Health conditions starting with A and herbal remedies used to treat them

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Abscess Adrenals Anemia Anticoagulant Antiperiodic Appetite - lack of

Aches & Pains AIDS/Hiv Anesthetic Antiemetic Antiseptic Arteriosclerosis

Acne Alterative Angina Antifungal Antiviral Asthma

Adaptogens Amphoretic Anthelmintic Antihydrotic Anxiety Astringents

Addiction Anaphrodisiac Antibiotic Antioxidants Aphrodisiac Athlete's Foot

Altitude Sickness ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ ♦

DISCLAIMER: These pages are presented solely as a source of INFORMATION and ENTERTAINMENT and to provide stern warnings against use where appropriate. No claims are made for the efficacy of any herb nor for any historical herbal treatment. In no way can the information provided here take the place of the standard, legal, medical practice of any country. Additionally, some of these plants are extremely toxic and should be used only by licensed professionals who have the means to process them properly into appropriate pharmaceuticals. One final note: many plants were used for a wide range of illnesses in the past, but be aware that many of the historical uses have proven to be ineffective for the problems to which they were applied.

Author's Note My hardest work as an herbalist is to constantly educate people to the fact that herbs are no different than any over-the-counter drug. They have their good and bad sides.
Before using any herb it is imperative that you read up on it. You can search through the database on these pages, or you can turn to any one of the numerous books on the market today. In fact, you should always look for two or three opinions on the effective use of an herb before using it. Either way you need to determine (this is most important) your personal tolerances to any substance. For instance, did you know that people who are allergic to ragweed can also be allergic to herbs in the same Compositae family? These would include very common herbs like chamomile and echinacea. And if you suffer from auto-immune diseases such as lupus, HIV, AIDS, rheumatoid arthritis, etc, you should never take echinacea. This is one example, but there are many to consider when humans and plant medicine get together.
Herbs work very slowly and sometimes, as in the case of very old traditional remedies, they don't work at all. I mention them because in reading you will run across them. It is also important to remember that some herbs are quite toxic. Those require special processing and professional administration and are definitely not for use by the layman.
Another concern of mine is the direction in which herbal medicine is headed today. Everything is being standarized and potentized until the original chemical composition of the plant is brought to an unnatural state of balance. The scientists are beginning to do to plant medicine what they have done to pharmaceuticals and, personally, I'm concerned about what this means to the future of plant medicine. Nature has created a product that balances active ingredients with other components that act as buffers and/or nutrients. That's how they work safely. By bringing these components out of balance, or even worse by separating them as in pharmaceuticals, you end up dealing with more of a poison than a slow acting healing substance.
The challenge for the future is to discover how modern medicine and alternative therapies can work together for optimum healing and health.

ABSCESS A condition for which you should first consult your medical professional since abscesses can indicate outwardly a far more serious condition taking place within the body. Go back a couple of generations and you'll find folks who always swore by taking brewer's yeast for boils and other infectious conditions and certainly the nutrition can't hurt. Chinese herbalism seems to have more herbs for this condition than does Western herbalism. The herbs mentioned for internal use can be found at health food stores as liquid extracts.

INTERNALLY Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorus): the root is decocted and used for throat and pulmonary abscesses.
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica) is also used in Chinese medicine for this condition.
Echinacea capsules or extracts.

EXTERNALLY Adzuki bean - the Chinese use the root as a dressing.
Angelica (A. anomala) - the root is used as a dressing.
Aquilaria (A. sinensis) - the resin is employed as a dressing.
Artemesia (A. annua) - the leaves are used as a poultice.
Combination = 2 to 3 leaves of crushed plantain, 1 to 2 leaves of crushed comfrey and a pinch of cayenne. Use a blender or food processor to make a mash and apply to problem site.

ACHES and PAINS There are probably more herb and folk remedies dedicated to the easement of aches and pains than any other condition. And each new generation of herbalists manages to add a number of their own original remedies to the list. Being born a mammal guarantees that there will be no escape from pain. Most creatures suffer in silence, but we were born with a much lower threshhold and the ability to voice our complaints to anyone who could ease our suffering. Into this vacuum of need stepped the first witch doctor - part healer, part primitive psychiatrist with a spiritualistic bent - and began to ply his trade.
Two terms are nearly interchangable and pop up often in herbal reference works...anodyne and analgesic. What they both mean is: to sooth, relieve or diminish pain.

The following herbs are regarded as anodyne and analgesic.

Aloe (Aloe vera)
Chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla)
Catnip (Nepeta cataria)
Clove (Caryophyllus aromaticus)
Comfrey (Symphytum officinalis)
Goatsbeard (Filipendula hexapetela
Hops (Humulus lupulus)
Peppermint (Mentha piperita) Poplar (Populus balsamifera)
Meadowsweet (Filipendula ulmaria)
Mullein (Verbasacum thapsus)
Prickly ash (Zanthoxylum americanus)
Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)
Wild Daisy (Bellis perennis)
Willow (Salix spp)
Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)

And a few with more specific action are:

Black Cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) Also antispasmodic and sedative and useful for menstrual pain and arthritis.

Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium) Same as Cramp Bark.

Cramp Bark Viburnum opulus) Useful for menstrual cramps, spasmodic pan and especially pain in lower back and legs associated with menstruation.

St Johnswort (Hypericum perforatum) Specific to pain caused by traumatic injury.

Valerian (Valeriana officinalis) Used when pain is causing insomnia.

Wild Yam (Dioscorea villosa) Also antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory and suited to spasms of the gall bladder and uterus; may also help neuritis.

Two good anti-inflammatories of note are:
Boswellia serrata
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)

REMEDIES
INTERNAL REMEDIES

1. 1 part willow bark, 1 part ginger, ¼ part cloves, ½ part peppermint. Use 1 tsp per cup of water just off the boil. Steep 10 minutes.

2. 1 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1 tsp vinegar, 10 oz. hot water. Make a tea and drink 1 cup daily.

