Horehound

(Marrubium vulgare L., Labiatae)

Also Called: Hoarhound, White Horehound.

Description: Perennial plant, the lower part often woody, up to 60cm (2ft) high.
Stems almost
square, hairy, greyish, simple or rarely branched.
Leaves opposite, petiolate, downy. oval, up to 5cm (2in) long; surface wrinkled and covered with rounded protuberances; margin dentate.
Flowers small, 5-7mm (0.2-0.3 in), white, in axillary clusters.
Odour: feebly aromatic. Taste: bitter.

Parts Used: Dried flowering plant; rarely the leaves only.

Habitat and Cultivation: Native to much of Europe, north Africa, Asia; naturalised in North America.
Found in waste places, rubbish heaps, rocky areas; native but not common in England.
Often cultivated, usually by vegetative propagation, rarely from seed; planted at distances of 30x 40cm (12x 16 in).
The crop may be harvested for a number of years. It is dried in the shade below 35°C (95° F).

Constituents and Action: Tannins, volatile oil, a bitter principle.
Horehound is used for Coughs, catarrh, appetite loss, dyspepsia.
As a tonic to stimulate the appetite, it is resolutive in the treatment of bronchitis.
It stimulates biliary secretion

Forms available: Teas, cough drops, sweets.

Usage: Internally as a tisane (0-5 litre (1 pt) of cold water on a handful of drug, raise to the boil and allow to stand) for weak stomach, lack of appetite, to increase biliary secretion and for persistent bronchitis.
Externally the same preparation is used as an application to wounds.