Horehound
Horehound (Marrubium vulgare L. )
Brief Background :
Since ancient Egypt, white horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.) has been used as an expectorant. Ayurvedic, Native American and Australian Aboriginal medicines have traditionally used white horehound to treat respiratory conditions.
Expert Opinion and Historic Precedent:
In traditional medicine, the leaves and flowers of white horehound have been used orally for a variety of respiratory, gastrointestinal, and menstrual conditions, as a diuretic, anthelmintic, for cancer, and topically for skin ulcers or wound care.
In Mexico, white horehound has been used empirically for diabetes mellitus, with emerging data that describes the hypoglycemic effects of the plant.
Recent evidence of antinociceptive (decreased sensitivity to noxious stimuli) and antispasmodic properties of marrubiin, a confirmed component in white horehound tea, supports the employment of Marrubium vulgare in folk medicine for the treatment of pain and spasms.