3. This is an old folk remedy that always garners a few chuckles but some folks swear by it. Whether it works in fact, or is merely placebo effect doesn't seem to matter. Soak white raisins in gin for 1 week. Throw out the gin and eat 9 raisins daily. One gal I know said it didn't cure her rheumatiz, but it sure took her mind off it.

4. Another old folk remedy that folks still swear works to keep their arthritis pains at bay is to combine 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp of honey in a glass of warm water. Drink one glass daily.

5. Celery seed decoction (useful for rheumatism, neuritis and inflammation) = boil 1 oz of celery seed in 1 pint of water until it is reduced by half. Strain and bottle. Dose is 1 tsp daily.

6. Use your juicer to make a combination of cucumber, carrot and beet juices. Useful for rheumatism and gout or other conditions related to build-up of uric acid in the body.

7. 1 part stinging nettle, ¾ part dandelion root and leaves, ½ part birch leaves, ½ part raspberry leaves, ¼ part willow bark, ¼ part hibiscus flowers. Use 1 heaping tsp per cup of water just off the boil and steep 10 minutes. Take 4 cups evenly spaced throughout the day. Can be used long term.

8. Combine the following in tincture form: 1 tbsp bogbean tincture, 1 tbsp meadowsweet tincture, ½ tbso black cohosh tincture, ½ tbsp prickly ash tincture. Take 1 tsp in some water, 3 times daily. With the addition of 2 tsps wild yam tincture and 1 tbsp St.Johnswort tincture, this can also be of some possible help to rheumatoid arhtritis sufferers. The dose is the same.

9. Arthritis: It is important to get calcium, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide. Eliminate foods from the nightshade family such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Also eliminate dairy products. DO use olive and canola oils and eliminate polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils. Eliminate hydrogenated fats and margarine. Sardines in oil twice a week will supply omega-3 fatty acids or else, take 1 tbsp flax oil daily. These recommendations will also help those suffering from other autoimmune diseases since food sensitivities can add to the pain-load and in some cases be the trigger for autoimmune responses (ie. lupus episodes can be triggered by eating alfalfa).

EXTERNAL REMEDIES My personal favorite is my own version of a "heat" lotion. Go to the health food store and purchase a bottle of cayenne tincture (or extract) and a bottle of skin lotion. My own choice is "Naturade - Aloe Vera 80" (unscented), but any good quality lotion will do. You will also need a 2-oz flip-top plastic squeeze bottle (available from herbalware suppliers). To each one-ounce of lotion add 20 drops of cayenne tincture. Start at this level of cayenne and see if the heat it produces is sufficient to relieve your pain. If not increase 5 drops at a time and upto 40 drops per ounce. If you purchase concentrated cayenne drops, then 40 is probably the limit of heat you can tolerate. Just combine those two things in the squeeze bottle, being sure to mix them well, then apply a small amount to the area of pain and be very careful to keep your hands away from your eyes or tender body tissue until you've washed them well.

THIS REMEDY doesn't fit into any category, but works well. Heat 1 or 2 lbs of coarse common salt (sometime known as canning salt) in the oven or microwave. Wrap in a pillowcase or other suitable fabric bag and apply to the painful area.

OTHER LOTIONS

1. Wintergreen oil and menthol in an oil base (olive, sweet almond, etc).

2. Combine 1 tsp oil of wintergreen and 1 pint of apple cider vinegar. First check the inner fold of your elbow with the mixure for sensitivity to the wintergreen. If it's okay, then you can rub aching muscles and joints.

3. Rub with lavender water.

LINAMENTS & OINTMENTS

1. One pint of apple cider vinegar, 6 drops oil of pine, 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Mix all these together and check on the inner fold of an elbow for skin sensitivity. If there is no problem, then apply to affected areas.

2. Combine 20 drops tincture of lobelia and 20 drops tincture of cramp bark to 1 oz of purchased natural skin lotion. Apply to affected areas. Especially useful with cramping muscles.

3. 2-oz myrrh gum, 1-oz goldenseal, ½-oz cayenne, 1 quart of apple cider vinegar. Combine in a wide-mouthed jar, cap and set aside to steep for one week, shaking well each day. Then strain and use as liniment. These same herbs can be steeped in 100 proof vodka and used as a liniment. This can also be done with equal amounts of rubbing alcohol and distilled water, but you must label the container very carefully as "external use only" to avoid accidents.

4. Fill a 1 pint wide-mouthed jar with arnica flowers and cover with 100 proof vodka (or you may substitute 8 oz of rubbing alcohol and 8 oz of distilled water, but must be careful to label the contents on the final product to avoid accidents) and cap tightly. Allow to steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Then strain and bottle. Straining is easily done if you pour the contents through a paper coffee filter. This product must NOT be used on broken skin! Label as "unbroken skin only - external use only!".

5. Fill a 1 pint wide-mouthed jar with the flowering tops of St.Johnswort and cover with 100 proof vodka (see #4 above for alternative methods). Allow to steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Then strain and bottle. Label as "unbroken skin only - external use only!"

6. Combine equal amounts of #4 and #5 above. Label for unbroken skin only as before.

7. The same herbs used in #4 through #6 can also be made into an ointment. You will need the oils of St.Johnswort and Arnica rather than tinctures. Combine 3 oz of olive oil with 1½ oz of beeswax, 1 oz of oil of Arnica, 1 oz oil of St.Johnswort, and 1 tsp oil of cayenne. Combine the olive oil and beeswax in the top of a double boiler and heat over the bottom portion (the water bath) until the wax is melted and the two combined; remove from heat and add oils. Combine well. Place a drop or two in the bottom of your salve/ointment jar to see if the consistency is correct. If not solid enough add up to ½ oz more of beeswax and warm the liquid over the water bath again until it melts. Then pour into a jar. If too solid, add a bit more oil.

