Uses: It has been used for all infections including viral, mucous congestion, colds, flu, muscular pains, arthritis,obesity, bronchitis, cough, general debility, poor circulation, gout, physical exhaustion, throat infections, anorexia,acne, gum infections, thrush and warts.
The Eurasiansmoketree or smoke tree Cotinuscoggygria, syn. Rhus cotinus is native to a large area from southern Europe, east across central Asia and the Himalaya to northern China. It is a multiple-branching shrub growing to 5-7 m tall with an open, spreading, irregular habit, only rarely forming a small tree. The leaves are 3-8 cm long, rounded oval, green with a waxy glaucous sheen. The autumn colour can be strikingly varied, from peach and yellow to scarlet. The flowers are numerous, produced in large inflorescences 15-30 cm long; each flower 5-10 mm diameter, with five pale yellow petals. Most of the flowers in each inflorethat do developscence abort, elongating into yellowish-pink to pinkish-purple feathery plumes, which surround the small 2-3 mm drupaceous fruit that do develop.
Usable part: Use the leaves (Folia Cotyni)
Chemical Composition: Contains 15 – 20% Gallo tannins, 3 -5% free gallic acid flavonolovi glycosides and essential oil with a pleasant smell.
Action: astringent, anti-inflammatory and styptic.
Application: Recommended for purulent skin rashes, sores, boils, sweating of the feet, hair ruffled, bleeding, swollen and festering gums, hemorrhoids, joint swelling, etc..
Overview: Lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), a member of the mint family, has long been considered a “calming” herb. It has been used since the Middle Ages to reduce stress and anxiety, promote sleep, improve appetite, and ease pain and discomfort associated with digestion (including flatulence and bloating as well as colic). Even before the Middle Ages, lemon balm was steeped in wine to lift the spirits, help heal wounds, and treat venomous insect bites and stings.
Several studies have found that lemon balm combined with other calming herbs (such as valerian) helps reduce anxiety and promote sleep. Few studies have investigated the safety and effectiveness of oral lemon balm alone, however. For example, in one recent study of people with minor sleep disorders, those who ingested an herbal combination of valerian and lemon balm reported sleeping much better than those who ingested placebo pills. It is not clear from these studies, however, whether lemon balm itself (or the combined action of lemon balm and valerian) is responsible for these sleep-inducing effects.
Ointments containing lemon balm may help heal lip sores associated with herpes simplex virus (HSV). In one study of 116 people with HSV, those who applied lemon balm cream to their lip sores experienced significant improvement in redness and swelling after only two days. Although other symptoms, (such as pain and scabbing) did not improve, both the patients and their physicians reported that the lemon balm ointment was highly effective.Although few rigorous scientific studies have been conducted on lemon balm, many professional herbalists suggest that this herb is beneficial for a variety of health problems including Alzheimer’s disease, attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), indigestion, insomnia, and hyperthyroidism. Experimental laboratory studies also suggest that lemon balm has antioxidant and anti-HIV properties, but further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
Plant Description: Lemon balm is native to Europe but is now grown all over the world. It is grown not only in herb gardens, but also in crops for medicine, cosmetics, and furniture polish manufacturing. The plant grows up to two feet in height, sometimes higher if left not maintained. In the spring and summer, clusters of small, light yellow flowers grow where the leaves meet the stem. The leaves are very deeply wrinkled and range from dark green to yellowish green in color, depending on the soil and climate. If you rub your fingers on them, your fingers will smell tart and sweet, like lemons. The leaves are similar in shape to mint leaves, and in fact, come from the same plant family.
Usable part: Use the leaves (Folia Melissae) and flowering top sections of the stem (Herba Melissae).Lemon balm preparations are made from the leaves of the plant. Essential oils made from lemon balm leaves contain plant chemicals called terpenes, which play at least some role in the herb’s relaxing and antiviral effects. Lemon balm also contains substances called tannins, which are thought to cause many of the herb’s antiviral effects. Lemon balm also contains eugenol, which calms muscle spasms, numbs tissues, and kills bacteria.
