White horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a common herb originating from the Mediterranean region. It resembles mint, has square stems with grey-green, wrinkled leaves, and white flowers at the nodes. It has been used as a cough medicine since antiquity and was also used to treat tuberculosis (phthisis).

This herb is effective in treating respiratory conditions in which there is viscid mucus as is the case with infected colds and acute or chronic bronchitis (antimicrobial). Clearing this mucus requires the action of what we call an expectorant, which stimulates secretions in order to loosen the mucus in the airways, as well as stimulating the lung’s cilia so that it can be swept upwards and spat out. The herb has antispasmodic activity as well (vaso-relaxant), so it can help clear the airways of asthma patients as well as ease the cough.¹

This antispasmodic action is also indicated during anxiety states where there is much restlessness and palpitation of the heart. You can combine it with hyssop for this purpose, add marshmallow to soothe the airway, or make a syrup with honey for treating children’s coughs. Cough lozenges can be made from white horehound by simmering it in water until concentrated, then candying it with sugar.

White horehound is also a bitter tonic which is obvious if you chew the fresh leaves. This encourages digestive secretions, tones the mucus membranes of the gut, encourages the flow of bile and improves nutrient absorption. As a bitter herb it has a long tradition of usage for treating jaundice for which it was taken as a snuff according to Dioscorides. In large doses it acts as a laxative and diuretic.

Bitter liver herbs are often useful for treating a range of metabolic diseases or the disposition to develop them. In this case, constituents in white horehound have antihypertensive, hypolipemic, antidiabetic, liver protective, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory activity, and anticancer activity.²

Furthermore, this herb is useful for treating women’s conditions. It will encourage menstruation in the case of amenorrhea, and will help to expel the afterbirth, or as Dioscorides puts it, ‘women not yet cleansed.’ Experiments on pregnant rats indicate that it cannot be used in pregnancy.^3,4

White horehound is also a wound healer when applied externally to cuts, ulcers, bites and other skin conditions. This is thought to be due to the constituent marrubium which promotes cell migration and fibroblast proliferation, but it also has antimicrobial and antifungal activity to assist healing. You can apply the oil, fresh juice or an infusion of the dried herb. You can mix the herb or tincture with ‘hog’s grease’ as Culpepper tells us, but we can use olive oil or vitamin E cream as a carrier instead.^5–7

eBook:

This article is an extract from the eBook Wholefoods And Common Medicinal Herbs.

Disclaimer:

This article is intended for the purpose of general education only, and is not a substitute for a diagnosis, treatment advice, or a prescription given in a consultation with a qualified physician.

References:

1.         Mssillou I, Agour A, Hamamouch N, Lyoussi B, Derwich E. Chemical Composition and In Vitro Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activities of Marrubium vulgare L. ScientificWorldJournal 2021;2021:7011493.

2.         Aćimović M, Jeremić K, Salaj N, et al. Marrubium vulgare L.: A Phytochemical and Pharmacological Overview. Mol Basel Switz 2020;25.

3.         Dioscorides P. De Materia Medica. South Africa: Ibidis; 2000.

4.         Aouni R, Ben Attia M, Jaafoura MH, Bibi-Derbel A, Haouari M. Effects of the hydro-ethanolic extract of Marrubium vulgare in female rats. Asian Pac J Trop Med 2017;10:160–4.

5.         Culpepper N. Culpepper’s Complete Herbal. London: Richard Evans; 1814.

6.         Amri B, Martino E, Vitulo F, et al. Marrubium vulgare L. Leave Extract: Phytochemical Composition, Antioxidant and Wound Healing Properties. Mol Basel Switz 2017;22.

7.         Zarai Z, Kadri A, Ben Chobba I, et al. The in-vitro evaluation of antibacterial, antifungal and cytotoxic properties of Marrubium vulgare L. essential oil grown in Tunisia. Lipids Health Dis 2011;10:161.