The Action of Herbs (terminology/definitions)
-alteratives - gradually gradually restore proper function of body and increase health and vitality
-analgesics/anodynes - reduce pain (applied externally or taken internally)
-anthelmintics - destroy/expel worms from digestive system (toxic in high doses)
-anti-bilious - help remove excess bile (beneficial in cases of biliary and jaundice)
-anti-catarrhals - help remove excess catarrhal build-ups (sinus area or other parts)
-anti-emetics - reduce nausea and prevent vomiting
-anti-inflammatories - help body combat inflammation
-anti-lithics - prevent and help remove stones in urinary systems
-anti-microbials - help destroy/resist pathogenic micro-organisms
-anti-spasmodics - prevent or ease spasms and cramps
-aperients - mild laxatives (very mild)
-aromatics - have pleasant odors and stimulate digestive system
-astringents - contract tissues by precipitating proteins (reduce secretion)
-bitters - act as stimulating tonics for digestive system
-cardiac tonics - affect the heart
-carminatives - relax stomach/support digestion/help against gas (volatile oils)
-cholagogues - stimulate release/secretion of bile in gall-bladder/laxative
-demulcents - soothe and protect irritated/inflamed internal tissue
-diaphoretics - aid skin in elimination of toxins/promote perspiration
-diuretics - increase secretion and elimination of urine
-emetics - cause vomiting
-emmenagogoues - stimulate/normalize menstrual flow
-emollients - applied to skin to soften, soothe or protect
-expectorants - help remove excess mucus in respiratory system
-febrifuges/anti-pyretics - help reduce fever
-galactogogues - help breast-feeding mother increase flow of milk
-hepatics - aid liver (tones and strengthens it/increase flow of bile)
-hypnotics - induce sleep
-laxatives - promote evacuation of bowels
-nervines - have beneficial effect on nervous system
-oxytocics - stimulate contraction of uterus (help in child birth)
-pectorals - have general strengthening/healing effect on respiratory system
-rubefacients - applied to skin, increase circulation in skin/relieves internal pains
-sedatives - calm nervous system/reduce stress
-sialogogues - stimulate secretion of saliva
-soporifics - induce sleep
-stimulants - quicken/enliven physiological functions
-styptics - reduce or stop external bleeding by astringency
-tonics - strengthen and enliven specific organs or whole body
-vulneraries - are applied externally and aid in healing of cuts/wounds
Therapeutic Index (common problems and herbal remedies)
-anxiety - california poppy, chamomile, mistletoe, motherwort, pasque flower, st. johns wort, skullcap, valerian, wild lettuce
-arthritis - black cohosh, bog bean, celery seed, guaiacum, prickly ash, wild yam
-catarrh (sinus) - echinacea, elder, eyebright, garlic, golden rod, golden seal, mouse ear, mullein, peppermint, pine, poke root
-circulation - cayenne, ginger, prickly ash
-colds - angelica, cayenne, elder, garlic, ginger, golden rod, golden seal, hyssop, peppermint, yarrow
-constipation - balmony, barberry, buckthorn, cascara, sagrada, rhubarb root, senna, yellow dock
-cough - angelica, aniseed, balm of gilead, coltsfoots, comfrey, cowslip, elecampane, garlic, golden seal, grindelia, ground ivy, hyssop, mouse ear, pine, greater plantain, pleurisy root, senega, sundrew, white horehound
-depression - damiana, kola, oats, skullcaps, wormwood
-diarrhea - agrimony, american cranesbill, bayberyy, bistort, black catechu, comfrey, ladys mantle, meadowsweet, oak, greater plantain, rhatany, silwerweed, tormentil
-fever - boneset, catnip, cayenne, ginger, pervian bark, pleurisy root
