Botanical Name

• Family Rubiaceae
• Cinchona species

Common Names

• Quinine, Peruvian Bark, Jesuit’s Bark, Fever Tree
• Spanish: Quina Roja, Quina Rojo, Chincona

Cautions

• Some such sensitization can occur as eczema and itching.
• Because of the possibility of thrombocytopenia, care must be taken when administering the herb with other medications known to produce the same effect.
• Do not take during pregnancy.
• If there is heart disease, do not take unless under professional supervision.
• Excessive use can lead to nausea, deafness, and other physical problems.

Description

 Native to the mountainous tropical regions of South America, especially Peru, it is now grown in India, Java, and parts of Africa, and extensively cultivated on tree farms. The herb is obtained from an evergreen tree, reaching eighty feet, having reddish bark and leaves that grow to twenty inches. The bark is removed from six to eight-year-old trees and then dried in the sun. The annual production of cinchona bark has been estimated at about 8,000 tons per year.

History

 Known as the best source for the synthetic drug quinine, it has been used for centuries and was the most widely consumed antimalarial remedy in the world.

For centuries, the plant was used by Peruvians, including the Incas, to treat malaria, digestive problems, and fevers. It is also known to stimulate salivary secretions and digestive juices.

It was the Incas who taught the Spanish how to cure fevers with the bark. In 1640, the wife of the Viceroy of Peru, the Condesa de Chincón, sent word back to Spain extolling the wondrous powers of the bark. The remedy soon became known as "chincona" in her honour. Later, when the Jesuits brought large quantities of the powdered bark back to Europe, it was sold as "polvos de la condessa", the countess's powders.

Various Cinchona species, including calisaya, ledgeriana, and officinalis, are used medicinally.

The Peruvians have taken cinchona for many centuries to treat fevers, digestive problems, and infections.

Quinine was the principal remedy for malaria until WWI; but, from the 1960s onward, resistance of the malarial parasite to the synthetic drug, chloroquine, led to the rise again of quinine's use.

Key Actions

• antimalarial
• antispasmodic
• astringent
• antiseptic
• antibacterial
• bitter
• reduces and stablizes heart rate
• reduces fever
• stimulants saliva and gastric juices
• tonic

Key Components

• alkaloids (up to 15%) mainly quinoline alkaloids (quinine, quinidine)
• indole alkaloids (cinchonamine)
• bitter triterpenic glycosides (quinovin)
• tannins
• quinic acid

Medicinal Parts

• Bark of the trunk, branches, and root
• The bitter principal is cinchona, which produces a reflex stimulation of the digestion as a whole.
• Quinidine is a cardiac depressant known to reduce the heart rate and improve irregularity of the heartbeat.

Traditional Uses

 A decoction is a well-known remedy for fevers.

Gargles made from decoctions are used for sore throats.

Tinctures are strongly bitter and prescribed to improve digestion.

Botanical Name

• Family Asteraceae (formerly Compositae)
• Cichorium intybus

Common Names

• Succory, Hendibeh, Coffeeweed, Garden Chicory, Endive

Cautions

• None listed.

Description

 A deep-rooted perennial growing to five feet, chicory has hairy stems, oblong leaves, and blue flowers. It can be found in Europe, the Middle East as far as Iran, north and south Africa, all of America, Australia, and New Zealand. Chicory flourishes along paths and roadsides, on banks, and in dry fields.

History

According to Pliny (23-79 CE), chicory juice was mixed with rose oil and vinegar as a remedy for headaches.

The roasted root has long been used as a coffee substitute; and, as a vegetable, it is boiled and eaten like a parsnip. The leaves were valued as a vegetable long before the advent of spinach.

Chicory was used by various Native American tribes as a liver purifier and as an aid for upset stomachs. The Cherokee found it useful as a nerve tonic.

Key Actions

• bitter tonic
• mildly laxative

Key Components

• hydroxycoumarins (including umbelliferone)
• flavonoids
• inulin (up to 58%)
• sesquiterpene lactones
• vitamins
• minerals

Medicinal Parts

• Root, leaves, flowers

Traditional Uses

 It is primarily used as a bitter tonic to aid digestion by stimulating the liver and digestive tract. The root is therapeutically similar in action to the dandelion in supporting the action of the stomach and liver and in cleansing the urinary tract. An infusion of the leaves and flowers also aids the digestion.

