Natural Help Herbal teas cure colds

Included medicinal plants: herbal teas for cold as a medicine
Herbal teas are considered beneficial and are sometimes used as a home remedy for colds and other ailments. However, they should not usually be sold with the indication of curative effect. Medicines, which are marked accordingly, however, already.

Home remedies for common cold
Cold symptoms such as cough and runny nose are currently widespread. To prevent infections or alleviate symptoms, many resort to natural home remedies such as chicken soup or teas. Especially herbal teas are considered beneficial. They help, for example, as a home remedy for cough or sore throat. However, most herbal teas on the supermarket shelf can only be advertised as food and not as a cure.

Many people trust in cold symptoms on the beneficial effects of herbal teas. However, these are usually not advertised with an indication of healing effects. However, medicinal side already. (Image: Alexander Raths / fotolia.com)

Medicines are subject to the Medicines Act
This is pointed out by the Verbraucherzentrale Sachsen. When Arzneitees, however, it looks different. However, this must be marked accordingly.

"Drug has to be clearly labeled as a" medicine "or" medicinal tea ", as well as the indication, contraindications, dosage and composition," writes the consumer center in a press release.

Medicinal products are subject to the German Medicines Act; they must be authorized by the Federal Office for Drugs and Medical Devices.

Traditional medicines
However, the prerequisite for admission is not that they demonstrably help. Drugs are often so-called traditional medicines that can only be registered and sold for many years without product-related proof of their effects, explain the consumer advocates.

These must bear a reference to the "traditional use", explains Birgit Brendel, specialist at the Consumer Center. Who wants to fight a cold, should better resort to a medicinal tea. "Purpose, approval and labeling distinguishes a medicinal tea from a herbal tea that is food," said the expert.

Herbal poisons in herbal teas
With the respective products one should inform oneself also about the quality. Because in the past several herbal toxins were detected in herbal teas. At the beginning of the year, findings of so-called pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA) in several peppermint and herbal teas were reported. These substances can cause liver damage and liver cancer. (Ad)