Botanical and Common Names
- Family Labiatae
- Marrubium vulgare (Horehound/Hoarhound, White Horehound, Common Horehound, Houndsbane, Marrubium; Spanish: Marrubio, Manrubio, Mastranso)
- Ballota Nigra (Black Horehound, Black Stinking Horehound)
Cautions
- None listed.
Description
Indigenous from the Mediterranean region to central Asia, horehound has since become established in central Europe and introduced into America, South Africa, and Australia, flourishing in dry, bare, or open areas. A member of the mint family, it is a square-stemmed perennial, growing to about twenty inches and having toothed, downy grayish leaves and a long woody stem that bears rings of double-lipped, white flowers that evolve into a burr containing a few brown or black seeds. Horehound is gathered in the spring.
Black horehound is considered a weed in Europe, thriving in open areas, pavement cracks, by roadsides, and mostly near human habitation. It was intentionally introduced to the US, but it also grows in Asia. Black horehound is a straggling, strong-smelling perennial, growing to about three feet and having oval, toothed leaves and pinkish-purple flowers in whorls at the base of the upper leaves. It is harvested when in flower in the summer.
Key Actions
(a) Horehound
- antiseptic
- expectorant
- heals wounds
- stimulates bile flow
- stabilizes heart rhythm
(b) Black Horehound
- antispasmodic
- antiemetic (relieves vomiting)
- stimulates bile flow
Key Components
- diterpenes (up to 1% marrubiin)
- marrubenol
- flavonoids
- alkaloids (including betonicine and stachydrine)
- volatile oil (up to 0.6%)
Medicinal Parts
- Aerial parts
- Marrubiin is a strong expectorant and bitter. As an expectorant, it is believed to be responsible for thinning and loosening airway mucus making it easier to cough up.
Traditional Uses
Horehound has long been used to treat respiratory infections, including colds and asthma, and to help heal the membranes. Because of the bitterness of the herb, it is used mainly in the form of a syrup.
As a bitter tonic, horehound can be made into decoctions, infusions, and tinctures to increase the appetite and support the function of the stomach. It is most beneficial in influenza cases where the patient has lost the desire to eat.
It is used to treat liver and gallbladder complaints, dyspepsia, appetite loss, and intestinal worms.
It is also used to normalize heart rhythm and improve regularity.
Externally, infusions and decoctions help heal skin conditions.
Horehound has also been used in the fields of gynecology and obstetrics as it as an alternative effect on the menstrual cycle, as well as expelling the placenta after birth. This is achieved by taking a strong infusion or decoction immediately after the birth.
Black horehound is not used as much today as its medicinal effect is inferior to horehound, but it can still be substituted for horehound when nothing else is available. It is perhaps the most useful when nausea stems from disorders of the inner ear as opposed to those of the digestive system.
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