Licorice root for dry and wet cough: how to take?

Licorice for cough has proven itself well in the treatment of various types of cough: productive, unproductive. It is also used in the treatment of diseases such as bronchitis, pneumonia, laryngitis, pharyngitis. Licorice is effective even in relation to asthmatic cough.

Licorice root is used primarily for coughs, as it contains a large amount of phytoncides and other biologically active substances that exhibit high activity against bacterial microflora, which helps relieve inflammation, thin mucus, and prevent cough progression. Due to the unique composition of licorice root, a dry, unproductive cough can be converted into a wet, productive cough, which helps quickly remove mucus from the body and minimize inflammation.

Licorice root for cough in adults

It is used for various forms of cough, regardless of the etiology of the cough. The licorice root is pre-crushed, then poured with boiling water to prepare a decoction, or vodka / alcohol to prepare an infusion. The root should be taken about 2 tablespoons per glass of water (vodka).

The decoction should be drunk one third of a glass three times a day. Thus, it is necessary to drink the whole glass per day. You can add honey to the decoction. The infusion is drunk 1-2 tablespoons three times a day. The course of treatment is usually at least 2-3 weeks, even if the cough symptoms no longer bother you. If you stop treatment ahead of time, a relapse may occur, so the treatment must be completed.

You can buy ready-made syrup at the pharmacy. Take one tablespoon three times a day. But you should keep in mind that this syrup is sweet and contains a large amount of glucose. Therefore, people suffering from diabetes and other carbohydrate metabolism disorders should take it with extreme caution. Also, if possible, children, pregnant and lactating women should avoid using the infusion, since it contains ethyl alcohol. As for childhood, licorice for cough is prescribed to children over 2 years old.

There are many folk recipes, let's look at the most common ones.

• Recipe #1. Syrup with licorice root and blue cornflower

Licorice root kills pathogenic microflora, normalizes local immunity, and prevents disease progression. Blue cornflower complements these properties – it is a good remedy that relieves inflammation and reduces temperature. This is one of the main remedies used to treat colds. It kills viruses, bacteria, and restores normal microflora. Restoring normal microflora is important because licorice kills pathogenic microflora, and at the same time, normal microflora is disrupted. Cornflower, in turn, normalizes microflora.

Cornflower also relieves spasms, restores damage to the mucous membrane, and accelerates recovery after inflammatory processes. And licorice, as is known, helps relieve inflammatory processes. However, after this, residual effects may be observed, which will be eliminated with the help of cornflower.

To prepare the syrup, take a glass of honey, melt it over low heat with a small amount of water. The ratio of honey to water is 1:1. After the honey has dissolved, you can add chopped licorice root (a tablespoon) and cornflower flowers (2 tablespoons). Boil for 3 minutes, then set aside and let sit for 24 hours. You can add it to tea.

• Recipe #2. Syrup with licorice root and cloves

To prepare the syrup, take a glass of sugar, 2 glasses of water, mix and heat on low heat or in a water bath. Melt with constant stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Then add a tablespoon of licorice roots and a teaspoon of dry cloves to the boiling water. Boil the product for 2-3 minutes, then remove from heat and let it brew for 2-3 hours. Take a tablespoon or add to tea.

Licorice root helps to normalize metabolic processes, eliminate cough and relieve inflammation. Cloves are used for colds, as they effectively reduce temperature, quickly eliminate inflammation, and relieve pain. Together, they make the process of relieving inflammation irreversible, and relapses are not observed. This is due to the fact that licorice kills pathogenic bacterial flora, and cloves prevent the proliferation of viruses. Licorice relieves inflammation, kills bacteria and destroys bacterial toxins that irritate the mucous membrane of the throat and cause coughing. Cloves remove destroyed toxins, as they are a good antitoxic agent that eliminates the symptoms of intoxication that occur against the background of viral and bacterial diseases.

