Marrubium vulgare (white horehound or common horehound) is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae), native to Europe, northern Africa, and southwestern and central Asia. It is also widely naturalized in many places, including most of North and South America.
It is a grey-leaved herbaceousperennial plant, and grows to 25–45 centimetres (10–18 in) tall. The leaves are 2–5 cm (0.8–2.0 in) long with a densely crinkled surface, and are covered in downy hairs. The flowers are white, borne in clusters on the upper part of the main stem.
The Oxford English Dictionary derives the word horehound from Old English hoar (furry, as in "hoarfrost") and hune (a word of unknown origin designating a class of herbs or plants). The second element was altered by folk etymology. The word "White" is generally used in botanical contexts, to distinguish it from Black Horehound, Ballota nigra, a similar-looking herb.
White horehound has been mentioned in conjunction with use as a folk medicine dating at least back to the 1st century BC, where it appeared as a remedy for respiratory ailments in the treatiseDe Medicina by Roman encyclopaedistAulus Cornelius Celsus.[2] The Roman agricultural writer Columella lists it as a remedy for expelling worms in farm animals in his important first-century work On Agriculture.[3] Since then, white horehound has appeared for similar purposes in numerous herbals over the centuries, such as The Herball, or, Generall historie of plantes by John Gerard, and Every Man His Own Doctor: or, The Poor Planter’s Physician by Dr. John Tennent.[4]
M. vulgare has become a popular dietary supplement in the U.S. It has been described in the monographs of the German Commission E as a treatment for colds, as a digestive, and as a choleretic. It is one of the ingredients of the Ricolathroat lozenge.[5] Its use as a therapy as of 2016[update] has been under investigation for decades, and has been found in peer-reviewed publications to have antiinflammatory, analgesic, antispasmodic, and vasorelaxant properties.[5] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration does not endorse the plant for use as a drug, but has declared it to be generally safe as a food additive.[6]
Horehound candy drops are bittersweet hard candies like cough drops made with sugar and an extract of M. vulgare. They are dark-colored, dissolve in the mouth, and have a flavor that has been compared to menthol and root beer. Like other products derived from M. vulgare, they are sometimes used as an unproven folk treatment for coughs and other ailments.[7][8]
Horehound was introduced to southern Australia in the 19th century as a medicinal herb. It became a weed of native grasslands and pastures where it was introduced with settlers' livestock and was first declared under noxious weeds legislation. It now appears to have reached its full potential distribution.
Horehound is usually found in disturbed and overgrazed areas. It is highly unpalatable to livestock, so livestock eat other plants around it, a process that favors the persistence and spread of the weed. It may persist in native vegetation that has been grazed.
According to 14th century English poet John Gower, in Book 7 of his Confessio Amantis, this plant was the herb of the fourth star of Nectanebus' astrology[clarify], Capella. Gower uses the older name, Alhaiot (VII:1338).
Gallery
Wild horehound
Flowers
Foliage of young plants
Horehound bug (Agonoscelis rutila), an insect that feeds on the plant
^Franz Eugen Köhler, 1897, Köhler's Medizinal-Pflanzen
^"LacusCurtius • Celsus – On Medicine – Book IV". Penelope.uchicago.edu. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
^"Full text of "On agriculture, with a recension of the text and an English translation by Harrison Boyd Ash"". Archive.org. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
^John Tennent. "Every Man His Own Doctor: OR, The Poor Planter's Physician, ca. 1727" (PDF). Nationalhumanitiescenter.org. Retrieved 21 January 2018.
^ abRodríguez Villanueva J, Martín Esteban J (October 2016). "An Insight into a Blockbuster Phytomedicine; Marrubium vulgare L. Herb. More of a Myth than a Reality?". Phytother Res (Review). 30 (10): 1551–1558. doi:10.1002/ptr.5661. PMID 27271209. S2CID 22341794.
^Foster, Steven; Tyler, Varro E.; Tyler, Virginia M. (1999). Tyler's Honest Herbal: A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies. Psychology Press. p. 218. ISBN9780789007056.
^Vandersteen, Eric (18 March 2019). Horehounds Are the Old-School Candy You're Missing Out On. Saveur.
^Sharrock, Jane (2004-08-03). Who Wants Candy?. Penguin. p. 50. ISBN9781440625534.
