Interstitial cystitis, also known as urologic chronic pelvic pain syndrome, is an inflammatory condition of the bladder that is poorly understood. It can cause moderate-to-severe pain in the abdominal region, dramatically increased need to urinate, painful urination and incontinence. Interstitial cystitis is not a rare disease, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. It affects both men and women of all ages but is most frequently found among post-menopausal women. While horehound was widely used as a digestive stimulant and anti-inflammatory in the past, it is now used predominantly as an expectorant in alternative medicine.
Causes
Interstitial cystitis is best defined in terms of what scientists do not know. Bacterial or viral infections, while not responsible for the symptoms of interstitial cystitis, are believed by some researchers to predispose an individual to develop the condition later in life. While research seems to conclude that patients with interstitial cystitis have semi-permeable bladder walls, allowing toxic constituents to irritate local nerves, theories as to why this happens vary widely. These include autoimmune activity, weakened endothelial membranes from prior infections, environmental allergies, excessive bladder-wall nerve firing or the expression of a gene that causes the production of toxic urine. Other researchers, noting the significance of mental and emotional stress on the development of symptoms, believe that neurological factors may be responsible.
Horehound Applications
According to Drugs.com, a tea made from the powerfully bitter leaves and flowering tops of the horehound plant was used historically as a bitter tonic for digestion. It is commonly employed as an expectorant in the form of a somewhat more palatable lozenge. Extracts were sometimes used as well, generally as a diaphoretic or diuretic, and for the elimination of intestinal parasites. Due to its diuretic effects in high doses, people suffering from interstitial cystitis should not use extracts of the herb and should speak with their doctor before taking horehound.
Side Effects
There have been few reports of side effects accompanying the use of horehound. Extremely high doses of the extract have the potential to produce cardiac irregularities, however, due to the presence of the volatile compound marrubiin. NaturalStandard.com, a website that provides evidence-based information about complementary and alternative therapies, also reports that horehound may produce diarrhea, hypertension, electrolyte imbalance, edema, muscle weakness and vomiting, although the doses required to produce these effects are not achievable under normal circumstances. Avoid horehound if you are allergic to plants in the mint family or have diabetes, problems with blood pressure or cardiac arrhythmia. Horehound should be avoided if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Most of these concerns pertain to extracts of the plant. The Food and Drug Administration considers horehound in normal doses to be "generally recognized as safe."
Drug Interactions
There are no known drug interactions with horehound. If, however, you are taking high doses of horehound, it may increase the effects of blood-pressure medication and diuretics. Horehound also may reduce the efficacy of anti-emetic and anti-depressant drugs, as well as some migraine medications.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center; Urological Disorders: Interstitial Cystitis (IC); February 2008
- Drugs.com; Horehound; 2009
- NaturalStandard.com: White Horehound
- Frontier Co-op: Horehound Herb
- MayoClinic.com; Interstitial Cystitis; January 2011
- Dr. Duke's Phytochemical and Ethnobotanical Database: Chemicals in Marrubium Vulgare L. (Lamiaceae) -- Horehound, White Horehound
