Here is a list of com­mon terms relat­ed to herbal med­i­cine. Under­stand­ing what each term means will assist you as you dis­cov­er the ben­e­fits of the herbs Yah cre­at­ed for us. Remem­ber that the Herbs Yah made actu­al­ly heal our bod­ies, where­as the phar­makea drugs are more like a bandaid with side effects. I hope you enjoy perus­ing through this list along your path of learn­ing.

ALTERATIVE

Herbs pos­sess­ing alter­na­tive attrib­ut­es work to restore the nor­mal func­tion­ing of the body grad­u­al­ly and, at the same time, improve the health as well as vivac­i­ty. Once, these herbs were called “blood cleansers”.

Blad­der­wrack • Blood­root • Blue Flag • Bog­bean • Bur­dock • Cleavers •Echi­nacea • Fig­wort • Fringe­tree • Fumi­to­ry • Gar­lic • Gua­iacum •Gold­enseal • Moun­tain Grape • Net­tles • Pasque Flower • Poke Root •Queen’s Delight • Red Clover • Sar­sa­par­il­la • Sas­safras • Wild Indi­go •Yel­low Dock.

ANALGESIC, ANODYNE

Anal­gesic herbs are those which help in alle­vi­at­ing pain and are applied top­i­cal­ly on the affect­ed part of the body or tak­en inter­nal­ly, sub­ject to the con­di­tion that is being treat­ed.

Fig­wort • Hops • Jamaican Dog­wood • Lady’s Slip­per • Pas­sion Flower • Pop­py • Skull­cap • St. John’s Wort • Valer­ian.

ANTHELMINTIC

Herbs that are known as anthelmintics work to elim­i­nate or force outworms from our diges­tive sys­tem. It is very unfor­tu­nate that ever since the intro­duc­tion of the new Med­i­cine Act, sev­er­al of the most use­ful anthelmintics are not avail­able any­more, because they have the poten­tial to be tox­ic when used in exces­sive dosage. Hence, those herbs are not includ­ed in this list.

Aloes • Gar­lic • Pome­gran­ate • Tan­sy • Thu­ja • Worm­wood • Rue.

ANTIBILIOUS

Herbs that are antibil­ious assist the body in get­ting rid of sur­plus bileand, there­by, they can be of help in treat­ing con­di­tions like jaun­dice and those relat­ed to the bile.

Bal­mo­ny • Bar­ber­ry • Dan­de­lion • Fringe­tree • Gold­enseal • Mug­wort •Ver­vain • Wild Yam • Worm­wood.

ANTI-CATARRHAL

Herbs pos­sess­ing anti-catarrhal prop­er­ties aid the body in get­ting rid of exces­sive accu­mu­la­tion of catarrhal build-up (mucus mem­brane inflam­ma­tion occur­ring togeth­er with extreme secre­tions), irre­spec­tive of whether it occurs in the sinus region or any oth­er part of the body.

Bear­ber­ry • Bone­set • Cayenne • Colts­foot • Cranes­bill • Amer­i­can Echi­nacea • Elder • Ele­cam­pane • Eye­bright • Gar­lic • Gold­enseal • Gold­en­rod • Hys­sop • Ice­land Moss • Irish Moss • Marsh­mal­low • Mullein • Pep­per­mint • Sage • Thyme • Wild Indi­go • Yarrow.

ANTI-EMETIC

The anti-emet­ic herbs pos­sess the apti­tude to lessen the nau­se­at­ed feel­ing and, at the same time, aid in pro­vid­ing relief from vom­it­ing or pre­vent­ing vom­it­ing.

Balm • Black Hore­hound • Cayenne • Cloves • Dill • Fen­nel • Laven­der • Mead­owsweet • Peach Leaves.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY

Herbs pos­sess­ing anti-inflam­ma­to­ry attrib­ut­es are those that aid the body in fight­ing inflam­ma­tions. All oth­er herbs that are list­ed in the demul­cent, emol­lient and vul­ner­ary cat­e­gories also act in this way quite fre­quent­ly, par­tic­u­lar­ly when they are applied top­i­cal­ly on the affect­ed body part.

