Emphysema, also known as Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) is a disease of the lungs that occurs as a result of heavy and persistent smoking. It is condition in which the lung tissues get so much damaged, that they suffer breakdown. Consecutively, the air passage collapses and the patient suffers from chronic breathlessness, cough and fatigue.
This disease is also characterised by several other symptoms. Doctors aim to treat the disease with medications to stop smoking and to provide support to the lung tissues. However, the herbs which are listed below not only help to treat the condition and cease smoking, but also help to heal the damaged pulmonary tissues.
Best Herbal Remedies For Emphysema
Lobelia
Lobelia more popularly known as Indian tobacco and asthma weed in the west is one of the most trusted and widely used herbs for treating chronic bronchitis and asthma. Lobelia being a nervine and expectorant herb helps to calm the muscles, thereby minimizing the effect of pain observed due to chronic cough.
However, other than opening up the air passage and facilitating smooth breathing, lobelia also helps the patient to cope with the associated complexities of tobacco withdrawal. Lobeline, a type of alkaloid found in this herb is primarily responsible for its characteristic properties and makes this herb an ideal use for emphysema patients.
Lobelia is mainly used by adding its leaves to warm water for inhalation. Other than that, three parts of lobelia tincture mixed with one part of capsicum tincture can also be used for treating this disorder.
Licorice
Although the name licorice is pretty well-known among people today, a survey that lists it as being the 10th most important herb, best described its importance and place in the world of herbalism. However; amongst all its uses, licorice is best known for its ability to combat the desire for smoking. The herb acts in two ways to help the person put a ban on smoking. First of all, it soothes the lungs and secondly, it acts as an adrenal tonic, which aids in killing the desire of smoking.
Licorice being a strong expectorant herb helps to open up the air passage, thereby helping the patient of emphysema to breathe more easily and normally. However, other than helping with the patient’s breathing trouble, licorice also helps with the pain and inflammation that occurs as a result of heavy breathing and coughing, thanks to its reserve of triterpenes like glycyrrhetic acid and glycyrrhizin.
These tritepenes act like steroids and help the body to cope with the pain and inflammation that remains almost always associated with emphysema.
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Passion Flower
Passion flower is a wonder herb or rather an aid for emphysema patients, as it helps them to not only quit smoking, but also minimizes the panic attacks that occur as a result of smoking cessation. The versatile herb works by soothing and calming the nerves that get damaged as a result of regular smoking.
Since nervous breakdown and violent panic attacks are normal due to smoking cessation, passion flower extracts help to keep the nerves normal and calm to help the mind cope with the absence of tobacco. The constituent elements of the herb which are mainly responsible for its nervine and sedative properties are the flavonoids and alkaloids.
Coltsfoot
Coltsfoot or more popularly coughwort is the only herb that has the power to heal the damages incurred due to regular and heavy smoking.Scientific studies have proven that colt’s foot can reverse the damage caused by smoking and speed up the healing of lung tissues. It is the only herb capable of this miracle and is also known to tone the lung tissues, while loosening the lung secretions to ease breathing.
Turmeric
This readily available versatile culinary herb has also been found to be effective for easing the symptoms of emphysema. Turmeric is a natural COX-2 inhibitor herb that acts like NSAIDs to minimize the pain and inflammation of the air passage and lungs.
Other than that, turmeric has been listed as one of those herbs which have the capability to flush out the toxins accumulated in the body due to regular smoking. The benefits of turmeric can be reaped by adding it to food or by consuming it raw with honey or in the form of herbal capsules.
