Botanical Names

• Family Rutaceae
• Ruta graveolens
• Ruta chalepensis

Common Names

• Herb-of-Grace, Ave-Grace, Garden Rue, German Rue, Herbygrass, Yellow Rue, Roe,
• Spanish: Ruda, Ruta, Lota, Lula, Luta, Lura

Cautions

 Do not take during pregnancy as it is a uterine stimulant.

It can lead to photosensitivity if taken internally.

It can cause contact dermatitis after handling fresh leaves.

Do not exceed prescribed dosage as it can be toxic.

Rue has hallucinogenic properties, and inhaling large amounts can be a dangerous practice.

Despite is wide use, it is one of the more dangerous herbs and should not be used by anyone other than the very knowledgeable.

Description

 Native to Europe, likely to the Mediterranean region, rue now grows in many parts of the world, including Latin America. It is often cultivated as a garden ornamental and as a medicinal plant. Rue is a strongly aromatic evergreen perennial that grows to about three feet. The small, erect bush produces shoots that are a pale green and appear to be covered in oil glands. It produces small yellow flowers; and its fruit contains rutin, the volatile oil that gives it a bitter taste. The aerial parts are gathered in the summer.

History

 In ancient Greece and Egypt, rue was employed to stimulate menstrual bleeding, induce abortions, and strengthen eyesight.

In ancient times, rue was considered a major remedy. It is mentioned more than eighty times by Pliny, but its reputation has lessened as it can be toxic. Pliny also reported that, in ancient Rome, rue was used by painters and engravers to sharpen and preserve their eyesight.

Its name is derived from the Greek word "rua" which means to set free, alluding to its reputation of freeing people from disease.

It has been considered an antidote since at least the 1st century. According to legend, King Mithradates of Asia Minor survived his enemies' attempts to poison him by eating rue.

Rue was brought to Mexico by the Spanish, and is still used for "spiritual cleansings" and as a medicinal remedy.

Key Actions

• antimicrobial
• antiparasitic
• anti-inflammatory
• antispasmodic
• abortifacient
• emmenagogue (induces menstrual flow)
• emetic
• disinfectant
• diuretic
• hypotensive
• supports and strengthens blood vessels
• uterine stimulant
• vasodilator

Key Components

• volatile oil (about 0.5% including 50-90% 2-undecanone)
• essential oil
• flavonoids (including 2-5% rutin)
• furocoumarins (including bergapten, psoralen, and zanthotoxin — often used as insect and fungi repellents)
• hydroxycoumarins (including umbelliferone, herniarin, gravelliferon, rutacultin)
• pyranocoumarins (including xanthyletine)
• lignans (savinin, helioxanthine)
• furoquinoline alkaloids (about 1.4% of fagarine, skimmianine, arborinine and others)
• methyl nonyl ketone and methyl heptyl ketone (used in dog and cat repellents)
• bitters
• resins
• tannins

Medicinal Parts

• Aerial parts
• In experiments, rue has proven to act as an anticonvulsant.
• Extracts have displayed antibacterial and antituberculosis activity.
• In other experiments, chloroform extracts of the root, stem, and leaves showed significant antifertility activity in rats.

Traditional Uses

 There may be some validity to the ancient use of the plant on the eyes as it does bring quick relief to strained and tired eyes, and reputedly does improve sight.

In European herbal medicine, the plant was often used for such varied conditions as hysteria, epilepsy, vertigo, colic, intestinal worms, poisonings, and eye problems. A related species, R. chalenpensis, found in the Mediterranean region, does have the ability to expel worms, promote menstrual flow, and soothe sore eyes.

Rue is used in Costa Rica for a wide variety of conditions, as well as to abort a fetus or to speed the delivery of one at full term. In addition, forms of the plant are used an insecticide and flea repellent or as a liniment for sore muscles.

Hispanics curanderos use the herb for their ritual spiritual cleansings, to treat "empacho" and "mal ojo;" and it is sometimes worn in amulets to keep the evil spirits away.

Some herbal practitioners use fresh leaves to ease toothe pain; and juice is dropped in the ear for earache.

Rue has been used to treat multiple sclerosis and Bell's palsy.

