Donum ∞ Dei

🌬️ Medicinal Plants for Allergies

Against the allergy itself herbal medicine achieves little; against its accompanying effects, rather more: mucilage soothes irritated nasal and throat membranes, astringent infusions ease itching. Butterbur has been studied for hay fever, though only as standardised finished preparations. With breathing difficulty or circulatory symptoms, call the emergency number at once.

40 plants from our database are traditionally associated with Allergies – each with a profile, active compounds, safety notes and sources. Poisonous and legally controlled species are deliberately left out of this list; they remain reachable through the search and the plant index.

These plants are traditionally used for the listed conditions. Not medical advice — consult a doctor or pharmacist for persistent symptoms.

Yellow ray flowers of elecampane
Elecampane
Inula helenium

Traditional root decoction as expectorant for cough and bronchial catarrh — classic application in European phytotherapy (ESCOP, Wichtl).

Small white flowers of eyebright with yellow and violet markings
Eyebright
Euphrasia officinalis

Infusion of the flowering herb (1–2 g per cup, steep 10 min) for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, hay fever, and sinusitis.

Photo of Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum
Ocimum tenuiflorum

Tulsi tea from dried leaves and flowers has been used in Ayurveda for centuries as a rasayana (rejuvenating agent) and adaptogen.

Photo of Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea
Echinacea purpurea

Expressed juice from fresh flowering herb (EMA well-established use) for short-term prevention and treatment of upper respiratory tract colds.

Photo of Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimonia eupatoria

Traditional agrimony gargle for mild oral and pharyngeal inflammation, aphthae and gum irritation — astringent tannins, EMA traditional use.

Photo of Onion
Onion
Allium cepa

Raw onion as spring tonic and digestive stimulant: promotes salivary and gastric secretion, mildly supports blood pressure regulation, traditionall…

Photo of Leek
Leek
Allium porrum

Folk use of leek as a mild digestive and intestinal remedy.

Photo of Garlic
Garlic
Allium sativum

Prevention of atherosclerotic vascular changes; supportive use in slightly elevated blood lipids and mild hypertension.

Photo of Cymbopogon citratus
Cymbopogon citratus
Cymbopogon citratus

The essential oil (main constituent citral 65–85 %) shows pronounced antifungal activity in the lab against Candida albicans, C.

Photo of Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba
Ginkgo biloba

TCM-inspired leaf infusion for respiratory complaints and cough — limited Western evidence; do not discontinue prescribed asthma medications withou…

Photo of Sea buckthorn
Sea buckthorn
Hippophae rhamnoides

Fresh berries and pressed juice as an exceptionally vitamin-C-rich food source — traditional immune support in Northern/Central Europe and Central…

Photo of Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata
Houttuynia cordata

Infusion of dried aerial parts (leaves, stems) is used in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) for upper respiratory tract infections, chronic cough,…

Photo of Laurus nobilis
Laurus nobilis
Laurus nobilis

Infusion of 1–2 dried bay leaves for flatulence, bloating, and mild catarrh of the respiratory tract.

White labiate flowers and grey-green leaves of white horehound
White Horehound
Marrubium vulgare

Traditional horehound herb tea as expectorant for cold-related and irritative cough, and as a bitter remedy for loss of appetite and dyspeptic comp…

Photo of Oregano
Oregano
Origanum vulgare

Traditional folk-medicinal use as an aromatic infusion for dyspeptic complaints (bloating, flatulence, loss of appetite) and for catarrhal upper-re…

Dark red flowers of the South African geranium (Pelargonium sidoides) in a garden in Pretoria, South Africa
South African geranium (Umckaloabo)
Pelargonium sidoides

The root extract is used traditionally to relieve common cold symptoms.

Photo of Picea abies
Picea abies
Picea abies

Tea from fresh spring shoots (Maiwipferl): finely chopped young shoot tips are steeped in hot water for 5 minutes.

Photo of Pinus sylvestris
Pinus sylvestris
Pinus sylvestris

Inhalation of pine needle oil (Pini aetheroleum) or an infusion of young shoots traditionally relieves catarrh of the upper and lower respiratory t…

Photo of Plantago lanceolata
Plantago lanceolata
Plantago lanceolata

Soothing tea for dry irritated cough and hoarseness.

