Abortificient – Capable of inducing a miscarriage.
Adaptogen - Herbs that normalize and restore bodily functions and increase the body’s ability to handle stress. Matthew Wood states this is usually by acting on the hypothalamus to improve endocrine regulation.
Alterative - Herbs that gradually restore health and vitality to the body by improving the metabolism (alteration) and elimination of toxins and humors from the lymph and blood.
Analgesic/Anodyne - Substance that relieves pain.
Antacid -Substances that neutralize excess acid in the stomach and intestinal tract.
Anthelmintic - Agent which kills worms and/or expels them from the GI tract.
Antibiotic- Substance that inhibit the growth of, or destroy, bacteria.
Anticatarrhal - Substances that dissolves or counteracts the formation of excess catarrh (mucus, humors, etc)
Anti-diarrheals – Slow or control frequent, loose bowel movements.
Anti-histamine - Works against the body’s allergic response by blocking the body’s production of histamine.
Anti-inflammatory – Herbs that reduce redness, heat and swelling of inflammation.
Anti-lithic - Herbs that act to dissolve and discharge urinary and biliary stones and gravel.
Anti-microbial - Assists the body in resisting and destroying microbes. Anti-septics, anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-fungal are all anti-microbials which focus on a particular type of pathogen.
Anti-neoplastic - works to dissolve or slow the growth of abnormal growths such as tumors or cysts.
Antiphlogistic - Reduces localized inflammations, itching and swelling.
Antipruretic - Inhibits itching.
Antipyretic – Cooling herbs used to reduce fevers
Antiseptic - Substances that can be applied to the skin to prevent the onset of bacterial infection and subsequent production of pus.
Anti-rheumatics – Eliminate or relieve aches and pains associated with the Musculo-skeletal system.
Anti-scorbutic - Substance contains Vitamin C and prevents scurvy.
Antispasmodic – Substances which prevent or relax muscle spasms.
Anti-tussive— Substance which suppresses a dry cough.
Aperient - Mildly stimulates bowel movement by increasing digestive secretions.
Aphrodisiac - Substances said to stimulate or enhance sexual function.
Aromatic - Substance that generally contains high amounts of volatile oils. May be spicy or pungent and usually stimulate depressed function. (Warming)
Astringent – Agents which cause constriction of tissues and closure of pores due to tannins present. - (Drying)
Bitter - Stimulates gastric function by increasing the secretion of various fluids in the GI tract including saliva, bile, and stomach acid.
Bronchiodilator - Capable of dilating and expanding the bronchi.
Carminative - Promotes digestion, expels gas, and relieves spasmodic pain in the bowels due to flatulence.
Cathartics - Substances containing anthroquinones which stimulate excessive purgation. Heavy-Duty laxatives.
Cholagogue – Substances which the flow and discharge of bile into the small intestine consequently promoting gall bladder function.
Decongestants - Relieves congestion of the sinuses. Often by reducing swelling of nasal passages.
Demulcent - Contain mucilage. Protect and coat in a manner similar to mucus. They also trigger reflex mechanisms that travel through the spinal nerves effectively reducing inflammation, irritation and dryness. According to herbalist Jim McDonald, “Though it makes sense that demulcents coat tissues, the physical mucilage is actually very poorly absorbed by the body, and certainly isn’t traveling through the blood to the kidneys. Rather, the ingestion of mucilage seems to promote a systemic moistening of tissues throughout the body, with some demulcents being more specific to particular organ systems.”
Deodorant - Neutralizes or prevents odors.
Diaphoretic (Stimulating) – Open the pores and promote perspiration. Per Jim McDonald ”promote circulation out from the core to the periphery”
Diaphoretic (Relaxing) - Open the pores and promote perspiration. Per Jim McDonald ”ease tension inhibiting outward circulation”
Diuretic -Substances that increases the flow of urine.
Emetic – Induces vomiting.
Emmenagogue - Herbs that promote and regulate menstrual flow. Not to be confused with an abortificient.
Emollients - Substances that soften the skin by easing access of water to dehydrated tissue. Often contain mineral salts.
Endotoxin- a bacterial toxin confined within the body of the bacterium. Note: often bacteria secrete endotoxins as exotoxins when they die due to a compromised cellular membrane.
Essential Oil - Volatile oils of a plant captured through the distillation process and marketed for use in aromatherapy.
Exotoxin - a toxin that is produced by a microorganism, such as a bacterium, and excreted into its surrounding medium.
