Smooth muscles like those that line the stomach, contract without conscious control, and cause spasms, cramps and abdominal pain. An antispasmodic herb suppresses spasms, especially in tubular organs. The effect is to prevent spasms of the stomach, intestine or urinary bladder. Herbs with antispasmodic action are used in herbal remedies for digestion to sexual enhancement tonics .
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Detail
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Andrographis |
Andrographis paniculata |
Creat, chuan xin lian, Kan jang, Kalmegha |
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leaves and roots :
a :
Andrographis paniculata is an herb native to the Indian subcontinent and is used in Ayurveda,the ancient (before 2500 b.c.) I ...
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Detail
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Asafoetida |
Ferula asafoetida |
devil's dung, food of the gods, hing, narthex |
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Resin from roots :
Ayurveda :
According to ayurvedic medicine, asafoetida is a valuable spice and remedy for nervous disorders, colic, bowel spasms, and for spasmodic coughing. ...
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Detail
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Basil |
Ocimum basilicum |
Sweet Basil |
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leaves, essential oil :
Greek :
Like other herbs in the mint family basil is carminative and disinfectant. The fresh picked leaves make a stimulating and refreshing tea. Basil has al ...
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Detail
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Bergamot |
Citrus begamia |
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Essence expressed from peel :
Asia :
The fresh, uplifting scent of bergamot essential oil is used to stabilize the emotions, calm and tone the nervous system, relieve tension and insomnia ...
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Detail
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Black Haw |
Viburnum prunifolum |
Stagbush, sweet viburnum, guelder-rose, water elder, arrowwood |
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Bark :
American :
Crampbark has a long history of use by Native Americans for gynecologic problems. ...
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Detail
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Black Pepper |
Piper nigrum |
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dried peppercorns :
:
Black peppers are culitivated in malabar, Java, Sumatra, and Penang. Black pepper oil is hot, warming and very yang ...
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Detail
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Blue Cohosh |
Caulophyllum thalictroide |
sqaw root |
| :
Dried root :
American :
Blue cohosh is generally used in combination with other herbs, often black cohosh to treat menstrual disorders. ...
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Detail
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California Poppy |
Eschscholzia californica |
Gold Poppy |
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Aerial parts, dried :
American :
The above ground parts and roots of this wildflower show promise in the treatment of insomnia without the side effects and dependency risks of prescri ...
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Detail
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Camphor |
Cinnamomum camphora |
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Essential oil steam distilled from wood :
:
Camphor is present in every part of the tree, but is usually taken from the wood of mature trees by steam distillation ...
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Detail
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Caraway |
Carum carvi |
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Seeds, Essential Oil :
:
The familiar seed that adorn dark rye bread is a member of the carrot family, and all parts are edible, roots, leaves and see ...
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Detail
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Cardamom |
Elettaria cardamonuum |
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seed pods, essential oil :
:
Cardamom in known primarily a tonic to the digestive system, kills the bacteria responsible for bad breath, and is well know for relief of nausea. As ...
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Carrot |
Daucus carota L. |
Wild Carrot; Queen Anne's Lace; Bird's-nest |
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root, seeds :
:
The carrot was well known to the ancients, and is mentioned by Greek and Latin writers under various names, ...
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Detail
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Catnip |
Nepeta cataria |
Catmint, Nep,Catnep |
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leaves and flowering tops :
:
A hot cup of catnip tea soothes the nervous system and is excellent for colds, flu, and children's upset stomach. ...
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Detail
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Cayenne Pepper |
Capsicum minimum |
Capsicum ,African Pepper, Chillies, Bird Pepper |
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Fruit, ripe and dried :
:
Capsicum, an extract from cayenne and other peppers, can dramatically reduce chronic nerve pain, and along with it's anti-inflammatory actions it is ...
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Detail
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Chamomile |
Matricaria recutita |
Camomile |
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Flowers :
:
The seemingly endless list of problems chamomile is said to help can all be traced to its effects of the nervous system and digestive system, as well ...
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Detail
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Cinnamon |
Cinnamomum zeylanicum, C. aromaticum |
Cassia Bark |
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Dried bark :
:
The distinct, spicy aroma of cinnamon bark, Cassia, or Chinese cinnamon, is the spice sold as cinnamon in the United States. ...
