Healing Properties of Herbs

Herbs and Their Healing Properties

Aloes (Leaves) - The botanical name is Aloe socotrina, and other common names include Turkey aloes, Mocha aloes, Zanaibar aloes, and Bombay aloes. The medicial properties of this plant are cathartic, stomachic, aromatic, emmenagogue, and drastic. It will promote menstruation when suppressed and expel pinworms after several doses. This is one of the best herbs to use to clean out the colon. A good mixture of it and other herbs is 1oz. powdered buckthorn bark, 1 oz. powdered rhubarb root, 1 oz. powdered mandrake root, 1/4th oz. Socotrina aloes powedered, and 1 oz. powdered calamus root. Each person should take the amount needed to move bowels three to four times a day. It is a good idea to start with 1/4th a teaspoon and then increase the dose. It is a wonderful laxative and does not gripe. For sores on the outside of the body aloes are excellent, and for burns and sunburn also; take the aloe leafe, peel back the outer layer and directly apply the "juice" to the area.

Angelic (Seed and Root) - Angelica atropurpurea but also commonly called Dead nettle, Purple Angelica, Masterwort, High Angelica, Archangel, and American Angelica. This herb is a stimulant, emmenagogue, tonic, and carminative. This herb is a good remedy for a sour stomach, stomach troubles, gas, heartburn, colic, la grippe, fever, colds, and a great tonic. An angelica tea will help dimmness of sight or deafness when dropped into the eyes or ears. This can be taken hot for a cold or as a general tonic three cupfuls taken every day. It is a very good tonic to strenghten the heart. This herb will help diseases of the lungs, ches, stoppage of urine, suppressed menstruation, expelling afterbirth, pains in colic, and a sluggish spleen and liver. Also, an angelica tea, when dropped into ulcers will heal them but the powder of the root may also be used in this manner.

Anise (Root or Seed) - Pimpinella anisum; common names Common Anise and Anise Seed. It is armoatic, diaphoretic, relaxant, stimulant, tonic, carminative, and stomachic. This herb will prevent the formation of gas in the bowels and stomach, and check griping in the bowels when taken as a hot tea. Also it is a good stomach remedy and can be used to overcome colic and nausea. Plus, this herb can be mixed with others to give them a plesant flavour.

Apple Tree Bark (Bark) - Pyrus malus commonly name: Apple Tree. Medical properties of the fruit laxative and diuretic; the bark: febrifuge and tonic. An old remedy for biliousness, gravel in the bladder, to induce perspiration, suppressed mesturation, digestion, vomiting, nausea, liver, low fever, intermitten fever, spleen, bladder, kidneys, dysentery, boils, griping in bowels, mad dog bites, insect bites, and tootache is apple tree bark tea.

Balm (Flowers and Herbs) - Melissa officianlis, common name Sweet Balm, Garden Balm, and Lemon Balm. It is tonic, carminative, diaphoretic, and febrifuge. Warm balm tea will produce perspiration, help suppressed or painful mensturation, aids digestion and helpufl for nausea and voimiting. This tea can also be used for the kidney, bladder, and liver trouble, low fever, griping of the bowels, and dysentery. A warm poultice can be used to bring a boil to a head, and it will break. In cases of insect stings and mad dog bites take a tea internally and apply a poultice. It also is useful in toothaces.

Balomy (Leaves) - Chelon glabra; common name Snake head, Turtleloom, Turtle Head, Salt Rheum Weed, Fishmouth, Shell Flower, and Bitter herb. It is antibilious, detergent, authelmintic, and tonic. It is a specific tonic for indigestion and enfeebled stomach, general debility and biliousness, jaundice, constipation, dyspepsia, and torpid fever. This is also a usually effective remedy for worms and stimulates the appetite by increasing the gastric and salivary secretions. This is also a good herb for treating sores and eczema.

Basil Sweet (Leaves) - Ocimum basilicum; common names: Common Basil, and Sweet Basil. Stimulant, condiment, nervine, and aromatic. When taken hot the tea is good to supress the menses and allays excessive vomiting. It can also be helpful when applied to snake bites and insect stings.

