Herbal Encyclopedia

Common Medicinal Herbs For Natural Health

  • Herbs
  • Modes of Use
    • Compresses and Lotions
    • Creams
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    • Essential Oils
    • Fomentations
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    • Glycerites
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    • 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

Yerba Santa

December 30, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

Botanical Name

  • Family Hydrophyllaceae
  • Eriodictyon californicum

Common Names

  • Yerba Sante
  • Bear’s Weed
  • Consumptive’s Weed
  • Eriodictyon
  • Gum Bush
  • Holy Herb
  • Mountain Balm
  • Sacred Herb
  • Tarweed

Cautions

  • None listed

Description

Native to Oregon, California, and northern Mexico, this aromatic herb is a sticky evergreen shrub, growing to eight feet. Its narrow, lance-shaped leaves are shiny green on the upper side and hairy white underneath. It also produces clusters of trumpet-shaped white, blue or lavender flowers that grow at the top of the plant. The fruit produced is a small, oval, grayish-brown seed capsule containing shriveled black seeds. The bush flourishes on dry, mountain slopes at altitudes up to 4,000 feet.

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History

The name, Yerba Santa, is Spanish for “holy weed,” which was given to the plant by Spanish colonists. They learned of its medicinal value from Native Americans, who used it to treat coughs, colds, sore throats, mucus, and asthma. Many tribes dried and smoked the leaves as a treatment for asthma and lung congestion.

The Eclectic Medical Journal featured an article on the herb in 1875, and it was listed in the US Pharmacopoeia in 1894.

Key Actions

  • Expectorant
  • Mild diuretic

Key Components

  • Volatile oil
  • Flavonoids (including eriodictyol)
  • Resin

Medicinal Parts

  • Leaves

Traditional Uses

This aromatic herb has a sweet taste, and is a valuable expectorant in treating tracheitis, bronchitis, asthma, and any similar respiratory ailment.

It was used to treat coughs, colds, and such other respiratory conditions as fevers.

Infusions were also used to ease fevers and the mashed leaves were applied as a poultice to treat sores.

Filed Under: Y Tagged With: agriculture, asthma, biology, eriodictyol, eriodictyon, medicinal plants, medicinal plants of the american west, pharmacology, yerba santa

Yellow Dock

December 30, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

Botanical and Common Names

  • Family Polygonaceae
  • Rumex crispus (Yellow Dock, Curled dock, Curly-leaf Dock, Rumex, Sad Dock; Spanish: Lengua de Vaca, Yerba Colorado, Raiz Colorado; Nahuatl: Arlinan, Axixpatlicóztic)
  • Rumex aquaticus (Water Dock)
  • Rumex acetosella (Sheep’s Sorrel, Sorrel, Garden Sorrel)
  • Rumex alpinus (Monk’s Rhubarb)
  • Rumex obtusifolius (Broad-Leaved Dock)

Cautions

  • Yellow dock should not be taken by those with a tendency to develop kidney stones.
  • Excessive intake can irritate the intestinal tract.

Description

Indigenous to Europe and Africa, the dock varieties now grow wild in many regions of the world, thriving on dumps, roadsides, and in ditches. It is a perennial, growing from one to five feet with curled, lance-shaped leaves which alternate along the stem reaching lengths of up to ten inches. It has spikes of small, reddish, woody fruits. The plant turns a striking rust-red in the fall and during the winter. The dead stalks and heavy seed panicles at the top of the stem are easily recognizable. The reddish-brown root is shaped something like a carrot; and, inside, the colour is a yellowish-orange. The darker the yellow, the stronger the medicinal qualities of the root. The root is dug up in autumn, chopped, and dried.

History

In the past, the leaves were eaten as a spring tonic, but now only the root is used. It was also used as a salad vegetable and a cooked green.

The early settlers to North America quickly learned about poison ivy. One old-time cure was boiled yellow burdock mixed with vinegar and applied to the sores.

The Iroquois used tea made from the roots to treat upset stomach, kidney problems, and general bowel problems. Many tribes, including the Blackfoot, Paiute, and Shoshone, used the herb topically by applying the mashed root to sores and swellings.

Sorrel is an ingredient of a Native American anticancer remedy known as Essiac, which also includes burdock, slippery elm, and Chinese rhubarb. Western herbalists learned of it early in the 20th century when a Canadian nurse observed the recovery of a breast cancer patient who had used the formula some twenty years previously. This nurse began using it with great success; and, despite attempts to extract the formula for financial gain, she stood firm in giving it out to whomever needed it without charge. Despite the successful treatments, no proper clinical trials have ever been undertaken when it was understood that it could not be exploited.

Apparently, the shape and reddish colour of the root must have reminded someone of a cow’s tongue and thereby named it “Lengua de vaca”.

