177634770-The-Energetics-of-Western-Herbs-by-Peter-Holmes.pdf

The E NERGETICS OF WESTERN H ERBS Treatment Strategies  Integra  Int egrating ting Weste estern rn and a nd Orien O riental tal  Herbal  Her bal Medi Medicine cine

PETER HOLMES

Revised Third Edition

Vol. 1

Snow Lotus Press

Boulder

The E NERGETICS OF WESTERN H ERBS Treatment Strategies  Integra  Int egrating ting Weste estern rn and a nd Orien O riental tal  Herbal  Her bal Medi Medicine cine

PETER HOLMES

Revised Third Edition

Vol. 1

Snow Lotus Press

Boulder

 Important Notice Notice The information contained in this book is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, treat or prescribe, and does not purport to replace the services of a duly trained physician or practitioner. The information presented herein is correct and accurate to the author’s knowledge up to the time of printing. As herbal medicine (like everything else) is in constant development, however, it is possible that new information may cause future modifications to become neccessary. The only Chinese medical terms that have been retained in their original form is the word Qi, pronouced chee and meaning breath(s) or vital force(s), and the terms Yin and Yang. Yang. Acknowledgement is made for permission to reprint the following: From Henri Leclerc, Précis de phytothérapie, © 1983 Masson; reprinted reprinted by permission of Masson et Cie., Paris, France. From Virgil Vogel,  American Indian Medicine, © 1970 Virgil Virgil Vogel; Vogel; reprinted reprinted by permission of the University of Oklahoma Press, Norman. From Georg Harig,  Bestimmung der Intensität im Medizinischen System Galens, © 1974 Geor Georg g Harig; Harig; reprinted by permission of the author, Berlin, Germany. From Merlin Stone,  Ancient Mirrors of Womanhood, © 1979 Merlin Stone; reprinted reprinted by permission permission of  Beacon Press, Boston. Herb illustrations by Hazel Thornley Cover art by Ken Bernstein Cover calligraphy by Li Ming-lee Cover design by Peter Holmes Woodcut illustrations from Leonhardt Fuchs’ Kreuterbuch FOUR OURTH TH REV REVISED ISED EDIT EDITION ION Copyright © 1989, 1993, 1997, 2000, 2000, 2004 Peter Holmes Plant illustrations illustrations © 1989, 1997, 2000, 2004 Hazel Thornley Thornley All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the author, except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. ISBN 1-890029-06-8 Library of Congress Number 89-080816 10 9 8 7 6 5 Published by Snow Lotus Press, Inc. P.O. Box 1824 Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A. 303/443-9289 snowlotus.org Manufactured in the United States of America

Contents

The Materia Medica 12  Acknowledgments 21 Foreword: Rediscovering our Traditional Greek Medicine Roots, by Stephen Fulder, Ph.D 23 Foreword: An Historical Overview, by Ted Kaptchuk, O.M.D. 24 Foreword: The Value of Integration, by Randall Barolet, O.M.D. 25

PART ONE

Integrating Western and Oriental Herbal Medicine Traditions 1

Prologue 29 Herbal Medicine East and West: Medical Philosophy 39 Western and Oriental Thought: Complementary Paradigms Oriental and Greek Medical Concepts

2

Herbal Medicine East and West: Medical Theories 49 The Two Paradigms: Phenomenology and Analysis The Two Polarities Essential Traditional Chinese and Greek Medical Terms

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The Meaning of Integration 61 The Need for Integrating both Paradigms The Two Keys to Integration Working with both Paradigms within a New Context Integration and Localization

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The Materia Medica Reclassified 71 Present and Past Classifications of the Materia Medica Reclassifying the Materia Medica The Twenty-Four Herb Classes

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The Integral Presentation 79 The Herb’s Definition and Nomenclature The Herb’s Nature The Herb’s Functions and Indications The Herb’s Preparations

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Sources and Antecedents 97 The Wise Woman Tradition The Greek Medicine Tradition Primary Historical Sources

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Guidelines to Herb Administration 111 Herb Selection Duration Preparation

9

Dosage Herb Combining 8

Preparation Forms and Uses 121 Preparations for Internal Use Preparations for External Use

Endnotes 138

PART TWO

The Materia Medica Guidelines to Using the Materia Medica 145 Herbs for Eliminating 147 Class 1 Class 2 Class 3 Class 4 Class 5 Class 6 

Herbs to Promote Sweating, Dispel Wind-Cold/Heat and Reduce Fever 151  Diaphoretics Herbs to Promote Urination, Drain Water and Relieve Edema 183  Diuretics Herbs to Promote Bowel Movement, Resolve Accumulation and Relieve Constipation 199  Laxatives Herbs to Promote Expectoration, Resolve Phlegm and Relieve Coughing 217  Expectorants Herbs to Promote Menstruation and Relieve Amenorrhea 247  Emmenagogues Herbs to Cause Vomiting 263  Emetics

Herbs for Restoring 267 Class 7  Class 8 Class 9 Class 10

Herbs to Tonify the Qi, Replenish Deficiency and Generate Strength 270  Restoratives Herbs to Tonify the Yang, Dispel Cold and Generate Warmth 335 Stimulants Herbs to Nourish the Blood, Replenish Deficiency and Generate Growth 409  Nutritives Herbs to Nourish the Yin, Moisten Dryness and Generate Moisture 447  Demulcents VOLUME II 

Herbs for Draining 497 Class 11 Class 12

Herbs to Activate the Qi, Release Constraint and Relieve Pain 499  Relaxants Herbs to Clear Heat and Reduce Fever and Infection 601  Refrigerants, anti-infectives

Herbs for Altering and Regulating 665 Class 13

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Herbs to Promote Detoxification and Resolve Toxicosis 667  Detoxicants

Class 14 Class 15 Class 16 

Vitalize the Blood, Reduce Blood Congestion and Moderate Menstruation 739  Decongestants Resolve Mucous Damp, Reduce Mucus Congestion and Stop Discharge 769  Mucostatics Regulate Endocrine and Autonomic Nervous Functions 801  Hormonal and CNS regulators

Herbs for Symptom Treatment 809 Class 17  Class 18  Class 19 Class 20 Class 21 Class 22 Class 23 Class 24 Class 25

Herbs to Enhance Pregnancy and Childbirth 811 Pregnancy enhancers Herbs to Astringe and Stop Discharge and Bleeding 817  Astringents, hemostatics Herbs to Calm the Mind and Relieve Anxiety 837  Nervous sedatives Herbs to Stimulate the Mind and Relieve Depression 851  Nervous stimulants Herbs to Clear Internal Wind and Stop Spasms 855 Spasmolytics Herbs to Relieve Pain 857  Analgesics Herbs to Promote Tissue Repair, and Relieve Pain and Swelling 861 Vulneraries Herbs to Reduce Infection 863  Anti-infectives Herbs to Clear Parasites 869  Antiparasitics

Selected Bibliography 873 Glossary of Terms 883 Appendixes  Appendix A The Four Element System of Traditional Greek Medicine 889  Appendix B Synthesis of the Alchemical/Shamanistic Greek and Chinese Element Systems 891  Appendix C The Four Element Medicine Wheel 893  Appendix D The Eight Krases (Temperaments) and the Eight Biotypes 894  Appendix E  The Three Constitutions 895  Appendix F  Pharmaceutical Name Cross Index 896  Appendix G Botanical Name Cross Index 899  Appendix H  Common Name Cross Index 909 Repertory 919 Index 947

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS

The Materia Medica Herbs for Eliminating Class 1

Promote Sweating, Dispel Wind-Cold/Heat and Reduce Fever 151  Diaphoretics Promote Sweating and Dispel Wind-Cold 155 Pungent, warm stimulant diaphoretics (arterial stimulants) Peppermint leaf (and essential oil) Ginger root (and essential oil) Butterbur root Wild ginger root Hazelwort root Oshá root Promote Sweating and Dispel Wind-Heat 167 Pungent, cool relaxant diaphoretics (peripheral vasodilators) Catnip leaf Calamint leaf Fieldmint herb (and essential oil) Spearmint leaf (and essential oil) Elder flower Linden flower Boneset herb Vervain herb Blue vervain herb or root

Class 2

Promote Urination, Drain Water and Relieve Edema 185  Draining diuretics Lovage root Goldenrod herb Couch grass root Squills bulb Broom tops Dandelion leaf European elder bark

Class 3

Promote Bowel Movement, Resolve Accumulation and Relieve Constipation 204 Stimulant laxatives (purgatives) Cascara sagrada bark Buckthorn bark Rhurbarb root Senna leaf Aloe resin Tamarind pulp

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THE MATERIA MEDICA Class 4

Promote Expectoration, Resolve Phlegm-Damp and Relieve Coughing 217  Expectorants Promote Expectoration and Resolve Phlegm-Cold 219 Pungent, warm stimulnt expectorants Thyme herb (and essential oil) Hyssop herb (and essential oil) Ground ivy herb Basil herb (and essential oil) Seneca snakeroot Winter savory herb (and essential oil) Scotch pine needle (and essential oil) Bloodroot Yerba santa leaf  Inmortal root Promote Expectoration and Resolve Phlegm-Heat 236 Pungent, cool sedative expectorants Eucalyptus leaf (and essential oil) Pleurisy root White horehound herb Coltsfoot herb Scabious root and herb

Class 5

Promote Menstruation and Relieve Amenorrhea 247  Emmenagogues Blue cohosh root Pennyroyal herb Rue herb Birthwort root

Class 6 

Cause Vomiting 263  Emetics

Herbs for Restoring Class 7 

Tonify the Qi, Replenish Deficiency and Generate Strength 267  Restoratives Tonify Heart Qi, Vitalize Heart Blood, Restore Coronary Circulation 276 and Relieve Precordial Oppression  Neurocardiac and coronary restoratives Hawthorn berry Ginkgo leaf  Arnica flower Lily of the valley herb Cereus stem and flower Tonify Digestive Qi, Promote Absorption and Relieve Fatigue 290 Sweet digestive restoratives (anastative nutritives) American ginseng root Elecampane root Licorice root Parsley root

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS Tonify Urinary Qi, Harmonize Urination and Relieve Incontinence 301 Urinary restoratives (antienuretics, antileucorrheals, diuretics) Fennel seed (and essential oil) Buchu leaf  Poplar bark  Gravel root Sea holly root Button snakeroot Tonify Reproductive Qi, Regulate Menstruation and Treat Infertility 311 Uterine restoratives (fertility restoratives) Chastetree berry Helonias root Mugwort herb California mugwort herb White deadnettle herb and root Geranium herb (and essential oil) Rose flower (and essential oil) Jasmine flower Tonify Reproductive Qi, Fortify the Yang and Relieve Impotence 329  Reproductive restoratives (aphrodisiacs) Saw palmetto berry Damiana leaf  Class 8

