HOREHOUND
(Marrubium vulgare)
Horehound takes its name from Horus, the Egyptian god of sky and light. The Egyptian priests called this plant "Seed of Horus", or "Bull’s Blood" and "Eye of the Star."


Marrubium vulgare (White Horehound or Common Horehound) is a flowering plant in the family Lamiaceae, native to Europe, northern Africa and Asia.


Marrubium vulgare is also used as a natural grasshopper repellent in agriculture


Horehound is used to make hard lozenge candies that are considered by folk medicine to aid digestion, sooth sore throats, and relieve inflammation.

Horehound, Marrubium vulgare
Seed Pods

Horehound, Marrubium vulgare
Flowers

Horehound, Marrubium vulgare
Leafs

Horehound, Marrubium vulgare
Wild

Horehound, Marrubium vulgareFoliage of young plants

Part used: tops, leaves and seeds

Properties: Diaphoretic, expectorant, tonic.

What it affects: Lungs, chest, and stomach.

Preparation and amount: 

Infusion: steep 20 min and take 6 oz. at a time, frequently.

Tincture: take 20-60 drops 3 x a day.

Fluid extract: take 1/2- 1 tsp 3 x a day

Syrup: take 1/2-1 tsp. 3 x a day

Powder: take 5-10 #0 capsules (30-60) 3 x a day.

Purposes:
Internally, horehound is specially useful as a remedy for coughing and bronchial problems. As an expectorant for bronchial catarrh, it can be taken as a tea or syrup. It is used for acute and chronic bronchitis, as well as coughs and hoarseness. It is useful in chronic sore throats and pulmonary problems. Use it in syrup form for children.


Horehound is also used for typhoid fever. It is said to restore the normal balance of secretions by various organs and glands. It is used for heart conditions, to calm heart action. It is also used for asthma, dyspepsia, hay fever, bloating, fevers, and iaundice. It boots the immune system. Taken warm, it is diuretic; taken cold, it makes a good stomach tonic.


Externally, the tea or the crushed leaves of horehound can be applied for temporary or persistent skin problems.

Plant Description

Horehound has square stems (often woody near the base) densely covered with white hairs with leaves opposite each other. Leaves are hairy above, very hairy to woolly underneath, rounded with a crinkled surface and sharply aromatic when crushed. It has small white flowers in dense clusters above the nodes (where the leaves join the stem) around the upper sections of the stems. Clusters of flowers dry to form brown burrs with small hooked spines. Each burr contains up to 4 small (1-2 mm long) spear-shaped seeds.