Rosita Arvigo states that Rue is her favourite herb, coming to her rescue when all else fails. She has used the herb to treat mental distress by having the patient suck on tiny pieces of leaves, as well as putting some in a bath. For endometriosis, she instructs the use of the herb be taken three times daily for ten days prior to menstruation, after the uterus has been centered through manipulation.

Mayan healers have used rue in rubbing alcohol to rub onto the forehead and palms of those who have fainted. Care must be taken not to get any near the eyes, mouth, or nose though. The rue stimulates blood flow to the brain, and the aroma stimulates blood circulation, bringing the person back to consciousness.

When the powdered herb was inhaled in times past, it would stop nosebleeds. However, it is not recommended for such today.

Botanical Name

• Family Labiatiae
• Rosmarinus officinalis

Common Names

• Garden Rosemary, Polar Plant, Compass-weed, Compass Plant, Old Man, Romero (Spanish)

Cautions

• Do not take the essential oil internally unless under professional supervision.

Description

 Native to the Mediterranean region and Portugal, rosemary grows freely in much of southern Europe and is cultivated throughout much of the world, especially in the Mediterranean, Portugal, the Transcaucasus, Central Asia, India, Southeast Asia, South Africa, Australia, and North and Central America. It is a strongly aromatic evergreen shrub, growing to seven feet in height producing narrow, dark green, pinelike leaves and tiny, pinkish-purple, orchid-like flowers along its stems.

Rosemary is one of a small genus that has four species of Mediterranean evergreens. The Algerian varieties are markedly different from others and are described in some herbals as being a different species.

History

 Rosemary was reputedly first grown in England by Philippa of Hainault, wife of Edward III, in the 14th century and is one of the herbs that holds a central place in European herbal medicine.

Its reputation as a memory enhancer stems from ancient Greece where students wore garlands of rosemary in the belief it would help their memory, rather than studying all night. To this day, students in Greece, who are about to take exams, burn it in their homes.

In times past, rosemary was burned in sick chambers to purify the air. Branches were strewn in courts of law as a protection from “jail fever” (typhus).

During the Plague of 1665, it was carried in handles of walking sticks and in pouches to be sniffed when travelling through suspicious areas.

In some Mediterranean villages, linen is spread over rosemary to dry so that the sun will extract its moth-repellent aroma.

During Shakespeare’s time, the herb was used in topiary gardens. (Topiary is the art of training shrubs or trees to grow in unnatural ornamental shapes.) In some coastal areas of British Columbia, Canada, rosemary survives outside and makes good garden hedges.

Native to the shores of the Mediterranean, the aroma of rosemary was often carried out into the warm sea air.

Since the times of the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, rosemary has symbolized love and loyalty, friendship, and remembrance and has long played a part in rituals and ceremonies associated with both marriage and death.

Medieval physicians believed that nightmares and anxiety could be avoided by placing rosemary under a pillow at night.

Elizabeth, the Queen of Hungary, reportedly cured of paralysis in 1235 when she massaged her joints with rosemary that had been soaked in wine.

Rosemary has been used for centuries to preserve fish and meat, flavour food, and scent cosmetics, soaps, and shampoos.

Throughout history, herbalists and traditional healers have recommended rosemary to cure baldness, and paralysis, improve memory, treat depression and headaches, and heal bruises and skin wounds.

French medics during WWII burned a mixture of rosemary leaves and juniper berries in field hospitals to prevent infection, a practice that dated to the Middle Ages.

Key Actions

(a) Aerial parts

• astringent
• antiseptic
• antidepressant
• anti-inflammatory
• abortifacient
• antispasmodic
• antimicrobial
• carminative
• circulatory stimulant
• cardiac tonic
• digestive remedy
• diuretic
• disinfectant
• nervine
• promotes sweating
• promotes bile flow
• promotes menstrual flow
• restorative tonic for nervous system
• tonic

(b) Essential oil (topical)

• analgesic
• antirheumatic
• increases blood flow to an area
• stimulant

Key Components

• volatile oil (1-2.5% mainly of borneol, camphene, camphor, and cineole)
• caffeic acid derivative (mainly rosmarinic acid)
• Rosmaricine
• Diterpenes (picrosalvin)
• Triterpenes (oleanolic acid, ursolic acid)
• tannin
• flavonoids (apigenin, diosmin, cirsimarin, hesperidin, homoplantiginin, phegopolin)

Medicinal Parts

 Aerial parts, essential oil Research has proven that rosmaricine is a stimulant and mild analgesic and that its anti-inflammatory action is caused mainly by rosmarinic acid and flavonoids. The flavonoids also strengthen the capillaries. Researchers today are studying its cancer-prevention potential.  Some of the are potent antioxidants in the oil may help play a role in preventing cancer and the effects of ageing.

