Secret Herbal Formulas - A Herb Listings

Illustrated herbal encyclopedia

A - Herb Listings

Alphabetical Herb Listing

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The highlighted links within descriptions go directly to the 'Match Herbs to Ailments' page where you'll find a full list of herbs that go with each ailment for a quick glance at the herbs which will be most effective.

Agrimony
Agrimonia cupatoria

Common Names: Common Agrimony, Church Steeples, Cocklebur, Sticklewort.

The whole plant yields a yellow dye. It is an astringent, tonic, and diuretic which has been used for jaundice and other liver conditions. It gives tone to the system and promotes assimilation of food. Also considered very useful in skin eruptions, and diseases of the blood, pimples, blotches, and others. A strong decoction has been taken to cure scrofulous sores, when taken in wine glassfuls doses 2 or 3 times a day for several months. This same decoction has also been used for ulcers.

Agrimony, when used in dream pillow aids in insomnia.

Alfalfa
Medicago sativa

Properties and Uses: Appetizer, diuretic, tonic. The tea made from this plant is a common beverage, good for just relaxing or having a cup of tea with a friend. The tea is rich in vitamins A, D, and K, as well as calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, and potassium. However; it is also used medicinally to help eliminate toxins from the body, build red blood cells, improve appetite, relieve urinary and bowel distresses, relieve water retention, and is said to help cure peptic ulcers.

Allspice
Pimenta dioica

Common Names: Clove Pepper, Jamaica Pepper, Pimento.

Properties and Uses: Aromatic, carminative, stimulant. The water and oil are used in cases of flatulent indigestion or plain flatulence. The oil is also use for cramping of the intestines. This is a good oil to mix with other laxative as it lessens the tendencies of cramping as sometimes happens with other herbs. It is also a good oil to add to other less palatable herbs. When the oil is placed in bath water, it has an anesthetic effect. It also makes a good simulating plaster for rheumatism and neuralgia.

Its flavor is similar to a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The Mayans used it in their embalming process. Scandinavians still use it today to preserve barrels of fish while in transport. It can be used to flavor meats, broth, gravy, stew, and is extensively used in pickling. An excellent addition to herbal craft projects and potpourri.

Aloes (Cape)
Aloe ferox

Common Names: Barbados Aloe, Curacao Aloe.

Properties and Uses: Emollient, purgative, vulnerary. The dried juice of the plant has a nauseating taste, and is usually taken in pill or capsule form for this reason. It is used as a purgative. Because this herb has a tendency to cause gripe and constipation after it produces its purgative effect, it should be combined with other carminative herbs for best and most comfortable results. The fresh juice can be used directly from the leaf to help heal wounds, burns, sunburn, wrinkles, insect bites, minor cuts, skin irritations, and scratches. A tea made from the juice is a good wash for the eyes and wounds.

Angelica Root
Angelica archangelica

Common Names: European Angelica, Garden Angelica.

Properties and Uses: Appetizer, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, tonic. The tea will stimulate appetite, relieve muscle spasms, and stimulate the kidneys, relieve stomach problems, intestinal difficulties, including ulcers, vomiting and cramps. It alleviates intermittent fever, nervous headache, colic and weakness in general. Large doses should be avoided due to its raising blood pressure, increasing the heart rate, and respiration. The salve, applied externally is used for rheumatic pains. Added to the bath it is said to soothe the nerves. The decoction, made from the root is said to be good for itching of all sorts, wounds, and scabies. Made into a compress the root is used for gout.

It was thought to fight pestilence and witchcraft. Often used in herbal teas and bath sachets, as a flavoring agent, most notably in chartreuse and French absinthe.

Anise
Pimpinella anisum

Common Names: Anise Plant, Aniseed, Common Anise.

Properties and Uses: Antispasmodic, aromatic, carminative, digestive, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic, tonic. It promotes digestion, stimulates the appetite, relieves cramping, and nausea, and flatulence. Infants colic is easily relieved with this wonderful herb it is said. When taken by nursing mothers, it is said to promote milk production, handy if you've had twins! It is said to promote the onset of menstruation, and good for insomnia. Made into a salve it has been used for lice and scabies, they hate it! A tea made of equal parts of anise, caraway, and fennel is used to purify the intestines. It is also a good additive for less palatable medicines.

Arnica
Arnica montana

Common Names: Arnica Flowers, Arnica Root, Common Arnica, Leopards bane, Mountain Arnica, Leopardsbane, Mountain Arnica, Mountain Tobacco, Wolfsbane.

These delicately scented flowers are used to impart texture and color to potpourri. They look rather like a fuzzy dandelion that's gone to seed.

