Health Benefits
Used for a long time to make throat lozenges or candies, Horehound was a welcome, tasty medicine to soothe sore throats.
It has both medicinal and culinary uses, although they are closely connected.And no wonder, since it’s a versatile herb, with many medicinal benefits:
Anti-inflammatory Potential
Anti-cancer Effects
Cough Relief
Cholesterol Control
Reduces Toxicity of the Body
Antispasmodic
Menstrual Symptoms
Digestive Aid
Motion Sickness Remedy
Diabetes Treatment
Anti-inflammatory Potential
There are a number of ways that white horehound can be consumed or applied to gain its health benefits, including topical mixtures and oral consumption.
For inflammation issues, it can do everything from improve symptoms of arthritis to relieving sore throats, bronchitis and coughing, which is often the result of irritation in the respiratory tracts.Furthermore, white horehound has been connected with reducing constriction in blood vessels, and by lowering this inflammation, can actually improve heart health by helping to reduce blood pressure.
Anti-cancer Effects
There are a number of anti-inflammatory effects of white horehound, and in a similar chemical pathway, research has also shown white horehound extract to effectively prevent cell death and reduce the promotion of cancer in cells.
This antioxidant quality has only been shown in relation to colon cancer cells, but ongoing research is looking into other possible applications of the herb’s extract. Antioxidants are able to neutralize or eliminate free radicals, the dangerous byproducts of cellular respiration that can cause cell mutation (into cancerous cells) or apoptosis, spontaneous cell death.
Cough Relief
Horehound is an ingredient often found in herbal lozenges and syrups used for the natural treatment of coughs. There’s a good reason why this herb is employed in these natural cough remedies. The major active chemical compound in horehound is called marrubiin. We can likely thank marrubiin for horehound’s expectorant ability. In other words, horehound can help cough sufferers to get rid of that nasty mucus that is clogging up their airways.Research has also shown that horehound has both antispasmodic and analgesic (pain-relieving) effects. These are two more good reasons why it is a great natural cough reliever.
Cholesterol Control
Even small doses of white horehound extract, when taken regularly, can considerably reduce overall cholesterol levels. It essentially balances your cholesterol levels, eliminating “bad” cholesterol and keeping your heart free of plaque build-up. By protecting arteries and preventing atherosclerosis, white horehound extract can help to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, both of which are exacerbated by high cholesterol.
Reduces Toxicity of the Body
One of the less well known benefits of white horehound is its ability to induce sweating in those who consume it. This is useful for a number of reasons; if you are ill, “breaking” a fever is often the first step to recovery, while sweating can also eliminate toxins in the body, as well as excess salts, water, fats, and dangerous substances that can cause illness.
Antispasmodic
One of the oldest uses of white horehound is as an antispasmodic. If you suffer from seizures, muscle twitches, cramps, or other spasm-related conditions, white horehound can soothe the nervous system and prevent the onset of these attacks. This relaxing nature of the herb has made it popular as a tea, as it can calm the body and mind.
Menstrual Symptoms
For women who experience painful menstruation or hormonal disbalance, white horehound can be an effective solution. Many women use the herb to reduce the pain of intense cramps, again due to the soothing nature of the herb’s organic compounds, and also improve mood/reduce mood swings. These hormonal effects are due to the powerful active ingredients in horehound. The herb doesn’t just help you with the painful and uncomfortable symptoms, it goes to and helps your body heal the underlying hormonal imbalance that was causing the problems.
Digestive Aid
Researchers also believe that marrubiin is the reason that horehound has a bitter taste. Along with foods like endive and horseradish, horehound is believed to be one of the Bible’s bitter herbs. It’s bitter flavor makes it an excellent choice for improving digestion since plants that taste bitter have been shown to help in managing dyspepsia also known as indigestion or upset stomach.Horehound’s ability to improve saliva and gastric juice output makes it very helpful for increasing the appetite.
Motion Sickness Remedy
For some people, symptoms of motion sickness can result from the movement of travel by car, boat or plane. Motion sickness will typically go away when the motion stops. But many people who commonly deal with motion sickness are curious about natural ways to improve their queasy feelings.
Unfortunately, there hasn’t been any scientific research to date, but black horehound has been used as a traditional remedy for motion sickness. The recommended dosage is one to two milliliters as a tincture. Or use one to two teaspoons of leaves steeped as a tea, taken three times per day.
Diabetes Treatment
Along with lowering overall cholesterol, white horehound has also been closely linked to a reduction in blood sugar levels. Essentially, researchers have shown that when horehound has been introduced to the system, the body is better able to handle large influxes of glucose, without flooding the body with it, resulting in the common sugar rush and crash. Instead, by keeping blood sugar levels in a normal range, white horehound represents a wonderful solution for diabetics who are so heavily impacted by blood sugar fluctuations.