Tonic herbs for women fall into two general categories, uterine tonics and hormone balancers. These herbs do not contain hormones themselves, but are considered hormone precursors. Steroidal saponin-containing herbs such as False unicorn root and Wild yam may normalize the luteal phase in women, making them useful for infertility which is associated with failure to ovulate.

Many of these herbs function as liver tonics also. A healthy, functioning liver is an important part of hormone production and hormonal balance is an important factor in PMS, menopause, regulating menses, and maintaining a healthy libido.

Herbs Used for Women's Tonics

Asparagus * Black Cohosh * Blessed Thistle * Chamomile * Chaste Tree * Clary Sage * Damiana * Dandelion * Dong Quai * False Unicorn Root * Hops * Jasmine * Motherwort * Nettle * Raspberry * Red Clover *

Alfalfa For: Endometriosis
Profile	Doctors often prescribe synthetic estrogen, usually in the form of birth control pills, for the treatment of endometriosis. Naturopaths have favored herbs and foods with phytoestrogens, natural plant hormones that are related to estrogen but are less potent than the body's own estrogens. Alfalfa sprouts contain phytoestrogens that also block the body's estrogen receptor sites, thereby reducing the effect of a woman's own hormones. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Anise For: Breast-feeding, libido
Profile	Anise is high in anethol, a compound with effects similar to those of estrogen. It has a reputation for increasing milk production in nursing mothers, promoting menstruation, and facilitating childbirth. It is also said to increase libido in women and men. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Black cohosh For: Estrogen and progesterone
Profile	Black cohosh balances hormone levels in both men and women. Black cohosh contains at least three classes of compounds that act to regulate hormone use, first binding to receptor sites to reduce estrogen when levels are high, then formation of luteinizing hormone (LH), which stimulates a surge of estrogen production in the first fourteen days of the menstrual cycle. This stimulates estrogen production when estrogen levels are low. The dual action of the herb allows it to stabilize the body's estrogen usage. One of the chemical constituents of black cohosh, ferulic acid, increases the motility and viability of sperm cells by protecting their cell walls from oxidation by compounds released from environmental toxins, helping in cases of infertility. Phyllis A. Balch, Prescription for Herbal Healing (2002)

Black Cohosh For: Female Tonic
Profile	In all the above uses except mayhap those concerning the lungs, we have proven its application trustworthy. Its usefulness in phthisis when given in proper dosage is simply to palliate the cough through its action upon the nerve centres. It will be found in most cases to act with far more constant success in females than in males, as its action upon the female economy is marked and distinctive. Charles F. Millspaugh, American Medicinal Plants (0000)

Black haw For: Menopause hormones
Profile	Rich in steroidal saponins that serve as precursors for hormone production by the liver, black haw is an excellent herb during menopause.

Blue Cohosh For: Hormonal imbalances
Profile	Beneficial for hormonal imbalances, used most often in combination with other herbs in women who have menstrual difficulties.

Blue cohosh For: Uterine tonic
Profile	There is hardly an American remedy in our Materia medica that needs and probably merits a more thorough proving, upon females especially than Caulphyllum, and the sooner it is done, the better able will we be to cope with many of our most obstinate uterine cases. Charles F. Millspaugh, American Medicinal Plants (0000)

Chaste Tree-Vitex For: Painful irregular menstruation
Profile	Vitex's normalizing and balancing action is particularly beneficial in treating painful and irregular menstruation Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Chasteberry tincture For: Fertility
Profile	Uterine tonics are important for fertility after forty. Daily dose of the tincture of the chasteberry (1 dropperful/1 ml 2 -3 times daily. . Raspberry leaf infusion helps prepare the uterus for birth and may be drunk freely. Susun Weed, New Menopausal Years, The Wise Woman Way (2002)

damina For: Female Tonic
Profile	Helps to regulate hormonal activity and calm nerves.

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: Natural estrogen
Profile	The phytoestrogens in dong quai work whether the body's natural estrogen concentration needs to be supplemented or constrained, making it a good treatment for a whole spectrum of female health problems. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

False Unicorn Root For: Female Tonic, Infertility
Profile	Of the greatest value in female disorders of the reproductive organs. The indication for its use is a dragging sensation in the extreme lower abdomen. It is useful in impotence, as a tonic in genito-urinary weakness or irritability, for liver and kidney diseases. Especially in diseases due to poor action of the liver and not to weakness of the heart or circulation. Maud Grieve, Modern Herbal Vol 1 (1931)

Fennel For: Menopause - Hormone balance
Profile	Extracts of fennel have estrogenic properties that may benefit women going through the hormonal imbalances caused by menopause.