It is also taken for rheumatic conditions and gout.

The juice is mildly laxative and one particularly appropriate for children and the convalescent.

It can be used as a gargle for sore throats.

Infusions are used to treat hemorrhoids, tuberculosis, abdominal cramps, melancholy, and rashes.

When applied topically, the bruised leaves can help relieve swelling and inflammation.

In Ayurvedic medicine, it is used for headaches, dyspepsia, skin allergies, vomiting, and diarrhea.

Endive is technically a closely related species that has similar, but milder, effects.

Botanical Names

• Family Zygophyllaceae
• Larrea tridentata
• Larrea divaricata

Common Names

• Creosote Bush, Greasewood
• Spanish: Gobernadora, Hediondilla, Goma de Sonora

Cautions

• In 1992, four people, who were taking large doses of the herb in capsule form, developed hepatitis. The resulting scare caused the Herbal Products Association, responding to a press release by the USFDA, to issue a letter recommending the sale of the herb be suspended. After further studies, no scientific basis for the warning was discovered, and it was recinded in 1995.
• It should be noted that extended use may be toxic to the liver.

Description

 This tall, thorny shrub is found in large numbers in the deserts bordering the US and Mexico, reaching six feet in height and producing small, finely divided, olive green leaves, which exude a nasty, shiny, smelly resin that keeps predators away. Sometimes planted ornamentally in dessert gardens, its yellow flowers give way to fuzzy white fruits resembling cotton balls.

History

 In 1792, the Spanish naturalist José Longinos Martinez, wrote in his journal that the natives of Baja California used the plant to induce abortions, to bring on delayed menstruation, and as an aid in the expulsion of afterbirth.

The resin was used in folk crafts, as a glue to mend pottery, and as a coating to waterproof baskets.

It was widely used by Native Americans to treat stomach troubles and diarrhea. Young twigs were used for toothache, and the leaves were applied as a poultice for respiratory problems or used in a wash for skin inflammations.

The Maricopa, Papago, and Pimas tribes treated bruises and rheumatism by applying poultices made by boiling the leaves and branches.

The plant was listed in the US Pharmacopoeia from 1842 to 1942.

Until recently, chararral remained in wide use in the US, with an average of ten tons consumed each year. It was thought to be beneficial for rheumatic disease, venereal infections, urinary infections, and certain types of cancer, especially leukemia.

Key Actions

• analgesic
• antiseptic
• antiamebic
• antioxidant
• antiviral
• antibiotic
• anticancer
• antimicrobial
• deorderant
• diuretic
• decongestant
• expectorant

Key Components

• resin (12%)
• nordihydroguaiaretic acid
• flavonoids
• vitamins and minerals (especially, calcium, potassium, selenium, thiamin, and vitamins A and C)

Medicinal Parts

• Aerial parts

Traditional Uses

 Modern herbalists value it as a powerful weapon against infection and in a tea to clear the lymph system.

Chaparral is reportedly effective in treating a variety of conditions, including arthritis, rheumatism, bruises, diarrhea, stomach problems, influenza, venereal disease, and even cancer.

It is also used to treat skin abrasions, insect bites, ringworm, rheumatism, urinary tract problems, and body odour.

Taken internally, it is used for such skin infections as acne and eczema.

It can also be incorporated into a lotion and used for sores, wounds, and rashes.

Topically, chaparral has been used to treat toothaches, and may be effective in preventing cavities.

A related species, the South American L. nitida, is used to counter indigestion, to induce menstruation, and to treat wounds.

Botanical and Common Names

• Family Asteraceae (formerly Compositae)
• Chamaemelum nobile syn. Anthemis nobilis (Roman/English Chamomile, Ground Apple, Whig Plant, Perennial Chamomile, Sailors Buttons, Double Chamomile, Camomile/Camomille)
• Chamomilla recutita syn. Matricaria chamomilla or syn.M. recutita (German/Hungarian Chamomile, Manzanilla, Pin Heads, Chamomilla/Camamilla, Single Chamomile, True Chamomile, Matricaria)

Cautions

• Chamomile essential oil is not to be used internally, except under professional supervision.
• Chamomile is subject to legal restrictions in some countries.
• The essential oil is also a uterine stimulant so should not be used during pregnancy.
• It can cause contact dermatitis.
• Individuals who are allergic to ragweed and its relatives, aster, and chrysanthemums, may react to drinking chamomile tea exhibiting hay-fever like symptoms and hives.