Bayberry (Bark, Leaves, and Flowers) - Myrcia cerifera; common names: American Bayberries, Bayberry bush, myrtle, tallow shurb, and candleberry. This herb is astringent, tonic, stimulant and the leaves are a stimulant and aromatic. A tea of this herb is a good gargle for a sore throat. Steep a teaspoon in a pint of boiling water for thrity minutes, gargle, and follow by drinking a pint of lukewarm water. For chills make the brew above adding a pinch of Cayenne and take with a half a cup of warm water every half hour. Also, after narcotic poisoning bayberry is a good emetic to take and is best when followed up by a lobelia emetic. It is also good for hemorrhages, even those of the stomach, bowels, uterus, and lungs. Also, this a is a great way to check profuse menstruation and is a wonderful remedy when taken with Capsicum. It's wonderful in leucorrhea, has a good effect on female organs, and has a good effect on the uterus during pregnancy. This tea also makes a good douche and is good for use in goitre. It can be used as an enema in dysentery and diarrhea. For boils, carbuncles, gangrenous, use a wash and poultice or apply the powdered bayberry to the infection. It's also a good wash for bleeding and spongy gums.

Bay Leaves (Berries, Leaves, and Bark) - Laurus nobilis; common name: Bay Tree, Indian bay, and laurel. Carminative, aromatic, astringent, and stomachic. This is a pleasant and gives strenght and tone to digestive organs. This is good from cramps and expels wind from the bowels and stomach.

Bethroot (Root) - Trillium pendulum; common names: Brith-root, milk ipeacac, three-leaved nightshade, trillium, Indian shamrock, nodding, ground lily, and Jew harp plant. Astringent, tonic, antiseptic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, alterative, female complaints. Useful in coughs, bronchial troubles, pulmonary consumption, lung hemorrhages, excessive menstruation, leucorrha, lax conditions of the vagina, and fallen womb. Remdy for dysentery and diarrhea.

Bistort Root (Root) - Polygonum bisorta; common name: dragonworth, patience dock, snake weed, and Easter giant. Astringent, diuretic, alternative, and styptic. This is the strongest herb astringent and is wonderful for injections, gargles, and astringents for cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, and leucorrhea. This is an excellent wash for running sores, sore gums, and mouth. This is usedful in smallpox, pimples, measles, ruptures, insect stings, jaundice, snake bites, and it expels worms. When combined with plantain it is useful in cases of gonorrhea. In powedered form it can stop bleeding from a cut or wound if applied directly. When used in douches it will regulate or decrease the menstural flow.

Bitterroot (Root) - Apocynum androsaemifolium; common names: dogsbane, milkweed, honey bloom, and western wallflower. Emetic, diuretic, sudorific, cathartic, expectorant, and stimulant. This is a good remedy for intermittent fever, typhoid fever, and other fevers. Excellent effect on the liver, bowels, and kidneys. It will increase the secretion of bile and is good for poor digestion. It has been known to cure dropsy and expel worms. This herb is also useful in syphilis and will rid the system of impurities.

Black Cohosh - Cimicifuga racemosa; common names: bugwort, squaw root, rich weed, and black snake root. Emmenagogue, nervine, alterative, expectorant, diaphoretic, antispasmodic, and astringent. This is a good remedy for epilepsy, fits, convlusions, and spasmodic affections. This is also wonderful for female complaints, pelvic disturbances, uterine troubles, and to relieve pain during childbrith. This is a dependable herb to bring on the menses that has been slowed by exposure or cold.

Blue Cohosh - Caulophyllum thalictorides; common names: squaw root, papoose root, and blue berry. Stimulant, surdorfici, parturient, and emmenagogue. This herb can be used to regulate the mensrual flow and to bring on the menses. Most commonly however it is used to make childbirth easy and bring on labour pains at the proper time. It is also good for chronic uterine trouble, leucorrhea, rheumatism, neuralgia, vaginitis (inflammation of the vagina), dropsy, cramps, colic, hysteria, palpitation of the heart, high blook pressure, and diabetes. This can also be used to treat whooping cough, spasms, fits, and eiplepsy.

