Condition
Treatment Support
lung tonic
Application
tea, tincture, capsule
Mullein
(Verbascum thapsus)
Botanical Information
A triennial from the Foxglove family with a tall stout woolly stem, alternate woolly leaves, and small yellow flowers with purple spots inside. The leaves are harvested at the end of the first year or beginning of the second year of growth; the flowers are round and yellow and appear in mid-late summer.
Working with Mullein
Part(s) Used
Leaf, Flowers
Herb Forms
Tincture, oil, bulk herb for tea
Mullein leaves are favored in teas and other preparations for treating coughs, laryngitis, colds, excess mucus, and even bronchitis and asthma, and they are considered a tonic for the lungs. They contain soothing mucilage and anti-microbial compounds that help fight infections and have an expectorant and soothing action on the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. Mullein is one herb recommended for children and adults to add to nearly all respiratory formulas.
Both mullein leaves and flowers are often used as a lymphatic cleanser, which translates to better immune health and alleviates skin problems such as psoriasis. Drops of the flower oil are used in the ear to reduce inflammation, earaches, and infections of the eustachian tubes, inner ear, and ear canal. The root of the plant is sued in teas to ease the symptoms of urinary tract irritations or infections, as well as to benefit the prostate gland.
Mullein has a taste of ASTRINGENT, BITTER and a temperature of COOL.
Cautions
The fine hairs on the leaves can cause throat irritation if they are not completely filtered out of mullein teas. You can use an unbleached coffee filter to make sure you get them all. Contact with the hairy leaves might cause itching in sensitive individuals. Otherwise, no concerns are noted.
Conditions treated with Mullein
Condition
Treatment Support
Application
Condition
Treatment Support
soothing to the respiratory tract
Application
tea, tincture, capsule
Condition
Treatment Support
antibacterial
Application
oil externally
Condition
Treatment Support
lung tonic
Application
tea, tincture, capsule
Condition
Treatment Support
respiratory tonic
Application
tea, tincture, capsule
The information given here is designed to help you make informed choices about your health. The information is drawn from numerous sources—both traditional medicine practice, from the clinical experience of many herbalists currently practicing, and supported by decades of scientific research from the author. The research most consulted includes human clinical trials that help to determine the most effective and safe herbs for various needs, the best doses, and types of preparations.
The information offered in this database is not intended as a substitute for any that may have been prescribed by your health practitioner or physician.
