Herbal Medicine

Herbalism, also known as Herbal medicine and phytotherapy, is folk and traditional medicinal practice based on the use of plants and plant extracts. Finding healing powers in plants is an ancient idea. People in all continents have long used hundreds, if not thousands, of indigenous plants for treatment of various ailments dating back [many years]. (courtesy of the Wikipedia)

Herbal medicine is the oldest form of healthcare known to mankind. Herbs had been used by all cultures throughout history. It was an integral part of the development of modern civilization. Primitive man observed and appreciated the great diversity of plants available to him. The plants provided food, clothing, shelter, and medicine. Much of the medicinal use of plants seems to have been developed through observations of wild animals, and by trial and error. As time went on, each tribe added the medicinal power of herbs in their area to its knowledgebase. They methodically collected information on herbs and developed well-defined herbal pharmacopoeias. Indeed, well into the 20th century much of the pharmacopoeia of scientific medicine was derived from the herbal lore of native peoples. Many drugs commonly used today are of herbal origin. Indeed, about 25 percent of the prescription drugs dispensed in the United States contain at least one active ingredient derived from plant material. Some are made from plant extracts; others are synthesized to mimic a natural plant compound. (text courtesy of HolisticOnline.com


HEMORRHOIDS

Helpful information on the various herbal, nutritional, and medical hemorrhoids treatment. Herbs are discussed at length for both internal and topical use and lifestyle factors are also examined. Herbs discussed include: psyllium, bilberry, gotu kola, horse chestnut, buckthorn, parsley, garlic, linseed, ginkgo dandelion, goldenseal, calendula, St. John’s wort, chamomile, plantain, yarrow, aloe, slippery elm, witch hazel, and mullein. (text courtesy of the Herb Research Foundation)


WARTS (courtesy of the Green Pharmacy - abbreviated and adjusted for ease of reading - please refer to link page)

Here are the herbs you might want to consider if you're fighting this annoyingly persistent problem. Some of the substances recommended in this section can be quite irritating to the skin. Everyone's skin is different, so if you try one of these remedies and it seems to make the skin around the wart red and irritated, rinse the area thoroughly and discontinue use of the herb

Birch (Betula, various species). Birch bark has been used to treat warts in places as diverse as China, Scandinavia and Michigan. It contains two compounds, betulin and betulinic acid, that have antiviral activity. Birch bark also contains salicylates, which are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for treatment of warts.

Bloodroot (Sanguinaria officinalis). This herb contains skin-irritant compounds (chelerythrine and sanguinarine) plus proteolytic enzymes, substances that help dissolve proteins such as wart-infected tissue.

Castor (Ricinus communis). Many people in many countries recommend castor bean oil for warts.

Celandine (Chelidonium majus). Celandine contains some of the same compounds as bloodroot (chelerythrine, sanguinarine and proteolytic enzymes). Celandine juice can inhibit the wart virus or even kill it, according to Rudolph Fritz Weiss, M.D., dean of German medical herbalists and author of Herbal Medicine. If you have access to the fresh plant, you might apply the yellow juice directly to the wart once or twice a day for five to seven days. Otherwise, you can try applying a strong tea made from the dried herb.

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). Several prominent herbalists recommend treating warts with milky dandelion latex, the substance that oozes out when you tear the leaves and stems.

Organic Oils. Several websites sell a product called heal warts online. It is not FDA approved, but has had great write ups in numerous magazines, and has been sold gloablly for 10 years - it consists of a mix of essential oils extraced from a variety of organic grown plants.

Fig (Ficus carica). Figs contain a proteolytic enzyme known as ficin. In many cultures, people use several fig species for wart treatment. Using the white milk that oozes from the fruit and twigs, they claim, helps remove corns and warts. (This practice follows the lead of King Solomon, who used fig juice on his boils.)

Milkweed (Asclepias, various species). Many people in many places recommend using the milky white fluid that oozes from milkweed to treat warts.

... Many of these resins contain proteolytic enzymes. The active enzymes could help soften the warts and perhaps even inhibit the virus as well.

Pineapple (Ananas comosus). Here's another plant rich in proteolytic enzymes. Medical anthropologist John Heinerman, Ph.D., author of Heinerman's Encyclopedia of Fruits, Vegetables and Herbs, suggests cutting a square of pineapple peel and taping the inner side to plantar warts overnight. The following morning, he says, remove the patch and soak the foot in hot water. Stubborn cases may require several applications.

Soybean (Glycine max). Soybeans are an old Chinese medical treatment for warts, according to pharmacognosist (natural product pharmacist) Albert Leung, Ph.D. He cites a Chinese medical journal that published an intriguing study. Four people with warts were fed only plain, water-boiled yellow soybean sprouts, without seasoning or salt, three times a day for just three days. "All four patients treated were cured and their warts did not reappear," maintains Dr. Leung.

Willow (Salix, various species). The FDA has approved salicylic acid, which is found abundantly in willow, for wart removal, and it shows up in many over-the-counter preparations for removing warts, bunions and corns. You can buy one of these preparations if you wish and follow the package directions.

Yellow cedar (Thuja occidentalis). Naturopaths suggest applying oil of yellow cedar to warts. It contains antiviral compounds, some of which are also found in mayapple. Dr. Weiss suggests painting a tincture on warts each morning and night for several weeks. This works well for smaller warts, he says, but not so well for large, solid warts.

Banana (Musa paradisiaca). Some folk healers recommend scraping the inner white part of a banana peel and rubbing it onto a wart two to four times a day for five to seven days. There's even a report from the Journal of Reconstructive Surgery of a clinical trial that suggests that this treatment sometimes helps.

Basil (Ocimum basilicum). This aromatic herb contains many antiviral compounds. One widely practiced folk remedy for warts involves rubbing crushed basil leaves on the growths. If I had a wart, I'd simply apply some fresh crushed basil leaves to the wart and cover it with a bandage, then reapply the leaves and change the dressing daily for five to seven days.

papaya (Carica papaya). Many folk healers around the world recommend using papaya for removing warts.


Guide for Herb Users

Herbal remedies should be taken only when you need them. If you lack experience in the use of herbal medicines, here area few points to keep in mind.

1) Be careful of your sources. Herbs are not subject to the same degree of government scrutiny as pharmaceutical drugs; there is no independent guarantee of purety or potency. Therefore, it is up to you to select reputable brands.

2) Choose the most reliable forms. Tinctures and freeze-dried herbs are prepared using techniques for preventing spoilage and loss of potency. Dried herbs, which are sold in bulk, powdered or encapsulated, may loose potency rapidly because of their exposure to air.

3) More is not better. When taking a herbal remedy, take the recommended dosages at the suggested intervals. As with pharmaceuticals, overdosing with herbs can have ill effects.

4) Monitor your reactions. At the first sign of an allergic reaction, stop the medication. Or, if the herb doesn't seem to be working, discontinue it; not all remedies work for everyone.

5) Take no risks. Never attempt self-medication for serious ailments or injuries; see a doctor or go to a hospital emergency room. Pregnant or lactating women, the very young or old, and people who are taking medication should not use herbal remedies without their physician's approval. (courtesy of Life Research)