Try this Honey Thyme Cough Syrup recipe for respiratory complaints. Honey has been used for a millennia to treat cough and cold ailments. The herb of thyme has also shown to help with respiratory complaints.
Honey Thyme Cough Syrup
- 2 cups of water
- 1 tsp of fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp of dried thyme
- cup of raw honey
- 1 tsp of fresh thyme
In a powerful blender or food processor, combine the water and thyme. Pour into a sauce pan, add honey, and heat on low for thirty minutes. Store in a glass jar (once cool) in the refrigerator for up to two months. Adults take one teaspoon up to three times a day for up to one week as needed. Discontinue use if there are any concerns.
Honey is not appropriate for children under the age of one year.
Click here for more information and recipes with honey: Honey
Click here for more information and recipes with thyme: Thyme
Honey Research
- In a study of 105 children ages 2-18 years with nighttime cough, parents rated honey favorably in reducing the cough associated with respiratory infections. From: Paul, I. M., Beiler, J., McMonagle, A., Shaffer, M. L., Duda, L., & Berlin, C. M. (2007). Effect of honey, dextromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. Archives of pediatrics & adolescent medicine, 161(12), 1140-1146.
- In a double blind study of 300 children ages 1-5 years, the three different types of honey tested reduced nocturnal coughing. From: Cohen, H. A., Rozen, J., Kristal, H., Laks, Y., Berkovitch, M., Uziel, Y., … & Efrat, H. (2012). Effect of honey on nocturnal cough and sleep quality: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study. Pediatrics, 130(3), 465-471.
- The antimicrobial activity of honey is reviewed. From: Molan, P. C. (1997). Honey as an antimicrobial agent. In Bee products (pp. 27-37). Springer, Boston, MA.
Thyme Research
- In an open trial of 62 patients, a cough syrup made from ivy leaves, thyme herb, aniseed and marshmallow root was effective. From: Büechi, S., Vögelin, R., von Eiff, M. M., Ramos, M., & Melzer, J. (2005). Open trial to assess aspects of safety and efficacy of a combined herbal cough syrup with ivy and thyme. Complementary Medicine Research, 12(6), 328-332.
- In a double blind, randomized, clinical trial of 52 pediatric patients, a cough syrup containing a thyme like plant reduced cough safely in young children. From: Hosseini, F., Mahjoub, H., Amanati, A., Fazlian, M. M., & Sedighi, I. (2016). Comparison of Zataria multiflora Extract Syrup and Diphenhydramine in the Treatment of Common Cold-Induced Cough in Children: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Clinical Trial. Archives of Pediatric Infectious Diseases, 4(3).
- In a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, multicenter, study with 150 patients, an extract with thyme and primrose was effective and tolerable in treating acute bronchitis. The author did a similar study with 189 patients a year later, with a similar outcome. From: Gruenwald, J., Graubaum, H. J., & Busch, R. (2005). Efficacy and tolerability of a fixed combination of thyme and primrose root in patients with acute bronchitis. Arzneimittelforschung, 55(11), 669-676.
- A review of 1,234 children ages 2-17 had reduced bronchial symptoms with age appropriate doses of a syrup containing thyme and ivy. From: Marzian, O. (2007). Treatment of acute bronchitis in children and adolescents. Non-interventional postmarketing surveillance study confirms the benefit and safety of a syrup made of extracts from thyme and ivy leaves. MMW Fortschritte der Medizin, 149(27-28 Suppl), 69-74.
- The herbal brand Bronchipret containing thyme extract was just as effective in treating bronchial symptoms as synthetic drugs in a matched-pair comparison study of 7783 patients. From: Ernst, E., März, R., & Sieder, C. (1997). A controlled multi-centre study of herbal versus synthetic secretolytic drugs for acute bronchitis. Phytomedicine, 4(4), 287-293.
By: Kathy Sadowski
4/11/18
