MEDICINAL PLANTS
Herbal Medicine
This is the science or art of plant
remedies. This form of complementary medicine has been practised
through the centuries, and probably from several thousands of years ago. The
most comprehensive classification of herbal remedies was originally given in
Parkinson's Theatrum Botanicum,
published in 1640. Depending on the plant and the treatment, the whole plant or
individual parts can be used in the remedy. Generally, practitioners used
seeds, fruit flowers, leaves, stems, and barks of plants and herbs in preparing
remedies. The commonest form of remedy is the infusion, the fresh herb or plant
boiled and the water strained and sipped like tea. The tincture (one part of
the herb or plant mixed with five parts of alcohol) is also a common form of
therapy. Herbal practitioners also prescribe use of herbs in suppository,
inhalant, lotion, tablet, and liquid forms. Many diseases can be treated with
herbal medicines. Some commonly treated conditions include colds and influenza
(peppermint, ginger, yarrows); insomnia (passion flower, hops, lime flowers);
and nausea and vomiting (camomile, peppermint).
|
adonis vernalis |
centaurium minus |
datura stramonium |
mentha piperita |
|
False Hellebore Yellow Pheasant’s Eye |
Cornflower |
Thornapple |
Peppermint |
|
- Heart’s
efficiency - Diuretic |
- Eyewash, - Laxative for children - Digestion - Rhumatic
complaints - Medieaval
salve to heal wounds and to treat skin infection |
- Whooping cough - Asthma - Rheumatism - Muscle spasm |
- Head ache - Palpitation - Digestive
weakness - Tooth crème - Increases
sweating - Antiseptic - Relieves muscle
spasm |
|
matricaria chamomilla |
primula officinalis |
|
salvia officinalis |
|
Chamomile |
Cowslip |
Dog rose |
Sage |
|
- Anti
inflammatory - Antispasmodic - Relaxant - Carminative - Mild bitter - Anti allergenic
- Digestive
Problems -
Antihypertensive - Useful for hay
fever and asthma |
Roots - Expectorant - stimulate mucus - Bronchitis - Diuretic - Anti-rheumatic - Asthma - Allergic
conditions Flower - Sedative for
children - Sleeplesness Oil Gamma-Linoleic
Acid - Immune System - Dysmenorrheal - Menopause - Rheumatism - Acne |
- reduce thirst
and alleviate gastric inflammation. - Diarrhoea - Vitamin C - Diuetic - Nephrolitiasis |
- Antiseptic - Reduces
sweating - Astringent - Hormonal
stimulant |
|
papaver |
verbascum phlomoides |
|
Poppy |
Mullein |
|
- Analgesic - Sedative - Antispasmodic - Narcotic - Diarrhea - Chronic cough |
- Mucolitic - Bronchitis - Asthma - Wound healer - Ear Infections - Hemorrhoid |
