Vinca difformis Pourr. (Apocynaceae – Dogbane family)
Peripheral vasodilator, circulatory stimulant.
Like its cousins the greater and the lesser periwinkle, the intermediate periwinkle is a small evergreen shrub with a matting growth habit. It is native to continental Western Europe. The three European Periwinkles, Vinca major, Vinca minor and Vinca difformis, differ in size in a way correspondent with their names (up to 70, 30 and 50 cm tall respectively) and the dimensions of the flower (3-5 cm, 2-3 cm, and again 3-5 cm diameter respectively). V. difformis also generally has a lighter coloured flower with more delicately shaped petals (see photos below). Although V. minor is the one most commonly used as medicine, the focus here is on V. difformis as it is more typically Mediterranean and the one commonly found on my island home of Ibiza. All three species may be used in the same way, principally to open up the peripheral and micro-circulation, especially in the head. The whitish-blue flowers of the intermediate periwinkle bloom in late winter and early spring.
The aerial parts of the plant, especially the leaves, are used for medicine.
The name of the periwinkle has an interesting etymology. Vinca, the name of the genus, is from the Latin “vincere”, to bind, fetter. This plant was called “vincapervinca” in ancient Rome (“bonds through bonds”) because of its tangling, matting growth. “Periwinkle” comes from “pervinca”!
Traditional Uses in Ibiza [1]
- For over-abundant menstruation.
- To suppress breast milk production.
- For tonsillitis (a decoction of the leaves, I imagine as a gargle).
Vital Qualities in Traditional Medicine
As a peripheral vasodilator, periwinkle favours dispersal of body heat to the environment. The periwinkle’s sedative and astringent properties also indicate a Cooling, Drying nature.
When To Use It
Think “circulation and bleeding” and “circulation in the brain”. For this, Vinca minor is the best known European equivalent of the exotic Ginkgo biloba, and V. difformis has similar properties.
Vinca difformis, like Vinca minor, is specific for insufficiency of blood circulation in the brain and head. As such it is especially useful for arteriosclerosis in the brain and its consequences such as age-related memory loss, vascular dementia and stroke risk.
Some cases of Meniere’s disease, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and vertigo – those cases caused by issues of blood flow – may also respond to V. difformis.
Periwinkle also opens up the peripheral circulation generally, not only in the head, so may be used for example when muscle pain in the legs on walking is due to arteriosclerosis (a condition called vascular intermittent claudication) or when leg cramps at night is caused by circulatory issues.
Interestingly the plant also has haemostatic properties due to its astringent nature – that is, it will stem bleeding from haemorrhage (e.g. nosebleeds), excessive menstrual bleeding or if used externally as a poultice, small wounds.
Other indications for internal use are: hypertension, diabetes, diarrhoea. While the astringency of most of the parts of the plant will help diarrhoea and is contraindicated in constipation, the FRESH flowers are gently purgative and may therefore be used to resolve constipation. However, they lose this effect on drying.
If any of the circulatory insufficiency issues described in preceding paragraphs, and high blood pressure and/or diabetes occur in the same person, periwinkle is the go-to option for a botanical remedy.
Indications for topical use are: skin wounds, inflammation of the gums (gingivitis), sore throats, pharyngitis, mouth ulcers, haemorrhoids, dermatitis.
When and How to Harvest
Collect periwinkle leaves in the late winter or early spring just before flowering. This is when they will have most active constituents. They can then be used fresh, or dried and stored for later use in the normal way (see Harvesting and Drying Herbs).
Easy Household Use
The easiest way to take periwinkle is to make an infusion with a handful of fresh or 2 teaspoonful of dried crushed-up leaves, to be taken 3 times daily.
External use can be as a poultice or compress. The same infusion as above may be used as a gargle or to make a herbal compress. (see Preparations for External Use).
When Not to Use It
Do not use if:
- You are pregnant or breast-feeding.
- You have low blood pressure.
- Less than two weeks before surgery.
- You have constipation (except the fresh flowers).
If you are taking medication for high blood pressure, consult your doctor before taking herbs which can lower your blood pressure (like periwinkle), because if you do not closely monitor your blood pressure and adjust the dose of your medication accordingly, your blood pressure may fall too low.
Although the periwinkles are toxic to animals and despite some alarmist information on the internet, there are no published reports of overdose with Vinca minor in humans [2]. It is probable that the more serious of the reported side-effects were produced by concentrated extracts of the active principle, vincamine, and its derivative vinpocetine, even these though are generally well tolerated.
Nevertheless, one should not take more than the recommended dose and not use it for periods of more than a month at a time.
Finally, there are many species of periwinkle and some of them are very toxic! Do not ingest any kind of periwinkle apart from the species discussed here (V. difformis, V. minor and V. major).
[1] Colonques Garrido J. 2000. Les Principals Plantes per a la Salut d’Eivissa i Formentera. Institut d’Estudis Eivissencs. [2] Pei D. (No date). Common Periwinkle (Vinca minor). National Capital Poison Center. https://www.poison.org/articles/common-periwinkle-223. Accessed 20th April 2023.
Mediterranean Healing Herbs 