Michael T. Murray, N.D.
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 The first compound believed to be unique to echinacea was echinacoside,10 a compound eventually shown to be composed of caffeic acid, a caffeic acid derivative (similar to catechol), glucose, and rhamnose, all attached to a central glucose molecule (Figure 8.2). Echinacoside accumulates in the roots, but is o
Figure 8.1 Caffeic acid also found in smaller concentrations in the flowers. According to recent investigations, the roots of E. angustifolia contain 0.3-1.3 percent while the roots of E. pallida contain a similar concentration of 0.4-1.7 percent.11 It is assumed that E. |
Mike Adams, the Health Ranger
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 An acre of rainforest has some dollar value -- either for timber, for grazing, for mining, for petroleum development, for medicinal plant cultivation, or whatever. So once I really "got" that equation, then it only made sense to push the trade aspects of this to finish the job of researching the plant. I don't want to just publish a paper and have it wind up in a journal that gets forgotten. |
Ben-Erik van Wyk
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 Notes Buchu is an important medicinal plant. It is an excellent tonic and is traditionally used to treat indigestion, as well as ailments of the kidneys and urinary tract. Externally is has been applied (as buchu vinegar) to heal wounds and bruises.
Agave tequilana tequila plant • blue agave
Tequila plant
Description The tequila plant is a robust succulent with firm, bluish-green, persistent leaves. After about 10 to 20 years, an enormous flowering stalk is produced, after which the plant dies. |
Leslie Taylor, ND
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 The difference is one that scares most conventionally trained doctors with no training in plants. Drugs usually consist of a single chemical, whereas medicinal plants can contain 400 or more chemicals. It's relatively easy to figure out the activity and side effects of a single chemical, but there is just no way scientists can map all the complex interactions and synergies that might be taking place between all the various chemicals found in a plant, or a traditionally prepared crude plant extract, containing all these chemicals. |
by Michael Murray, N.D. and Joseph Pizzorno, N.D.
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| HISTORY
Fennel has a long history of use as a medicinal plant in the Mediterranean region. Greek myths state that not only was fennel closely associated with Dionysus, the Greek god of food and wine, but that a fennel stalk carried the coal that passed down knowledge from the gods to men. The ancient Greeks knew fennel by the name "marathon." It grew in the field in which one of the great ancient battles was fought, and which was subsequently named the Battle of Marathon after this revered plant. |
| Many modern drugs were initially derived from plants, and screening for medicinal plant compounds is still an important aspect of research. Generally, the practice was to find compounds that could be used as the base from which to develop a patentable medication. However, research into the use of herbs as opposed to semisynthetic medications continues to grow.
Cooking with Herbs and Spices
Have you ever heard the expression "Add a little spice to your life"? This little message signifies the belief that herbs and spices add pleasurable taste to foods. |
| It was used as an important medicinal plant in many traditional systems of medicine. Spinach grows very well in temperate climates.
Spinach cultivation in Europe has a more recent history, however, as it began only in the eleventh century, when the Moors introduced it into Spain. In fact, for a while, spinach was known as "the Spanish vegetable" in England.
One of the classic uses of spinach is using it as a bed to place entrees upon. This popular use owes its origin to Catherine de Medicis, a historical figure in the sixteenth century. |
Ben-Erik van Wyk
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| Governor's plum is indigenous to Africa and India and is of local importance as a wild fruit and medicinal plant. The same is true for the Southeast Asian paniala and rukam. Parts used Ripe fruits. Cultivation & harvesting Plants are propagated from seeds or cuttings. They are hardy and drought tolerant but require a warm climate. Kei-apple is usually cultivated from seeds and can withstand mild frost. Uses & properties Ripe fruits of Ceylon gooseberry, kei-apple and the Flacourtia species mentioned above are very popular for making jams and jellies. |
Leslie Taylor, ND
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| Amor seco also contains a chemical called astragalin, which is a well known antibacterial chemical found in the popular medicinal plant astragalus. Amor seco's traditional uses for infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and wounds are probably related to this particular chemical in the plant.
Main chemicals found in amor seco include astragalin, beta-phenylethy-lamines, cosmosiin, cyanidin-3-o-sophoroside, dehydrosoyasaponins, horde-nine, pelargonidin-3-o-rhamnoside, salsoline, soyasaponins, tectorigenin, tetrahydroisoquinolines, and tyramine. |
| CURRENT PRACTICAL USES
The history of artichoke is a perfect example of science finally catching up to the longstanding traditional uses of a medicinal plant. While scientists still argue today over which specific chemical or group of chemicals is responsible for each documented beneficial action, the traditional uses for high cholesterol,
Traditional Preparation
Contraindications
Drug Interactions
Region
Uses as well as for liver, gallbladder, and digestive disorders, are being validated. |
| VARIOUS METHODS FOR DIFFERENT PLANTS AND CONDITIONS
The biological or therapeutic activity of a medicinal plant is closely related to the chemicals in the plant. These chemicals can be classified into major groups such as essential oils, alkaloids, acids, steroids, tannins, saponins, and so forth. For each of these classes of chemicals, there may be a preferred method of extraction that facilitates getting the chemicals out of the plant
The manner in which a plant has been traditionally prepared holds important information about preparing an effective remedy. |
| For example, some will be shocked to learn that effective August 2005, no one living in any country in the European Union will be able to buy any medicinal plant featured in this book unless they obtain a prescription from a doctor. None of these plants can be harvested in South America and imported into Europe unless they are sold to pharmaceutical companies for their manufacture of drugs.
