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Practical Herbalism > Understanding Herbal Actions > Flashcards

Understanding Herbal Actions Flashcards

1
Q

Alteratives

A

herbs that cleanse the blood; support the function of the liver, spleen, kidneys, and bowels

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2
Q

Conditions aided by alteratives

A

skin eruptions and chronic diseases of the skin, allergies, headaches, chronic fatigue, chronic pain, cancer, nervous and mental disorders, dementia

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3
Q

Anodynes

A

relieve pain by lessening the excitability of the nerves and nerve centers - when taken internally they are referred to as analgesics

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4
Q

Conditions aided by anodynes

A

arthritis, sore muscles, joint pain, toothache, over-exertion, headache, sunburn, wounds, fractures

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5
Q

Antacids

A

herbs that correct over acid conditions in the stomach and bowels; many can also be used to alkalize the blood

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6
Q

Conditions aided by antacids

A

dyspepsia, heartburn, reflux, bloating, belching, intestinal cramps, flatulence, irritable or inflamed bowel

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7
Q

Anthelmintics

A

herbs which have the capacity to expel or destroy intestinal worms and parasites

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8
Q

What should (generally) be combined with anthelmintics?

A

Laxative or cathartic herbs to make sure that the parasites are eliminated from the intestinal tract

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9
Q

Conditions aided by anthelmintics

A

Intestinal worms and parasites create a variety of symptoms including chronic diarrhea, bloating, gas, indigestion, cramping, intestinal pain, rectal/anal itching, bloody stools, fluid retention, weight loss/gain, ulcers, colitis, and irritable bowel

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10
Q

Antiarthritics

A

used to relieve and heal arthritic conditions

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11
Q

Conditions aided by antiarthritics

A

joint, connective tissue inflammation and pain

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12
Q

Antibiotics

A

destroy or inhibit the growth of viruses and bacteria; sometimes called antizymotics

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13
Q

Conditions aided by antibiotics

A

any known, suspected, or threatened infection

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14
Q

Anticatarrhals

A

help breakdown and eliminate excess mucus conditions

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15
Q

Conditions aided by anticatarrhals

A

chronic or excessive discharge from the nose, throat, lungs, stomach, intestines, or urinary tract; colds, flu, pneumonia

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16
Q

Antiemetics

A

herbs used to relieve queasiness of the stomach, nausea, and vomiting

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17
Q

Conditions aided by antiemetics

A

nausea, morning sickness, motion sickness, nausea from vertigo, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy

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18
Q

Anti-inflammatories

A

reduce inflammation and relieve the associated swelling and pain

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19
Q

Antiseptics

A

have the power to destroy or prevent the growth of bacteria and delay/prevent the decay of tissue and the formation of pus

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20
Q

Conditions aided by antiseptics

A

cuts, abrasions, wounds, indolent ulcers, abscesses, gangrene, frostbite, active infections

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21
Q

Antispasmodics

A

herbs that relieve nervous irritation, involuntary ticks, twitches, and tremors, muscular spasms, hacking coughs, convulsions, and cramps

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22
Q

Conditions aided by antispasmodics

A

cramps, muscle spasms, nervous ticks and tremors, dry cough, asthma, hiccough, restless legs, involuntary muscle movement

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23
Q

Aperients

A

herbs that produce a mild laxative effect, without griping pains or purging

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24
Q

Conditions aided by aperients

A

occasional mild irregularity, constipation

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25
Q

Aphrodisiacs

A

herbs that correct conditions of impotence and low sexual desire

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26
Q

Aromatics

A

have a stimulating effect on the GI mucus membranes; aid digestion and expel wind from the stomach and bowels; sometimes called carminatives

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27
Q

When should stronger aromatics be avoided?