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Detail
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Clary Sage |
Salvia sclarea |
Clarysage |
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:
:
Clary sage has a special affinity with the female system in general and is recommended for women ...
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Detail
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Corydalis |
Corydalis bulbosa |
fumewort, Yan Hu So |
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Tuber and bulb :
Chinese :
Corydalis contains the alkaloid bulbocapnine, which is occasionally used in medicine to treat convulsions, Parkinson's diseas ...
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Detail
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Cumin |
Cuminum cyminum |
cummin |
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Seeds :
:
Cumin is aromatic, containing up to 4 percent essential oil, warm, spicy and slightly sweet. ...
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Detail
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Cypress |
Cupressus sempervirens |
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Needles and twigs :
:
The cypress is a tall, conical shaped tree with small flowers succeeded by round cones, or nuts.Many cemeteries in the East a ...
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Detail
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Dong Quai |
Angelica sinensis |
Chinese Angelica, Dang-gui |
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root :
China :
In traditional Chinese medicine, only ginseng is more esteemed. ...
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Detail
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Ephedra |
Ephedra sinica |
Ma Huang |
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stems :
China :
Ma Huang has a 5,000 year history of use in Chinese medicine as an asthma treatment. The whole herb, which can still be purchased legally, is used to ...
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Detail
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Eucalyptus |
Eucalyptus globulus |
Eucalyptus |
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Leaves, oil :
Australian :
Eucalyptus is best known for it's ability to relieve congestion and ease breathing in colds. The essential oil of eucalyptus contains cineole, a pote ...
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Detail
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Fennel |
Foeniculum vulgare |
Sweet Fennel, Fenkel |
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Seeds, leaves, roots, oil - the whole plant :
Greek :
The uses for fennel go far beyond the kitchen however, fennel has been used as a medicinal herb by the early Romans and Greeks. ...
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Detail
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Garlic |
Allium sativum |
Poor Man's Treacle |
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bulb :
:
Garlic can and should be used liberally in food, either powdered or freshly chopped. Using fresh garlic in your cooking also helps you cut down on the ...
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Ginger |
Zingiber officinale |
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Root :
:
Perhaps no other herb, except garlic, crosses all barriers, foods versus medicine, Western versus Oriental, scientific versus folk tradition. Ginger i ...
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Grapefruit |
Citrus paradisi |
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rind of fruit, seeds :
:
Grapefruit is not only a great breakfast item, but the extracts from the seeds, pulp and inner rind can be helpful. ...
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Detail
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Hemp/Cannabis |
Cannabis sativa |
marijuana, pot, gunja, weed |
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flowers, leaves, seeds :
:
Perhaps the most valued property of hemp is its percentage of essential fatty acids, which is higher than any other plant in the world. It contains bo ...
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Detail
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Hyssop |
Hyssopus officinalis |
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Flowers, leaf and essential oil :
:
Cultivated in gardens as an aromatic and medicinal herb, Hyssop is one of the main expectorant and decongestant herbs commonly used to treat respirato ...
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Detail
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Juniper |
Juniperus communis |
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berries :
:
Juniper berry oil is distilled from the dried ripe berry of the juniper tree. The action of juniper closely resembles cypress, to which it is botanic ...
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Detail
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Lemon Balm |
Melissa officinalis |
Melissa |
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whole herb :
Greek :
Lemon balm is an aromatic mint with a long reputation for having calming properties. Both the whole herb and the essential oil, melissa, are used for ...
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Lovage |
Levisticum officinale |
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leaves, root, seeds :
Europe, N. America :
Lovage came to America with the English colonists and was brought over for both food and medicine. ...
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Marjoram,Sweet |
Origanum marjorana |
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Flowering tops :
:
Sweet majoram is a fragrant culinary herb used in soups,stews, egg and cheese dishes. . ...
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Mistletoe |
Viscum coloratum, V. album |
loranthus,European mistletoe, loranthus, mulberry mistletoe |
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Stems and leaves :
Old Europe :
Mistletoe extracts have been extensively studied in Europe as a supplemental treatment in cancer therapy. ...
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Detail
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Motherwort |
Leonurus caridica L. |
Lion's tail, lion's ear |
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Aerial parts :
:
Motherwort has been used for hundreds of years in Europe and China for all manner of heart problems and circulatory disorders ...