Photo of Coleus barbatus
Coleus barbatus
Plectranthus barbatus

In East Africa and the Arabian Peninsula, leaf infusions are traditionally used for colds, bronchitis, and coughs.

Photo of Pulmonaria officinalis
Pulmonaria officinalis
Pulmonaria officinalis

Lungwort tea made from aerial parts is traditionally used in European folk medicine for coughs, bronchitis, and throat complaints.

Photo of black Spanish radish
Black Spanish radish
Raphanus sativus var. niger

Traditionally, black radish juice mixed with honey was used as a cough remedy and expectorant.

Photo of Radish
Radish
Raphanus sativus var. sativus

Fresh radish juice or grated radishes were used in folk medicine for colds, coughs and bronchitis.

Photo of Sambucus nigra
Sambucus nigra
Sambucus nigra

Traditional diaphoretic flower tea for feverish colds — perspiration-promoting use recognised by EMA as traditional use.

Photo of Summer savory
Summer savory
Satureja hortensis

In folk medicine, savory tea is used for coughs and bronchial catarrh.

Photo of Solidago virgaurea
Solidago virgaurea
Solidago virgaurea

Folk use for rheumatic complaints, gout and as a spring detox cure — often blended with other diuretic herbs.

Photo of Sorbus aucuparia
Sorbus aucuparia
Sorbus aucuparia

In Austrian and Central European folk medicine, rowan berries were used as tea, syrup, or jelly for colds, flu, cough, bronchitis, and fever.

Photo of Clove
Clove
Syzygium aromaticum

Clove tea (2–3 whole cloves per 250 ml hot water, steeped 10 min) acts warming, expectorant, and mildly antiseptic in colds with cough and digestiv…

Photo of Thuja occidentalis
Thuja occidentalis
Thuja occidentalis

Clinically documented exclusively as the combination product Esberitox® N (Schaper & Brümmer): Echinacea purpurea root + Baptisia tinctoria root +…

Photo of Tropaeolum majus
Tropaeolum majus
Tropaeolum majus

Infusion of fresh or dried leaves and flowers for urinary tract infections.

Photo of Verbascum densiflorum
Verbascum densiflorum
Verbascum densiflorum

Traditional cough tea for dry irritant cough and catarrh of the respiratory tract (EMA traditional use).

Photo of Verbena officinalis
Verbena officinalis
Verbena officinalis

Traditional infusion of flowering vervain herb for catarrhal conditions of the respiratory tract — a constituent of the well-known combination prod…

Photo of Viola tricolor
Viola tricolor
Viola tricolor

Folk cough and cold tea — mucilaginous, mildly diaphoretic, traditionally for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract.

Photo of Ginger
Ginger
Zingiber officinale

Ginger rhizome as universal culinary and household spice — fresh, dried, candied, as syrup or pickle.

Photo of Fragaria vesca
Fragaria vesca
Fragaria vesca

Ripe wild strawberries are rich in vitamin C, anthocyanins, and ellagic acid.

Photo of Maize
Maize
Zea mays

Nixtamalisation — soaking and cooking maize in an alkaline lime solution (calcium hydroxide) — was developed by Mesoamerican cultures over 3,000 ye…

Photo of Artemisia vulgaris
Artemisia vulgaris
Artemisia vulgaris

Used in folk medicine as an expectorant and antispasmodic for respiratory complaints and asthma.

Photo of Bellis perennis
Bellis perennis
Bellis perennis

Very mild folk-medicine tea for spring cures and mild respiratory irritation — traditional use without modern evidence.

Photo of Sweet chestnut
Sweet chestnut
Castanea sativa

Leaf tea for whooping cough and coughs: dried sweet chestnut leaves contain tannins and flavonoids with astringent, antitussive, and expectorant pr…

Photo of Juglans regia
Juglans regia
Juglans regia

Walnut as food — EFSA-recognised effect on blood lipid levels (ALA/omega-3); clinical evidence for LDL reduction, endothelial function and antioxid…

Different concern? All complaints at a glance · all plants

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