Latin: Arnica montana
TCM: Shan Jin Che
“A cardiac stimulant; in large doses, a depressant …[for] sprains, bruises, abrasions …” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “circulatory stimulant.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Anti-inflammatory, vulnerary. Do not use internally. For the treatment of bruises and sprains.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Tussilago farfara
TCM: Kuan Dong Hua
“Demulcent and tonic expectorant.”
(Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Expectorant, anti-tussive, demulcent, anti-catarrhal, diuretic. Coltsfoot may be used in chronic or acute bronchitis, irritating coughs, whooping coughs, asthma…” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say, “acrid, warm… stops coughing.”
Latin: Taraxacum officinale
TCM: Pu Gong Ying
A “relaxing cholagogue and choleretic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Diuretic, cholagogue [stimulating the flow of bile from the liver], anti-rheumatic, laxative, tonic. Dandelion is a very powerful diuretic … one of the best natural sources of potassium … a most valuable general tonic and perhaps the best widely applicable diuretic and liver tonic.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” say, “bitter, sweet, cold … clears heat and toxicity … resolves dampness.”
Latin: Sambucus nigra
TCM: Jie Gu Mu
“Relaxing vaso-tonic alterative and diaphoretic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“The Elder tree is a veritable medicine chest by itself. The leaves are used primarly for bruises, sprains, wounds … flowers for colds and influenza … berries have similar properties to the flowers with the addition of their usefulness in rheumatism.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Paul Robin and Paul Brecher in, “Practical TCM”, say, “To keep the spleen strong we eat millet, beef and apricots. Then in late summer when it is humid our spleen can stay balanced.”
Paul Robin and Paul Brecher in, “Practical TCM”, say, “To keep the heart strong we eat millet, sheep and plums. Then in summer when it is hot our heart can stay balanced.”
Latin: Rumex crispus
“The root of the plant is often made into an ointment to ease itching.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
“Relaxing and stimulating vaso-tonic alterative.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
An “alterative, purgative, cholagogue. Yellow Dock is used extensively in the treatment of chronic skin complaints such as psoriasis …[and] a valuable remedy for constipation.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Media
By National Library of Medicine - History of Medicine (https://www.flickr.com/photos/nlmhmd/37183788081/) [No restrictions], via Wikimedia Commons
Latin: Filipendula Ulmaria
TCM: Xuan Gao Wen Zi Cao
An “antacid and stomach tonic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Anti-rheumatic, anti-inflammatory, stomachic, antacid, anti-emetic, astringent. Meadowsweet is of the best digestive remedies available… It acts to protect and soothe the mucous membranes … reducing excess acidity.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Anthemus nobile, Matricaria chamomilla, Matricaria recutita
TCM: Huang Chu Ju
“An infusion of the small flower heads acts as a tonic, digestive aid, and calmative, while in large doses, it acts as an emetic and diaphoretic.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “carminative and anti-spasmodic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Anti-spasmodic, carminative, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antiseptic, vulnerary…. The apparently endless list of conditions it can help all fall into areas that the relaxing, carminative and anti-inflammatory actions can aid.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Capsicum minimum, Capsicum frutescens
“[It] is used for a long list of ailments [and can used] as a catalyst for speeding other ingredients quickly throughout the body … to promote and continue the internal combustive heat produced by lobelia, and its always recommended to take the two together… one of the most powerful stimulants known among herbs.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
“A general vaso-stimulant to the heart, arteries and capillaries, [a] cardio-vascular stimulant” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“A stimulant, carminative, tonic, sialagogue, rubefacient, antiseptic. Cayenne is the most useful of the systemic stimulants. It regulates the blood flow, equalising and strengthening the heart, arteries, capillaries and nerves.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Salix nigra
A “urinary anti-spasmodic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
An “anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, analgesic, antiseptic, astringent. Black Willow is a safe natural source of aspirin-like chemicals, which helps explain its reputation in the treatment of rheumatism and arthritis … and used as part of a wider treatment for any connective tissue inflammation anywhere in the body, … also useful in rheumatoid arthritis.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Image
By PumpkinSky [CC BY-SA 3.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)], from Wikimedia Commons
Latin: Thymus Vulgaris
Arabic: Zatar
It has “… a strong, pungent, spicy taste and odor … used medicinally as a tonic, a carminative, an emmenagogue, and an anti-spasmodic. Externally, the oil of thyme is used for toothache, neuralgia, and painful swellings.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
An “anti-septic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
A “carminative, anti-microbial, anti-spasmodic, expectorant, astringent, anthelmintic. It can be used … internally for respiratory and digestive infections … asthma.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Achillea millefolium
An “astringent, alterative, a diuretic, and a tonic … used to stop [bleeding] … in the treatment of colds, influenza, measles, smallpox, chickenpox, fevers… Yarrow acts as a blood cleanser and opens the pores to permit free perspiration, taking along with it, unwanted waste and thus relieving the kidneys.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
Yarrow is a “stimulating diaphoretic and tonic” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Diaphoretic, hypotensive, astringent, diuretic, antiseptic … Yarrow is one of the best diaphoretic herbs and is a standard remedy for aiding the body to deal with fevers. It lowers blood pressure … stimulates digestion …” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Bhikha and Abdul Haq in “Tibb – Traditional Roots of Medicine in Modern Routes to Health” state, “Excess pungent foods [For example, garlic, onion, cayenne, cinnamon, cardamom, cumin, turmeric chilli peppers, black pepper, ginger root, horseradish.] increase heat and dryness and are harmful to the liver and weaken muscular tone.”
Latin: Valeriana officinalis
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Xie Cao
An “anti-spasmodic and a stimulant and is of value in treating hysteria ... and whooping cough. Valerian is used … as a nerve tonic.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
An “anti-spasmodic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Valerian is one of the most useful relaxing nervines that is available to us.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Symphytum officinale
Arabic: As-sanfiitun
A “demulcent, expectorant, and astringent, for almost any condition which requires a general cleansing of the entire internal system. The whole plant is made into a tea and consumed more or less freely for complaints such as arthritis, gallstones, stomach disorders, asthma … and female disorders.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
For external use for “fractures … bruises … ulcers, wounds, inflamed skin…” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“… a powerful healing agent in gastric and duodenal ulcers, hiatus hernia and ulcerative colitis.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Echinacea Angustifolia
“It is useful in treating all diseases caused by impurity of the blood.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “vaso-tonic alterative, lymphatic vaso-tonic, immune modulator.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Echinacea is the prime remedy to help the body rid itself of microbial infections. It is effective against both bacterial and viral attacks.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Mentha × piperita
Arabic: Naenae
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Bo He
“Very hot in nature, peppermint may be use to advantage to promote perspiration and overpower the cold.” (Robert Thomson, in “The Grosset Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine” (1980))
A “gastric adaptogen, gastro-intestinal antispasmodic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Peppermint is one of the best carminatives available.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Dan Bensky and Andrew Gamble, in “Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica” list it under “cool acrid herbs that release the exterior”. It is “acrid, aromatic and cooling … [it] disperses wind-heat.”
Latin: Galium aparine
Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM): Zhu Yang Yang
A “relaxing, diffusive and soothing diuretic.” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Cleavers is a very valuable plant and is perhaps the best tonic to the lymphatic system available.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
Latin: Eupatorium Perfoliatum
Also known as Feverwort
A “relaxing diaphoretic” (Menzies-Trull in "The Herbalist's Prescriber")
“Boneset is perhaps the best remedy for the relief of the associated symptoms that accompany influenza … [To] clear the upper respiratory tract of mucous congestion … [[To] ease constipation.” (David Hoffman in “The New Holistic Herbal”).
