Herbal Encyclopedia

Common Medicinal Herbs For Natural Health

  • Herbs
  • Modes of Use
    • Compresses and Lotions
    • Creams
    • Decoctions
    • Electuaries
    • Essential Oils
    • Fomentations
    • Gargles and Mouthwashes
    • Glycerites
    • Liniments
    • Medicinal Milks
    • Mustard Plasters
    • Oil Infusions
    • Ointments and Salves
    • Poison Ivy Lotions
    • Poultices
    • Powders and Capsules
    • Vapor Balms
    • Steam Inhalations
    • Syrups
    • Tinctures and Vinegars
    • Toothpastes
    • Water Infusions
    • When To Gather Herbs
  • Scientific Names

Rue

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

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.

Filed Under: R

Rosemary

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

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.

Filed Under: R

Rose

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

Red RoseBotanical and Common Names

  • Family Rosaceae
  • Rosa species
  • R. canina (Wild Rose, Dog Rose, Rose Hip, Brier Hip, Hip, Brier Rose, Eglantine Gall, Hogseed, Dog-berry, Sweet Brier, Witches’ Brier, Hep Tree, Hip Fruit, Hop Fruit, Hipberries)
  • R. arkansana (Prairie Wild Rose, Sunshine Rose, Arkansas Rose, Meadow Rose, Pasture Rose)
  • R. laevigata (Cherokee Rose)
  • R. gallica var. centifolia (Apothacary’s Rose, French Rose, Cabbage Rose, Hundred-leafed Rose)
  • R. damascena (Damask Rose)
  • R. rugosa (Rugosa Rose, Saltspray Rose, Beach Tornado)
  • R. multiflora (Japanese Rose)

Cautions

Use only the rose species listed here for medicinal purposes and not garden hybrids.

Because of the high price of rose oil, adulteration is common. Therefore, for medicinal purposes, use only the best high quality, genuine rose oil.

Consumers should be aware of the fact that much of the natural vitamin C in some rosehip products is lost in the manufacturing process. To compensate, some fortify the products with artificial vitamin C.

rose

Description

Rose species are native to various places, but most are from the Middle East. They have been cultivated for thousands of years, but some can still be found in the wild although most are cultivated for commercial or private use. Typically, roses are climbing or bushy perennials with thorny stems and varying shapes and colours of flowers. All have a unique rose scent. The wild roses typically grow everywhere on the prairies of North America in ravines and stream banks, bluffs, thickets, and along roadsides and railroads.

History

In the 1st century CE, Pliny the Elder recorded thirty-two different medicinal uses of the rose.

Roses were grown in medieval gardens more for medicine and food than for beauty.

Ironically, the Cherokee rose is native to China, but now grows throughout much of North America and is the state flower of Georgia. It was used in China to treat diarrhea.

In the 19th century, it was proven that roses contain essential oils. Rose oil is distilled from the petals and used in aromatherapy.

With the discovery of vitamin C in the 1930s, and subsequent claims by Linus Pauling that massive doses of the nutrient could cure the common cold, rosehips have been of much interest because of their high content of this nutrient.

Unlike Western medicine, all indigenous cultures believe that there is no separation between the physical and the mental or spiritual being, and both must be assessed before healing occurs. The same belief has long been held true regarding the rose and is seen in this saying, “Roses are good for the skin and the soul”.

The botanical name of the Wild Rose is reflected in its use by the Romans. R. canina species was used for rabid dog bites.

Roses continued as official medicine until well into the 1930s (British Pharmacopoeia) when the tincture of the Apothocary’s Rose was prescribed for sore throats. Roses were also widely used as mild astringents and to flavour other medicines.

There were dozens of varieties of roses in North America. The Native Americans learned how to use whatever grew in their region, as a medicine and, in cases of emergency, as a food. The leaves, petals, hips, and roots were widely used for a variety of conditions, including colds, fevers, diarrhea, influenza, and stomach troubles.

The Omahas steeped the hips or roots to make a wash to treat eye inflammations.

In the Great Lakes region, the Chippewas made a tea from the wild rose and used the berries for food and for diseases of the eye. They used the inner bark of the roots to treat cataracts.

The Pawnees collected the insect galls from the lower parts of the stems, and charred and crushed them for use in dressings for burns. The insect or disease-produced galls were found in the archaeological remains of the Hill Site, near present-day Guide Rock, Nebraska, which was occupied by the Pawnees in the early 1800s.

