Marrubium vulgare. N.O. Labiateae.
Synonym: Hoarhound.
Habitat: Horehound flourishes in dry, and particularly chalky waste ground.
Features ? It grows to a height of one and a half to two feet. The bluntly four-cornered stem sends out spreading branches covered with white, woolly hair. The leaves, also spread with the soft hair, are egg-shaped and deeply toothed, the lower ones stalked, those above sessile. The small, white flowers appear during July in thick rings just above the upper leaves.Part used ? The whole plant.
Action: Aromatic and bitter, having expectorant and slight diuretic action.
Horehound is probably the best known of all herbal pectoral remedies, and is undoubtedly effective in coughs, colds and pulmonary complaints. The whole herb is infused in 1 ounce quantities to 1 pint of water, and taken frequently in wineglass doses.The refreshing and healthy Horehound Beer or Ale is brewed from this herb, and a Horehound candy is made which, when properly prepared, is one of the best of "cough sweets."Coffin speaks highly of the tonic and expectorant qualities of Horehound, and its latter virtue has certainly been known for nearly three hundred years, as Culpeper tells us that "it helpeth to expectorate tough phlegm from the chest."
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Ballota nigra. N.O. Labiateae.
Synonym: Crantz, Marrubium nigrum.
Habitat: Hedgerows, waste ground.
Features ? Stem stiff, erect, freely branched, up to four feet high. Leaves greyish-green, upper ovate, lower cordate, in pairs, each pair pointing in opposite direction to next pair, crenate, hairy, stalked. Flowers (July and August) purplish, labiate, in rings just above leaves. Disagreeable odour.Part used ? Herb.
Action: Stimulant, expectorant, diaphoretic, antispasmodic.
Coughs, colds and bronchial complaints generally. Hool prefers this herb to the white Horehound (Marrubium vulgare), and makes wide claims on its behalf. He recommends it in the treatment of consumption, various menstrual troubles, and parturition—in the last-named instance combined with Motherwort. "In chronic coughs, accompanied by spitting of blood," he tells us, "it will be found most excellent, either of itself or combined with other reliable remedies such as Lobelia, Marshmallow, Hyssop, etc."... horehound, black
Marrubium vulgare L. German: Maurerandorn. French: Marrube blanc. Spanish: Marrubio. Italian: Marrobio bianco. Dutch: Gemeene malrove. Flowering tops and leaves. Keynote: chest.
Constituents: Marrubiin, volatile oil, tannins, alkaloids, diterpene alcohols.
Action: stimulating expectorant, mild antispasmodic, sedative, amphoteric, vulnerary, diuretic, stomach and liver bitter tonic.
Uses: Chronic bronchitis, whooping cough, hard cough with little phlegm, common cold, loss of voice, snake bite, dog bite. Chronic gall bladder disease, fevers, malaria, hepatitis, “Yellowness of the eyes”. Combinations. Teas. (1) with Coltsfoot and Hyssop (equal parts) for hard cough. (2) with Lobelia and Iceland Moss for chronic chest complaints.
Preparations: Thrice daily.
Tea. 1 teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup. Liquid extract BHC Vol 1. 1:1, 20 per cent ethanol. Dose: 1-2ml.
Tincture BHC Vol 1. 1:5, 25 per cent ethanol. Dose: 3-6ml.
Horehound ale: wholesome beverage.
Horehound, Hyssop and Honey Mixture.
Traditional English syrup.
Note: Horehound, Horseradish, Coriander, Lettuce and Nettles are the five bitter herbs eaten by the Jews at their Passover feast according to the Old Testament. ... horehound, white
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