# Plant Monograph: Periwinkle
**Name of plant:**
Periwinkle
**Catch phrase (Carmina Gadelica or traditional invocation if available):**
No Carmina Gadelica invocation specifically associated with Periwinkle is known. A traditional European epithet is **“Flower of death”** or **“Herb of immortality,”** reflecting the plant's enduring evergreen foliage and its extensive associations with death, remembrance, burial, and protection in European folklore. These are folkloric associations rather than documented ritual invocations.
**Family:**
Apocynaceae — the dogbane family
**Genus and species:**
*Vinca minor* L. — common periwinkle
*Vinca major* L. — greater periwinkle
**Other names:**
* Periwinkle
* Common periwinkle
* Lesser periwinkle
* Greater periwinkle
* Dwarf periwinkle
* Creeping myrtle
* Running myrtle
* Ground ivy — historical/common usage, though botanically unrelated to true ivy
* Evergreen
* Pervinca — Italian and Spanish forms
* Pervenche — French
* Immergrün — German
* *Vinca minor*
* *Vinca major*
* Vinca
**Brief introduction:**
Periwinkle is an evergreen, creeping perennial of the dogbane family, native to Europe and parts of western Asia. *Vinca minor*, the common or lesser periwinkle, is the species most frequently associated with traditional European herbalism. Its glossy evergreen leaves and five-petaled violet-blue flowers have made it a popular groundcover, while its persistence through winter has given it a rich symbolic history.
Periwinkle has been associated with **death, mourning, remembrance, fidelity, protection, and immortality** in European folklore. Historically, it was planted on graves and used in funeral wreaths and garlands. Medicinally, however, the plant is considerably more complicated. It contains pharmacologically powerful **indole alkaloids**, including vincamine and related compounds. Some members of the Vinca genus also provide the highly important vinca alkaloids used in modern oncology, although these compounds should **not** be confused with homemade periwinkle remedies.
**Traditional uses:**
* Used traditionally for headaches and dizziness
* Employed historically for bleeding and wounds
* Used traditionally for sore throats and mouth inflammation
* Applied externally to minor wounds, bruises, and skin complaints
* Used in European folk medicine for digestive complaints and various inflammatory conditions
**Historical use:**
* European herbal traditions used periwinkle for bleeding, particularly nosebleeds and other minor hemorrhages
* Preparations of the herb were historically used for headaches, dizziness, and nervous complaints
* Periwinkle was used as a gargle or mouth preparation for sore gums and throat irritation
* The evergreen plant was strongly associated with funerary customs, graves, and remembrance
* In European folklore, periwinkle was also regarded as a protective plant and was associated with fidelity, longevity, and the preservation of life
**Parts used and method of use:**
* Leaves and flowering aerial parts
* Historically, occasionally the roots
Used as:
* Infusion or decoction in historical herbal practice
* Tincture or liquid extract
* Gargle or mouth rinse
* External wash, poultice, or compress
**Use in healing (modern herbal practice):**
* Historically used as an astringent for minor bleeding
* Traditionally employed for headaches and dizziness
* Used historically as a topical preparation for minor wounds and inflammatory skin conditions
* Vincamine from *Vinca minor* has been investigated for effects on cerebral blood flow and cognition
* Vinca-derived alkaloids are important in modern pharmacology and oncology, although **medicinal Vinca alkaloids are purified pharmaceutical drugs and should never be substituted with garden periwinkle**
**Pharmacology and biochemistry:**
* **Vincamine** — an indole alkaloid particularly associated with *Vinca minor*
* **Vinblastine and vincristine** — powerful Vinca alkaloids occurring in *Catharanthus roseus*, formerly classified as *Vinca rosea*, rather than being appropriate medicinal constituents of ordinary *Vinca minor*
* **Minor indole alkaloids and related compounds** — contribute to the pharmacological activity of *Vinca* species
Mechanisms:
* Vincamine and related alkaloids have effects on cerebral vascular physiology and have been investigated for their influence on cerebral blood flow
* The vinca alkaloids vincristine and vinblastine bind to **tubulin**, disrupting microtubule formation and consequently inhibiting cell division
* Vinca alkaloids can therefore exert profound effects on rapidly dividing cells, explaining both their anticancer activity and their significant toxicity
Overall profile: Periwinkle is a **pharmacologically potent and potentially toxic plant** whose historical medicinal reputation should not be mistaken for evidence of safe self-treatment. The genus is especially important pharmacologically because related Vinca-type alkaloids have yielded major anticancer medicines. Ordinary garden periwinkle, however, is not a substitute for these purified pharmaceuticals and is not recommended for unsupervised internal medicinal use.
