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Alterative - Herbs that gradually restore proper functioning to the body and increase overall vitality. They are also known as "blood cleansers". Herbs in this category include Blue Flag, Burdock, Cleavers, Figwort, Echinacea, Mountain Grape, Nettles, Red Clover, Sarsparilla, and Yellow Dock.
Analgesic - Herbs that reduce pain and inflammation. They can be used either internally or externally depending on the circumstances being treated. Analgesic herbs include Jamacian Dogwood, Lady's Slipper, Passion Flower, Skullcap, and Meadowsweet.Anthelmintic - Anthelmintics will kill or expel worms from the digestive system. Herbs of this category include Wormwood, Aloe, Garlic, Pomegranate, Tansy, Thuja, and Rue.
Antibilious - The antibilious herbs help the body remove excess bile and are helpful in cases of biliary and jaundice. Herbs with this action include Balmony, Bayberry, Dandelion, Fringetree, Golden Seal, Vervain, and Wild Yam.
Anticatarrhal - Help the body to remove excess mucous and phlegm. These herbs include Boneset, Echinacea, Elcampane, Eyebright, Garlic, Golden Seal, Golden Rod, Hyssop, Mullein, Sage, Wild Indigo, and Yarrow.
Anti-emetic - Reduce feelings of nausea and can help relieve or prevent vomiting. Herbs include Black Horehound, Cayenne, Fennel, Lavender, and Meadowsweet.
Anti-inflammatory - help combat and sooth inflammations within the body. Can be used internally or externally as liniments or poultices. Herbs with this action include Bogbean, Black Willow, Chamomile, Devil's Claw, Marigold, St. John's Wort, and White Poplar.
Anti-lithic - Anti-lithic herbs help prevent the formation of stones or gravel in the urinary system and help the body remove them if they form. Herbs with this function include Buchu, Corn Silk, Gravel Root, Hydrangea, Sea Holly, Stone Root and Wild Carrot.
Anti-microbial - Help the body to destroy or increase resistance to pathogenic micro-organisms. Clove, Echinacea, Eucalyptus, Myrrh, Thyme, Wild Indigo, and Wormwood are herbs best suited for this task.
Anti-spasmodic - The anti-spasmodics prevent or relax spasms and cramps within the body. Herbs with this quality include Black Haw, Black Cohosh, Cramp Bark, Lady's Slipper, Lobelia, Mistletoe, Motherwort, Pasque Flower, Skullcap, Valerian and Wild Yam.
Aromatic - Aromatic herbs have a strong and usually pleasant odor and are thus able to stimulate the digestive system. They are often used to add aroma and tastes to other herbal formulas. These include Angelica, Aniseed, Basil, Caraway, Cardamom, Chamomile, Cinnamon, Cloves, Coriander, Dill, Fennel, Hyssop, Ginger, Meadowsweet, Peppermint, Rosemary, and Wood Betony.
Astringent - Astringents reduce secretions and discharges. As they contain tanins, they can also shrink or contract tissue as well. Herbs with these properties include Agrimony, Bayberry, Beth Root, Bistort, Bugleweed, Golden Rod, Kola, Lungwort, Mullien, Oak Bark, Pilewort, Plantain, Rasberry, Red Sage, Slippery Elm, St. John's Wort, Wild Cherry, Witch Hazel and Yarrow.
Bitter - Bitter herbs act as stimulating tonics for the digestive system. This action is triggered by reflex in the taste buds. Bitter herbs include Barberry, Centaury, Genetian, Golden Seal, Hops, Rue, Sothernwood, Tansy, White Horehound, and Wormwood.
Cardiac Tonic - Cardiac tonics work to benefit heart. Cardiac tonic herbs include Broom, Bugleweed, Cayenne, Ginger, Hawthorn, and Motherwort.
Carminative - Carminatives contain a large amount of volatile oils and relax the stomach and thus help with digestion and expelling gas. Herbs with these properties include Angelica, Aniseed, Caraway, Cayenne, Dill, Fennel, Ginger, and Peppermint.
Cholagogue - Cholagogues encourage the gall-bladder to secrete bile which can be extremely helpful when treating gall-bladder problems. They also have a laxative effect on the digestive system. Herbs include Balmony, Barberry, Black Root, Dandelion, Fringetree, Genetian, Mountain Grape, Wahoo, and Wild Yam.
Demulcent - Demulcents contain a large amount of mucilage and sooth and protect inflamed tissues. Demulcent herbs include Comfrey, Irish Moss, Licorice, Marshmallow, Mullein, and Slippery Elm.
Diaphoretic - These herbs encourage perspiration, aiding the skin in eliminating toxins. Herbs with this quality include Boneset, Cayenne, Elder, Garlic, Ginger, and Golden Rod, Peppermint, Pleurisy Root, Prickly Ash, and Yarrow.
