Herbal Lesson 17

Your Third Group of 10 herbs to learn (memorize)
Daniel Blankley·Tuesday, December 5, 2017

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YOU SHOULD HAVE COMPLETED Lessons 00 thru 16. Now we will press on to more advanced Herbal making so here is the next 10 Herbs for you to learn. These are not listed in order of importance or popularity, but according to the order in which they are required in the various hands-on practice videos.

REMEMBER: YOU ONLY NEED TO LEARN SIX THINGS ABOUT EACH HERB!

You need to learn the common name and botanical name, the parts of the plant used, whether to use dried or fresh, and what they are effective against. Note if they are toxic or restricted to external use. I find 3X5 cards the easiest way to drill myself and shuffle them between learning from them.

HERE IS WHAT I put on my 3X5 cards to practice.

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POT MARIGOLD

Calendula Officinalis

Parts Used: Petals

Use Dried

Good For: Astringant, Antiseptic, Anti-fungial, Anti-inflamitory

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SHUFFLE and use like Flash Cards. Put common Name on the back and turn over and try to remember all the info from the front. Have your child drill you (if you have one.. or borrow your friends kid  *smile* ) They will love it like being a teacher.

Take Heart.. we are only going to cover the top 30 Herbs used by Great Great Grandmas before WW I and she took care of virtually all the families health needs with 30 herbs or less along with some non-herbal substances.

NEW FEATURE: Click on the Name to Jump to Wikipedia or Click on [MH] after the name to jump to the page in The Modern Herbal which is more extensive.

Here are the First 10 Herbs you were already given to start: Have you learned them yet? Did you make 3X5 Cards? It really does help. Carry them around with you and practice them whenever you are waiting somewhere.

1. CHAI [MH] (you know it as Tea) 

2. COFFEE [MH] 

3. CHAMOMILE [MH] 

4. GARLIC [MH] 

5. MUSTARD [MH] 

6. THYME [MH] 

7. GINGER [MH] 

8. SAGE [MH] 

9 TURMERIC [MH] 

10. ROSEMARY [MH]

Here are the Second 10 Herbs you need to learn along with the above. Again you can click the name to jump to the page about that herb or [MH] to the Modern Herbal. I will give you a surprise with the final 10 Herbs list.

 11. LAVENDER [MH] 

12. LICORICE [MH] 

13. CLOVES [MH] 

14. CINNAMON [MH] 

15. CALENDULA [MH] 

16. ELDER BERRIES [MH] 

17. CAYENNE [MH] 

18. VALARIAN [MH] 

19. SLIPPERY ELM [MH] 

20 COMFREY [MH]

Here are the Third 10 Herbs you need to learn along with the above. Again you can click the name to jump to the page about that herb or [MH] to the Modern Herbal. I will give you a surprise with the final 10 Herbs list.  21 ONION [MH]

The onion (Allium cepa L., from Latin cepa "onion"), also known as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable that is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium. Its close relatives include the garlic, shallot, leek, chive, and Chinese onion.

Numbers, the fourth book of the Tanakh or Hebrew Bible, and also believed by scholarship to have been initially composed around the 5th century BCE, mentions onions when recounting scarce foodstuffs available before the Jewish exodus but unavailable at the time of its composition: 11:5 — "We remember the fish which we used to eat free in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic."

In the 6th century BCE, the Charaka Samhita, one of the primary works in the Ayurvedic tradition, documents the onion's use on the Asian subcontinent as a medicinal plant: "[A] diuretic, good for digestion, the heart, the eyes, and the joints."

A Greek physician of the first century, Dioscorides, also documents the medicinal use of the onion, pointing out its traditional use by athletes for "fortification" before the Olympic Games, when they are said to have been eaten in huge quantities, drank as juice, and rubbed upon their bodies.

Pliny the Elder, also in the first century CE, wrote about the use of onions and cabbage in Pompeii. He documented Roman beliefs about the onion's ability to improve ocular ailments, aid in sleep, and heal everything from oral sores and toothaches to dog bites, lumbago, and even dysentery. Archaeologists unearthing Pompeii long after its 79 CE volcanic burial have found gardens resembling those in Pliny's detailed narratives.