8. 1 oz Camphor U.S., 4 oz olive oil. Dissolve the camphor in the oil and use as liniment. Check for skin sensitivity first on the inner fold of an elbow before using.

ACNE Also see Skin for more remedies.
Acne is one of those nasty non-life-threatening conditions that can make a young person feel like crawling into a hole somewhere until puberty passes. There are a number of reasons for acne and no one knows exactly how much each one contributes to the problem. Increased production of male hormones, and small amounts of oil trapped in hair follicles giving way to a breeding ground for bacteria are two of the reasons. Cleanliness and attention to diet are important factors in controlling it, but no alternative method of treatment is sure-fire. We need to stop the indiscriminate use of antibiotics, but this is one condition for which it genuinely indicated. Just remember to eat plenty of plain live-cultured yogurt or take acidophilus while on antibiotic therapy. The good bacteria in the stomach and gut needed for proper digestion are also affected by antibiotics, so eating a lot of yogurt or taking the acidophilus helps to keep things on track. For severe acne consult a dermatologist. Here are other recommendations.

1. While combatting acne, take a multi-vitamin/mineral complex formula and be sure it includes zinc.

2. Take brewer's yeast.

3. Use clay masks. Clay will draw out the oil, bacteria and dirt from pores. It also pulls at the skin and improves circulation.

4. Milder cases may be helped by tea tree products designed for skin blemishes. Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a broad spectrum fungicide and antiseptic.

5. A simple infusion of 2 parts calendula and 1 part sage, used as a daily wash, will help to heal and control inflammation and infection (leaves and flowers of blue violet can also be a helpful addition).

6. Rinse face with 1 part vinegar to 8 parts water to maintain proper pH.

ADAPTOGENS
For an herb to be labeled an adaptogen, it must meet three criteria:

1. Have minimal side effects.

2. Increase the body's overall immune function by a wide range of actions rather than specific action.

3. Restore balance to all body systems while not being detrimental to any.

Adaptogens contain important nutrients such as iron, magnesium, germanium and steroid-like compounds.
Adaptogens are primary and secondary.
Examples of primary adaptogens are:

Schizandra berries (S. chinensis)
Reishi mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum)
Siberian ginseng (Eleuthero senticosus)

Examples of secondary adaptogens are:

Ashwaganda a.k.a Withania (Withania somnifera)
Gotu Kola (Centella asiatica)
Astragalus (A. membranaceous)
Fo-Ti or Ho-Shou-Wu (Polygonum multiflorum)
Wild oats (Avena sativa)
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Suma (Pfaffia paniculata)

ADDICTION
Breaking unhealthy habits requires tremendous self work. Sometimes they require professional help, and if you're serious about getting free of whatever monkey you have on your back, then don't hesitate to find a professional or a program to help you. It's not a sign of weakness or lack of willpower...some addictions are so physical that they need intervention. During the withdrawal phase the nervous system can use some support. The B vitamins are indicated and wild oats have long been used by herbalists to support the process. Wild oats can be found as tinctures or extracts at health food stores or else you can purchase wild oats and make a tea. Use 1 tsp per cup of water just off the boil. Three cups a day should be found helpful.
Lobelia inflata is an herb which has long been used as part of formulations to help people kick the tobacco habit. Many combination tinctures and tablets are available in health food stores under various brand names. One other old folk remedy worth mentioning is the chewing on 'yellowroot' (Xanthorhiza simplicissima) to discourage smoking.

ADRENALS
STRESSED or LOW ADRENALS

Hypothyroidism responds well to therapeutic doses of vitamin C and pantothenic acid, but therapeutic means you should consult a naturopathic physician to be monitored and for assessment of doses that will suit your individual situation.

Symptoms of reduced adrenal function are: weakness, dizziness, lethargy, headaches, memory problems, allergies, food cravings and blood sugar problems. To test for this condition lie down for 5 minutes, then take your blood pressure reading. Then stand up and take it again. If it dropped 10 mm or more, then see your doctor with your suspicions.
Other things that can help the condition:

1. Vitamin B complex

2. Bioflavonoids

3. The amino acid L-Tyrosine

4. Raw adrenal extract or freeze-dried capsules

5. Astragalus will help to improve adrenal function

6. Milk thistle will protect the liver which assists in adrenal function.

AIDS/HIV Great advances have been made in treatment for this modern day plague, but still no cure. There are no herbs that will cure this either, although there are things that can be done to improve overall health that can be used in conjunction with professional medical protocol. Whatever alternatives you plan to try should be discussed with your doctors. The jury is out on whether immune system boosters such as Echinacea and Astragalus are help or hindrance. Nutrition is important and eating lots of onions and garlic can certainly help to keep the virus on the run. Free radical damage does tremendous harm to HIV victims so anything that attacks free radicals is good news. Grape seed extract is one such powerful antioxidant. There is also a new group of supplemental alternative products known under various names as "oxygen therapy" that will help to oxygenate tissues. These are well worth trying too. One brand name is "Aerobic 07" from Aerobic Life products, but there are other brands as well and no product mentioned on these pages is to be considered an endorsement...merely an expedient example. Germanium will assist the body with natural interferon production. Where digestion is a problem, protein supplements can provide a more easily metabolized form. Antiviral herbs worth working into a regimen are licorice (must be monitored if using long term), culinary burdock known as "gobo" (can easily be incorporated into daily meals like soups), St.Johnswort, Aloe, extracts from the Rudbeckia species (a species which includes the common Black-eyed Susan), Elderberry syrup (Israeli tests find this to stop replication of viruses), Hyssop (also contains compounds effective against replication), Blessed Thistle and Evening Primrose oil. Testing is currently being done on Bupleurum chinense, astragalus, Chinese angelica and licorice.

ALTERATIVE
An alterative is a substance (in this case an herb) that will produce a gradual beneficial change.
The following are herbs that are considered to be alteratives.

