Horehound (marrubium vulgare)

[Dee.MWStudent]

Wondered if there was information to share on horehound’s respiratory applications?  Never seen a gumweed here in PA, but the Amish use horehound in candied cough drops, etc.  And I’ve easily grown it before.  At a glance it’s attributes seem to be bitter, expectorant, bitter, anti-spasmodic, and bitter.  Thank you!

[This is not Bugleweed (lycopus virginicus) that came up on searching the HGH website for horehound.]

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Joanne Fletcher, Sydnia Ginger Anady, SharonB, Sara Naden, Amanda F.

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

One of the “Common names” of bugleweed is Virginia water horehound. That’s why it came up on the search. Common names are often useless things. LOL :0)

As to our friend Marrubium vugare (the regular horehound) yeah, you’ve pretty much summed it up. It’s a good digestive bitter and is a good expectorant. It’ll also breaks fevers and has some pretty significant antimicrobial properties.

Here’s a good research article on it.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7355696/

If you can’t find gumweed you can plant some. It’d be happy to grow anywhere. Elecampane is a fantastic expectorant and grows back East as well. Where are you located?

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

6 users thanked author for this post.

Joanne Fletcher, Kathleen, Sydnia Ginger Anady, SharonB, Amanda F., Dee.MW

[KathleenStudent]

Thanks for the article. I live in a ranching community and this is a much hated weed since it chokes out grass. I love it  for my bees and other pollinators. I have it growing everywhere. And now I’ll love it for it’s medicinal properties.

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Joanne Fletcher

[Dee.MWStudentTopic Author]

Thank you for the article, Doc, along with your corroboration on horehound’s properties since I’m familiar with growing it.  Writing to you from southeast PA and limited to a very small backyard with a cool, shady microclimate.  Large pots protect my herbs from Hugo, another kind of hound that lords over his grassy land.  Meanwhile I’ll buy tinctures until I can grow gumweed and ALL the plants, if Hugo will share.

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Joanne Fletcher

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

I lived in York when I was a kid. I love PA.

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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Joanne Fletcher

[SharonBStudent]

I planted gumweed spring of 2021.  It did not return.  I will be looking for alternatives in the future.  Also looking for formulas for using horehound with natural sweeteners.  Horehound drops have worked great for me but need to find ones without sugar

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Joanne Fletcher

[Amanda F.Student]

My mother planted horehound in central Utah when I was a kid.  She made horehound candy.  I did not realize it was her way of getting medicine in me as a child.  This summer I planted horehound on my place in central MT.  I hope it survives my zone 3b winters.  I hope to make cough drops as well next summer with my harvest.

Since I am new to the group, I don’t know all of horehound’s medicinal attributes.  I am curious as to how well it will help with COPD symptoms.  My mother-in-law, both my parents, and I all have COPD.  Hopefully this could be something that we all could benefit from.

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Joanne Fletcher, SharonB

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

I haven’t used horehound for COPD. I do talk about some approaches I’ve used in the Respiratory lesson.

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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Joanne Fletcher

[Michelle KochStudent]

I use horehound as a “lead cast member” in my personal respiratory relief/asthma formula.  (Since I went gluten free, I only need it for the rare trigger now).

As for wintering, as long as horehound is rooted in the ground, it will weather the Montanta winter like polar bear hair.  If you keep it in a pot, it will die.  (Learned by personal experience, living in Jackpot, Nevada)

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Joanne Fletcher

[Heidi McGinnisStudent]

Additional question here on horehound, does anybody have knowledge on if different properties are activated when using fresh herb vs dried in a tincture? For instance, if horehound is heated it activates the bronchodilatory properties.

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Joanne Fletcher, Sydnia Ginger Anady

[Dr. Patrick JonesHomestead Instructor]

A warm tea does help it be a bit more bronchodilating, but remember that it’s a mint and that too much heat will do just the opposite.
Don’t boil the plant. Just make a tea the way you do with anything else.

See below. Slides 21-24

Making Herbal Medicines: Lesson 1 – Introduction and General Principles

Don't use herbs or combine herbs with medications or use them during lactation or pregnancy without talking with your healthcare provider.

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Joanne Fletcher

[Helen MooneyStudent]

I think this is a plant I may need to possibly add to the garden. I do feel better when I’m gluten free as well and find diet to always play a key role in things.

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Joanne Fletcher

[Author]

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