Blue Violet (Whole Plant) - Viola cuculata; common names: Violet. Mucilaginous, emetic, laxative, and alternative. The leaves are good for giving relief of internal ulcers and for cancer. Volet is a good remedy for tumors, gout, coughs, colds, sore throat, sores, scrofula, syphilis, bronchitis, and difficult breathing due to gases and morbid matter in the stomach and bowels. It is also helpful for the nervousness when combined with nerveroot, black cohosh, or skullcap. This is also very effective in treating whooping cough, congestion in the head, and severe headaches.

Camomile - Anthemis nobilis; common name: Roman camomile, camomile, garden camomile, ground apple, and whig plant. Bitter, tonic, aromatic, and stimulant. This is a well known remedy and is very easy to grow and use. The blossoms are good for many things and a bag kept around the house will come in handy. Camomile is good for a weak stomach, to produce appetite, and dyspepsia. In some places it is a general table tea and will regulate the menses. This is great for the kidneys, spleen, colds, bronchitis, bladder troubles, ague, dropsy, jaundice, and to expel worms. Camomile tea is a good wash for weak and sore eyes, open sores, and wounds. You can make a good poultice for swellings and pains. It is also good in hysteria and nervous conditions as well as for inducing sleep and as a sedative. I find camomile tea or simply eatting one of the dried flowers is a good sleep aid.

Caraway (Seed) - Carum carui. Carminative, aromatic, stomachic, and fragrant. Usually this herb is used to bake and flavour food but it is also helpful in colic in infants when taken in hot water or milk and can be taken hot for colds and female trouble. It also prevents fermentation in the stomach and aids in digestion. Also it will strengthen and give tone to the stomach and expel wind from the bowels. This may also be used as a poultice for burises.

Cascara Sagarada - Rhamnus purschiana; common names: Persian bark, sacred bark, and bearberry. Bitter tonic. This is a wonderful remedy for chronic consitpation and not additcive. This bark can be bitter and has a disagreeable taste for many people, however it does now come covered in chocolate. This is an excellent remedy for constipation in children.

Catnip - Nepeta cataria. Anodyne, antispasmodic, carminative, aromatic, nervine, and diaphoretic. This is a good remedy that is safe for infants and small children. The tea can be given in injections to children for convulsions and is useful in any kind of pain, spasms, wind colic, gas, acids, stomach and bowel troubles, and to prevent griping. A tablespoonful steeped in a pint of water and then used as an enema is good for fevers, insantiy, fits, and expelling worms in children. A high enema of catnip will cure hysterical headaches and will restore the menses. For a good baby remedy use catnip, sweet balm, marshmallow, and sweet weed. This is a harmless mixture that should take the place of soothing remedies on the market (most of which are harmful). To make this a little more pleasant tasting add a bit of malt or honey. Never boil catnip, steep it.

Dandelion (Root and Leaves) - Taraxicum dens-leonis; Common names: puff ball, wild endive, priest's crown, and lion's tooth. Hepatic, aperient, diuretic, depurative, tonic, and stomachic. Dandelion green is commonly used in many salads and is a well known remedy of anemia. They are also used to increase the flow of urine and are slightly laxative. It is good for skin diseases, jaundice, eczema, scurvy, and scrofula. Plus it is beneficial to the femal organs and the roots are a good coffee substitute.

Ginger - Zingiber officinale. Pungent, carminative, aromatic, sialagogue, condiment, and stimulant and when taken hot is diaphoretic. When taken hot ginger is wonderful for bringing on suppressed menstruation. To chew a little root stimulaties the salivary glands and is good in paraysis of the tongue and for sore throats. This is good for colds, diarrhea, la grippe, chronic bronchitis, dyspepsia, gas, fermentation, gout, cholera, and prevents griping. Also, when combined with a stonger laxative helps treat nausea.