Description

Roman Chamomile is native to western Europe and northern Africa, but now cultivated worldwide in temperate regions. It is an aromatic perennial, growing to about twenty inches in height, producing feathery leaves and white,daisy-like flower heads, with yellow centers. The flowers are harvested as they open in summer. The main exporters are Belgium, France, Great Britain, and Italy, followed by Poland, the Czech and Slovakian Republics, North America, and Argentina. German Chamomile is native to Europe and northwest Asia, where it still grows wild. It is cultivated in much of Europe and other temperate regions. The seeds are sown in spring or autumn, and the flower heads picked when in full bloom in summer. It is a sweetly aromatic annual, growing to about two feet, producing finely cut leaves and white, daisy-like flower heads. The receptacle of the compound head is hollow, which distinguishes it from other types of chamomile. The German or Hungarian variety is the most widely available for medicinal use, and is biochemically distinct from the Roman or English variety.

History

Although called Roman chamomile, it was not cultivated there until the 16th century and probably arrived via Britain and used as a medicinal plant ever since. German chamomile has been taken for digestive problems since at least the 1st century CE, and is gentle, and suitable, enough for children. The Egyptians dedicated the herb to the sun and worshiped it above all other herbs for its healing properties. Hieroglyphic records also show that chamomile was used cosmetically for at least 2,000 years. Egyptian noblewomen used preparations of crushed petals on their skin. Greek physicians prescribed it for fevers and female disorders. Chamomile is one of the “Nine Sacred Herbs” of the “Lacnunga”, an ancient Anglo-Saxon manuscript. In a popular gardening book of 1638, it was valued for its sweet apple-scented leaves. Frances A. Bardswell’s Herb Garden (1911) states that chamomile has a remarkable effect on other plants and calls it the “plant’s physician”. “Nothing will keep a garden so healthy”, she says, “as plenty of Camomile…It will even revive drooping and sickly plants if placed near them.” The botanical name of Matricaria is derived from the Latin word for womb because of its affinity for women’s conditions. It eases menstrual cramps and pain in childbirth. Doctors in England and the colony of Virginia included it in their medical bags. In modern-day Eastern Europe, particularly Romania, children were sometimes asked to bring the herb to school during government run collection campaigns.

Key Actions

(a) Roman

• antispasmodic
• anti-inflammatory
• antiseptic
• antiallergic
• digestive stimulant
• mildly analgesic
• muscle relaxant
• sedative

(b) German

• anti-inflammatory
• antispasmodic
• antiallergenic
• carminative
• digestive
• mild bitter
• relaxant
• sedative

Key Components

(a) Roman

• cyanogenic glycosides
• coumarins
• flavonoids
• phenolic acids
• salicylates
• sesquiterpene lactones
• tannins
• valerianic acid
• volatile oil (including tiglic and angelic acid esters and chamazulene)

(b) German

• bitter glycosides (anthemic acid)
• chamazulene
• coumarins
• cyanogenic glycosides
• flavonoids (apigenin, luteolin, patuletin, and quercitrin)
• salicylates
• tannins
• valerianic acid
• volatile oil