-flatulence - angelica, calamus, caraway, cardamon, cayenne, cinnamon, condurango, coriander, fennel, gentian, ginger
-headache - betony, feverfew, marjoram, rosemary, skullcap
-heartburn - comfrey, marshmallow, meadowsweet
-indigestion - balm, calamus, cayenne, centaury, chamomile, condurango, fennel, ginger, peppermint, valerian, wild yam, wormwood
-insomnia - california poppy, hops, jamaican dogwood, passionflower, valerian, wild lettuce
-pain - black cohosh, black williow, jamaican dogwood, valerian, wild lettuce
-prostate - damiana, horsetail, hydrangea, saw palmetto
-rheumatism - angelica, black cohosh, bogbean, celery seed, guaiacum, meadowsweet, prickly ash, white poplar, wild lettuce, wild yam, wintergreen, yarrow
-stress - damiana, lime blossom, mistletoe, motherwort, pasque flower, passion flower, st johns wort, skullcap, valerian, vervain, wild lettuce
Herbs and Systems of the Body (general overview)
-circulatory system
-heart tonics - broom, bugleweed, figwort, hawthorn berries, lily of the valley, motherwort, (night blooming cereus)
-circulation - broom, buckwheat, cayenne, dandelion, ginger, hawthorn, horsechestnut, lime blossom, mistletoe, yarrow
-diuetics - when heart is weak and fails to circulate blood efficiently through kidneys a build-up of water in parts can occur (broom, dandelion, lily of the valley, yarrow)
-nervines - anxiety and stress can lead to cardio problems (balm, hops, lime blossom, motherwort, pasque flower, skullcap, valerian)
-lymphatic system
-cleavers, echinacea, golden seal, marigold and poke root may all be considered lymphatic cleaners
-respiratory system
-stimulants - acts as expectorants (bittersweet, cowslip, daisy, senega, soapswprt, squill and thuja)
-relaxants - relax tissue of lungs (angelica, aniseed, coltsfoots, elecampane, ephedra, flax seed, grindelia, hyssop, plantain, pillbearing, spurge, sundew thyme, wild cherry bark, wild lettuce)
-amphoteric remedies - suit system at particular time using body's wisdom to use herb accordingly (blood root, lobelia, mullein, pleurisy root, white horehound)
-demulcents - soothe, relieve and soften irritated/inflamed mucus membranes (comfrey root, coltsfoot, flax seed, licorice, lungwort moss, marshmallow leaf, mullein)
-ears, nose, throat and eyes
-balm of gilead, boneset, echinacea, elder flower, eyebright, golden rod, golden seal, hyssop, marshmallow leaf, peppermint, poke root, sage, silverweed and wild indigo)
-digestive system
-stimulants
-bitters - bitterness promotes appetite and aids digestion in a complex way (barberry, centaury, gentian root, golden seal, white horehound and wormwood
-sialagogues - promote saliva flow (cayenne, ginger, licorice, rhubarb root)
-hepatics - strengthen, tone and stimulate secretionary function of liver (balmony, black root, blue flag, boldo, dandelion root, fringetree bark, golden seal, vervain, wahoo, wild yam, yellow dock)
-laxatives/evacuants - balmony, barberry, dandelion root, licorice, wahoo, yellow dock
-emetics - situations where rapid expulsion/vomiting is wanted (balm, ipecacuanha, lobelia, senega)
-anthelmintics - work on parasitic worms that may be present (kousso, male fern, santonica, garlic, pomegranite, pumpkin seeds, quassia, southernwood, tansy, wormwood)
-relaxants
-demulcents - soothe and protect membranes of digestive tract (comfrey root, hops, iceland moss, irish moss, marshmallow root, oats, quince seed and slippery elm)
-carminatives - relax stomach muscles, increase peristalsis of intestine and reduce gas production (angelica, aniseed, calamus, caraway, cardamon, cayenne, chamomile, coriander, fennel, ginger, peppermint, thyme)
-astringents - contract cell walls/condense tissue to make it firmer to arrest unwanted change (agrimony, american cranesbill, bay berry, meadowsweet, nettles, pasque flower, skullcap, valerian)