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Detail
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Orange |
Citrus sinensis |
Sweet Orange, Bitter Orange, Mandarin Orange |
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Fruit rind :
:
Cold-pressed from fresh orange peel, Orange refreshes the mind and regulates the body. It is excellent for lethargy or tiredness, and for wrinkles or ...
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Detail
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Oregano |
Origanum vulgare |
Wild Marjoram |
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leaves, stems, essential oil :
:
Oregano has a very ancient reputation and has been used in both the kitchen and the sickroom since the time of the ancients. ...
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Detail
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Peppermint |
Mentha piperita |
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whole herb :
:
Of all the mints, peppermint is now probably the most widely used of all, due to its high content of menthol. ...
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Detail
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Pleurisy Root |
Asclepias tuberosa |
Butterfly-weed. Swallow-wort, Tuber root, Wind root, Colic root, Orange Milkweed |
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root :
N. America :
Known popularly as pleurisy root, from its medicinal use against a wide range of respiratory and lung conditions, specifically pleurisy ...
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Detail
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Red Clover |
Trifolium pratense |
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Flowering tops :
:
Red clover's phytoestrogens, the plant world's equivalents of human female estrogen, preform functions in the body similar to those of natural and syn ...
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Detail
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Rose |
Rosa centifolia |
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Hips, flower petals, leaves, bark :
:
Attar of rose is the steam-extracted essential oil from rose flowers that has been used in perfumes for centuries. Rose water, made from the rose oil, ...
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Detail
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Rosemary |
Rosmarinus officinalis |
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Leaves, stems and flowers :
:
Rosemary is an extremely useful herb, with many culinary, medicinal and aromatherapy attributes. The essential oil is distilled from the fresh flower ...
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Detail
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Rue |
Ruta graveolens L. |
Herb of Grace |
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Whole Herb :
:
One of the oldest and garden plants cultivated for medicinal use Rue was valued as a country simple for its ability to ward off toxins and pests ...
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Detail
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Sandalwood |
Santalum album |
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Heartwood :
:
Sandalwood oil has a sweet-woody, warm, balsamic aroma that improves with age. The essential oil blends wonderfully with most ...
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Detail
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Skullcap |
Scutellaria lateriflora |
Virginian skull cap, mad-dog skull cap, scullcap |
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Leaves,stems and flowers :
N.America :
The plant has been used for centuries by herbalists as an effective nerve tonic and sedative. Its common uses include relief of nervous tension, anx ...
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Detail
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Tarragon |
Artemisia dracunculus |
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leaves :
:
Tarragon is a culinary star in French cuisine and best used fresh. ...
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Detail
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Tea |
Camellia sinensis |
Green Tea, Black tea |
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leaves :
:
Black tea, Oolong/Wu long tea and green and white teas are all from the same plant, Camellia sinensis. ...
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Detail
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Thyme |
Thymus vulgaris |
Common Thyme, Wild Thyme |
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Leaves, stems and flowers :
:
Thyme has primarily been used respiratory ailments for its infection-fighting and cough suppressive qualities. Thyme tea is an old time favorite coug ...
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Detail
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Valerian |
Valeriana officinalis |
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Roots :
Greek :
The Greeks used valerian roots to help them fall asleep, and that use holds up under scientifc scrunity today. ...
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Detail
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Vervain |
Verbena hastata, V. officinalis |
Blue Vervain, Wild Hyssop, Simpler's Joy, Herb of the cross |
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Leaves, flowering heads :
:
The name Vervain is derived from the Celtic ferfain, the plant was used by them for afflections of the bladder. ...
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Detail
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Wild lettuce |
Lactuca virosa |
Bitter lettuce, Opium Lettuce |
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Dried leaves :
:
Wild lettuce contains a sedative milky latex that can induce opium like sensations. ...
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Detail
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Wild Yam |
Dioscorea villosa |
Colic root, rheumatism root |
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The dried tuber :
N. America :
Wild yam root is a potent source of diosginin, a chemical that resembles female sex hormones and was used in the manufacture of the first oral contrac ...
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Detail
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Yarrow |
Achillea millefolium |
Milfoil, Old Man's Pepper, Nosebleed |
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aerial parts, essential oil :
Europe, N. America :
Yarrow is one of the best-known herbal remedies for fevers, and bleeding. The chemical makeup of yarrow is complex, and it contains many active medici ...
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