[Herbalist] Group reply on cough syurp

[Gaylin Walli]

You know it's kind of funny that we should be talking about cough syrup and
the land right now. I don't believe in fate much, but coincidence yes. I just
finished up that cough syrup I wrote about a long while back. I made some
myself with a mixture of thyme, horehound, and lemon balm, using honey
as the sweetener. Our Queen asked for an emergency influx of gifts when
she had to travel recently and I'd been watching the syrup because it had
started to ferment. It had just finished and gotten bottled when the call
came out for a need for gifts. So I labeled them and gave them up to her.
I think I'm more proud of the labels than of the syrup, to be honest. *grin*
Brown Boston rounds onto which I tied a ribbon at the neck. This ribbon
was attached to a paper label by means of my personal wax seal. The label
itself was 1/4 of a standard US piece of paper cut the long way and folded
accordian style. I included the following below. I thought you might all enjoy
reading it. (It also included my contact information should anyone have any
questions about the syrup). It seems we're all a little attuned if we're all
making or using plant to make cough syrup. Perhaps the earth is speaking
through more than just the plants. -- Iasmin

-----

Her Majesty's Cough Elixir

--

About This Syrup
Uniquely flavored with horehound, thyme, and lemon balm, this natural
cough syrup is formulated based on centuries-old techniques used in
the Middle Ages and Renaissance. This syrup was designed specifically
to loosen phlegm in bronchial passages and soothe the occasional sore
throat. In addition to the herbs, it contains organic honey and
organic grape juice.

Common Sense Caution
Use common sense. If you believe you are sick, consult your health
care provider before using this product.

Suggested Adult Dosage
With the approval of your health care provider, this syrup can be
used to soothe a cough by taking 1-2 teaspoons at a time, every four
hours.

--

About the Herbs
* Horehound (Marrubium vulgare)-Named after the Egyptian god Horus,
horehound is an ancient herb. Among the Hebrews it is one of the
bitter herbs of Passover. Scientific research supports Horehound's
most popular use as an expectorant and throat soother.

Marrubiin is the principle ingredient thought to be responsible for
the medicinal action in the herb, but this substance does not exist
in the living plant. Marrubiin is formed during the extraction of the
plant's major constituents and has been proven to induce sweat, a
common method of treating colds.

*  Lemon Balm (Melissa officinalis)-A popular herb for over 2000
years, the famous scholar and author Pliny the Elder noted that bees
preferred lemon balm to other plants. Research indicates that the
herb's oil inhibits bacterial growth and reduces the chance of
infection. The main constituent, eugenol, has been shown to reduce
bronchial spasms and encourage antihistamine production.

The great Moslem physician Avicenna recommended the plant because it
"makes the heart merry" and to this day it is often used in folk
medicines as a way to lift the spirits. Originally this was
attributed to its pleasant, lemony fragrance; however, science
indicates that in addition to its antibacterial qualities lemon balm
also has a mild sedative effect on the central nervous system even in
minute concentrations.

* Thyme (Thymus vulgaris)-Deriving its name from the Greek word for
"courage," thyme's reputation in all folk medicine is legendary. It
is one of the most common flavors in cough medicine and scientific
evidence supports the wisdom indicating its use as an antibacterial
and antifungal. Thyme rarely escapes use in herbal treatments of the
common cold, bronchitis, and whooping cough because its volatile oil
is partly excreted though the lungs. The plant serves as a wonderful
expectorant of thick, sticky mucous that has settled in the
respiratory system.