Mullein for Lungs: Does It Help, and Is It Safe?

Updated 2026-10-08 · Plant Remedies Journal Editorial Team

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Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a tall, fuzzy-leaved plant that grows along roadsides across North America and Europe. Over the last few years it has become one of the most searched "lung herbs" online, often promoted for smokers. Here is a grounded look at what is known.

Where mullein's reputation comes from

Mullein leaves and flowers have been used for centuries in European and Native American folk medicine, mainly as a tea or syrup for coughs and chest congestion. The leaves contain mucilage, a gel-like plant fiber that coats and soothes, plus saponins and flavonoids. That chemistry explains why herbalists class mullein as a demulcent (soothing) and expectorant (mucus-loosening) herb.

Tradition is not proof, though, and that is where the story gets thinner.

What the research on mullein shows

Most published mullein research falls into three groups:

• Lab and animal studies looking at antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiviral activity of mullein extracts. These are interesting but cannot tell us what happens in a person's lungs.
• Small human studies on ear drops that contain mullein along with other herbs, for ear pain in children. That is a different use entirely.
• Very few human trials on breathing. We could not find a well-designed clinical trial showing that oral mullein improves lung function or clears the lungs in smokers.

So the honest summary: mullein is a reasonable traditional remedy for a soothing tea, but claims that it "detoxes" or "repairs" smokers' lungs are not backed by human evidence.

How people use mullein

How to prepare mullein tea

If you want to try mullein in its traditional form:

1. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried mullein leaf per cup of hot water.
2. Steep, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes.
3. Strain through a paper coffee filter or a fine cloth, not just a tea strainer, to catch the fine hairs.
4. Sip warm. A spoon of honey adds its own throat-soothing effect for adults.

Buy dried leaf from a supplier that identifies the species (Verbascum thapsus) and tests for contaminants. Do not harvest plants growing beside busy roads, where they collect exhaust residue.

Who should avoid mullein

• Pregnant or nursing women, because safety data are lacking.
• Children, unless a pediatric clinician advises it.
• People with known plant allergies in the figwort (Scrophulariaceae) family.
• Anyone taking several medicines who has not checked with a pharmacist.

Mullein safety

Mullein tea is generally considered low risk for healthy adults when the leaf hairs are strained out. Still, there is little formal safety research, especially in pregnancy and nursing, so those groups should avoid it unless a clinician says otherwise. As the NCCIH reminds readers, "natural" does not automatically mean safe, and supplements can interact with medications. If you are allergic to plants in the figwort family or develop a rash or throat irritation, stop.

Anyone with a cough lasting longer than three weeks, wheezing or breathlessness should see a doctor; MedlinePlus lists these as possible signs of COPD.

Lung supplements that include mullein

Two of the products we cover list mullein among their ingredients, according to their official websites:

• Pulmo Balance pairs mullein with bromelain, maritime pine bark, stinging nettle, tiger milk mushroom and quercetin.
• LungExpand Pro pairs mullein with umckaloabo, ivy, coltsfoot, serratiopeptidase, peppermint oil and vitamin D3.

In both cases mullein is one ingredient in a blend, and neither sales page lists the amount per capsule. If mullein is the herb you specifically want, a plain mullein tea gives you more control over the dose.

See the Pulmo Balance formula with mullein

Mullein compared with better-studied herbs

If your interest is short-term cough relief, Pelargonium sidoides has more clinical research than mullein, as a Cochrane review found for acute bronchitis symptoms (with low-quality evidence). For long-term lung health in smokers, no herb comes close to quitting; the CDC reports coughing and shortness of breath decrease within 1 to 12 months of stopping. Our natural remedies for lung health guide ranks the main options.

A simple way to use mullein sensibly

1. Talk to your doctor if you take prescription medicines or have a lung condition.
2. Choose a reputable dried leaf or a supplement with a full Supplement Facts panel.
3. Strain tea carefully.
4. Combine it with the free basics: breathing exercises, daily walks and a smoke-free home.
5. Stop if you notice irritation, and do not expect mullein to replace medical care.

Sources consulted: nccih.nih.gov, medlineplus.gov, cochrane.org, cdc.gov, lung.org.