Index of Herbs

Concern guide

Herbs for Cough and Sore Throat

Soothing herbs for coughs and sore throats, from thyme to mullein, with what the research shows and when to get help.

8 herbs reviewed

Updated October 7, 2026

A cough and a sore throat are two of the most common reasons people reach for something soothing. Most come with a cold or other viral infection: a sore throat usually eases within a week, and a cough often lingers for three to four weeks as the airways settle. Some coughs are dry and tickly, others are chesty and bring up phlegm, and the difference helps when choosing a remedy.

Herbs can be a gentle, comforting part of looking after yourself, alongside rest, plenty of fluids, warm drinks, and ordinary pain relievers where appropriate. Honey is a well-loved companion here: a Cochrane review found it probably relieves children’s coughs better than no treatment or placebo, though it must never be given to babies under 1. Mucilage-rich herbs such as marshmallow root, slippery elm, and mullein coat an irritated throat, thyme is used for a chesty cough, and sage and licorice are traditional throat remedies. These herbs ease symptoms rather than treat infection, and antibiotics rarely help.

The herbs below are ordered by strength of evidence for cough and sore throat, then by how commonly they are used. Ratings run from good clinical evidence to long traditional use, and here the best-supported options sit at promising, with research still emerging for most. Product matters: many trials tested specific sprays, syrups, or combinations, so each entry notes what was studied. The safety section gathers the main precautions, especially for licorice and for essential oils around children, and herbs for colds and immunity have their own guide.

02 The shortlist

The herbs, from best studied to time-honored

How to read the ratings

  • Good clinical evidence
  • Promising clinical evidence
  • Early or mixed evidence
  • Long traditional use

Ratings show how much research backs each herb for this particular concern. Every herb links to its full monograph, with preparations, safety notes, and sources.

  1. 01 Thyme

    Promising clinical evidence

    Thymus vulgaris

    Thyme is the best-researched herb for a chesty cough that brings up phlegm. Its trial evidence comes from combinations with ivy leaf or primrose root: a review of herbal cough trials found these mixtures made a response about 40% more likely than placebo, and EMA accepts certain thyme–primula products as well-established for adults. Thyme alone is a traditional EU remedy still awaiting its own trials. Most preparations are for ages 12 and up, thyme oil by mouth is for adults only, and mint-family allergy is a reason to avoid it.

    Read the thyme monograph →

  2. 02 Sage

    Early or mixed evidence

    Salvia officinalis

    Sage is a traditional European gargle for an inflamed mouth or throat, accepted by EMA on long use. Its most encouraging finding comes from a throat spray: in a trial of 286 people with viral sore throats, a 15% sage spray eased throat pain more than placebo within two hours. Other strengths did not stand out and the study came from a herbal company, so more trials would help. Sage oil should never be swallowed, as its thujone can cause seizures, and EMA does not recommend medicinal sage in pregnancy or under 18.

    Read the sage monograph →

  3. 03 Marshmallow Root

    Long traditional use

    Althaea officinalis

    Marshmallow root is the classic choice for a dry, tickly cough, its mucilage coating an irritated throat. EMA accepts it as a traditional demulcent for throat irritation with dry cough, and in a small double-blind trial of 63 adults with the dry cough some blood pressure medicines cause, marshmallow drops lowered cough scores more than placebo, though the product was poorly described. It is traditionally made as a cold soak. Take it half an hour to an hour apart from other medicines, as the coating may slow their absorption.

    Read the marshmallow root monograph →

  4. 04 Slippery Elm

    Long traditional use

    Ulmus rubra

    Slippery elm inner bark turns into a soothing gel in water and is a favorite in North American throat lozenges and teas. Memorial Sloan Kettering says it may help relieve minor cough or sore throat, and a throat tea combining slippery elm, licorice, and marshmallow root eased pain on swallowing within 5 to 30 minutes in a 60-person trial led by the manufacturer’s researcher. Studies of slippery elm alone are still to come. Take it apart from other medicines, and choose cultivated or responsibly sourced bark, as wild trees are under pressure.

    Read the slippery elm monograph →

  5. 05 Licorice

    Long traditional use

    Glycyrrhiza glabra

    Licorice root sweetens many throat teas and cough syrups, and EMA lists it as a traditional expectorant for cough with a cold. Encouraging research comes from hospitals, where across five trials in 609 surgical patients, topical licorice such as a gargle before a breathing tube cut the chance of a sore throat afterward by more than half. The key caution is glycyrrhizin, which with regular use can raise blood pressure and lower potassium; avoid it with high blood pressure, heart or kidney disease, in pregnancy, and under 18.