Medicinal Parts

Flowers, essential oils Studies have also shown that chamomile may fight against such infectious organisms as Staphylococcus aureus bacteria and Candida albicans fungi which, together with the anti-inflammatory properties, may play a role in wound healing. Chamomile significantly decreases the surface areas of wounds and helped them to dry, especially during eczema outbreaks. The essential oil has shown some activity against gram-positive bacteria and dermatomyces (fungal). Although the tea has some benefit, the essential oil is not very water-soluble, and only a small amount is released into a tea. Therefore, it is important that formulations containing the whole flower head be purchased from reputable sources to help assure the highest potency. Avoid powdered formulas that contain the stems and other parts of the plant. German studies in 1987 showed that a cream made from German chamomile had the ability to heal wounds. Another German study using chamomile and four other herbs showed them to be most effective in easing infantile colic, peptic ulcers, gastrointestinal spasms, and such inflammatory diseases as arthritis. On steam distillation, the proazulenes in the herb produce chamazulene, which is a marked antiallergenic, anti-inflammatory, and antipyretic, relieving symptoms of hay fever and asthma and in treating ulcers. In animal studies, chamomile infusions act as a mild CNS depressant, perhaps explaining the effectiveness as a soothing relaxant. The flowerheads also have several organic anodynes which help to relieve abdominal cramps, a common symptom of PMS. The antioxidant benefits of the flavonoids may also protect the skin from UV radiation. Apigenin may also be responsible for the anti-anxiety and sedative effects. Its action on receptors in the brain is similar to that of such benzodiazepines as Valium, but far less harmful. The anti-inflammatory effects of the flavonoids and the anti-inflammatory and anti-spasmodic benefits of the essential oils may contribute to chamomile’s reputation for easing gastrointestinal inflammation and spasms. Levomenol can improve the texture of the skin by reducing fine lines caused by pollution, stress, and the sun.

Remedies

• An infusion is made for irritable bowel syndrome, poor appetite, and indigestion. Putting some in the baby’s bathwater at night encourages sleep.
• Essential oil has been distilled from fresh flowers since ancient times. It is rare and extremely expensive. It is a deep blue in colour because of the azulenes it contains (azul is Spanish for blue).
• One home-dried flower has more flavour than a bag of commercial tea.
• Medieval herbalists developed double-flowered varieties to increase the yield of usable parts
• tincture for irritable bowel syndrome, insomnia, and tension
• ointment for insect bites, wounds, itching eczema, and for genital irritation
• mouthwash from an infusion for oral inflammations
• eyewash from tinctures for conjunctivitis, eye strain, or inflammations
• lotion from essential oil for chapped hands, diaper rash, other skin problems
• inhalation of infusion in steam for asthma or other upper respiratory congestions
• poultice to heal wounds and relieve inflammation

Traditional Uses

Roman chamomile is used interchangeably with the German. However, it has a more pronounced bitter action that the German counterpart. Chamomile tea is often served in beauty salons to relax facial muscles. The herb is valuable for pain, indigestion, acidity, bloating, nausea, vomiting, colic, and gastritis. It has been used for hiatus hernia, peptic ulcer, Crohn’s disease, and irritable bowel syndrome, as well as for easing menstrual cramps, treating colds and fevers, and hemorrhoids. It is safely taken for headaches and migraines, even by children. It has also been used to stimulate liver function. The herb contains spiroether, a very strong antispasmodic, that relaxes tense, aching muscles, and relieves menstrual pain and irritability, and promotes sleep, especially in children. Today, women who want to lighten their hair without using harsh bleaches often turn to chamomile as a gentler alternative. To lighten blond hair by one or two shades, brew a strong cup of chamomile tea and use it as a final rinse after shampooing, but do not rinse off the tea. Instead, towel dry and then expose the hair to the sun for a few minutes. In rural Mexican communities, an infusion of the plant is sipped during and after labor to ease the pain. An ointment made from the leaves and mixed with onions fried in lard is also used to lessen labor pains. In a survey done in ethnic Mexican communities along a portion of the Texas-Mexico border, chamomile was the most frequently mentioned home remedy. Considered by some to be an herbal aspirin, chamomile has so many widespread uses that it is one of the top ten substances used by mothers in Puerto Rico for treating asthma. Dyer’s chamomile (Anthemis tinctoria) produces golden yellow flowers, which yields a yellow-brown dye used for fabrics. Locate items at Cloverleaf Farm containing Chamomile.

Botanical Name

• Family Umbelliferae [Apiaceae]
• Apium graveolens var. dulce

Common Names

• Celery, Smallage, Apio (Mexico)

Cautions

• Bergapten in the seeds could increase photosensitivity. Therefore, the essential oil should not be used on the skin before going out into bright sunshine.
• Avoid the oil and seeds in large doses during pregnancy as they can act as a uterine stimulant.
• Do not use seeds intended for cultivation as they are often treated with fungicides
• celery eaten either before, or after, vigorous exercise has been known to induce allergic responses in some people.

