Thisdocumentismeanttobeaquickreferenceguideandisnotintendedtobeadetailedglossaryofterms.Furtherresearchisalwaysnecessary/recommendedtounderstandthedepthandscopeofanherbanditseffects.

LegalDisclaimer:It’simportanttounderstandthatherbscaninteractwithsomemedications.Iamnotadoctorandthisinformationisforeducationalpurposesonly.Ifyouhavequestionsaboutyourhealth,pleaseconsultamedicalprofessionaltoverifyifaspecificherbissafeforyoutotake.

HerbalActionReferenceGuideHerbalismhasitsownlanguageandit'sthereforeimportanttounderstandtheterminologywhenresearchingherbs.Everyherbhasan“action”orimpactonthebody- somewillhavemultipleeffectswhileothersonlyslight.Youmayneedtotakeadditionalherb(s)inanothercategorytogetthedesiredresult.

Adaptogen/Adaptogenic:Helpsthebodythroughstressfulsituations.Adaptogensdon'tblockthestressresponsebutinsteadsmoothoutthehighsandlows.

Herbalistsmayuseadaptogenstoimprovetheimmunesystem,increasestamina,normalizesexualfunctionandhelpdealwithstress.

Alterative:Herbsthatgraduallyrestoreproperfunctiontothebodyandincreaseoverallhealthandvitality.Theyfacilitatetheimprovementofthetissue’sabilitytodealwitharangeofbodyfunctionsfromnutritiontoelimination.

Herbalistsmayusealternativesforbloodtoxicity,arthritis,andskinproblems.

Anticatarrhal: Helpsthebodymoveexcessmucusrelatedtoupperairwayissues.

Herbalistsmayuseanticatarrhal herbstohelpreducemucusassociatedwithcoldandflusymptoms.

Anti-Inflammatory: Herbsthathelpreduceinflammation.

Herbalistsmayuseanti-inflammatoryherbsforpainreliefinadditiontousingotherremediesthataddresstheunderlyingproblem.

Antimicrobial:Herbsthathelpthebodyfight/resistpathogensthatattackthebody.Thiscategoryisfurtherbrokendownintoantibacterial,antiviral,etc.

Herbalistsunderstandthatsomeherbswillnothaveacompleteantimicrobialimpactontheentirebodybutmayusethem nonetheless.

Antirheumatic:Herbsthatimprovethequalityoflifeforthosewithrheumaticproblems.

Herbalistsunderstandthatherbsinthiscategoryarelimitedinscopethanamechanismforacure.However,theycanbeeffectiveinsomecases.

Antispasmodic: Herbsthathelpreduceorpreventmusclespasms/cramps.Manyherbsarebothantispasmodicandnervine,whichhelpwithpsychologicaltension.

Herbalistsoftenliketouseherbscontainingthesetwoherbalactions,withLavenderbeingagoodexample.

Astringent:Herbsorbarksthatarehighintanninssuchasgreentea,rosemary,raspberryleaforwitchhazel.Witchhazel,forexample,hasatighteningeffectontheskin.

Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbsinskincareproducts,healingwounds,oraidingdigestiveissues.

Bitter: Herbsthatstimulateandreleasedigestiveenzymesthatstimulatedigestion.

Herbalistsusebitterstoaidinissuesrelatedtothegutandtostimulateappetite.

CardiacRemedies:Thisisabroadcategoryandmayhavedifferentmeaningswithinwesternmedicine.Greatcaremustbetaken andresearchdonetounderstandherbsthataffecttheheartandbloodcirculation.Somecouldbedeadlywhileothershavethedesiredeffectandaresafetouse.

Herbalistsusetheseherbstoincreasebloodflow.However,alwaysconsultamedicalprofessionalbeforetakinganyherbforcardiacorcirculatoryissues.

Carminative:Herbsthatrelievediscomfortfromexcessgasinthebowel.

Herbalistshavefoundthatmanyherbs,suchascarminatives,havemultipleactions.

Cholagouge:Herbsthatactasanaturalbodytonic.Theseherbsaidtheliverinfatdigestionandworkasanaturallaxativecleansingthesystem.

Herbalistsusetheseherbsasagentlecleanse.Bittersareoftenalsocholagoguesandhepatics,whichcanbeabonus.

Demulcent: Herbsthatarehighinmucilageandsoothe/protectirritatedandinflamedtissues.

Herbalistshaveusedtheseherbsforsorethroats,colitis,andurinarytractinflammations.

Diuretic:Herbsthataidthebodyingettingridofexcessfluids.

Herbalistsoftenusetheseherbstohelpwithwaterretention,edema,kidneystones,orurinarytractinfections.

Emmenagogue:Herbsthathelptreatconditionsofawoman'sreproductivesystem.AlwaysconsultamedicalprofessionalbeforetakingthesetypesofherbsandpregnantwomenshouldAVOIDTHESEHERBS!

Herbalistsoftenuseherbstostimulatemenstrualflow.

Expectorant:Herbsthathelpexpelmucusintherespiratorysystem.

Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbstohelpwithsymptomscausedbycolds,congestionsorflusymptoms.

Hepatic:Herbsthathelptheliverinmanyways,includinghelpingtoincreasebilecontent.Bittersandcholagoguesallactashepatics.

Herbalistsusethesetypesofherbsformanyreasons,includinghelpingwithliverdiseases.However,pleasedoadditionalresearchandconsultamedicalprofessionalifyouhaveliverdisease.

Hypnotic:Herbsthatarenervineremedies,whichhelptoinducedeepsleep.

Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbstoaidininsomniaorstress-relatedsymptoms.

Hypotensive:Herbsthataidinreducingelevatedbloodpressure.

Herbalistsoftenusethesetypesofherbswithotherremedies.Pleaseconsultamedicalprofessionalbeforeusingthesetypesofherbsforhighbloodpressure.

Nervine:Herbsthatstrengthenandnourishthenervoussystem.

Herbalistsoftenusetheseherbsaswellasothersthattreatthewholebody,heart,andmind- notjustthebrain.

Stimulant: Herbsthatexciteorenlivensphysiologicalactivity.

Herbalistsoftenusetheseherbstostimulatecirculation,whichcanhaveawarmingeffectonthebody.

REFERENCES:

HerbalAcademyIntrotoHerbalismUnit1– HerbalActions

Hoffmann,David,FNIMH,AHG(2003)MedicalHerbalism:TheScienceandPracticeofHerbalMedicine,HerbalActions483- 519