Red Alder (Alnus Rubra)
American Ivy a.k.a Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia)
Birthroot a.k.a Trillium (Trillium pendulum)
Bistort (Polygonum bistorta)
Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Chickweed (Stellaria media)
Dogwood (Cornus florida)
Echinacea (Echinacea angustifolia)
Fireweed a.k.a Pilewort (Erechtites hieracefolia)
Fringe tree (Chionanthus virginicus)
Fumitory (Fumaria officinalis)
**Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis)
Guaiac resin (Guaiacum officinalis)
Ironweed (Veronia fasciculata)
Pipsissewa (Chimaphila umbellata) Plantain (Plantago lanceolata, P. major, P. media)
Prickly Ash (Zanthoxylum americanum)
Rock Rose (Helianthemum canadense)
Sarsaparilla (Smilax officinalis)
Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis)
Speedwell (Veronica officinalis)
Spikenard (Aralia racemosa, A. nudicaulis)
Black Spruce (Picea mariana)
Twin leaf (Jeffersonia diphylla)
Wafer Ash (Ptelea trifoliata)
Butternut or Walnut bark (Juglans cinerea)
Wild Oregon grape root (Mahonia aquifolum)
Yellow Dock root (Rumex crispus)
Water Dock root (Rumex aquaticus)
.

**CAUTION!! do not eat fresh plant!!

ALTITUDE SICKNESS A more serious condition than most people realize. Just ask any doctor or emergency medical worker in Denver, Colorado. Strictly speaking it is due to the lower oxygen level in the air at high altitudes. Symptoms can be as mild as feeling as though you're coming down with the flu or can be life threatening and include lack of coordination, stumbling, bad headache, nausea and vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath without any activity, coughing, and cough with blood-tinged sputum.
Best best is to start at a lower altitude and ascend gradually so your body can adjust.
Herbs which improve oxygenation are Ginkgo and Reishi taken for several days in advance of travel to a high altitude destination. Ginkgo has been taken at the dosage of 80 mg per day of the tincture or capsules containing 40 to 50 mg of standardized extract per day (1 capsule 3 times daily), or according to the manufacturers label instructions. Reishi has been taken at the rate of 2 tsp tincture 3 times per day. Siberian Ginseng is another herbal choice that can help. And Ginger is useful as an anti-nausea remedy taken at the rate of 10 to 20 drops of tincture in a glass of water, although should not be taken if gallbladder disease is present.
Other precautions to be taken are: Keep hydrated; drink plenty of water; dehydration occurs more quickly at high altitudes. Do not drink alcohol! which increases dehydration and depresses breathing. Ditto on the sedatives and sleeping pills.

AMPHORETICS An agent capable of acting as an acid or alkali as required by the body. In effect able to change and adapt to conditions in the body as needed, thus normalizing the body pH. Respiratory amphoretics are blood root, lobelia, pleurisy root and white horehound.

ANAPHRODISIAC An agent which reduces sexual desire or potency. Traditionally an infusion of black willow (Salix nigra) bark and catkins or else a fluid extract of the bark has been used. Whether or not it is effective remains to be seen.

ANEMIA
Traditional herbs considered useful in providing vitamins and minerals and treating any underlying conditions are:

Alfalfa
Aloe
Artichoke
Barberry
Brooklime
Burnet saxifrage Chives
Comfrey
Dandelion
Dwarf Nettle
Elecampane
European angelica European vervain
Fenugreek
Fumitory
Ground ivy
Gentian (all)
Iceland Moss Nettle
St. Benedict's thistle
St. Johnswort
Spinach
Watercress
Wild Oregon Grape Root

ANEMIA TEA #1 = 1 heaping tsp each of nettles, dandelion, hawthorne berries, rose hips. Place in a 1 quart jar and add 4 cups boiling water; cover; let steep 15 minute or longer. Taken 3 to 4 cups per day.
ANEMIA TEA #2 = Combine equal amounts of thyme and nettle and dandelion leaf. Steep 1 tsp of the mixture in 1 cup of boiling water and drink 3 cups daily sweetened with a little honey. Best if taken one mouthful at a time through the day.

ANESTHETIC One herb which can deaden sensation locally is cloves...either the buds or oil of cloves. Essential oil should not be used straight. It must be cut with a carrier oil such as olive oil. Herbs which can be used as general anesthetics are either illegal or too dangerous for home use.
ANGINA
You must be under the care of a medical professional and taking your medicine. If you wish to use alternative methods to approach this problem, you must work together with your medical professional so that progress, or lack of it, can be monitored.

Herbs noted for aiding cardiovascular problems appear in the following recipes.
#1: Combine 3 parts Hawthorne berries, 2 parts motherwort, 2 parts lime blossoms. Use 1½ tsp per cup of water just off the boil and steep 10 to 15 minutes.
#2: Combine 1 cup hawthorn berries, 2/3 cup motherwort, 1/3 cup linden blossom, 1/3 cup cramp bark, 1/3 cup ginkgo. Weigh out ½ oz of the mixture and place in a wide-mouthed jar. Add 4 oz of 100 proof vodka, cap tightly and allow to steep out of direct light for 2 weeks. Strain and bottle in a tincture bottle. Take 1 tsp 3 times daily.

ANTHELMINTIC
An agent which destroys or expels intestinal parasites.
Herbs which are considered anthelmintic are:

Betony (Stachys officinalis)
Black Birch (Betula lenta)
Butternut bark (Juglans cinerea)
Elecampane (Inula helenium)
Female Fern root² (Polypodium vulgare)
Garlic
Grapefruit seed extract
Larch³ (Larex europaea)
Onion (Allium cepa) Plum fruit & bark(Prunus americana
Pride of China¹ (Melia azedarach)
Pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo)
Quassia wood (Picraena excelsa)
Queen Anne's Lace (seed) (Daucus carota)
Tamarind leaves (Tamarindus indica)
Turtlebloom leaves (Chelone glabra)
Wafer Ash root bark (Ptelea trifoliata)

¹Root, bark and fruit
²Useful for tinia worms
³Bark, resin, young shoots and needles.

