Herbal Index 

Herbal medicine is a tradition reaching across many cultures, and back before the dawn of written history. It would be hopelessly egotistical of us to suggest that this listing below is in any way complete. It may not even be accurate; we are just listing a few nuggets of information we have run across in our reading. We do not intend this information to be used to medicate yourself! It's just a starting point for further research. Always use caution when taking any medication; herbal or chemical, and be sure to consult a professional for any specific health concerns.
Bibliography

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T |U ~ Z

Agrimony - used to treat 'hot' conditions including diarrhea, bronchitis, and urinary infections, to clear inflammations, phlegm, and toxins, and to encourage healing. 
Actions: astringent, diuretic, tissue healer, some antiviral activity reported.

Aloe - used to treat burns, wounds, and sunburn, as well as dry skin, particularly in delicate areas such as around the eyes and sensitive facial skin. 
Actions: purgative, promotes bile flow, antifungal, stops bleeding, sedative and expels worms.  -TOP-

B
Basil - used for insect bites and ringworm, uplifting for nervous exhaustion, used for chills and fever, coughs and head colds, skin conditions. 
Actions: antidepressant, antiseptic, stimulates the adrenal cortex, prevents vomiting, tonic, carminative, febrifuge, expectorant, soothes itching.

Baking Soda - used for skin care, amongst many other uses.
Actions: soothing, water softening, effervescent, deoderizing, stimulating, draws oils and impurities from the skin.

Borage - used to treat dry rasping coughs and to stimulate milk flow. 
Actions: adrenal stimulant, promotes lactation, febrifuge, antirheumatic, promotes sweating, expectorant.

Burdock - used for cleansing and eliminating a buildup of toxins and for arthritic pains. 
Actions: mild laxative, diuretic, promotes sweating, antirheumatic, antibiotic. Seeds: prevent fever, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, reduces blood sugar levels.   -TOP-

C
Cabbage - used externally on wounds, ulcers, inflammations, arthritic joints and skin conditions such as acne. Historically, cabbage has been taken internally for almost every illness including digestive disorders, lung disorders, migraines, fluid retention and aches and pains. Recent clinical trials demonstrate effectiveness for treating stomach ulcers. 
Actions: anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antirheumatic, heals tissues by encouraging cells to proliferate, liver decongestant.

Cayenne - used as a potent stimulant for the whole body. Increases blood flow, tonifies the nervous system, increases appetite, relieves indigestion, good for colds and chills as well as throat problems including tonsillitis, laryngitis and hoarseness. Recent research suggests it might relieve migraines too. 
Actions: circulatory stimulant, promotes sweating, gastric stimulant, carminative, antiseptic, antibacterial, stimulating nerve tonic. 

Chamomile - used for poor appetite and indigestion, insomnia, tension, insect bites, excema, menstrual discomforts, migraines. It can be used as a tea, or a foot soak, an ointment, or an essential oil (external only). 
Actions: anti-inflammatory, anti-spasmodic, sedative, prevents vomiting.

Chickweed - used historically as a vegetable, and for treating skin irritations and excema, also for a cleansing diuretic and tonic for rheumatic pains and weak conditions.
Actions: astringent, antirheumatic, heals wounds, demulcent.

Cinnamon - used indigestion, diarrhea, asthma and menopausal syndrome, as well as stomach chills, promotes sweating. 
Actions: carminative, warming digestive remedy, antispasmodic, antiseptic, tonic, uterine stimulant.

Clay - used for skin care. 
Actions: draws oils and impurities from the skin, stimulating.

Comfrey - used for sprains, broken bones, osteoarthritis, bleeding hemorrhoids.
Actions: cell proliferator, astringent, demulcent, heals wounds, expectorant.   -TOP-

D
Dandelion - used for a diuretic and liver stimulant, urinary disorders, warts, jaundice, excema and acne. High in Vitamins C and A. 
Actions: leaves: diuretic, liver and digestive tonic; root: liver tonic, promotes bile flow, diuretic, mildly laxative, antirheumatic.   -TOP-
E
Epsom Salts - used for bathing.
Actions: relieves aches and pains, stimulating, draws oils and impurities from the skin.

Eucalyptus - used for poultices, essential oil used for chest infections (steam inhalation) painful joints (dilute massage oil, or compress), for cold sores, rheumatic or arthritic pain. 
Actions: antispasmodic, stimulant, febrifuge, expectorant.    -TOP-

F
Fennel - used for soothing the digestion, promoting milk flow in breastfeeding, sore throats, kidney stones. 
Actions: carminative, circulatory stimulant, anti-inflammatory, promotes milk flow, mild expectorant, diuretic.