Ginseng - Panax quinquefolia; common names: American ginseng, red berry, sang, ninsin, five fingers' root, and garantogen. Demulcent, stomachic, and slightly stimulant. In hot, moist climates it is used as a preventive of many illnesses and used in severe cases of all types. It promotes appetite and can be used in digestional disturbances. It is also effective in treating chest colds, colds, and coughs; when taken hot will prodcue perspiration. This is also used commonly to treat constipation and all manner of stomach troubles.

Golden Seal (Root) - Hydrastis canadensis; common names: yellow paint root, and jaundice root. It is laxative, tonic, alternative, detergent, opthalmicum, antiperidic, aperient, diuretic, antispetic, and deobstruent. This is a cure-all but must be used with caution. It is excellent as a quinine substitue, colds, la grippe, and all stomach and liver problems. Golden seal is also effective on open sores, eczema, inflammations, erysipelas, ringworm, or any other skin disease. You can make golden seal tea by steeping on teaspoonful in a pint of boiling water for twenty minutes (you may use this directly as a wash and for cleansing add a bit of hydrogen peroxide) and then sprinkle some of the powedered root in and cover. This herb is also a good treatment for blood poisioning. Many people have used this herb to clean substances out of their system, such as narcotics, and it may possibly work this way, however I have no where on record if this does or does not work but this is an exteremly dangerous herb. What this herb does is strip the blood of everything, thereby cleaning out your system. It can be taken at the onset of a cold, or other illness but for no more than three days in a row elsewise you run the risk of doing serious damage to yourself. There is also a belief that it will alleviate nausea in pregnancy but I highly reccommend if you are pregnant or suspect you are pregnant that you stay well away from this herb.

Henna Leaves (Root and Leaves) - Lawsonia inermis; common names: Jamaica mignonette, alcanna, and Egyptian privet. The root is astringent and the bark is dyeing. The leaves can be used internally or externally for leprosy, jaundice, and other skin infections. The bark is used for the markings called "henna tattoo."

Holy Thistle (plant) - Centaura benedicta; common names: Bitter thistle, blessed thistle, and cardus. Diaphoretic, emetic, tonic, stimulant, and febrifuge. This is effective in treating dropsy, and is good for the liver, the brain, heart, kidenys, and lungs. This can also be used to cure insanity and is a wonderful tonice for girls just entering womanhood. Drinking this tea will also help mothers increase their supply of milk. Drinking a cup of this tea twice a day is also good for chorinc headache sufferes. About two ounces of the dried plant may be simmerd in a quart of water for two hours is a nice tea.

Hops (Flowered) - Humulus lupulus. Tonic, febrifuge, nervine, diuretic, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, and anthelmintic. This is an excellent nervine and wonderful for insomniacs. Three or two cups should be taken hot. It is also used to treat delirium tremens, tootache, earache, neuralgia, and to increase the flow of urine and bile. Plus it is good for treating gonorrhea, excessive sexual desires, and is beneficial to the liver. Place a tabelspoonful in a pint of water, simmer for ten minutes, and drink half a pint in the morning and evening. For insomnia a pillow stuffed with hops does wonders in putting people to sleep. For inflammation, tumors, old uclers, painful swellings, and boils a poultice of hops will work wonderfully.

Horehound (Plant) - Marrubium vulgare; common name: white horehound. It is aromatic, diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, hepatic stimulant, pectoral, and tonic. When taken hot horehound produces profuse perspiration and if taken in large doses is very laxative. Taken cold it can be used to treat jaundice, dyspepsia, asthma, hysteria, and will expel worms. It is useful in chronic sore throat, consumption, coughs, and pulmonary infections. If the menses abnormally stop it will bring them back. You can make a syrup that is wonderful for asthma and difficult breathing. For coughs or croup in children, steep a heeping tablespoonful in a pint of boiling water for twenty minutes, strain, add honey, and give freely as needly.

