Mullein for Cough: How to Brew an Infusion and Can It Be Smoked

Mullein for cough has one recognized use in the European Union. The herbal committee of the European Medicines Agency (EMA) has recognized that mullein flower can be used for throat pain associated with dry cough and colds in adults and adolescents over 12 years old. The basis is tradition, meaning at least 30 years of safe use, including 15 years in the EU. The same committee noted the lack of clinical studies (EMA, summary for mullein flower). In this text, you will learn how to brew an infusion according to the monograph and who should not reach for it. We also check the composition of the flower and the results of laboratory studies and trials with other uses. Separately, we describe smoking mullein instead of tobacco: what is known about it and what is not.

KEY INFORMATION
• The EMA recognized mullein flower for throat pain with dry cough, only above 12 years old (EMA/HMPC/611537/2016 monograph).
• The basis is tradition: the EMA report from 2018 found no clinical data.
• The dose from the monograph is 1.5-2 g of flower per 150 ml of boiling water, 3-4 times a day.
• We did not find any measurement of smoke from mullein in PubMed.

For which cough is mullein indicated according to the EMA?

For dry cough, but the indication concerns throat pain that accompanies it during a cold, not the cough itself. This is the only indication in the EU herbal monograph for mullein flower, in the version adopted on March 27, 2018. The monograph emphasizes that this is based solely on long-term use (EMA/HMPC/611537/2016 monograph).

Traditional use means that effectiveness has been deemed credible despite a lack of sufficient evidence from clinical studies. The evaluating report from 2018 adds that it found no clinical data for mullein flower, and the criteria for established use were not met (EMA/HMPC/611531/2016 report).

The EMA herbal committee described the traditional use of the flower for cough and colds primarily as protective action. Therefore, the indication speaks of alleviating throat pain, not expectoration. The committee deemed traditional diuretic and sudorific actions inappropriate as indications (EMA report).

Does mullein have expectorant properties? The only study in the report that examined this direction was negative. An aqueous extract of the flower, 6.4 g of raw material per 100 ml, did not change mucociliary transport in the isolated esophagus of a frog. The authors noted that expectorant action may result from other mechanisms, such as saponins. The report criticizes this work for omitting physical effects, such as viscosity.

How to brew an infusion of mullein and how long to drink it?

The monograph states for one serving 1.5-2 g of flower, whole or crushed, poured with 150 ml of boiling water. The infusion is drunk 3-4 times a day, and the daily dose is 4.5-8 g of raw material. This scheme applies to adolescents, adults, and the elderly, and the only route of administration is drinking (EMA monograph).

The monograph recommends visiting a doctor if symptoms last longer than a week or worsen, as well as in cases of shortness of breath, fever, or purulent sputum.

We compared this dose with teas made from mullein flower, which the EMA report mentions in the market review. Two teas approved in Poland recommended 1 g of raw material per 150 ml of boiling water and drinking the warm infusion 3-4 times a day. According to them, the infusion is brewed covered for 10-15 minutes and strained (EMA report, table 1). Thus, the monograph provides a larger portion than these teas, and it does not specify the brewing time.

The same review lists syrups registered in Poland with liquid extract from the flower, which should not be used for more than a week. The monograph does not cover this form, so the syrup dose is provided in its leaflet.

Should the infusion be strained through gauze because the hairs of mullein irritate the throat? We found no source for this: searches in PubMed and Europe PMC on September 16, 2026, did not return any such description.

Flower or leaf: which part of mullein does the monograph cover?

Only the flower. The raw material consists of dried flowers limited to the corolla and stamens, according to the European Pharmacopoeia. They come from three species: common mullein (Verbascum thapsus), dense-flowered mullein (V. densiflorum), and woolly mullein (V. phlomoides). The entire genus Verbascum includes over 300 Eurasian species, so the name of the genus on the packaging is not sufficient (Blanco-Salas et al., Biology, 2021).

The quality of the raw material is checked by the swelling index. The European Pharmacopoeia in edition 9.4 requires a value of at least 9, while the Swiss one requires at least 12. The German Pharmacopoeia allows a maximum of 5% of calyxes and browned flowers (EMA report).

