Herbs that loosen and clear mucus and that soothe and coat irritated tissue: comfrey, mullein, elecampane, horehound, wild cherry, marshmallow, slippery elm, licorice and their companions. Chapter 5 teaches this family as a whole.
No. 80Comfrey
Traditional uses and main actions
"Knitbone" since Dioscorides: comfrey's allantoin speeds the growth of new cells, so it heals broken bones, sprains, bruises, wounds, ulcers and burns, and its mucilage soothes. Christopher called it "the ultimate lung healer" for coughs and damaged lungs, and used the root in his Herbal Calcium, BF&C, burn paste and lung formulas. Arukah Herbal Calcium uses the root (Chapter 4).
How it's prepared
Root in tea (the Herbal Calcium blend) or decoction; leaf or root as poultice, oil, salve or fomentation; burn paste with honey and wheat germ oil.
Typical amounts
In Arukah Herbal Calcium, as part of 1 tablespoon to 1 cup of the blend daily (Chapter 4); poultices and salves freely outside.
Cautions and interactions
Christopher's school's one caution: people with weak livers or liver disease, heavy drinkers, and people on drugs that burden the liver should not take large amounts by mouth for long periods. On a deep wound, clean it first, so the skin does not close over dirt.
Taught in Lessons 4, 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 81Mullein
Traditional uses and main actions
The great, gentle lung herb for coughs, bronchitis, asthma, croup and dry, irritated lungs; Christopher called the leaf a "gland food" (used in his Adrenetone and Resp-Free) and used it in fomentations for swollen glands. The flowers in oil (with garlic) are the classic ear oil. Christopher listed it as both astringent and expectorant.
How it's prepared
Tea of the leaf (strain through cloth to remove the tiny hairs); flower oil for ears; fomentation.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 3–4 cups a day; ear oil, a few warm drops.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe. Strain the tea well; the leaf hairs irritate the throat. Never put oil into a draining ear.
Taught in Lessons 5, 6 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 82Chickweed
Traditional uses and main actions
A cooling, soothing weed: a poultice or salve for itching, rashes, eczema and boils, a demulcent tea for irritated lungs and gut, and a nourishing salad green. Christopher used it in his lung and weight formulas.
How it's prepared
Fresh as food or poultice; salve; tea.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 3 cups a day; freely as food and outside.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe.
Taught in Lessons 5, 6 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 83Marshmallow
Traditional uses and main actions
The soothing demulcent: its mucilage coats and heals an irritated throat, dry cough, inflamed stomach, reflux, irritated bowel and bladder. Part of Christopher's INF, Juni-Pars and lung formulas, and Schulze's intestinal formula.
How it's prepared
Cold infusion of the root (4–8 hours) for the most mucilage; tea of the leaf; pastilles; poultice.
Typical amounts
Cold infusion, 1–2 tablespoons root per quart, drunk through the day.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe. Coats the gut: take medicines 1–2 hours apart. May lower blood sugar slightly.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 84Slippery Elm
Traditional uses and main actions
The soothing inner bark: a gruel that coats and heals the stomach and bowel (ulcers, reflux, diarrhea, colitis), soothes sore throats and coughs, and nourishes the sick and convalescent. Outside, a poultice that draws out infection and binds other herbs (with goldenseal for infected wounds).
How it's prepared
Powder stirred into hot water as a gruel (with honey); lozenges; poultice.
Typical amounts
1–2 teaspoons powder in a cup of water or as gruel, 2–3 times a day.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe. Coats the gut: take medicines 1–2 hours apart. At risk in the wild: buy cultivated or sustainably harvested.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 85Elecampane
Traditional uses and main actions
Christopher's "lung detoxifier": a warming expectorant for deep, stubborn, wet coughs, chronic bronchitis and the lingering cough after flu. Bitter and aromatic, it also helps digestion and expels worms; its inulin feeds good gut bacteria.
How it's prepared
Decoction; tincture; syrup or honey.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 3 cups a day; tincture, 1–2 dropperfuls 3 times a day.
Cautions and interactions
Not in pregnancy. Allergy in people sensitive to the daisy family.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 86Horehound
Traditional uses and main actions
The old-fashioned cough candy herb: a bitter expectorant for wet coughs, bronchitis and colds, and a digestive bitter. One of the bitter herbs some traditions use at Passover.
How it's prepared
Tea with honey; syrup; candy; tincture.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1 teaspoon per cup, 3 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Not in pregnancy. May affect blood sugar and heart rhythm in large amounts.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 87Wild Cherry
Traditional uses and main actions
The cough-calming herb: it quiets a dry, irritating, nervous cough that keeps you awake, and is the base of many old cough syrups. Also a digestive bitter.
How it's prepared
Cold infusion or syrup (heat drives off some of its active compound); tincture.
Typical amounts
Syrup, 1 teaspoon 3–4 times a day; tea, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day, for a short time.
Cautions and interactions
Contains compounds that release small amounts of cyanide: use the dried bark in measured amounts for short periods, not in pregnancy, and never the leaves or fresh bark.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 88Licorice
Traditional uses and main actions
Christopher listed it under cathartics and expectorants: a soothing expectorant for coughs and sore throats, a demulcent for ulcers and reflux, a gentle laxative, an adrenal tonic (in Adrenetone) and the great "harmonizer" that sweetens and balances formulas in Chinese medicine. Fifty times sweeter than sugar.
How it's prepared
Decoction; tincture; powder; DGL (deglycyrrhizinated) chewables for the stomach.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2 cups a day; as a small part of formulas; for no more than 4–6 weeks at medicinal doses.
Cautions and interactions
Large amounts or long use raise blood pressure, retain water and lower potassium: not with high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, or with digoxin, diuretics or steroids. Not in pregnancy. DGL does not have these effects.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 89Hollyhock
Traditional uses and main actions
A marshmallow cousin and garden favorite, used the same way as a soothing demulcent for coughs, sore throats and irritated bladder and gut, and as a soothing poultice.
How it's prepared
Tea; cold infusion of the root.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 3 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe. Take medicines apart from it.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).