Black Wil­low • Bog­bean • Chamomile • Dev­il’s Claw • Marigold • St. John’s Wort • White Poplar • Witch Hazel.

ANTI-LITHIC

Herbs that are list­ed under anti-lith­ic work to put off the devel­op­ment of grav­el or stones in the uri­nary sys­tem and may also aid the body in get­ting rid of them.

Bear­ber­ry • Buchu • Corn Silk • Couch­grass • Grav­el Root • Hydrangea • Pel­li­to­ry of the Wall • Pars­ley • Sea Hol­ly • Stone Root • Wild Car­rot.

ANTI-MICROBIAL

Herbs pos­sess­ing anti-micro­bial prop­er­ties are able to assist the body in destroy­ing dis­ease-bear­ing microor­gan­isms or pro­tect­ing the body from their inva­sion.

Aniseed • Bal­sam of Peru • Bear­ber­ry • Car­away Oil • Cayenne • Clove • Corian­der • Echi­nacea • Ele­cam­pane • Euca­lyp­tus • Gar­lic • Gen­tian • Juniper • Marigold • Mar­jo­ram • Myrrh • Olive • Pep­per­mint • Plan­tain • Rose­mary • Rue • Sage • South­ern­wood• Thyme • Wild Indi­go • Worm­wood.

ANTI-SPASMODIC

Anti-spas­mod­ic herbs are those that have the apti­tude to put off or alle­vi­ate cramps or spasms in the body.

Black Haw • Black Cohosh • Chamomile • Cramp Bark • Euca­lyp­tus • Lady’s Slip­per • Lime Blos­som • Lobelia • Mistle­toe •Moth­er­wort • Pasque Flower • Skull­cap • Skunk Cab­bage • Thyme • Valer­ian • Ver­vain • Wild Let­tuce • Wild Yam.

APERIENT

Herbs that are known as ape­ri­ents work as extreme­ly mild purga­tives.

See ‘Lax­a­tives’.

AROMATIC

All herbs that are aro­mat­ic pos­sess a potent and most­ly pleas­ing smell, hav­ing the abil­i­ty to invig­o­rate the diges­tive sys­tem. Aro­mat­ic herbs are used to append the per­fume as well as flavour of oth­er med­ica­tions.

Aniseed •Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Balm • Basil • Car­away • Car­da­mon • Cel­ery • Chamomile • Cin­na­mon • Cloves • Corian­der • Dill •Fen­nel • Hys­sop • Gin­ger • Mead­owsweet • Pen­ny­roy­al • Pep­per­mint • Rose­mary • Valer­ian • Wood Betony.

ASTRINGENT

Astrin­gent herbs work to tight­en the tis­sues by means of trig­ger­ing pro­teins and, hence, they are able to lessen the secre­tions as well as dis­charges. Astrin­gent herbs enclose tan­nins.

Agri­mo­ny • Avens • Bay­ber­ry • Bear­ber­ry • Beth Root • Bis­tort • Black Cat­e­chu • Bugle­weed • Cranes­bill • Ele­cam­pane •Eye­bright • Gold­en­rod • Ground Ivy • Kola • Lung­wort • Mead­owsweet • Mouse Ear • Mullein • Oak Bark • Peri­win­kle • Pile­wort •Plan­tain • Rag­wort • Rasp­ber­ry • Sage • Rhubarb Root • Rose­mary • Slip­pery Elm • St.John’s Wort • Tor­men­til • Wild Cher­ry •Witch Hazel • Yarrow.

BITTER

Bit­ter herbs are those that have a bit­ter flavour and work in the form of invig­o­rat­ing ton­ics for our diges­tive sys­tem by means of a reflex through the taste buds.

Bar­ber­ry • Bone­set • Chamomile • Cen­tau­ry • Gen­tian • Gold­enseal • Hops • Rue • South­ern­wood • Tan­sy • Hore­hound • Worm­wood.

CARDIAC TONIC

Herbs that act as car­diac ton­ics have an effect on the heart. These herbs have a spe­cif­ic func­tion­ing and it ought to be searched in the herbal divi­sion.

