White horehound

Marrubium vulgare

Herbs & Roots. Western & European.

Also called Horehound, Hoarhound, Marrubium

Spanish: Marrubio

Avoid in pregnancy

A grey-leaved mint-family herb used in cough drops and cough teas.

Did you know? Horehound candy was a childhood cough sweet for generations in Britain and the United States, and it is still sold today.

What it may help, and how strong the proof is

Sore throat & cough. Traditional for coughs and sore throats. Human trials are missing.
Traditional proof
Breathing & asthma. Used to loosen phlegm in chest colds. Evidence is mostly tradition.
Traditional proof

Parts of the body

Mouth & throat, Lungs

Traditional use

Ancient and medieval herbalists used it for coughs, chest colds, and poor digestion. Horehound drops are one of the oldest surviving cough sweets.

How it is classified

Herbal actions: Expectorant, Antitussive, Bitter. Energy: cooling.

How people take it

Tea is usually 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup, up to three cups a day. Cough drops and syrups vary in strength, so follow the label.

Tea, syrup and lozenge.

Where to get it

Grows in dry, sunny ground across Europe, Asia, and North Africa, and has spread to North America. Sold as dried herb, tea, syrup, and candy drops.

Be careful

Usually gentle, but large amounts may upset the stomach. Avoid it in pregnancy, since it may stimulate the uterus. A cough that lasts more than a few weeks needs a doctor.

Avoid if: pregnancy.

Mixing with other things

Works well together
Often combined in traditional cough teas and syrups.
Works well together
Traditional cough blends often include both.
Works well together
Old cough syrup blends often combined the two.
Works well together
A classic cough tea combination in European herbal medicine.
Works well together
Both are used in cough and chest herbal blends.
Works well together
Often combined in old-style cough syrups and honeys.
Works well together
Traditional cough blends often include both.

The honest take

Horehound has a long history for coughs, and it can be a pleasant way to soothe one. Almost no good human trials show it works better than nothing. Its real role is comfort, not proven relief.