Herbal home remedies as a cough remover - why do they actually work?
There are very different home remedies, mostly from vegetable ingredients that stop the cough and fight the cause. So there is the recipe with onions and sugar, or you rub a radish, thyme and sage help too. But why is it like that?
It is the phytonutrients that help.
In the case of cough medicine, it is mainly the saponins and mucilages which are active against the cough, and the essential oils, which may also be present, are mostly bactericidal.
saponins:
Saponins are plant glycosides that together with water form a durable foam, emulsify oil in water and have a hemolytic effect. Saponins are often used as an expectorant for coughing. Saponins release the surface tension and liquefy viscous mucus, which then can be coughed up. The newly formed mucus from the body can flow freely and be coughed off, which is why one initially has the feeling that it is getting worse.
The initial irritant effect on the gastric mucous membrane leads to an increased secretion of secretions of all glands, which makes itself felt favorably in the bronchi.
Saponins also favor the uptake of other herbal ingredients crucial, which can often develop this by small amounts of active ingredient a great effect.
Mucilage:
In the botanical sense, slime is understood to mean carbohydrate-containing substances which swell up strongly with water and form a viscous (stringy) liquid. In many cases, they influence the intensity of action of other herbal substances. The effect of Scheimstoffen can best be described by the term * irritant mitigation *. The mucus settles as a fine layer over the mucous membranes and thus protects them from external influences.
Inflammations, especially of the mucous membranes, are particularly quick to eradicate under the protection of mucilage.
Essential oils:
All medicinal plants that contain essential oils have one thing in common: they are anti-inflammatory, with more or less pronounced Hautreitzung, they are expectorant (relieving cough), diuretic, tonifying (stimulating) and invigorating for the digestive system.
In the plants we use, they are contained in their natural form and not in their pure form and may work well in conjunction with mucilages and saponins.
So: take it easy to grandma's home remedies.
This tip is intended to explain the effectiveness of home remedies.
For serious illnesses, you should consult a doctor.