22 CABBAGE [No Listing]

Cabbage or headed cabbage (comprising several cultivars of Brassica oleracea) is a leafy green or purple biennial plant, grown as an annual vegetable crop for its dense-leaved heads. It is descended from the wild cabbage, B. oleracea var. oleracea, and is closely related to broccoli and cauliflower (var. botrytis), Brussels sprouts (var. gemmifera) and savoy cabbage (var. sabauda) which are sometimes called cole crops.

In addition to its usual purpose as an edible vegetable, cabbage has been used historically as a medicinal herb for a variety of purported health benefits. For example, the Ancient Greeks recommended consuming the vegetable as a laxative, and used cabbage juice as an antidote for mushroom poisoning, for eye salves, and for liniments used to help bruises heal. In De Agri Cultura (On Agriculture), Cato the Elder suggested that women could prevent diseases by bathing in urine obtained from those who had frequently eaten cabbage. The ancient Roman nobleman Pliny the Elder described both culinary and medicinal properties of the vegetable, recommending it for drunkenness—both preventatively to counter the effects of alcohol and to cure hangovers. Similarly, the Ancient Egyptians ate cooked cabbage at the beginning of meals to reduce the intoxicating effects of wine. This traditional usage persisted in European literature until the mid-20th century.

The cooling properties of the leaves were used in Britain as a treatment for trench foot in World War I, and as compresses for ulcers and breast abscesses. Accumulated scientific evidence corroborates that cabbage leaf treatment can reduce the pain and hardness of engorged breasts, and increase the duration of breast feeding. Other medicinal uses recorded in European folk medicine include treatments for rheumatism, sore throat, hoarseness, colic, and melancholy. In the United States, cabbage has been used as a hangover cure, to treat abscesses, to prevent sunstroke, or to cool body parts affected by fevers. The leaves have also been used to soothe sore feet and, when tied around a child's neck, to relieve croup. Both mashed cabbage and cabbage juice have been used in poultices to remove boils and treat warts, pneumonia, appendicitis,

 ARNICA [MH]

is a genus of perennial, herbaceous plants in the sunflower family (Asteraceae). The genus name Arnica may be derived from the Greek arni, "lamb", in reference to the plants' soft, hairy leaves. Arnica is also known by the names Mountain Tobacco and, confusingly, Leopard's bane and Wolfsbane—two names that it shares with the entirely unrelated genus Aconitum.

This Circumboreal and montane (subalpine) genus occurs mostly in the temperate regions of western North America, with a few species native to the Arctic regions of northern Eurasia and North America.

Several species, such as Arnica montana and A.chamissonis, contain helenalin, a sesquiterpene lactone that is a major ingredient in anti-inflammatory preparations (used mostly for bruises).

Medicinal uses See also: Helenalin According to The Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, "A few clinical trials suggest benefits of topical arnica for osteoarthritis; and for affecting significant reduction of bruising compared to placebo or low concentration vitamin K ointments A study of wound-healing after surgery to treat varicose veins found no statistically significant proof of efficacy

Homeopathy Homeopathic preparations of Arnica are widely marketed and used. In the UK, the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has registered the product for topical treatment of sprains and bruising under the National Rules for Homoeopathic Products (2006). These rules allow for these conditions to be made on the packaging in the absence of similar evidence to that required for conventional medicines under the Medicines Act 1968 and 1971.

24 BASIL [MH]

Basil (Ocimum basilicum), also called great basil or Saint-Joseph's-wort, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is also called the "king of herbs" and the "royal herb". The name "basil" comes from Greek (basilikón phutón), "royal/kingly plant".

Basil is possibly native to India, and has been cultivated there for more than 5,000 years. It was thoroughly familiar to the Greek authors Theophrastus and Dioscorides. It is a tender plant, best known as a culinary herb prominently featured in Italian cuisine, and also plays a major role in Southeast Asian cuisines of Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Taiwan. Depending on the species and cultivar, the leaves may taste somewhat like anise, with a strong, pungent, often sweet smell.

There are many varieties of Ocimum basilicum, as well as several related species or species hybrids also called basil. The type used in Italian food is typically called sweet basil (or Genovese basil), as opposed to Thai basil (O. basilicum var. thyrsiflora), lemon basil (O. × citriodorum), and holy basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum), which are used in Asia. While most common varieties of basil are treated as annuals, some are perennial in warm, tropical climates, including holy basil and a cultivar known as "African blue basil".