The leaf was not included in the monograph, although both leaves and flowers were used in folk medicine. The British herbal pharmacopoeia from 1983 described leaves and stems, while its 1996 edition only described the leaf. Therefore, there is no EMA assessment for the leaf.

Before purchasing, check the label to see if the product is flower, leaf, or extract, and which species it contains. The description from the monograph corresponds only to dried flower from one of the three species. Herbs available in the store can be found in the herbs category; apply the same rule to them.

What does mullein flower contain and what are its properties?

Among other things, 2-3% mucilage, which are water-soluble acidic polysaccharides. The content of other groups of compounds depends on the species, and we summarize it in a table. However, the EMA herbal committee did not recognize any of these components as a substance with known therapeutic action or as a marker of activity (EMA report).

The flower of dense-flowered mullein has about 0.6% verbascoside, but saponins have not been confirmed in it. The flower of woolly mullein has saponins, and verbascoside only traces. The monograph covers both species under one name, so the label “mullein flower” does not indicate which of these profiles will end up in the cup.

Verbascoside, also known as acteoside, is a phenylethanoid glycoside (in some works, also phenylpropanoid). It has poor bioavailability: in beagle dogs, the absolute bioavailability of acteoside was about 4% (Xiao et al., Biomedicine and Pharmacotherapy, 2022). This data is for the pure compound administered to animals, not for the infusion.

Does mullein have antiviral properties?

In laboratory studies, yes, but we found no studies in humans. In the work of Rajbhandari et al., the methanol extract of common mullein inhibited the influenza A virus in MDCK cells with an IC50 below 6.25 μg/ml. This is one of the three best results among extracts from 41 plant species from traditional medicine in Nepal (Rajbhandari et al., eCAM, 2009).

However, the methanol extract of the aerial parts was studied, not the infusion of the flower. This work did not show strong action against the herpes virus HSV-1.

According to the EMA report, the freeze-dried infusion of dense-flowered mullein acted in laboratory studies on several strains of influenza A and on a strain of influenza B. Against the herpes virus, it acted virucidal at a concentration of 300 μg/ml, but did not inactivate influenza viruses (Zgórniak-Nowosielska et al., 1991). An earlier work states that a 1% decoction of common mullein flower reduced the titer of influenza A2 virus by 4.9 log (Skwarek, 1979).

None of these works state how the infusion acts on colds in humans. The EMA report also found no data on what happens to the components of the flower in the body. Gupta et al. note that other described actions of common mullein also come from experimental studies (Gupta et al., Phytotherapy Research, 2022).

Has mullein been tested in human studies?

When drinking the infusion, no. The EMA report found no clinical data for mullein flower, and the periodic review from November 20, 2024, deemed 20 new studies from 2017-2024 as not useful for the monograph (addendum EMA/HMPC/438161/2024). Trials involving humans exist, but they concern other uses.

We compared these trials with the EMA report and with a search in PubMed on September 16, 2026. Both trials with drops concerned herbal mixtures administered to the ear, so the contribution of mullein alone cannot be isolated from them. The only found trial with mullein alone concerned a cream with flower extract for a wound. None concerned cough or drinking the infusion.

The second trial with drops also teaches caution. Ear pain decreased in each group, and more in the herbal drop groups. However, the most effective treatment explained only 7.3% of pain reduction, and the authors noted that in about 80% it resolved on its own. Improvement after herbs does not prove that the herbs worked.

Can children and pregnant women drink mullein?

The monograph does not recommend this. For children under 12 years old, use has not been established due to a lack of appropriate data. Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been established, so use is also not recommended. There is also a lack of data on its effect on fertility (EMA monograph).

So where does the 12-year limit come from? Not from studies. The EMA report acknowledges that there are no studies in adolescents aged 12-18 years. Sufficient safety was assumed for them based on long-term use and the absence of reports of serious adverse effects. No reproductive toxicity studies were conducted either (EMA report).

Another herb used for dry cough has a broader age range. According to the EMA summary, marshmallow root can be used for irritation of the oral cavity or throat and associated dry cough in children over 3 years old, and for mild stomach and intestinal discomfort over 12 years old (EMA, summary for marshmallow root). We describe the details in the text about marshmallow.

