What is an Anti-catarrhal?

These herbs help the body to remove excess mucous from the body. They’re mainly used in ear, nose and throat infections. They’ll help eliminate mucous in the sinuses while playing a role in a broader based treatment objectives .

How Anti-catarrhals Work

Mucous is not in-and-of-itself a problem. It’s purposefully made by the body to help rid itself of foreign bodies and infectious agents. When too much of it is produced it is usually in response to an infection, as way of removing the organism and excess carbohydrates from the body. Some remedies will work by thinning the mucous making it more watery and easier to expel, others will reduce the mucous secretions directly. The astringent action of tannins is common to many of these herbs.

Herbal Examples

• Euphrasia sp. (Eyebright)
• Hydrastis canadensis (Goldenseal)
• Solidago virgaurea (Golden rod)
• Plantago major/lanceolata (Plantain)
• Baptisia tinctoria (Wild Indigo)
• Ephedra sinica (Ma Huang)
• Sambucus nigra (Elderberry & flower) 
• Mentha piperita (Peppermint) 

• Adapted from David Hoffman’s ‘The Herbal Handbook: A User’s Guide to Medical Herbalism”.