Herbal Definitions part 2

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How are you gonna

understand herbs if you don't know what the words mean.

:-) So

here... Learn what the words mean

:-)

 

HERBAL

DEFINITIONS Part 2

 

 

Demulcents: Herbs

having mucilaginous properties that are soothing and protective

internally to

irritated and inflamed surfaces and tissues,

 

Dental Anodynes: Herbs

used locally to relieve pain from an exposed nerve filament in the

tooth

(toothache).

 

Deobstruents: Herbs

that remove alimentary and other body obstructions.

 

Deodorants: Herbs that

eliminate foul odors.

 

Depresso-Motors: Herbs

that diminish muscular movements by action on spinal centers.

 

Depurants: Herbs that

clean and purify the blood by promoting eliminative functions.

 

Desiccants: Herbs

which are able to dry surfaces by absorbing moisture.

 

Detergents: Herbs that

are cleansing to wounds, ulcers, etc., or the skin itself.

 

Diaphoretics: Herbs

that produce insensible perspiration and increased elimination through

the

skin.

 

Digestants: Herbs that

contain ferments and acids, that aid in the solution and digestion of

food.

 

Diluents: Herbs that

dilute secretions and excretions.

 

Discutients: Herbs

that dispel or resolve (dissolve) tumors and abnormal growths.

 

Disinfectants: Herbs

that eliminate or destroy the noxious properties of decaying organic

matter and

thereby prevent spreading or transfer of toxic matter or infections.

 

Diuretics: Herbs that

increase the secretion and flow of urine.

 

Drastics: Herbs that

are hyperactive cathartics, producing violent peristalsis, watery

stools and

much gripping pain.

 

Emetics: Herbs that

induce vomiting and cause an evacuation of stomach contents.

 

Emmenagogues: Herbs

that are female correctives to the reproductive organs, which stimulate

and

promote a normal menstrual function, flow and discharge.

 

Emollients: Herbs that

are softening, soothing and protective to external surfaces.

 

Errhines: Herbs that

increase nasal secretions from the sinuses.

 

Exanthematous: Herbs

that are healing to skin eruptions or to skin diseases of an eruptive

nature.

 

Excito-Motors: Herbs

that increase motor reflex and spinal activity.

 

Expectorants: Herbs

that promote and facilitate discharge of mucus secretions from broncho

pulmonary passages.

 

Febrifuges: Herbs that

reduce fever.

 

Galactagogues: Herbs

that increase the secretion of milk.

 

Galactophyga: Herbs

that diminish or arrest the secretion of milk.

 

Hemostatics: Herbs

that are generally internally astringents and arrest hemorrhaging or

internal

bleeding.

 

Hematics: Herbs rich

in iron and manganese and which augment and enrich the red corpuscles

of the

blood (blood-builder).

 

Hepatics: Herbs used

to strengthen, tone and stimulate the secretive functions of the liver,

causing

an increased flow of the bile.

 

Herpetics: Herbs that

are healing to skin eruption and scaling diseases (such as ringworm,

etc.).

Hypnotics: Herbs that

are powerful nervine relaxants and sedatives that induce sleep.

 

Insecticides: Herbs

that are used to destroy insects.

 

Irritants: Herbs that

produce a greater or lesser degree of vascular excitement when applied

to the

epidermis or skin surface.

 

Lithotriptics: Herbs

that dissolve or discharge urinary and biliary concretions (gravel or

stones)

when formed in excretory passages.

 

Local Anaesthetics:

Herbs that produce anesthesia (loss of sensation) where applied locally

to a

surface.

 

Maturating: Herbs that

promote the maturation or ripening of tumors, boils, ulcers, etc.

 

Mucilages: Herbs

having mucilaginous properties,

 

Mydriatics: Herbs that

cause dilation of the pupil (eye).

 

Myolics: Herbs that

cause contraction of the ciliary muscles of the pupil (eye).

 

Narcotics: Herbs that

are powerful anodyne-hypnotics.

 

Nauseants: Herbs that

produce nausea or an inclination to vomit.

 

Nephritics: Herbs that

influence the kidneys and are healing in the kidney complaints.

 

Nervines: Herbs that

are tonic and healing to the nerves.

 

Nutritives: Herbs that

are nourishing and building to body tissues.

 

Ophthalmics: Herbs

that are healing to disorders and diseases of the eyes.

 

Parasiticides: Herbs

that kill or destroy animal and vegetable parasites within the body.

 

Parturients: Herbs

that stimulate uterine contractions, which induce and assist labor, and

promote

and hasten childbirth.

 

Pectorals: Herbs that

are healing to complaints of affections of the broncho-pulmonary area.

 

Peristaltics: Herbs

that stimulate and increase peristalsis, or muscular contractions (as

in the

bowels).

 

Protectives: Herbs

that serve as protective covering to abraded, inflamed, or injured

parts when

applied locally to a surface.

 

Pungents: Herbs that

cause a pricking, acrid, and penetrating sensation to a sense organ.

 

Refrigerants: Herbs

having cooling properties, lower the body temperature and relieve

thirst.

 

Resolvents: Herbs that

promote the dispersion of inflammatory deposits, and their absorption

into

excretory channels.

 

Rubefacients: Herbs

that, upon local application, stimulate capillary dilation and action,

and

cause the skin redness (drawing blood from deeper tissues and organs

and

thereby relieving congestion and inflammation).

 

Sedatives: Herbs that

lower the functional activity of an organ or part of the body, thereby

tending

to calm, moderate or tranquilize.

 

Sialagogues: Herbs

that promote the secretion and flow of saliva and buccal mucus.

 

Soporifics: Herbs that

induce a relaxing sleep.

 

Sturnutatories: Herbs

that are irritating to the mucous membranes in the nasal passages which

causes

sneezing.

 

Stimulants: Herbs that

increase functional activity and energy in the body.

 

Stomachics: Herbs that

are stimulating tonics to the stomach.

 

Styptics: Herbs that

astringe the blood vessels when applied to an external surface, and

thereby

arrest local bleeding or hemorrhaging.

 

Sudorifics: Herbs that

stimulate the sudoriferous glands and produce visible and profuse

perspiration

when taken hot and act as tonics when taken cold,

 

Taeniafuges and Taeniacides:

Herbs that expel (Taeniafuges) or kill (Taeniacides) tapeworms in the

intestinal tract.

 

Tonics: Herbs that

stimulate nutrition and permanently increase tone.

 

Vulneraries: Herbs

that promote healing of fresh cuts, wounds, etc.

 

 

 

I will be sending out an herb of the day every

week day so it will be good to know some of the words and terms used by

herbalists.

 

~ Bryan