Chemical Composition in dried herb:
Flavinoids – Quercitrin, rhamncitrin, rhamnazin
Flavinoid sub – category 7- glucocide- Apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin, luteolin.
Phenolic acids and tannins – Rosmarinic acid (up to 4%), glycoside bound caffeic acid and chlorogenic acids, ferulic acid, hydroxycinnamic acid, protocatechuic acid.
Uses: Lemon balm tea is the ultimate elixir for gastrointestinal ailments, flatulence and indigestion and is known to work wonders on your strained nerves. Drinking lemon balm tea daily would ensure that you enjoy your night snooze without break and would keep your hormones from wreaking havoc on your system.
Lemon balm is a potent herbal drug that can be used to treat a host of illness ranging from anxiety to sleep apnea and more. Apart from its calming effect, lemon balm is applauded for its antibacterial, antiviral and antispasmodic properties and can alleviate all symptoms of restlessness, depression, excitement, headache and more. What’s more, lemon balm can be effectively used to treat herpes simplex, lip sores, soothe spasms, alzheimer’s disease and dementia.
Lemon balm has several antiseptic properties that can be used to treat allergies, skin rashes and acne. Just toss in some fresh lemon balm leaves in to your hot bath and soak yourself into its herbal goodness to relax your tensed nerves and open your skin pores. Lemon balm is considered to be a great skin cleansing agent and can be used in facial treatments to cleanse the skin.
Scrubbing your floor, kitchen table and even toilet seat with lemon balm infusion will keep bugs and flies out of your home. Lemon balm is a great insect repellant and can be used in campfires or barbecue pits to shoo away insects. You can also use sachets of dried lemon balm herbs in your wardrobe to save your clothes from bug or add it to your potpourri for a nice minty aroma.
Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is a perennial, winter hard and herb like plant. The plant becomes 30 to 60 cm high. The leaves are oval, sharp, with a straight border and dark green. The leaves taste of pepper. Oregano flowers from July to September with white or pink flowers. Oregano is general to find in South-Limburg, next to roads and edges of the wood. It is a protected plant in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Oregano loves hot dry weather and grows well at high altitudes also. The active ingredients, found in the leaves, are the volatile oils thymol and carvacol. These oils have a complex, strong, and pleasant odor. Oregano is often thought of as a “pizza” herb.The medicinal qualities of oregano fall into two major categories: bronchial dilation and anti-microbial activity.Modern herbalists recommend infusions of oregano leaves for indigestion, headache, coughs and to promote menstruation. It is deemed both a tonic and a stimulant. Today, people still use oil of oregano for toothache, putting a few drops of the oil on the aching tooth to relieve pain. To this day, poultices of oregano leaves are used to soothe pain. Whether or not these remedies work has not been determined. You have to think that if these remedies have come down through the years as they have, there must be some truth in them. Тhe wild oregano is rich in minerals and contains calcium, magnesium, zinc, iron, potassium, copper, boron, and manganese. Vitamins C and A (beta carotene) and niacin are also found in oregano. But the key element in oregano is the oil with Carvacrol and Thymol as the primary components, which are believed to be the reason for Oregano oil’s fungicidal and worm-expellant properties. That is why Oregano oil is significant in the treatment of internal and external fungi including athlete’s foot and skin conditions such a psoriasis and eczema. treatment as well. Oregano is useful against bacteria and parasites and it has immense antiseptic powers are immense. It inhibits the growth of the majority of bacteria, and in case of parasites, oil of oregano has had success neutralizing worms, amoeba, and protozoan.
Oregano tea can be made from either fresh or dried oregano leaves.Oregano herb tea is prepared by steeping 1 teaspoon dried oregano herb in 250ml of boiling water for 10 minutes.
Overview: Popular in European folk medicine, yarrow or Milfoil (Achillea millefolium) has traditionally been used to treat wounds, menstrual ailments, and bleeding hemorrhoids. Its traditional uses also include the treatment of fevers and colds, and relief of stomach and intestinal upset. Legend has it that yarrow (Achillea millefolium) was named after Achilles, the Greek mythical figure who used it to stop the bleeding wounds of his soldiers.
