Linden is well known as a relaxing remedy for use in nervous tension. Linden exhibits nervine, anti-spasmodic, hypotensive, diaphoretic, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, emmenagogue, and astringent properties.
Linden has a reputation as a prophylactic against the development of arteriosclerosis and hypertension. It is also considered to be a specific in the treatment of raised blood pressure associated with arteriosclerosis and nervous tension. It's relaxing action, combined with a general effect upon the circulatory system, also gives Linden a role in the treatment of some forms of migraine. Aphoresis, combined with this relaxation effect, explains this herb's value in feverish colds and flu.
In cases of raised blood pressure, Linden may be used with Hawthorne and European Mistletoe; for nervous tension, with Hops; and for the common cold, with Elder flower.
Lobelia stimulates respiration, reduces inflammation, and is an excellent expectorant. Lobelia is an indigenous North American annual or biennial plant found in pastures, meadows, and cultivated fields of the eastern U.S., as far west as Arkansas and Nebraska. This herb has been used extensively for its known antispasmodic, diaphoretic, diuretic, emetic, expectorant, and nervine properties. In the past, Lobelia has been used particularly for its antispasmodic qualities to treat asthma and whooping cough, and also in large amounts to induce vomiting.
Lobelia is one of the most useful systemic relaxants available to us. It has a general depressant action on the central and autonomic nervous system, and also on the neuro-muscular action. It may be used in many conditions in combination with other herbs to further their effectiveness if relaxation is needed.
Lobelia's primary specific use is in bronchitic asthma and bronchitis. An analysis of the action of the alkaloids present in this herb reveals apparently paradoxical effects. Lobeline is a powerful respiratory stimulant, while isolobelanine is an emetic and respiratory relaxant which will stimulate catarrhal secretion and expectoration while relaxing the muscles of the respiratory system. The overall action is a truly holistic combination of stimulation and relaxation!
Priest & Priest tell us that it is a "general systemic relaxant with diffusive stimulation - best where arterial action is strong. Equalizes circulation and relieves vascular tension. Vaso-motor stimulant - increases the activity of vegetative processes. Influences glandular system and respiratory tubuli. Contra-indicated in nervous prostration, shock and paralysis. Of brief continuance in asthenic conditions." They further give the following specific indications: Dislocations, trauma and hernias. Spasmodic and membranous coup, pertussis, bronchial asthma, bronchitis and pleurisy. Hepatitis, jaundice, nausea and hepatic congestion. High blood pressure, intestinal obstruction and neurasthenia.
Ellingwood considered it specific for "irritable, spasmodic and oppressed breathing, and in respiratory from exalted nerve force and nerve irritation. It is contra-indicated in general relaxation and in dyspnoea from enlarged or fatty heart, or from hydropericardium, or enfeebled heart, with valvular incompetence. It is specific in threatening spasm with exalted nerve action - a high degree of nerve tension with great restlessness and excitability, flushed face and contracted pupils. It is a prompt emetic in full doses."
The high regard that the eclectics held Lobelia in is reflected by Ellingwood's recommendation for the following pathologies: spasmodic asthma, whooping cough, spasmodic croup, membranous croup, infantile convulsions, puerperal eclampsia, epilepsy, tetanus, hysterical paroxysms, hysterical convulsions, puerperal eclampsia, epilepsy, tetanus, hysterical paroxysms, hysterical convulsions, rigid uteri, diphtheria, tonsillitis, pneumonia.
In the past, Lobelia has been used particularly for its antispasmodic qualities to treat asthma and whooping cough, and also in large amounts to induce vomiting. Externally, this herb can be made into a poultice for bruises, insect bites, sprains, felons, ringworm, erysipelas, and poison ivy irritation. Lobelia has also been used for decades as a systemic relaxant with a slight depressive effect on the central and autonomic nervous systems.
Ma Huang, also known as Ephedra, is a source of the Alkaloid family containing Ephedrine, which is the only known natural substance to exert a primary effect on the Thermogenic process. Used by itself, it is not effective unless extremely high amounts are consumed. Such high levels of consumption are not recommended due to the tendency of this substance to accelerate the heart rate. However, when combined in correct ratios, Ma Huang creates healthy Thermogenesis resulting in weight loss, increased energy, and sinus drainage for many people. This is how it works:
1. Mobilizes white fat stores into the bloodstream where they are carried to the brown fat to be burned up and dissipated as heat. This is Thermogenesis!
2. Directs the flow of blood to the muscles. This increases the oxygen and nutrient supply and results in greater energy and endurance.
3. Directs the flow of blood away from the stomach area. This results in appetite suppression.
4. Has a very slight stimulatory action on the central nervous system. This produces alertness, enhances mood, and reduces fatigue.
5. Dries up the sinuses and has a bronchial dilating effect. This helps to treat hay fever, allergies and asthma.
In Japan, Maitake (Grifron) mushroom is called "KING of MUSHROOM", and many researchers believe that Maitake has anti-tumor effects against syngeneic tumors, even help prevent the destruction of T-helper cells by HIV. Maitake mushroom also appears to have a superior ability to lower blood pressure, beneficial to obese patients.
Marshmallow
Floating in a steaming cup of cocoa or skewered on a sharp stick, marshmallows seem little more than glorified sugar puffs. It's hard to believe that the sugary confections have a place in medical history-even though the modern kind no longer contain the herb that gives them their name. Real marsh mallow is a plant with a long root that actually does grow in a marsh. Nineteenth century doctors extracted juice from the marsh mallow plant's roots and cooked it with egg whites and sugar, then whipped the mixture into a foamy meringue that later hardened, creating a medicinal candy used to soothe children's sore throats. Eventually, advanced manufacturing processes and improved texturing agents eliminated the need for the gooey root juice altogether. Unfortunately, that eliminated the confection's healing properties as a cough suppressant, immune system booster and wound healer.