ANTIBIOTIC An agent which destroys or arrests growth of micro-organisms. Some herbs are: Aloe, Garlic, Withania and Usnea (actually a lichen which is not available in the wild in the Eastern US. It is not water soluble to much of a degree, so purer alcohol is required for extraction purposes).
USNEA TINCTURE: You will need freshly gathered Usnea lichen and 1 pint of 180 to 190 proof alcohol. Rinse the Usnea and shake dry. Place in a wide-mouthed jar and pack down. Add the alcohol, cap tightly and allow to steep for two weeks, shaking well each day. Strain off the liquid (press out as much as you can from the material) and filter through a coffee filter. Store in a tincture bottle (available through herbalware suppliers) out of direct light and heat.

ANTICOAGULANT
An agent which prevents blood clotting.
White meliot (Melilotus alba), which contains coumarins, is considered an anticoagulant, as is aspirin.

ANTIEMETIC
An agent which counteracts nausea and relieves vomiting.
Some antiemetic herbs are:

Clove (Caryophyllus aromaticus)
Columbo rootstock (Cocculus palmatus)
Ginger (Zingiber officinale)
Raspberry leaf (Rubus strigosus)

ANTIFUNGAL
Some antifungal herbs are:

Chamomile
Jewelweed
Muskmelon (Cucumis melo)
Nasturtium
Tea Tree

ANTIHYDROTIC
An agent which reduces or suppresses perspiration. Sage is antihydrotic, but excessive use can cause unpleasant side effects.

ANTIOXIDANTS Vitamins A, C and E in combination.
Grape seed extract, Pine bark extract, Reishi mushrooms, garlic, fruits and vegetables.
Herbs: Any of the mints, basil, bee balm, bilberry, cayenne, lemon balm, ginger, ginkgo, ginseng, horehound, hyssop, marjoram, milk thistle, oregano, sage, savory, thyme, turmeric.

ANTIPERIODIC
An agent which counteracts periodic or intermittent diseases like malaria.
Herbs used as antiperiodics:

Angelica (A. archangelica, A. sylvestris, A. atropurpurea)
Bennet
Blue Vervain
Boneset
Colombo (Cocculus palmatus)
Eucalyptus Goldenseal
Indian Pipe
Magnolia
Sanicle
Sweet Annie (Artemisia annua)
.

ANTISEPTICS

Antiseptic Herbs

Agave
Alpine Cranberry
Bilberry
Birthroot Trillium pendulum)
Clove
Cubeb (Piper cubeba)
Echinacea
Eucalyptus
Feverweed (Gerardia pedicularia)
Garlic
Goldenseal
Guaiac (Guaiacum officinale)
Heather
Iceland Moss
Lavender Myrrh
Nasturtium
Olive
Onion
Sandalwood
Sassafras
Sweet Gum (Liquidambar styraciflua)
Tormentil
White mustard
White Pond Lily (Nymphaea odorata)
Wild indigo
Willow, White
Willow, Black
Willow, Goat
Wormwood

A strong sage tea or lavender tea is used to disinfect sick rooms.
ANTISEPTIC WASH = Take a handful of lavender flowers and boil in 1 pint of water for 10 minutes. Strain through a coffee filter and allow to cool. Used for gargle for sore throats or sore and infected gums. Used as a wash in the sick room. Also used to relax the nervous system.
ANTISEPTIC CREAM = 1 cup sweet almond oil, 2/3 cup distilled water, ¼ oz beeswax, ½ tsp essential oil of lavender. Melt waxes and oils in top of double boiler, remove from heat and add lavender oil. Place water in blender and begin blending on "high" setting. Slowly drizzle in the melted oils and waxes.

ANTISEPTIC SALVE #1
(NOTE: only used on closed wounds due to the presence of wax which is occlusive)

1 oz powdered Goldenseal
1 oz powdered Myrrh gum
4 oz. olive oil
¼ oz beeswax
any essential oils if desired

Place oil and herbs into the top of a double boiler. Center the pan in an electric skillet to which ½-inch of water has been added to protect the finish. Clip a cooking thermometer to the inside edge of the double boiler pan, then begin to "fiddle" with the skillet dial until the temperature of the oil remains at a steady 100°F (this is usually half way between the "off" and "warm" settings) Allow to steep at this temperature for 12 to 14 hours or until the herbs lose their color and look "used up".
Strain the contents of the double boiler and press hard to release as much oil as possible from the dregs. Strain again through several layers of cheesecloth or muslin until there are no herb particles. Clean the double boiler pan and return the clean oil to the pan. Place the pan back in the center of the skillet and add the beeswax. Raise the temperature until it is at a steady 150° F (beeswax melts at 148.4 F). When the wax is melted, remove from heat and stir in 1 drop of tincture of Benzoin (or 1 drop of Grapefruit seed extract) per ounce of product. This will be 3 or 4 depending on how much oil you were able to squeeze out. Antiseptic properties can be enhanced with the addition of a few drops of tea tree oil or lavender oil after the wax is melted and you are ready to pour into a suitable container.

ANTISEPTIC SALVE #2:

½ oz. Chickweed
½ oz Calendula
½ oz Comfrey leaves
6 oz sweet almond oil (or olive oil)
¼ oz beeswax
Tincture of Benzoin or Grapefruit seed extract as a preservative
(add at the rate of 1 drop per finished ounce of product)
6 drops tea tree oil (optional)
800 IU of vitamin E

Follow directions as in Antiseptic Recipe #1 and add the vitamin E at the end when adding any essential oils as described. Yield 3 oz.