Tonify the Yang, Dispel Cold and Generate Warmth 335 Stimulants Stimulate the Heart and Circulation, Dispel Cold and Relieve Debility 340 Pungent, warm arterial and cardiac stimulants (cardiovascular stimulants) Rosemary leaf (and essential oil) Cinnamon bark (and essential oil) Camphor resin (and essential oil) Bayberry bark  Stimulate Circulation, Dispel Wind-Damp-Cold and Relieve Joint and Muscle Pain 351 Pungent, warm muscular stimulants (diaphoretic antirheumatics/antiarthritics) Juniper berry (and essential oil) Prickly ash bark  Sassafras root bark  Guaiacum wood Virginia snakeroot Jamaica sarsaparilla root Bittersweet stalk  Cowslip root Meadowsweet herb Stimulate Digestion, Warm the Middle, Resolve Mucous-Damp and Relieve Abdominal Fullness 369 Pungent, warm digestive stimulants (carminatives) Calamus root Angelica root (and essential oil)

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From Gart der Gesundeit, Antwerp, 1533

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Herbal Medicine East and West: Medical Philosophies The Yellow Emperor asked: “Why is it that people these days cannot always recover from their illnesses by drinking cereal broths and wine delicacies?” Qi Bo replied: “Today, people can only recover from their illnesses through the internal treatment with herbs, and the external treatment of sharp stone needles and moxibustion.” Huang Di Nei Jing (The Yellow Emperor’s Classic of   Internal Medicine), chapter 14, 5th century B.C.

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everal themes recur time and again in Western and Oriental herbal medicine today, running deeply through these healing arts as they are currently practiced. These themes concern the very assumptions on which the practice of  herbal medicine rests. They affect its very rationale and basic ways of proceeding in the areas of  pharmacology, diagnostics and therapeutics. Today, when we are witnessing a major rebirth of  natural healing methods, they are very much at the forefront of current developments. In this chapter we want to probe issues that have deep historical and philosophical roots, issues whose ramifications unconsciously affect anyone involved in Western or Oriental medicine. We will begin to suggest answers to such questions as What makes Western and Chinese herbal therapies so fundamentally different from each other? Why is herbal medicine in the West a forgotten art, whereas in the East it  has continued as a flourishing tradition? We may begin to answer these questions by noticing their common pull. Evidently, underlying these is a fundamental curiosity about the relationship of different parts to a larger whole. The question,  How do different systems of herbal

medicine relate? is perhaps one of the most basic enquiries today. If we are to obtain concrete answers to these questions, however, the general historical and philosophical terrain in which they lie needs to be explored. Specifically, we need to take a closer look at the significant points of similarity and difference between two of the major systems of  herbal medicine, the Western and the Oriental. In so doing, we can lay the foundation for a new holistic context that encompasses both systems. This context would not only clarify their interconnections, but also provide greater insight into each. Establishing this larger context would allow us to explore ways of integrating the most refined and useful aspects of each system. Our aim after all, is to further a more whole, authentic and efficacious system of herbal medicine. There are essential points of contact among Oriental, Greek-Galenic and modern herbal medicine. First, Chinese and traditional Greek  systems share as a common basis the  phenomenological, or observational, method. This is a very strong similarity, as we will see shortly. Second, Greek medicine and modern herbal medicine have the same exploratory, analytical bias. However, the common ground of Oriental

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS and Greek herbal systems in comparison to modern herbalism is much stronger than the common ground of the Greek and modern systems compared to the Oriental. The Materia Medica in this text presents the common ground of the phenomenological approach, as expressed by both Greek and Oriental medicine. Phenomenological thinking is simply based on observing phenomena closely, rather than on speculating through general theories. For this reason, it is also called observational thinking. This approach places more emphasis on the sensible qualities that herbs possess, such as taste, warmth, texture, color, etc.; the human biotypes, i.e., psychosomatic character types that they serve; and the syndromes of disharmony that are their indications. The phenomenological method is less concerned with quantifiable aspects, such as the biochemical constituents of plants, the treatment of  disease mechanisms with these, and symptom removal. If a text on herbal therapy is to be holistic in more than just name, and use expressions such as “patterns of disharmony” in a way more meaningful than a trendy cliché, then it should live up to its purported aim by a holism of content and method—not merely by a holism of idealistic intent. Phenomenology, as best exemplified by the Greek and Chinese botanical systems, as well as by the Western wise woman tradition, is the very root of this Materia Medica. Moreover, the analytical approach rooted in Greek medicine (and most clearly represented by modern herbalism) is also integrated into the present Materia Medica. Under the heading Nature, for example, are listed not only the herb’s traditional qualities of taste, warmth and moisture, but also its quantifiable chemical constituents. The section on each herb’s functions and indications, for example, lists not only the traditional Chinese and Greek syndromes, but also the Western disorders for which each botanical has proven useful. Clearly, we need to examine these points of  contact between the two systems a bit more closely. This will allow us to truly appreciate their relative similarities and differences.

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Western and Oriental Thought: Complementary Paradigms Cultural Paradigms What is it that fundamentally determines any system’s medical theory, in its conceptual or linguistic aspect? Historically, it is a culture’s philosophy, as an expression of its ontology. Cultural philosophy informs the paradigms, or basic organization of concepts, on which medical theories rest. Moreover, medical language itself  reflects the philosophical heritage of any given culture. Examining this language historically allows us to pinpoint, more or less specifically, the differences of approach to health, sickness and healing between Asia and the West. Before embarking on an exploration of the similarities in philosophy and medical thought between East and West, we may usefully begin by defining their differences. Generally speaking, whereas Western thinking is more based on logic, linear causality and isolation, Oriental thinking is based on patterns, relations and synthesis (or holism). Western thought is analytical, positivist and reductionist; Oriental thinking manifests dialectic and phenomenological qualities. Western thought is based on empirical observation, which leads to the creation of a theory. Truth undergoes a life cycle of knowledge characterized by a long, slow phase of  development, followed by a sudden, short, revolutionary change—which in turn makes way for the germ of a new theory. 1 Truth is a transcendent established paradigm or set of beliefs behind a theory. By dominating all knowledge, this truth tends to create a rigid, structured monopoly, in which other truths are incompatible and therefore necessarily inadmissible. Historically this has been true of secular truths, such as natural scientific theories, as well as of religious truths. Truth in the West has the character of the masculine principle, authoritarian and exclusive, as reflected in societies dominated by the patriarchal archetype. Oriental thought, on the other hand, remains more connected to eidetic, precognitive experience. Observing in a different mode, Oriental thinking sees universal models or

HERBAL MEDICINE EAST AND WEST: MEDICAL PHILOSOPHIES emblems of laws in its observations. 2 Truth is an immanent pool of knowledge that allows for continuous dialogue, ongoing cyclic changes and innumerable variations—without altering the contextual structure of the universal models of  knowledge itself. 3 This may be seen in the religions, arts and natural sciences throughout China’s history. Truth in the Orient is very much like the feminine principle, all-embracing without being dominating, hidden yet everywhere immanent. Examples may be seen in societies past and present that have a matrifocal bias. The Western wise woman tradition itself has retained the essence of this kind of thinking. Examples of these differences in Western and Oriental thinking immediately spring to mind. In the West, both A RISTOTLE ’s concept of the four elements, namely, water, earth, air, and fire, and Galen’s theory of the four fluids were very slow in developing. These two theories only gradually evolved and changed to accommodate new facts over a period of one and a half milleniums. During this entire time, the two theories held absolute sway over thinking in medicine and the natural sciences. However, the first theory came to a rapid end in the sixteenth century among the heady fumes of the Iatrochemists’ laboratories when they primitively discovered chemical elements. The second theory came crashing down in the cynically simple experiments of French biochemist F RANCOIS M AGENDIE in the first decade of the 1800s. Both theories have since been replaced by the theories of the atomic elements and cellular pathology, and more recently by other theories such as electrical biomedicine. The point is that, although autocratic while they exist, the theories all have predictable, limited life cycles—like those of biological phenomena. Like biological phenomena, they evolve and fall. The situation is quite different with the Oriental type of thinking. Here patterns of thought such as Yin/Yang, the five elements and the six divisions of Yin/Yang have endured from prehistoric times without any development or radical fall. They are still as important in the East as they have always been. Not being theories in the Western sense, but universal models of knowledge and templatal repositories of information, they have been interpreted, utilized and modified in countless ways. They have been applied to every conceivable human enterprise, including

geomancy, medicine, art and historical interpretation, to cooking, warfare and fortunetelling. The validity, let alone the existence, of  these giant models themselves has never been questioned. This would be as meaningless as questioning the existence of sunlight, or of life itself. Yin/Yang simply is, and can be experienced in life itself—that is all there is to it. Hence there has been a stability and endurance to these emblems, in spite of the countless variations and presentations in which we find them. Their constancy and endurance very much resemble the permanence of the cosmos itself, with its ever present (although ever changing) sun, moon and stars. In the West, truth is becoming. In the East, truth is given.

The Paradigms Informing Western and Oriental Medicine Turning now to the healing arts specifically, we see the Western paradigm exemplified by the dominance of one medical theory above all—whether based on fluids, vital force, tissue tone, cells, atoms or whatever. In early Greek  medicine, for example, each medical school (Dogmatic, Pneumatic, Hippokratic, etc.) had its dominant theory to the exclusion of all other theories. The brilliant eclectic synthesis of these divergent Greek theories constructed by G ALEN itself became the paramount theoretical paradigm in the hands of practitioners up to the seventeenth century. The Oriental way, in contrast, is characterized by the simultaneous coexistence of several medical models. Here, both the eight principles ( ba gang) and the five elements ( wu xing) may be used as working models of pathology, depending on which best fits the need of any given case. Another example is the concurrent use of two diagnostic models. First, the six stages of disease according to the six channels (liu jing), as set out in the Shang  Han Lun (Treatise on Cold Diseases). And second, the four stages theory according to the four levels (si fen), as presented in the Wen Bing Lun (Treatise on Warm Diseases). It is clear that a culture’s basic thinking processes, the paradigms that it develops and the medical theories that follow, are inextricably linked. The theories that Oriental medicine and

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7 

Guidelines to Herb Administration  If th os e of th es e ti mes wo ul d but be , by a jo ynt  Concurrence, as industrious to search into the secrets of  the Nature of Herbs, as some of the former, and make tryall of them as they did, they should no doubt find the  force of Simples many times no lesse effectuall, than that  of Compounds, to which this present age is too too much addicted. William Cole, Adam in Eden, 1657

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e need to consider a variety of factors when using botanical remedies: the herb chosen, how long and how often it is taken, how it is prepared, what dosage is used, and what climate prevails. All these factors influence the therapeutic outcome. All are part of the overall therapeutic context. Our aim is to find the right combination of  factors for each particular condition being treated. The following guidelines are just that—indications, not hard and fast rules. In any event, experience is the best teacher in administering herbs. To use these guidelines well it is important to decide which of the above-mentioned factors is the most important. For theoretical and practical reasons it is often impossible to take all of them into account. Elements such as the weather and season usually have low priority and in practice cause only slight if any modification of the preparation being prescribed. In acute conditions, for example, dosage and timing of administration is probably the most crucial. In chronic conditions, however, using the right preparation form may be the foremost consideration. As another example, the various types of hot conditions all require different prescribing approaches. Full heat usually requires large doses of a water preparation, empty heat smaller doses of either water or tincture preparation, damp-heat and blood-heat may need repeated smaller doses.