Remedies

 An infusion are taken hot for colds, flu, rheumatic pains and indigestion and as a stimulating drink for fatigue and headaches.

Tinctures are taken as a stimulating tonic and combined with oats, skullcap, or vervain for depression.

Compresses soaked in hot infusion are used for sprains and alternating every two or three minutes with ice packs.

A hair rinse from infusions is used to treat dandruff.

Essential oil is added to a bath to soothe aching or arthritic limbs, or can act as a stimulant in nervous exhaustion. Extracts are commonly found in commercial shampoos.

Massage oil is made from diluted essential oil mixed with a neutral oil and massaged into aching joints and muscles or into the scalp to stimulate hair growth or on the temples for headaches

Essential oil is used to improve concentration by burning several drops in an oil burner.

Traditional Uses

 Rosemary is safely ingested, inhaled, and applied externally as an ointment, shampoo, or soaking solution. Rosemary is also used to alleviate indigestion, upset stomach, and gas, as well as to speed the healing of bruises and skin wounds, and as an insect repellant.

It has also been used to treat epilepsy and vertigo and to raise low blood pressure. It is valuable for fainting or spells of weakness associated with deficient circulation.

The stems can be used on fires or barbecues to discourage insects.

Rosemary stimulates the flow of digestive juices. The tannins and essential oil act as diuretics.

As a circulatory tonic, rosemary is invaluable for all cases of poor circulation, as well as for aches and pains that come with a cold. Long-term use of rosemary tea will improve a whole range of symptoms in those with poor circulations.

The infused oil also has a reputation for strengthening the heart and calming palpitations. The official German Pharmacopoeia contains a recipe for rosemary massage oil to rub in over the region of the heart.

It is a nerve tonic relieving the pains of neuralgia; but since it is a stimulant, it should not be taken before bed.

The herb has a special affinity for the head. It eases headaches and migraines and can be combined with chamomile for headaches or with cardamom for depression. Used alone, it improves scalp conditions, strengthens hair growth by improving blood flow to the scalp, and prevents premature balding. For a dry scalp, rub rosemary infused oil well in and leave for thirty minutes before washing out with a gentle shampoo. For weak hair with a greasy scalp, use diluted rosemary vinegar to the final rinse water. It is a popular ingredient in shampoos and hair tonics. Its action as an emollient soothes the scalp, reducing the tendency of the dermis to flake and produce dandruff.

In parts of Central America, rosemary has been used for nervous disorders, to cleanse wounds and skin ulcers, to relieve headaches, and for washing hair. A poll of Mexicans found that the herb was among the top ones used, mainly for menstrual and digestive problems.

Aromatherapists recommend it as a stimulating bath solution, and massage therapists use it to increase peripheral circulation.

Oil of Rosemary can be massaged into joints to ease arthritic or rheumatic pain.

Botanical Names

• Family Polygonaceae
• Rheum palmatum
• Rheum tanguticum
• Rheum officinale

Common Names

• Chinese rhubarb, Da Huang

Cautions

 Do not eat the leaves as they are poisonous.

Since rhubarb contains oxalic acid, the calcium absorption is blocked and contraindicated in those suffering from arthritis or gout and those prone to kidney or bladder stones.

Do not take during pregnancy or while breast-feeding.

Do not take during menstruation.

Description

 Native to China and Tibet, where the best quality of rhubarb can still be found, the plant also grows elsewhere in the world in the wild, as well as in cultivation. The rhizomes of six-to-ten-year-old plants are dug up in autumn after the stem and leaves have turned yellow. There are about fifty species of rhubarb plants, and the stalks of some are edible fruit. It is a thick-rhizomed perennial that can grow to ten feet, producing large palm-shaped leaves and small flowers. The life of the plant is about fifteen years.

History

 Rhubarb is a magnificent architectural plant related to the dock, and has been a medicinal plant since around 3000 BCE.