Broom • Bugle­weed • Cayenne • Hawthorn • Lily of the Val­ley • Moth­er­wort • Night Bloom­ing Cereus.

CARMINATIVE

Herbs pos­sess­ing carmi­na­tive prop­er­ties usu­al­ly con­tain high amount of unsta­ble oils and their actions stim­u­late the peri­stal­sis of our diges­tive sys­tem and, at the same time, help the stom­ach to loosen up. In this way, carmi­na­tive herbs encour­age the diges­tive process and aid in remov­ing the gas formed in the diges­tive tract.

Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Aniseed • Balm • Car­away • Car­da­mon • Cayenne • Cin­na­mon • Chamomile • Corian­der • Dill • Fen­nel •Galan­gal • Gar­lic • Gin­ger • Hys­sop • Juniper • Mus­tard • Pep­per­mint • Sage • Thyme • Valer­ian.

CHOLAGOGUE

Herbs that are known as chol­a­gogues work to pro­mote the secre­tion and release of bile from the gall-blad­der, which may result in a notable ben­e­fit in case of prob­lems relat­ed to the gall-blad­der. These herbs also pos­sess purga­tive prop­er­ties and have an effect on the diges­tive sys­tem, as the vol­ume of bile present in the duo­de­num enhances when an indi­vid­ual takes these herbs. It may be not­ed here that bile is pro­duced by the body and is a nat­ur­al purga­tive.

Bal­mo­ny • Bar­ber­ry • Black Root • Blue Flag • Bol­do • Dan­de­lion • Fringe­tree • Fumi­to­ry • Gen­tian • Gold­enseal • Moun­tain Grape • Wahoo • Wild Yam.

DEMULCENT

Herbs with demul­cent prop­er­ties have high mucilage con­tent and have the apti­tude to calm as well as shield the aggra­vat­ed or inflamed tis­sues inside the body.

Colts­foot • Com­frey • Corn Silk • Couch­grass • Flaxseed • Irish Moss • Lung­wort • Licorice • Mal­low • Marsh­mal­low • Mullein • Oat­meal • Pars­ley • Slip­pery Elm.

DIAPHORETIC

Diaphoret­ic herbs can help the skin to get rid of tox­ic sub­stances and, at the same time, induce sweat­ing.

Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Bay­ber­ry • Black Cohosh • Bone­set • Buchu • Cayenne • Chamomile • Elder • Fen­nel • Gar­lic • Gin­ger •Gold­en­rod • Gua­iacum • Lime Blos­som • Pep­per­mint • Pleurisy Root • Prick­ly Ash • Thu­ja • Thyme • Hore­hound • Yarrow.

DIURETIC

Herbs pos­sess­ing diuret­ic prop­er­ties work to increase the pro­duc­tion as well as elim­i­na­tion of urine.

Agri­mo­ny • Bear­ber­ry • Blue Flag • Bol­do • Bone­set • Bor­age • Broom • Buchu • Bugle­weed • Bur­dock • Cel­ery Seed • Cleavers •Corn Silk • Couch­grass • Dan­de­lion • Elder • Grav­el Root • Hawthorn Berries • Juniper • Kola • Lily of the Val­ley • Lime Blos­som • Night Bloom­ing Cereus • Pars­ley • Pel­li­to­ry of the Wall • Pump­kin Seed • Saw Pal­met­to • Sea Hol­ly • Stone Root • Wild Car­rot •Yarrow.

EMETIC

Emet­ic herbs induce vom­it­ing. Most of the herbs list­ed under this cat­e­go­ry result in vom­it­ing only when they are used in high dose. The dos­ing of each of these herbs may be looked up in the herbal descrip­tion.

Balm • Blood­root • Bone­set • Cat­nip • Elder Flow­ers • Ipecacuan­ha • Lobelia • Sene­ga • Squill.

EMMENAGOGUE

Herbs pos­sess­ing emme­na­gogue prop­er­ties encour­age as well as reg­u­lar­ize the men­stru­al flow. In fact, the term emme­na­gogue is fre­quent­ly used in the per­spec­tive of med­ica­tions that work in the form of ton­ics for the repro­duc­tive sys­tem in females.