ANTI-VIRAL

Anti-viral herbs

Astragalus
Dragon's blood (Croton lechleri)
Echinacea
Elderberry (syrup)
Eucalyptus
Forsythia (F. suspensa)
Garlic Ginger
Goldenseal
Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)
Juniper
Lemon balm
Licorice
Shitake mushroom

OSHA TINCTURE
Fresh Osha (Ligisticum porteri) root
180 to 190 proof alcohol
Fill a 1 pint wide-mouth jar with freshly gathered and cleaned Osha root which has been finely chopped. Cover with alcohol to the top of the jar. Cap tightly and shake well. Keep in a spot out of direct light and shake daily for 2 weeks. Strain and press out as much liquid as possible, then filter the liquid through a coffee filter and store in a tincture bottle.
Echinacea Extract is made using the fresh root. Follow this link for complete directions on how to make it.
ELDERBERRY SYRUP can be made or purchased and seems to work (in Israeli tests) by not allowing the virus to replicate.

ANXIETY Chief herb is Kava-kava. Others are Gotu kola (6 to 15 grams), Longan berries (Nephelium longana) (6 to 15 grams), Skullcap. In Chinese medicine amber and fluorite are used also.
ANXIETY TEA = 1 part each chamomile, lavender, linden, lemon balm, ½ part orange peel. Use 1 tsp per cup of water just off the boil.

APHRODISIAC TEA = Combine equal parts of Damiana leaves and Saw Palmetto berries. Reduce to a powder using a coffee mill. Use 1 tsp a day taken in water or can be put in capsules.

APPETITE
Lack of There are several reasons why we suddenly lose our desire to eat. Coming down with a viral cold, different types of illnesses, emotional upsets and just plain having a "blah" day are some of the reasons. In the short term the body usually knows what it's doing in limiting our food intake. Digestion takes bodily resources and there are times when these resources are needed by other body systems to make repairs. The time to take note is when there is evidence of prolonged depression or if the lack of appetite could more accurately be described as excessive as in the case of young people who may be on the deadly road to anorexia. If the appetite is not slowly regained after illness or if there is accompanying pain, it is necessary to have a complete checkup by your medical professional. There could be serious underlying problems. And we tend to normally lose our appetites as we age. In the case of old people or the terminally ill, total loss of appetite is usually the natural prelude to the end.
There is a very long list of herbs used traditionally for non-specific appetite loss, but in glancing at the list it becomes obvious that each is suited to assisting the body in overcoming a variety of conditions that could be at the real heart of the problem, rather than the loss of appetite as an entity in itself. For the historians I include the list.

Alder buckthorn
Alfalfa
Allspice
Alpine cranberry
American centaury
Anise
Arnica
Artichoke
Bear's garlic
Bennet>
Bitter milkwort
Black mustard
Black pepper
Blackthorn
Buck bean
Burnet saxifrage
Chamomile
Caraway
Cardamom
Cayenne
Celery Chickory
Chive
Colombo
Coriander
Dandelion
Dill
English walnut
European angelica
European centaury
Galangal
Thyme
Garlic
Gentian (all)
Ginseng
Goldenseal
Greater pimpernal
Hops
Horseradish
Iceland Moss
Imperial masterwort
Ironweed Juniper
Lad's love
Lady's mantle
Leek
Madder
Milfoil
Milk thistle
Mint (all)
Mugwort
Parsley
Pitcher plant
Plum Privet
Purple goatsbeard
Red currant
Rhubarb
Rosemary
Rough avens
Saffron
St. Benedict's thistle
Savory
Silvery lady's mantle Speedwell
Star anise
Sweet cicely
Sweet flag
Sweet marjoram
Tarragon
Turkey corn
Turtle bloom
Virginia snakeroot
Wafer ash
Water avens
Watercress
White mustard
Wild angelica
Wild clover
Wild hyssop
Wild marjoram
Winter savory
Wood sorrel
Wormwood
Yellow Goatsbeard

ARTERIOSCLEROSIS
Primary herbs used are:

Garlic
Hawthorne berries
Mistletoe
Linden blossoms

ASTHMA A serious condition which needs to be under the direction of a medical professional. Of interest is the increasing percentage of this condition in children especially, but in the overall population as well. Without a doubt those currently alive in this country have been exposed to more chemical pollutants than at any other time in history. From home heating fuels with "additives" unknown to most of us, to plastics with a veritable soup of chemical ingredients, to electro-magnetic radiation and - I could type all day just running these items down. However, I have noticed that when we switched to catalytic converters with their sulphur emissions, this sudden rise in respiratory difficulties began in earnest. It's an area of inquiry rarely discussed in the media, but I believe it bears serious investigation. We may have substituted lead in the air for an even more threatening problem.
The anti-oxidant vitamins A, C and E are important supplements with this condition along with B6. Another important substance is magnesium as some asthma has been related to deficiency of this mineral. A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables and no sugars is recommended. To some degree herbs can be helpful but cannot substitute for medications during severe attacks. During an asthma attack, extract of Lobelia can help to curtail the spasms. Eight ounces of mullein tea sipped throughout the course of the day can help soothe bronchial tracts. An over-the-counter commercial product called "Breathe-Easy Tea" by the Traditional Medicinals company contains Ma Huang and assorted respiratory effective herbs and can be used to assist. For dry types of asthma the herbs Coltsfoot, Marshmallow root, Mullein and Licorice are better suited. Accompanied by white sputum the herbs Grindelia and Yerba santa along with those mentioned previously are helpful. Wild plum bark could be included to assist with the coughing. Elecampane is another very useful respiratory herb. Eucalyptus and Tea Tree are helpful as inhalant therapy to clear and soothe the passages and quiet any bacterial elements.
Historically, herbs such as Dragon turnip, Ephedra, Lobelia, Cypripedium, Quillaya bark, Cinnamon, Licorice, Elecampane and Comfrey have been combined and powdered and combined in capsules to be taken that way. Other methods involved the use of powders to be burned and the smoke inhaled. One such recipe called for Stramonium leaves, Henbane leaves, Lobelia leaves, Belladona leaves, Cascarilla bark, and nitrate of potash. Some of these are quite poisonous thus their use as inhalation therapy rather than internal dose. A variation of this same powder called for dissolving nitrate of Potash in water and saturating the herbs with this solution and then drying them in moderate heat. The treated herbal mix was then rolled into cigarettes to be smoked in an effort to relieve the asthma attack.
For Chronic Asthma and Emphysema: Create a tincture by combining the tinctures of Gumweed (5 parts), Wild cherry bark (2 parts), Lobelia (1 part), Licorice (1 part), Motherwort (1 part), Ma Huang (1 part), Thyme (1/4 part). Dose is 1 tsp taken 3 times daily.
Another useful recipe is to purchase "Breathe Easy" tea by Traditional Medicinals and make a tincture combining the herbs with 100 proof vodka in a 1:8 ratio. Allow to steep 2 weeks, shaking daily, then strain and bottle. Dose is 5 up to10 drops in liquid (coffee preferable).
A new alternative product available by mailorder looks promising. A great deal of commercial literature lands on my desk each week and I do like to scan it for fraud, potential health risk or promise. The combination in the Lung Support formula from Gero-Vita Laboratories in Toronto CAN falls into the promising category, although this by no means implies that I endorse this product in any way. I have no personal knowledge of actual use. I merely notice that the particular herbs and minerals used in this new formulation should be effective in dealing with respiratory complaints. Traditionally effective herbs like forsythia, red-rooted sage, magnolia, lilyturf, white mulberry and apricot along with other supportive herbs in combination with magnesium and vitamin C seems like a reasonably good combination to this herbalist. I would suggest looking for lung support products formulated along these lines as well as the others mentioned above.

