Soapwort

Scientific Name(s): Saponaria officinalis L.
Common Name(s): Bouncing bet, Bruisewort, Dog cloves, Fuller's herb, Lady's-washbowl, Latherwort, Old-maid's-pink

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Mar 22, 2022.

Clinical Overview

Use

Soapwort is generally used to make natural soaps and in brightening and cleaning delicate fabrics. It has also been traditionally used to treat cough and bronchitis. Saponins and saporin have been conjugated with monoclonal antibodies (ie, rituximab) and growth factors to be used as targeted antitumor toxin and antiviral therapy; however, clinical trials are lacking to support these uses.

Dosing

Clinical evidence is lacking to support specific dosing recommendations. Bronchitis and cough: Doses of 1 to 2 g daily of soapwort extract or 1.5 g daily of the root have been traditionally used. Cancer: In early phase 1/2 clinical trials (1992 to 1996) using saporin-S6 immunotoxin conjugates, saporin-S6 was administered at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg in 1 or 2 weekly doses intravenously in patients with advanced Hodgkin disease or weekly infusions of 1 to 4 mg/dose (for a total of 5 to 20 mg) in patients with B-cell lymphoma.

Contraindications

Women with vaginal infections should not use soaps or cleansing products made with soapwort. See Toxicology.

Pregnancy/Lactation

Avoid use. Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.

Interactions

None well documented.

Adverse Reactions

Severe vomiting and diarrhea may occur if soapwort is ingested. In early clinical trials of saporin-S6–containing immunotoxins for antitumor targeted toxin therapy, mild transient adverse reactions, including fever, myalgia, transient increases in transaminases, weakness, thrombocytopenia, and vascular leak syndrome, occurred.

Toxicology

No data.

Scientific Family

• Caryophyllaceae

Botany

Soapwort is commonly found in pastures and along roadsides throughout Europe. It is a perennial, herbaceous plant that grows to between 30 and 60 cm in height, with a single smooth stem and lanceolate leaves. Its 5-petaled flowers appear from late July through September in fragrant clusters, varying from white to pale lavender in color.Meyer 1934

History

Soapwort is native to northern Europe and was introduced to England during the Middle Ages by Franciscan and Dominican monks who brought it as "a gift of God intended to keep them clean."Sculley 1989 By the end of the 16th century, use of the herb as a soap for washing dishes and laundry had become widespread in England. In 1957, botanist John Gerard recommended soapwort as a topical disinfectant for "green wounds" and "filthy diseases" in The Herball or Generall Historie of Plantes.Sculley 1989 Soapwort has been administered topically for the treatment of acne, psoriasis, eczema, and boils. An extract of the roots is a popular remedy for poison ivy. Soapwort extract and root have also been used to treat cough and bronchitis.Blumenthal 1998

Soapwort was probably first introduced to North America by the Puritans. Once established, the herb spread and now grows wild throughout the United States and southern Canada. The herb was used extensively in the early textile industry as a cleaning and sizing agent, a process known as "fulling" that accounts for the name "fuller's herb." The Pennsylvania Dutch used the herb to impart a foamy head to beer in brewing. To this day, some beer makers use saponins from the plant to provide and maintain a foamy head.Meyer 1934

Sapori...