White horehound

Marrubium vulgare

Historical tradition – not medical advice, and no health or healing claims. more

Historical botanical drawing: White — White

Tradition (Hildegard's writings)

In Hildegard's tradition, white horehound was associated with the airways and the throat.

Ingredients

The herb, fresh or dried; it contains bitter compounds and essential oil.

Botanical background

White horehound (Marrubium vulgare) is a member of the mint family and grows 30 to 60 centimetres tall. The whole plant is covered in dense felty hairs; the rounded, wrinkled leaves are stalked and the small flowers sit in almost spherical false whorls. The calyx ends in ten recurved, prickly teeth that act like tiny barbs. The herb is used fresh or dried, and its bitterness is unusually pronounced: the taste remains clearly noticeable at a dilution of one part in three thousand. Hildegard describes it in the Physica as warm and full of sap, whereas modern pharmacy makes only limited use of it.

Sources & references

Hildegard von Bingen: Heilsame Schöpfung. Die natürliche Wirkkraft der Dinge (Physica). Hrsg. von der Abtei St. Hildegard, Eibingen. Beuroner Kunstverlag 2012 (4. Auflage 2024). Cap. 1-33.
Strehlow, Wighard: Die Hildegard-Naturapotheke. Heilmittel und Rezepte von A bis Z. Knaur Verlag 2014.
Strehlow, Wighard: Der Hildegard-Kompass. Die wichtigsten Heilmittel und Anwendungen. Knaur Verlag 2014.
Heepen, Günther H.: Das Heilwissen der Hildegard von Bingen. Gräfe und Unzer Verlag 2015.

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More preparations using White

Horehound and Mullein Powder Blend Horehound Wine

Historical tradition. The above describes how this preparation was recorded and used in the tradition of Hildegard of Bingen. This is cultural-historical information, not medical advice and not a health or healing claim, and it is no substitute for advice from a doctor or pharmacist. If you have health complaints, please consult your doctor or pharmacy.

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