--- title: "Mountain Tea: Benefits, Uses & Side Effects | Herbadex" description: "Mountain tea (Sideritis scardica) has traditional uses for cold-related cough and mild digestive discomfort; species identity and pregnancy precautions…" language: en url: https://herbadex.com/en/herb/mountain-tea/ source: Herbadex (https://herbadex.com) --- [Dried Herb & Tea](https://herbadex.com/en/form/dried-herb-tea/) # Mountain Tea Sideritis scardica Griseb. B Limited clinical evidence Mountain tea (Sideritis scardica) has traditional uses for cold-related cough and mild digestive discomfort; species identity and pregnancy precautions matter. [Digestion](https://herbadex.com/en/for/digestion/) [Sleep, Stress & Mood](https://herbadex.com/en/for/sleep-stress/) [Respiratory, Throat & Mouth](https://herbadex.com/en/for/respiratory/) Image: Herbadex Botanik Stüdyosu · Özel Üretim Pregnancy **⚠ Avoid** Breastfeeding **⚠ Avoid** Children **⚠ Avoid** Drug interactions **No recorded interactions** ## At a glance Mountain tea is prepared from dried flowering aerial parts of plants in the genus Sideritis (Lamiaceae). This entry specifically covers Sideritis scardica, as described in EMA and EU documents. In Türkiye, many other Sideritis taxa share the same common name and should not be assumed to have interchangeable evidence or dosing. **Parts used:** flowering aerial parts **Key constituents:** Flavonoids (apigenin and luteolin derivatives), Phenylethanoid glycosides (verbascoside), Phenolic acids, Diterpenes and small amounts of essential oil Updated: October 24, 2026 Sources include an EMA HMPC monograph. Its scope is limited to the specified species, plant part and preparation; this is not professional approval. ## What is it used for? - T Traditional use Tea made from dried flowering aerial parts of Sideritis scardica is traditionally used for cough associated with a cold. Its EU recognition rests on longstanding use, not established clinical efficacy. \[1\] \[2\] - T Traditional use An infusion of the same dried herbal material is traditionally used for mild gastrointestinal discomfort. The indication is not supported by robust human efficacy trials. \[1\] \[2\] - B Limited clinical evidence In one randomized study involving 155 adults, a standardized 950 mg/day Sideritis scardica extract lowered state-anxiety scores versus placebo after 28 days. This finding cannot be directly extrapolated to herbal tea or other Sideritis species. \[4\] ## How is it used? ### Tea Infuse the correctly identified dried, cut flowering aerial parts of Sideritis scardica in hot water. The EMA/EU amounts apply only to traditional tea use of this species in adults. **Amount:** 2–4 g herb per 150–200 mL water, 2–3 times daily; no more than 12 g of herb per day. \[1\] \[2\] ## Safety & interactions Minimum age: 18 years - Not recommended during pregnancy or breastfeeding because safety has not been established. - Not recommended for children or adolescents under 18 years because suitable data are lacking. - Do not use in cases of hypersensitivity to Sideritis or other plants in the mint family (Lamiaceae). - Seek medical advice if a cold-related cough persists longer than one week, mild digestive symptoms longer than two weeks, or symptoms worsen. Seek prompt assessment for breathlessness, high fever or bloody sputum. - Many different Sideritis taxa are sold as mountain tea in Türkiye. Do not apply the EMA dose to products without confirmed botanical identity. - No drug interactions have been reported in the monograph, but absence of reports does not prove absence of interactions. Seek professional advice with regular medicines or concentrated preparations. - The concentrated extract studied in a clinical trial is not dose-equivalent to the traditional infusion. \[1\] \[2\] \[3\] \[5\] \[6\] ### Drug interactions No recorded interactions ### Side effects - The EMA/EU source lists no known specific adverse effects, but extensive long-term safety studies are lacking. - Hypersensitivity is a concern in people allergic to Sideritis or related Lamiaceae species. #### ⚕ When to see a doctor - If high fever, shortness of breath or purulent/bloody phlegm develops - If symptoms do not improve within 1–2 weeks or worsen - If severe abdominal pain, jaundice, rash or allergic reaction occurs ## Did you know? Kew’s medicinal plant names database links the Turkish common name “dağ çayı” to 33 accepted Sideritis taxa, rather than to one botanical species. \[3\] ## Frequently