Feverfew - used for headaches, migraines (apparently better with 'cold' type migraines), and menstrual pain. 
Actions: anti-inflammatory, relaxes blood vessels, relaxant, digestive stimulant, promotes menstruation, expels worms.

Flax - harvested for the fibres for linen, this plant also has medicinal uses; seeds can be used in poultices, eaten for a bulking laxative. The oil contains many essential fatty acids that may help with eczema, menstrual disorders, rheumatoid arthritis, and can be consumed as freshly crushed seeds, and also used for skin care.
Actions: demulcent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, laxative, emollient, antirheumatic, diuretic.   -TOP-

G
Garlic - used to treat infections, chest problems, digestive disorders, and fungal infections. 
Actions: antibiotic, expectorant, promotes sweating, reduces blood pressure, anticoagulant, lowers blood cholesterol levels and blood sugar levels, anti-histaminic, antiparasitic.

Gentian - used for fever, stimulating digestion, jaundice. 
Actions: tonic, appetite and digestive stimulant, anti-inflammatory, febrifuge.

Ginger - used for chills and colds, to stop diarrhea and bleeding, circulatory stimulant, also to prevent nausea and vomiting, and for menstrual cramps.
Actions: circulatory stimulant, relaxes peripheral blood vessels, promotes sweating, expectorant, prevents vomiting, antispasmodic, carminative, antiseptic.

Ginseng - used for strengthening the immune system, decreasing fatigue, coronary heart disease and angina. 
Actions: tonic, stimulant, regulates blood sugar and cholesterol levels, stimulates the immune system.

Goldenseal - used for whooping cough, stimulating the appetite, liver disorders, menstrual and menopausal syndrome. 
Actions: astringent, tonic, digestive and bile stimulant, reduces phlegm, laxative, raises blood pressure.  -TOP-

H
Hawthorn - used as a heart tonic, diarrhea, drawing splinters, poor digestion, menstrual and postpartum pain. 
Actions: relaxes peripheral blood vessels, astringent, cardiac tonic.

Hemp - oil used medicinally and cosmetically, plant used for everything else.
Actions: emollient, moisturizing.

Horsetail - astringent, used to check bleeding, gargled for gum infections and throat inflammations, poultice for wounds and sores, used for urinary tract infections. 
Actions: astringent, stops bleeding, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, tissue healer.   -TOP-

J
Juniper - berries used for stomach upsets, menstrual pain, chills, and for urinary infections. 
Actions: urinary antiseptic, diuretic, carminative, digestive tonic, uterine stimulant, anti-rheumatic.  -TOP-
L
Lavender - One of the most popular medicinal herbs since ancient times, it has been used as an expectorant, antispasmodic, nerve tonic, as well as to heal wounds and remove worms and lice, treat burns, insect bites, migraines and asthma, and many other conditions. 
Actions: relaxant, antispasmodic, circulatory stimulant, tonic for the nervous system, antibacterial, analgesic, carminative, antiseptic.

Lemon Balm - used for depression and tension, to repel insects, asthma, bronchitis, feverish colds. 
Actions: sedative, anti-depressant, digestive stimulant, relaxes peripheral blood vessels, promotes sweating, relaxing restorative for the nervous system, antibacterial, antispasmodic.

Licorice - used for stomach ulcers, detoxification, lung disorders, coughs. 
Actions: anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, tonic stimulant for adrenal cortex, soothes gastric mucous membranes, expectorant, may also be anti-allergenic.   -TOP-

M
Mint - relaxes the muscles of the digestive tract. Used for headaches and migraines, flatulence, colic, feverish conditions.
Actions: antispasmodic, digestive tonic, prevents vomiting, carminative, relaxes peripheral blood vessels, promotes sweating, but internally cooling, analgesic.

Mullein - used for coughs, tuberculosis, asthma and bronchitis, earache, wounds, and to soothe inflammations.
Actions: expectorant, demulcent, mild diuretic, sedative, heals wounds, astringent, anti- inflammatory.

