Herbal Medicine For Cough: Which Medicinal Herbs Are Safer Than Others?
Are you aware of the existence of herbal medicine for cough and its positive effects on one's health? Have you ever heard about systematic review or meta-analysis? These are two methods used to identify the effectiveness of different medicinal herbs. This is a very important part of evaluating the effects of herbal medicine for cough.
Herbal medicines for cough (Balgham ka ilaj) which act on the respiratory tract system can be classified into three categories, namely, cough syrup, herbal cough suppressant, and upper respiratory tract disease. The most common and effective herbal medicine for cough is thyme, which acts by improving the immunity system. Thyme is also known to treat colds and flu. In addition to this, it helps alleviate cough and clearing up mucus secretions, as well as reducing inflammation and coughing.
Cough syrup is another category of medicinal herbs used as an herbal medicine for cough. It contains various medicinal herbs such as caraway, peppermint, lemon balm, mint, marjoram, basil, eucalyptus, and Angelica plant. These herbs are primarily used to treat minor ailments because they are effective in relieving cough. However, when taken in higher doses, they may cause undesirable side effects such as hallucinations, shakes, vomiting, and stomach upset.
RCTs are an effective herbal medicine for cough in relieving cough and clearing the airways. RCTs are also known to provide relief from common colds, flu, and viral respiratory illnesses. Moreover, herbal medicine for cough relievers is helpful in reducing fever, decreasing fatigue, and preventing the occurrence of upper respiratory tract infections. This is due to the fact that the herbs help fight inflammation, bacteria, and viruses that are responsible for upper respiratory tract infections..
A few studies showed that the effects of herbs can be additive or synergistic, but most indicated that these effects are additive or synergistic. Furthermore, these studies revealed that the combination of certain medicinal herbs does not improve the effect's effectiveness unless they all have complementary effects on the body. This means that you must take into consideration the specific needs and symptoms of your individual situation before deciding which medicinal herbs to take. In addition, some studies showed that the effect can be enhanced by combining herbs that have different therapeutic properties. This is especially true of herbs with strong antiviral, antibacterial, or antiparasitic properties.
The systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies that used herbs containing different chemical components showed that a combination of ginger, thyme, and cypress significantly reduced the incidence of upper respiratory tract infections. These three herbs also exhibited significant effects on the severity of chronic coughing and increased the time to relief when compared to a placebo control group. A recent analysis showed that a combination of linalool lavender and eucalyptus was as effective as cough suppressants that contained the only thyme. Furthermore, a meta-analysis of studies showed that a combination of thyme, caraway, and goldenseal was more effective than a single herb only, thymoquinone, in reducing cough severity.
Acute and subacute coughing (Balgham Ka Ilaj) is often interspersed with fever, sneezing, and sore throat. Because of this, acute cough is often difficult to differentiate from a common cold. To determine the difference, doctors use laboratory tests and symptoms experienced by the patient. Unfortunately, many doctors only perform a clinical trial after patients have already developed a chronic cough illness using an RCT. This is what has led to the creation of systematic reviews and meta-analyses.
Studies showed that two particular herbs, namely, thyme and cypress, were able to provide the most benefit when used in a combined dosage. Although these medicinal herbs may be effective when used separately, studies revealed that the combined use of these two herbs was most effective in addressing acute cough and reducing the severity of the condition. Additionally, these studies revealed that these two herbs reduced the frequency and duration of upper respiratory tract infections. Therefore, these medicinal herbs can be considered safe for use as they are not habit-forming and have few or no side effects when taken as directed.