Expectorant – Aids the body in expelling mucus from the lower respiratory tract.
Stimulating expectorant -Stimulate the nerves and muscles of the respiratory system to manifest a cough.
Relaxing expectorants – reduce tension in the lungs, often easing tightness, allowing natural coughing and flow of mucus to occur.
Amphoteric expectorant – May stimulate or relax depending on conditions present.
Febrifuge – Reduce fevers.
Fixed Oils - Stable oils contained in plants which do not evaporate upon exposure to air, but may go rancid after a prolonged shelf-life. Often used as carrier oils, emollients, etc
Galactogogue – Increases lactation.
Hemostatic – Promotes hemostasis, stopping bleeding. May also be called antihemorrhagic.
Hepatic - Herbs that strengthen and tone the liver.
Hepatoprotective - Act against chemical or biological damage to the liver.
Histamine - a chemical secreted by the body to initiate an inflammatory reaction.
Homeostasis - refers to a state of equilibrium of the internal environment of the body that is dynamically maintained by feedback and regulation.
Hypotensive—Reduces elevated blood pressure.
Langua vert, or “green tongue”-
Laxative - Substances that mildly stimulate bowel movement through peristalsis. Contain smaller amounts of anthraquinones than a cathartic.
Lymphatic – Supports the health and activity of the lymphatic system by stimulating flow and elimination of lymph.
Nervine (Tonic) – Have a tonic effect on the nervous system. Nourishing to the nerves.
Nervine (Stimulating) - “stimulates lax or stagnant tissues in relation to the nervous system”
Nervine (Relaxant) - “relax constricted or contracted tissues in relation to the nervous system”
Nervine (Sedating) – “relax constriction in relation to the nervous system.”
Oxytocic - Substances that stimulate uterine contractions to assist and induce labor.
Pectoral – Strengthen and heal the respiratory system.
Periphery- Anatomically speaking this term refers to outer regions of the body, more specifically the areas in which nerve ending can be found.
Relaxant- Reduce tension in body and may act as an anti-spasmodic.
Rubefacient - Substances that increase the flow of blood to the surface of the skin and produce redness. May be used to increase blood flow to an area to promote healing.
Sialogogues - Promote the secretion and flow of saliva.
Specific – Substance that has a powerful and singular action on an organ or body part.
Stimulants – Increase the energy of the body, quicken circulation and break up obstructions and congestion.
Styptics- Hemostatic substances which arrest bleeding through the astringent actions. Usually used externally.
Synergy – individual substances working together to produce an effect that is greater than the sum of their individual effects
Trophorestorative – Acts as a nutritional restorative for the body, usually with a strong organ-affinity. It corrects deficiency and weakness by tonifying and nourishing that organ or organ system.
Per Kiva Rose: ”A trophorestorative is an herb, food or other substance that acts as a nutritive restorative for the body, usually with a strong affinity for an organ or organ system and corrects deficiency and weakness not simply through temporary stimulation but through the vital nourishment of that organ or organ system. It is a tonic in the deepest sense of the word, in that it provides substance for the building up of strength and function. It order to be a true trophorestorative it must not bring harm or have undue side effects and be able to be used over a long period of time safely. Also, while many herbs are nutritives, trophorestoratives are unique in that they can restore actual physical function to a debilitated organ or tissue, as is the case with Nettle Seed (kidneys), Avena (nervous system) and Ashwagandha (endocrine system).”
Per Todd Caldecott: ”The “trophic state” is representative of the vital capacity of a system or tissue in the body. In chronic states of irritation or depression some degree of vital deficiency will manifest in the affected tissue, with a gradual loss of functional capability.… In any case where an organ or tissue can be determined to be suffering from a vital deficiency, trophorestoration should be undertaken as a long-term measure to restore normal function.”
Tonic - Stimulate nutrition by improving the assimilation of essential nutrients by the organs, they improve systemic tone giving increased vigor, energy and strength to the tissues of either specific organs or to the whole body. Most tonics have an organ-affinity.
Vasodilator - Herbs that expand and relax blood vessels and allow increased circulation.
Viriditas - Term coined by the medieval seer, Hildegard von Bingen, describing thePower of Nature describing” According to Sean Donahue, she found it in all living things, in the seed ready to burst forth; in youth and sexuality; and in the healing power of the green world.
Vermifuges - Eliminate worms from body.
Vulnerary – Herbs that help the body to heal wounds by promoting cell proliferation and tissue repair.
