Peppermint for bronchitis coughs

A plant that many of us are familiar with from its aromatic mint tea, which has a calming effect, and chewing gum with invigorating “aspic”.

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Pharmacodynamics

The plant has a sedative, analgesic, antiseptic and anti-inflammatory effect. But it also has another remarkable effect - antispasmodic. Yes, mint is an effective antispasmodic, so it is used even for bronchospasms and obstructive bronchitis in combination with mucolytics and expectorants.

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Dosing and administration

For bronchitis, the best medicines are: infusion of mint leaves and mint tea. For the infusion, take 1 tbsp. of dry raw material and 1 glass of water. Keep the composition warm for about an hour.

For cough and bronchitis, use the herbal infusion 3 or 4 times a day, 1-2 tablespoons. To improve the taste, you can add honey, lemon or sugar, which will only enhance the effect of the medicine.

For tea, take 2 tablespoons of dry or fresh raw materials per 1 liter of boiling water. Infuse the mixture for 20-30 minutes, covered with a lid. You need to drink tasty and healthy tea half a glass three times a day. The children's dose is 2 times less than the adult's.

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Contraindications

We are used to drinking mint tea not only when we are sick, and we do not even think about the fact that the plant may not be useful for everyone. For example, if a person has increased stomach acidity or the body does not produce hydrochloric acid (the pathology is called achlorhydria), with varicose veins and hypotension, the use of compositions with mint is considered undesirable. Mint can aggravate the situation with infertility, reducing the ability to conceive in people of both sexes.

You cannot drink infusions and tea with mint if you are hypersensitive to the plant and have allergic reactions, or if you have severe general weakness. Such treatment can be prescribed to children starting from the age of 3.

During pregnancy, in the absence of allergy to mint, drinks can be taken in small doses and only with the permission of a doctor. The same can be advised to nursing mothers, which will help increase milk production. But do not forget that in large doses, mint will have the opposite effect.

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Side effects peppermint

Mint produces a noticeable sedative effect, so it can cause lethargy and drowsiness, which is dangerous for those whose work requires concentration. For men, long-term use of mint is fraught with a decrease in potency, especially if there have been problems in the sexual sphere before. In addition, mint reduces the likelihood of conceiving a child, so you need to be careful with it when planning a pregnancy.

Consuming mint in large quantities causes heartburn, so those with high stomach acidity should be careful with it. Allergic reactions are also possible due to hypersensitivity to the plant.

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Interactions with other drugs

The combination of mint with antiherpetic drugs is considered dangerous, as it can cause a sharp drop in blood pressure and collapse.

Green tea with mint is a fairly common combination of two useful plants. But not everyone knows that such a neighborhood in one cup or taking two drinks with a short interval of time can worsen falling asleep, cause insomnia and irritability.

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Storage conditions

Mint should also be collected in June-July, when it begins to bloom especially actively. Non-flowering stems are considered less useful. You can collect individual leaves or cut flowering branches of mint 5 cm from the ground. It is not recommended to wet the mint before drying.

Mint leaves are dried on a paper mat, periodically stirring them for better air access. Mint branches are tied into small bunches and hung. The room for drying and storing mint should have good ventilation. It is necessary to avoid exposure of the plant to sunlight, which reduces its healing power.

You can’t dry mint in a dryer or oven, as it will quickly become unhealthy.

It is better to store sprigs of mint in cloth bags so that they have access to air, in a dry room. Crushed leaves should be placed in glass or ceramic dishes and covered with a lid. The shelf life of mint is 2 years.

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