Everything in Europe is about to change due to the EU Food Supplements Directive (FSD), which will soon go into full effect. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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 Supplemental 5-HTP is naturally derived from the seeds of Griffonia simplicifolia, a West African medicinal plant. |
Rainer W. Bussmann and Douglas Sharon
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 Antecedents - medicinal plant Research and Traditional Medicine in Peru
Considerable progress has been made in the overall taxonomic treatment of the flora of Peru over the last few decades [27]. However, while the Amazon rainforests have received a great deal of scientific attention, the mountain forests and remote highland areas are still relatively unexplored. The first floristic studies were conducted in the 1920's [28], followed by decades without any further research activity. |
Ben-Erik van Wyk
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| It has been cultivated since ancient times as a pot-herb and medicinal plant. Parts used Leaves, flowers and seeds (as a source of seed oil).
Cultivation & harvesting Plants are easily grown from seeds and are commonly found as a culinary herb in kitchen gardens. Large-scale cultivation is mainly for the production of seed oil. Uses & properties Young leaves were once popular as a pot-herb and are still used to some extent (mainly in France, Italy and Germany) in salads, stews and soups. They have a mild, cucumber-like taste. In China, leaves are stuffed like vine leaves. |
Alan R. Gaby, M.D., Jonathan V. Wright, M.D., Forrest Batz, Pharm.D. Rick Chester, RPh., N.D., DipLAc. George Constantine, R.Ph., Ph.D. Linnea D. Thompson, Pharm.D., N.D.
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| Similarly, American Eclectic physicians (doctors who recommended herbs) of the 19th century remarked on its value as a medicinal plant not only for coughs and asthma (page 32) but also in menstrual complaints.2
Active constituents
Horehound contains a number of constituents, including alkaloids, flavonoids (page 516), diterpenes (e.g., marrubiin), and trace amount of volatile oils.3 The major active constituent in horehound is marrubiin, which is thought to be responsible for the expectorant (promotion of coughing up of mucus) action of the herb. |
Ben-Erik van Wyk
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| It has a long history of use as medicinal plant and only later became important as a culinary herb. Parts used Fresh or dried leaves. Cultivation & harvesting Rosemary is widely cultivated in kitchen gardens and market gardens. The leaves are harvested and sold fresh or may be dried and packed. Commercial cultivation is often aimed at the production of essential oil, which is widely used in cosmetics, perfumery and aromatherapy. |
| Sage has a long history as a medicinal plant (salvus is Latin for healthy). Commercial cultivation occurs in the Mediterranean region, eastern Europe, Asia and the USA. Parts used Fresh or dried leaves.
Cultivation & harvesting Plants are easily propagated from seeds or cuttings. They prefer alkaline (lime-rich) soils. Uses & properties Sage has a strong, aromatic and slightly bitter flavour and is traditionally used to season roast meats, game, liver, poultry, stuffings, fish, marinades, omelettes, vegetables, salads, sauces, soups and some cheeses. |
| Notes Spilanthes has been used as a medicinal plant to alleviate toothache, to stimulate the flow of saliva and for its antibiotic effects. The tingling and anaesthetic activity is due to spilanthol, a compound present at a level of 1.2% in the flower heads (much lower in leaves).
Spinacea oleracea spinach
Spinach plant New Zealand spinach
Description An annual herb with toothed, Cultivation & harvesting Spinach is easily fleshy leaves that form a rosette when young. cultivated from seeds. Whole young plants are
Small, unisexual flowers are borne on erect, usually harvested. |
Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
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 Licaria puchuri-major, a medicinal plant found in the Brazilian rainforest, has been found to augment the antifungal activity of polygodial and increase its effectiveness against fungal infection.
Q Kolorex from Nature's Sources is an herbal product that has been shown to be effective in treating ringworm and tinea fungi infections. It is available in both capsule and cream form.
Q Pau d'arco has strong antifungal properties. Drink 3 cups of pau d'arco tea daily.
