Misc. Information



Alternatives Agents which tend gradually to alter a condition. Alternatives are often combined with botanicals listed under "Aromatics", "Bitter Tonics", and "Demulcents". Among botanicals that may be classed as Alternatives are:

American Spikenard (root or berries)
Bittersweet (twigs)
Black Cohosh (root)
Blue Flag (root)
Blue Nettle (root)
Burdock (root)
Condurango (root)
Echinacea (root)
Guaiac (raspings)
Oregon Grape (root)
Pipsissewa (leaves)
Poke (root)
Prickly Ash (bark)
Red Clover (flowers)
Sarsaparilla (root)
Sassafras (root)
Stillingia (root)
Wild Sarsaparilla (root)
Yellow Dock (root)
Yellow Parilla (root)

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Anthelmintics or Vermifuges Medicines capable of destroying or expelling worms which inhabit the intestinal canal. Anthelmintics should only be administered by a physician:

Areca Nuts
Balmony (herb)
Kousso (flowers)
Male Fern
Melia Azedarach (bark)
Pomegranate (rind, bark, or root)
Pumpkin (seed)
Spielia (root)
Wormseed (herb)
Wormwood (herb)

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Astringents Temporarily tighten, contract or increase the firmness of the skin or mucous membrane. They are often of value to check excessive secretions. They are used as external washes, gargles, lotions, mouthwashes, etc. Astringents may be made very strong, using more of the herb and boiling longer. They may be "watered down" to the strength desired.

Strong Astringents:


Agrimony (herb)
Alum (root)
Barberry (bark)
Bayberry (bark)
Beech Drops (herb)
Bearberry (leaves)
Beth (root)
Black Alder (bark)
Black Cherries
Black Oak (bark)
Black Willow (bark)
Butternut (bark)
Buttonsnake (root)
Catechu Gum
Chocolate (root)
Cinquefoil
Congo (root)
Cranesbill (root)
Fleabane (herb)
Goldenrod (herb)
Hardhack (herb)
Hawthorne (berries)
Heal-all (herb)
Hemlock (bark)
Hickory (bark)
Jambul (seed)
Kola (nuts)
Logwood
Lycopus virginicus
Maiden Hair Fern
Mountain Ash (bark)
Pilewort (herb)
Potentilla (herb)
Purple Loosestrife (herb)
Queen of the Meadow (herb)
Rattlesnake (root)
Red (root)
Rhatany (root)
Sage (herb)
Sanicle (root)
Sampson Snake (root)
Shepherd's Purse (herb)
Sumbul (root)
Sumach (bark or root)
Tormentil (root)
Wafer Ash (bark)
Water Avens (root)
Water Lily (root)
White Ash (bark)
White Oak (bark)
Wild Indigo (bark)
Witch Hazel (twigs)


Mild Astringents:


Blackberry (root)
Black Birch (leaves)
Celandine
German Rue
Rosa Gallica Petals
St. John's Wort
Sweet Fern (herb)

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Bitter Tonics Used for temporary loss of appetite. They stimulate the flow of saliva and gastric juices, assisting in the process of digestion:

Augosura (bark)
Balmony (herb)
Barberry (root and bark)
Bayberry (leaves)
Blackberry (leaves)
Black Haw (bark)
Blessed Thistle
Bogbeab (herb)
Boldo (leaves)
Cascarilla (bark)
Chamomile (flowers)
Chiretta (herb)
Columbo (root)
Condurango (root)
Dandelion (root)
Fringe tree (bark)
Gentian (root)
Goldenseal (root)
Goldthread (root)
Hop (flowers)
Mugwort (herb)
Quassis (chips)
Sabattia-Amer. Century (root)
Serpentaria (root)
Turkey Corn (root)
Wild Cherry (bark)
Wormwood (herb)
Yellow Root (root) (Xanthorrhiza)

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Calmatives Agents used for their mild calming effect. Generally taken as a warm tea, upon retiring:

Catnip (herb)
Chamomile (flowers)
Fennel (seed)
Hops
Lindin (flowers)

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Carminatives and Aromatics Substances of a fragrant smell that produce a peculiar sensation of warmth and pungency on the taste buds. When swallowed, there is a corresponding impulse in the stomach which is communicated to other parts of the body. Aromatics are useful to expel gas from the stomach and intestines. They are chiefly used to make other medicinal formulae more palatable:

