The Naturopathic Herbalist
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Artemisia absinthium
Artemisia absinthium Common name: Wormwood Family: Asteraceae Parts used: Leaf & flowering top Constituents: Volatile oil (thujone, absitol & azulenes) Bitter sesquiterpenes & sesquiterpene lactones (artemisinin, absinthin, artabsin & santoinin) Flavone glycosides Hydroxycoumarins Lignans Medicinal actions: Anti-inflammatory Antimicrobial Anti-neoplastic Anti-parasitic (anti-malarial) Bitter Carminative Choleretic Diuretic Emmenagogue & Uterine stimulant Nervine tonic Medicinal use: The … Continue reading
Hamamelis virginiana
Hamamelis virginiana Common name: Witch Hazel Family: Hamameliadaceae Parts used: Leaves, Bark Constituents: Leaves: Tannins (hydrolyzable gallotannins & condensed catechins and proanthocyanin), flavonoids, quercitin, VO. Bark: Tannins (hydrolyzable hamamelitannins & condensed d-gallocatechin, l-epigallocatechin, l-epicatechin), saponins, VO, resin. Medicinal actions: Astringent, anti-inflammatory Medicinal uses: Should only be used topically for the treatment of hemorrhoids, varicose veins, bruises and inflamed swellings … Continue reading
Gaultheria procumbens
Gaultheria procumbens Common name: Wintergreen Family: Araliaceae Parts used: Inner root bark Constituents: Volatile oil: methyl salicylate, oenanthic alcohol (n-heptan-1-ol) Medicinal actions: Stimulant, aromatic, astringent, carminative, analgesic, rubefacient, diuretic, galactagogue Medicinal use: Its main use is pain reducing and anti-inflammatory. It is commonly used to … Continue reading
Dioscorea villosa
Dioscorea villosa Common name: Wild yam Family: Dioscoriaceae Parts used: Root Constituents: Steroidal saponins based on diosgenin (dioscin, dioscorin, and others), Starch, Alkaloids, Tannins, Phytosterols Medicinal actions: Antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-rheumatic, cholagogue, diaphoretic, analgesic, anti-tussive, anti-asthmatic, expectorant, anti-diabetic, vasodilator, cardiac sedative, bitter, hepatic, diuretic Medicinal use: Is most indicated in inflammatory conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, joints, uterus and ovaries. Wild yam … Continue reading
Lactuca virosa
Lactuca virosa Common name: Wild Lettuce Family: Asteraceae Part used: Dried leaves, latex (milky juice) Constituents: Acids (mallic, citric, oxalic), alkaloids, sesquiterpene lactones (lactucin, lactulone, lactupicrin, lactucic acid), flavonoids (quercitin, apigenin, luteolin), coumarins Actions: Nervous system relaxant, sedative, analgesic, hypnotic, narcotic, antispasmodic Medical … Continue reading
Baptisia tinctoria
Baptisia tinctoria Common name: Wild Indigo Family: Fabaceae Part used: Root Constituents: Alkaloids, glycoprotein, oleo-resin, Isoflavones (genistein), flavonoids, coumarins, polysaccharides, bitter principle (baptisin) Actions: Anti-microbial, antiseptic, anti-catarrhal, astringent, immuno-modulating, immuno-stimulant, febrifuge, anti-pyretic, alterative, mild cardiac agent, emetic &purgative (high dose), laxative, emmenagogue Medical uses: Wild … Continue reading
Verbena officinalis
Verbena officinalis Common name: Vervain Family: Verbenaceae Parts used: Aerial Constituents: Iridoid glycosides (0.2%-0.5%): verbenalin, hastatoside, verbanaline; Caffeic acid derivatives: verabscoside; volatile oil; Mucilage; Bitter substances (inc. verbenalol); Tannins; Alkaloid. Medicinal actions: Parasympathomimetic, anti-spasmodic, mild analgesic, nervous system tonic, bitter, emmenagogue. Medicinal use: A digestive … Continue reading
Rheum palmatum
Rheum palmatum Common name: Turkey rhubarb Family: Polygonaceae Parts used: Rhizome Medicinal actions: Bowel tonic (mild stimulant laxative), astringent, aperient, sialogogue Constituents: Anthraquinone glycosides including emodin, tannins, stilbene derivatives, volatile oil, rutin, fatty acids, calcium oxalate. Medicinal use: Rheum palmatum is used for its … Continue reading
Thymus vulgaris
Thymus vulgaris Common name: Thyme Family: Lamiaceae Part used: Aerial Constituents: Volatile oil up to 3% inc. terpines such as thymol, carvacrol, borneol, and cineol; Tannins; Bitters; Resin; Flavonoids; Gums. Medicinal Actions: Anti-septic, anti-helmintic, anti-viral, anti-bacterial, astringent, expectorant, secretolitic (decreases over-secretions), spasmolytic. Medicinal use: The uses for thyme fall into the main categories of pulmonary, urinary, … Continue reading
Melilotus officinalis
Melilotus officinalis Common name: Sweet clover Family: Fabaceae Part used: Aerial Constituents: Coumarin (0.2-0.45 %) and its precursor melilotiside, substituted coumarins (umbelliferone, scopoletin); flavones, caffeic acid derivatives. Medical actions: Lymphatic, antiedematous, antiinflammatory, possibly antitumor and immune enhancing Medical uses: Lympedema, venous insufficiency, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, episiotomy, post traumatic inflammation, filaritic lymphedema and elephantiasis, cancer (malignant melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, prostatic carcinoma) … Continue reading
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