HERB - Cough medecine: was Herbs & Things:Jeanne Rose's Herbal

[Gaylin Walli]

Katherine kindly posted a cough medicing recipe that included:

>     comfrey if desired (NOTE: POSSIBLY DANGEROUS HERB!)

Definitely a dangerous herb. If anyone would like, I would be
happy to repost the article paragraphs from the Herb Companion
on the dangers of internal Comfrey consumption. Or, if people
would prefer, I will send it to them directly. I would discourage
internal consumption of this herb without strict supervision
of a trained doctor or Master Herbalist.

>pennyroyal if desired (NOTE:  DANGEROUS HERB!  DO NOT USE IF PREGNANT!
>DANGEROUS!)

Ditto on the dangers.

>(These last two should be used internally with caution, however they *are*
>specific for coughs, and in extreme cases I have used them.  Pennyroyal, by
>the way, seems to make it taste horrid.)

Thanks for pointing out the cautions, Katherine. Many people don't, or
don't make those cautions pointed enough.

>If available, add smaller amounts of:
>      wintergreen
>      birch bark

List members should know that there are currently serious cautions being
discussed about the legitimacy of using either of these plants. The
ingredient in question in these plants is "Methyl salicylate" and
has, in anecdotal studies, been shown to poison people, especially
small children. I have serious problems with the scientific studies
about these plant substances (mostly because I believe their
studies to be seriously flawed). But anyone using these herbs
should know that there are questions about their safety. If you
need to do more research, I suggest good research of the studies (not
summaries of them, or books on the saftey of oils, which I believe
misrepresent these studies). Wade through the tedious research
and decide for yourself. Also, don't trust the vast majority of
what's on the Web. I've yet to find good sites that don't swing
towards the melodramatic or reactionary concerning the use of
these plants for internal consumption.

Wow. Okay. That all sounds....inflamatory myself. If anybody would
like me to send a quick summary of why I have problems with
the scientific stuff, just let me know. I don't want to sound as bad
as the people who simply tell you "It's poison. Don't touch it because
it killed one person."

Jasmine
Iasmin de Cordoba
gwalli at infoengine.com

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