The following variables are presented to help determine the type of herbal medication to be given. They are presented in order of importance.

Herb Selection The selection of an appropriate remedy, or combination of remedies, is the core of herb usage, regardless of the case under treatment. All other considerations follow from and depend on which herb is chosen. We should stress that all the following factors governing herb selection only become effective when considered in light of a differential diagnosis of the problem in question. Such a diagnosis includes an assessment of the nature, location, origin, etiology and progression of a disorder. This holds true no matter whether a more analytical Western style diagnosis is done (based on tissue conditions, for example), or whether a more observational Chinese, Greek or Ayurvedic method is used. The principle of differentiating among various conditions giving rise to symptoms is the critical element of both types of diagnosis. When the various parameters of a condition are assessed, whether according to the eight principles in Chinese medicine or according to the restore/relax, stimulate/sedate principles of vitalistic Western herb medicine, herb selection is directly affected. The choice of a remedy affects all aspects of prescribing, including the dosage.

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS The main factors to consider when choosing an herb are the following: 1) The treatment principle , i.e., whether treating • the constitutional individual ground preventively • the condition of disharmony remedially • the specific symptoms remedially If treatment is geared toward treating individual biotypes on a constitutional level, then mild (non-toxic) botanicals represent the ideal first choice. Medium-strength herbs may be used, but only in small quantities as part of an overall herbal formula. If specific symptoms are being addressed, remedies from any category are suitable. The same is true when treating syndromes or conditions. 2) The treatment method , i.e., whether the herb is to • eliminate • restore • drain • alter and regulate • treat symptoms Within each of these categories, a specific method must be chosen. For example, for the Restoring method, should the herb • Tonify the Qi and replenish deficiency (Class 7) • Tonify the Yang and dispel cold (Class 8) • Nourish the blood and replenish deficiency (Class 9) • Nourish the Yin and moisten dryness (Class 10) If a Restoring method such as tonifying the Yang is chosen, then stimulants (Class 8) should be selected. Botanicals in this Materia Medica are organized according to the treatment methods used to facilitate this very selection. A full listing of  possible herbs in each class may be found in the summa-rizing lists at the end of the Materia Medica (Volume 2). 3) The type of conditions being treated, i.e., whether • chronic or acute • global or local • internal or external • deficient or excessive • cold or hot …as well as whether any injuries are present, such as • infection • toxicosis

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• congestion (of blood, fluids, mucus) • fever • internal wind • spirit disharmony Chronic conditions require mild remedies that can safely be taken over months at a time if necessary, whereas acute conditions may need stronger herbs. Some remedies have more general and systemic effects, whereas others have more specific and local uses. Most herbs treat internal conditions when taken internally. In addition, some can treat external conditions such as wind-cold and wind-heat, wind/damp/cold obstruction, etc. (Classes 1 and 8). Deficiency conditions require Restoring treatment methods using restorative, stimulant, nutritive, or demulcent remedies (Classes 7-10). Excess conditions need either Draining treatment methods using relaxant or refrigerant remedies (Classes 11 and 12) or Eliminating treatment methods using diaphoretics, diuretics, laxatives, expectorants, emmenagogues or emetics (Classes 1-6). Cold conditions need stimulants that dispel cold and generate warmth (Class 8), while hot conditions should be treated with refrigerants that clear heat and reduce fever (Class 12). Disorders presenting specific injuries such as congestion or infection, and those causing acute symptoms, require appropriate herbs mainly from the Symptom Treatment section. For example, in conditions with infection, anti-infectives that stimulate immunity and reduce infection (Class 23) should be chosen. In conditions with excess spirit problems, or internal wind, nervous sedatives (Class 19) should be selected. In conditions with toxicosis, detoxicants that promote detoxification and resolve toxicosis (Class 13) should be chosen. 4) The individual ground being treated, especially the condition of the vital force (righteous Qi) For example, if the vital force is weak, all Eliminating remedies (Classes 1-6) should either be avoided, or combined with Restoring herbs (Classes 7-11). The heat-clearing method (Class 13) should also be used cautiously here. Conversely, Restoring methods should be used most often, when possible. Every individual biotype has herbs that represent restoratives for that person, whether for

Class 1 Diaphoretics Herbs to Promote Sweating, Dispel Wind-Cold/Heat and Reduce Fever Known as diaphoretics, remedies in this class promote perspiration in order to reduce fever and remove pathogens. The treatment strategy of  promoting sweating is used to resolve external or surface conditions: these involve the skin as the most external body tissue, and remain in their initial phase of development. External conditions are acute infectious conditions that are usually triggered by viral invasion or flare-up, sometimes followed by bacterial proliferation. In H AN S SELYE’s model of stress and illness (1976), they belong to the initial or alarm stage of general adaptation within the body’s nonspecific response to stressors. As such, they represent an acute healing crisis in the individual’s striving for homeostasis. Because exterior conditions can present in a few basic ways, depending on the body’s response to pathogens, energetic medicine empirically defines these as external wind-cold or wind-heat syndromes.

The Nature and Dynamics of External Wind-Cold/Heat According to records, L AZARUS RIVIERE in sixteenth-century France seems to have been the first Western physician to develop the use of sweating as an eliminant method in its own right. He adopted this treatment strategy when the other eliminant methods were inappropriate or ineffective. Before RIVIERE , Greek medicine practitioners tended to rely almost exclusively on the four qualities theory (hot/cold, dry/moist) for diagnosis and treatment— the diaphoretic method is relatively unimportant in the canonical Hippokratic texts. R IVIERE, however, had access to then exotic botanicals the Greeks did not possess—strong diaphoretics like Guaiacum wood ( lignum Guaiaci ) and Sassafras root bark  (cortex radicis Sassafrae). As he records in his  Institu tio nes Med ica e, he successfully applied these for clearing up various stubborn chronic disorders. In supplementing classic four-qualities treatment with diaphoretic treatment, R IVIERE

brought widespread recognition to the latter as a treatment strategy in its own right. When environing pathogenic influences, simply called wind, cold and heat in Chinese and Greek medicine, begin to disrupt the functional integrity of the human organism, a conflict between the person’s vital force (known as righteous Qi,  zheng qi ) and the pathogen is set up. The immune system engages, and the conflict then causes symptoms such as chills, sneezing, headache and a floating pulse. This is the symptom pattern that characterizes an external (surface) condition. It is typically seen at the onset of a cold, flu, sore throat or other type of acute upper respiratory infection. The outcome of this initial struggle can assume different forms, depending on the exact interplay of three basic factors. First, there is the person’s own ground (terrain), i.e., her predisposition to infection in general. This is directly related to factors such as constitution, mental and emotional state, and level of toxicicosis. Second, there are more immediate factors, such as the virulence of the environing pathogen. The balance of predisposing and triggering causes will determine the third factor, the vigor of the individual’s own defense response. This vital response consists of both the internal activity of the defense and immune system, and of the more manifest signs of  fever and sweating. If defenses are weak, then regardless of the virulence of the offensive pathogen, the result will be no fever or inflammation. This is a wind-cold condition. If this condition continues over some time, as it often does, it is liable to progress to the exhaustion stage of adaptation. In Chinese medical terms, the condition will progress from the tai  yang to the tai yin stage of disease. If, on the other hand, the defense response is good, and again regardless of the virulence of the pathogen, there will be a dynamic warmth response with fever or inflammation: a wind-heat condition.

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS In both cases it is the organism’s own immediate defense response that determines the manifestation of the condition, not the nature of the pathogen itself. The pathogen is merely the trigger in this dynamic situation. The type of defense response exhibited has been very generally correlated to the two essential iris types, the blue iris (e.g., Lymphatic, Hydrogenoid) and the brown iris (e.g., Hematogenic, Biliary)—the first tending more to windheat onsets, the latter more to wind-cold onsets (BROY 1992). In either case, the person’s defenses may either overcome or succumb to the pathogens. If the defense functions win out over the pathogens, the conflict is effectively resolved. If pathogens endure, however, the condition then enters the resistance phase of adaptation and becomes chronic by nature, going into the  yang ming and/or any of  the three Yin stages of disease. If the conflict ends in a stalemate, subacute conditions ensue, usually in the shao yang stage.

The Treatment of External Wind-Cold and Wind-Heat The overall treatment strategy for resolving external conditions hinges on supporting the organism’s own active defenses. As these defenses consist, first, of the warmth response called fever and sweating, the need is for botanicals that will encourage these functions: the diaphoretics (sudorifics) in this class. It is known that a high temperature actually assists in reducing or stopping microbial proliferation, while the act of sweating itself not only keeps the temperature under control, but also speeds up the removal and elimination of toxic debris that results from the conflict. Promoting sweating can thereby shorten the duration of the defense response, and in the case of timely treatment, lenify or even prevent the condition entirely. It is in this sense that we should understand the Chinese term for this treatment method, biao jie fa, “ exterior-releasing method.” Moreover, because the defense response may be a weak one (in wind-cold) or a strong one (in wind-heat), the treatment priority will be somewhat different in each condition.

