Expectorant Herbs

Expectorants are the ones that make you cough up and spit out mucous.  This includes mucous from the sinuses, lungs and stomach. (Griffin, 1997, p. 9) The cough itself is relieved by antispasmodics but this is why you want to think before taking cough medicine.  The body wants to get rid of that mucous for a reason.

American Spikenard
     Aralia racemose (L.)

Black Cohosh
     Actaea racemose (L)

Blue Violet
     Viola adunca (Sm.)

Bugloss Anchusa officinalis (L.)

Calamint Clinopodium menthafolium (Host) Stace

Clove Syzygium aromaticum (L.)

Coltsfoot T. farara

Common speedwell Veronica officinalis (L.)

Cramp bark Viburnum opulus (L.)

Elder Sambucus nigra (L.) (flower, bark and berries)

Fennel Foeniculum vulgare (Mill.)

Flaxseed Linum usiratissimum (L.)

Garlic Allium sativum (L.)

Ginger Z. officinale

Goldenseal Hydrastis canadensis (L.)

Gumweed Grindelia spp.

Hawthorn Crataegus laevigata (Poir.) DC.

Honeysuckle Aquilegia canadensis (L.)

Hops Humulus lupulus (L.)

Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis (L.)

Lobelia Lobelia inflata (L.)

Marshmallow A. officinalis

Mullein Verbascum thapus (L.)

Onion Allium cepa (L.)

Orris Iris pallida (Lam.)

Pansy Viola tricolor (L.)

Parsley Petroselinum crispum (Mill.) Fuss

Peach Prunus persica (L.) Batsch

Purple loosestrife Lythrum salicaria (L.)

Red Sage S. miltiorrhiza

Sage Salvia officinalis (L.)

Scarlet pimpernel Anagallis arvensis (L.)

Shepherd’s Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris (L.) Medik.

Slippery Elm Ulmus fulva (Michx.)

St. John’s Wort Hypericum perforatum (L.)

Summer Savory Satureja hortensis (L.)

Osha Ligusticum porter (J.M Coult. & Rose)

Yerba Santa Eriodictyon californicum (Hook. & Arn.) Torr.

 

Stimulant:
Cowslip Caltha palustris (L.) – Nauseating

Elecampane Inula helenium (L.)

Horehound Marrubium vulgare (L.)

Ipecac Carapichea ipecacuanha (Brot.) L. Anderson - Nauseating

Mouse Ear Hawkweed Pilosella officinarum (Vaill.)

 
Relaxing (these are demulcent, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, and mucolytic):
Chickweed Stellaria media (l.) Vill.

Coltsfoot T. farara

Comfrey S. Officinale

Licorice Glycyrrhia glabra (L.)

Lobelia Lobelia inflata (L.)

Marshmallow A. officinalis

Pleurisy root Asclepias tuberosa (L.)

Slippery Elm Ulmus fulva (Michx.)

Wild Cherry Prunus serotine (Ehrh.)


 
Both:
Elder Sambucus nigra (L.) (flower, bark and berries)

Garlic Allium sativum (L.)

Mullein Verbascum thapus (L.)
 
 
 

 
References
Hoffman, David. (2003). Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Rochester, VT: Healing Arts Press.