How does drinking tea or any other liquid help clear your lungs?

Question

I’ve always seen people saying “if you have built up mucus in your lungs then drink this or that” but I never really understood that how can a liquid that goes down your throat help to clean/fix/heal your lungs?

and i’m not only referring to mucus that was just an example

In: Biology

Answer 1

Here is the physiological answer, but it isn’t ELI5. Caffeine (1,3,7-trimethylxanthine) is closely related to theophylline (1,3-dimethylxanthine). Theophylline is used in the treatment of COPD, asthma, and infant apnea. Your body will naturally convert caffeine to theophylline as the plasma concentration rises.