Herbal Spotlight: Wild Lettuce

We’re diving in to an herb that’s probably new to many of you reading this newsletter – meet wild lettuce (Lactuca sativa). This article is meant to show you that it can be more than a kitchen staple, moving beyond the culinary to the medicinal.

Ancient History. Revisited.

In the pursuit of innovation and to meet the need of those sleepless patients telling you, “I’ve tried everything,” we turned to a partnership with skilled ethnobotanists. These specialists bring a deep understanding of plant-based traditional medicines, unearthing powerful but underutilized herbs that can offer significant health benefits. Their expertise in how indigenous cultures use plants for medicinal purposes allows us to tap into centuries-old knowledge that is both rich and diversely rooted in tradition.

The ethnobotanists, along with our medical team, identified several promising candidates for our new product. What came out of countless meetings was that Lactuca and lemon balm had some interesting synergy, especially when it came to managing anxiety and insomnia.

Mode of Action

Wild lettuce is recognized for its calming and sedative effects, which are primarily attributed to sesquiterpene lactones such as lactucin and lactucopicrin¹. These compounds interact with the body's gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) systems, crucial for reducing neuronal activity and promoting relaxation. This makes wild lettuce an excellent candidate for a sleep aid formulation.

The Science Speaks

Across various studies, there is building consensus on the sleep-inducing effect of wild lettuce. It’s been found to support mild-to-moderate anxiety and sleep difficulties in geriatric populations², improve pregnancy-related insomnia³, and increase the volume of milk production in breastfeeding individuals⁴. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of non-pharmacological sleep interventions, as recent as 2022, the authors noted, “Non-pharmacological interventions—listening to music, physical exercise, relaxation exercises, [Lactuca sativa], sleep hygiene, and acupressure—are effective for improving sleep quality during pregnancy.]⁵ While the product itself does not have a pregnancy claim, primary care providers like yourself must use your best judgment.

Making Use of the Herb

We’re excited to make use of Lactuca sativa in our newly launched GoodNight! sleep aid. For your patients that say, “I’ve already tried everything!”, this becomes a novel option in your healthcare roster.

1. Jo, Kyungae, et al. "Effects of green lettuce leaf extract on sleep disturbance control in oxidative stress-induced invertebrate and vertebrate models." Antioxidants 10.6 (2021): 970.
2. Yakoot, Mostafa, Sherine Helmy, and Kamal Fawal. "Pilot study of the efficacy and safety of lettuce seed oil in patients with sleep disorders." International Journal of General Medicine (2011): 451-456.
3. Pour, Zohreh Safari, et al. "Double-blind randomized placebo-controlled trial on efficacy and safety of Lactuca sativa L. seeds on pregnancy-related insomnia." Journal of Ethnopharmacology 227 (2018): 176-180.
4. Izaddoost, Niloufar, et al. "The effect of orally consumed Lactuca sativa syrup on human milk volume and weight gain in the preterm infant: a randomized controlled clinical trial." Scientific Reports 13.1 (2023): 18896.
5. Paulino, Daiane Sofia Morais, et al. "Non-pharmacological interventions for improving sleep quality during pregnancy: A systematic review and meta-analysis." Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia 44 (2022): 776-784.