**Common dosage:**
* **Dried leaf infusion:** No established safe modern medicinal dose
* **Tincture:** No standardized therapeutic dose; internal use is not recommended without qualified supervision
* **External infusion/wash:** Historically prepared as a dilute preparation for topical use
* **Pharmaceutical vinca alkaloids:** Doses are strictly individualized and administered only as prescription chemotherapy under specialist supervision
**Safety factors (including side effects):**
* Periwinkle contains biologically active alkaloids and should **not be treated as an ordinary harmless garden herb**
* Internal use may cause nausea, vomiting, abdominal discomfort, dizziness, or other systemic effects
* Large or concentrated doses may produce serious toxicity involving the nervous system, cardiovascular system, or other organs
* Pregnancy and breastfeeding are contraindications for medicinal internal use because safety has not been established
* **Do not confuse *Vinca minor* with *Catharanthus roseus***, the source of vincristine and vinblastine; neither plant should be used as a home source of chemotherapy drugs
**First aid / adverse reaction response:**
* **Nausea, vomiting, dizziness, or weakness after ingestion:** Discontinue use and contact a poison centre or healthcare professional
* **Confusion, severe weakness, abnormal heart symptoms, or neurological symptoms:** Seek urgent medical attention
* **Suspected significant ingestion of leaves, roots, or concentrated extract:** Contact a poison centre promptly; do not induce vomiting unless instructed
* **Severe allergic reaction or collapse:** Call emergency services immediately
**Drug interactions:**
* Vinca alkaloids and related compounds can have profound interactions with **chemotherapy and other cytotoxic medicines**
* Theoretical additive effects may occur with medicines affecting the nervous or cardiovascular systems
* Because the alkaloid composition of different *Vinca* species and preparations varies, interaction profiles cannot be reliably predicted for crude herbal preparations
* General interaction consideration: internal medicinal use should be avoided in people taking multiple prescription medicines unless supervised by a qualified healthcare professional
**Horticultural requirements:**
* **USDA / Canadian zone:** *Vinca minor* approximately Zones 4–9; *Vinca major* approximately Zones 7–9
* **Soil pH:** Approximately 6.0–7.5
* **Light requirements:** Partial shade to shade; tolerates full sun where adequate moisture is available
* **Moisture:** Moderate moisture; adaptable once established but performs best in moist, well-drained soil
* **Other notes (growth habit, harvest timing, etc.):**
* **Growth habit:** Evergreen, creeping perennial forming dense mats through rooting stems; *V. minor* is generally lower-growing than *V. major*
* **Flowering/fruiting:** Violet-blue flowers generally appear in spring, with additional flowering sometimes occurring later in the season
* **Harvest timing:** Leaves and aerial portions have historically been collected during the growing season
* **Habitat:** Woodland edges, shaded banks, hedgerows, gardens, and disturbed areas
* **Propagation/cultivation notes:** Extremely easy to propagate from stem cuttings or rooted runners. It spreads aggressively and can become invasive in suitable environments. Cultivation should therefore be controlled, particularly near natural woodland.
**Sampling of clinical reports / studies:**
* **Clinical study or report:** Vincamine derived from *Vinca minor* has been investigated clinically for cerebrovascular and cognitive indications, although modern evidence is insufficient to support broad therapeutic claims
* **Pharmacological study:** Research on Vinca alkaloids has established powerful effects on microtubule dynamics and cell division, forming the pharmacological basis of several important anticancer drugs
* **Phytochemical study:** *Vinca minor* contains numerous indole alkaloids, with vincamine among the best characterized; alkaloid composition varies among species and preparations
* **Ethnobotanical evidence:** European folk medicine contains extensive records of periwinkle as an astringent, topical remedy, and treatment for headaches and other complaints, while folklore gives the plant substantial funerary and protective symbolism
* **Overall assessment of evidence:** **Strong historical and ethnobotanical evidence, significant pharmacological importance, but inadequate evidence to support unsupervised internal use of crude periwinkle.** Its greatest modern medicinal importance lies not in herbal tea but in the discovery and pharmaceutical development of the Vinca alkaloid family.
Educational Use Only: The information presented on this page is provided for educational, historical, and informational purposes only. ArdNemeton na Tuatha and Bhùth Draoi do not provide medical advice. Always consult your physician and pharmacist before using any herb, mushroom, supplement, or botanical product for medicinal purposes. Traditional uses described herein do not constitute medical claims.