Coltsfoot
Coltsfoot is one of my favorite herbs and is a MUST for your medicine cabinet. With spring finally upon us, allergies and other respiratory aliments with chronic to acute conditions, can make this time of year miserable for many people. Coltsfoot is a very diverse plant and can help sooth and treat many aliments such as asthma, bronchitis, cough, laryngitis, hoarseness, lung cancer symptoms, throat irritations, sore throat, and wheezing.
The active ingredient in Coltsfoot is called mucilage (containing about 8%) and is responsible for the soothing effect it has on the throat. It leaves a coating that helps to suppress the cough and relieve respiratory conditions. It is also used as a demulcent, expectorant and tonic and gives much relief in bronchitis as it has anti-inflammatory properties. Coltsfoot has been used in Western herbal medicines and Chinese medicine for about 2,500 years. The benefits of this herb have been known for a very long time, and even today it is widely used in many parts of the world.
Coltsfoot about to bloom
Coltsfoot is a member of the Daisy family and is native to Europe and it also grows wild in North America and the temperate parts of China. It is a tough invasive plant that lives in marginal soil, abundant in wastelands, along roadsides, and sand dunes. The stem is covered with white downy fibers, the leaves are hoof-shaped, and the flowers are brilliant yellow.
Other common names that this plant is known by include the following: cough wort, horse foot, horse hoof, bulls foot, ass’s foot, foals foot, British tobacco, butterbur, fieldhove, and flower velure. In Chinese it is called kuan dong hua. The reference of the common name British tobacco comes from the fact that the leaves where used as a smoking tobacco to help with asthma and bronchitis without any of the bad effects of cigarette tobacco.
Flower in bloom
I thought the video was a very interesting addition to this post as it references Coltsfoot as an edible plant and shows another side of this well diverse plant. I hope you enjoy watching it. 
Whenever I come across any negative information on any of the herbs that I post to this website I will include it so that you may be able to make rational decisions about your health and actively seek alternative choices in the best way to look after your own well being. Although I am a strong believer in natural medicines there are times that certain medical conditions require professional advice. Whenever you are under the care of a medical professional make sure they are aware of any herbal remedies you are using. The following is what I have found concerning adverse reactions when using Coltsfoot.
In years past the whole plant was used in making various remedies, but some recent studies claim that the roots of this plant have shown to increase the incidence of liver damage and cancerous liver tumors in both laboratory animals and humans. Although this has not been scientifically proven, I would use caution in using this herb for long periods of time. I would also strongly recommend that if you are in poor health and are under the care of a physician that you should consult with him or her before taking any herbal remedies, as there are some known adverse reactions to some herbs and prescribed medications.
About The Author
Comments