Properties and Uses: Diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, stimulant, vulnerary. A tincture or salve helps to heal bruises, wounds, and irritation. It is also good as a poultice, mixed with the tea from the flowers and applied to the stomach to relieve abdominal pain. The diluted tincture is useful as a mouthwash to ease inflammation of the mouth and throat. It is also used internally for bleeding and as a cardiac agent.

Arrowroot
Maranta arundinacea

Common Names: Indian Arrowroot, Maranta Indica, Maranta ramosissima, Maranta Starch, Bermuda Arrowroot.

Arrowroot is an easily digested, unrefined thickener which contains starch and nutrients of 58 mgs. of calcium per 100 gms. An excellent substitute for cornstarch in any recipe. Great for cream sauces and clear lazes, thickening acidic fruits, and des not lose its thickening ability in the presence of acids the way flour does. Mix arrowroot powder with water to make a paste before adding to hot liquids then add gradually to recipe. Often used in infant foods, salad dressings, pie fillings, and puddings.

Arrowroot has been used in a nourishing diet for convalescents, especially in bowel complaints due to its demulcent properties, and has been used as an application to wounds from poisoned arrows, scorpion, and spider bites, as well as to arrest gangrene.

Mixed with water, it is said to be a good antidote for vegetable poisons such as Savanna when taken internally.

Artichoke
Cynara scolymus

Common Names: Garden Artichoke, Globe Artichoke.

Properties and Uses: Cholagogue, diuretic. Extract from the leaves and root help prevent arteriosclerosis, aids in jaundice, dyspepsia, liver disfunction, chronic albuminuria, and anemia after an operation. It is also said to have aphrodisiac properties.

German studies have shown Artichoke to produce amazing cholesterol inhibitive and cleansing action in the body, and helps prevent vital nutrients and minerals from leaching from the bodies cells during times of elevated stress which depletes the body of essential elements.

According to Gebhardt R, ZFA-Zeitschrift fur Allgemeinmedizin. (Journal for General Medicine) 1996; 2:20-23.; Medwelt 1995; 46(6):348-350.

Asafetida
Ferula assa-foetida

This is a resinous gum used extensively in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking with a strong odor and taste often used in place of onion or garlic. 1/8 teaspoon of asafetida powder is equal to one clove of garlic or 1/4 cup chopped onion. Its flavor enriches soups, stews, gravies, casseroles, meats, and vegetables.

It has been used as a local stimulant for the brain, mucous membranes, and for the alimentary tract where its carminative action aids in flatulent colic. This also makes it a good addition to laxative medicines. Its volatile oils are exuded through the lungs and have been used for asthma, bronchitis, whooping-cough, and other chest ailments to loosen excess mucous. Usually taken in capsule form for adults.

Ashwagandha
Withania somnifera

Properties and Uses: adaptogen, antiarthritic, anti-inflammatory, and rejuvenative tonic, and hypotensive.

Said to reduce stress, conserve energy and essential body elements while undergoing stress. It has been used to relieve stress, fatigue, depression and mood swings, physical weakness due to illness, loss of body heat, upset stomach, chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), herpes simples, yeast infections, rheumatoid arthritis, and to balance brain chemicals much as ginseng has been use in anxietous neurosis. Externally Ashwagandha has been used for eczema, and other similar skin conditions, scabies, ulcer, and skin outbreaks in venereal disease.

Asparagus Tuber
Asparagus cochinchinensis

Common Names: Sparrow grass.

Properties and Uses: Aperient, diaphoretic, diuretic. It is said to increase cellular activity in the kidneys, increase the rate of urine, useful when the kidneys are inflamed. It cleanses the bowels, and is said to be good for gout and rheumatic problems (except podagra), and the seeds will relieve nausea and calm the stomach.

Astragalus
Astragalus membranaceus

Properties and Uses: Antibacterial, diuretic, tonic, vasodilator

It is said this herb quadruples the bodies natural killer cells to help it protect itself against harmful invaders, and has been used to boost the immune system, respiratory endurance during pneumonia, asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough, and other respiratory ailments.

The American Cancer Society publication reports it has restored immune functions in 90% of the cancer patients studied because it bolsters the white blood cell count, thus strengthening the body's resistance to harmful invaders which add to an already debilitating disease.

It warms and energizes the body, acting especially on the lungs and spleen. It is presently being looked into as a treatment for those with AIDS to help boost the immune system, and prolong life due to Astragalus' ability to aid in fighting off future harmful invaders into the body.

Disclaimer:

Everything written in this book is for for educational purposes only and is not intended as treatment, diagnosis, or prescription of any kind. What the individual who reads this information does with that information, is solely that individual's responsibility.