In folk medicine practices, such as those of Ayurveda or traditional Chinese medicine, basil is thought to have therapeutic properties  25 PLANTAIN [MH] (not the banana type)

Plantago is a genus of about 200 species of small, inconspicuous plants commonly called plantains or fleaworts. The common name plantain is shared with the unrelated cooking plantain, a kind of banana. Most are herbaceous plants, though a few are subshrubs growing to 60 cm (24 in) tall.

Plantago species have been used since prehistoric times as herbal remedies. The herb is astringent, anti-toxic, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, anti-histamine, as well as demulcent, expectorant, styptic and diuretic. Externally, a poultice of the leaves is useful for insect bites, poison-ivy rashes, minor sores, and boils. In folklore it is even claimed to be able to cure snakebite and was used the Dakota Indian tribe of North America for this. Internally, it is used for coughs and bronchitis, as a tea, tincture, or syrup. The broad-leaved varieties are sometimes used as a leaf vegetable for salads, green sauce, et cetera.

26 ALOE VERA [MH]

Aloe vera is a succulent plant species of the genus Aloe. An evergreen perennial, it originates from the Arabian Peninsula but grows wild in tropical climates around the world and is cultivated for agricultural and medicinal uses. The species is also used for decorative purposes and grows successfully indoors as a potted plant.

It is found in many consumer products including beverages, skin lotion, cosmetics, or ointments for minor burns and sunburns. There is little scientific evidence of the effectiveness or safety of Aloe vera extracts for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes. Studies finding positive evidence are frequently contradicted by other studies.

Aloe vera is used in traditional medicine as a skin treatment. In Ayurvedic medicine it is called kathalai, as are extracts from agave. Early records of Aloe vera use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from the 16th century BC, and in Dioscorides' De Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder's Natural History – both written in the mid-first century AD. It is also written of in the Juliana Anicia Codex of 512 AD. The plant is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of many countries. The herb boasts a myriad of healing properties. Aloe vera has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and wound-healing properties. It also can be used to treat burns, relax the bowels, and alleviate stomachaches.

27 CRANBERRY [No Listing]

Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus Oxycoccus of the genus Vaccinium. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species Vaccinium oxycoccos, while in North America, cranberry may refer to Vaccinium macrocarpon. Vaccinium oxycoccos is cultivated in central and northern Europe, while Vaccinium macrocarpon is cultivated throughout the northern United States, Canada and Chile. In some methods of classification, Oxycoccus is regarded as a genus in its own right. They can be found in acidic bogs throughout the cooler regions of the Northern Hemisphere.

Cranberries are low, creeping shrubs or vines up to 2 metres (7 ft) long and 5 to 20 centimetres (2 to 8 in) in height; they have slender, wiry stems that are not thickly woody and have small evergreen leaves. The flowers are dark pink, with very distinct reflexed petals, leaving the style and stamens fully exposed and pointing forward. They are pollinated by bees. The fruit is a berry that is larger than the leaves of the plant; it is initially light green, turning red when ripe. It is edible, with an acidic taste that can overwhelm its sweetness.

Cranberries are a major commercial crop in certain American states and Canadian provinces (see cultivation and uses below). Most cranberries are processed into products such as juice, sauce, jam, and sweetened dried cranberries, with the remainder sold fresh to consumers. Cranberry sauce is a traditional accompaniment to turkey at Christmas dinner in the United Kingdom, and at Christmas and Thanksgiving dinners in the United States and Canada.

One systematic review in 2017 showed that cranberry products significantly reduced the incidence of UTIs, indicating that cranberry products may be effective particularly for individuals with recurrent infections. When the quality of meta-analyses on the efficacy of cranberry products for preventing or treating UTIs is examined, large variation is seen, resulting from inconsistencies of clinical factors and study methods. Additional studies with better designs are warranted, particularly for women with recurrent infections and those who have developed antimicrobial resistance. In Traditinal Herbal Medicine – This herb is often used to fight prostatitis and bladder infections.

28 ECHINACEA [MH]

Echinacea is a genus, or group of herbaceous flowering plants in the daisy family. The Echinacea genus has nine species, which are commonly called coneflowers. They are found only in eastern and central North America, where they are found growing in moist to dry prairies and open wooded areas. They have large, showy heads of composite flowers, blooming from early to late summer. The generic name is derived from the Greek word (ekhinos), meaning "hedgehog," due to the spiny central disk. These flowering plants and their parts have different uses. Some species are cultivated in gardens for their showy flowers. Echinacea purpurea is used in folk medicine. Two of the species, E. tennesseensis and E. laevigata, are listed in the United States as endangered species.