A

If inflammation of the stomach or bowels is present

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28
Q

Conditions aided by aromatics

A

gas, flatulence, bloating, dyspepsia, constipation, atonic conditions of the intestinal elimination

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29
Q

Astringents

A

increase the firmness and tone of the tissues; drying by nature and lessen excessive discharges from the eyes, nose, intestines, urinary tract, vagina, draining abscesses, and indolent ulcers

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30
Q

Bitters

A

herbs that, when tasted, promote the flow of digestive juices throughout the body, and stimulate the peristaltic action of the digestive tract; sometimes called digestives or stomachics

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31
Q

Conditions aided by bitters

A

constipation, diarrhea, indigestion, reflux, poor assimilation, anemia, dry mouth, irritable bowel, liver congestion, jaundice, skin eruptions and diseases

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32
Q

Cardiac

A

herbs that improve the power and regularity of the heartbeat

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33
Q

Conditions aided by cardiacs

A

irregular heart beat, arrhythmia, tachycardia, low blood pressure, high blood pressure, valvular prolapsus, weak heart

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34
Q

Cholagogues

A

Stimulates the flow of bile

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35
Q

Conditions aided by cholagogues

A

gallbladder problems, gall stones, sluggish liver, jaundice, poor digestion, constipation

36
Q

Demulcents

A

help to soften, relieve, and protect irritated or inflamed tissue, particularly mucus membranes

37
Q

Conditions aided by demulcents

A

canker sores, inflammation of the esophagus, gastric ulcers, intestinal inflammation, irritable bowel, constipation, anal fissures, skin lesions, burns, sunburn, contact dermatitis, diaper rash

38
Q

Diaphoretics

A

increase perspiration

39
Q

What are the three classes of diaphoretics?

A

Stimulating- used when the overall condition is sluggish or unresponsive; neutral - safe for general use ; sedative - used when the condition is acute, distressed, or when there is hypertension

40
Q

Stimulating diaphoretics

A

Angelica, blessed thistle, boneset, buchu, elder flowers, ephedra, garlic, ginger, horseradish, hyssop, pennyroyal, peppermint, spearmint, yarrow

41
Q

Neutral diaphoretics

A

Horehound, safflower, sarsaparilla, sassafras

42
Q

Sedative diaphoretics

A

blue vervain, burdock, calendula, catnip, chamomile, lemon balm, motherwort, mugwort, Passion flower, pleurisy root, thyme, vervain, white willow, wild yam

43
Q

Conditions aided by diaphoretics

A

fevers, colds, flu, edema and skin disorders

44
Q

Discutients

A

herbs that dissolve and remove tumors and abnormal growths

45
Q

Diuretics

A

increase the flow of urine; herbal diuretics are usually rich sources of bio-available minerals and do not deplete mineral stores like pharmaceuticals

46
Q

Conditions aided by diuretics

A

backache, prostatitis, kidney stones, bladder ache, lymphatic swelling, burning with urination, gonorrhea, skin eruptions, water retention, high blood pressure, and obesity

47
Q

Emetics

A

used to induce vomiting

48
Q

Conditions aided by emetics

A

food poisoning, stomach cramps, unresponsive fevers

49
Q

Emmenagogues

A

herbs that promote and regulate the menstrual flow

50
Q

Conditions aided by emmenagogues

A

delayed menses, irregular cycles

51
Q

Expectorants

A

aid production and elimination of mucus from the throat and lungs; usually combined with demulcents which are soothing to the mucus membrance

52
Q

Conditions aided by expectorants

A

bronchitis, colds, flu, respiratory congestion, emphysema, pleurisy, allergies

53
Q

Febrifuges

A

herbs used to reduce fevers

54
Q

Which herbs help to reduce fever?

A

boneset, catnip, dandelion, hyssop, Joe pye weed, peppermint, shepherd’s purse, white willow, yarrow

55
Q

Galactagogues

A

promote and enrich the production of milk from the nursing mother (anise seeds, blessed thistle, cumin, dandelion, fennel, fenugreek, red raspberry, vervain)

56
Q

Hemostatics

A

herbs that arrest internal bleeding or hemorrhaging

57
Q

Hepatics

A

herbs that strengthen, tone, and stimulate the metabolic and secretive functions of the liver

58
Q

Conditions aided by hepatics

A

hepatitis, jaundice, sluggish liver, indigestion, constipation, skin eruptions, chronic skin diseases

59
Q

Lithotripics

A

dissolve and discharge urinary and gall bladder stones and gravel

60
Q

Nervines

A

support the health of the nervous system; used to relieve pain and regulate the nerve responses

61
Q

What are the three classes of nerviness?

