medicinal herbs - acs distance...

SHORT COURSE

MedicinalHerbs

STUDY GUID

E

HOW TO WORK THROUGH THIS COURSE

Over the following pages, you will move through a logical, self-paced learning experience that can enlighten and educate you in how to organise and run any type of event; small or large.

It is important from the outset to understand that learning about something is not the same as just reading about it. Learning implies a permanent change in what you know and can do.

Anyone can read a book and understand it; but for most people the detail of what you read is largely forgotten.

Reading something once only puts information into short-term memory. It is soon lost if you don’t ‘work’ on it. Studying the same information takes longer, but by thinking about it and processing it you can transfer that information to long-term memory. This way, you will enhance your ability to recall and apply that information for years to come. If you take your time to work through the six lessons that follow, you will learn.

REad, REflECT, RESEaRCH, REvISE

Throughout the following pages, you will find not only things to read about, but also things to do:

1. Throughout each lesson, there are suggestions of things to do under the headings “Learn More”. These are all sorts of ideas about things you can do in order to explore the subject further.

2. At the end of each lesson, there is an interactive selfassessment test (assignment), for you to undertake. When you click on this, your computer needs to be online. You will be taken to our cloud-based online school. The answers you choose will be evaluated immediately, and your results can be seen on completion of each test. You can return and repeat tests if you wish.

Undertaking these tasks will involve reflection, research and revision of the topics you read about. By repeatedly encountering each topic in different ways, your perspective on each subject will broaden, and the commitment of information to longer term memory will strengthen.

You don’t need to undertake all of the suggested tasks if you don’t want to; but we strongly recommend that you do some in each lesson, and that you take all of the self-assessment tests.

The more time you spend doing these things, the stronger your learning will be.

COmplETInG THE COURSE

After completing all six lessons you will be presented with a final assessment which can also be undertaken online.

Do not attempt to do this until you have worked through all six lessons, and feel like you have learnt the subject well.

Upon finishing this final assessment you will immediately see your final results, and you can save a pdf copy of those results as a “Certificate of Completion”.

WElCOmE aUdIO

Click the button below to listen to the welcome audio for this course. This feature is supported by most computers and some mobile devices.

http://login.training/membera/assets/ShortCourse_Welcome.mp3

The Contents of the Course

HOW TO WORK THROUGH THIS COURSE 2

lESSOn 1 InTROdUCTIOn THE naTURE and SCOpE Of mEdICInal HERbS 6What Are They? 6

Uses of Medicinal Herbs 8

The Evolution of Medicinal Herbs 9

The Scope of Medicinal Herbs 10

Review what you have been learning 11

lESSOn 2 CHEmICalS In HERbS and THEIR EffECTS On THE bOdy 12Terms Used To Describe Medicinal Effects of Herbs 12