Echinacea has traditionally been used in Herbal Medicine for its antibiotic properties and immune system builder. While one 2014 systematic review found that Echinacea products are not effective to treat or prevent the common cold, a 2016 meta-analysis found tentative evidence that use of Echinacea extracts reduced the risk of repeated respiratory infections. As of 2017, the benefit if any appears to be small and thus of little utility.

Precautions: When taken by mouth, Echinacea does not usually cause side effects, but may have undesirable interactions with various drugs prescribed for diseases, such as heart disease, bleeding, and autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, or psoriasis. Although there are no specific case reports of drug interactions with Echinacea, safety about taking Echinacea supplements is not well-understood, with possibilities that it may cause side effects, such as nausea, stomach upset or diarrhea, and that it may have adverse reactions with other medications.

One of the most extensive and systematic studies to review the safety of Echinacea products concluded that overall, "adverse events are rare, mild and reversible," with the most common symptoms being "gastrointestinal and skin-related." Such side effects include nausea, abdominal pain, diarrhea, itch, and rash. Echinacea has also been linked to allergic reactions, including asthma, shortness of breath, and one case of anaphylaxis. Muscle and joint pain has been associated with Echinacea, but it may have been caused by cold or flu symptoms for which the Echinacea products were administered. There are isolated case reports of rare and idiosyncratic reactions including thrombocytopenic purpura, leucopenia, hepatitis, kidney failure, and atrial fibrillation, although it is not clear that these were due to Echinacea itself. Up to 58 drugs or supplements may interact with Echinacea. The European Herbal Medicinal Products Committee (HMPC) and the UK Herbal Medicines Advisory Committee (HMAC) recommended against the use of Echinacea-containing products in children under the age of 12. Manufacturers re-labelled all oral Echinacea products that had product licenses for children with a warning that they should not be given to children under 12 as a precautionary measure.

In Western Herbalism – This herb is thought to increase the production of white blood cells, which boost the immune system. It also is believed to be a key ingredient in remedies designed to treat the common cold, the flu and various infections.

29 OREGANO [No Listing]

Oregano ( Origanum vulgare) is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to temperate Western and Southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region.

Oregano ( Origanum vulgare) is a flowering plant in the mint family (Lamiaceae). It is native to temperate Western and Southwestern Eurasia and the Mediterranean region.

Oregano is a perennial herb, growing from 20–80 cm (7.9–31.5 in) tall, with opposite leaves 1–4 cm (0.39–1.57 in) long. The flowers are purple, 3–4 mm (0.12–0.16 in) long, produced in erect spikes. It is sometimes called wild marjoram, and its close relative, O. majorana, is known as sweet marjoram.

Oregano oil has been used in folk medicine since ancient times. Oregano essential oil is extracted from the leaves of the oregano plant. Although oregano or its oil may be used as a dietary supplement, there is no clinical evidence to indicate that either has any effect on human health.

In 2005, the US Federal Trade Commission brought legal action against a firm that had claimed oregano oil treated colds and flu or relieved bacterial and viral infections. n 2014, the US Food and Drug Administration warned a Utah company, Young Living, that its herbal products, including oregano essential oil, were being promoted to have numerous anti-disease effects and so were being sold as unauthorized misbranded drugs subject to seizure and federal penalties.

In Western Herbalism – This popular herb is one of nature’s strongest antibiotics, and some feel it can successfully be used to combat Staphylococcus Aureas, E-coli, Yersinia enterocolitica, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

 30 MINTS [MH]

Mentha (also known as mint, from Greek míntha, Linear B mi-ta) is a genus of plants in the family Lamiaceae (mint family). It is estimated that 13 to 18 species exist, and the exact distinction between species is still unclear. Hybridization between some of the species occurs naturally. Many other hybrids, as well as numerous cultivars, are known.

The genus has a subcosmopolitan distribution across Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, and North America. There are three chief species of mint in cultivation and general use: Spearmint (Mentha viridis), Peppermint (M. piperita), and Pennyroyal (M. pulegium), the first being the one ordinarily used for cooking.The various species of mint have much in common and have all been held in high medical repute. Dr. Westmacott, the author of a work on plants published in 1694, mentioning the different kinds of mint, states that they are well known to:'the young Botanists and Herb Women belonging to Apothecarys' shops.... In the shops are 1. The dry Herbs. 2ndly. Mint Water. 3rdly. Spirit of Mints. 4th. Syrup of Mints. 5th. The Conserve of the Leaves. 6th. The Simple Oyl. 7th. The Chemical Oyl.' He says 'the Mints have a biting, aromatick bitterish Sapor with a strong fragrant Smell abounding with a pungent Volatile Salt and a Subtil Sulphur which destroyeth Acids, and herein doth lodge the Causation of such medicinal Virtues in this Herb and others of the like Nature.'All the Mints yield fragrant oils by distillation.

