Garlic and onions have long been used to treat bronchitis, allergies and asthma. The ingredients responsible include mustard oils and quercetin. Onions can be added to teas, or applied in a poultice.¹ The caffine in coffee and tea is a chemical cousin to the asthma drug theophylline. Researchers have found that a caffeine dose of 7 milligrams per 2.2 pounds of body weight can significantly improve lung function of people with asthma.¹Rosemary, a common culinary herb, has been used traditionally to ease asthma. Rosemary's essential oils can block the airway constriction induced by histamine, the chemical culprit of both asthma and allergies.

Asthma remedies

Steam inhalations are one of the home herbalists best tools for difficult breathing. Eucalyptus opens the lungs and encourages breathing by increasing oxygen in the cells, and is a very good addition to any steam or vaporisor treatments.

Native Americans smoked the leaves of lobelia, known to colonists as Indian Tobacco, to ease asthma. According to M. Grieve,³ smoking a mixture of herbs known as "British Herb Tobacco" relieves asthma, catarrh and the difficult breathing of old bronchitis. Coltsfoot is the main herb in this mixture. Nettle is anti-asthmatic, the juice of the roots or leaves, mixed with honey or sugar will relieve bronchial and asthmatic troubles, and the dried leaves, burnt and inhaled will have the same effect.

Herbs Used for Asthma

Benzoin * Black Seed Oil * Butterbur * Calamus * Codonopsis * Coffee * Coleus Forskohlii * Colt's Foot * Elecampane * Ephedra * Garlic * Ginkgo biloba * Lobelia * Nettle * Rehmannia * Rosemary * Spikenard *

Butterbur For: Asthma, wheezing
Profile	Butterbur is a traditional remedy for wheezing. Studies of the effectiveness of butterbur root extract on the symptoms of asthma are promising, but further study is necessary.

Codonopsis For: Asthma attacks
Profile	Codonopsis also eases asthma attacks by reducing the production of hormones that cause constriction of the bronchial passages. Especially useful for asthma attacks that are compounded by loss of appetite, diarrhea, or vomiting.

Coffee For: Asthma, lung function
Profile	The caffeine in coffee and tea is a chemical cousin to the asthma drug theophylline. Researchers have found that a caffeine dose of 7 milligrams per 2.2 pounds of body weight can significantly improve lung function of people with asthma. Linda B. White, M.D., The Herbal Drugstore (2003)

Colt's Foot For: Asthma
Profile	Coltsfoot hinders the body's production of an inflammatory protein, which narrows the air passages and prompts asthma attacks. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Elecampane For: Pumonary, bronchitis, asthma
Profile	Present-day herbalists use the root of elecampane as a tonic for pulmonary complaints and for coughs. Elecampane is a safe home remedy for bronchitis and asthma Adele Dawson, Herbs: Partners in Life (2000)

Ephedra For: Allergies, hay fever and asthma
Profile	Ephedra has been used effectively in both Chinese and American Indian traditional medicines to open airways in cases of allergies, hay fever and asthma. Herbalists use the whole herb, not the extracts ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, which are dangerous. The herb "acts promptly in relieving swellings of the mucous membrane. It has valuable antispasmodic properties, acts on the air passages and is of benefit in asthma and hay fever

Ephedra For: Asthma, Hay Fever
Profile	A sympathetic nerve stimulant resembling adrenaline, its effect on the unstripped muscular fibers is remarkable. It acts promptly in relieving swellings of the mucous membrane. It has valuable antispasmodic properties, acts on the air passages and is of benefit in asthma and hay fever; it is also employed for rheumatism; a 5 to 10 per cent solution has mydriatic properties, prophylactically used for low blood pressure in influenza, pneumonia, etc Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Vol 1 (1931)

Epimedium For: Asthma, Heart tonic
Profile	Modern Chinese herbal medicine uses epimedium (usually in combination with other herbs) not just to treat impotence, but also for asthma, bronchitis cervical dysplasia, congestive heart failure, leukorrhea, leukopenia, and viral infections of the heart. Mountain Rose Herbs. Learn epimedium. (2008-10-25),

Ginkgo For: Asthma and allergies
Profile	Ginkgo leaves contain ginkgolides, which inhibit platelet-activating factor, a chemical involved in asthma and allergies. Linda B. White, M.D., The Herbal Drugstore (2003)

Ginkgo For: Allergies, asthma,natural antihistamine
Profile	Allergies and asthma also improve with ginkgo. The herb contains a dozen different anti-inflammatory chemicals and seven natural antihistamines. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Grindelia For: Rashes, Poison Ivy, Asthma
Profile	Grindelia is a indigenous North America bush best known medicinally for its expectorant properties in treating breathing problems like asthma and bronchitis, and as a good field remedy for insect bites and poision ivy. Richard Mabey, The New Age Herbalist (1988)

Lobeia For: Asthma
Profile	Native Americans smoked the leaves of lobelia, known to colonists as Indian Tobacco, to ease asthma. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Nettle For: Bronchitis, Asthma
Profile	Nettle is anti-asthmatic, the juice of the roots or leaves, mixed with honey or sugar will relieve bronchial and asthmatic troubles, and the dried leaves, burnt and inhaled will have the same effect. Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Volume 2 (1931)

Rosemary For: Asthma and allergies
Profile	This common culinary herb has been used traditionally to ease asthma. Rosemary's essential oils can block the airway constriction induced by histamine, the chemical culprit of both asthma and allergies. Linda B. White, M.D., The Herbal Drugstore (2003)

Spikenard For: Asthma, Coughs,Rheumatism
Profile	It has also been used to treat rheumatism, syphilis, coughs and cold symptoms, and shortness of breath. It is known to be an alterative, have antimicrobial action and may act as an expectorant in upper respiratory coughs caused by asthmatic conditions. Spikenard roots have been used medicinally as a poultice to treat broken bones and deep bruising. Mountain Rose Herbs. Spikenard Root Profile. (),

Asthma Information

• Allergies/hay Fever :
  Both Chinese and American Indian traditional medicines open airways in cases of allergies, hay fever and asthma.