuce with valerian · Lettuce for pain · Consult pharmacist
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