Plant Description: Yarrow, a member of the Asteraceae family, is closely related to the chamomiles. It flourishes in a sunny and warm habitat, and is frequently found in meadows and along roadsides, as well as on dry, sunny slopes. It grows as a simple, erect, and hairy stem that can reach a height of 5 feet. The entire plant (with the exception of the fruit) is draped in white, silky hairs. Yarrow grows from runners as tough, angular, horizontal stems that bear flowers.
Yarrow blooms between June and September. The flowers are typically white, but either pink or pale purple flowers are common in mountain areas. The petals are densely arranged in flattened clusters, and the leaves look like feathers.
Parts Used: The whole herb, or above-ground parts, of the yarrow plant are used for medicinal purposes. This includes flowers, leaves, and stems. Yarrow grows in the wild and is collected for medicinal uses while it is in bloom.
Medicinal Uses and Indications: There has been very little research on yarrow’s medicinal properties. One study examining the effects of a three-herb mouthwash (yarrow, juniper, nettle) showed it to be ineffective in treating gum inflammation or the build-up of plaque. Even though there have been no studies focused uniquely on yarrow and how it affects people, clinical experience (and in some cases animal or laboratory studies) supports the use of yarrow for the following purposes:
Loss of appetite, Digestive complaints, To increase urine flow, Liver and gallbladder conditions, Menstrual irregularities, Menstrual cramps and pain, Muscle spasms, Inflammation, To fight infection, Fever (brings temperature down by promoting perspiration), To reduce bleeding, Wound healing.
Yarrow is available in the following forms: Dried or fresh herb, Capsules or tablets, Tinctures, Liquid extract.
How to Take It:
-Pediatric: Adjust the recommended adult dose to account for the child’s weight. Most herbal dosages for adults are calculated on the basis of a 150 lb (70 kg) adult. Therefore, if the child weighs 50 lb (20 to 25 kg), the appropriate dose of yarrow for this child would be 1/3 of the adult dosage.
-Adult: The following are recommended adult doses for yarrow:
Tea/infusion: three times per day (pour boiling water over 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried yarrow, steep for 3 to 5 minutes)
Dried herb: 2 to 4 grams in capsules, three times per day
Extract (1:1, 25% ethanol): 1 to 4 mL (20 to 120 drops) three times per day
Tincture (1:5; 40% ethanol): 2 to 4 mL (40 to 120 drops) three times per day
Sitz bath: 3 to 4 ounces (85 to 115 grams) of dried yarrow per 5 gallons (20 liters) of water
Precautions: The use of herbs is a time-honored approach to strengthening the body and treating disease. Herbs, however, contain active substances that can trigger side effects and interact with other herbs, supplements, or medications. For these reasons, herbs should be taken with care, under the supervision of a practitioner knowledgeable in the field of botanical medicine.
Contact with yarrow (the actual plant or cosmetic products made with yarrow) may trigger an allergic skin response in those who are allergic to plants in the Asteraceae species (feverfew, tansy, chamomile, chrysanthemums, ragweed, and echinacea). While there has not been adequate research to warrant declaring yarrow free of adverse effects, it appears to be safe when administered in recommended therapeutic doses. Pregnant women, however, should avoid its use because it may induce uterine bleeding and, possibly, a miscarriage. Those who are breastfeeding should use yarrow only in moderation.
Possible Interactions
There are no reports in the scientific literature to suggest that yarrow interacts with any conventional medications.
The senna plant is a small shrub in the cassia genus, which belongs to the fabaceae family, and is native to regions of West Asia. These plants are erect, branching shrubs that can reach between 0.70 to 1.00 m in height. They are made up of tiny yellow flowers; smooth, light green stems; and long branches that hold four to five pairs of thick, veiny, apexed leaves which are gray-green on top, and yellow-green at the bottom. This plant contain a wide variety of compounds including monomeric anthraquinones, together with their glycosides and dimeric anthrones glycosides. Sennosides are the purgative principles of this plant and like other glycosides are metabolized by humans into anthraquinones which are the active metabolites.