Parsons, W. & Cuthbertson, E. (2001) Noxious Weeds of Australia. 2nd ed. (CSIRO Publishing: Collingwood). ISBN0-643-06514-8
External links
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July 21, 2023
marrubium, vulgare, white, horehound, common, horehound, flowering, plant, mint, family, lamiaceae, native, europe, northern, africa, southwestern, central, asia, also, widely, naturalized, many, places, including, most, north, south, america, scientific, clas. Marrubium vulgare white horehound or common horehound is a flowering plant in the mint family Lamiaceae native to Europe northern Africa and southwestern and central Asia It is also widely naturalized in many places including most of North and South America Marrubium vulgareMarrubium vulgare 1 Scientific classificationKingdom PlantaeClade TracheophytesClade AngiospermsClade EudicotsClade AsteridsOrder LamialesFamily LamiaceaeGenus MarrubiumSpecies M vulgareBinomial nameMarrubium vulgareL It is a grey leaved herbaceous perennial plant and grows to 25 45 centimetres 10 18 in tall The leaves are 2 5 cm 0 8 2 0 in long with a densely crinkled surface and are covered in downy hairs The flowers are white borne in clusters on the upper part of the main stem Contents 1 Etymology 2 Uses 2 1 Folk medicine 2 2 Culinary 3 As an invasive weed 4 As biocontrol 5 In astrology 6 Gallery 7 See also 8 References 9 Further reading 10 External linksEtymology EditThe Oxford English Dictionary derives the word horehound from Old English hoar furry as in hoarfrost and hune a word of unknown origin designating a class of herbs or plants The second element was altered by folk etymology The word White is generally used in botanical contexts to distinguish it from Black Horehound Ballota nigra a similar looking herb Uses EditFolk medicine Edit Celsus De medicina in the Aldine edition of 1528White horehound has been mentioned in conjunction with use as a folk medicine dating at least back to the 1st century BC where it appeared as a remedy for respiratory ailments in the treatise De Medicina by Roman encyclopaedist Aulus Cornelius Celsus 2 The Roman agricultural writer Columella lists it as a remedy for expelling worms in farm animals in his important first century work On Agriculture 3 Since then white horehound has appeared for similar purposes in numerous herbals over the centuries such as The Herball or Generall historie of plantes by John Gerard and Every Man His Own Doctor or The Poor Planter s Physician by Dr John Tennent 4 M vulgare has become a popular dietary supplement in the U S It has been described in the monographs of the German Commission E as a treatment for colds as a digestive and as a choleretic It is one of the ingredients of the Ricola throat lozenge 5 Its use as a therapy as of 2016 update has been under investigation for decades and has been found in peer reviewed publications to have antiinflammatory analgesic antispasmodic and vasorelaxant properties 5 The U S Food and Drug Administration does not endorse the plant for use as a drug but has declared it to be generally safe as a food additive 6 Culinary Edit A container of horehound candies from Fuzziwig s Candy FactoryHorehound candy drops are bittersweet hard candies like cough drops made with sugar and an extract of M vulgare They are dark colored dissolve in the mouth and have a flavor that has been compared to menthol and root beer Like other products derived from M vulgare they are sometimes used as an unproven folk treatment for coughs and other ailments 7 8 M vulgare is used to make beverages such as horehound beer similar to root beer horehound herbal tea similar to the Maghrebi mint tea and the rock and rye cocktail 9 As an invasive weed EditHorehound was introduced to southern Australia in the 19th century as a medicinal herb It became a weed of native grasslands and pastures where it was introduced with settlers livestock and was first declared under noxious weeds legislation It now appears to have reached its full potential distribution In New Zealand efforts are being made to control its spread with biocontrol measures using the horehound clearwing moth Chamaesphecia mysiniformis and the horehound plume moth Wheeleria spilodactylus which could eat their way through many plants 10 11 Horehound is usually found in disturbed and overgrazed areas It is highly unpalatable to livestock so livestock eat other plants around it a process that favors the persistence and spread of the weed It may persist in native vegetation that has been grazed As biocontrol EditMarrubium vulgare is also used as a natural grasshopper repellent in agriculture In astrology EditAccording to 14th century English poet John Gower in Book 7 of his Confessio Amantis this plant was the herb of the fourth star of Nectanebus astrology clarify Capella Gower uses the older name Alhaiot VII 1338 Gallery Edit Wild horehound Flowers Foliage of young plants Horehound bug Agonoscelis rutila an insect that feeds on the plant Leaves detail See also EditBlack Horehound List of candiesReferences Edit Franz Eugen Kohler 1897 Kohler s Medizinal Pflanzen LacusCurtius Celsus On Medicine Book IV Penelope uchicago edu Retrieved 21 January 2018 Full text of On agriculture with a recension of the text and an English translation by Harrison Boyd Ash Archive org Retrieved 21 January 2018 John Tennent Every Man His Own Doctor OR The Poor Planter s Physician ca 1727 PDF Nationalhumanitiescenter org Retrieved 21 January 2018 a b Rodriguez Villanueva J Martin Esteban J October 2016 An Insight into a Blockbuster Phytomedicine Marrubium vulgare L Herb More of a Myth than a Reality Phytother Res Review 30 10 1551 1558 doi 10 1002 ptr 5661 PMID 27271209 S2CID 22341794 Foster Steven Tyler Varro E Tyler Virginia M 1999 Tyler s Honest Herbal A Sensible Guide to the Use of Herbs and Related Remedies Psychology Press p 218 ISBN 9780789007056 Vandersteen Eric 18 March 2019 Horehounds Are the Old School Candy You re Missing Out On Saveur Sharrock Jane 2004 08 03 Who Wants Candy Penguin p 50 ISBN 9781440625534 Rock amp Rye Imbibe Magazine Imbibemagazine com Retrieved 21 January 2018 Moths may be the key to controlling spreading infestations of horehound Stuff 9 May 2019 Retrieved 9 May 2019 Horehound Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research Retrieved 20 June 2022 Further reading Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marrubium vulgare Everist D L 1981 Poisonous Plants of Australia 3rd ed Angus amp Robertson Sydney ISBN 0 207 14228 9 Parsons W amp Cuthbertson E 2001 Noxious Weeds of Australia 2nd ed CSIRO Publishing Collingwood ISBN 0 643 06514 8External links Edit Wikispecies has information related to Marrubium vulgare Ecoport Encyclopedia of Life Flowers of India India Biodiversity Portal Jepson Manual Treatment Trefle Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Marrubium vulgare amp oldid 1165716660, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
