Herbs useful for treating cough: Plantago, horsetail.
Herb name: Plantago, Plantago major
Family: Plantaginaceae
Useful plant parts: Leaves
Description: The plantain is a perennial plant, with leaves collected closely overground in a rosette-like shape. The leaves are smooth, wide, and long from 5 to 10 cm. Stems (without leaves) grow out from the ground leaves, and have long blooms, that are consisted of a large number of tiny flowers.
Collecting period and locations: Leaves can be picked throughout the summer. It is best to pick them just before flowering (normally the blooming period lasts from May to September). It is recommended not to pick plants near roads, but only those found on clean meadows. As for the locations, plantago can be found almost everywhere, on meadows and pastures, along ways, on fields, etc.
Medicinal properties and applications: Plantago is an excellent aid for cough, and other lung based diseases. In addition, it has been discovered that certain substances in the plant have antibiotic effects.
Active compounds: Mucilage, silicon dioxide and glycosides.
Recipe: You may prepare the tea by adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of leaves to a fourth liter of boiling water which is then left for about 15 minutes. The tea can be drinked 2-3 times a day.
A syrup can also be prepared, by taking fresh leaves are crushing or cutting them in small pieces and adding them to a smaller quantity of water, that is heated until boiling starts. This mixture doesn't need to be strained. At the end, honey is added and the prepared mixture is taken each hour (one teaspoon).
Herb name: Horsetail, Equisetum arvense
Family: Equisetaceae
Useful plant parts: Overground parts
Description: Horsetail is a plant that has a branched horizontal root in the soil from which, in early spring, brown nonbranched stems emerge. These stems have sporangiums at their top. A few weeks later, branched green stems emerge, that are usually 20 to 30 cm high, with properly positioned lateral stepwise strips.
Collecting period and locations: Horsetail is picked in early summer, when the stems are still very fresh and green. Only green and branched stems are picked. They are tied in bunches and dried in that form. As for the locations, horsetail is a relatively widespread weed, it grows along paths, edges of meadows, on embankments; most commonly on relatively wet and clay rich soils.
Medicinal properties and applications: Horsetail tea is good for various conditions - for the treatment of rheumatic problems, chronic cough, leg swelling due to problems with substance exchange in the organism, problems with bladder and kidneys. Also, it often a part in tea blends for blood cleansing.
Active compounds: Silicon dioxide, flavonoids and saponins.
Recipe: 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried and crumbled horsetail are soaked for 12 hours in a quarter liter of water, or alternatively, 1-2 teaspons of the same material are added to hot water and left for about half an hour. 2-3 cups a day are taken usually. |