    Read the licorice monograph →

  6. 06 Eucalyptus

    Long traditional use

    Eucalyptus globulus

    Eucalyptus is the familiar scent of chest rubs, lozenges, and steam inhalations. EMA accepts eucalyptus oil, inhaled or rubbed on the chest and back, as a traditional remedy for cough with a cold from age 4, and its cool vapor can make a stuffy, coughing night feel more bearable, though trials of the oil itself are lacking. The essential oil must never be swallowed, as small amounts have seriously harmed children, and EMA says eucalyptus oil medicines must not be used under 30 months because of a risk of spasm of the voice box.

    Read the eucalyptus monograph →

  7. 07 Peppermint

    Long traditional use

    Mentha × piperita

    Peppermint’s menthol gives cough drops and throat lozenges their cooling feel, and EMA accepts peppermint oil, inhaled, in lozenges, or as a chest rub, as a traditional remedy for coughs and colds. Menthol switches on the nerves’ cold sensor, which may explain why a minty lozenge feels soothing, though trials for cough are still lacking. EMA contraindicates peppermint oil products under 2 and in children with a history of seizures, and does not recommend inhaled or oral traditional use from 2 to 11. Never put menthol on or near a baby’s face.

    Read the peppermint monograph →

  8. 08 Mullein

    Long traditional use

    Verbascum thapsus

    Mullein flower tea is an old European cough remedy that EMA accepts as a traditional treatment for sore throat with a dry cough and cold. Its gentle, coating effect rests on long use, as EMA’s 2018 review found no clinical trials, and popular claims that mullein cleanses or repairs the lungs have no evidence behind them. Strain the tea through a paper filter or fine cloth, because the plant’s tiny hairs can irritate the throat. EMA does not recommend mullein under 12 or in pregnancy or breastfeeding.

    Read the mullein monograph →

03 Caution

Using these herbs safely

Most coughs and sore throats settle on their own, and a few signs mean it is time for medical care rather than another lozenge. Call 911 or go to an emergency department for trouble breathing, drooling or being unable to swallow, a high-pitched noisy sound when breathing in (stridor), which is especially worrying in a child, or a swollen face or throat. Get prompt medical advice for wheezing, chest pain, coughing up blood, a high fever or feeling very unwell, a cough that is quickly getting worse, any cough in a baby under 3 months, a cough lasting more than 3 weeks, or a sore throat that has not improved after a week. In children, fast or labored breathing, or the chest drawing in with each breath, needs urgent assessment. Unexplained weight loss, night sweats, or a dry cough that began after starting an ACE inhibitor blood pressure medicine are also worth raising with a doctor.

Licorice deserves the most care. Its glycyrrhizin can raise blood pressure, lower potassium, and cause fluid retention with regular use, and EMA does not recommend it for people with high blood pressure, heart, kidney, or liver disease, or low potassium. It can be dangerous alongside diuretics, digoxin, and corticosteroids, can undermine blood pressure medicines, and may affect drugs handled by the CYP3A4 enzyme; deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL) avoids most of these effects but is not the form used for coughs. Marshmallow root and slippery elm may slow the absorption of other medicines, so take them half an hour to an hour apart, especially thyroid hormone, anticonvulsants, anticoagulants, and heart drugs. Peppermint oil may affect drugs such as cyclosporine and tacrolimus, and sage oil is a poor mix with seizure medicines. Many cough products combine several herbs and menthol, so check every ingredient and avoid doubling up.

Pregnancy and breastfeeding: EMA does not recommend medicinal thyme, sage, marshmallow root, mullein, or peppermint because safety has not been established, and licorice should be avoided because of animal reproductive toxicity and links in a Finnish cohort between high licorice intake in pregnancy and developmental effects in children; slippery elm has no safety data. Children: honey should never be given to babies under 1 because of the risk of infant botulism, and cough drops and hard candy are a choking risk under 3. Most thyme products and mullein are for ages 12 and up, marshmallow root syrups from 3, and sage and licorice are not recommended under 18. Never apply eucalyptus or peppermint oil, or menthol rubs, on or near the face of a baby or young child, never give essential oils by mouth, and keep them locked away.