Beth Root • Black Cohosh • Black Haw • Blessed This­tle • Blue Cohosh • Car­line This­tle • Chamomile • Chaste Tree • Cramp Bark • False Uni­corn Root • Fenu­greek • Gen­tian • Gin­ger • Gold­enseal • Juniper Berry • Lime • Marigold • Moth­er­wort • Mug­wort• Pars­ley • Pasque Flower • Pen­ny­roy­al • Pep­per­mint • Rasp­ber­ry • Rose­mary • Rue • Sage • Shep­herd’s Purse • South­ern­wood• Squaw Vine • St. John’s Wort • Tan­sy • Thyme • True Uni­corn Root • Valer­ian • Ver­vain • Worm­wood • Yarrow.

EMOLLIENT

Emol­lient herbs are applied top­i­cal­ly to the skin with a view to make it soft­er, calm it or defend it from any harm. These herbs work in the same way as the demul­cents work inside the body.

Balm of Gilead • Bor­age • Chick­weed • Colts­foot • Com­frey • Ele­cam­pane • Fenu­greek • Flaxseed • Licorice • Mal­low •Marsh­mal­low • Mullein • Plan­tain • Quince Seed • Rose Petals • Slip­pery Elm.

EXPECTORANT

Herbs pos­sess­ing expec­to­rant prop­er­ties help the body in get­ting rid of sur­plus mucus from the res­pi­ra­to­ry sys­tem.

Aniseed • Balm of Gilead • Bal­sam of Peru • Bal­sam of Tolu • Blood­root • Colts­foot • Com­frey • Elder Flower • Ele­cam­pane • Gar­lic • Gold­enseal • Grindelia • Hys­sop • Ice­land Moss • Irish Moss • Licorice • Lobelia • Lung­wort • Marsh­mal­low • Mouse Ear • Mullein • Pleurisy Root • Sene­ga • Skunk Cab­bage • Squill • Thu­ja • Thyme • Ver­vain • Hore­hound • Wild Cher­ry.

FEBRIFUGE • ANTI-PYRETIC

Herbs called febrifuges assist the body in low­er­ing fevers.

Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Balm • Blessed This­tle • Bone­set • Bor­age • Cayenne • Elder Flower • Euca­lyp­tus • Hys­sop • Lobelia •Marigold • Pen­ny­roy­al • Pep­per­mint • Peru­vian Bark • Plan­tain • Pleurisy Root • Prick­ly Ash • Rasp­ber­ry • Sage • Thyme •Ver­vain.

GALACTOGOGUE

Galac­to­gogue herbs have the apti­tude to assist moth­ers who are breast-feed­ing to enhance the flow of their milk.

Aniseed • Blessed This­tle • Cen­tau­ry • Fen­nel • Goat’s Rue • Rasp­ber­ry • Ver­vain.

HEPATIC

As the name sug­gests, hepat­ic herbs help the liv­er. Using hepat­ic herbs reg­u­lar­izes as well as for­ti­fies the liv­er. At the same time, these herbs help to aug­ment the release of bile from the liv­er.

Agri­mo­ny • Aloes • Balm • Bal­mo­ny • Bar­ber­ry • Black Root • Blue Flag • Bol­do • Bog­bean • Cas­cara Sagra­da • Cel­ery • Cen­tau­ry • Cleavers • Dan­de­lion • Ele­cam­pane • Fen­nel • Fringe­tree • Fumi­to­ry • Gen­tian • Gold­enseal • Horse­rad­ish • Hys­sop • Moun­tain Grape • Moth­er­wort • Prick­ly Ash • Wahoo • Wild Indi­go • Wild Yam • Worm­wood • Yarrow • Yel­low Dock.

HYPNOTIC

Hyp­not­ic herbs facil­i­tate bring­ing on sleep. How­ev­er, the action of these herbs should not be mis­tak­en to be caus­ing a hyp­not­ic spell.

Hops • Jamaican Dog­wood • Mistle­toe • Pas­sion Flower • Skull­cap • Valer­ian • Wild Let­tuce.

