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Balloon-flower root for a sore, hoarse throat 桔梗利咽
Nose, Sinus, Snoring & Ears 鼻·鼾·耳 traditional evidenceWhat the evidence says:
桔梗 + 甘草 (桔梗汤) is the classical throat pair, and the 药典 indication is cough with phlegm, sore/hoarse throat and chest congestion. Traditional use only. Note 甘草 carries an independent SAFETY flag — glycyrrhizin causes pseudoaldosteronism — so this is a short-course drink, not a daily habit.
桔梗 + 甘草 (桔梗汤) is the classical throat pair, and the 药典 indication is cough with phlegm, sore/hoarse throat and chest congestion. Traditional use only. Note 甘草 carries an independent SAFETY flag — glycyrrhizin causes pseudoaldosteronism — so this is a short-course drink, not a daily habit.
How to make it
Simmer 3–9 g 桔梗 with 3 g 甘草 in 400 ml water for 10–15 min. Sip warm, up to twice a day, for no more than about a week.
Why it works
Warm fluid and honey do measurable work on throat discomfort; the herbs are the traditional part.
Classical source
桔梗 sits in 下品 in the Shennong Bencao Jing — counter-intuitive for a mild throat herb, and a good illustration that the three grades are not a safety ranking.
Cautions: Avoid 桔梗 with a dry cough from yin deficiency or if coughing blood. 甘草 raises blood pressure and lowers potassium with prolonged use — skip entirely if you have hypertension, heart failure, kidney disease, or take diuretics or digoxin. A sore throat with high fever, drooling, or difficulty breathing or swallowing is an emergency.