Thyme for cough in bronchitis

Thyme is one of the best honey plants that can be found in Ukraine. This means that it is largely thanks to it that we have such a valuable medicine as flower honey, which is very useful for bronchitis.

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Pharmacodynamics

The plant itself can actually also be classified as medicinal due to its strong antiseptic, anti-edematous, antispasmodic, tonic and other effects.

But in case of bronchitis, we are interested in slightly different properties of thyme, and these properties are expressed no less than others. We are talking about the bronchodilator and expectorant effect of the plant, due to which it has found wide application in the treatment of advanced forms of bronchitis.

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Dosing and administration

Let's start with the most popular recipe, effective for many pathologies and even preventing their occurrence. This is thyme tea, for which we need a glass of boiling water and 1 teaspoon of aromatic flowers in fresh or dried form. Let the mixture brew for 10 minutes, then strain it and drink it like a regular drink, adding natural honey to the tea to improve the taste and enhance the effect. This tea will help you recover faster.

But to combat a dry cough, it is better to use a more concentrated infusion, when 3 tablespoons of dry thyme herb are taken per glass of boiling water. The infusion will need to be wrapped up and kept warm for 30 minutes. Strained, it is taken three times a day (in the morning, at lunch and 2 hours before bedtime). A single dose is 2 tablespoons, and before bedtime we double the dose.

Many people cannot imagine cough treatment without syrup. You can make a healing syrup at home using thyme leaves and flowers. Chop a bunch of herbs and boil in 0.5 liters of water. Boil the mixture over low heat. It will be ready when the amount of liquid is reduced by half. After the decoction has cooled to a warm state, you can strain it and add 350 g of honey, mixing everything thoroughly. To enhance the effect, it is recommended to add garlic juice to the mixture in the amount of 1-2 tbsp.

We store the medicine in the refrigerator, taking it for a problematic cough twice a day, one teaspoon at a time.

To rub the chest and back for colds and bronchitis, you can make a tincture on alcohol. For 100 ml of alcohol, take 20 g of dry grass, put it in a dark place for 2 weeks, and when the medicine is ready, use it as a warming mixture for local use for coughs and cold symptoms.

For inhalations for bronchitis and other bronchopulmonary pathologies, a decoction of thyme is also used. For a liter of water, take 3-4 tablespoons of dry grass and flowers, boil and breathe in the healing steam for 10-15 minutes.

Sweet cough syrup can be given to children from the age of 2. Other thyme-based oral medications can also be used to treat children, but with dose adjustments.

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Use thyme during pregnancy

Use during pregnancy and childhood. Medicines with thyme can also be dangerous for pregnant women, because the herb can stimulate uterine contractions. So you can't do without consulting a doctor.

During breastfeeding, thyme is not prohibited and is even useful for those who have little milk. But mothers who do not have problems with lactation should be careful about taking medications with thyme.

Contraindications

There is no need to argue about the benefits of thyme for bronchitis. Another thing is that thyme-based formulations are not suitable for everyone. Not only can medications based on the herb cause mild allergic reactions in case of hypersensitivity to the herb, but thyme is also not recommended for people with cardiosclerosis, atrial fibrillation, various liver and kidney pathologies, thyroid insufficiency, pulmonary emphysema, bronchial asthma and atherosclerosis of the cerebral vessels.

It is also not advisable to use thyme-based treatments for people with diabetes and gastric pathologies, especially if the acidity of the stomach is increased.

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Side effects thyme

In case of individual sensitivity to thyme, mild allergic reactions in the form of itching and rash on the body may be observed. Sometimes people complain of nausea and even vomiting. If thyme is used for a long time, it can lead to a decrease in thyroid function and a deficiency of thyroid hormones (hypothyroidism).

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Storage conditions

Thyme grass with flowers is collected approximately in July, when the plant is actively blooming. Preference is given to the upper shoots with tender green leaves. Care is taken to ensure that no corroded, diseased or dry leaves are collected.

It is recommended to dry the herb in the shade with good ventilation. It can be laid out on paper or fabric or hung in small bunches on a rope. It is not advisable to use dryers for drying thyme, but if the weather does not allow drying the plant in natural conditions, the temperature in the dryer should not be raised above 35 degrees to prevent the evaporation of valuable essential oils.

It is recommended to remove coarse stems and discolored leaves from the dried raw material. Good leaves remain dark green after drying, and flowers are reddish.

Store the prepared raw material in a darkened room with good ventilation. Glass, paper and fabric containers are suitable for storage. The shelf life of thyme is 2 years.

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