Q For toenail or fingernail fungus, soak nails in a mixture of pau d'arco and goldenseal. |
Leslie Taylor, ND
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| CURRENT PRACTICAL USES
Chanca piedra is a perfect example of a highly beneficial medicinal plant which is deserving of much more research—but one which is fraught with the typical problems of working with a complicated, chemically rich plant. Unless a major (and well-funded) pharmaceutical or research company can isolate a single, patentable chemical (or can come up with a patentable extraction process that actually works as well as a simple water extract) to justify the high cost of research, chanca piedra probably will remain in the "unproven herbal remedy" category. |
the Editors of PREVENTION
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 Arguably the mother of all medicinal plants, echinacea was the best-selling medicinal plant in America into the 1920s. In recent years, Americans have rediscovered its healing powers. "Echinacea is a potent antiviral," says Ed Smith, a professional member of the AHG and owner of Herb Pharm in Williams, Oregon. While no one component is credited for echinacea's medicinal action, it is rich in polysaccharides, substances that have been found to stimulate infection-fighting white blood cells.
Lemon Balm
Swish your mouth with some tea three to five times a day. |
Dianne Onstad
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 The Chinese cultivated coriander as a valuable culinary and medicinal plant as early as the fourth century b.c., and the plant acquired a reputation for bestowing immortality on those who ate the seeds during a state of spiritual purity. Other herbalists developed aphrodisiac concoctions from coriander with lust in mind, for they believed that it aroused passion, a rumor that may have been started by the Arabian fantasy, The Thousand and One Nights, in which coriander was referred to as an aphrodisiac. its longevity. Select bunches that look fresh and bright. |
| A Jesuit missionary named Joseph Lafitau in Montreal, Canada, during the early 1700s realized that American ginseng was nearly identical to a medicinal plant much in demand in China, and almost overnight a brisk export trade developed. The first American ship to reach China in 1784, Major Samuel Shaw's Emperor of China, carried a cargo of American ginseng and made quite a tidy profit. Popular demand for the roots nearly wiped out the wild supply, and ginseng is now protected by law in many states because of previous overharvesting. |
| Widely recognized among the ancient Gteeks and Romans as a medicinal plant, orachee became very popular in medieval Europe both for culinary and medicinal purposes. Early settlers brought orachee to the New Wotld, where it became a fairly standard vegetable; during the nineteenth century, however, it fell out of favor and has widely been replaced by spinach. There are three main types: white orachee, which has pale green leaves; red orachee, which has dark reddish stems and leaves; and green orachee. The white variety is generally considered the sweetest and most tender. |
| Originally valued as a medicinal plant, the water chestnut is considered yin, or cooling, and is thought to disperse excess heat, be beneficial for diabetes and jaundice, and sweeten the breath. Water chestnuts also inhibit infectious diseases such as staphylococcus and E. coli and are said to aid vision. A paste made from dried ground water chestnuts is fed to children who accidentally swallow coins.
Watercress
(Nasturtium officinale)
Nasturtium is a contraction of the Latin phrase nasus tortus, meaning "convulsed nose," on account of the plant's pungency. |
David Hoffman, FNIMH, AHG
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 Exacdy what is the primary action of a medicinal plant? In some cases this is obvious (for example, with an herb like senna), but in other cases, the choice is more a matter of degree. One individual may say that chamomile is primarily a relaxing nervine, while another might describe it as a carminative, anti-inflammatory herb.
When focusing on secondary actions, such decisions become even more subjective. Certain secondary effects may hover on a threshold of sorts, in that some people experience these effects fully and others not at all. |
Heather Boon, BScPhm, PhD and Michael Smith, BPharm, MRPharmS, ND
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 Traditional Use
Thyme has been a popular medicinal plant among British herbalists, praised by Nicholas Culpepper and used externally as an antiseptic and internally as tonic, for treating coughs and strengthening the respiratory system. The herb is also used widely for culinary purposes.
Current Medicinal Use
As with its traditional uses, thyme is primarily used now in cough mixtures for irritating spasmodic coughs and as an agent to aid digestion. |
Mark Blumenthal
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 Asteraceae]
Overview
The medicinal plant echinacea, indigenous to the U.S., is one of the most popular herbs in the U.S. marketplace. The roots of several species were the most widely used medicines of Native Americans of the Great Plains. Ethnobotanist M.R. Gilmore noted, "Echinacea seems to have been used as a remedy for more ailments than any other plant" (Gilmore, 1911). Foster (1991) and Moerman (1998) have reviewed the ethnobotany of both the roots and leaves of various species of Echinacea. |
| Economic and medicinal plant Research, Vol. 2. New York, NY: Academic Press. 1988.
Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States (HPUS) Revision Service Official Compendium from July 1, 1992. Falls Church, VA: American Institute of Homeopathy. June 1990;2276-CDMR.
HPUS. See: Homeopathic Pharmacopoeia of the United States.
Hruby, C. Silibinin in the treatment of deathcap fungus poisoning. Forum 1984;6:23-6.
Kalmar L, Kadar J, Somogyi A, et al. |
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