Internal use of coltsfoot root is not recommended due to the potential liver toxicity of its pyrrolizidine alkaloids. Tea of coltsfoot leaf or flower is made by steeping 1–2 teaspoons (5–10 grams) in 1 cup (250 ml) hot water for ten to twenty minutes.⁶ People can drink three cups (750 ml) daily. Alternatively, 1/2–1 teaspoon (2–4 ml) of tincture of the leaf or flower can be taken three times per day. Some practitioners of herbal medicine have recommended having hot coltsfoot tea ready in a thermos to drink for morning coughs due to emphysema.⁶ People should not use coltsfoot for more than one month consecutively unless on the advice of a doctor. Also, preparations guaranteed to be pyrrolizidine-free can be used indefinitely and are preferable.