Decongestants typically work to relieve mucous congestion or “stuffiness” in your nose and sinuses, while expectorants loosen and thin phlegm or mucous in your lungs, allowing you to cough it up more easily. Certain herbs might provide these decongestant and expectorant effects, and you might take them to relieve your symptoms from colds, flu or other respiratory infections. Consult your doctor before taking any herbal decongestant or expectorant.
Herbs
Eucalyptus and peppermint may act as herbal decongestants to relieve your nasal congestion, according to the University of Michigan Health System. Echinacea might also help to reduce congestion, as well as andrographis and elderberry. Inhaled and oral essential oils of certain herbs could also help to relieve congestion. You should talk with your doctor before using any herbal remedies for congestion.
Considerations
In addition to the expectorant and decongestant actions, these herbs might have other benefits relating to colds and flu. For example, elderberry could induce sweating to help your body fight viral infections and shorten the duration of the cold or flu, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. Eucalyptus and peppermint might also soothe sore throats. Echinacea could potentially prevent or reduce the duration of colds, the Mayo Clinic notes. Andrographis might help prevent colds and stimulate your immune system, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. No widely accepted medical research supports the use of these herbs in effectively treating or preventing colds and flu, however.
Application
You might take 300 to 600 mg of echinacea capsules or 3 mL of tincture three times daily for expectorant and decongestant actions, says the University of Michigan Health System. The typical recommended dosage of andrographis is 100 mg of standardized extract taken twice daily to treat cold symptoms. You can apply ointments containing eucalyptus to your chest and nose to induce expectorant actions and ease congestion, notes the University of Maryland Medical Center. Or, you might use eucalyptus or peppermint oils in steam inhalation. Before you begin using any herbal remedy as a decongestant or expectorant, you should ask your health-care provider about the proper application and dosage.
Scientific Evidence
A 1991 study in Thailand found that taking andrographis reduced the severity of cold symptoms such as congestion, says the University of Michigan Health System. Clinical studies published in Phytotherapy Research in 1995 and Phytomedicine in 1996 also found similar results. A combination of herbal extracts including eucalyptus called essential oil monoterpenes effectively treated symptoms of respiratory infections in children, according to a 1998 study in Germany. Studied alone, the cineole contained in eucalyptus taken at a dosage rate of 200 mg three times per day helped to relieve cold symptoms in a double-blind study published in The Laryngoscope in 2004, notes the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. Another study of inhaled essential oils published in the journal Respiration in 1982 discovered some benefits in easing congestion. Studies published by the European Scientific Cooperative on Phytotherapy in 1996 have revealed that peppermint oil used in aromatherapy can have expectorant and decongestant actions to relieve lung and sinus congestion. Menthol is the main constituent in peppermint that’s responsible for the decongestant effects.
Warnings
Some studies of male and female rats have found negative effects on fertility from taking andrographis, according to the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center. You should avoid taking andrographis, echinacea and any other herb that stimulates your immune system if you have an autoimmune disorder such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis or lupus, because these herbs could theoretically worsen your condition. Don’t take any herbal remedy containing the roots, leaves or stems of elderberry plants, because they can contain toxic substances that might cause diarrhea, nausea and vomiting. Only use remedies containing elderberry’s dried flowers or ripe berries. Other herbal remedies can have a wide variety of side effects, health dangers and drug interactions, so be sure to discuss these risks with a health-care professional.
