Lungwort is a lichen of the old-growth, boreal forest. It is composed of a fungus and a green alga that have a symbiotic relationship with cyanobacteria. I harvest it from select locations in the Adirondack Mountains. It is an important nitrogen fixer and an indicator of clean air. Fungi are not closely related to plants, but to animalia. Their natural defense mechanisms can be studied and used for the benefit of humans.
One of its medicinal components is mucilage, which is soothing for respiratory ailments and cough. It has traditionally been boiled, sometimes in milk, to make a cough tea. I find it useful for a dry, hacking, raspy sort of cough such as you get after a week of bronchitis.
Lungwort has tannins that impart antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects in the respiratory tract and can help protect against secondary bacterial infection that can happen when you are fighting a virus. Lichen Antibiotic Homepage (oregonstate.edu).
It has been shown in studies to be antiproliferative against colon cancer cells and research is continuing. It is the stictic acid component which appears to have the cancer-fighting effect.1 Lungwort has a quercetin component, which is a flavonoid. Flavonoids are strongly anti-oxidative and can help protect against heart disease.
It is being investigated as a solution for prion contamination of surgical instruments. Prion diseases, such as “mad cow” are caused by proteins which are virtually indestructible. Lobaria pulmonaria is one of three lichen species that can inactivate the problematic proteins. So far it has been tested on a variety of animals and it appears to be the fungal part of the lichen that has the prionicidal effect. 2
I sell it as a tincture here.