Hydrangea (Root and Leaves) - Hydrangea absorsecens; common names: seven barks, and wild hydrangea. The root is lithrontryptic and diuretic and the leaves are a tonic, sialagogue, cathartic, and diuretic. This herb is good for bladder trouble and will removed bladder stones and pains. It will also relieve backache caused by kidney troubles. It's also good for chronic rheumatism, scurvy, dropsy, and paralysis.

Indian Hemp (Root) - Pilocorpus selloanus. Stimulant, expectorant, sialagogue, and amntivenomous. This is a good herb for breaking up colds, influenza, Bright's disease, and rheumatism. It also has been known to cause profuse perspiration. It is also effective in treating pleurisy, dropsy, catarrh, jaundice, various fevers, and diabetes. It is also a wonderful remedy for mumps when taken internally as a tea and a poultice applied as a fomentation of poultice to reduce swellings. Fold the cloth three or four in thickness and dip in the hot tea, then apply. This herb has also been known to stimulate the growth of hair; to do this dip the fingers in a tea made of the leaves several times a day and massage the scalp.

Lavender (Plant) - Lavandula vera. Aromatic, fragrant, and stimulant. A tea steeped from the flowers it a tonic and wonderful for preventing faintness and getting rid of nausea. Plus this herb is nice tasting and can be combined with many herbs to overcome their taste. The flowers are also used in making perfumes. Leaves are often used in foods a seasoning and dried flowers and leves are put in linen closets and drawers to keep moths from clothing and fur.

Lily of the Valley (Root) - Convallaria majalis; also known as May Lily. This herb can be useful in treating epilepsy, vertigo, dizziness, dropsy, convulsions, and it is good for the heart. It is also said to make one's thoughts clearer and is good for apoplexy and palsy.

Mandrake - Podophyllum peltatum. It is antibilious, cathartic, emetic, diaphoretic, cholagogue, resolvent, vermifuge, alternative, and deobstruent. This herb is a wonderful regulator for the bowels and liver. Plus it is good in uterine diseases. It is a very powerful laxative.

Marshmallow (Root and Leaves) - Althaea officinalis; diuretic, demulcent, mucilaginous, and emollient. It is a very lubricating and soothing poultice for inflamed or sore parts. Put a teaspoonful in a cup of water and simmer for ten minutes, let stand and then cool, this can be used hoarseness, lung troubles, catarrh, diarrhea, and dysentary. Drink one or two cupfuls a day, a large mouthful at a time. In cases of irritation of the vagina use this tea as a douche and take internally. You may also bathe sore, inflamed eyes in this tea.

Mint (Whole Plant) - Monarda punctata; stimulant, carminative, sudorific, emmenagogue, and diuretic. It eases pain is and soothing. It's wonderful for suppresssion of urine, suppressed menstruation, nausea, vomiting, and gas in the stomach and intestines.

Mistletoe - Viscum flavescens, also called golden bough. Antispasmodic, emetic, tonic, nervine, and narcotic. This is a specific remedy for cholera and if a good nervine and used to treat epilepsy, convulsions, hysteria, delirium, heart troubles, and nervous debility.

Mugwort (Whole Plant) - Artemisia vulgaris; anti-epileptic and emmenagogue. This is a good treatment for female problems when combined with marigold flower, black haw, and cramp bark; mix them together then take a heaping teaspoonful to a cup of boiling water and steep twenty minutes and drink one to three cups. It is also safe and a sure fix for young girls and other women with supressed menstruation. Steep a teaspoon in a pint of water twenty minutes and drink two to one cups a day a few days before the monthlies are expected. It is also useful to overcome inflammatory swellings, kidney stones, to increase flow of urine, gout, and fevers.