• Recipe #3. Licorice root and knotweed

The combination of licorice root and knotweed helps to quickly eliminate cough, relieve inflammation and eliminate the consequences of this inflammation. The effectiveness of this combination of herbal preparations is explained by the fact that licorice quite effectively destroys bacterial cells, which relieves inflammation and prevents the development of an infectious process.

However, using licorice alone as the only treatment is not advisable due to the fact that the destruction of bacteria, although it eliminates the inflammatory process, can nevertheless cause a mild degree of intoxication. This occurs because when bacteria are destroyed, a large number of bacterial endotoxins are released into the external environment, which can cause symptoms of intoxication and also irritate the mucous membrane.

The situation is different when used in combination with knotweed. Thus, it has an antitoxic effect, neutralizes the toxin and removes it. In addition, it also reduces inflammation, swelling and hyperemia of tissues. All this enhances the effect of licorice.

Licorice root helps to change a dry, unproductive cough into a wet, productive one. This is a process in which phlegm is removed, and accordingly, inflammation passes faster, and recovery also occurs faster. Knotweed, in turn, is effective in the treatment of wet cough, bronchitis, tracheobronchitis. It helps to remove phlegm, as a result of which the inflammatory process is reduced.

Knotweed also restores the mucous membrane, liquefies and removes phlegm. Due to the high content of vitamin C, essential oils and glycosides, it strengthens the body, improves the immune system, stimulates natural defenses, increases endurance and resistance of the body.

• Recipe #4. Licorice root and elecampane

It is used in decoctions, infusions, syrups. Let's consider all the options.

To prepare the syrup, take a glass of sugar, 2 tablespoons of honey, 2 glasses of water. Mix all this and heat on low heat until dissolved. Then add crushed licorice roots and the same amount of roots (rhizomes) of elecampane to the resulting syrup. Boil for 3-5 minutes on low heat with constant stirring, then allow to cool.

For the decoction, it is recommended to pre-mix licorice and elecampane roots in equal parts. Then pour boiling water over the mixture and let it brew, wrapping the decoction in a warm cloth.

The infusion is prepared similarly to the decoction, only vodka is added instead of boiling water, and it is infused for 2-3 days. Drink one tablespoon three times a day.

Licorice root in combination with elecampane is more effective, since its activity is sharply increased. Such a mixture is used mainly for advanced cough, when licorice alone can no longer cope. A mixture of licorice with elecampane is used to treat almost any inflammatory diseases, including bronchitis, pneumonia, colds. Relieves severe wet cough. In addition, elecampane additionally has a diaphoretic and antipyretic effect, soothes, restores strength, improves appetite. And this is very important during the recovery period. Also, a mixture of elecampane with licorice has an expectorant effect, dissolving and removing phlegm from the body.

Licorice root for wet cough

For wet (moist) cough, licorice root is used. It can be used both as part of commercial syrups and tablets produced by various manufacturers, and as part of folk and homeopathic remedies that can be prepared at home.

Let's look at some recipes for making licorice root syrups at home.

• Recipe No. 1. Licorice root and calamus.

Calamus perfectly complements the properties of licorice root, activates its properties. Licorice relieves inflammation and prevents the development of bacterial infection. Calamus, due to its high content of phytoncides and alkaloids, has an antiviral effect. It also reduces inflammation and enhances the properties of licorice. As a result, the temperature decreases and the amount of mucus decreases.

They mainly use calamus rhizomes and licorice roots in the form of infusions and decoctions. They make a mixture in a 1:1 ratio. Then take a tablespoon of the mixture and pour a glass of hot water over it. Leave it for at least an hour. It is better to leave it in a thermos. You can also make an infusion. So, to make an infusion, use a mixture in the same ratio. Take 1-2 tablespoons per glass of vodka or pure alcohol, leave it in a dark place for 2-3 days.

The mixture rather quickly transforms a dry, unproductive cough into a productive, wet one. Then it helps to remove phlegm and clear the respiratory tract. It can be used by children and pregnant women.

• Recipe No. 2. Licorice root with marshmallow.

