Comments on: What is this asthma-reducing herbal stuff?

Question: What is this asthma-reducing herbal stuff?

Dee Xtrovert — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:56:50 -0800

I'm looking for a strange medicinal herb which alleviates breathing problems from asthma, and sold at pharmacies circa 1970. Can you tell me what it could be? It came in a tin, like chewing tobacco. You opened it up and lighted the dried herb and it almost immediately made it possible to breath again. It had a sweet smell - not menthol-like, though. Sort of a dried-herb incense. Not terribly dissimilar to marijuana in appearance perhaps. It did not require a prescription, but you did ask the pharmacist for it. (I'm asking for a friend.) Anyone have a clue what this is?

By: Houstonian

Houstonian — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:02:52 -0800

Dee, I'm almost positive we've had this asked before. I can't find the link, though.

By: arimathea

arimathea — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:12:26 -0800

To the rescue: Asthmadora.

By: Houstonian

Houstonian — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:15:20 -0800

Yes, that's the question I remembered!

By: chez shoes

chez shoes — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:26:08 -0800

Hmmm, I wonder if that's what Vapineze, referenced here, was.

By: rmless

rmless — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 16:50:40 -0800

I wonder if it was smudge, i.e. a bundle of dried sage and other herbs that people light and burn like incense. The smells seem similar. But you don't ingest the smudge bundle.

I tried this as a teenager when I couldn't get rid of a chronic cough. It didn't work.

By: piedmont

piedmont — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 17:13:57 -0800

No idea if it's what you're referencing, but I know many people smoke Mullein or a mixture containing Mullein to combat asthma. It's supposed to be a pretty decent bronchial dilator from what I understand.

By: Dee Xtrovert

Dee Xtrovert — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 19:39:29 -0800

Thanks for the answers - it seems Asthmadora was it!