Diuretic - Diuretic herbs stimulate the secretion and elimination of urine from the body. The best diuretic herbs include Bearberry, Boneset, Broom, Buchu, Cleavers, Corn Silk, Couchgrass, Dandelion, Gravel Root, Juniper, Lime Blossom, Parsley, Stone Root, Wild Carrot, and Yarrow.
-Emetic Emetic herbs cause vomiting. Generally it takes a high dosage to induce vomiting. Emetic herbs include Ipecacuanha, Lobelia, Senega, and Squill.
Emmenagogue - These herbs act as both a stimulator and normalizer of menstrual flow. They are often used with other herbs in remedies and tonics for the female reproductive system. Herbs include Black Cohosh, Blessed Thistle, Blue Cohosh, Chaste Tree, Cramp Bark, False Unicorn Root, Motherwort, Rasberry, Squaw Vine, Valerian, Vervain, and Yarrow.
Emollient - Emollients soften, sooth, and protect the skin. Good emollient herbs include Chickweed, Comfrey, Fenugreek, Flaxseed, Mallow, Marshmallow, Plantain, Slippery Elm.
Expectorant - Herbs that encourage the removal of excess mucous from the respiratory system. Expectorant herbs include Aniseed, Blood Root, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Elecampane, Grindelia, Hyssop, Licorice, Lobelia, Mouse Ear, Mullein, Senega, Skunk Cabbage, White Horehound, and Wild Cherry.
Febrifuge - Febrifuges help lower fevers. Effective herbs include Angelica, Boneset, Cayenne, Elder Flower, Lobelia, Peppermint, Peruvian Bark and Pleurisy Root.
Galactogogue - Help to increase the flow of mother's milk during breastfeeding. Herbs with these abilities include Aniseed, Blessed Thistle, Fennel and Goat's Rue.
Hepatic - Hepatics tone and strengthen the liver and aid in increasing the flow of bile. Hepatic herbs include Agrimony, Balmony, Barberry, Black Root, Blue Flag, Centaury, Dandelion, Fringetree, Golden Seal, Mountain Grape, and Wild Yam.
Hypnotic - Hypnotics aid in treating insomnia by inducing sleep. The most commonly used hypnotics include Hops, Jamaican Dogwood, Passion Flower, Skullcap, and Valerian. Laxative - Herbs that stimulate and aid in the evacuation of the bowels. Good laxative herbs include Barberry, Buckthorn, Cascara Sagrada, Dandelion, Senna, and Yellow Dock.
Mucilage - Herbs that are high in gelatinous substances that are soothing to irritated tissues.
Nervine - Herbs that tone and strengthen the nervous system, either through stimulation or relaxation. Nervines include Chamomile, Damiana, Ginseng, Hops, Kola Nut, Lavender, Lobelia, Oats, Passion Flower, Skullcap, Valerian and Wormwood.
Oxytocic - Herbs in this category stimulate the contraction of the uterus and are helpful in childbirth. The Oxytocic herbs include Blue Cohosh, Golden Seal, Rue and Squaw Vine.
Pectoral - Pectoral have a toning, strengthening and healing effect on the respiratory system. Herbs include Blood Root, Coltsfoot, Comfrey, Elecampane, Golden Seal, Licorice, Lungwort, Mullein, and Pleurisy Root.
Rubefacient - These herbs are applied directly on the skin, causing mild local irritation. This action dilates the capillaries increasing circulation and drawing blood into the area to relieve muscle pain. Herbs with this property include Cayenne, Ginger, Horseradish, Mustard, Nettle, and Peppermint Oil.
Sedative - These calm the nervous system and reduce tension and stress. Herbs include Black Cohosh, Bugleweed, Chamomile, Hops, Jamaican Dogwood, Lady's Slipper, Lobelia, Passion Flower, Red Poppy, Skullcap, and Valerian.
Sialagogue - Herbs that act to simulate the production and secretion of saliva. Herbs include Cayenne, Centaury, Genetian, Ginger, and Prickly Ash.
Stimulant - Herbs that quicken and enliven physiological reactions throughout the body. The best stimulant herbs include Bayberry, Cayenne, Cinnamon, Ginseng, Horseradish, Mustard, Tansy and Wormwood.
Tonic - Tonic herbs strengthen and tone the major organs throughout the body. Tonic herbs include Angelica, Aniseed, Bayberry, Black Cohosh, Boneset, Cayenne, Cleavers, Comfrey, Damiana, Echinacea, Garlic, Ginseng, Hawthorn, Horsechestnut, Hyssop, Motherwort, Mountian Grape, Mustard, Nettle, Oats, Poke Root, Sarsaparilla, Thyme, Wild Yam, Wormwood, Yarrow, and Yellow Dock.
Vulnerary - Vulnerary herbs are used externally to heal wounds and cuts. Good vulnerary herbs include Aloe, Chickweed, Comfrey, Elder, Golden Seal, Marigold, Marshmallow, Mullein, Plantain, Slippery Elm, St. John's Wort, Witch Hazel and Yarrow.