The dried root (R. palmatum) was first taken to Europe by Marco Polo and the edible garden rhubarb (R. x hybridum) was brought to Britain from the Volga region of Russia in 1573. However, it also was used for its medicinal value and not enjoyed as a fruit until the 1800s.

Its name may be derived from the Greek rheo which means" to flow," referring to the plant’s purgative properties.

Lord Nelson is said to have taken powdered rhubarb on his voyages so that he would have medicine for every eventuality: diarrhea, constipation, irritation of the colon, and for infections.

An excerpt from an article in The Lancet dated 3 September, 1925, and written by a Dr. R.W. Duckett, reads “acute bacilliary dysentery has been treated in that colony [Nairobi, East Africa] almost exclusively with powdered rhubarb for the past three years…I know of no remedy in medicine which has such a magical effect”. (McIntyre, p.84)

The plant was a favourite remedy with early Persian and Arabian physicians.

Chinese rhubarb was first mentioned in the 1st century CE. Chinese classic Materia Medica and has been grown in the West since 1732. It is one of the herbs still used today and listed in the British Pharmacopoeia of 1988.

The root is called Da Huang in China and means “big yellow”, which is also the colour of the tinctures and decoctions made from the root.

Key Actions

• astringent
• antibacterial (against Staphylococcus aureus)
• digestive remedy
• eases stomach pain
• laxative and constipating

Key Components

• anthraquinones (about 3-5% including rhein, aloe-emodin, emodin)
• flavonoids (catechin_
• phenolic acids
• tannins (5010%)
• calcium oxalate
• resins
• minerals

Medicinal Parts

• Rhizomes

Traditional Uses

 In China, it has traditionally been used as a medicine for constipation. It has a bitter taste and a "cold" quality, therefore, ideal to clear stagnation of undigested food and excess heat from the body, including fevers. It is also commonly prescribed for headaches, appendicitis, infectious hepatitis, conjunctivitis, gingivitis, nosebleeds, edema, bacterial infections, and a variety of skin problems. It is considered a powerful medicine, one that should be used for only short periods of time and only on the advice of a qualified herbal practitioner.

Weakened decoctions of Chinese rhubarb are used for diarrhea, while stronger ones are effective for constipation or cramps with delayed menstruation.

Since the herb the root is antibacterial and astringent, it can be applied to burns, boils, pustules, and carbuncles.

Homeopathic tinctures are used for diarrhea, as well as being a good liver stimulant. Very high doses have a purgative effect.R. tanguticum and R. officinale have similar uses to R. palmatum. These three are considered superior to all other varieties of rhubarb. Rheum rhaponticum is the Common Rhubarb whose stalks are used for food.

Since the edible stalks are tart, people are tempted to add much sugar to make it palatable as a food; but adding sweet cecily leaves to the cooking pot will reduce the amount of sweetener needed. Also, by adding such warming spices as cinnamon or ginger, not only will this counteract some of the tartness, but also makes a good remedy for constipation.

Botanical Names

• Family Krameriaceae
• Krameria species
• K. triandra
• K. lanceolata
• K. cytisoides
• K. parviflora

Common Names

• Rhatania, Cramer Plant, Krameria/Crameria Root, Peruvian Rhatany, Mapato
• Spanish: Raiz para los Dientes, Raiz Para, Chacate, Cosahui, Mezquitillo, Pumacuchu, Chacatl (Aztec)

Cautions

• Since it does have a high tannin content, it is generally considered unsafe for frequent use as it can compromise the mucous membranes.

Description

 Indigenous to Ecuador, Peru, and Bolivia, rhatany is also found on western slopes of the Andes at altitudes of 3,000 to 10,000 feet. These low shrubs with red or purple flowers and spiny fruit also grow wild in parts of Mexico, Baja California, and southwestern US. The plant is a dense evergreen shrub, growing to three feet with oblong leaves and large red flowers. The younger branches are dark green, silky to bristly haired, while the older ones are black and often gnarled. The root is thick and covered with a brownish-red, smooth, peeling bark. The root is collected in the wild throughout the year, washed, and air-dried in the shade.

History

 Rhatany is a traditional South American plant remedy used by the indigenous as an astringent and tooth preservative. Its Spanish name, which means "root for the teeth".