Types of Chemicals found in Medicinal Herbs 16

Other Terms Describing Medicinal Herbs 22


lESSOn 3 WayS HERbS aRE USEd 26Different Applications 26

Medicinal Uses 27

Some Important Points 28


lESSOn 4 mETHOdS Of pREpaRInG HERbS fOR USE 30How to Make Herbal Tea 30

How to Make Herbal Decoctions 31

How to Make Herbal Ointments 32


lESSOn 5 dIRECTORy Of mEdICInal HERbS 34Agrimonia eupatoria 34

Allium sativum 35

Aloe vera 36

Alpinia galanga 37

Angelica archangelica 38

Armoracia rusticana 40

Asparagus officinalis 41

Asperula odorata (syn. Galium odoratum) 42

Betula spp. 43

Borago officinalis 45

Calendula officinalis 46

Cannabis sativa 47

Capsicum annum 48

Citrus limonum 50

Echinacea purpurea 51

Elettaria cardamomum 52

Eucalyptus spp. 53

Ficus carica 54

Foeniculum vulgare 55

Glycyrrhiza glabra 57

Humulus lupulus 58

Hyssopus officinalis 59

Lavandula angustifolia (syn. L. officinalis) 60

Levisticum officinale 61

Linum usitatissimum 62

Matricaria recutita (syn M. chamomilla) 64

Melaleuca alternifolia 66

Melissa officinalis 67

Mentha x piperita 69

Mentha pulegium 70

Mentha spicata (syn. M. viridis) 71

Oenothera biennis 72

Origanum vulgare 73

Panax quinquefolius 74

Papaver orientale 75

Petroselinum crispum (syn. P. sativum) 76

Pimpinella anisum 77

Rheum palmatum 78

Ribes rubrum 79

Rosmarinus officinalis 80

Rubus idaeus 81

Ruta graveolens 82

Salix alba 83

Salvia officinalis 84

Sanguisorba officinalis 85

Satureja hortensis 86

Symphytum officinale 87

Taraxacum officinale 88

Thymus vulgaris 89

Ulmus rubra (syn. Ulmus fulva) 90

Valeriana officinalis 91

Vanilla aromatica 92

Zingiber officinale 93


lESSOn 6 WORKInG WITH mEdICInal HERbS 96Selling Medicinal Plants: Opportunities 100

Where to Market Herb Products 103

Processing Concerns 103

Starting a Herb Business 106

Planning 111

Preparing a Business Plan for a Herb Farm or Nursery 113

Production Requirements 116

Final Thoughts 117


Final Assessment 120

The content of this course is developed and owned by ACS DistanceEducation; and is only authorized to be used by ACS, affiliates of ACS Distance Education, and students of ACS or it’s licensed affiliates.Based on a book by John Mason - ISBN: 978-0-9942948-7-6

> BACK TO CONTENTS PAgE

lESSOn 1 InTROdUCTIOn THE naTURE and SCOpE Of mEdICInal HERbS

Herbs have been used by humans for many thousands of years. Over the course of this time our understanding of their effects on our bodies has been learnt - initially through trial and error, and observations, then later through clinical trials. Today our knowledge of plants has given rise to a growing industry in botanical medicine.

WHaT aRE THEy?

Medicinal herbs are plants which contain chemicals that have an effect upon the body. Of course whilst many have a favourable effect, some which are classed as poisons are regarded as medicinal because when given in appropriate doses they can be used to attack pathogens in the body. But

how useful are these herbs? Some people swear by them, yet others are highly suspicious. Is their suspicion well-founded? The answer would have to be possibly, but not unequivocally. Herbs have been used for such a long time that it is hard to deny their usefulness. Before the mass production of synthesised drugs they were all we had to rely on.

Chamomile


If you delve a little deeper, you’ll soon discover that many of the medicines prescribed by doctors and sold by pharmacists today also originate from herbs. Many synthetic medicines have been created to mimic compounds found in plants. For instance, aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) is very similar to salicin which is found in willow bark. Once metabolised in the body, salicin forms various salicylic derivatives. Although their presence is not found in sufficiently high concentrations to provide an analgesic effect, other chemicals in the bark including flavonoids and polyphenols contribute to combat pain.

Elephant garlic Allium ampeloprasum

The proper processing of herbs for medicinal purposes is complex and beyond the skills of the average home gardener, but there are many herbs which are relatively easy to grow and safe for most people to use; herbs such as rosemary, lavender, garlic and lemon balm. Many herbs also have the added benefit of attracting predatory insects to your garden which will keep unwanted pests in check.

Eucalyptus pauciflora

Whilst we mainly think of herbs as being useful for flavouring and garnishing food dishes, many of them can also be quite easily transformed into herbal teas or topical ointments which may provide medicinal benefits. Sometimes these benefits are preventative rather than curative - you can help your body to fend off infections and illnesses by boosting your immune system and natural defences.

lEaRn mORE ›››

Suggested task

Look up and define the words: flavonoid and polyphenol; just write a sentence or so for each.


USES Of mEdICInal HERbS

Here are some easy-to-grow herbs and what they are often reported to do:

■ CHAMOMILE (Matricaria recutita) – treat chest colds, inflammation of gums, tooth abscesses, soothe skin conditions, antibacterial

■ ECHINACEA (Echinacea spp.) - fights symptoms of cold and influenza, relieves sinus problems, soothes gum inflammations, treats infections

■ EUCALYPTUS (Eucalyptus spp.) - antiseptic, breathe fumes to clear sinuses and ease chest infections

■ gARLIC (Allium sativum) -antibacterial, reduces blood pressure, aids breathing

■ gINgER (Zingiber officinale) -settles stomach, anti-inflammatory, lowers cholesterol, reduces blood toxins, treats colds

■ LAvENDER (Lavandula spp.) -relaxant, aids sleep, antibacterial, antiseptic, heals skin conditions, relieves pain

■ LEMON (Citrus limonum) -antibacterial, soothes colds and influenza symptoms, assists immune system

