Suppress Cough and Reduce Sputum

This class of herbs can perform two actions simultaneously: suppressing coughing and reducing germs. However, it is also frequently used to treat asthma, tuberculosis of the lymph nodes, gravel, goiter, and convulsions. This class of herbs is divided into three subclasses:

1. Herbs to reduce hot sputum, including antipyretic dichroa, snake gourd, and tendril-leaved fritillary bulb, among others.

2. Herbs to suppress coughing and relieve asthma, including bitter melon fruit, sweet apricot, zuccarinis buttercup, and white cynanchum.

3. Herbs to reduce cold sputum, such as jimson weed. Hot sputum appears yellowish, whereas cold sputum appears white.

Herbs to reduce hot sputum are often used to treat tuberculosis of the lymph nodes and goiter, while herbs to reduce cold sputum are often used to treat aching joint pain, as in arthritis. Herbs to suppress coughing and relieve asthma are often used to treat bronchitis, bronchial asthma, chronic cough, pulmonary tuberculosis, and tracheitis.

Since there are many different causes of sputum, the precise cause should be determined in order to treat it effectively. A cough with discharge of blood should not be treated with large doses of herbs in this class in order to avoid additional bleeding. A cough associated with the common cold should be treated with this class of herbs along with the class of herbs to induce perspiration (class 1).