The Herbs that Promote Sweating The energetic tendency of diaphoretic remedies is

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active, light, dispersing and penetrating by nature, much like a centripetal water fountain. By pushing fluids towards the exterior and causing sweating, they effectively release the exterior and resolve the conflict.  Diaphoretics invariably possess a pungent (spicy) taste and a dry nature. The majority contain volatile (essential) oils that account both for these effective qualities and their variously disinfectant, anti-infective, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory actions.  Diaph oretics are divided into warming, stimulant and cooling, relaxant kinds. The hot water infusion is the finest medium for bringing out the surface-releasing action of diaphoretic herbs, This was recognized by early American Physiomedicalists W ILLIAM C OO K (1869) an d T HOMAS LYL E (1897). Hot infusions should be sipped while still hot in order to promote a warm perspiration. Note that in some constitutions this may be an insensible sweating rather than a noticeable one. Promote Sweating and Dispel Wind-Cold • Pungent-warm stimulant diaphoretics

Remedies in this category are used for the onset of  viral infectious external conditions such as the common cold, flu, rhinitis, sinusitis and pharyngytis, as well as non-infectious, allergic catarrh. They are characterized by the syndromes external wind-cold and head damp-cold. Typical symptoms include chilliness, little or no sweating, no fever, sneezing, aches and pains (especially in the muscles), sneezing, nasal or sinus congestion, clear nasal discharge, frontal headache, a stiff neck and a floating, tight pulse. If any inflammation with pain is present (as in sinusitis, laryngitis or pharyngitis), it tends to be mild. The treatment intention here is first, to support the body’s defenses by stimulating an adequate expression of fever and sweating. For this, pungent-warm arterial stimulant diaphoretics, such as Cinnamon bark, fresh Ginger root, Peppermint herb, Prickly ash bark and Cayenne pepper are indicated. The equivalent Oriental herbs would include Cassia Gui Zhi (Cassia cinnamon twig), Ledebouriella Fang Feng (Wind-protector root) and Angelica Bai Zhi (White angelica root). Many of  these herbs are also found among the arterial stimulants (Class 8) that stimulate circulation and dispel cold. Most stimulant diaphoretics possess excellent anti-infective (including immunostimu-

HERBS TO PROMOTE SWEATING lant and antiviral) actions as part of their total effect. Second, particular symptoms may be relieved, especially in the case of head damp-cold presenting sinus pain, nasal congestion and discharge.  Nas al decongestants such as Wild ginger root, Peppermint herb and Magnolia bud (Magnolia Xin Yi Hua) should be selected, as well as anticatarrhals (mucosal restoratives), including Goldenrod herb, Eyebright herb and Elder flower. Promote Sweating and Dispel Wind-Heat • Pungent-cool relaxant diaphoretics

Botanicals of this type are indicated when external wind-heat conditions arise from bacterial upper respiratory infections such as pharyngitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, acute sinusitis, rhinitis, conjunctivitis and blepharitis. These conditions are typified by fever, few or no chills, signs of acute inflammation such as painful, swollen, red throat and eyes, nasal congestion and pain with yellow-green discharges, and a floating, rapid pulse. The treatment priority here is to carefully control and resolve the warmth response. Fever should be steered to a resolution before the temperature becomes excessive (never above 105°F or 45°C). This is done by causing free perspiration, in this case to assist cooling the exterior as well as to eliminate toxins. The remedies of choice in windheat conditions are pungent-cool  pe ri ph er al vasodilatory diaphoretics that allow sweating to occur by relaxing the peripheral vessels. Known as relaxant diaphoretics for short, they count Boneset herb, Linden flower, Catnip herb, Eucalyptus leaf, Camomile flower and Elder flower. In the Oriental pharmacy, herbs like Schizonepeta Jing Jie (Japanese catnip herb), Mentha Bo He (Asian fieldmint herb) and Chrysanthemum Ju Hua (Chrysanthemum flower) fulfill the same functions. Should the temperature remain too high in spite of this, bittercold antipyretics like Boneset herb, Gentian root, Bogbean herb and Anemarrhena Zhi Mu (Knowmother root) are indicated to drain excessive heat (partly through liver stimulation) and to restore the person’s strength. Vasodilatory diaphoretics are also indicated for hot conditions affecting the thorassic area (the upper warmer). These are mainly acute bacterial infectious bronchial conditions, as seen in lung heat and lung phlegm-heat syndromes. Moreover,

these botanicals represent the treatment of choice in all eruptive conditions such as measles, mumps, chickenpox and scarlet fever. Here also, promoting sweating increases toxin elimination and fever resolution, with special emphasis on promoting the eruption of rashes—the visible end-result of a successful healing crisis on the exterior or skin level.

Other Uses for Herbs that Promote Sweating It is interesting to note that the doctor credited with introducing the sweating treatment strategy to traditional Greek medicine, L AZARUS R IVIERE , initially used it mainly for resolving difficult chronic conditions rather than for acute respiratory infections. Likewise, over in New England, S AMUEL T HOMSON in the 1790 s developed the use of  steam baths and the simultaneous intake of Cayenne pepper for treating a broad range of chronic conditions. Again, his treatment strategy was to cause sweating—taking his cue from Native American sweat lodge ceremonies rather than from Greek medical texts. T HOMSON initiated an impulse in the modern era of herbal medicine that lasted well into the twentieth century (see also the introduction to Class 8). In the first half of the nineteenth century, driven by the proselytist Thomsonian practitioners, sweating became popularized by the Popular Health Movement in the U.S. as the all-purpose, preventive treatment method  par excel lence . In Germany there soon followed the popular practices of V I N Z E N Z P R I E S S N I T Z , K A RL S C H R O T H an d SEBASTIAN KNEIPP, followed in turn later into the twentieth century by the Nature Cure and Hygenic school of naturopaths, which included H ENRY LINDLAHR, HERBERT M. S HELTON and HEREWARD CARRINGTON. Hydrotherapy, or water treatments, have also been extensively used in the West for obtaining the benefits of sweating. J OHN FLOYER’s hydrotherapy practices in the English West Country during the early 1700s come to mind. Although little known today, JOHN FLOYER was a pioneer, among other things, in developing the use of bathing in hot spring mineral baths in order to generate warmth and promote sweating (see also Chapter 2, the Endnotes to Chapters 1 and 2, and the introduction to Class 8). Given the lack of bathing of any type

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS in those days, it isn’t surprising that his mineral bath treatments were both effective and fashionable with the upper classes for several decades! In short, there are many traditional and modern methods for promoting sweating for health maintenance. Many cultures use sweat cabins or types of  hot baths, using either dry heat or damp heat, including Native American sweat-lodges, Finnish dry heat saunas and Turkish hot steam baths. In clinical practice, promoting sweating is normally used to manage the onset of acute external infectious conditions. When applied to internal and chronic conditions, however, sweating effectively promotes detoxification by stimulating catabolism and toxin elimination. P ARACELSUS aptly named sweat an “excretion of the blood,” while CHRISTOPH HUFELAND described the skin as “the organism’s most general and powerful organ of secretion and cleansing.” In order to perform its functions as an eliminatory organ, as well as a nervous-sensory one, the entire skin surface needs to breathe freely and be free of toxic encumberance. Like the lung to which it is closely connected, the skin rhythmically both receives and eliminates. When skin breathing is impaired, surface stagnation results, which thereby obstructs an important elimination pathway. Sweating is thus also an effective treatment for conditions that involve surface skin stagnation. The three main types are: toxicosis with surface stagnation, water congestion with superficial edema, and Qi constraint with nervous tension. Because diaphoresis helps the removal of  toxins that cause surface stagnation, conditions involving the skin, muscles and  joints respond well to this treatment strategy. This is true of eruptive fevers, for instance, and the syndromes wind obstruction with its acute wandering pains, and

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damp obstruction with its static chronic pains (as found in sciatica, fibromyalgia, lumbago, intercostal neuralgia, etc.). Any condition presenting rough, dry skin with an inability to sweat is also improved by the diaphoretic method. Noninfectious, nonallergic dry eczema typically results from reduced skin breathing: It causes skin itching, eruptions and, finally, inflammation and infection. Dry skin is often found in chronic rheumatic and arthritic conditions, as well as generally in Yang Ming Earth, Shao Yang and Yang Ming Metal biotypes. All these conditions indicate the use of  detoxicant stimulant diaphoretics such as Meadowsweet herb, Heartsease herb, Sassafras bark, Sarsaparilla root and Cowslip root. These remedies can also be combined with Class 13 detoxicants. Conditions of water congestion with upper body edema, especially with metabolic toxicosis present, will also respond well to this treatment method. So to some extent will conditions of  general plethora presenting adiposity, cellulite, overweight, venous and portal congestion, hypertension and so on. When relaxant diaphoretics are used to promote sweating, a general relaxing effect is also achieved. By lowering both nerve and general tissue tone,  peripheral vasodilators can address conditions of Qi constraint. This relaxant effect is ideal in tense, excess Yang-type people prone to restlessness, irritability and spasms (autonomic and peripheral).  Relaxant diaphoretics are describe in the wind-heat section above. Caution: Remedies in this class should not be used in conditions of copious sweating, fluids depletion, blood loss, venereal infections, colitis and bleeding ulcers, or in chronic deficiency conditions such as cancer, TB and diabetes.

THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS

N OTES Like all other vasorelaxant diaphoretics in this section, Spearmint leaf addresses a wind-heat onset of respiratory infections. Moreover, this particular mint is a true antipyretic remedy. Like Eucalyptus leaf and Boneset herb, it can lower the temperature under most circumstances during a fever. This is in contrast to Peppermint leaf which, being essentially hot and stimulating, reduces fever purely by causing sweating and accelerating all processes involved in resolving an infection. Spearmint in addition is a gentle sedative to the central nerves, and so is appropriate for fevers with irritability, unrest or insomnia. An acupuncture point selection such as LI 5, TH 5, Lu 6 and 10, Bl 11 and 12, and Liv 3 would do Spearmint  justice. Spearmint leaf is a remedy for both upper and lower respiratory infections presenting heat, mucous and sputum. The main actions it brings to bear are anti-inflammatory, mucolytic and mucostatic. Lung phlegm-heat with heavy expectora-

tion is here a classic syndrome indication. Spearmint leaf also has a good tropism for the urinary tract. Here the herb is known to both decrease frequent dribbling urination and relieve supressed urination with its refrigerant, relaxant  diuretic actions. Many forms of cystitis —in the literal sense of a bladder inflammation—are likely to benefit, including interstitial cystitis. Much like Peppermint leaf and Fieldmint herb, Spearmint leaf is an excellent choleretic and cholagogue that treats gallbladder Qi stagnation presenting nausea, distension and flatulence. Like Fieldmint and the Chinese remedy Citrus Chen Pi, it addresses Liver Qi stasis with accumulation, not spasm. For colicky spasms, we need to go to Peppermint, Catnip or Citrus Qing Pi. For accumulation and spasm, we must resort to Saussurea Yun Mu Xiang. Spearmint leaf is an invaluable support with stronger remedies, perfect for mild cases, and very useful with infants and children.