LAXATIVE

Herbs pos­sess­ing lax­a­tive or purga­tive prop­er­ties work to stim­u­late the emp­ty­ing of the bow­els.

Bal­mo­ny • Bar­ber­ry • Buck­thorn • Bur­dock • Cas­cara Sagra­da • Cleavers • Dan­de­lion • Flaxseed • Fringe­tree • Moun­tain Grape • Pel­li­to­ry of the Wall • Rhubarb Root • Sen­na • Wahoo • Yel­low Dock.

MUCILAGE

Herbs hav­ing mucilagi­nous attrib­ut­es enclose gelati­nous ele­ments and they fre­quent­ly work like emol­lients and demul­cents.

Com­frey • Fenu­greek • Flaxseed • Ice­land Moss • Irish Moss • Mal­low • Marsh­mal­low • Quince Seed • Slip­pery Elm.

NERVINE

Herbs called nervines have a pos­i­tive action on the ner­vous sys­tem and they help to har­mo­nize as well as for­ti­fy it. A num­ber of nervine herbs also work in the form of stim­u­lants, while some oth­ers act as relax­ants.

Balm • Black Cohosh • Black Haw • Blue Cohosh • Bugle­weed • Chamomile • Cramp Bark • Dami­ana • Gin­seng • Hops • Kola • Lady’s Slip­per • Laven­der • Lemon Balm • Lime • Lobelia • Mistle­toe • Moth­er­wort • Oats • Pasque Flower • Pas­sion Flower • Pep­per­mint • Red Clover • Rose­mary • Skull­cap • Tan­sy • Thyme • Valer­ian • Ver­vain • Wild Let­tuce • Worm­wood.

OXYTOCIC

Oxy­to­cic herbs work to encour­age the uterus to con­tract and they may, there­fore, be use­ful dur­ing child­birth.

Beth Root • Blue Cohosh • Gold­enseal • Rue • Squaw Vine.

PECTORAL

Herbs that pos­sess pec­toral prop­er­ties have a com­mon cura­tive as well as strength­en­ing out­come on our res­pi­ra­to­ry sys­tem.

Aniseed • Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Balm of Gilead • Bal­sam of Peru • Bal­sam of Tolu • Blood­root • Colts­foot • Com­frey • Elder •Ele­cam­pane • Gar­lic • Gold­enseal • Hore­hound • Hys­sop • Ice­land Moss • Irish Moss • Licorice • Lung­wort • Marsh­mal­low • Mouse Ear • Mullein • Pleurisy Root • Sene­ga • Skunk Cab­bage • Ver­vain.

RUBEFACIENT

Rube­fa­cient herbs are applied top­i­cal­ly to the skin and their appli­ca­tion gen­er­al­ly results in a mild irri­ta­tion, while stim­u­lat­ing the widen­ing of the cap­il­lar­ies just beneath the skin. This action of these herbs helps to improve the skin’s blood cir­cu­la­tion. When these herbs are applied to the skin, it helps to pull blood from more pro­found areas of the body to the skin. This, in turn, fre­quent­ly helps to alle­vi­ate inter­nal pains.

Cayenne • Cloves • Gar­lic • Gin­ger • Horse­rad­ish • Mus­tard • Net­tle • Pep­per­mint • Rose­mary • Rue.

SEDATIVE

Herbs hav­ing seda­tive or tran­quil­iz­ing prop­er­ties work to soothe the ner­vous sys­tem as well as lessen the strain and anx­i­ety all over the body. There­fore, these herbs may pos­si­bly have an influ­ence on the body tis­sues that have been aggra­vat­ed due to prob­lems relat­ed to the ner­vous sys­tem.

Black Cohosh • Black Haw • Blad­der­wrack • Blue Cohosh • Blood­root • Bol­do • Bugle­weed • Chamomile • Cowslip • Cramp Bark • Hops • Jamaican Dog­wood • Lady’s slip­per • Lobelia • Moth­er­wort • Pasque Flower • Pas­sion Flower • Red Clover • Red Pop­py• Saw Pal­met­to • Skull­cap • St. John’s Wort • Valer­ian • Wild Cher­ry • Wild Let­tuce • Wild Yam.

