FOLKLORE/COMMON NAMES White Horehound, Houndsbane, Bull's Blood, Eye of the Star, Haran, Hoarhound, Huran, Llwyd y cwn, Marrubium, Maruil, Seed of Horus, Soldier's Tea
HISTORICAL REFERENCES
- The use of Horehound goes back to our most ancient cultures, most notably found in the records of the Ancient Egyptians who called Horehound the 'Seed of Horus', as well as 'Bull's Blood', and the 'Eye of the Star'. Their use for it was both spiritual and practical, as they used it commonly as an antidote to certain poisons, including snakebite, and also believed it had anti-magical properties as well.
- Horehound is recorded as one of the 'bitter herbs' eaten at the feast of Passover, and some speculate that the Latin name comes from the Hebrew "marrob," meaning bitter juice. Others believe the original spelling of 'hoarhound' takes its name from the greyish color of the plant, reminiscent of the terms 'hoary frost,' etc. Still others link the first part of the name directly with the association to the Egyptian Horus, and the hound to the practice in Ancient Greece of using Horehound to cure the bite of a mad dog.
- In medieval Europe, we once again see use of Horehound in 'warding off witches' spells'.
- Horehound was often used a flavoring for beers and cordials up through this century.
- Folklore tells us that Horehound put in a bowl of new milk will kill all flies in an infested area.
From the Ancient Egyptians through centuries of folklore, and well into modern times, Horehound has maintained its reputation in one primary area - as an effective medicinal treatment. Horehound tea is still the first recommended treatment for such ailments as cough, cold and other respiratory disorders in many parts of the world today.
PARTS USED All of the aerial parts of the plant when fresh, the flowering branches are medicinal when dried.
MEDICINAL USES
***If you are gathering your own herbs for medicinal use, Do Not confuse White Horehound with Black or Stinking Horehound, which can be toxic in large amounts.
While you can still find Horehound candies in some stores, they no longer contain the label "Medicinal" as they once did. Still, they remain a staple in many Winter medicine cabinets, just as the herb itself remains a part of some prescription drugs, especially cough syrups.
In addition to coughs and colds, folk medicine traditionally recommended Horehound for a number of complaints, including whooping cough, asthma, tuberculosis, respiratory infections, lung inflammation, diarrhea, jaundice, painful menstruation, constipation, sores and wounds, fevers, malaria, as well as to calm a nervous heart. Interestingly, Horehound has been scientifically proven to have a normalizing effect on an irregular heartbeat.
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