■ LEMON BALM (Melissa officinalis) - relaxant, calms nerves, alleviates headaches, treats cold sores and viruses

■ PEPPERMINT (Mentha x piperita) - aids with digestion, relieves headaches, soothes pain

■ POT MARIgOLD (Calendula officinalis) - antifungal, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, heals wounds, soothes skin irritations and mouth sores

■ ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis) - lowers blood pressure, improves concentration, reduces fatigue, aids hair and scalp health

■ TEA TREE (Melaleuca alternifolia) - antiseptic, antifungal, soothes pain, treats insect bites, calms acne and skin conditions

■ THYME (Thymus vulgaris) -decongestant, soothes sore throats, treatment of coughs and colds, diarrhoea, antiseptic, treatment of cuts

Clearly there are many plants which are widely available regardless of where you live which could be grown with a view to harvesting them for their medicinal properties.

Mortar and Pestle


Suggested task

Using books and/ or the internet

Look up the following common herbs and plants used as medicinal herbs – note down their scientific name and their suggested uses:

BasilDandelionEchinacea Eucalyptus SageDillFennelParsleyPot MarigoldArnica


A medieval herbalists workplace

THE EvOlUTIOn Of mEdICInal HERbS

various systems of medicine have evolved around the world over thousands of years and each has its roots in medicinal plants. In fact, botany and medicine only became separate disciplines in around 1500 AD. Of particular interest are the ancient systems of India and China because these have written records of plants and formulations which can be traced back about 3000 years:

■ ayurveda - traditional Indian medicine which holds that disease can be caused by external or internal factors and emphasises the role of diet and drugs in combating disease.

■ Chinese medicine - traditional Chinese medicine includes dietary therapy as part of its approach to achieving balance in bodily systems, to avoid the onset of disease.

Other systems such as those which emerged in Egypt, the Middle East, South America and Africa also made wide use of plants, though there is a lack of written records for the latter two. In Europe, much of medicine was based on the teachings of the ancient greeks like Hippocrates and included plant preparations such as herbal teas.

Nowadays, the majority of people around the world still rely on medicinal herbs and local herbal remedies which have evolved in their cultures. In Western society at least ten percent of pharmaceuticals have herbal components and many others are based on natural plant compounds.


Suggested task

Using the internet, books, the library:

Read about the history of herbs: take notes and write a short history yourself in a timeline format (using short bullet points for each significant development).


THE SCOpE Of mEdICInal HERbS

Medicinal herbs are used to treat a broad array of physical problems. This is because they contain secondary metabolites which act as bioactive ingredients. In particular they have been used to treat cancers, cardiovascular disorders, and hypertension; neurological disorders e.g. Parkinson’s disease and epilepsy, and malaria. For instance, vinblastane, vincristine and taxol have anti-neoplastic properties meaning that they attack and destroy cancer cells i.e. neoplasms or tumours. Digoxin is used as a cardiotonic because it helps to stimulate heart contractions and thereby cause it to pump more blood around the body. Reserpine has an effect on the regulation of blood pressure. Quinine and artemisinin are used in the treatment of malaria. Morphine has been used for centuries to ease pain and codeine remains the benchmark of antitusive drugs used to ease the symptoms of coughs. Some other bioactive ingredients are also involved in the treatment of mental health disorders e.g. schizophrenia and dementia.

Medicinal plants play a significant and increasing role in drug research. New discoveries in terms of active constituents promise to improve our understanding of the significance of herbal plants. An ever-increasing world population calls for more resources to be put into growing herbal plants and developing knowledge. Although in Western society synthetic drugs are the best option for severe and life-threatening illnesses, herbal remedies are a viable alternative for other ailments like coughs, colds, migraine,

pain, problems with digestion, sinus problems and sleeping difficulties. Herbal medicine can also be important as an adjunct to traditional medicine in the treatment of some chronic health conditions like problems with blood circulation, raised blood cholesterol, type 2 diabetes, skin disorders, osteoarthritis as well as milder forms of anxiety and mood disorders. To this end it may be viewed as a complementary medicine employed as part of a well-managed treatment regime under the direction of a multidisciplinary healthcare team.

Japanese herbal medicine


Suggested task

Look up the following words and write a short definition of each:

DigoxinReserpineArtemisininQuininevinblastanevincristine

medicinal herbs - acs distance...

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