Description

 Celery is found in Europe, from England and Lapland to southern Russia; in western Asia as far east as India; in Africa and South America. It still grows wild, as well as being cultivated, in parts of North America, Mexico, and Argentina. It is said by some, that celery is native to Britain, despite its being known in Egypt and China for thousands of years before it reached Europe.

It is a bienniel with a ridged, shiny stems and medium to dark green, glossy leaves growing from the top, reaching about twenty inches in height. Mainly known as a vegetable, celery also has long been used for its medicinal qualities. The seeds are harvested after the plant flowers in its second year.

History

 The common celery of today is a cultivated descendant of the wild celery, which was highly valued by ancient Egyptians, Greeks, and Chinese both as a food flavouring and as a medicine. Records show its cultivation for at least 3,000 years, notably in pharaonic Egypt, as well as China in the 5th century BCE.

The Romans wore a wreath of celery around their heads to ease a hangover.

During medieval times, celery was popular for its ability to relieve aches and pains, to calm nerves, and to benefit the digestion.

Key Actions

• antirheumatic
• carminative
• hypotensive
• increases uric acid excretions
• sedative
• urinary antiseptic

Key Components

• volatile oil (3-n-butylphthalide)
• furocoumarins
• glycosides
• flavonoids

Medicinal Parts

 Roots, above-ground foliage and stems, seeds, extracted oil

Celery has at least eight different components that may be effective against cancer, including substances that neutralize the effects of some carcinogens.

It also has some mild antifungal and antibacterial properties.

3-n-butylphthalide has proven to reduce blood pressure.

Traditional Uses: (see above)

 Infusions from the seeds are used for rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Diluting the essential oil is also effective for these conditions.

The essential oil is used in warm water to soak painful, gouty areas of the feet.

Root tinctures have been used as a diuretic in hypertension and urinary disorders, as well as being a component in arthritic remedies or used as a kidney stimulant and cleanser.

Celery juice from the whole, fresh plant is taken for joint and urinary tract inflammations, as well as for rheumatoid arthritis, cystitis, or urethritis, weak conditions, and nervous exhaustion.

The root is used as an effective diuretic, urinary stones, as well as acting as a bitter digestive remedy and liver stimulant.

Although the fresh stalk has much less of the medicinal properties than other parts of the plant, eating them fresh can stimulate milk flow during lactation, although wild celery is more effective for this.

The seeds are used mainly as a diuretic and can help clear toxins from the system, especially in cases of gout where uric acid crystals collect in the joints. Slightly bitter, they also act as a mild digestive stimulant.

Botanical and Common Names

• Family Pinaceae
• Cedrus libani (Lebanon Cedar, Cedar of Lebanon)
• Thuja occidentalis (White Cedar)

Cautions

• Do not take essential oil internally, except under professional supervision.

Description

 Indigenous to the Lebanese mountains, the southwest of Turkey, Cyprus, the Atlas Mountains, and the Himalayas, the cedar tree is also found in Asia, Africa, and the Americas. It is a majestic, flat-topped tree, growing to 130 feet, having dark green, needlelike leaves, and oval cones.

Native to North America, the white cedar is a tall tree that usually reaches fifty feet, but some exceptions are known to grow much higher. The tree's even-grained, aromatic wood is generally resistant to decay and termites.

The Himalayan cedar is native to that region and grows to 280 feet at altitudes of 3,500 to 12,000 feet above sea level.

Cedar oil is the essential oil extracted from the leaves and wood. The essential oil is generally distilled from the Atlas or African cedar native to Morocco (C. atlantica,) as well as from the red cedar, native to North America (Juniperus virginia).

History

 It is said that the cedar was used to build the Hanging Gardens of Babylon and Solomon's Temple.

Since ancient times, the oil has been used in incense, perfumes, and embalming.

