This amazingly complex organ affects virtually every physiological process, either directly or indirectly. If your liver isn't working up to par, it'll likely affect other aspects of your health. The holistic view of health taken by both Eastern traditions and Western herbalists place the liver and gall bladder at the root of many health problems. Research has shown that environmental pollution enters the blood stream via food, water supply and the atmosphere and causes levels of toxins to build up in the body. These toxins affect body functioning, especially the functioning of the liver. A healthy liver is the foundation of health, and inversely, a failing liver is life threatening.

Herbs Used for Liver

Ashwagandha * Blessed Thistle * Boldo * Chicory * Dandelion * Devil's Claw * Dong Quai * Fo-Ti Root * Fumitory * Maitake mushroom * Milk Thistle * Pau D' Arco * Reishi * Schisandra * Wormwood *

Agrimony For: Liver, skin eruptions
Profile	Astringent tonic, diuretic. Agrimony has had a great reputation for curing jaundice and other liver complaints..It was at one time included in the London Materia Medica as a vulnerary herb, but modern official medicine does not recognize its virtues, though it is still fully appreciated in herbal practice as a mild astringent and tonic, useful in coughs, diarrhoea and relaxed bowels..Agrimony is also considered a very useful agent in skin eruptions and diseases of the blood, pimples, blotches, etc. Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Vol 1 (1931)

Artemisia For: Hepatitis and jaundice.
Profile	Artemisia increases the secretion of bile into the gastrointestinal tract, thus aiding the liver in draining its waste products. Used with gardenia (Gardenia jasminoidis), it has been shown to increase tie rate of liver cell regeneration. It works on the liver, stomach, spleen, and gallbladder to clear jaundice and fever, and to treat hepatitis. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Barberry For: Digestive Tonic, Liver, Constipation
Profile	As a bitter stomachic tonic, it proves an excellent remedy for dyspepsia and functional derangement of the liver, regulating the digestive powers, and if given in larger doses, acting as a mild purgative and removing constipation. Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Vol 1 (1931)

Blessed thistle For: Liver tonic
Profile	Blessed thistle is an excellent tonic for the liver and is known to repair damaged liver cells. . A distinctive bitter, blessed thistle can be used as a digestive aid before meals. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Boldo leaves For: Stomach, liver complaints
Profile	Active constituents in boldo leaves, makes them useful for a range of stomach, intestinal, and liver complaints. In the right amounts, active constituents in boldo leaves stimulates the entire gastrointestinal tract James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Chicory For: Gout, jaundice
Profile	A decoction of 1 oz. of the root to a pint of boiling water, taken freely, has been found effective in jaundice, liver enlargements, gout and rheumatic complaints, and a decoction of the plant, freshly gathered, has been recommended for gravel. Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Vol 1 (1931)

Chicory For: Liver, Heart support
Profile	Consider chicory if you have a liver or heart problem - chicory could be our best source of inulin, a phytochemical that bucks up the immune system. Other compounds in the plant fight inflammation and bacterial infections to a limited extent. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Dandelion For: Liver Support
Profile	Dandelion contains taraxacin, a hepatic stimulant, insulin, as sugar, and lecithin, also good for liver problems. Adele Dawson, Herbs: Partners in Life (2000)

Dandelion root For: Liver tonic, female system tonic
Profile	As a specific herb for the liver, it also benefits the female reproductive system by helping to regulate and normalize hormone production. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Dong quai For: Detoxification
Profile	Dong quai root assists the liver in ridding the body of toxins

Milk Thistle For: Liver Support
Profile	Unlike any other synthetic or natural substance know to science, the silymarin in milk thistle ( found mostly in the seeds) regenerates liver cells and guards the organ from damage by pollutants, other toxins, and viral invaders. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Milk Thistle For: Liver protection
Profile	This herbs seeds have a long history of use in protecting the liver. It contains silymarin, which has been shown to protect the liver against a number of toxins, including alcohol. A frequent drinker or recovering alcoholic should take milk thistle extract on a daily basis. Linda B. White, M.D., The Herbal Drugstore (2003)

Pau d'arco For: Liver and endocrine gland system
Profile	Pau d'arco is an aid to the liver and endocrine gland system. Though a strong herb, it exhibits no harmful side effects and can be mixed with a variety of other herbs to make a pleasant tasting tea. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Reishi For: Liver, cirrhosis
Profile	Reishi is used to prevent "fatty-liver" and cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse. Reishi mushrooms are particularly renowned in Asian traditions use in diseases of the liver and for promoting longevity.

Reishi mushroom For: Liver tonic, oxygen
Profile	Preliminary studies indicated that ganoderic acids, a major active ingredient in reishi helps to improve oxygen utilization and improve liver functions.

Rosemary essential oil For: Cellulite, Liver, water retention
Profile	Rosemary essential oil helps alleviate water retention increases circulation when used in massage blends. Rosemary herb is also useful in promoting the flow of bile which clears liver congestion and jump starts the metabolism.

Schisandra For: Liver, hepatitits
Profile	Alcohol extracts of Schisandra have helped to regenerate liver tissue, and thus have been used clinically in China for infectious hepatitis. Steven Foster and Yue chongxi, Herbal Emissaries (1992)

Wormwood For: Liver/Gallbladder
Profile	The addictive, degenerative influence of absinthe killed wormwood's use as an herbal medicine, in a way that's too bad because two of its phytochemicals do stimulate digestion and the extract does improve liver and gallbladder function in people with liver disease. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Liver Information

• Kidney :
  Herbs used for kidney infection and kidney stone treatment are often diuretic, increasing the flow of urine to wash out toxins.
• General Health Tonics :
  Just like the fruits, vegetables and grains that sustain our lives, these herbs nourish, protect and strengthen the whole body.
• Cancer Prevention :
  Many herbs have anti-tumor properties that can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.
• Immune System :
  Botanical and herbal medicines have a dual mode of action against infectious diseases - they kill germs and viruses, and they stimulate the body's own defenses by strengthening the immune system.
• Traditional Chinese Medicine :