The Aztecs called it “atlinan”, meaning “its mother is water”. This referred to the plant’s preferance in growing in streambeds. They also called it “axixpatlicóztic”, meaning “yellow urine medicine,” which referred to its use as a diuretic.

In a 1629 treatise entitled Heathen Superstitions That Today Live Among the Indians Native to This New Spain, a cleric described an Aztec remedy using the herb in an enema to treat stomachache and fever. The roots and leaves were also ground and sprinkled on wounds and sores.

In Europe, the herb has been used as a purgative since the time of the ancient Greeks. Dock leaves were also used to treat scrofulous sores, sore eyes, and glandular swellings. To cure itchy skin, the leaves were bruised, mixed with butter, lard, or cream, and placed on the area.

The Mennonites used the plant as a blood purifier and treated many liver ailments with it.

Ancient Arab physicians recommended the plant for hepatitis and poor digestion.

Although considered by many to be another useless weed, it is one often targeted by herbicide producers, along with other medicinal “weeds”, including the dandelion and burdock.

Key Actions

  • astringent
  • detoxifies
  • diuretic
  • mild laxative
  • stimulates bile flow
  • tonic

Key Components

  • anthraquinones (up to 4% nepodin, emodin, chrysaphanol, and physcion)
  • tannins
  • oxylates
  • volatile oil
  • vitamins (A, B, and C)
  • minerals (especially manganese, phosphorus, calcium, iron, magnesium, and selenium)

Medicinal Parts

  • Aerial parts, leaves, roots
  • Isolated anthraquinones are irritants and have a laxative effect.
  • Scientific examination has found the plant to inhibit Escherichia, Salmonella, and Staphylococcus.

Traditional Uses

All members are used as a detoxifying herb; and the fresh juice has a notable diuretic effect, as well as being mildly laxative. The anthraquinones have a purgative effect on the colon; and, although not as strong as Chinese rhubarb or Cascara, it is a mild alternative. It is quite effective when used with licorice for constipation. Short term use of decoctions internally, not only relieve constipation, but are also used for boils by mixing an equal amount of yellow dock, burdock, and red clover.

It was used for such ailments as stomach and liver ailments and to purify the blood. The root is said to be an effective treatment for post-hepatitis flareups and difficulty in processing fatty foods. It stimulates the flow of bile, thereby enhancing digestion and getting rid of toxic wastes. Such cleansing is used to treat a number of conditions marked by stagnant toxins in the body including acne, boils, eczema, psoriasis, fungal infections, sluggish digestion, constipation, arthritic and rheumatic conditions. It also holds potential as a long-term treatment for chronic disease, especially that of the gastrointestinal tract.

It is commonly used for acute and chronic inflammation of the nasal passages, throat, and respiratory tract, as well as for wounds and abrasions, gum problems, and headache.

Used along with other herbs, it is an antibacterial adjuvant.

The leaves of all species, but especially the Broad-leaved Dock, are used as an antidote to nettle stings, with the leaf being rubbed over the affected area.

Various cultures around the world have used yellow dock for ailments ranging from cancer and tuberculosis to syphilis and leprosy, and ringworm and hemorrhoids.

In India, the juice from the roots are used for toothaches, while the powdered root is used for gingivitis and as a dentifrice.

The Maoris of New Zealand chew the leaf first then apply it to wounds, which, they claim, will heal without scaring.

Mixed with equal parts of sarsaparilla, dandelion root, burdock, oregon grape root, and figwort, yellow dock is effective in treating psoriasis.

Filed Under: Y Tagged With: agriculture, biology, botany, broad leaved dock, brown root, burdock, cooking greens, curled dock, docks, herbal encyclopedia, herbs, lawn weeds, leaf vegetables, medicinal plants, roots, rumex, salad vegetables, sorrel, water dock, weed, yellow dock, yellow dock herbal, yellows

Yarrow

December 30, 2010 By Cloverleaf Farm

Botanical Namesyarrow close up

  • Family Asteraceae [Compositae]
  • Achillea millefolium
  • A. lanulosa

Common Names

  • Yarrow, Band Man’s Plaything, Bloodwort, Carpenter’s Weed, Devil’s Nettle, Devil’s Plaything, Milfoil, Nose Bleed, Old Man’s Pepper, Sanguinary, Soldier’s Woundwort, Staunchweed, Thousand Weed/Leaf
  • Spanish: Plumajillo/Plumbajillo, Milenrama, Real de Oro, Alcanfor, Yerbé de los Carpinteros
  • Nahuatl: Tlalquequetzal

Cautions

  • It can cause rashes in some people.
  • Prolonged use can increase photosensitivity.
  • Avoid if pregnant as the herb is a uterine stimulant.

