Culpeper: ‘Tussilago. Coltsfoot. ... they are admirable good for coughs and consumptions of the lungs, shortness of breath etc. It is often used and with great success taken in a tobacco pipe, being cut and mixed with a little oil of Annis seeds.’

Culpeper, Nicholas. (1650). A Physical Directory . London, Peter Cole.

Used in cough syrups

Notes: It was suspected that it might be hepatotoxic (MCA, 2002), but it is likely that a Senecio was responsible. However it is genotoxic and carcinogenic due to the pyrrolizidine alkaloids that it contains. It should not be taken internally (MCA, 2002).

Medicines Control Agency (MCA), . (2002). MCA Parliamentary Report 'Saferty of Herbal Medicnes'. MCA.

Contains senkirkine, a pyrrolizidine alkaloid, which is possibly carcinogenic and is genotoxic.

van den Berg, S.J.P.L., Restani, et al., P.. (2011). Levels of Genotoxic and Carcinogenic Compounds in Plant Food Supplements and Associated Risk Assessment. Food and Nutrition Science 2: 989-1010. Link

OTHER COMMON NAMES: Coltsfoot; Ass's foot; Bull foot; Clay weed; Cleats; Cleets; Colt herb; Common Colt's foot; Coughwort; Dove dock; Dummy weed; Foal foot; Foal's foot; Ginger; Hoofs; Horse foot; Horse hoof; Sow foot; Tushy luck.

The Royal Horticultural Society Horticultural Database, available at www.rhs.org.uk

Africa, Northern Africa, Algeria

Africa, Northern Africa, Morocco

Asia-Temperate, Caucasus

Asia-Temperate, China

Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Kazakhstan

Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Kyrgyzstan

Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Tadzhikistan

Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Turkmenistan

Asia-Temperate, Middle Asia, Uzbekistan

Asia-Temperate, Russian Far East

Asia-Temperate, Siberia

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Afghanistan

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Cyprus

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Iran

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Turkey

Asia-Temperate, Western Asia, Lebanon-Syria

Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, India

Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, Pakistan

Asia-Tropical, Indian Subcontinent, Nepal

Europe, Eastern Europe, Northwest European Russia

Europe, Eastern Europe, South European Russia

Europe, Eastern Europe, Ukraine

Europe, Middle Europe, Austria

Europe, Middle Europe, Belgium

Europe, Middle Europe, Germany

Europe, Middle Europe, Hungary

Europe, Middle Europe, Netherlands

Europe, Middle Europe, Poland

Europe, Middle Europe, Slovakia

Europe, Middle Europe, Switzerland

Europe, Northern Europe, Denmark

Europe, Northern Europe, Finland

Europe, Northern Europe, Great Britain

Europe, Northern Europe, Ireland

Europe, Northern Europe, Norway

Europe, Northern Europe, Sweden

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Albania

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Bulgaria

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Czech Republic

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Greece

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Italy

Europe, Southeastern Europe, Romania

Europe, Southwestern Europe, France

Europe, Southwestern Europe, Spain