ASTRINGENT HERBS STRONG = Agrimony, Goldenrod, Red root, Uva-ursi leaves, White oak bark
MILD = Blackberry root, Celandine, Sweet Fern, Black tea

Others

Alder
Alpine cranberry
Amaranth
American Ivy
Bay
Bear's garlic
Beechdrops
Bennet
Betony
Bilberry
Birch
Birthroot
Bistort
Black cohosh
Blind nettle
Briar hip
Cinquefoil
Colombo
Comfrey
Dogwood
Elm
European vervain
Evening primrose Everlasting
Sweet goldenrod
European Goldenrod
Goldenseal
Great burnet
Ground ivy
Hemlock spruce
Hemp nettle
Henna
Herb Robert
Hibiscus
Rosea-sinensis flowers
Holly
Horse chestnut
Canada fleabane
Hounds tongue
Virginia mouse-ear
Houseleek
Hyssop
Kidney vetch
Knotweed
Lady's thumb
Lady's mantle Lemon
Lettuce
Loosestrife
Lungwort
Madder
Magnolia
Mallow
Marsh tea
Meadowsweet
Milfoil
Motherwort
Mountain laurel
Mouse ear
Myrrh
Stinging nettle
New Jersey tea
White oak
English oak
Olive
Periwinkle
Peruvian bark
Pilewort
Pimpernel Pipsissewa
Pitcherplant
Plantain
Plum
Pomegranate
Pride of China
Privet
Joe-Pye-Weed
Radish
Raspberry
Red Eyebright
Rhatany
Rhubarb
Rock-rose
California rose
Rosa gallica
Mountain ash
Sage
St Johnswort
Sandalwood
Sanicle
Savory
Purging cassia Shinleaf
Solomon's Seal
Sorrel
Spotted Cranebill
Squaw vine
Sweet gum
Sycamore maple
Tormentil
Black walnut
English walnut
Water avens
Wax myrtle
White pond lily
Wild black cherry
Wild indigo
Wild Strawberry
Willows
Wintergreen
Witch hazel
Self heal
Yellow dock
Yellow gentian
Yellow toadflax

ATHLETE'S FOOT
Tea tree oil which is an antifungal is useful for this condition. Also, soaking daily in white vinegar can help to control it.
Another method is to add 4 to 6 tea bags of Chamomile to 1 quart of apple cider vinegar. Allow to steep overnight and strain. Place liquid in a plastic shoebox type of container and soak feet daily. Also works for nail fungus.

©1998 & 2007 by Ernestina Parziale, CH

Abscess	Adrenals	Anemia	Anticoagulant	Antiperiodic	Appetite - lack of
Aches & Pains	AIDS/Hiv	Anesthetic	Antiemetic	Antiseptic	Arteriosclerosis
Acne	Alterative	Angina	Antifungal	Antiviral	Asthma
Adaptogens	Amphoretic	Anthelmintic	Antihydrotic	Anxiety	Astringents
Addiction	Anaphrodisiac	Antibiotic	Antioxidants	Aphrodisiac	Athlete's Foot
Altitude Sickness	♦	♦	♦	♦	♦

And a few with more specific action are:
Black Cohosh	(Cimicifuga racemosa)	Also antispasmodic and sedative and useful for menstrual pain and arthritis.
Black Haw	(Viburnum prunifolium)	Same as Cramp Bark.
Cramp Bark	Viburnum opulus)	Useful for menstrual cramps, spasmodic pan and especially pain in lower back and legs associated with menstruation.
St Johnswort	(Hypericum perforatum)	Specific to pain caused by traumatic injury.
Valerian	(Valeriana officinalis)	Used when pain is causing insomnia.
Wild Yam	(Dioscorea villosa)	Also antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory and suited to spasms of the gall bladder and uterus; may also help neuritis.