Elder Flower

Botanical source: Sambucus nigra L., S. canadensis L. (Caprifoliaceae) Pharmaceutical name : Flos Sambuci Ancient names: Amantilla, Atrapasse (Lat) Other names: a) Black/European elder, Boretree, Scot tree, Pipe tree, Bottry, Devil’s wood, Winlin berries (Eng) European/Common/Parsley elder (Am) Sureau noir, Seu, Sognon, Hautbois (Fr) Schwarzer Holunder, Holler, Holder, Flieder, Alhorn, Keilken, Kisseke, Schwitztee (Ge) b) American/Common/Sweet elder (Am) Part used: the flower; also the berry

N ATURE Therapeutic category : mild remedy with minimal chronic toxicity Constituents (S. nigra): flavonoids (incl. rutin, quercetin, kaempferol), essential oil (incl. terpenes), cyanogenic glycoside (sambunigrin), alkaloid (sambucine), triterpenes (incl. [hydroxy]ursolic acid,

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CLASS 1: PROMOTE SWEATING AND DISPEL WIND-HEAT oleanolic acid, amyrin, sterols), fixed oil (incl. linoleic/linolenic/palmitic acids), phenolic acids (incl. chlorogenic acid), tannins, mucilage, saccharides, potassium nitrate, resin Effective qualities : somewhat pungent, sweet and bitter, cool, dry stimulating, dispersing, decongesting, softening, dissolving Tropism: lungs, skin, kidneys, bladder Warmth, Fluid bodies Lung, Spleen, Bladder meridians decreases kapha, increases vata Ground: Phlegmatic krases

ACTIONS 1

AND

INDICATIONS

PROMOTES SWEATING, DISPELS WIND-HEAT, REDUCES FEVER AND PROMOTES ERUPTIONS; RESOLVES MUCUS-DAMP AND STOPS DISCHARGE

external wind-heat with heat toxin: fever, chills, dry skin, sore throat, anxiety, irritability COLD and FLU ONSET with FEVER

lung wind-heat with head damp-heat: cough, wheezing, purulent nasal discharge, sinus congestion, sore throat, chills, low fever SINUSITIS, RHINITIS, tonsilitis, laryngitis, rhinitis ERUPTIVE FEVERS (incl. measles, chickenpox) LOW-GRADE TIDAL FEVERS (shao yin stage) with empty heat and thirst RHEUMATIC FEVER

2

PROMOTES EXPECTORATION, RESOLVES PHLEGM-DAMP AND RELIEVES WHEEZING; RESTORES THE LUNGS

lung phlegm-damp/heat: full cough with copious expectoration of white/yellow purulent sputum BRONCHITIS (acute or chronic), bronchial asthma LUNG TB

3

PROMOTES URINATION, DRAINS WATER AND RELIEVES EDE MA; PROMOTES DETOXIFICATION, SOFTENS DEPOSITS AND BENEFITS THE SKIN

water congestion: local or general swelling/edema, fatigue, full flabby tissues EDEMA (incl. from febrile and eruptive diseases)

 kidney Qi stagnation: headache, dry skin with rashes, abdominal distension DEPOSITORY DIATHESIS: arteriosclerosis, urinary sand or stones ECZEMA, PUSTULAR, SUPPURATIVE (chronic), infantile eczema, erysipelas, chronic ulcers with serous

secretions and soft borders, rheumatic and syphilitic conditions, chilblains, lymphadenitis 4

CLEARS TOXIC-HEAT AND REDUCES INFLAMMATION; SOFTENS BOILS AND DRAWS PUS

 bladder and kidney damp-heat: frequent, urgent, painful urination, thirst URINARY INFECTIONS

 fire toxin: purulent sores, boils, furuncles, abscesses, ulcers (esp. in face, mouth, throat, lungs) MOUTH, THROAT and SKIN INFLAMMATIONS, mouth ulcers, meningitis, stomatitis EYE INFLAMMATIONS, sore tired eyes

5

PROMOTES LACTATION INSUFFICIENT LACTATION

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS

P REPARATION Use: In most European countries herbalists, as well as country folk, made (and still make) a distinction between the flowers, berries, bark and leaf of the Elder tree. While to some extent they share similar properties, for best results keep to the following guidelines: Use the flower to: • promote sweating and all other actions under function 1 • promote expectoration, etc., function 2 • promote diuresis and treat other urinary conditions of function 3 • clear toxic heat and inflammation, function 4 Use the berry to: • relieve acute or chronic neuralgias, constipation, deficient lung conditions and food poisoning Use the inner bark and root to: • relieve water congestion, nephritis, obstinate constipation, rheumatism and gout Use the leaf to: • relieve skin damp-heat (use an ointment), skin cancer, and for support in diabetes Elder flower infusion is sipped hot for respiratory infections, while the tincture is used for most other applications. Eye washes, swabs, compresses and ointments are excellent for topical conditions. Other traditional preparations of Elder flower and/or berry include the wine, vinegar, oil, syrup, honey, puree (known as “false Theriac” in the past and made from the berry), water and smoke. Dosage: Infusion: 6-14 g Tincture: 2-4 ml Caution: None

N OTES Few plant remedies have received more veneration in mythology, nor been put to greater practical use in the West for medicine and magic than the Elder tree. Its genus name derives from a Greek musical instrument made of its wood, the sambuke. As seen above, every single part of the elder tree was used at one time for specific therapeutic ends. Of these, the flower is the most versatile. With its pungent-bitter-sweet taste, Elder flower’s energy is first stimulating, dispersing and then downward draining. The first phase of its energetic movement causes a stimulation of  secretions, including sweat, saliva and mucus, followed by a phase of drying out and elimination of fluids and toxins. Along the way, this versatile remedy is able to tackle numerous conditions. Central to Elder flower’s application for respiratory conditions is the treatment of  external wind-heat: acute upper and lower respiratory infections with fever. This remedy is choice when these present with toxic heat (fire toxin), i.e., swollen local infections, often purulent, such as pharyngitis, tonsilitis or conjunctivitis. Through vasodilatory diaphoretic stimulation, Elder flower releases conditions on the exterior, resolves fever and, with its added diuretic action, resolves toxic

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heat through resolvent detoxification. The effect is similar to Lonicera Jin Yin Hua and Forsythia Lian Qiao in Chinese medicine, but without their powerful anti-infective action. Note the similarity of chemical constituents between these three remedies, especially as regards their content in various acids and flavonoids. Elder flower also contains the important flavonoids rutin and quercetin, noted for their antiinflammatory and antiallergic actions. It is not surprising, therefore, to find the remedy traditionally indicated for allergic and inflammatory conditions of the upper respiratory tract, such as rhinitis, sinusitis, laryngitis and asthma (which entails an important inflammatory component). In addressing the syndromes lung wind-heat, lung-phlegm heat and lung phlegm-damp, Elder flower shows a versatile tropism for the respiratory tract.Its additional expectorant effect serves both acute and chronic forms of bronchitis with copious sputum production. Like Yarrow herb, Plantain leaf and Goldenrod herb, Elder flower is also a good mucostatic that restores the mucosa to moderate secretions in the sinuses and bronchi. Elder flower’s drying quality is therapeutically important in resolving various damp conditions.

CLASS 1: PROMOTE SWEATING AND DISPEL WIND-HEAT These include mucous-damp with the nasal congestion just mentioned, phlegm-damp with catarrhal bronchial congestion, wind-damp in the skin and water-damp (water congestion) with edema. Elder flower’s draining diuretic action also serves acute forms of urinary infections and water retention in eruptive fevers such as measles. Elder flower also enjoys a rich legacy of use as a dermatological alterative. Eclectic physicians

chose this herb specifically for wet, suppurative forms of ulcers and eczema. The herb’s depurant, detoxicant effect is indicated for eczema with pustules that burst and form hard crusts. The TCM syndrome here again would be wind-damp in the skin. A dissolvent action is also evident in the remedy’s traditional European use for reducing and/or preventing hard deposit formations, such as urinary stones.

Linden Flower

Botanical source : Tilia cordata Miller , T. platiphyllos Scopoli, T. americana L. (Tiliaceae) Pharmaceutical name : Flos Tiliae Other names: Lime tree, Teil tree (Eng) Basswood, Bast tree, American linden, Spoonwood, Wycopy (Am) Tilleul, Tilleul à petites feuilles, Thé d’Europe (Fr) Linde, Steinlinde (Ge) Duan Shu Hua (Mand) Part used: the flower

NATURE Therapeutic category : mild remedy with minimal chronic toxicity Constituents (T. cordata): essential oil c. 0.1% (inc. farnesol), saponins, flavonoids (incl. quercitin, hesperidin, astragalin, tiliroside), protocatechic (condensed) tannins, phenolic acids, mucilage, linarin, oxydase, sterols, iodine, tartrates, malates, phytosterols, resinic acids, manganese, vitamin C Effective qualities : somewhat pungent, sweet and astringent, cool, dry stimulating, dispersing, relaxing, calming, dissolving, diluting Tropism: lungs, heart, kidneys blood, central nervous system Air, Warmth bodies Lung, Liver meridians decreases pitta and kapha, increases vata Ground: Choleric krases Tough/Shao Yang and Industrious/Tai Yang biotypes Hematogenic/Sulphuric/Brown Iris constitutions

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CLASS 7: TONIFY REPRODUCTIVE QI AND FORTIFY THE YANG

Tonify Reproductive Qi, Fortify the Yang and Relieve Impotence  Reproductive restoratives (aphrodisiacs)

Saw Palmetto Berry

Botanicals source : Serenoa serrulata L. (syn. Sabal serrulata L.) (Palmaceae) Pharmaceutical name : Fructus Serenoae Other names: Dwarf palm, Sabal berry (Am) Zwergpalme (Ge) Part used: the fruit

NATURE Therapeutic category : mild remedy with minimal chronic toxicity Constituents: essential oil 1%, sterols (incl. ß-sitosterol), polysaccharides (arabinose, galactose, uronic acid), alkaloid, fixed oil (incl. fatty acids 25% [incl. caproic, lauric, palmitic acid, neutral lipids 75%]), resins, tannins Effective qualities : somewhat sweet, oily, astringent and pungent, warm, moist restoring, stimulating Tropism: reproductive and urinary organs, nerves, thyroid Air, Fluid bodies Kidney, Bladder, Liver, Spleen, chong, ren meridians Ground : Melancholic krasis Sensitive/Tai Yin Metal and Burdened/Shao Yin biotypes Lymphatic/Carbonic/Blue Iris constitution