Description

Native to Europe, yarrow now grows worldwide in meadows and along roadsides and is known to all indigenous peoples. It is one of the most widely recognized and used of the perennial herbs. It forms a mat of fern-like leaves that have a minty scent when crushed and grows upward in a single stalk to a height of eight to twelve inches, producing a flat cluster of white flowers.

History

Its botanical name is derived from the Greek hero best known for his vulnerable heel. Achilles used it to treat his soldiers who were wounded in battle.

It was also known as herba militaris because it was used to staunch war wounds. Medieval physicians mixed the herb with grease to make a poultice for wounds that had been “made with iron”, that is, made by spears, for example.

Druids used it to divine seasonal changes, and the Chinese used it to foretell the future.

The Aztecs used the plant in poultices for sores. They made teas to cure coughs, diarrhea, and other digestive problems. It was also one of the herbs used to increase contractions during childbirth; and, when taken in large doses, it is used as a purge after overeating.

The Aztec name (tlalquequetzal) includes the suffix for the earth (tla) and for plumes (quetzal”), referring to its feathery leaves.

Yarrow was used by many tribes, including the Cheyenne, Menominee, Lakota, Assiniboin, Gros Ventre, and Okanagan to treat catarrh, coughs, colds, and fever effectively. At times, the use of an herb may seem contradictory, and such is the case with yarrow. The Iroquois drank a tea made from the root to treat diarrhea, while the Okanagan combined the root with other herbs to treat constipation. Many tribes have used yarrow topically in compresses to treat bleeding, as washes for such skin irritations as burns, eczema, hives, and poison ivy, as well as for poultices to treat wounds.

The Cheyenne called the plant “i ha i se e yo” meaning cough medicine. The Osage name is “wetsaoindse egon” or rattlesnake’s tail-like. The Lakota called it cedar weed (xante canxlogan) and wound medicine (taopi pexuta), while the Winnebago’s name referred to the appearance of the leaf — “hank-sintsh” or woodchuck’s tail.

The Cheyenne used the plant to stimulate sweating, to break a fever, and to alleviate cold symptoms. The Blackfeet made a tea and used it as a diuretic or rubbed on aflicted parts of the skin. The Lakotas used it to treat wounds, while the Crows chewed and held it in the mouth to cure a toothache. The Crows also made poultices from the crushed leaves for burns, boils, or open sores. They added goose fat to make a salve. The Assiniboins and Gros Ventres used a tea to treat colds and stomach complaints while poultices were applied to wounds. The Winnebagos placed a wad of leaves in the ear to cure earaches.

Key Actions

  • antispasmodic
  • antibacterial
  • astringent
  • anti-inflammatory
  • bitter tonic
  • increases sweating
  • lowers blood pressure
  • mild diuretic
  • promotes menstruation
  • reduces fever
  • stops internal bleeding
  • tonic
  • urinary antiseptic

Key components

  • volatile oils (linalool, camphor, sabine, chamazulene)
  • sesquiterpene lactones
  • flavonoids
  • alkaloids (achilleine)
  • polyacetylenes
  • triterpenes
  • salicylic acid
  • coumarins
  • tannins

Medicinal Parts

Flowers, stems, seeds, leaves (aerial parts only)

Over 120 compounds from the plant have been identified, with each acting synergistically to make a whole and varied medicine. For example, the volatile oils are markedly anti-inflammatory and antiallergenic. The flavonoids are antispasmodic. The alkaloids have the capacity to stop bleeding internally and externally. The coumarins act as blood thinners, while the tannins are astringent; and the salicylic aspirin is an anti-inflammatory and analgesic.

Traditional Uses

It is mainly the aerial parts that are used medicinally, although the root is sometimes used. Many herbalists, though, leave the root to form new plants for another year.

Fresh leaves are chewed to ease toothache pain and are also excellent for bleeding. Placed on moderate-sized to small cuts, they readily stimulate clotting.

Infusions relieve digestive upsets and tone the stomach, especially in cases of hiatal hernia where the stomach has lost tone and is protruding up through the esophagus or a tear in the muscle wall. It is more effective for settling the stomach if used along with such other herbs as betony and mint.

For colds, mix equal parts of yarrow, peppermint, and elderflower. Hot infusions of yarrow will stimulate perspiration. Yarrow does lower the blood pressure marginally, but, to counter this, use with passion flower.

A tea or tincture is also excellent for decreasing menstruation during a particularly strong flow. It is also used to regulate the menstrual cycle and ease pain.

The essential oil is also used for congestion or massaged into inflamed joints.

The herb can be used in sitz baths to ease hemorrhoids or gynecological complaints.

A poultice or compress can be applied to scrapes, cuts, or bruises.

Used fresh in boiling water, the steam can be inhaled to treat hay fever and mild asthma or bronchitis.

Ointments have long been used for wounds and skin sores.

Filed Under: Y

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Pages

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

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This information has not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
This information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

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