Linden Tea for Cold and Flu Season

Medicinal plants like linden can help alleviate cold and flu symptoms.

The dried flowers and bracts of linden—also known as lime—are used to prepare tea.

Happy New Year, dear readers! As I wrapped up my last week of 2023, I found myself ensconced in a blanket on the couch, with a steaming pot of herbal tea nearby. Unfortunately, I joined the ranks of an estimated 7.1 million Americans who, according to a CDC report, caught the seasonal flu this year. Thankfully, the flu vaccine I received in the fall offered some protection, ensuring that my illness was not severe enough to require hospitalization.

My symptoms included fever, chills, a dry persistent cough, chest and sinus congestion, and physical exhaustion. In managing these symptoms, three medicinal plants proved particularly beneficial: Ephedra sinica (from which I used the isolated compounds ephedrine and pseudoephedrine, available in over-the-counter pills), Mentha x piperita (peppermint), and Tilia cordata (linden). I consumed these last two as a herbal tea blend and also used peppermint oil in steam baths. Additionally, I found relief from fever through the plant-derived compound aspirin, a product of willow trees (Salix species).

In case you missed it, I previously wrote a post on the medicinal properties of menthol, a key component of peppermint essential oil, highlighting its effectiveness as an anti-tussive (cough suppressant).

Botanical Description

Lime or linden is a deciduous tree featuring large, heart-shaped leaves with serrated margins. Both Tilia cordata (from Europe) and Tilia platyphyllos (from Europe to Asia) are used in traditional medicine and are also commonly cultivated in landscaping. The genus Tilia belongs to the Malvaceae plant family, which includes other important medicinal plants such as mallow, okra, and hibiscus.

Uses in Traditional Medicine

The dried flowers and bracts of the linden tree are used in medicinal teas, and commercial preparations of the plant often include extracts and tinctures of these parts. In some instances, the inner bark and sapwood are also utilized in medicinal preparations, in particular as a diuretic and spasmolytic.

To prepare linden tea, steep 2-4 grams of the flowers and bracts in hot water. I created a homemade blend of linden with peppermint leaves and honey for my tea. In traditional medicine, this blend is used as a diaphoretic (to induce sweating), a mild sedative, and to combat colds. It is primarily employed for feverish colds, and to alleviate coughs and sore throats. From an anecdotal perspective, I can vouch for the soothing effects of this tea on cold symptoms.

Chemistry and Pharmacology

Linden flowers are rich in phenolic molecules, including flavonoids and procyanidins, which exhibit antioxidant properties. They are also abundant in mucilage, offering a soothing effect to the inflamed tissues of a sore throat. Furthermore, these flowers contain aromatic terpenoids such as linalool, germacrene, and farnesene. A recent study has identified a new group of alkaloid molecules in the flowers, which are also present in hot water extracts (teas) traditionally consumed in medicine. Further research is necessary to better understand the potential pharmacological properties of these and other natural products found in linden tea.

Scientific Evidence

A search of the literature revealed that there is a paucity of scientific studies conducted on linden. More research is needed to understand the:

1. Chemical composition of traditional medicines incorporating linden;

2. Bioactivity in cellular (test-tube) models;

3. Pharmacological properties of linden extracts and/or isolated natural products in animal studies; and

4. Safety and efficacy in human clinical trials.

Currently, most reports in the literature are limited to its uses in traditional medicine and anecdotal evidence of its efficacy against cold and flu symptoms.

The Takeaway

Linden is an important medicinal plant that has been long used in Europe and Asia. However, like many other medicinal plants, we still know very little about the science behind whether and how linden-based remedies work. More research is needed in this area.

Yours in health, Dr. Quave

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Cassandra L. Quave, Ph.D. is a scientist, author, speaker, podcast host, wife, mother, explorer, and professor at Emory University School of Medicine. She teaches college courses and leads a group of research scientists studying medicinal plants to find new life-saving drugs from nature. She hosts the Foodie Pharmacology podcast and writes the Nature’s Pharmacy newsletter to share the science behind natural medicines. To support her effort, consider a paid or founding subscription, with founding members receiving an autographed 1st edition hardcover copy of her book, The Plant Hunter.

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