Myrrh - used for infections, wounds, mouthwash for sore throats and mouth ulcers. 
Actions: antifungal, antiseptic, astringent, immune stimulant, expectorant, circulatory stimulant.   -TOP-

N
Nutmeg - widely used as a tonic when brought to Europe in 1512, when it's hallucinogenic properties were soon discovered. It is used for indigestion and digestive upsets, for chronic diarrhea, and to prepare for childbirth. 
Actions: carminative, digestive stimulant, antispasmodic, prevents vomiting, appetite stimulant, anti-inflammatory.  -TOP-
O
Oats - used as a tonic for the whole system, for both physical and nervous fatigue, ideal for depression. 
Actions: antidepressant, restorative nerve tonic, promotes sweating, nutritive.

Orange - used medicinally for constipation, some kinds of coughs, and for insomnia, shock and calming. 
Actions: carminative, digestive stimulant, nervine, increases blood pressure, diuretic, expectorant. Neroli essential oil: sedative, tonic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antidepressant.  -TOP-

P
Plantain - used for urinary tract infections, and to ease dry coughs, applied externally for sores and wounds.
Actions: relaxing expectorant, tonify mucous membranes, reduce phlegm, antispasmodic, topically healing.

Pot Marigold - used externally for a wide range of skin problems, petals taken internally for gynecological, feverish and toxic conditions. 
Actions: astringent, antiseptic, anti-fungal, anti-inflammatory, menstrual regulator, stimulates bile production.  -TOP-

R
Red Clover - cleansing for skin complaints, used for bronchitis and whooping cough; Pliny recommended red clover wine for urinary stones.
Actions: antispasmodic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, possible estrogenic activity.

Red Raspberry - leaves used in childbirth as uterine stimulant, also for cleansing the system, bathing wounds and sores, berries used to help indigestion and rheumatism; rich in vitamins and minerals.
Actions: leaves: astringent, stimulant, digestive remedy, tonic, preparative for childbirth; berries: diuretic, laxative, diaphoretic, cleansing.

Rosemary - used for exhaustion, weakness and depression, and to invigorate the circulation and stimulate digestion. Useful for headaches relieved by warm towels instead of icepacks. Used cosmetically for hair and dandruff treatment, as well as skin care.
Actions: astringent, stimulating, digestive remedy, nervine, carminative, antiseptic, diuretic, antidepressant, circulatory stimulant, antispasmodic, cardiac tonic and restorative tonic for the nervous system.   -TOP-

S
St. John's Wort - used to lift spirits, and relieve anxiety, and nerve pains such as sciatica and neuralgia. 
Actions: astringent, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, sedative, restorative tonic for the nervous system.

Sage - used for mouth and throat problems, as well as menopausal problems and when weaning, digestive stimulant
Actions: carminative, antispasmodic, astringent, antiseptic, relaxes peripheral blood vessels, reduces perspiration, salivation and lactation, uterine stimulant, antibiotic, reduces blood sugar levels and promotes bile flow.

Stinging Nettle - used for gout and arthritis, stopping bleeding, Romans used to flail themselves with nettles as a treatment for rheumatism and arthritis.
Actions: astringent, diuretic, tonic, nutritive, stops bleeding, circulatory stimulant, promotes milk flow, lowers blood sugar levels, prevents scurvy.

Strawberries (wild) - used for mild digestive upsets, wounds, gout, arthritis, crushed berries can be used on sunburn, hives and other skin irritations; they have also been used cosmetically for fading freckles. 
Actions: astringent, heals wounds, diuretic, laxative, liver tonic, cleansing.   -TOP-

T
Tea - Black tea is used as a diarrhea remedy, Green tea to boost immune system and externally for insect bites and to stop bleeding, Oolong tea is effective to reduce cholesterol levels after a fatty meal. 
Actions: stimulant, astringent, anti-oxidant, antibacterial, diuretic.

Thyme - used for chest infections and chills, as an expectorant, essential oil is antibacterial and antifungal. 
Actions: antiseptic expectorant, antispasmodic, antiseptic, astringent, antimicrobial, diuretic, soothes coughs, antibiotic, heals wounds.   -TOP-

U ~ Z 
Wood Betony - important Anglo-Saxon herb, with over 29 uses historically, including as a popular amulet herb to ward off evil. Used medicinally for headaches and nervous disorders, digestion and mild diuretic.
Actions: sedative, bitter digestive remedy, mild diuretic, nervine, circulatory tonic particularly for the cerebral circulation, astringent.

We have made efforts to check books (Bibliography)to make sure this information is accurate and current, but we can't guarantee it... please be very careful when taking anything medicinal either natural or chemical, and discuss your health concerns with a professional homeopath, naturopath, medical doctor or other health care professional.

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