An ancient herb with a rich tradition of medicinal use for lung ailments, dating to early Roman medicine. Considered diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, tonic, and emmenagogic. Root contains active ingredient inulin.
Root tea was used for pneumonia, whooping cough, asthma, bronchitis, upset stomach, diarrhea, and worms. Awash was used for facial neuralgia and sciatica. It also contains antiseptic and bactericidal properties and was used in European surgical dressings.
References:
Grieve, M. (Maud). A Modern Herbal; the Medicinal, Culinary, Cosmetic and Economic Properties, Cultivation and Folk-Lore of Herbs, Grasses, Fungi, Shrubs, & Trees with All Their Modern Scientific Uses. New York :Harcourt, Brace & company, 1931.
Image attribution: By Matt Osborne - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=84701838
