Here are some notes I compiled in regard to stopping a nasty, annoying, painful cough that I had earlier this winter. While I typically don't try to suppress a cough, especially if it is being productive (bringing up mucus), this one just wouldn't stop and the muscles in my neck hurt so bad from the hard cough and I couldn't sleep and felt like I was coughing up a lung… you get the picture. None of my regular go-to concoctions or tricks were helping much. I went in to my doctor, sure that I had pneumonia, just to find out that my lungs were clear and I was told to just wait it out. So, I pulled out all my notes and books and here is the list I came up with.
Keep in mind that I am writing only about coughs here. Each of these herbs have many additional benefits for supporting health. These are simply some of my favorite herbs for dealing with coughs. Also, the “dosage suggestions” are simply suggestions. There is no “go-to” dosage for any herb. Ever. Pay attention to how you feel when taking any herb and adjust accordingly. Lastly, these suggestions are intended for stopping a cough. Once the cough stops, also stop using these herbs in that regard.
I cycled through all of these herbs in my quest for relief of my very wet, productive cough, depending on my symptoms. After it hung on (and on), I moved on to boneset and Lobelia inflata which did the trick at that point. This is not to claim they will "work" for everyone, but they're worth a try. I also did regular herbal steams with pine and drank mullein and pine needle tea throughout.
Please keep in mind that none of these herbal ideas should be used during pregnancy.
Wet, Productive Cough
Elecampane (root)
Chronic cough, often spasmodic, productive, rattly.
Presence of green mucus indicating the presence of an infection.
Postnasal drip.
Excellent for bronchitis or bronchial irritation with persistent cough and lots of discharge.
Dosage suggestion: 5-8 drops tincture, 2-3 times a day.
Grindelia (flowers)
Cough with lots of gagging, productive with much mucus.
Use only in wet, productive conditions as it is so drying that it may actually “hurt” if used in dry conditions.
You feel like something is stuck in your throat or lungs that you just can't get rid of.
Great expectorant, excellent for bronchitis with thick, stringy mucus that is hard to get up.
Whooping cough.
Dosage suggestion: 5-8 drops tincture, 2-3 times a day.
Dry Cough
Mullein (leaves)
Non-productive, dry, hacking cough; a cough so severe that it keeps you up at night or it feels as if you might throw your back out!
Note: I find mullein to be beneficial with any type of cough and in a variety of respiratory and even digestive or musculoskeletal imbalances.
Acts as a mild sedative to the lungs, decreasing pain, irritation and coughing.
Especially good early in a cold where one is coughing but there’s not much expectoration yet.
I find mullein leaf tea to be very soothing to the mucosa and cilia in the respiratory tract.
Dosage suggestion: 5-8 drops tincture every 2-3 hours, several cups of tea spread throughout the day with a few drops of tincture added to each cup.
Red Clover (flowers)
Dry, deep barking cough.
Whooping cough.
Dosage suggestion: 5-8 drops, 2-3 times a day
Burdock (root)
Dry, bronchial cough.
Dosage suggestion: 3-5 drops, every 2-3 hours
Wild Cherry Bark (bark, gathered in late summer)
Dry, inflamed, heated cough.
Excellent cough suppressant and antispasmodic for irritated lungs, useful if cough is interfering with sleep.
Dosage suggestion: 5 drops before going to bed, 3 drops two other times during the day if needed when awake.
White Horehound (aerial parts)
Dry cough or congestion that is starting to dry out.
Dosage suggestion: 5-7 drops, 2-3 times a day.
General Cough
Boneset (flowering tops)
Any cough (or cold or flu) that settles in and just won't budge.
To break up a common cold, especially when it is accompanied by a deep, aching pain and slight-to-no fever.
Some studies indicate it is as effective as aspirin for pain.
Single most important flu botanical used by native Americans and pioneers of the 1800s.
Dosage suggestion: 3-5 drops, 2-3 times a day
Lobelia inflata (aerial parts with flowers and seeds)
Spasmodic or persistent cough.
Lobelia inflata also has been shown to remove viral membranes, destroying the germs of the disease.
It is a very strong, low dose botanical, best used under an herbalist’s direction. Do not use it as a tonic or preventative and stop using it when symptoms resolve.
Dosage suggestion: 5-15 drops every hour at first and working down to six-hour intervals.
Typically, when I use Lobelia inflata, I use only a few drops added to an ounce of a tincture blend.
Check out my Herbs A-Z page for more information about using this fascinating little plant.
Elderberry (berries)
Any and all types of coughs.
Considered a great antiviral, antimicrobial, and expectorant.
Relieves nasal congestion and respiratory catarrh (stuck crud).
Safe to take regularly as a preventative throughout the cold and flu season to resist contagion and/or shorten duration of illness.
Dosage suggestion: Actively sick, take 7-12 drops every 2-3 hours. Preventatively, I take 3 drops, 1-2 times a day.
Pleurisy root (root)
Cough accompanied by a stitching, sharp pain in chest, especially on inhalation.
Often helps in a situation when you experience a dry cough when you are up and a wet cough when you lay down.
(Consider seeing your healthcare provider to make sure it’s not pneumonia, in which case an antibiotic is warranted).
Dosage suggestion: 3-5 drops, 3-4 times a day.
Licorice (root)
Excellent anti-inflammatory for the entire respiratory tract.
Wonderfully soothing to sore throats and irritated bronchi as well as a decent expectorant.
Dosage suggestion: 3-5 drops, 2-3 times a day. Often most useful in combination with other herbs.
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