-anti-spasmodics - rapidly relax nervous tension (chamomile, hops, lobelia, mistletoe, pasque flower, skullcap, valerian)
-anti-microbials - echinacea, myrrh, pulsatilla, thyme, wormwood
-nervous system
-tonics - oats, damiana, skullcap (stress), vervain, wood betony
-relaxants - black cohosh, black haw, california poppy, chamomile, cramp bark, hops, hyssop, jamaican dogwood, ladys slipper, lavender, lime blossom, mistletoe, motherwort, pasque flower, passion flower, rosemary, st johns wort, skullcap, valerian
-stimulants - kola, coffe, mate tea, black tea, peppermint
-skin
-vulneraries - woundwort, knitbone, self heal (also: aloe, american cranesbill, chickweed, comfrey, elder flower/berries, golden seal, horsetail, irish moss, marigold flowers, marshmallow root, slippery elm, witch hazel)
-alteratives - blue flag, burdock, cleavers, figwort, fumitory, golden seal, mountain grape, nettles, red clover, sarsaparilla, sassafras, thuja, yellow dock
-anti-microbials - chickweed, echinacea, garlic, marigold, myrrh, pasque flower, thuja, thyme, wild indigo
-musculo/skeletal system
-anti-rheumatics - angelica, bearberry, black cohosh, black willow, bladderwrack, blue flag, bog bean, boneset, burdock, cayenne, celery seed, couch grass, dandelion, devils claw, guaiacum, ginger, juniper, mountain grape, mustard, nettles, poke root, prickly ash, ragwort, sarsaparilla, white poplar wild yam, wintergreen, wormwood, yarrow, yellow dock
-alteratives - black cohosh, bog bean, celery seed, devils claw, guaiacum, sarsaparilla
-anti-inflammatories - black willow, devils claw, guaiacum, meadowsweet, white poplar, wild yam
-rubefacients - cayenne, ginger, horseradish, mustard, peppermint oil, ragwort, rosemary oil, wintergreen
-diuetics - boneset, celery, juniper berries, yarrow
-circulatory stimulants - cayenne, ginger, poke root, prickly ash, rosemary
-pain relievers - guaiacum, jamaican dogwood, st johns wort, valerian
-digestive tonics - boldo, gentian, golden seal, rhubarb root, wormwood, yarrow, yellow dock
-glandular system
-bitters - golden seal, mugwort, rue, wormwood, yarrow
-alteratives - burdock, cleavers, echinacea, dandelion, red clover, sarsaparilla, violet leaves, yellow dock
-specific - bladderwrack, borage, bugleweed, gingseng, goats rue, licorice, wild yam
-reproductive system (female)
-unterine tonics - black cohosh, blue cohosh, chaste tree, flase unicorn root, life root, motherwort, raspberry, squaw vine
-emmenagogues - blue cohosh, flase unicorn root, life root, motherwort, parslet, pennyroyal, rue, southernwood, squaw vine, yarrow
-astringents - american cranesbill, beth root, burr-marigold, ladys mantle, periwinkle, shepards purse
-urinary system
-diuetics - dandelion, cleavers
-antiseptics - bearberry, silver birch, boldo, buchu, celery seed, couch grass, juniper, yarrow
-demulcents - cornsilk, couch grass, marshmallow leaf
-astringents - beth root, burr-marigold, horsetail, plantain
-anti-lithics - gravel root, hydrangea, parsley piert, pellitory of the wall, stone root
Brain Nourishing Herbs (BlessedMaineHerbs.com)
-oatstraw - restorative, essential for those who lack concentration skills
-skullcap - pain relieving, anti-depressant, sedative, helps focus and concentration
-red clover - provides protein, B-vitamins and calcium
-sage - inhibits breakdown of acetylcholine (prevents Alzheimer's)
-rosemary - stress reliever, anti-depressant
-angelica - revitalizing, restorative, B-vitamins (including B12)
-ginseng - rejuvenating, restorative, boosts energy, anti-depressant, promotes strong nerves, sound sleep, improves memory and clear thinking