For a child under 12 years old, the mullein monograph does not provide any scheme, so the decision about herbs for cough should be made together with a doctor.

Is mullein safe and does it cause allergies?

When drinking in doses from the monograph, adverse effects are not known, and no interactions with medications have been reported. As of November 2017, the WHO database contained one report of suspected hepatitis after mullein alone and two concerning herbal mixtures with medications (allergy, nervous system). The evaluator deemed this too little to include any adverse effects in the monograph (EMA report).

The 2024 periodic review did not detect new safety issues in the EudraVigilance and VigiBase databases. The only contraindication in the monograph is hypersensitivity to the raw material. Herbs that should not be combined with each other or with medications are summarized in the table of herb interactions and contraindications.

A separate gap concerns genotoxicity, or the ability to damage DNA. The EMA report found no such studies for the flower, so it did not support the entry of mullein onto the EU list of plant substances. Pure verbascoside increased the number of chromosomal aberrations in human lymphocytes in vitro. However, the methanol extract of common mullein at doses from 100 to 500 mg/kg did not significantly increase the frequency of erythrocytes with micronuclei in the bone marrow of mice (Escobar et al., Natural Product Communications, 2011).

The EFSA panel evaluated mullein tincture as a feed additive. Due to the lack of experimental studies, based on the reactivity of aucubin, it was deemed likely that it could damage DNA (EFSA Journal, 2021). This is an assessment for feed, not for human infusion.

Mullein belongs to the figwort family, not the aster family. However, contact dermatitis has been described caused simultaneously by asteraceae and common mullein (Flores Echaiz et al., 2017). Professional dermatitis from dense-flowered mullein, transmitted through the air, has also been described (Castro et al., 2006). These are single descriptions, without data on frequency.

Can mullein be smoked?

Mullein is sometimes smoked, but we found no measurement of its smoke. In a systematic review of crops that could replace tobacco in the EU, mullein was mentioned in 4 papers and 3 smoking products. However, the authors noted that it should not be considered safer than tobacco in any case (Mavroeidis et al., Plants, 2024).

Our search in PubMed on September 16, 2026, did not return any analysis of smoke from mullein or studies on the effects of smoking it in humans. The review of herbal cigarettes states that dried mullein leaves are sometimes smoked in a regular pipe to soothe irritation of the mucous membranes of the respiratory tract. It also describes Native American tribes that smoked mullein for asthma (Abdel Rahman et al., ACS Omega, 2022). This is a description of a custom, not evidence of action.

Comparing this review with the EMA report shows why the tradition of drinking does not transfer to smoking. The EMA described the traditional use of the flower as protective action. Abdel Rahman et al. link the alleviation of irritation to saponins and mucilage of mullein, but they state that these are large and polar compounds, and their transition to smoke is unlikely. They suggest that other compounds are released in the smoke.

Does mullein reduce harm when used instead of tobacco in a joint?

It removes nicotine, but not smoke. In a laboratory test, a herbal cigarette made from mugwort did not contain detectable nicotine, but the cigarette produced 12.3 mg of carbon monoxide per piece. A tobacco cigarette with the same declared tar content produced 6.1 mg. The herbal smoke also had more benzo(a)pyrene (Bak et al., Toxicological Research, 2015). We did not find such a test for mullein.

Does this mean that herbal smoke is worse than any tobacco smoke? No. The tobacco cigarette from this comparison had little tar, and the reference cigarette produced a similar amount of carbon monoxide, 12.5 mg, and more benzo(a)pyrene than the herbal one. The herbal smoke had more hydroquinone and catechol than both tobacco cigarettes. The test only shows that the absence of tobacco does not mean the absence of combustion products.

Removing tobacco does not change the legal status of the joint. Cannabis with a total delta-9-THC and THCA content above 0.3% is a narcotic in Poland (art. 4 point 37 Act on Counteracting Drug Addiction, Journal of Laws 2023, item 1939, as amended). Mullein itself is not listed among narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances (Regulation of the Minister of Health, Journal of Laws 2024, item 1139, as amended).