PEPPERMINT [MH]

Constituents Among essential oils, Peppermint ranks first in importance. It is a colourless, yellowish or greenish liquid, with a peculiar, highly penetrating odour and a burning, camphorescent taste. It thickens and becomes reddish with age, but improves in mellowness, even if kept as long as ten or fourteen years.

The chief constituent of Peppermint oil is Menthol, but it also contains menthyl acetate and isovalerate, together with menthone, cineol, inactive pinene, limonene and other less important bodies. Medicinal Action and Uses Peppermint oil is the most extensively used of all the volatile oils, both medicinally and commercially. The characteristic anti-spasmodic action of the volatile oil is more marked in this than in any other oil, and greatly adds to its power of relieving pains arising in the alimentary canal.

From its stimulating, stomachic and carminative properties, it is valuable in certain forms of dyspepsia, being mostly used for flatulence and colic. It may also be employed for other sudden pains and for cramp in the abdomen; wide use is made of Peppermint in cholera and diarrhoea.

It is generally combined with other medicines when its stomachic effects are required, being also employed with purgatives to prevent griping. Oil of Peppermint allays sickness and nausea, and is much used to disguise the taste of unpalatable drugs, as it imparts its aromatic characteristics to whatever prescription it enters into. It is used as an infants' cordial.

SPEARMINT [MH]

Garden Mint. Mentha Spicata. Mackerel Mint. Our Lady's Mint. Green Mint. Spire Mint. Sage of Bethlehem. Fish Mint. Menthe de Notre Dame. Erba Santa Maria. Frauen Munze. Lamb Mint.

Medicinal Action and Uses Spearmint is chiefly used for culinary purposes. The properties of Spearmint oil resemble those of Peppermint, being stimulant, carminative and antispasmodic, but its effects are less powerful, and it is less used than Peppermint, though it is better adapted for children's maladies. From 2 to 5 drops may be given on sugar, or from 1/2 to 1 teaspoonful of spirit of Spearmint, with 2 tablespoonsful of water. Spearmint oil is added to many compounds on account of its carminative properties, and because its taste is pleasanter and less strong than Peppermint. A distilled water of Spearmint will relieve hiccough and flatulence as well as the giddiness of indigestion. For infantile trouble generally, the sweetened infusion is an excellent remedy, and is also a pleasant beverage in fevers, inflammatory diseases, etc. Make the infusion by pouring a pint of boiling water on an ounce of the dried herb; the strained-off liquid is taken in doses of a wineglassful or less. It is considered a specific in allaying nausea and vomiting and will relieve the pain of colic. A homoeopathic tincture prepared from the fresh plant in flower has been found serviceable in strangury, gravel, and as a local application in painful haemorrhoids. Its principal employment is for its febrifuge and diuretic virtues.

In Western Herbalism– This herb can be used to aid bronchial problems and to treat issues with the nervous system.

REMEMBER that Western Herbalism uses around 150 different Herbs which are shown in Most Herbals. Dangerous or Toxic Herbs are often eliminated from modern Herbals. I prefer Herbals that show all the Herbs and clearly Label the Toxic Ones.

Most Pioneer Folk (even children) had a knowledge of around 50 Herbs including garden vegetables and seasonings. They included cabbage and apple and rhubarb and cherry, and many others, among ‘Herbs’, so in the beginning I thought to have you all learn all the top 50. Finally I decided to have you only learn the Top 30 (more or less) that Great Great Grandma and her mother used for remedies. You will find to your surprise at the end of this course, after brushing up on a few details, that you know more plants and herbs than you think  NEW FEATURE: CLICK on the Name to Jump to Wikipedia or CLICK on [MH] after the name to jump to the page in The Modern Herbal which is more extensive. Notes within lessons are generally taken from Wikipedia where you can read a whole article of each herb by entering it's name.

© Copyright 2018 by Daniel Blankley. All rights reserved.