Another species native to North and Central America, K. parvifolia, was used by the Papago as an eyewash.

The indigenous of the Baja used the plant as a red dye for wool and leather and as a remedy for diarrhea and dental problems. It is still a staple of Mexican traditional medicine used to treat diarrhea, hemorrhoids, sore throat or gums, and sore nipples.

Key Actions

• antimicrobial
• antifungal
• astringent
• antidiarrheal
• astringent
• decreases mucous secretions
• tonic

Key Components

• tannins (10-20% including phlobaphene, benzofurans, and n-methyltyrosine)
• tanner's reds
• neolignans

Medicinal Parts

• Root, bark, flowers, stem

Traditional Uses

 As an astringent and antimicrobial, it is a useful remedy taken mainly for problems affecting the gastrointestinal tract, and commonly used for diarrhea and dysentery.

These properties also make it a good mouthwash and gargle for bleeding gums, canker sores, and sore throats.

It is effective when used as an ointment, suppository, or wash for inflammations of genitalia. It is also taken for urinary tract problems and painful rectal conditions.

When applied externally to wounds, it helps staunch blood flow. It can also be used on varicose veins and over areas of capillary fragility that may be prone to easy bruising.

The Mexican species (K. cystisoides) is also an astringent remedy, and is used in much the same manner as rhatany.

Botanical and Common Names

• Family Asteraceae [Compositae]
• Senecio aureus (Liferoot, Golden Ragwort, Squaw Weed,Golden Senecio, Golden Groundsel, Ragwort, Coughweed, Cocash Weed, Grundy Swallow)
• Senecio bicolor (Dusty Miller, Cineraria Maritima)
• Senecio jacoboea (Ragwort, Ragweed, St. James' Wort, Stinking Nanny Staggerwort, Dog Standard, Cankerwort, Stammerwort)
• Senecio nemorensis (Alpine Ragwort, Squaw Weed, Life Root)
• Senecio vulgaris (Groundsel, Grundy Swallow, Ground Glutton, Simson)

Cautions

• Use only under professional supervision.
• Do not take in excessive doses, even for short periods, as it is highly toxic to the liver.
• Do not apply to broken skin.
• Ragwort is highly toxic to cattle and sheep and is normally avoided by grazing animals.

Description

 The Senecio genus is one of the largest among the flowering plants and accounts for more than 1,500 species. The plant is native to much of Asia, Europe, North Africa, and naturalized in North America and Australia. It is a biennial or perennial herb, growing to about three feet with lobed compound leaves and dense clusters of bright yellow daisy-type flowers. It thrives in open grassland, meadows, wastelands, and along roadsides and beaches. It flowers most of the year and considered to be a noxious weed in many parts of the world.

History

 Its use today is not popular despite having an impressive historical background in herbal medicine. It was often prescribed to help lower fever by inducing sweating.

The Greek physician Dioscorides (c.40-90 CE) recommended the herb, as did two other "fathers" of herbalism, Gerard and Culpeper. Modern herbalists recommend it as a remedy for biliousness. It is also a soothing refrigerant for teething babies, a practice which dates back to the Middle Ages.

Key Actions

• astringent
• diuretic
• stimulant

Key Components

• pyrrolizidine alkaloids (including seneciphylline, senecionine, and jacoline)
• tannins
• resin
• volatile oil

Medicinal Parts

 Root

Isolated pyrrolizidine alkaloids are highly toxic to the liver.

Dutch research in 1994 showed that ragwort plants grown with reduced levels of ligh produce significantly lower levels of toxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

As the alkaloids are known to inhibit cell division, some researchers are hopeful that it may one day be possible to isolate the active principles and use them to slow down or arrest growth of malignant tumors.

Traditional Uses

 Although no longer taken internally, the herb is still useful as a poultice, ointment, or lotion applied to relieve pain and inflammation, including that of rheumatism and rheumatoid arthritis and such neuralgic conditions as sciatica.

Dusty Miller is a related species native to the Caribbean and used as a treatment for cataracts.

Liferoot, another relative native to North America, was used by the Catawaba people to treat gynecological problems in general and to relieve labor pains in particular. Today, the plant is recommended only for external use as a douche for excessive vaginal discharge.