A

Sedative, building, stimulants

62
Q

Nutritives

A

supply a substantial amount of nutrients and aid in building and maintaining the body

63
Q

Name herbs that are nutritives

A

alfalfa, algae comfrey, horsetail, Irish moss, kelp, marshmallow root, mullein, nettles, red clover, rose hips, slippery elm, spirulina, watercress, yellow dock

64
Q

Parasiticides

A

herbs that kill and remove parasites from the skin

65
Q

Parturients

A

assist labor and promote easy childbirth; also called oxytocics

66
Q

Name herbs that are parturients

A

Angelica, black cohosh, blue cohosh, cotton root, dong quad, juniper berries, red raspberry, squaw vine, vitex

67
Q

Refrigerants

A

cooling to the system

68
Q

Conditions aided by refrigerants

A

fevers, heat stroke, heat prostration

69
Q

Rubefacients

A

used as local external applications that stimulate and increase blood flow to the surface

70
Q

Conditions aided by rubifacients

A

cold hands and feet, numbness in the extremities, muscle or joint pain, inflammation

71
Q

Sialagogues

A

promote an increased flow of saliva

72
Q

Name herbs that are sialagogues

A

black pepper, capsicum, echinacea, ginger, licorice, prickly ash

73
Q

Conditions aided by sialogogues

A

dry mouth, Sjogren’s syndrome, poor digestion of carbohydrates, hypoglycemia, diabetes

74
Q

Styptics

A

arrest bleeding, hemorrhaging and draining wounds; usually strong astringents and applied externally. When taken internally, they are called hemostatics

75
Q

Tonic

A

increase energy and strengthen the body; effect of tonic herbs is to increase the strength of the muscular and nervous system while improving digestion and assimilation

76
Q

Gall bladder tonic

A

goldenseal, Oregon grape, parsley, wild yam

77
Q

Heart Tonics

A

bugleweed, ginseng, hawthorn berries, lily of the valley, motherwort

78
Q

Intestinal Tonics

A

barberry, blackberry (leaves), cascara sagrada, cranesbill, Oregon grape, rhubarb

79
Q

Kidney Tonics

A

buchu, burdock, celery, cleavers, dandelion, fo-ti, horsetail, kava kava, parsley, pipsissewa, saw palmetto, uva ursi

80
Q

Liver Tonics

A

barberry, buckthorn bark, cascara sagrada, dandelion, eyebright, goldenseal, Oregon grape, podophyllum, stone root, yellow root

81
Q

Lung Tonics

A

comfrey, elecampane, fenugreek, garlic, Irish moss, lungwort, mullein, pleurisy root, trillium, wild cherry

82
Q

Nerve Tonics

A

celery, chamomile, hops, lobelia, motherwort, oats, Passion flower, valerian, wood betony

83
Q

Sexual Tonics

A

black cohosh, black haw, carline thistle, damiana, dong quai, false unicorn, ginseng, kava kava, nutmeg, oat grass, quaker button, sage, sarsaparilla (male), saw palmetto, squaw vine, true unicorn, vanilla pods, yohimbe

84
Q

Stomach Tonics

A

agrimony, blessed thistle, elecampane, gentian, goldenseal, mugwort, Oregon grape, red raspberry, wild cherry, wormwood

85
Q

Vulneraries

A

promote healing of fractures, cuts, wounds, and burns by protecting against infection and by stimulating cellular renewal

86
Q

Conditions aided by vulneraries

A

wounds, fractures, burns, traumas, surgery

Practical Herbalism (2 decks)

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