Allspice--(unripe fruit)
Anise (seed)
Angelica (seed)
Capsicum Fruit
Caraway (seed)
Cardamon (seed)
Catnip (herb)
Celery (seed)
Cinnamon (bark)
Cloves (buds)
Coriander (seed)
Cumin (seed)
Eucalyptus (leaves)
Fennel (seed)
Ginger (root)
Lovage (root)
Mace
Melilot (flower)
Mustard (seed)
Nutmeg
Peppermint (herb)
Spearmint (herb)
Valerian (root)
Wild Ginger (root)

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Cathartics Agents which promote evacuation from the bowels by their action on the alimentary canal. Cathartics can be divided into two groups: (1) LAXATIVES, or APERIENTS, are agents which are mild or feeble in their action. (2) PURGATIVES, are agents which induce copious evacuation. They are generally used for more stubborn conditions in adults, or used with other ingredients to modify or increase their action. Neither laxatives or purgatives should be used when appendicitis is suspected or during pregnancy. Cathartics should only be used for occasional constipation:

Agar-Agar
Aloes
Barberry (bark)
Blue Flag (root)
Buckthorn (bark)
Butternut (inner bark)
Cascara (bark)
Cassia fistula
Castor oil
Culver's (root)
Jalap (root)
Karaya (gum)
Manna
May Apple or Mandrake (root)
Pysllium (seed)
Rhubarb (root)
Senna [Egyptian] (leaves)
Senna [American]
Senna (pods)
Tamarind (pulp)

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Demulcents Substances usually of a mucilaginous and bland nature, taken internally for their soothing and protective-coating properties (for external use, see EMOLLIENTS). May be used to allay irritation of membranes. They have been used for coughs due to common colds and to relieve minor irritations of the throat. The mildest and most soothing demulcents are marked with **:

Agar-Agar
Arrow (root)
Cheese Plant (herb)
Coltsfoot (herb)
Comfrey (root)**
Couch Grass (root)
Flaxseed**
Gum Arabic**
Iceland Moss
Irish Moss
Karaya (gum)
Licorice (root)
Marsh Mallow (root and leaves)**
Okra (pods)**
Oatmeal**
Psyllium (seed)
Quince (seed)
Sago (root)
Salep (root)
Sassafras (pith)
Sesame (leaves)
Slippery Elm (bark)**
Solomon's Seal (root)
Tragacanth (gum)

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Diaphoretics Agents which tend to increase perspiration. They are commonly used as an aid in the relief of common colds. Diaphoretics act most favorably when administered hot, before bed. Botanicals marked with ** are often referred to as SUDORIFICS--agents which cause copious perspiration:

Ague Weed (herb)**
Angelica (root)
Balm (herb)
Blessed Thistle (herb)
Canada Snake (root)
Catnip (herb)
Chamomile (herb)
Elder (flowers)
Ginger (root)**
Guaiac (raspings)
Hyssop (herb)**
Linden (flowers)
Lobelia
Mtn. Mint [Koellia] (herb)
Pennyroyal**
Pleurisy (root)
Prickly Ash (bark)
Ragwort (herb)
Sassafras (bark or root)
Senega (root)
Serpentaria (root)**
Spice Bush or Fever Bush (twigs)
Thyme (herb)
Water Eryngo (root)
Wood Sage (herb)
Yarrow (herb)

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Diuretics A term used for medicines or beverages which tend to increase the secretion of urine. The fastest action is generally obtained by liquid diuretics taken on an empty stomach, during the day. Physical exertion retards the effects of diuretics. They are often used with demulcents, such as Marsh mallow rt., Couch Grass, etc., for their soothing qualities when irritation is present.

Bearberry or Uva Ursi (leaves)
Bilberry (leaves)
Broom tops
Buchu (leaves)
Burdock seeds
Button Snake (root)
Canada Fleabane (herb)
Cleavers (herb)
Copaiba Balsam
Corn Silk
Cubeb berries
Dog Grass (root)
Dwarf Elder (bark)
Elecampane (root)
Gravel Plant (leaves)
Hair Cap Moss
Horse Tail Grass
Juniper Berries
Kava-Kava (root)
Matico (leaves)
Pareira Brava (root)
Parsley (root)
Princess Pine (leaves)
Seven Barks
Stone (root)
Water Eryngo (root)
White Birch (leaves)
Wild Carrot (herb)

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Emollients Agents generally of oily or mucilaginous nature, used EXTERNALLU for their softening supple or soothing qualities.

