Mullein is used for cough, whooping cough, tuberculosis, bronchitis, hoarseness, pneumonia, earaches, colds, chills, flu, swine flu, fever, allergies, tonsillitis, and sore throat. Other uses include asthma, diarrhea, colic, gastrointestinal bleeding, migraines, joint pain, and gout. It is also used as a sedative and as a diuretic to increase urine output.
Mullein is applied to the skin for wounds, burns, hemorrhoids, bruises, frostbite, and skin infections (cellulitis). The leaves are used topically to soften and protect the skin.
In lab tests published in 2002, researchers found that mullein helped kill certain types of bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus (the most common cause of staph infections) and Escherichia coli (or E. coli). Herbalists typically use mullein to address the following health problems:
Upper respiratory tract infections
Coughs
Bronchitis
Asthma
In test-tube research, mullein has been found to fight flu-causing viruses. However, since the flu can lead to serious illnesses such as pneumonia, it's critical to seek medical attention when experiencing flu symptoms (rather than attempting to self-treat the condition).
In a 2003 study of 171 children with otalgia (ear pain or an earache), those who used ear drops containing mullein (along with garlic, Calendula, St. John's wort, lavender, vitamin E, and olive oil) had a statistically significant improvement in ear pain over the course of three days. In fact, those who were given ear drops alone had a better response than those who were given ear drops together with amoxicillin.
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