Horehound
Horehound, aka white horehound (Marrubium vulgare), is a perennial herb. It is hardy in USDA zones 4-8. It is native to continental North Africa excluding Egypt, Europe, Western Asia, and Central Asia.
Horehound was used medicinally by the classical Greeks and Romans. In De materia medica, Dioscorides lists several uses. For example, dried leaves with seeds might be boiled in water. The liquid given with honey was thought beneficial for treating tuberculosis, asthma, and coughs. In Bauld’s Leechbook, book I, chapter 31, remedy 7, it is recommended that “Against a sudden swelling, take horehound, beat and mangle it with lard, lay on.” The section numbering and modern English translation come from Leechdoms, Worthcunning, and Starcraft of Early England, collected and edited by the Rev. Oswald Cockayne, Vol. II, London, 1865, page 75.
In traditional medicine six hundred years later an infusion of horehound was used to treat a weak stomach, lack of appetite, and persistent bronchitis. More recently horehound candies were a standard remedy in Europe and North America for coughs.
At least part of the traditionally observed biological effects of horehound can be attributed to the presence of the chemical compound marrubiin (sometimes spelled marrubin), which has anti-inflammatory properties and is a potent expectorant.
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