FUNCTIONS 1

AND

INDICATIONS

TONIFIES REPRODUCTIVE QI, FORTIFIES THE YANG AND RELIEVES IMPOTENCE; STRENGTHENS AND NOURISHES THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS, AND INCREASES HORMONES; PROMOTES CONCEPTION, LACTATION AND ORGAN DEVELOPMENT

 genitourinary cold (Kidney Yang deficiency): loss of sexual desire, painful dribbling urination, clear discharges, tenderness or throbbing pain in lower abdomen or perineum IMPOTENCE, FRIGIDITY, INFERTILITY URINARY INCONTINENCE, ENURESIS, DYSURIA PITUITARY DEFICIENCY with TESTOSTERONE / PROGESTERONE / THYROXINE / PROLACTIN DEFICIENCY BREAST / OVARY / TESTICLE HYPOTROPHY INSUFFICIENT LACTATION

uterus cold: scanty, delayed, irregular menstruation, painful ovulation, fatigue AMENORRHEA, LONG or IRREGULAR CYCLES, PMS, menopausal syndrome

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS 2

REDUCES SWELLING AND INFLAMMATION, STRENGTHENS THE BLADDER AND PROSTATE, AND RELIEVE S IRRITATION

PROSTATE / OVARY / UTERUS HYPERTROPHY or CONGESTION with dull throbbing pain (esp. from

testosterone/progesterone deficiency); benign prostate hyperplasia OVARIAN CYSTS BLADDER and PROSTATE IRRITATION, urinary incontinence SALPINGITIS, ovaritis, orchitis, urethritis, pyelitis, laryngitis MALE PATTERN BALDNESS

3

TONIFIES DIGESTIVE QI, PROMOTES ABSORPTION AND TREATS UNDERWEIGHT

 stomach and intestines (Spleen) Qi deficiency: fatigue, underweight, appetite loss MALABSORPTION, WEIGHT LOSS, anorexia, amenorrhea MUSCULAR HYPOTROPHY

4

NOURISHES LUNG YIN, MOISTENS DRYNESS, PROMOTES EXPECTORATION AND RELIEVES COUGHING; STIMULATES IMMUNITY, REDUCES INFECTION AND BENEFITS THE THROAT

lung dryness/Yin deficiency: irritating or dry cough, dry throat and mouth lung phlegm-dryness: dry cough with scanty viscous sputum,wheezing IRRITABLE DRY COUGH in all conditions LUNG TB, BRONCHITIS, whooping cough, asthma (all mostly chronic)

lung wind-heat: sore swollen throat, coughing, aches and pains, fatigue LARYNGITIS, COLD and FLU ONSET VOICE LOSS, throat pain

P REPARATION Use: Saw palmetto berry is prepared by decoction or tincture. The hard kernel, which is about as heavy as the remaining drupe, should ideally be removed first, as it is inert. Suppositories can be prepared for all prostate conditions, given twice a day and ideally after every bowel movement. The syrup is ideal for treating dry, irritated conditions of the upper and lower respiratory mucosa (function 4). Dosage: Decoction: 4-8 g Tincture: 1-3 ml Caution: Use cautiously in conditions with intestines (Spleen) damp: Saw palmetto berry has an oily, moist quality that may cause indigestion and loose stool.

N OTES The dark red berries of the small dwarf palm, or saw palmetto, of the American South have long been valued for their tonic properties. Well over two centuries ago, African Americans observed that livestock feeding on them became sleeker, heavier and stronger. They soon made the same experience themselves and, as a bonus, noticed a gratifying increase in their sexual drive and fertility. Sooner or later the word got out to the whites (as it always did), and by the 1870s Eclectic medics like G OSS , HALE and JOHN LLOYD began documenting the pleasing clinical results achieved with the alcoholic extracts of Saw palmetto berry. They extolled the remedy’s ability to increase

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nutrient assimilation, promote weight gain and, above all, to generally tonify and relax the nerves, respiratory mucosa and reproductive system. Following rashes of research, Saw palmetto currently enjoys scientific approbium for its ability to treat benign prostate hyperplasia (hypertrophy). Unfortunately, the academic overfocus on the tree of one documented action has lead us to overlook the whole forest of its clinical applications. Currently the remedy emerges as an endocrine restorative for deficiency conditions of the reproductive, urinary, muscular and intestinal organs. Circumstantially it seems that Saw palmetto may operate at least partly by enhancing

CLASS 7: TONIFY REPRODUCTIVE QI AND FORTIFY THE YANG pituitary functions (a  pituitary-gonadal stimulant ), including this gland’s hormonal influence on the gonads (via testosterone and progesterone), the thyroid (via thyroxine) and the breasts (via prolactin). In this connection we note the berry’s content of the androgenic/testosteronic steroid sitosterol. Today the pharmacokinetics of sitosterol are known to involve the inhibiting action of dihydrotestosterone on the prostate. A thyroid-toning effect also seems evident, at least as regards sexual development and behavior (M OWREY 1987). Considering this larger hormonal picture of  Saw palmetto’s pharmacology, the remedy’s traditional key symptomatology now becomes more understandable. It includes fatigue, appetite loss, underweight, amenorrhea, urinary incontinence, impotence, frigidity, infertility and ovarian, testicular and mammary hypotrophy or hypertrophy. From the energetic perspective, Saw palmetto berry’s dominant sweet-oily, moist, warming qualities restore and nourish weakness and cold in the urogenital and digestive tract. The remedy is a particularly effective “ nutritive tonic,” or trophorestorative, to the reproductive organs. The syndromes addressed are genitourinary cold (Kidney Yang deficiency ) and stomach and intestines (Spleen) Qi deficiency. In both syndromes Saw palmetto tackles the whole gamut of symptoms, with a special emphasis on relief of fatigue, normalization of ovulation, menstruation and sperm production; enhancement of sexual strength, increase of sexual organ size, if small or hypotrophied; and increase of nutrient absorption, muscle bulk and weight gain. In treating a woman with irregular, variable and scanty menstruation arising from Kidney Qi deficiency, for instance, Saw palmetto acts in the same way as would acupuncture points Kd 5, Li 5, CV 3, Kd 13 and Bl 23. Declining levels of testosterone have shown to contribute to weakening pelvic muscles. Saw palmetto’s testosteronic action can also strengthen bladder tone and relieve urinary leakage and irritation, making it an important urinary restorative. The Eclectic medical instructor B LOYER pointedly reported that “ ... it is said to be the friend of the old man—the most positive remedy we possess for the relief of some of the difficulties that beset the declining years of about four-fifths of our old men.”

As a respiratory restorative and expectorant  with sweet-pungent, moist qualities, Saw palmetto berry has a particular soothing and moistening, yet clearing effect in dry, irritated and inflammatory condi-tions of the bronchi and throat. It will treat lung dryness/Yin deficiency with or without sputum present, thereby relieving irritable cough, regardless of the disease present. Because of its immunostimulant and anti-inflammatory actions, the remedy is useful in laryngitis and other sore throat conditions. We should remember that the majority of  Eclectic practitioners regarded Saw palmetto essentially as a regulator of reproductive organ size, not merely as a trophic reducer  in congested, swollen or hypertrophic, inflammatory conditions (function 2). This includes F INLEY ELLINGWOOD, writing in 1919. Eclectic physicians administered Saw palmetto in both hypertrophic and hypotrophic conditions of the sexual organs. Despite this, it is ironic to see that then, as now, there existed rampant skepticism about the clinical experience of previous generations of herbal medicine practitioners. In light of current knowledge it is truly disappointing to read the following passage by FYFE (1905): It has been employed with some success in atrophy of the prostate gland, but in view of its enlarging influence upon other glands of the sexual system, it does not seem probable that it can exert the great reducing action upon the prostate claimed for it by some authors ... we cannot explain why Saw palmetto should increase the size of the mammae, the testes, the reproductive organs generally, and specifically reduce the size of the prostate, and we do not believe that it does.

This erroneous conclusion—so typical of the modern era—represents a sobering reminder that clinical experience is valuable in its own right, as a fact of clinical science—one that ultimately does not depend for its correctness, clinical or political, on the successive vagaries of theoretical speculation, academic research or pharmacological fashions. It also is a humbling reminder that plants —yes, even today—can work in mysterious ways, and achieve results simply beyond the ken of the logical mind.

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CLASS 7: TONIFY REPRODUCTIVE QI AND REGULATE MENSTRUATION

Tonify Reproductive Qi, Regulate Menstruation and Treat Infertility Uterine restoratives (fertility restoratives)

Chastetree Berry

Botanical source: Vitex agnus castus L., V. trifolia L. (Verbenaceae) Pharmaceutical name: Fructus Viticis agni-casti Ancient names: Agnos, Lygnon (Gr) Agnus castus, Salix amerina (Lat) Other names: a) Chasteberry, Chaste lamb, Abraham’s balm b) Three-leaf chaste tree (Eng) Gattilier, Agneaux chaste (Fr) Keuschbaum, Keuschlamm, Schaffmüllen, Kloster/Mönchspfeffer (Gr) Part used: the fruit

NATURE Therapeutic category: mild remedy with minimal chronic toxicity Constituents: essential oil 1.64% (incl. sabinene, 1.8 cineole, alpha-pinene), glycosides (vitexinin and vitexin) Effective qualities: bitter, pungent, somewhat astringent, neutral with cooling and warming potential, dry restoring, relaxing, calming, stimulating Tropism: urogenital organs, intestines, liver, uterus, pituitary, sinews Air, Fluid bodies Liver, Kidney, Spleen, Lung, chong, ren meridians Ground: All krases, biotypes and constitutions

FUNCTIONS 1

AND

INDICATIONS

TONIFIES REPRODUCTIVE QI; HARMONIZES REPRODUCTION, MENOPAUSE AND SEXUALITY; INCREASES PROGESTERONE AND INHIBITS PROLACTIN; STOPS DISCHARGE

 reproductive (Kidney) Qi deficiency: sexual disinterest, amenorrhea, long or irregular cycles HYPERPROLACTINEMIA with GONADAL DEFICIENCY, incl.: INFERTILITY, AMENORRHEA, PMS PROGESTERONE DEFICIENCY with PITUITARY-GONADAL DEFICIENCY, incl.: PMS with weepiness, withdrawal, thirst, swollen or lumpy breasts, sexual disinterest, irregular cycles SEXUAL DISINTEREST, vaginal dryness, frgidity, impotence MENOPAUSAL SYNDROME SEXUAL OVERSTIMULATION (satyriasis, nymphomania), PREMATURE EJACULATION

lower warmer damp: vaginal or seminal discharges LEUCORRHEA, SPERMATORRHEA, EXCESSIVE LACTATION

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS 2

ACTIVATES UTERUS QI AND REGULATES MENST RUATION

uterus Qi constraint: painful, irregular periods, irritability, cramps during or before flow SPASMODIC DYSMENORRHEA

3

STIMULATES CIRCULATION, DISPELS WIND-DAMP-COLD, RELIEVES JOINT AND MUSCLE PAIN; PROMOTES EXPECTORATION AND RESOLVES PHLEGM

wind-damp-cold obstruction: painful joints and muscles, chills, headache

ARTHRITIS, FIBROMYALGIA MUSCLES TENSION lung phlegm-damp: coughing, expectoration of copious sputum, chest soreness and pains BRONCHITIS (chronic), bronchial asthma