asked questions What are the benefits of mountain tea? Sideritis scardica tea has recognized traditional-use indications for cough accompanying a cold and mild digestive discomfort. Traditional use does not establish clinical efficacy. How do you prepare mountain tea? The EMA/EU list gives 2–4 g of cut Sideritis scardica in 150–200 mL water, 2–3 times daily for adults, up to 12 g daily. These amounts should not be transferred to unidentified species. Is mountain tea safe during pregnancy or breastfeeding? Its safety has not been established, and the EMA/EU sources do not recommend use in either period. Can children drink mountain tea? Medicinal use is not recommended under age 18 because adequate data are unavailable. Is all Turkish mountain tea the same plant? No. Kew associates the Turkish name with 33 accepted Sideritis taxa. This record covers Sideritis scardica only. Does mountain tea help anxiety or memory? One randomized trial of a standardized Sideritis scardica extract reported improvements in selected anxiety and attention measures. It does not establish the same effect for tea. Does mountain tea interact with medicines? The EMA/EU monograph reports no documented interactions. Unknown interactions, particularly with concentrated extracts, cannot be excluded. ## Sources Source type is not an efficacy rating. A monograph may document traditional use or safety. Claim numbers link to the relevant source; the access date does not indicate professional approval. 1. [European Union herbal monograph on Sideritis scardica Griseb.; Sideritis clandestina (Bory & Chaub.) Hayek; Sideritis raeseri Boiss. & Heldr.; Sideritis syriaca L., herba](https://www.ema.europa.eu/en/documents/herbal-monograph/final-european-union-herbal-monograph-sideritis-scardica-griseb-sideritis-clandestina-bory-chaub-hayek-sideritis-raeseri-boiss-heldr-sideritis-syriaca-l-herba_en.pdf) European Medicines Agency (EMA/HMPC) · 2016 · Monograph Source accessed: October 24, 2026 2. [Commission Decision 2008/911/EC, Annex II: Union list entry on Sideritis scardica Griseb., herba (consolidated text)](https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:02008D0911-20220727) European Union, EUR-Lex · 2022 · Official agency information Source accessed: October 24, 2026 3. [Medicinal Plant Names Services: dağ çayı (33 accepted Sideritis taxa)](https://mpns.science.kew.org/mpns-portal/drugDetail?drugName=da%C4%9F+%C3%A7ay%C4%B1) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · 2026 · Reference book Source accessed: October 24, 2026 4. [The Acute and Chronic Cognitive and Cerebral Blood Flow Effects of a Sideritis scardica (Greek Mountain Tea) Extract: A Double Blind, Randomized, Placebo Controlled, Parallel Groups Study in Healthy Humans](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/30042362/) Nutrients · 2018 · Randomized controlled trial Source accessed: October 24, 2026 5. [Bioactive Compounds of Sideritis Species in Inflammation, Neuroprotection and Cardiometabolic Health: A Review](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC13412040/) International Journal of Molecular Sciences · 2026 · Review Source accessed: October 24, 2026 6. [Sideritis scardica Griseb. — Plants of the World Online](https://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:459087-1) Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew · 2026 · Reference book Source accessed: October 24, 2026 ### Cite This Page Mountain Tea (Sideritis scardica Griseb.). Herbadex — Doğal Şifa Rehberi (2026). https://herbadex.com/en/herb/mountain-tea/ ## Related guides and comparisons - [How to Prepare Herbal Tea](https://herbadex.com/en/guide/how-to-prepare-herbal-tea/) - [Herbal Products in Pregnancy and Breastfeeding](https://herbadex.com/en/guide/herbal-products-in-pregnancy/) - [Same Name, Different Plants](https://herbadex.com/en/guide/same-name-different-plants/) - [Understanding Evidence Levels (A, B, C and T)](https://herbadex.com/en/guide/understanding-evidence-levels/) ## On this page At a glance What is it used for? How is it used? Safety & interactions Did you know? Frequently asked questions Sources Related herbs ## Related herbs ### [Peppermint Oil](https://herbadex.com/en/herb/peppermint-oil/) A Strong clinical evidence Mentha × piperita Gastro-resistant peppermint oil capsules may ease IBS cramps, wind and pain; oil rubbed on the forehead may ease mild tension headache. 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