The Flathead and Cheyenne tribes treated snow blindness with an eyewash made by boiling the petals, stem bark, or root bark. The Cheyenne also boiled the inner bark to make a tea valued for treating diarrhea and stomach trouble.

Many other tribes used all parts of the plant for various remedies. The Crows boiled the crushed roots and used them in hot compresses to reduce swellings. They also sniffed vapor to stop bleedings from the nose or mouth.

The Arapahos used the seeds to produce a drawing effect for muscular pain.

Key Actions

  • antidepressant
  • antispasmodic
  • aphrodisiac
  • astringent
  • antibacterial
  • antiviral
  • antiseptic
  • anti-inflammatory
  • blood tonic
  • cleansing
  • digestive stimulant
  • expectorant
  • increases bile production
  • kidney tonic
  • menstrual regulator

Key Components

  • volatile oil
  • vitamins and minerals (especially A, B, E, and K, potassium and iron)

Medicinal Parts

Flowers, petals, rosehips, root, root bark, essential oil

There are some 300 chemical constituents of which only about 100 have been identified.

Depending on the source, some rose teas are able to supply as much as 1000 mg. per cup. Recent studies now indicate that taking more than 2000 mg. of vitamin C per day changes the vitamin into a pro-oxidant that actually increases cellular damage caused by unstable free radicals. Other experts seem to think that this action takes place with as little as 1000 mg. of vitamin C per day.

Remedies

The seeds of the Japanese rose are used in Oriental medicine as a diuretic and laxative.

Infusions of dried rose petals are used for headaches and taken after meals to aid digestion.

Steam inhalation of a decoction of rose petals, lavender, and hops help induce sleep.

Compresses soaked in infusions of the dried flowers make a good anti-inflammatory remedy for the eyes or any other inflamed area of the body and applied cool for headaches.

Rosehip tincture is an effective astringent for treating diarrhea or in relieving colic or as a component in cough remedies.

Rosehip syrup is used as a cough remedy or taken as a source of vitamin C.

Rosehip decoction is taken with other herbs to treat chronic diarrhea associated with stomach weaknesses.

Flower decoctions are taken with motherwort for heavy menstruation or combined with Chinese herbs for liver dysfunctions.

Tinctures from the petals are used for diarrhea or sluggish digestion. When combined with other herbs, they areused to treat irregular or heavy menstruation.

Gargles made from petal infusions, used alone or combined with sage, are used for sore throats.

Creams from the essential oil are used to treat dry or inflamed skin.

Lotions from the essential oil are combined with lady’s mantle tincture for vaginal itching.

Rosewater combined with equal amounts of witch hazel is used as a moisturizing lotion for skin prone to pimples or acne. (Rosewater is a by-product of the steam distillation of Bulgarian rose oil and is used as a skin remedy.)

A few drops of essential oil can be added to bathwater for depression, grief, or insomnia.

Massage oil is made by mixing a few drops of essential oil with a neutral oil and used to relieve stress and exhaustion or for sluggish digestion.

Traditional Uses

The dried hips of the wild rose are especially high in vitamin C, having three times that of citrus fruits, and have long been used to prevent scurvy.

The Chinese use the flowers as a qi or energy stimulant and blood tonic to relieve stagnant liver energies. They are also used for digestive irregularities or with motherwort for heavy menstruation.

The Damask rose blooms for only a couple of weeks, during which time the petals are collected and steam distilled to produce true Bulgarian rose oil used in about 96% of all women’s perfumes. Medicinally, it is an important nervine used for depression and anxiety.

The cabbage rose is used to produce French rose oil, which differs significantly in its chemical composition from Bulgarian rose oil and has a reputation as an aphrodisiac.

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Filed Under: R Tagged With: alternative medicine, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiseptic, anxiety, cuts, demulcent, essential oils, herb, herbal encyclopedia, herbs, induce sleep, medicinal plants, medicinal uses of rose, rose, rosehip, rosehip syrup, vitamins, volatile oil

Rhubarb

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

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.

Filed Under: R

Rhatany

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

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.

Filed Under: R

Red Clover

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

Red Clover blossomBotanical Names

  • Family Leguminosae/Fabaceae
  • Trifolium pratense
  • Trifolium repens

Common Names

  • Red Clover, Purple Clover, Trefoil, Wild Clover, Trébol Morado (Spanish)

Cautions

Red Clover should not be taken with Coumadin or other blood-thinning medication.

When gathering the herb in the wild, it is advisable to check the blossoms carefully to make sure they are not moldy, diseased, or sprayed.