Product quality and form matter. Eucalyptus, thyme, and peppermint essential oils are concentrated and can irritate the skin and airways; strong vapors sometimes trigger wheezing in people with asthma, who should stop if breathing worsens. Steam inhalation over hot water can scald, so it is not suitable for children. Sage oil is rich in thujone, and thyme oil has caused liver inflammation when drunk, so neither belongs in a homemade tea. Licorice teas and sweets rarely state their glycyrrhizin content, so assume it is present unless the label says DGL. Traditional syrups are often mostly sugar, which matters for people with diabetes. Buy mullein labeled Verbascum, because the Spanish name gordolobo is also used for unrelated, sometimes toxic plants.

04 Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

It depends on the cough. For a chesty cough with phlegm, the best-tested options are combinations of thyme with ivy leaf or primrose root, which beat placebo in trials. For a dry, tickly cough, demulcent herbs such as marshmallow root and mullein are traditional choices that coat the throat. Honey in a warm drink is another helpful option for anyone over 1. A cough lasting more than 3 weeks deserves a doctor’s review.

Warm drinks, plenty of fluids, and salt-water gargles for adults are a good start. A 15% sage spray eased throat pain more than placebo in a trial of 286 people, and a throat tea with slippery elm, licorice, and marshmallow root eased pain on swallowing within half an hour in a small trial. Medicated lozenges and ordinary pain relievers can be used alongside. Drooling, trouble swallowing or breathing, or a high fever need medical care right away.

Use them with great care. Eucalyptus and peppermint oils, and menthol rubs, should never be put on or near the face of a baby or young child, because they can trigger airway spasm or stop breathing. EMA says eucalyptus oil medicines must not be used under 30 months, and peppermint oil products are contraindicated under 2. Essential oils should never be swallowed; small amounts of eucalyptus oil have seriously harmed children. Follow the age on the label, and ask a pharmacist if unsure.

It is best avoided. The glycyrrhizin in licorice root can raise blood pressure, lower potassium, and cause fluid retention, and EMA does not recommend licorice medicines for people with high blood pressure, heart, kidney, or liver disease. It can also work against blood pressure medicines and is risky with diuretics and digoxin. Many throat teas contain licorice, so check labels. Marshmallow root or slippery elm are gentler soothing options for most people.

Most coughs from a cold clear within three to four weeks, so a cough lasting more than 3 weeks deserves a check. See a doctor sooner for chest pain, wheezing, coughing up blood, a high fever, a cough that is quickly getting worse, or any cough in a baby under 3 months. Trouble breathing, stridor, or drooling needs emergency care. Herbs such as thyme or mullein can ease symptoms meanwhile, and EMA advises seeing a doctor if a cough treated with them lasts more than a week.

05 References

Sources

These references support the claims in this guide. Each herb’s monograph carries its own full source list.

  1. Cough

    NHS, 2023

    Supports that coughs usually clear within 3 to 4 weeks, honey not being suitable under 1, and seeing a doctor for a cough over 3 weeks, chest pain, trouble breathing, or coughing up blood.

  2. Sore throat

    NHS, 2024

    Source for sore throats usually easing within a week and the emergency signs of drooling, inability to swallow, difficulty breathing, and stridor.

  3. Cough

    MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine (NIH), 2025

    Supports when to seek care, including stridor, coughing blood, fever, and any cough in an infant under 3 months, and the choking risk of cough drops under age 3.

  4. Herbal medicine for cough: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Forschende Komplementärmedizin (PubMed 26840418), 2015

    The 34-trial review in which ivy, primrose, and thyme preparations made a cough response about 40% more likely than placebo, behind thyme’s rating.

  5. Efficacy and tolerability of a spray with Salvia officinalis in the treatment of acute pharyngitis: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study with adaptive design and interim analysis

    European Journal of Medical Research (PubMed 16504956), 2006

    The 286-patient trial in which a 15% sage spray eased throat pain more than placebo within two hours, while other strengths did not stand out.

  6. Topical application of licorice for prevention of postoperative sore throat in adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis

    Journal of Clinical Anesthesia (PubMed 30391446), 2019

    Five trials in 609 surgical patients showing topical licorice roughly halved the risk of postoperative sore throat without significant side effects.

  7. Honey for acute cough in children

    Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (PubMed 29633783), 2018

    Six trials in 899 children aged 1 and over, finding honey probably relieves cough better than no treatment or placebo.

  8. Eucalypti aetheroleum (eucalyptus oil)

    European Medicines Agency, 2025

    Traditional use of eucalyptus oil for cough with a cold, inhaled or on the skin from age 4, and the warning not to use it under 30 months or in children with a history of seizures.

Related guides

All guides →