The natural free anthraquinones are not effective and it has been confirmed that they are reduced into anthrones and anthranoles in the human intestine, and act as laxative compounds. The stimulant laxatives composed of the anthraquinones are the cause of the greatest side-effects and are often abused by the public, therefore the identification and analysis of anthraquinones in herbal samples, pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids are of great importance.
Senna leaves is used as oriental laxative medicines. This plant contain a wide variety of compounds including monomeric anthraquinones, together with their glycosides and dimeric anthrones glycosides. Sennosides are the purgative principles of this plant and like other glycosides are metabolized by humans into anthraquinones which are the active metabolites.The natural free anthraquinones are not effective and it has been confirmed that they are reduced into anthrones and anthranoles in the human intestine, and act as laxative compounds. The stimulant laxatives composed of the anthraquinones are the cause of the greatest side-effects and are often abused by the public, therefore the identification and analysis of anthraquinones in herbal samples, pharmaceutical preparations and biological fluids are of great importance.
Chemical composition: Contains anthraquinones including dianthrone glycosides (1.5% to 3%), sennosides A and B (rhein dianthrones), sennosides C and D (rhein aloe-emodin heterodianthrones). Numerous minor sennosides have been identified, and all appear to contribute to the laxative effect. The plant also contains free anthroquinones in small amounts including rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol and their glycosides. Senna pods also contain the same rhein dianthrone glycosides as the leaves. Carbohydrates in the plant include 2% polysaccharides, and approximately 10% mucilage consisting of galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and galacturonic acid. Other carbohydrates include mannose, fructose, glucose, pinitol and sucrose. Flavonols present include isorhamnetin and kaempferol. Glycosides 6-hydroxymusizin and tinnevellin are also found. Other constituents in senna include chrysophanic acid, salicylic acid, saponin, resin, mannitol, sodium potassium tartrate and trace amounts of volatile oil.
Note: Senna should not be used by people diverticular disease, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease, severe hemorrhoids, blood vessel disease, congestive heart failure, heart disease, severe anemia, abdominal hernia, gastrointestinal cancer, recent colon surgery, or liver and kidney disease.
Usage: 1 tbls dried senna leaves are boiled in 200-250ml water for 2-3min. After cooling is filtered. Drink twice during a day.
Peppermint is a perennial herb. Root system consists of underground rhizome of the nodes, which leave large numbers of fibrous roots. Surface part of the mint is composed of highly branched stems. Besides standing, mint places and creeping stems, which are formed from the top node of the rhizome. The leaves have short stems, elongated ovoid, have many glands. The flowers are small, located in petals, blue to pink and blue colors. Bloom the second half of July to late August. The seeds are very small and low germination. Use the leaves collected during flowering. They contain essential oils, terpenes and terpene derivatives, tannins, bitter substances, nicotine crab, valerenic acid and others.Menthol essential oil excites vascular and respiratory center. Aqueous and alcoholic extracts of peppermint have a soothing, analgesic, anti-inflammatory action, stop the growth of most bacteria. Relieve breathing on airway inflammation, expelled gases from the intestines, acting disinfectant and deodorizing with bad breath. Increased secretion of bile. Soothe itchy skin allergies and act cool. Expand the coronary vessels. Peppermint is used in bronchitis, allergic reactions, cardiac neurosis, spasms in the stomach and intestines, flatulence, gastritis, enteritis, with nausea and vomiting, insomnia, menopause, gingivitis, hemorrhoids, allergies, etc. Preparation: about 1 tablespoon of dry herbs is poured over with 400 ml boiling water. Stand for 1 hour. Filter and drink 1 coffee cup before meals 3 times a day. Peppermint oil is given for pain in the abdomen 2-4 drops on a sugar cube. Spirituous tincture of the oil is applied externally for rubbing headaches, migraines, skin, inhalation, inflammation of the upper respiratory tract in cold. Decoction of leaves is used for baths in a bathtub – 3 tablespoons mint leaves are flooded with 1 liter of boiling water. Boil 5 minutes, strain and add to bathwater.
Botranical name: Thymus Serpyllum
Български