Description

Native to Europe, central Asia, and northern Africa, red clover was long ago naturalized in North America and Australia. The plant is a perennial herb, growing to sixteen inches, producing hairy upright stems and leaves with three or four leaflets with a white crescent marking. The flower heads consist of a mass of egg-shaped pink to purple flowers, and collected when newly opened in summer. It is widely cultivated for hay and as a nitrogen-fixing crop. It can readily be found growing wild in grasslands, roadsides, ditches, and hedgebanks and will quickly follow into freshly cultivated territory. It thrives in both dry soil or moist and flowers from May to September.

History

A a member of the bean family, red clover has a long history of being a nutritious cattle fodder, as well as a medicine.

Gerard knew it as meadow trefoil or “three-leaved grasse”. Its familiar three-lobed leaves were associated by medieval Christians with the trinity.

Pliny suggested using it with wine for urinary stones and recommended the root for dropsy.

In the 1930s, it was a popular anticancer remedy and may still be prescribed for breast, ovarian, and lymphatic cancer sufferers. A concentrated decoction was applied to the tumour site which, apparently, encouraged the tumour to grow outward and eventually clear the body.

The crescent markings across the clover leaflets were once viewed as a sign that the plant would help cataracts since, in accordance with the Doctrine of Signatures, a plant’s appearance indicates the ailments it treats.

A traditional cancer cure comes from the hills of Tennessee: “Place two or three teaspoons of red clover blossoms in a cup of boiling water, steep mixture until a tea is formed. Drink one cup a day”. This tea has also been used on heart disease, lung disease, and any other serious illness. A 1917 herb book, Health From Field and Forest, listed red clover as one of the best blood purifiers, especially in the case of cancer.

In Ireland, an old remedy for winter colds was to drink clover tea.

German Mennonites brought the plant with them to North and South America; and, to this day, it is still used to treat whooping cough, croup, and stomach cancer. The roots are used to treat diphtheria.

The Chinese revere red clover (Hsun Tsao) as a tonic, using the sap to treat colds and influenza. At one time in Chinese history, the dried plant was burned at altars as an incense.

Key Actions

  • alternative
  • antispasmodic
  • anti-inflammatory
  • diuretic
  • possible estrogenic activity

Key Components

  • phenolic glycosides (including salicylic acid)
  • flavonoids
  • salicylates
  • coumarins
  • cyanogenic glycosides
  • mineral acids
  • volatile oil (including methyl salicylate and benzyl alcohol)
  • sitosterols
  • starch
  • fatty acids

Medicinal Parts

Flower heads

Red clover contains coumarins, substances that reduce blood clotting.

The volatile oils in Red Clover are thought to have mild anti-inflammatory properties useful in treating eczema and other skin inflammations.

It also contains compounds that help calm coughs and reduce airway congestion.

Its isoflavone compounds have estrogenic effects. Researchers have isolated four different isoflavones: genistein, daidzein, biochanin, and formononetin. Some contend that red clover is more effective than soy because it contains two extra isoflavones that soy does not have.

Contemporary Chinese researchers have proven that the herb kills certain viral and fungal infections, has an estrogenlike function, and is an antispasmodic and expectorant.

Remedies

Freshly crushed flowers are applied to insect bites and stings.

Tinctures are taken internally for eczema and psoriasis.

Compresses are used for arthritic pains and gout.

Ointments are used on lymphatic swellings and made by covering fresh flowers with water and simmering in a slow cooker for forty-eight hours. This is strained, and the residue evaporated to semi-dryness then combined with an equal amount of ointment base.

An eyewash from diluted tinctures or a well-strained infusion is used to treat conjunctivitis.

A syrup made from the infusion is used for stubborn, dry coughs.

Traditional Uses

It is used mainly to treat skin conditions, and normally in combination with such purifying herbs as burdock and yellow dock.

An expectorant, it may be used for spasmodic coughs.

Its estrogenic effects may be of value in treating menopausal complaints. Like soybeans and other legumes, red clover is rich in isoflavone compounds which have effects similar to estrogen.

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Filed Under: R Tagged With: bug bite, clover, endocrinology, faboideae, formononetin, isoflavones, nutrients, nutrition, perennial herbs, purple flowers, red clover, red clover blossoms, skin conditions, soybean, trifolium, trifolium pratense

Raspberry

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

Botanical Names

Black Raspberry Leaf

Black Raspberry Leaf

  • Family Rosaceae
  • Rubus idaeus
  • Rubus occidentalis
  • Rubus strigosus

Common Names

  • Red Raspberry, Garden Raspberry, Black Raspberry

Cautions

  • Avoid high doses of the leaves during pregnancy as they can stimulate the uterus.

