Herb Weaver's Journal #163 - 29th July 2025

Herb Weaver’s Journal

Horehound - Marrubium vulgare grows abundantly in the UK in both black and white forms.

This plant has lots of benefits and also a long history of use around the World, such as dating back to the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians. But also modern medicine and considered a great diabetic medication in countries like Mexico and Morocco.

The chemicals in white horehound can thin mucus secretions, reduce spasms in the stomach and intestines, and decrease inflammation to name a few, making it a well known herb within traditional medicines.

For diabetes the early research shows that drinking tea prepared from white horehound before meals, in addition to taking your prescribed medication, for 3 weeks lowers blood sugar levels in Type 2.

It also helps liver and gallbladder problems, odema, constipation, loss of appetite and heart burn. Due to it’s high levels of mucilage it works well for people with coughs and respiratory issues as it is able to move the mucus off the chest and creating easy breathing.

Found to contain - alkaloids, alkanes, flavonoids, tannin, pectic substances, saponin, and resin; some research has also focused on phenylpropanoid esters, also containing vitamins A, B, C and E, fatty acids, iron and potassium it is a great immune boosted.

You can use it in different ways, depending what you want it to do and if you like to make your own lotions and potions, give one of these a try at home:-

1. Make and infusion - Start with a hot (tea) or cold infusion (steep in cold water overnight), depending on the actions you need. 

2. Horehound syrup - Another way to use horehound it to infuse horehound (either dried or fresh) in a simple sugar syrup. You can use this syrup to make a hot drink as you need.

3. Horehound oil - You could also infuse horehound in oil for topical use to help support your skin or tissues.