1.	1 part willow bark, 1 part ginger, ¼ part cloves, ½ part peppermint. Use 1 tsp per cup of water just off the boil. Steep 10 minutes.
2.	1 tsp fresh grated ginger, 1 tsp vinegar, 10 oz. hot water. Make a tea and drink 1 cup daily.
3.	This is an old folk remedy that always garners a few chuckles but some folks swear by it. Whether it works in fact, or is merely placebo effect doesn't seem to matter. Soak white raisins in gin for 1 week. Throw out the gin and eat 9 raisins daily. One gal I know said it didn't cure her rheumatiz, but it sure took her mind off it.
4.	Another old folk remedy that folks still swear works to keep their arthritis pains at bay is to combine 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar and 2 tsp of honey in a glass of warm water. Drink one glass daily.
5.	Celery seed decoction (useful for rheumatism, neuritis and inflammation) = boil 1 oz of celery seed in 1 pint of water until it is reduced by half. Strain and bottle. Dose is 1 tsp daily.
6.	Use your juicer to make a combination of cucumber, carrot and beet juices. Useful for rheumatism and gout or other conditions related to build-up of uric acid in the body.
7.	1 part stinging nettle, ¾ part dandelion root and leaves, ½ part birch leaves, ½ part raspberry leaves, ¼ part willow bark, ¼ part hibiscus flowers. Use 1 heaping tsp per cup of water just off the boil and steep 10 minutes. Take 4 cups evenly spaced throughout the day. Can be used long term.
8.	Combine the following in tincture form: 1 tbsp bogbean tincture, 1 tbsp meadowsweet tincture, ½ tbso black cohosh tincture, ½ tbsp prickly ash tincture. Take 1 tsp in some water, 3 times daily. With the addition of 2 tsps wild yam tincture and 1 tbsp St.Johnswort tincture, this can also be of some possible help to rheumatoid arhtritis sufferers. The dose is the same.
9.	Arthritis: It is important to get calcium, vitamin C, vitamin E, niacinamide. Eliminate foods from the nightshade family such as potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant. Also eliminate dairy products. DO use olive and canola oils and eliminate polyunsaturated fats such as vegetable oils. Eliminate hydrogenated fats and margarine. Sardines in oil twice a week will supply omega-3 fatty acids or else, take 1 tbsp flax oil daily. These recommendations will also help those suffering from other autoimmune diseases since food sensitivities can add to the pain-load and in some cases be the trigger for autoimmune responses (ie. lupus episodes can be triggered by eating alfalfa).

1.	Wintergreen oil and menthol in an oil base (olive, sweet almond, etc).
2.	Combine 1 tsp oil of wintergreen and 1 pint of apple cider vinegar. First check the inner fold of your elbow with the mixure for sensitivity to the wintergreen. If it's okay, then you can rub aching muscles and joints.
3.	Rub with lavender water.

1.	One pint of apple cider vinegar, 6 drops oil of pine, 1 tsp cayenne pepper. Mix all these together and check on the inner fold of an elbow for skin sensitivity. If there is no problem, then apply to affected areas.
2.	Combine 20 drops tincture of lobelia and 20 drops tincture of cramp bark to 1 oz of purchased natural skin lotion. Apply to affected areas. Especially useful with cramping muscles.
3.	2-oz myrrh gum, 1-oz goldenseal, ½-oz cayenne, 1 quart of apple cider vinegar. Combine in a wide-mouthed jar, cap and set aside to steep for one week, shaking well each day. Then strain and use as liniment. These same herbs can be steeped in 100 proof vodka and used as a liniment. This can also be done with equal amounts of rubbing alcohol and distilled water, but you must label the container very carefully as "external use only" to avoid accidents.
4.	Fill a 1 pint wide-mouthed jar with arnica flowers and cover with 100 proof vodka (or you may substitute 8 oz of rubbing alcohol and 8 oz of distilled water, but must be careful to label the contents on the final product to avoid accidents) and cap tightly. Allow to steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Then strain and bottle. Straining is easily done if you pour the contents through a paper coffee filter. This product must NOT be used on broken skin! Label as "unbroken skin only - external use only!".
5.	Fill a 1 pint wide-mouthed jar with the flowering tops of St.Johnswort and cover with 100 proof vodka (see #4 above for alternative methods). Allow to steep for 2 weeks, shaking daily. Then strain and bottle. Label as "unbroken skin only - external use only!"
6.	Combine equal amounts of #4 and #5 above. Label for unbroken skin only as before.
7.	The same herbs used in #4 through #6 can also be made into an ointment. You will need the oils of St.Johnswort and Arnica rather than tinctures. Combine 3 oz of olive oil with 1½ oz of beeswax, 1 oz of oil of Arnica, 1 oz oil of St.Johnswort, and 1 tsp oil of cayenne. Combine the olive oil and beeswax in the top of a double boiler and heat over the bottom portion (the water bath) until the wax is melted and the two combined; remove from heat and add oils. Combine well. Place a drop or two in the bottom of your salve/ointment jar to see if the consistency is correct. If not solid enough add up to ½ oz more of beeswax and warm the liquid over the water bath again until it melts. Then pour into a jar. If too solid, add a bit more oil.
8.	1 oz Camphor U.S., 4 oz olive oil. Dissolve the camphor in the oil and use as liniment. Check for skin sensitivity first on the inner fold of an elbow before using.

1.	While combatting acne, take a multi-vitamin/mineral complex formula and be sure it includes zinc.
2.	Take brewer's yeast.
3.	Use clay masks. Clay will draw out the oil, bacteria and dirt from pores. It also pulls at the skin and improves circulation.
4.	Milder cases may be helped by tea tree products designed for skin blemishes. Tea tree (Melaleuca alternifolia) is a broad spectrum fungicide and antiseptic.
5.	A simple infusion of 2 parts calendula and 1 part sage, used as a daily wash, will help to heal and control inflammation and infection (leaves and flowers of blue violet can also be a helpful addition).
6.	Rinse face with 1 part vinegar to 8 parts water to maintain proper pH.

1.	Have minimal side effects.
2.	Increase the body's overall immune function by a wide range of actions rather than specific action.
3.	Restore balance to all body systems while not being detrimental to any.

1.	Vitamin B complex
2.	Bioflavonoids
3.	The amino acid L-Tyrosine
4.	Raw adrenal extract or freeze-dried capsules
5.	Astragalus will help to improve adrenal function
6.	Milk thistle will protect the liver which assists in adrenal function.