Fo Ti For: Menopause, Tonc
Profile	Fo-Ti is a mild stimulant to estrogen production in women, making it appropriate for treating a variety of undesirable symptoms in menopause. James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Geranium oil For: PMS, breast tenderness
Profile	When applied to breasts before and during menstruation, geranium can reduce the pain and swelling associated with PMS. Marlene Ericksen, Healing with Aromatherapy (2000)

Hops For: Hormone balancing, lactation
Profile	Hops also has strong estrogenic properties. It is excellent for regulating and balancing hormonal production, especially for treating those imbalances due to stress and nervousness. Hops is also useful for stimulating milk production. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Jasmine oil For: Female system tonic
Profile	Like the rose, jasmine has a marked effect on the female reproductive system

Lady's mantle For: Menopause, Womens tonic
Profile	The semi-magical and gentle healing powers of this traditional women's herb can be quite helpful during the menopause years. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Lavender For: Herbal bath
Profile	Lavender baths are excellent for pregnant women and are highly recommended during the entire pregnancy. For depression, lavender should be mixed with borage flowers. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Licorice For: Hormone production
Profile	Licorice has estrogenic and other steroidal properties and is used to normalize and regulate hormone production. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Maca For: Folklore Fertility
Profile	Maca has a folklore reputation as an aphrodisiac and fertility enhancer that dates back centuries, but has not been scientifically validated.

Motherwort For: Female Tonic
Profile	Motherwort is especially valuable in female a wide range of female disorders (hence the name), allaying nervous irritability and inducing quiet and passivity of the whole nervous system.

Nettles For: Reproductive system tonic
Profile	Nettles are a good general tonic of the female reproductive system, excellent for young women just starting their monthly cycle,as well as women entering menopause. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Peony For: Menstrual Pain, bleeding
Profile	The Chinese divide peony into two separate official drugs, Bai-shao (cultivated white peony), and Chi-shao, red peony, the root from wild plants. Bai-shao is bitter,sour and slightly cold. Chi-shao is sour, bitter and cool. Both have been used for thousands of years both in TCM an folk medicine. Uses of Bai-shao include abdominal pain, menstrual pain and excessive bleeding, night sweats and yin deficiency. Chi-shao is used for amenorrbhea, abdominal pain, excessive bleeding, sores and traumatic injuries. Steven Foster and Yue chongxi, Herbal Emissaries (1992)

Raspberry tea For: Uterine tonic
Profile	Raspberry leaf tea is a safe, nutritive, uterine tonic. It is generally recommended for use during the entire nine months of pregnancy Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

red clover For: Menopause, Female tonic
Profile	Clover's phytoestrogens relieve menopause and menstruation related problems James Duke, The Green Pharmacy Herbal Handbook (2000)

Red clover For: Fertility
Profile	Two or more quarts of the infusion of dried red clover blossoms per week does wonders for fertility no matter what your age. Susun Weed, New Menopausal Years, The Wise Woman Way (2002)

Sage For: Hot flashes, Tonic
Profile	Regular garden sage is a yang, grounding herb and many women find sage tea relieves hot flashes. Rosemary Gladstar, Herbal Healing for Women (1993)

Shatavri For: Female Fertility and Libido
Profile	Shatavari, Asparagus racemosus, is highly regarded in Ayurveda as an herb for women's health, fertility and libido. Shatavri is an important tonic for the female reproductive systerm, and is used to treat irregular periods, for menopausal symptoms, to increase lactation, and as an aphrodisiac. . Shatavari Root and Powder Profile. (), Mountain Rose Herbs

Wild Yam For: Menopause, infertiltiy
Profile	Wild Yam regulates the female system, particularly during menstrual distress and menopause,as well as used in treating infertility.

Women's Tonics Information

• Menopause :
  Herbs containing or acting like estrogen may provide some of the benefits of estrogen in relieving menopausal symptoms.
• Pregnancy :
  The herbs used for pregnancy are the same herbs that have been used by midwives for centuries.
• PMS :
  The effects of PMS range from mild to devastating an include edema,depression, tension, cramps, cravings, and more.
• Dysmenorrhea :
  A painful period can range from a dull ache to a violent cramp. When we are in a fragile emotional state, menstrual pain can be even more severe.
• Menorrhagia :
  Heavy menstrual bleeding, clotting or irregular bleeding are come under the heading of menorrhagia.
• Osteoporosis :
  Although osteoporosis can affect both men and women, it is more prevalent in women, especially women who have gone through menopause and have lower levels of bone protecting estrogen in their bodies.
• Amenorrhea :
  Herbs that bring on menstrual flow when there is delayed menstruation --for whatever reason--are known as emmenagogues.
• Candida/Yeast Infection :
  Women may be more susceptible to vaginal yeast infections if they are pregnant or have diabetes. Candidiasis is an infection caused by species of Candida fungi, especially Candida albicans.
• Childbirth :
  These herbs can be used in the last few days of pregnancy to help open the womb and ensure an easier childbirth.