Squill, or Urginea maritima of the plant family
liliaceae, is a powerful
expectorant used in chronic
bronchitis, especially where there is little
sputum production, which causes a dry irritable cough. A more fluid
mucous secretion in produced with Squill, which in turn facilitates an easier
expectoration. The
mucilage content eases and relaxes
brinchiole passages, thereby balancing the stimulation of the
glycosides. Squill may be used in bronchial
asthma and
whooping cough. It has a stimulating action on the
heart and has been used for aiding cases of
heart failure and water retention when there is heart involvement.
Soon after the flowering of the plant, the
bulb should be collected
Preparation and Dosage:
- Taken as a tea, the dose is quite small, only 0.06-0.2 grams of the bulb. As this is a minute quantity, make 500 milliliters per one pint of the infusion as a time by pouring this amount of boiling water onto 1/2 - 1 teaspoonful of the bulb. Let infuse for 10-15 minutes. Store the liquid in a refrigerator and drink a cup three times a day.
- As a tincture, take 1/2 - 1 ml of the tincture three times daily.
Constituents: Cardiac glycoside, mucilage,
tannin
Actions: Expectorant,
cathartic,
emetic,
cardioactive,
diuretic.
Combinations: For bronchitis it may be used with
White Horehound and
Coltsfoot; for whooping cough with
Sundew