We write about plants that should not be included in a joint in the text about what to smoke instead of tobacco in a joint.

Can mullein be vaporized?

It is unknown, as we found no studies. A query about mullein and vaporization in PubMed on September 16, 2026, returned 0 results. The comparisons of vaporization with smoking we referenced concern cannabis: in a survey of 6,883 people, vaporizers had an odds ratio of respiratory symptoms of 0.40 compared to smokers (Earleywine and Barnwell, Harm Reduction Journal, 2007).

Only 152 people, or 2.2% of respondents, indicated vaporization as their main method, and the data came from self-reporting. In a hospital study of 18 volunteers, the level of carbon monoxide in exhaled air was lower after vaporization than after smoking, but the summary of the work does not state by how much (Abrams et al., Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 2007). Whether mullein would yield the same results is unknown.

We do not provide a vaporization temperature for mullein. The ranges in our guide to herb vaporization come from device instructions, not measurements. You can find herb devices with temperature control in the vaporizers category. Remember that this is still inhaling hot aerosol, and both referenced studies were survey-based or short.

What does this mean in practice?

If you drink mullein for cough, stick to the range described by the EMA. The indication is throat pain with dry cough and colds in people over 12 years old. The dose is an infusion of 1.5-2 g of flower per 150 ml of boiling water, taken 3-4 times a day (EMA monograph). If symptoms last more than a week or worsen, see a doctor. The same applies to shortness of breath, fever, or purulent sputum.

Do not expect expectorant or antiviral effects in humans. The first was not confirmed by the only test of the mechanism described in the EMA report, and the second was only seen in the laboratory. The monograph does not provide any scheme for children under 12 years old. Use during pregnancy and breastfeeding is not recommended, and leaves and ready extracts are outside its assessment.

Smoking mullein is a separate matter: nicotine disappears, smoke remains, and we found no measurement of smoke from mullein. We advise people with asthma, pregnant women, or breastfeeding women against smoking anything: we also found no study showing the safety of herbal smoke. There are no data for vaporizing mullein, so we do not provide a temperature for it. Other herbs used for cough are described in texts about thyme for cough and plantain.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does mullein have expectorant properties?

There is no evidence for this. The EMA indication concerns alleviating throat pain associated with dry cough, and traditional use was described as protective. The only test described in the EMA report in this direction was negative: an aqueous extract of the flower, 6.4 g per 100 ml, did not change mucociliary transport in the isolated esophagus of a frog.

Can mullein be given to children?

The EMA monograph does not recommend it for children under 12 years old due to a lack of appropriate data. The report acknowledges that there are also no studies in adolescents aged 12-18 years. The EMA recognizes marshmallow root for irritated throat and dry cough in children over 3 years old, but for a child, the decision should be made with a doctor.

Does mullein interact with medications?

It is unknown: no interactions were reported in the EMA monograph, but the evaluating report found no data on them. The EMA periodic review from 2024 concerned the entire monograph and did not consider any of the 20 new studies useful. No new safety issues were detected in the EudraVigilance and VigiBase databases.

Does smoking mullein help with asthma?

There is no evidence for this. According to a review by Abdel Rahman et al. from 2022, three Native American tribes smoked mullein for asthma, but this is a description of a custom. Our search in PubMed on September 16, 2026, did not return any measurement of smoke from mullein or studies on the effects of smoking it in humans. We advise against smoking anything with asthma.

Is mullein healthier than tobacco in a joint?

Nicotine is removed, but smoke remains. In a laboratory test, a herbal cigarette made from mugwort produced 12.3 mg of carbon monoxide compared to 6.1 mg from a tobacco cigarette with the same declared tar content (Bak et al., 2015). We did not find any measurement of smoke from mullein, and the 2024 cultivation review states that it should not be considered safer than tobacco.

This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Before starting supplementation, consult a doctor, especially if you are taking medications regularly, are pregnant or breastfeeding, or have a chronic illness.

Author: Michał Waluk · Published: 2026-08-09 · Updated: 2026-09-17