Synopsis

Source of validity: Traditional
Rating (out of 5): 2

Tragacanth, a natural gum obtained from the dried sap of several species of Middle Eastern legumes (notably Astragalus gummifer), has a long history of use in traditional medicine for respiratory ailments, particularly dry cough. In traditional herbal systems, tragacanth is valued for its mucilaginous properties, which means it forms a gel-like substance when mixed with water. This mucilage is believed to soothe irritated mucous membranes of the throat and respiratory tract, thereby relieving dryness and suppressing the cough reflex. Historical texts in Persian, Unani, and traditional Indian medicine mention tragacanth as a demulcent and expectorant for cough and sore throat.

However, scientific validation for this use is limited. There are few, if any, rigorous clinical trials assessing tragacanth’s direct efficacy in treating dry cough. The available scientific understanding supports its role as a demulcent—substances that coat and protect mucous membranes—but this is largely based on its physical properties rather than pharmacological activity. As such, while the traditional use is well-established and plausible due to its mucilage content, robust scientific evidence for its effectiveness in treating dry cough is lacking. Most modern usage of tragacanth is in the food and pharmaceutical industries as an emulsifier, thickener, or stabilizer rather than as an active medicinal ingredient for cough.

More about Tragacanth
More about Cough (dry)

Other ingredients used for Cough (dry)

Aloe vera
alpha-pinene
apple
Waterhyssop
benegut perilla (proprietary)
beta-pinene
black currant
black pepper
radish
Indian frankincense
cat's claw
Chinese salvia root
cinnamon
clove
cowage seed
turmeric
elderberry
garlic bulb
ginger
glehnia root
Greek mountain tea
onion
green tea
heartwood
Indian tinospora
jujube
lemon
licorice root
Marshmallow
Nettle
ophiopogon root
oregano
parsley
pear
phellodendron amurense
platycodon root
plum fruit
polygala root
pomegranate
thyme
vitamin C
zhejiang fritillary
Zinc
sarsaparilla
boneset
Mullein
tangerine
hyssop
atractylodes
Indian bael
malabar nut
alpinia galangal
Hedychium spicatum
inula racemosa
anise
pistacia integerrima gall
Fumaria parviflora
fritillaria
Yerba santa
elecampane
dodder
sweet flag
Menthol oil
Alcohol
Agastache
Anamarrhena
ambergris
Acacia
Asarum heterotropoides
Aconite
asafoetida
Aerva lanata
Asam gelugor
Adenophora
Allium tuberosum
Asarum sieboldii
atractylone
black seed
bermuda grass
Bryonia
bayleaf
bael
butternut
Baccharoides anthelmintica
black salt
bee products
Buddha\'s hand
banana
Bassia scoparia
burning bush
balloon flower
Belamcanda
Bergenia
cactus
citron
Citrus
cineole
capsaicin
Cistus
cubeb
cowslip
Chaenomeles lagenaria
calamus
cinnamaldehyde
Clerodendrum indicum
dragonhead
diterpenes
Dichrostachys glomerata
Echinacea
Elder
ephedrine
fruit
fritillary
fernbush
flavoglycosides
fringed pink
Glehnia littoralis
Guava
gum
Gallesia
Glycyrrhetinic acid
honey
honey loquat syrup
Hempnettle
Ilex
long pepper
Japanese kadsura
Javanese Long Pepper
Khella
loquat
Lactucarium
Lilium polyphyllum
linden
luffa
Lindera
Large-leaved linden
Loranthus
lungwort
Ligusticum
Mentha haplocalyx
Mucilage
Melia
mace
Maidenhair Fern
Nigella seed
Nutmeg
Ophiopogon
Osha
Osmanthus
Phellodendron
Palmyra
Piper chaba
polymorpha
prepared aconite tuber
Platycodon
Pepper
Paris polyphylla
Pelargonium
Pimpinella
poppy
Polygala
ravinsara
reed herb
Rhododendron
Sabadilla
Stephania root
Sete sangrias
Solanaceae
Stemona
Shogaol
Sundew
Sedanenolide
Terpenoids
Theobromine
Tea
Thymoquinone
Tonka Bean
Thymol
Tragacanth
Tamarind
Vasicine
Vladimiria souliei
Vasicinol
Vasicinone
Wax Gourd
Zedoary
Zingerone

Other health conditions supported by Tragacanth

Cough (dry)
Cough (general)
Diarrhea
Digestion (poor)
Ulcers

Products containing Tragacanth

We currently have no products on Vitabase that contain this ingredient.