Cough radish for children, adults, pregnant women: how to prepare and take

Thanks to the biologically active substances contained in black radish roots, radish juice for coughs and colds – especially when combined with honey – is not only an effective expectorant, but also helps to cope with inflammation of the upper respiratory tract, accompanied by a cough.

What kind of cough does radish with honey help? It can be said that the indications for the use of black radish juice include both a cough with thick sputum and a dry cough that tears the throat during whooping cough. This remedy is not used only for allergic cough and asthmatic bronchitis.

How does radish juice work for cough?

The pharmacodynamics of radish juice, of course, is not described anywhere, but, as is known, the therapeutic effect of any herbal remedy is always determined by its biochemical composition. So, black radish (not red, not white, not green, but black!) contains plenty of valuable substances, as do many of its "relatives" of the cruciferous family.

Firstly, these are vitamins: ascorbic, pantothenic and folic acids (i.e. vitamins C, B5 and B9); carotene (provitamin A), thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3 or PP) and pyridoxine (B6). Moreover, antioxidant vitamin C accounts for a quarter of the entire vitamin arsenal of black radish juice for cough. It is due to the increased resistance of cells to oxidative processes that it reduces inflammation of the mucous membranes and activates the immune system. Niacin ensures capillary blood flow (i.e. supply of oxygen to the mucous tissues), and vitamin B5 performs another important function: it helps restore the cells of the mucous epithelium, including the respiratory tract.

Secondly, fresh black radish juice contains potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, zinc and selenium, which support normal enzymatic processes and intracellular metabolism.

In addition, an important role is played by isothiocyanates (raphanol and glucoraphanin) and allyl thiothiocyanate (mustard oil glucoside) - compounds containing sulfur and having not only bactericidal properties, but also stimulating the endocrine glands.

Radish juice for cough also contains the flavonoid kaempferol and the hydrolase antimicrobial enzyme lysozyme. Kaempferol inhibits or reduces the activity of viral enzymes (proteases, transcriptases, neuraminidase), and lysozyme is capable of destroying the cell membranes of bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli.

The therapeutic effect of black radish on coughs is supplemented by phenolic compounds (polyphenols) in the form of hydroxybenzoic acids – gallic, salicylic and vanillic, which have antimicrobial, astringent and anti-inflammatory effects.

How to prepare radish for cough?

Some radish cough recipes that can be found on the Internet are, to put it mildly, misleading. For example, the recommended cough syrup with radish should not be prepared: heat treatment destroys most of the beneficial flavonoids and phenolic substances of radish and at least half of the vitamins.

So you need to prepare either fresh radish juice with honey for cough, or radish with sugar for cough – also without any heating.

In the first recipe, the top of a fairly large root vegetable is cut off after it has been thoroughly washed and some of the pulp is taken out (it is dense, so it is better to cut it out little by little with a vegetable knife with a short blade). A tablespoon of liquid honey is placed in the resulting cavity, the radish needs to be tightly covered on top (it can be wrapped in cling film or foil) and placed in a deep plate or bowl. At normal room temperature, the juice will be ready in three to four hours. The second method is faster: the peeled root vegetable is grated, the juice is squeezed out and mixed with the same liquid honey (in a 3:1 ratio).

And radish with sugar for cough is prepared similarly to the first method of radish with honey, but a tablespoon of granulated sugar is poured into the recess. You can also finely chop the radish pulp, sprinkle it with sugar (its amount should be approximately the same as the chopped root vegetable) and put it in a glass container, closing the lid. By the way, when using sugar, the juice from the radish is released faster, and there is more of it.

How to take radish for cough?

It is clear that the method of using this remedy is to take the juice internally. Adults take radish for coughs by the tablespoon - up to five times during the day (not on an empty stomach).

Dosage of radish juice with honey for cough for children: one teaspoon three to four times a day for a child from one and a half to two years old to five years old, a dessert spoon for children from five to ten years old, children over ten years old can be given a tablespoon three times a day.

Side effects

Radish juice has side effects: diuretic, choleretic and mild laxative (due to the activation of the motility of the urinary and gall bladder and intestines). Although it is precisely due to these effects that it is used in the presence of corresponding diseases of the gall bladder, pancreas or liver. Radish stimulates the activity of the salivary glands (therefore, there may be increased secretion of saliva), secretion of gastric juice and pancreatic enzymes (which increases appetite). There may also be belching and increased formation of intestinal gases (flatulence). And with problems with the stomach, there is a high probability of heartburn or nausea.

Contraindications

Despite the fact that radish juice for cough is a natural remedy without any “chemicals”, it is contraindicated for use if you have a history of:

• gastritis and gastroduodenitis;
• gastric ulcer and/or duodenal ulcer;
• inflammation of the colon (colitis, enteritis, Crohn's disease);
• renal failure, nephritis, hepatitis.

Mustard oils, which are based on sulfur-containing isothiocyanates, prevent the absorption of iodine and reduce the synthesis of hormones by the thyroid gland, so radish in any form is not used for hypothyroidism.

Although reviews of pregnant women using radish juice with honey or sugar for coughs can also be found in some Internet sources, you should not trust them. Considering the above-mentioned side effects of radish juice, its use during pregnancy is also included in the list of contraindications.

Storage conditions and shelf life

A portion of juice is prepared for one day, stored at normal temperature and can be used within 24 hours. If it is necessary to continue treating cough with this remedy, fresh juice should be prepared.