Comfrey (root)
Flaxseed meal
Marsh mallow (leaves or root)
Oatmeal
Quince seed
Slippery Elm (bark)

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Expectorants Agents used to induce expulsion or loosen phlegm of the mucous membranes of the bronchial and nasal passages. Expectorants often are combined with demulcents as ingredients in cough (due to cold) medicines. Strong acting expectorants are marked with **.

Asafetida gum
Balm Gilead buds
Balsom or Tolu
Beth (root)
Benzoin tincture or gum
Blood (root) **
Cocillana (bark)
Coltsfoot (herb)
Comfrey (herb)
Elecampane (root)
Grindelia (herb)
Gum Galbanum
Horehound (herb)
Ipecac (root) **
Licorice (root)
Maidenhair Fern (herb)
Marsh mallow (root)
Mullein (herb)
Myrrh gum
Pleurisy (root)
Senega (root) **
Skunk Cabbage (root)
Slippery Elm (bark)
Wild Cherry (bark)
Yerba Santa (herb)

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Nervines Agents which tend to abate, or temporarily relax, non-serious nervous irritation, due to excitement, strain or fatigue.

Asafetida gum
Betony (herb)
Catnip (herb)
Chamomile (flower)
Hop (flower)
Nerve Root
Passion (flower)
Scullcap (herb)
Skunk Cabbage (root)
Valerian (root)
Yarrow (herb)

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Nerve Stimulants Nerve stimulants are useful for a temporary "lift" when health conditions do not prohibit caffeine.

Cocoa beans
Coffee beans
Guarana
Yerba Mate
Tea (leaves)

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Refrigerants Generally a cooling beverage.

Borage (herb)
Burnet (herb)
Licorice (root)
Melissa (herb)
Pimpernel (herb)
Rasberry fruit
Tamarind pulp
Wood Sorrel (root)

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Sedatives Often used by women for the usual minor discomforts incidental to impending menstruation (not for delayed menstruation).

Black Cohosh (root)
Black Haw (bark)
Catnip (herb)
Chamomile (flower)
Cramp (bark)
Motherwort (herb)
Squaw Weed
Yarrow (herb)

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Stimulants To quicken or increase various functional actions of the system. Stimulants refuse to act in the presence of an excess of animal foods and never act as quickly on persons who consume a lot of alcohol.

Angostura (bark)
Bayberry (leaves)
Black Pepper
Blood Root
Boneset (herb)
Camphor gum
Canada Snake Root
Capisicum fruit
Cascarilla (bark)
Cassena (leaves)
Cyenne Pepper
Cinnamon (bark)
Cloves (fruit)
Cocash (root)
Damiana (herb)
Fever Few (herb)
Fleabane (herb)
Ginger (root)
Golden Rod (herb)
Horseradish (root)
Hyssop (herb)
Jaborandi (root)
Matico (leaves)
Mayweed (herb)
Motherwort (herb)
Muirapuama
Mustard
Nutmeg
Paraguay tea
Pleurisy (root)
Pennyroyal (herb)
Peppermint (herb)
Prickly Ash (bark)
Quaking Aspen (bark)
Sarsaparilla (root)
Serpentaria (root)
Spearmint (herb)
Summer Savory (herb)
Sweet Gum
Sweet Shrub (bark)
Vervain (herb)
White Pepper
Wintergreen
Yarrow (herb)
Yerba Mate (leaves)
Yellow Root

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Vulnerary An application for minor external wounds. Almost any green plant that does not have irritating constituents is useful for minor wounds, because of its chlorophyll content. Applications are generally most effective when the fresh herb is applied.

All Heal (herb)
Blood Staunch or Fleabane (herb)
Calendual (herb)
Centauria (herb)
Clown's Woundwort (herb)
Heal-All (Herb) (Srophularia marilandica)
Healing Herb or Comfrey (herb and root)
Horse Tail Grass
Live Forever (leaves)
Marsh mallow (herb or root)
Plantian (leaves)
Self Heal or Heal All (herb) (Prunella vulgaris)

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