4

STIMULATES DIGESTION, RESOLVES MUCOUS-DAMP AND RELIEVES PAIN; REDUCES LIVER CONGESTION, DRAINS WATER AND PROMOTES URINATION

intestines mucous-damp (Spleen damp): indigestion, flatulence, epigastric or abdominal pains,

irregular bowel movement, loose stool GASTROENTERITIS, digestive colic liver Qi stagnation: nausea, right flank pain, indigestion, headache LIVER CONGESTION with DYSPEPSIA liver water congestion: general or local water retention EDEMA

P REPARATION Use: Chastetree berry is taken in long infusion and tincture form. The latter is needed for the full range of functions above. The remedy is useful in liniments and compresses for muscles spasms and pain. Mouthwashes and gargles are helpful for mouth and throat sores. Dosage: Long infusion: 4-10 g Tincture: 1-3 ml • To treat reproductive conditions by hormonal regulation: take 1-2 ml of the tincture daily before breakfast Caution: Chastetree berry is contraindicated during pregnancy as it is a uterine stimulant  and during lactation because of its dopaminergic effect. N OTES The small, grey, peppercorn-like grey fruit of this plant from the Mediterranean shores is again seeing the limelight it enjoyed in the Middle Ages —but in an entirely modern vein. In the past, Chastetree berry was given names like “Monk’s pepper” and “Cloister pepper” because of its dampening effect on sexual desire. Throughout the Middle Ages, the spicy-warm, peppery berry was a standard table spice in the many hundreds of  monasteries throughout the Holy Roman Empire, where celibate clergy seriously had to come to terms with their sexual drives. Chastetree berry’s reputation for controlling sexuality goes far beyond the confines of medieval Christianity, however. One of the plant’s traditional East Mediterranean names was agnos, meaning

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infertile, which is related to the adjective hagnos, or chaste. In ancient Athens, chastetree leaves through cultural symbolism were associated with certain priestesses of the goddess Demeter who took the vow of celibacy. As proof of their chastity, or perhaps as an aid to maintaining that condition, the priestesses freely strewed chastetree leaves about their bedrooms. The late Roman writers S ERAPIO and CONSTANTINE THE AFRICAN named this plant agnus castus, later translated as chaste lamb. Although this name sounds like the docile image of a medieval clergyman’s deeper fantasy (which type of peppercorns had he been using?), it actually is not. The name agnus castus actually resulted from a translation mistake that P LINIUS (PLINY) made somewhere

CLASS 7: TONIFY REPRODUCTIVE QI AND REGULATE MENSTRUATION in his monumental  His tor ia Natur ali s. P LINIUS mistakenly called the plant agnus, thinking that its Greek name agnos meant “lamb.” Hence S ERAPIO ’s strange yet haunting miscegenation, “chaste lamb.” The experience of later Greek medical doctors, however, led to more differentiated conclusions on Chastetree berry’s effect on sexual desire. The general concensus was that in Choleric krases (Fire types) and hot conditions the remedy will appease sexual overstimulation. This is in accord with Chastetree’s considerably bitter nature which has the potential for clearing heat. In Melancholic krases (Earth types) and cold conditions, it was believed, the remedy would promote sexual and menstrual functions (e.g., J. S CHROEDER 1611, J. TRILLER 1764). This too is substantiated by the berry’s pungent taste that potentially generates warmth and promotes menstruation through stimulation. In other words, Chastetree was seen as a regulator of sexuality, depending on the condition and constitution of the person taking it. In Chinese medical terms, we would say that the remedy harmonizes the chong and ren extra meridians in their capacity of regulating menstrual and reproductive events. Hence its use for both deficiencies displaying premature ejaculation, for example, and reproductive (Kidney) Qi deficiency presenting sexual disinterest and amenorrhea. It is clearly true that Chasteberry is a fundamental harmonizer of sexual functioning and expression on every level. This concept is not a hare-brained Renaissance speculation for two reasons. First, it is sound from the vitalistic pharmacology point of view where Chastetree berry can be seen as having the potential for both cooling and warming. Second, it is reinforced by modern pharmacology which asserts that the remedy potentially possesses both  progesteronic and estrogenic actions—although primarily  progesteronic. This effect is thought to result from pituitary gland stimulation that would increase or decrease progesterone or estrol levels, as needed, throughout a woman’s cycle. Interestingly, very recent research also indicates that Chastetree’s reproductive restorative and normalizing effect is also due to a dopaminergic action that corrects hyperprolactinemia-induced hypogonadism by reduction of prolactin release (B ÖHNERT 1997).

Chastetree’s ability to regulate sexuality is thereby reflected holographically in its ability to regulate woman’s hormones. Today the role of progesterone in the system and its implications for female health is becoming clearer. Unlike the more one-sided anabolic properties of estrogen, the nature of progesterone, although essentially catabolic, is inherently more regulating in action throughout the system (J OHN LEE 1991). Now in clinical practice, Chastetree berry has shown predominantly  pro ge stero nic effects rather than estrogenic ones. This means that the remedy may also achieve its hormonal balancing action through progesterone stimulation. What’s certain from actual practice is that women coming in with premenstrual, menstrual and menopausal disorders caused by progesterone and gondal deficiency are those that benefit the most. Typically they present symptoms of loss of selfesteem, withdrawal tendencies, painful, swollen or lumpy beasts, and fatigue. Moreover, this implies the use of Chasteberry for other progesterone deficiency-related conditions such as reproductive tumors (e.g., fibroids), fibrocystic breasts and cancer (LEE 1991). We can further deepen our understanding of  this remedy in light of the two Vitex species used in Chinese medicine, Mu Jing (Five-leaf chastetree berry) and Man Jing Zi (Seashore chastetree berry). All three species have in common the bitter-pungent taste, the essential oil and flavonoid content, and antirheumatic and analgesic actions applied to rheumatic, fibromyalgic, arthrititic and gastrointestinal pain. However, the Western Chastetree combines some actions of both others, namely, expectorant, digestive stimulant, diuretic, spasmolytic and muscle relaxant actions. Its use for myalgic

and neuralgic conditions is particularly noteworthy —the result of  arterial stimulation and nervous sedation in concert (as in Blue cohosh root). Painful wind-damp obstruction is the specific syndrome here addressed. Chastetree’s liver  stimulant  action was well-documented in Greek medicine up to the time of M ATTIOLI , and included use for liver congestion and liver edema. As a balancer of opposites, Chastetree here again displays both relaxant and stimulant actions.

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 Repertory

Important: Before using the Repertory for the first time, please read this short introduction to better understand: • The concept of differential diagnosis as it relates to the layout of the Materia Medica • The available options among herbal preparations (also see Chapter 8) • The considerations attached to th e use of  medium-strength and strong category remedies (see also page 78) • The general context of herbal treatment among other treatment modalities This Repertory is intended only as a quick reference list. Its use should be complemented by referring to the Materia Medica in this text, which comprehensively classifies remedy indications by both Western disease and symptoms, and Chinese syndromes. For best long-term therapeutic results it is usually neccessary to treat the systemic condition as well as provide immediate symptom relief. This is why it is considered important in traditional Oriental and Greek medicine to address the underlying syndrome of a manifested condition. Different syndromes can give rise to the same symptom. This Repertory presents the possible choices of remedies for a manifested condition, or symptom, only. Once you become familiar with the underlying syndromes, you can also look them up directly by using the General Index. For best results, you may want to choose the particular remedy that also treats the underlying syndrome causing a cough, for example. However, you may not know the associated syndrome until you start exploring possible remedy options. The Repertory lists the most important remedies for a specific symptom. The design of this book will help you explore the different syndromes that can contribute to a single symptom. For instance, the cough may be related to the syndromes lung phlegm-cold, lung phlegm-heat or lung Qi constraint. By paying attention to the type of cough and

any other symptoms you may notice, you can use the remedy descriptions within the text to help you differentiate one among the possible syndromes that are causing the cough. This is what a differential diagnosis is all about. All remedies listed in the repertory should primarily be taken internally through oral preparations such as a decoction, an infusion or a tincture. However, the same remedies may, and in many disorders often should, also be used in the form of  topical applications such as a swab, compress, gargle, vaginal sponge, etc. Remember, topical treatment applications often prove more effective when given in conjunction with an internal preparation. For best results in treating a particular condition, you must choose the most appropriate preparation(s). For example, in the case of a cough from bronchitis, you can apply a topical application of a compress, plaster or essential oil liniment in addition to internal use. When treating a tissue injury, for instance, internal use of  vulnerary, analgesic, sedative, etc. remedies is usually necessary in addition to topical application of a swab, compress and the like. Included in the Repertory are herbal remedies that belong to the medium-strength and strong therapeutic category. Those in the strong category are marked by an asterisk. Please read the section on page 78 to familiarize yourself with this important concept. Medium-strength and strong remedies entail certain considerations in their use, notably concerning their dosage, pharmacological and therapeutic cautions, and contraindications. This is another major reason to initially consult each remedy in the Materia Medica before using it. In particular, remedies in the strong category are fairly toxic, and in their crude, unprepared state are difficult to use by anyone untrained. In any case, they are more difficult to find in the crude herb trade. For all these reasons, they are better used in homeopathic preparation form in low potencies up to 12x. For example, Belladonna* in the Repertory

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THE ENERGETICS OF WESTERN HERBS means that this remedy belongs to the strong category and is best used in homeopathic form such as Belladonna 3x, 6x or 12x. Another consideration when working with this Repertory is that many conditions listed here require therapeutic measures other than herbal treatment alone. The fact that herbal remedies are suggested for these problems, and especially for many complex, difficult conditions, should not lead us to assume that herbal remedies alone should or even can be used in treatment. This repertory of herbal and essential oil remedies simply represents possibilities for use in certain disorders.  It is empha ti call y not a th erape utic guide and in no way replaces professional diagnosis and treatment, herbal or otherwise. As one of many forms of natural healing, herbal medicine usually works best when combined with other modalities that work in conjunction with the individual’s vital force (Qi), such as nutrition,

aromatherapy, acupuncture, massage, craniosacral osteopathy, hydrotherapy, meditation, Qi Gong and other forms of energy work. A few format details: • Chinese herbal remedies are given by their compound clinical name, e.g., Ligusticum Chuan Xiong. The first word is the botanical genus, and the other words are the Chinese name. We have avoided use of the English names of Chinese herbs because they are so little known in the West. For in-depth information on any Chinese remedy, consult the author’s source-book,  Jade Remedies:  A Chinese Herbal Reference for the West. • Remedies in italics may, and often for best results should, be used in essential oil form. • Mineral remedies are given in square brackets as follows: [Talcum Hua Shi]. • Animal remedies are given in curly brackets as follows: {Propolis}.