Native Americans utilized every part of the cedar tree. They made spears and arrows from the wood, burned the wood for fuel and incense, and used the leaves and branches as insecticides, as well as medicinally for a wide range of diseases. Many tribes, including the Ojibwa and Potawatomi, burned the smoke in purification ceremonies, while the Chippewa burned incense in religious ceremonies.

Key Actions

• antiseptic
• astringent
• diuretic
• expectorant
• sedative

Key Components

• volatile oil (mainly 50% cedrene, atlantol, and atlantone [C. atlantica only])

Medicinal Parts

• Leaves, wood, oil

Traditional Uses

 It is strongly disinfectant and used to rid the respiratory tract of invading organisms; and, as an expectorant, it is effective for catarrhal conditions.

In Ayurvedic medicine, cedar leaves are used to treat tuberculosis. A decoction of the heartwood is given for chest infections, insomnia, and diabetes. The essential oil is prescribed for syphilis and leprosy.

The essential oil is a strong medicine; and, when diluted and massaged into the skin, it treats colds, bronchial congestion, and cystitis, as well as wounds and ulcers.

The tips of the leaves can be made into a tea to treat such respiratory conditions as coughs and colds. The cones can relieve colic in babies, and the needles functions as a diuretic. Topically, an infusion of the leaves is effective against skin conditions, including athlete's foot and ringworm.

Botanical Names

• Family Solanaceae
• Capsicum annum
• Capsicum frutescens

Common Names

• Capsicum, Grains of Paradise, African Pepper, Bird Pepper, Chilli/chili/chile Pepper, Sweet Pepper, Hungarian Pepper, Red Pepper, Goat’s Pod, Zanzibar Pepper, Paprika, Hot Pepper, Tabasco Pepper

Cautions

• Do not take if suffering from peptic ulcers or acid indigestion.
• Do not use therapeutic doses during pregnancy and breastfeeding.
• Avoid touching the eyes or other sensitive areas after handling the fruits or seeds.

Description

 It is native to Central America, but it is now cultivated in tropical areas of the world, especially Africa and India. It is a spiky shrub, growing to about three feet in height producing long, thin, scarlet-red fruits filled with white seeds. C. frutescens is closely related to C. annum, but is not recognized as a separate species by all botanists. This species is a perennial, producing mainly hot fruits.

History

 Peppers have been grown in Mexico for more than 7,000 years. Pre-Columbian ceramincs are decorated with the fruits, confirming that the Aztecs cultivated and used these fruits to a great degree.

Columbus is credited with taking the fruits from the New World back into the Old.

The cayenne was originally called the Ginnie pepper.

Gerard described it as “extreme hot and dry, even in the fourth degree” and recommended it for scrofula, a prevalent lymphatic throat and skin infection commonly known as the King’s Evil.

Cayenne was popular with 19th century physiomedicalists, who used it for chills, rheumatism, and depression.

The Apache, Hopi, Navajo, Pueblo, and other Southwestern Native American tribes, rubbed powdered cayenne onto arthritic joints to help block pain and reduce swelling.

In his book Canaries: Their Care and Breeding (1978), George Lynch relates this story.

 "The Norwich was the first canary ever to be colour fed. The story is that in the early 1870s a Norwich breeder had a good bird which had developed a bad chill during the moult and he tried feeding it hot cayenne pepper as a cure. Whether or not this effected a cure is not known, but the bird developed a rich orange colour when it grew its new feathers. The breeder kept the secret to himself and after the next moulting season produced richly coloured birds on the show bench. Predictably this caused all kinds of trouble and following protests the birds were sent to the public analyst but no traces of artificial colouring or staining could be found. Around 1873 the secret was disclosed and for a period 'fed' and 'non-fed' classes were provided at shows, but it was generally agreed that colour feeding had come to stay."