SIALAGOGUE

Herbs that are called sial­a­gogues are those that pro­mote the sali­va secre­tion from the sali­vary glands.

Blood­root • Blue Flag • Cayenne • Cen­tau­ry • Gen­tian • Gin­ger • Prick­ly Ash • Sene­ga.

SOPORIFIC

Like hyp­notics, soporif­ic herbs help to bring on or pro­mote sleep.

Com­pare ‘Hyp­notics’.

STIMULANT

Herbs hav­ing stim­u­lant prop­er­ties has­ten as well as enliv­en the body’s phys­i­o­log­i­cal func­tion­ing.

Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Balm of Gilead • Bal­mo­ny • Bay­ber­ry • Ben­zoin • Blad­der­wrack • Car­away • Car­damom • Cayenne • Cin­na­mon • Dan­de­lion • Euca­lyp­tus • Galan­gal • Gar­lic • Gen­tian • Gin­seng • Grav­el Root • Ground Ivy • Hore­hound • Horse­rad­ish• Juniper • Marigold • Mus­tard • Pen­ny­roy­al • Pep­per­mint • Prick­ly Ash • Rose­mary • Rue • Sage • South­ern­wood • Tan­sy • Wild Yam • Worm­wood • Yarrow.

STYPTIC

All herbs cat­e­go­rized as styp­tics lessen or put an end to exter­nal hem­or­rhage owing to their astrin­gent prop­er­ties.

See ‘Astrin­gents’.

TONIC

As the name indi­cates, ton­ic herbs work to for­ti­fy as well as make par­tic­u­lar organs more vig­or­ous. In addi­tion, they also have a pos­i­tive (sim­i­lar) action on the entire body.

Agri­mo­ny • Chi­nese Angel­i­ca • Aniseed • Balm • Bal­mo­ny • Bay­ber­ry • Bear­ber­ry • Beth Root • Bis­tort • Black Cohosh • Black Haw • Black Root • Bog­bean • Bol­do • Bone­set • Buchu • Buck­thorn • Bugle­weed • Bur­dock • Calum­ba • Car­line This­tle • Cayenne • Cen­tau­ry • Chamomile • Cleavers • Colts­foot • Com­frey • Con­duran­go • Couch­grass • Cranes­bill • Dami­ana •Dan­de­lion • Echi­nacea • Ele­cam­pane • Eye­bright • False Uni­Corn Root • Fringe­tree • Fumi­to­ry • Gar­lic • Gen­tian • Gin­seng • Gold­enseal • Grav­el Root • Grindelia • Ground Ivy • Hawthorn • Horse Chest­nut • Hydrangea • Hys­sop • Ice­land Moss • Lady’s Slip­per • Licorice • Lime • Marigold • Mistle­toe • Moth­er­wort • Moun­tain Grape • Mug­wort • Mus­tard • Myrrh • Net­tle • Oats •Pars­ley • Peri­win­kle • Poke Root • Rasp­ber­ry • Red Clover • Rue • Sar­sa­par­il­la • Skull­cap • Squaw Vine • Tamarind • Tan­sy •Thyme • Ver­vain • Vir­ginia Snake Root • Wild Yam • Wood Betony • Worm­wood • Yarrow • Yel­low Dock.

VULNERARY

Herbs that are clas­si­fied as vul­ner­aries are applied top­i­cal­ly to help the body to cure cuts as well as wounds.

Aloes • Arni­ca • Bis­tort • Black Wil­low • Bur­dock • Chick­weed • Cleavers • Com­frey • Cranes­bill • Daisy • Elder • Ele­cam­pane •Fenu­greek • Flaxseed • Gar­lic • Gold­enseal • Horse­tail • Hys­sop • Irish Moss • Marigold • Marsh­mal­low • Mullein • Myrrh •Plan­tain • Poke Root • Shep­herd’s Purse • Slip­pery Elm • St. John’s Wort • Thyme • Witch Hazel • Wood Betony • Yarrow.

https://mountainairnaturals.com/articles

Past­ed from <http://www.herbs2000.com/h_menu/1_actions.htm>