Abdominal distension, acute (same remedies as Indigestion) chronic: Barberry, Chaparral, Coptis Huang Lian, Dandelion, Goldenseal, Horsechestnut, Lady’s mantle  Lemon, Madder, Marigold, Ocotillo, Red root,  Rose, Sanicle, Stoneroot, Wood sorrel, Yellow dock  cramp/pain (see Intestinal colic) Abscess (same remedies as Boil) Acidosis (see Metabolic acidosis) Acne (see also Food allergy, Hormonal disorders, Liver congestion, Toxicosis, microbial): Birch, Bittersweet, Black currant seed (oil), Borage seed oil, Burdock, Chaparral, Dandelion, Echinacea, Evening primrose oil, Figwort, Jamaica sarsaparilla, Goldenrod, Marigold, Microalgae, Nettle, Scabious, Soapwort, Walnut, Watercress, Yellow dock  (topically): Bergamot, Cedarwood, Geranium, Horseradish, Juniper, Laurel, Lemon, Grapevine, Patchouli, Tea tree, Witch hazel ADD, ADHD (see Attention deficit [hyperactivity] disorder) Adenitis (see Lymphadenitis) Adhesion (see Scar tissue) Adrenal cortex disorders (see Astma, Debility, Edema, Hypoglycemia, Immune deficiency, PMS, Urinary, etc.) deficiency (see adrenocortical stimulants, p. 802) Aging, premature: Artichoke, Asparagus, Astragalus Huang Qi, Barley grass, Coconut oil, Cornsilk, Flower pollen, Garlic, Ginseng (all types), Microalgae, Oat, Polygonum He Shou Wu, Red clover, Reishi, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi,  Rosemary, Sage, Wheatgrass Agitation (same remedies as Nervous tension) AIDS (see Autoimmune disorder, Diarrhea, Fatigue, Immune deficiency, Infection, viral, Weight loss, and other symptoms) Albuminuria (see also Urination): Blue cohosh, Broom, Canada fleabane, Cherry stalk, Cornsilk, Couchgrass, Dioscorea Bi Xie, Echinacea, Fringe tree, Goldenrod, Helonias, Horsetail,  Juniper , Knotgrass, Madder, Mistletoe, Motherwort, Mousear, Pipsissewa, Poke root, Sea holly, Silver birch Alcoholism (see also Cerebral unsufficiency, Free radical burden, Liver congestion): Bladderwrack, Garlic, Kelp, Microalgae, Nettle, Oat, Watercress, Wheatgrass Alkalosis (see Metabolic alkalosis) Allergy (immediate/type I; see also Adrenal cortex deficiency, Food allergies, Intestinal dysbiosis, Liver

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REPERTORY congestion, Nervous tension, Neuroendocrine deficiency, Toxicosis [all types]): Asarum Xi Xin, Black  currant oil, Borage seed oil, Burdock, Camomile (all types), Cocklebur, Coleus, Echinacea, Elder flower, Ephedra Ma Huang, Evening primrose oil, Eyebright, Flower pollen, Garlic, German/Moroccan blue camomile, Goldenrod, Gumweed, Heartsease, Licorice, Ligustrum Nu Zhen Zi, Lungwort lichen, Melissa, Mullein, Nettle, Plantain, Schisandra Wu Wei Zi, Scutellaria Huang Qin,  Rose, Tarragon, Witch hazel, Xanthium Cang Er Zi, Yerba santa Alopecia (see Hair loss) Alzheimer’s disease (see Cerebral insufficiency, Mineral depletion, Senility, premature, Toxicosis, heavy metal) Amenorrhea (see Menstruation, absent) Amnesia (see Memory loss) Anaphylaxis (see Allergy) Anemia (see also Appetite loss, Cerebral insufficiency, Malabsorption syndrome): Alfalfa, Angelica Dang Gui, Artichoke, Asparagus, Beet, Bladderwrack, Burdock, Chickweed, Chicory, Codonopsis Dang Shen, Comfrey, Dandelion, Dong quai, Flower pollen, Horsetail, Iceland moss, Irish moss, Jamaica sarsaparilla, Kelp,  Lemon, Microalgae, Nettle, Oat, Parsley, {Placenta}, Red clover, Suma, Walnut, Watercress, Wheatgrass, Yellow dock  Angina laryngea (see Laryngitis) Angina pectoris (same remedies as Coronary disease) Angioedema (see Allergy, Skin) Ankylosing spondylitis (see Autoimmune disorder, Inflammation, symptoms) Anorexia (same remedies as Appetite loss; see also Nausea, Weight loss)) Anosmia: Basil Anuria (see Urinary obstruction) Anxiety state (see also Food allergy): Arnica,  Bergamot , Biota Bai Zi Ren, Black cohosh, Black horehound, Bugleweed, California poppy, Camomile (all types), Cereus, Clary sage, Cowslip flower, Damiana, Gumweed, Hops, Jamaica dogwood, Kava,  Lavender , Linden,  Mandarin, Marjoram, Melissa, Mistletoe,  Neroli, Pasque flower, Passionflower, Skullcap, Scrophularia Xuan Shen, Valerian, White horehound, White pond lily, Ylang ylang, Zizyphus Suan Zao Ren Aphonia (see Voice loss) Aphtha (see Ulcer, Thrush) Apoplexy (see Stroke) Appetite loss: Agrimony, Alder buckthorn, Artichoke, Barberry,  Bergamot , Birthroot, Blessed thistle, Blue vervain, Bogbean, Boneset, Bugleweed, Calamus, Calumba, Cascara sagrada, Chaparral, Chicory, Condurango, Culver’s root, Damiana, Dandelion, Elecampane, Fringe tree, Fumitory, Gentian, Helonias, Hops, Inmortal, Lobelia, Motherwort, Oregon grape, Pipsissewa, Pleurisy root, Poplar, Sage, Scabious, Selfheal, Speedwell, Stoneroot, Tansy, Thyme, Tormentil, Vervain, White horehound, Willow, Wormwood, Yarrow, Yerba mansa, Yerba santa Arrhythmia, cardiac (see also Food allergy): Aconitum Fu zi, Adonis, Arnica, Black horehound, Bugleweed, Camphor , Cereus, Foxglove, Hedge bindweed, Lily of the valley,  Marjoram, Melissa, Valerian, White horehound, Yellow jessamine* Arterial occlusive disorder (see Circulation, insufficient arterial/capillary, associated condition, symptoms) Arteriosclerosis (see also Free radical burden): Arnica, Artichoke, Asparagus, Black currant oil, Blessed thistle, Borage seed oil, Celandine, Celery, Cornsilk, Couchgrass, Dandelion, Elder, Evening primrose oil, Flaxseed oil, Fumitory, Garlic, Ginkgo leaf, Hawthorn, Heartsease, Horsetail,  Juniper , Kelp, Lady’s mantle, Lecithin,  Lemon, Lily of the valley, Linden, Microalgae, Mistletoe, Nettle, Passionflower,  Rosemary, Rue, Sage, Shepherd’s purse, Silver birch, Walnut, Watercress, Wood sorrel Arthritis, acute rheumatoid (see also Autoimmune disorder, Food allergy, Infection bacterial): Camomile (all types), Camphor , Celery, Citronella, Clematis Wei Ling Xian, Gentiana Qin Qian Cao, Guaiacum,  Lemon, Meadowsweet, Silver birch, Stephania Han Fang Ji, Tripterygium Lei GongTeng, White bryony, Wild yam, Willow chronic rheumatoid (see also Autoimmune disorder, Connective tissue degeneration, Food allergy, Infection, viral, Toxicosis, metabolic): Acanthopanax Wu Jia Pi, Alfalfa, Apple cider vinegar, Artichoke, Asparagus, Birch, Bittersweet, Bladderwrack, Blue cohosh, Blue flag, Blue violet, Borage seed oil, Burdock, Celery,

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This classic book, now extensively revised and updated, provides a creative revisioning of western herbalism. Clear, concise and comprehensive, it elegantly defines an integrated energetic model with specific indications for the therapeutic use of western herbs. An exceptional and immensely useful text. Chanchal Cabrera, M.N.I.M.H., A.H.G., President, Gaia Garden Herbal Apothecary, Vancouver The Energetics of Western Herbs is an excellent resource for the practitioner. Peter Holmes’ unique and masterful blending of Western physiological and Eastern diagnostic principles adds depth and clarity to

the art of herbal formulation. This revised edition incorporates the most recent research in plant medicine. This brilliant two-volume set is a must for any herbalist. Linda Costarella, N.D., co-author of Herbs for Women’s Health This is a text that deserves respect. As an account, even encyclopaedia, of traditional uses, these monographs and their introductions are probably the most complete and integrated anywhere ... This is an impressive opus: I believe Holmes succeeds very well on his own terms, and many practitioners will be grateful to him for illuminating their therapeutic deliberations. Simon Mills, M.N.I.M.H ., author of Out of the Earth: The Essential Book of Herbal Medicine In this important volume, Peter Holmes has accepted [a] challenge, gone to the libraries and shown that there is a rich herbal tradition in the west that was discarded by the enthusiasm and ideology of the scientific revolution. Peter Holmes has creatively engaged the best of the buried western herbal tradition in a dialogue with the rich tradition of the east. The Energetics of Western Herbs is an important discussion that can only enhance the creativity, depth, intelligence and clinical skills of all herbalists both in the east and in the west. Ted Kaptchuk, O.M.D., author of Chinese Medicine: The Web That Has No Weaver  Every user and lover of Western herbs can gain tremendous insight into the nature and “energetics” of  herbs with careful study of Peter Holmes’ ground-breaking book, The Energetics of Western Herbs. This book has become the de facto standard reference work for everyone interested in the integration of  Western and Chinese herbal medicine. This is absolutely where the excitement is today! Christopher Hobbs, L.Ac., A.G.H., author of Handbook for Herbal Healing The largest and most important study of materia medica in the Western world. It should be on every herbalist’s bookshelf. Brenda Cooke, M.N.I.M.H., Editor, Greenfiles Here is perhaps the first attempt in a millenium or more to classify Western herbs in terms of their “energetics.” Holmes views Western herbs through the eyes of a practitioner of Chinese medicine. The  Energetics of Western Herbs is borne of the author’s lifetime pursuit of thinking of Western herbs in oriental terms. It is an impressive, massive undertaking ... This is an impact herb book, one that will be talked about reverently and irreverently for a long time. Steven Foster, author of Herbal Emissaries: Bringing Chinese Herbs to the West