Wild Lettuce Interactions Overview

Check For Interactions With Wild Lettuce

Wild Lettuce

Also known as
  • Lactuca virosa
  • Acrid Lettuce
  • Allubbyne
  • Bitter Lettuce
  • German Lactucarium
  • Green Endive
  • Lactucarium
  • Laitue Amère
  • Laitue à Opium
  • Laitue Sauvage
  • Laitue Scariole
  • Laitue Serriole
  • Laitue Vireuse
  • Lechuga Silvestre
  • Lettuce Opium
  • Poison Lettuce
Wild Lettuce Wild lettuce (Lactuca virosa) is a plant species in the lettuce family that is native to Europe and parts of Asia. It is a tall, annual plant with small, yellow flowers and leaves that resemble the leaves of cultivated lettuce. Wild lettuce is sometimes called "opium lettuce" due to the milky sap it contains that has been purported to have sedative and analgesic effects. Wild lettuce has a long history of use in traditional medicine. It is thought to have various medicinal properties, including sedative, analgesic, and antispasmodic effects. It is used to treat a variety of conditions, including insomnia, anxiety, and pain.
There are 390 drugs known to interact with Wild Lettuce

What Does Wild Lettuce Contain?

The parts of wild lettuce that are typically utilized for their medicinal properties are the latex and leaf. Wild lettuce contains two main compounds: lactucin and lactupicrin.

The milky latex, known as lactucarium, is particularly noteworthy for its ability to cause mydriasis (pupil dilation) and diuresis (increased urine production). Other parts of the plant are generally used to treat gastrointestinal disorders and as a sedative.

Interestingly, low concentrations of morphine have been identified in Lactuca species, including wild lettuce. However, the amounts are so small (nanogram amounts) that they are considered to be below the threshold for any significant pharmacological effect.

There is conflicting information as to whether or not wild lettuce contains appreciable amounts of hyoscyamine, a type of anticholinergic drug. Some studies suggest that it contains trace amounts and when consumed in large quantities, could cause anticholinergic-related side effects (such as sweating, increased heart rate, pupil dilation, etc...). 

Does Wild Lettuce Interact With Any Drugs?

Studies are few and far between, but the only reported interactions with wild lettuce are with sedative drugs as wild less is purported to have sedative effects.

This would include drugs like antihistamines, opioids, and benzodiazepines. Be sure to check out our individual interaction detail pages for more information.


What Are The Side Effects Of Wild Lettuce?

There is currently limited information on the negative effects of using wild lettuce but in the amounts used in dietary supplements, it appears to be generally well tolerated.

However, some case studies report that consuming large amounts of wild lettuce before it has fully matured can cause several symptoms, such as sweating, increased breathing, a fast heartbeat, dilated pupils, dizziness, ringing in the ears, vision problems, pressure in the head and drowsiness. Additionally, if applied topically, wild lettuce can cause skin irritation or contact dermatitis. 

Drugs that interact with Wild Lettuce

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Parts of this content are provided by the Therapeutic Research Center, LLC.

DISCLAIMER: Currently this does not check for drug-drug interactions. This is not an all-inclusive comprehensive list of potential interactions and is for informational purposes only. Not all interactions are known or well-reported in the scientific literature, and new interactions are continually being reported. Input is needed from a qualified healthcare provider including a pharmacist before starting any therapy. Application of clinical judgment is necessary.

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