Mullein is a plant that's used in herbal medicinal preparations to treat a wide variety of respiratory tract ailments. Its flowers and leaves are the primary plant parts used in traditional remedies to treat coughs, asthma, bronchitis and even ear infections. Mullein is typically taken as a tea, tincture or dried herbal product. You can steep 1 tsp. to 2 tsp. dried mullein leaves or flowers in 1 cup boiling water for 10 to 15 minutes and drink the tea three to four times daily. Or, you can take 1/4 tsp. to 3/4 tsp. of the tincture or 1/2 tsp. to 3/4 tsp. of the dried herb three times per day. Mullein seeds contain rotenone, a toxic substance that can be harmful, so don't ingest any seeds or flowers containing the seeds.
Treats Asthma
In traditional medicine, mullein has been used for its anti-inflammatory effects, reducing the inflammation in the air passages to the lungs, notes the University of Michigan Health System. Mullein has been used to treat asthma-related coughing and soothe the bronchioles. It's made up of mucilage, which contains large sugar molecules, and typically has a soothing effect, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.
Treats Colds, Sore Throats and Coughs
Mullein also contains saponins that act as expectorants to loosen mucus and ease congestion in the respiratory tract. Taking mullein may help to relieve your symptoms from the common cold, such as sore throat and coughing, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Some test tube studies have discovered that mullein may also have virus-killing effects and may help increase the effectiveness of flu medications, but the research is still very preliminary, the University of Pittsburgh notes. Nevertheless, mullein can help to relieve the symptoms of colds, flu and other respiratory ailments by helping to break up mucus and ease irritating coughs, the University of Michigan Health System says.
Treats Ear Infections
Mullein may also have some use for treating ear infections, "otitis media" or middle ear infection, as well as eardrum pain. When used in the form of liquid ear drops, mullein may help to relieve eardrum pain associated with an ear infection but likely won't actually kill the infection itself, says the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Although mullein ear drops haven't been studied in clinical trials, they've been used in traditional medicine to relieve symptoms associated with acute ear infections, the University of Michigan Health System says.
Treats Bronchitis & COPD
Like coughs, colds and sore throats, the mucilage and saponins contained in mullein may also help to ease your symptoms if you're suffering from bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD. Mullein can help to treat bronchitis and COPD by assisting the discharge of mucus from the lungs and reducing inflammation in the respiratory tract, says the University of Michigan Health System.
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