Pennyroyal (Whole Plant) - Hedeoma pulegioides; also called squaw mint, stinking balm, and tickweed. Emmenagogue, stimulant, sudorific, carminative, diaphoretic, aromatic, and sedative. Pennyroyal is wonderful in burning fevers and will promote perspiration. Take this tea hot and it is a remedy for toothahece, gout, colds, leprosy, consumption, jaundice, dropsy, cramps, convulsions, ulcers, snake and insect bites, intestinal pains, itch, sores in mouth, colic, griping, and phlegm in lungs and chest. If troubled with scanty or suppressed menstruation take one or two cupfulls hot at bedtime along with a hot foot bath, several days before expected. It will also relieve nausea but should NOT be taken if you are pregnant.

Peppermint - Mentha piperita; aromatic, stimulant, stomachic, carminative and the oil is a stimulant and rubfacient. This is a wonderful remedy for chills, colic, fevers, dizziness, gas, vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, dysentery, heart trouble, cholera, heart palpitations, la grippe, hysteria, and influenza. Used externally it is good for headache, neuralgia, and rheumatism. Also it can be used for spasms and convulsions in infants. Peppermint is a stimulant. A cup of peppermint tea can be taken for headache and nausea.

Ragwort (Plant) - Senecio aureus it is a expectorant, diaphoretic, febrifuge, emmenagogue, tonic, and pectoral. It has a poweful influence on the female organs and when combined with lily it is a good cure for leucorrhea and suppressed menstruation. It is also a good treatment for urinary stones and diseases.

Rhubarb (Root) - Rheum palmatum; it is purgative, astringent, aperient, vulnerary, and tonic. It's useful for diarrhea and dysentart in both children and adults plus a good laxative for infants. It can also relieve headache and cleans and tones the bowels.

Saffron (Seed and Flower) - Carthamus tinctorius; laxative, emmenagogue, condiment, sudorific, diuretic, diaphoretic, and carminative; the seeds are laxative, diuretic, and aromatic. It is a good cure for measles, skin diseases, and wonderful for scarlet fever. When taken hot it will produce profuse perspiration and is good in colds and la grippe. This tea will also increase and regulate the menstrual flow (espeicially when check by cold) and is good in chlorosis hysteria. It is also used for dyeing and cooking in many French dishes.

Scullcap (Whole Plant) - Scutellaria lateriflora; tonic, diuretic, nervine, and antispasmodic. It is very soothing to those who are easily excited. In cases of delirium trements will produce sleep and is good for aches and pains and in nuralgia. It is also used for shaking palsy, convulsions, fits, rhumatism, epilepsy, and bites of poisonous snakes and insects. It also suppresses sexual desire and can be used as a substitue for quinine.

Shepherd's Purse (Whole Plant) - Capsella bursa pastoris; St. Anthony's fire, St. James' weed, St. James' wort, and pepper grass. It is detergent, vulnerary, diuretic, and astringent. It is excellent in cases of hemorrhage after childbirth and other internal hemorrhages. It will also check too profuse menstruation and is good for treating bleeding piles, hemorrhoids and intermittent fever.

Squaw Vine (Whole Plant) - Mitchella repens; is astringent, tonic, alternative, partureint, and diuretic. This herb is excellent to take during pregnancy and will make for an easy childbirth and is even better than red raspberry leaves. The two are often combined though. This is also a good was for sore eyes in infants. This is a nice herb for milk leucorrhea, uterine troubles, urinary troubles, female problems, and increases the menses. For sore nipples a strong tea made of the berries is good when one bathes the nipples in it. You may want to add a little cream or oilve oil to this and stir throughly before applying.

St. John's Wort - Hypericum perforatum; it is nervine, astringent, resolvent, sedative, diuretic, and vulnerary. It is used to treat tumours and bois, chronic uterine troubles, after pain in chilbirth, suppressed urine, diarrhea, dysentary, and jaudince. It will also correct irregular menstruation and is good for hysteria and nervous affections. It's also used externally in the form of fomentation and ointment for caked breast, wounds, ulcers, and old sores.

Thyme (Whole Plant) - Thymus vulgaris; tonic, carminative, resolvent, antispamodic, antiseptic, and emmenagogue. When taken hot it is good for suppressed menses and fevers. This is also a very good remedy in whooping cough, asthma, and lung troubles.