Evidence supporting the use of: Lemon
For the health condition: Cough (general)

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Synopsis

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

Lemon has been traditionally used as a home remedy to relieve cough. The use of lemon in treating cough is deeply rooted in folk medicine across various cultures, where it is often combined with honey or hot water. Lemons are a rich source of vitamin C, and their sourness is believed to stimulate salivation and soothe throat irritation, potentially providing temporary relief from coughing. Additionally, the acidic environment created by lemon juice may help break down mucus, making it easier to expel.

However, the scientific evidence supporting the direct effectiveness of lemon in treating cough is limited. While vitamin C has a modest role in supporting the immune system, studies have not conclusively shown that lemon juice alone significantly reduces the duration or severity of coughs. Most clinical studies focus on vitamin C supplementation rather than lemon specifically, and findings are mixed regarding its benefit for respiratory symptoms. Nevertheless, lemon remains a commonly used ingredient in symptomatic cough remedies due to its palatable flavor, perceived soothing properties, and its ability to blend well with other traditional remedies like honey and ginger.

In summary, the use of lemon for cough is primarily justified by tradition, with only weak scientific support for its specific effectiveness in cough relief. Its continued popularity is likely due to its safety, accessibility, and synergy with other home remedy ingredients.

More about lemon
More about Cough (general)

Other ingredients used for Cough (general)

Abies spectabilis
Abrus
Acacia
Aconite
Adenophora
Aerva lanata
Agarwood
Agastache
Agave
Ajuga
Alantolactone
Albizia
Alchornea
Alcohol
Allicin
Allium tuberosum
Allspice
Allyl sulfide
Aloe vera
alpha-pinene
alpha-terpineol
alpinia galangal
Alstonia scholaris
amber
ambergris
Amor seco
Anamarrhena
anamu
Andrographis
andrographolide
Angelica
anise
Aniseed myrtle
apple
apple cider vinegar
Aralia
Ardisia
arrowroot
asafoetida
Asam gelugor
Asarum heterotropoides
Asarum sieboldii
aspen
atractylodes
atractylone
Baccharoides anthelmintica
bael
balloon flower
bamboo
banana
basil
Bassia scoparia
bayleaf
bee products
Belamcanda
benegut perilla (proprietary)
Bergenia
bermuda grass
berry
beta-pinene
big quaking grass
bindweed
black cumin
black currant
black pepper
black salt
black seed
blackbrush
Blepharis
Boerhavia diffusa
boneset
borage
Borassus aethiopum
borassus palm
Bougainvillea
Bryonia
Buddha\'s hand
burning bush
butternut
cactus
calamus
capsaicin
capsicum
carrot
cassia bark
cat's claw
Celosia
Chaenomeles lagenaria
Chekiang Fritillary
chen pi
Chenopodium
Chinese salvia root
Chondrus
cineole
cinnamaldehyde
cinnamon
Cistus
citron
Citrus
Clerodendrum indicum
clove
coconut
Coin-leaf desmodium
cola nut
coltsfoot
common madia
costus
cowage seed
cowslip
cubeb
culvers Root
currant
Cyanthillium cinereum
Desmodium
Dichrostachys glomerata
diterpenes
dodder
dragonhead
Echinacea
Elder
elderberry
elecampane
Embelia
empresstree
English horsemint
ephedrine
eucalyptus
European field elm
fennel
fernbush
ferula assafoetida
fig
flavoglycosides
fritillaria
fritillary
fruit
Fumaria parviflora
Galangal
Gallesia
garden cress
garlic
garlic bulb
ginger
Glehnia littoralis
glehnia root
Glycyrrhetinic acid
Glycyrrhizin
grape
Greek mountain tea
green tea
Grindelia
Guaco
Guava
gum
heartwood
Hedychium spicatum
Helicteres isora
Hemidesmus
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Himalayan salt
honey
honey loquat syrup
horehound
hyacinth bean
hyssop
Ilex
Indian bael
Indian frankincense
Indian tinospora
inula racemosa
Ivy
Japanese kadsura
Jatoba
Javanese Long Pepper
jujube
jungli-bean
juniper berries
Khella
Kokilaksha
Lactucarium
Large-leaved linden
Lebbek
lemon
lemongrass
Leptadenia
licorice root
Ligusticum
ligustilides
Lilium polyphyllum
lily
lime
linden
Lindera
lobelia
long pepper
longan
loquat
Loranthus
lovage
luffa
lungwort
mace
Maidenhair Fern
malabar nut
marigold
Marjoram
Marsh Tea
Marshmallow
Meadow sage
Meadowsweet
Melia
Mentha haplocalyx
Menthol oil
Mesua
Mucilage
Mucolase
Mullein
Neem tree
Nettle
Nigella seed
Night jessamine
Nutmeg
Nymphaea nouchali
Oldenlandia diffusa
onion
Ophiopogon
ophiopogon root
orange
oregano
Oroxylum indicum
Oryza sativa
Osha
Osmanthus
Paris polyphylla
parsley
peach
pear
Pelargonium
Pepper
perilla
Petiveria
Phellodendron
phellodendron amurense
Pimpinella
Pinellia ternata
Piper chaba
Piper retrofractum
pistacia integerrima gall
Platycodon
platycodon root
Plectranthus amboinicus
plum fruit
Polygala
polygala root
Polygonatum
polymorpha
Polypodium
pomegranate
poppy
Premna
prickly ash
pumpkin
punarnava
Pyrrosia
radish
raspberry
ravinsara
Rhododendron
root tuber
rose
Sabadilla
Sargassum
sarsaparilla
Sedanenolide
Semecarpus anacardium
Sete sangrias
Shogaol
Sicklepod
silk tree
Sinigrin
Solanaceae
soursop
Southern Tsangshu
spearmint leaf
Sphaeranthus indicus
Spikenard
Stachytarpheta cayennensis
Stemona
Stephania root
Sulfated polysaccharide
Sumac
Sundew
sweet flag
Tamarind
Tea
Terminalia
Terpenoids
Theobromine
thyme
Thymol
Thymoquinone
Tragacanth
Traveler's Joy
turmeric
Ulmus
Vasicine
Vasicinol
Vasicinone
Visnea Mocanera
vitamin C
Vladimiria souliei
Waterhyssop
Wax Gourd
White Tea
Yerba buena
Yerba santa
Yuzu
Zedoary
zhejiang fritillary
Zinc
Zingerone
Zucchini

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