Description

A member of the rose family, the raspberry is a deciduous perennial shrub, growing to six feet, producing woody stems with thorns. The pale green leaves are composed of three to seven leaflets. The flowers are white and turn into red or black, juicy fruits. Native to Europe, the plant can be quite invasive in some places, growing wild in woods, thickets, and pastures, on hillsides and roadsides, and often in dry, rocky sites. It is commonly cultivated in many temperate regions. The leaves are collected in early summer, while the fruits are gathered when ripe, also in summer.

History

The raspberry plant has long been a favorite household remedy, especially favored to speed childbirth.

Gerard considered the fruit to be of a temperate “heat” and, therefore, easier on the stomach than strawberries, which could cause excessive phlegm and chilling.

In 1735, the Irish herbalist, K’Eogh recommended using the flowers and honey for eye inflammations, fevers, and boils.

For centuries, Native Americans and Old World counterparts have used raspberry leaf teas and extracts to treat pregnancy related problems. The Chippewa and Omaha used the roots to treat such bowel problems as dysentery and diarrhea. The Appalachia used the roots of various Rubus species to make a tea that was drunk for hemorrhaging or hemophilia. When taken every three hours, it was also used for summer sickness and diarrhea. Bee stings were relieved by rubbing a leaf on the area.

In 1830, Constantine Rafinesque reported that there were nearly thirty wild species that were used to treat cholera, “infantum”, dysentery, and diarrhea. “The Cherokee chewed them for cough; a cold poultice useful in piles; used with lobelia for gonorrhea”. He also told of the ripe fruits being made into preserves, jams, jellies, and syrups that were used to treat other ailments. 19th century physicians also used the roots for the same purposes.

The fruit of the red raspberry was officially listed in the US Pharmacopoeia from 1882 to 1905 and in the National Formulary from 1916 to 1942. The juice was listed in the National Formulary from 1942 to 1950, and has been listed in the US Pharmocopoeia since 1950. It is used in the preparation of raspberry syrup, a pharmaceutical aid used to disguise the unpleasant taste of other medicines.

Key Actions

(a) Leaves

  • astringent
  • digestive remedy
  • preparative for childbirth
  • stimulant
  • tonic

(b) Fruit

  • diuretic
  • diaphoretic
  • cleanser
  • laxative

Key Components

(a) Leaves

  • fragarine
  • tannins (gallic and ellagic acids)
  • polypeptides
  • flavonoids
  • vitamins (A, B, C)
  • minerals (iron, manganese, magnesium, selenium)

(b) Fruit

  • vitamins A, B, C, E
  • sugars
  • minerals
  • volatile oil

Medicinal Parts

  • Leaves, fruit, root
  • The leaves contain higher levels of vitamin C than do the fruits.
  • Aqueous extracts of the leaves contain a smooth muscle stimulant, an anticholinesterase, and a spasmolytic.
  • The tannins and flavonoids are astringent.
  • Fragarine is a uterine tonic.

Traditional Uses

Raspberry leaf tea is taken during the last six to eight weeks of pregnancy to prepare for childbirth to strengthen the uterus, prevent miscarriage, and relieve morning sickness. During the final months, it is used to prepare the uterus for delivery and reduce labor pains. During labor, warm tea is taken to stimulate labor. Although the exact mode of its action is not known, the leaves are thought to strengthen the longitudinal muscles of the uterus, increasing the force of contractions and thereby hastening the birth.

Although generally considered to be a “female” herb, it is also used to treat men and children for such conditions as diarrhea, stomach upsets, edema, and lung congestion caused by colds or the flu.

Having astringent action, infusions of the leaves are useful in treating diarrhea, as a wash for wounds, and as mouthwashes for sore throats, and mouth ulcers. Eye washes are good for conjunctivitis. Tinctures are more astringent and are diluted to be used on wounds and inflammations. Lotions can be made from the tinctures for similar use.

The leaves are included in rheumatic remedies as a cleansing diuretic.

In France, the leaves are regarded as a tonic for the prostate gland.

The berries have traditionally been taken for indigestion and rheumatism.

Filed Under: R Tagged With: berries, black raspberry, gardener raspberry, herbal information, leaf tea, leaves, medicinal plants, raspberries, raspberry, raspberry leaf, raspberry leaf tea, raspberry plants, red raspberry, red raspberry leaf, rubus, rubus occidentalis, rubus strigosus, tannin, tea

Ragwort

December 28, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

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.

Filed Under: R

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