In combination, licorice and marshmallow help to quickly get rid of any cough. They complement and enhance each other's action, which allows to cover almost all possible links of pathogenesis, and thus make recovery inevitable.

Licorice is used in the form of roots. As for marshmallow, most often used are the leaves and flowers of marshmallow. The best option is considered to be a decoction, infusion. To prepare, mix the specified substances in a ratio of 1:2, where 1 part is licorice root, 2 parts are marshmallow. To prepare a decoction or infusion, take 1-2 tablespoons per glass of boiling water or vodka, respectively. The mixture is effective in the treatment of respiratory diseases, eliminates inflammation, cough, normalizes body temperature. It also relieves pain, promotes the transition of dry cough to productive, wet.

• Recipe No. 3. Licorice root with anise.

This is an effective mixture that is so safe that it is even approved for use by pregnant and nursing women. This is practically the only salvation during pregnancy and lactation, since, as is known, the use of most herbs and medications is prohibited. However, pregnant and nursing mothers should not not be treated.

Thus, licorice root liquefies phlegm. It helps dry cough to transform into a wet form, which is prognostically more favorable. Then productive wet cough is accompanied by intensive liquefaction and removal of phlegm, as a result of which it is quickly removed, the inflammatory process is reduced.

Anise complements and enhances the properties of licorice, softens the effect of licorice on the body in a certain way, due to which side effects are almost completely eliminated. Common anise has proven itself as an antipyretic. It has a diaphoretic and diuretic effect. This allows you to remove toxins, decay products of bacterial and viral particles, leukocytes from the body. Inflammatory factors, mediators, dead leukocytes are also removed, which helps reduce the intensity of the inflammatory process.

To prepare the decoction, it is advisable to take a mixture of licorice root with anise roots in a 1:1 ratio. Sometimes you can make a mixture with anise fruits. Then take 1-2 tablespoons of the mixture from the prepared mixture, pour a glass of boiling water. It is recommended to drink the decoction with honey. This will be especially effective at elevated temperatures, after which you should go to bed as quickly as possible and cover yourself completely with warm blankets. This will allow you to sweat and quickly lower your body temperature, and at the same time eliminate the inflammatory process, make the phlegm less viscous, due to which it will be excreted from the body faster.

The advantage of additional introduction of anise is that it normalizes the microflora, respectively, eliminates infection and inflammation. Contains a large amount of vitamin C, which stimulates the immune system and helps in the fight against viral and bacterial infections. A large amount of vitamin C is contained in the fruits, so it is better to use it in infusions.

Similarly, make a mixture with licorice roots in a 1:1 ratio, then take 2 tablespoons and pour a glass of vodka. It is better to use a mixture of licorice with anise fruits during the recovery period, when the body especially needs vitamins and antioxidants. It is advisable to use a mixture of licorice roots with anise roots in the acute phase of inflammation. Infusions and decoctions have a positive effect on the body of pregnant women, nursing mothers, as they normalize hormonal levels and stimulate milk production.

How to take licorice root for children with cough?

Children are recommended to take licorice root in the form of syrup, solution, infusion. It has a pleasant taste, children eat it with pleasure. It is recommended to give children no more than 3-4 tablespoons per day. It is recommended to drink as soon as a coughing fit begins.

Children can also be given licorice root in the form of lollipops. So, to make lollipops at home, you will only need sugar and water to make the caramel mass, as well as the licorice root itself. The caramel mass is prepared quite simply: you need about a glass of sugar per glass of water. All this is dissolved over low heat, boiled for several minutes until a viscous caramel mass is formed. Then add pre-crushed licorice root.

You can try grinding the licorice root in a coffee grinder until it becomes a powder. Then pour it into molds and let it harden. You can eat it with every coughing fit. The amount is not limited, but you still need to monitor the child so that he eats in moderation. There are practically no contraindications, except for cases of individual intolerance, hypersensitivity, allergic reaction to individual components.