Healing with Marsh Mallow:
Although the herb isn't widely available in America, with a little luck, you can find marsh mallow teas or crushed marsh mallow root at health food stores. Make a tea by boiling ½ to 1 teaspoon of crushed root per cup of water for 10 to 15 minutes. You may also find marsh mallow gel, which used externally on cuts and abrasions. This herb is effective at:
Quieting a cough and soothing sore throats: The flowers, leaves and roots of the marsh mallow plant all contain a thick, gooey substance called mucilage. "This substance soothes irritation in your throat and helps you stop coughing," claimed the late Heinz Rosler, Ph.D., formerly with the department of medicinal chemistry at the University of Maryland in Baltimore. In fact, when pitted against two other remedies in an Eastern European study of cough suppressants, marsh mallow outperformed both. IN Germany, teas containing marsh mallow are commonly sold for this purpose.
Soothing a cut: Used externally, marsh mallow gel may help heal minor abrasions like cuts, scrapes and burns.
Boosting the immune system: In one experiment, marsh mallow enhanced the ability of white blood cells to devour invading germs. This suggests that the plant's traditional use in wound treatment may have a sound scientific basis.
Pick Your Own:
Marsh mallow grows in marshes, bogs, damp meadows and along stream banks. The plant is a 5 foot perennial with a long taproot. The stems, which die back each autumn, are hairy and branching. The roundish, gray-green leaves are also hairy and grow about 1 to 3 inches long. The plant produces pink or white flowers in summer.
Want to grow your own? This plant flourishes in moist soil under full sun. Propagate it from seeds, cuttings or root division in autumn. Thin to 2 feet apart. Harvest roots only from plants over 2 years old. In fall, when the top growth has died back, dig out mature roots and remove the lateral rootlets. Wash, peel and dry them whole or in slices.
Safety Considerations:
There's nothing in medical literature suggesting that marsh mallow is dangerous in any way. Still, it's always best to use medicinal herbs in consultation with your doctor. If marsh mallow causes discomforts such as stomach upset, discontinue use.
Milk Thistle (Silybum marianum), is a member of the family Asteraceae. It is one of my personal favorites as it helped me through a very serious time in my life. Also known as the Marian, St. Mary's, and Our Lady's thistle, Milk Thistle should not be confused with the blessed or holy thistle (Cnicus benedictus), an entirely different species.
Milk Thistle is a tall herb with prickly leaves and a milky sap that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe. Milk thistle is among the most ancient of all known herbal medicines, having been used as a folk remedy for centuries for liver complaints. Recent research has demonstrated that extracts of Milk thistle do indeed protect against some very nasty liver toxins.
Research has uncovered a host of antihepatotoxic (liver protectant) compounds commonly referred to as silymarin. Silymarin has been shown to consist of a large number of flavonolignans, including silybin, isosilybin, dehydrosilybin, silydianin and silychristin. Animal studies have shown that silymarin exerts a liver protective effect against a variety of toxins, including the phallo toxins of the deadly Amanita phalloides mushroom.
Amanita phalloides is one of the most poisonous mushrooms in the world, containing toxins that are particularly destructive to the liver. Ingestion of this mushroom can lead to severe liver damage and death if untreated. The active ingredient of the herb is a bioflavonoid mixture called silymarin, the principal component of which is silybin. In animal experiments, when silymarin was given before poisoning by the Amanita phalloides mushroom, it was found to be 100 percent effective in preventing liver damage. Silymarin was also found to be completely effective if given to animals within ten minutes of exposure to the poison. When given within twenty-four hours it still prevented death and greatly reduced the amount of liver damage.
Silymarin also confers protection against the liver damage from dangerous solvents such as carbon tetrachloride and ethanol (alcohol). Silymarin has been used in the treatment of hepatic disorders in humans, and a German medical study found that liver function in patients with chronic hepatitis improved after three months of therapy with silymarin. A later study reported on the use of 420 milligrams of silymarin daily in patients with cirrhosis of the liver. Of twenty followed up for six to thirty-six months, ten were definitely improved and four had deteriorated.
The results of numerous studies suggest that silymarin not only protects liver cells by preventing the actions of toxic substances but that it also stimulate protein synthesis to accelerate the regeneration and production of liver cells.
Silymarin and component silybin function as antioxidants, protecting cell membranes from free-radical-mediated oxidative damage. This type of damage is known as lipid peroxidation. Most liver toxins produce their damaging effects by free radical mechanisms. Both silymarin and silybin protect red blood cell membranes against lipid peroxidation and hemolysis (breaking down of the red blood cells) caused by certain red blood cell poisons.
Milk thistle is presently available in the United States in concentrations that contain up to 80% silymarin. Silymarin is not soluble in water, and is therefore ineffective when taken in the form of a tea. Oral use requires a concentrated product. Milk thistle is marketed in the United States as a food supplement in the form of capsules containing 200 to 250 mg. of a concentrated extract representing 160 to 200 mg. of silymarin. Though relatively free from adverse affects, those with liver problems who wish to use milk thistle should be monitored by a health care professional to determine the products effectiveness.
Milk Thistle is a wonderful herb cleansing the liver of toxins. Duringthe first week or two of taking it...because it does such a good job of detoxing the liver...it can make you feel like you have been run over by a truck...this is just the toxins being released from the liver into your bowel and system so they can be excreted. Drink lots of WATER during taking any herbs...but especially with this one to help excrete the toxins. It is useful in those recovering from alcohol or drug problems, as well as build up in the liver from other pollutants.
Eatting green vegetables is also cleansing to the liver....used in conjunction with taking milk thistle and colon cleansing agents and enemas...will make you a new person.
