by Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN

Elecampane “The Nine Powers Herb,” elecampane (Unula helenium), is one of the most important herbs recognized by the Romans, Greeks and the Anglo-Saxons. The ancients used elecampane as natural medicine to cure diverse ailments from digestive upsets and dropsy to skin, liver and respiratory problems.  

By the nineteenth century this amazing herb became very popular healer for stubborn coughs and congestion, colds, bronchitis, neuralgia, and skin problems. Today elecampane is regarded as almost a cure-all for bronchitis, asthma, cough and respiratory complants. In Russia elecampane root is called the “nine powers herb” and considered there as an excellent lung tonic, expectorant, restorative, and warming; a healer for weakened lungs, stubborn coughs, sleep problems; fatigue following colds and flu, and headaches provoked by upper respiratory conditions.

There are so many natural plants you can add to your stock of herbs to complement elecampane in your homemade natural medicines: astrigent like mullein; elder flowers as a phlegm-reducing herb; wild lettuce as a cough suppressant, yarrow with its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, astrigent, and stomach-tonic properties, and echinacea with its immune-boosting power that has been proved to increase body resistance to infection.

However, the winter herb elecampane is really outstanding in this green crowd because it has the nine healing powers. Let’s see how how this healer can help us. Probably you noticed that if your children are prone to allergic reactions, they often get sick with colds. Prepare them to fight it with help of elecampane root that loosens stubborn phlegm and treats congestion, particularly in children.

1. Slice thinly a small elecampane root. Boil one teaspoon for 15 minutes in one cup water. Cool, filter, and drink one-two tablespoons three times daily. Make it fresh every day.

2. Add one teaspoon each of elecampane root, gentian herb, and yarrow to 1/2 quart of boiling water and steep for 30 minutes. Take one tablespoon three times a day for one to two months before meals.

Do you have have problems with sleep?

3. Combine one teaspoon of minced elecampane root and one cup cold water. Steep for 10 hours. Filter and drink one tablespoon four times daily 30 minutes before eating.

Bronchitis, asthma, upper respiratory problems , and hay fever symptoms: use elecampane decoction.

4. Method to make the decoction: Place 1,5 tbsp. (30 g) dried elecampane root in an enamel saucepan. Add cold water. Bring to boil. Then simmer for about 1 hour or until the liquid has been reduced by one third. Strain through a sieve into a clear glass pitcher, so you can see the rich amber color. Drink hot or cold one-half cup three times a day. *Important: make this needed quantity (3 doses) fresh every day.

5. Long-standing chronic respiratory complaints or as general tonic: elecampane decoction (*See No.4) or tincture. I recommed you better to buy the tincture in health food store than to make it yourself. Elecampane tincture is made by steeping the dried herb/root or fresh herb in a 25% mixture of alcohol and water for two weeks. This method is more complicated and time-consuming for you to make it home than the decoction.

6. Eczema, rashes or varicose ulcers: use elecampane decoction (*See No.4) or diluted tincture.

7. Nasty, stubborn coug: make elecampane honey syrup, which is the elecampane decoction (*See No.4) with honey.

8. To heal lung damage: use as simple decoction (*See No.4) or add 1/3 fl.oz horseradish juice or add other restorative lung herbs like anise, hyssop, and white horehound.

Naturopaths in China use Unula japonica which is also elecampane. They prescribe decoctions and syrups using the flowers, xuan fu bua for astma and bronchitis with excessive phlegm, and also for acid reflux, nausea and vomiting. Chinese research has demonstrated mild antibacterial properties and a stimulant effect on the digestion, adrenal glands, and the nervous system.

9.To treat excess phlegm in the stomach with nausea; flatulence, abdominal discomfort, and vomiting Chinese doctors recommend to make decoction with flowers.

Combine 1/3 oz (ab. 10 g) flowers with 1/3 (ab.10 g) fresh ginger root, 1/3 fl. oz (2 teaspoons) ban xia (tuber, Pinellia ternata, expectorant) and 1/5 fl.oz (1 teaspoon) licorice root.

10. For coughs: take syrup made with the infusion of elecampane (xuan fu bua) in 1/3 fl.oz (10ml)–2/3 fl.oz (20ml) doses.

You see, elecampane has all nine powers because it acts as tonic, expectorant, restorative, stimulating, sweating, anti-bacterial, digestive stimulant, antifungal, anti-parasitic.

You can plant this winter herb in your backyard, and harvest it in fall. Roots of elecampane are parts that you should use. Wash and chop them into small pieces before drying. Need an easy-to-make remedy for a cough and loosen stubborn phlegm? First of all, make your homemade elecampane honey syrup and do it together with your kids. They will definitely enjoy to be involved in this creative process, and learn how to make a natural, herbal medicine that can help to treat effectively coughs and congestion when they or any family member get sick with flu or colds.

Now watch this video and see how easy is to make Elecampane Honey Syrup that you can store in refrigerator and use when it’s needed.

References: Mama’s Home Remedies:
Discover Time-Tested Secrets of Good Health and the Pleasure of Natural Living by Svetlana Konnikova, MA, AN, Aurora Publishers, 2008, p.66, 116, 143, 160
The Complete Medicinal Herbal by Penelope Ody, DK, 1993, p. 70, 138-139;
http://www.youtube.com; http://FreeHerbCourse.com from Herb Mentor

http://www.foodista.com/food/BVJ6VRX8/elecampane

Elecampane on Foodista