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