                  Key Actions

• antispasmodic
• antiseptic
• analgesic
• antibacterial
• appetite and circulatory stimulant
• carminative (relieves flatulence)
• diaphoretic (promotes sweating)
• rubifacient (produces warmth when rubbed on the skin).
• stimulating nerve tonic

            Key Components

• capsaicin (0.1-1.5%)
• carotenoids
• flavonoids
• volatile oil
• steroidal saponins (capsicidins in seeds only)
• alkaloids
• fatty acids
• vitamins A, B, and C

            Medicinal Parts       Fruits and seeds       The capsicidins found in the seeds are thought to have antibiotic properties.       Initially, it was thought the pain-relieving benefits of cayenne arose solely from a counterirritant effect. This means that something causes enough irritation to a tissue that it distracts from the original irritation by sending out high levels of messages and thus overwhelming the nerves’ ability to communicate pain to the brain. This temporarily stimulates the release of various neurotransmitters from local nerves, leading to neurotransmitter depletion. Without the neurotransmitters, pain signals can no longer be sent, which is the way most topical arthritic creams work. However, capsaicin does more. It also neutralizes substance P, an inflammatory chemical involved in inflammation found in the fluid that bathes the joints. Substance P is believed to be the primary chemical mediator of pain impulses from the periphery to the brain. This substance also has proven to activate inflammatory mediators in psoriasis and the cream was able to reduce the scaling, redness, and thickness of the lesions.

            Remedies       Dried fruit powdered and mixed with a pinch of lemon juice, diluted with hot water and honey to taste makes a good gargle for a sore throat.       Infused oil is massaged into arthritic or rheumatic joints. It is less irritating than applying the fresh raw fruits. Infused oil mixed with a neutral oil can be applied to the area around a varicose ulcer, but not directly on it, to encourage blood flow away from the area.       Tincture for arthritis is best mixed with willow bark tincture; taken as a circulatory stimulant, the tincture is diluted in hot water.       Tablets or capsules are convenient for long-term use and used to correct poor circulation.       Ointment is applied to chilblains but only if the skin is unbroken.       Infusions made with the powder and hot water is ideal for colds and chills and for treating shock or depression.       Compresses soaked in an infusion is placed on rheumatic pain areas, sprains, and bruises. Do not leave on the skin for long periods of time as blistering may occur.       Gargles and mouthwashes are used for throat problems.       Massage oil, from an infused oil, is used on rheumatism, arthritis, and lumbago.       (a) Hot Massage Oil:

• 25 g/1 oz cayenne pepper
• 2 tbsp. mustard powder
• 2 inches ginger root or 1 tbsp. dried ginger
• 2 tsp. ground black pepper
• 300 ml/1 1/4 c. vegetable oil (olive is best)
• Follow directions for an infused oil: Put the ingredients into a container and place into a pan of water that comes to within an inch of the top. Simmer slowly for two hours. This procedure allows for prolonged heating without the danger of spoiling the oil by boiling. Burnt oil has no value and must be discarded. After two hours, allow to cool then strain well.

      (b) Cayenne Mouthwash:

• 8 g/1/4 oz each of parsley and sage
• 1 heaping tbsp. cayenne pepper
• 10 whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg (optional)
• 500 ml/ 2 1/4 c. cider vinegar
• Macerate the ingredients for two weeks, strain, and bottle. Dilute 1 tsp. with water to use. This remedy gives a powerful warming sensation, clearing the head and the sinuses.

            Traditional Uses       Capsaicin is well known for stimulating circulation and altering body temperature. Applied to the skin, it desensitizes nerve endings and, therefore, good as a local analgesic. Its heating qualities not only remedy poor circulation, but also improve blood flow by dilating peripheral capillaries. This action increases the flow of nutrients to the tissues and removes toxic buildup in the same areas.       External preparations are used to reduce arthritic pain and inflammation and to relieve symptoms of bursitis, fibromyalgia, diabetic neuropathy, and nerve pain that often follows shingles. Some preparations are used to treat skin rashes and pain of psoriasis.       Powdered capsaicin can be added to socks as a traditional remedy for perpetually cold feet.       It is used as an effective decongestant for chest and sinus congestion and easing expectoration.       Cayenne has a revitalizing effect on both the mind and body, dispelling tiredness, lethargy, and depression, mainly by opening passageways and dilating blood vessels.       Cayenne, along with other peppers, has a long history of use as a digestive aid. It was considered helpful in treating various conditions of the gastrointestinal tract, including stomachaches, cramping, and gas, as well as stimulating digestive juices and preventing potential infections by ridding the intestines of harmful microorganisms. Remarkably, internal use has been known to ease the pain and speed up the healing of ulcers.