Herbs & Herbal Remedies @ Green Papaya

Although NGDA is a food preservative approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration removed it from the list of substances generally regarded as safe in 1968 because experimental animals fed large amounts for long periods developed kidney and lymph-system problems. No human kidney or lymphatic disease has ever been documented in chaparral users, but to be prudent. those with kidney and lymph conditions should not use this herb.

For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults who do not have kidney or lymph-system conditions, chaparral is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

Chaparral should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If urinary difficulties or swollen glands develop, stop using it, and consult a doctor for possible kidney or lymphatic problems. If chaparral causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Flourishes in the Southwest

Chaparral is not a garden herb. It’s a woody, olive green or yellow shrub that dominates the Southwest’s arid landscape. Chaparral grows to about 10 feet and resembles a dwarf oak.

Chaparral is an intriguing and controversial herb. The chemical it contains, NGDA, is approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a preservative in lard and animal shortenings.

Tooth Decay, Gum Disease - NGDA’s antiseptic action, combined with its traditional use for toothache, prompted scientists to test it against the bacteria that cause tooth decay. A study in the Journal of Dental Research shows chaparral mouthwash reduces cavities by 75 percent. Oral microorganisms also cause gum disease, the leading cause of tooth loss in adults. Chaparral mouthwash is no substitute for regular brushing and flossing, but it may provide added protection. And you don’t have to worry about the smell lingering either.

Cancer - NGDA is a powerful antioxidant, meaning it helps prevent the cell damage scientists believe eventually causes cancer.

For more than 100 years, chaparral has been a popular folk treatment for cancer. The National Cancer Institute has received many testimonials from people claiming the herb cured their cancers. Some laboratory studies agree chaparral has antitumor effects.

The medical literature contains several case reports of tumor shrinkage in people who used chaparral. One published in Cancer Chemotherapy Reports tells of a man diagnosed by University of Utah physicians with malignant melanoma, the most serious skin cancer. The doctors urged surgery, but the man refused, saying he intended to treat himself with chaparral tea. The Utah medical team was aghast, but eight months later, the man returned with “marked regression” of his cancer.

Melanoma is a life-threatening disease that requires professional treatment. Do not rely solely on chaparral as a treatment. Cancer patients might decide-in consultation with their physician-to use the herb in addition to other treatments.

Arthritis - Some animal studies agree chaparral has anti-inflammatory action, lending credence to its traditional use in treating arthritis. Try it and see if it helps your stiffness.

Life Extension - Life-extension advocates say antioxidants like NGDA help slow the aging process and might even extend the human life span. One French study shows NGDA significantly extends the average life span of laboratory animals. Other scientists claim the chemical almost doubles the average life span of laboratory insects. Scientists have not been able to extend the human life span, but these antioxidant results are certainly intriguing.

Rx for Chaparral

For a mouthwash or infusion, use I tablespoon of dried leaves and stems per quart of boiling water. Steep I hour. Gargle or drink up to 3 cups a day. Because of its unpleasant taste, you might want to add honey and lemon to the infusion, or else mix it with a beverage tea.

Chaparral should not be given to children under age 2.

Older children and people over 65 may use a full-strength gargle, but for internal use, they should start with a low-strength preparation and increase strength if necessary.

Cavity-Preventive Mouthwash

Family: Zygophyllaceae; (includes Caltrop, Star Thistle, Bean Caper)

Genus and Species: Larrea Divaricata, L. Tridentata

Also known as: Stinkweed, Greasewood, Creosote Bush

Parts used: Twigs and leaflets

Chaparral stinks. Literally. And it tastes downright unpleasant. So the herb’s major healing benefit comes as something of a surprise-it’s a mouthwash.

We’re not talking minty fresh here. You wouldn’t want to reach for it before puckering up for your morning kiss. But don’t let that stop you-the unassuming chaparral shrub, native to the American Southwest, contains a chemical that may spell death to some of the germs that cause tooth decay. It owes its use in healing to a chemical called NDGA (nordihydroguaiaretic acid), which kills the bacteria and other microorganisms that turn fats and oils rancid.

Stinkweed

If, as some people believe, effective medicine smells foul and tastes terrible, chaparral should be a terrific healer Its leaves exude a waxy resin that smells like creosote and is the source of its popular names: stinkweed, greasewood, and creosote bush (though the plant contains no creosote). The Southwest Indians rubbed chaparral resin on burns. They used chaparral tea to treat colds, bronchitis, chicken pox, snakebite, and arthritis And they heated the tips of its twigs and applied the hot resin to painful teeth.

White settlers adopted the plant and used it externally for bruises, rashes, dandruff, and wounds, and internally for diarrhea, stomach upset, menstrual problems, venereai diseases, and cancers of the liver, kidney, and stomach.

Chaparral was listed as an expectorant (to clear mucus from the respiratory system) and bronchial antiseptic in the u.S. Pharmacopoeia from 1842 to 1942. But today, few herbalists mention it. Those who do suggest using it externally to prevent wound infections, and internally for intestinal parasites and bacterial and viral illnesses.

Controversy erupted when a report in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology claimed chamomile tea might cause a potentially fatal allergic reaction-anaphylactic shock-in people allergic to ragweed. Herb conservatives immediately urged the millions of people with ragweed allergy to shun chamomile. Outraged herb advocates insisted chamomile was villified unfairly.

To settle the issue, researchers compiled every report of chamomile-induced allergic reactions from the entire world medical literature for the 95-year period from 1887 to 1982. The grand total: No deaths and 50 reactions-45 from Roman chamomile and just 5 from the German variety, the one typically used in the United States. Chamomile poses no health hazard. The only people who should think twice about using this herb (and its close relative, yarrow) are those who have suffered previous anaphylactic reactions from ragweed.

That doesn’t mean to say that reactions are impossible.

Large amounts of highly concentrated preparations have caused some nausea and vomiting.

Chamomile is on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, chamomile is safe in amounts typically recommended.

Chamomile should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If chamomile causes minor discomforts such as nausea or vomiting, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Adds Fragrance to the Garden

German chamomile is an annual that reaches 3 feet. The Roman herb is a perennial groundcover that rarely exceeds 9 inches. Both have downy stems, feathery leaves, and daisy-like flowers with yellow centers and white rays.

Most chamomile seed available in the United States is the annual German variety. It grows easily when sown in spring after danger of frost has passed Scatter the tiny seeds on well-prepared beds, then gently tamp down. Seedlings up to 2 inches tall transplant well. Taller plants do not.

German chamomile prefers sandy, well-drained soil in partially shaded gardens and tends to shrivel under full sun. It flowers at about six weeks and produces lush flowers even in the short summers of northern climes. The flowering lasts for several weeks, and if some flowers are left unharvested, the plant will sow itself. Don’t leave too many. This herb may become a pest.

Perennial Roman chamomile comes in two subtypes, single-flower and double-flower. Herbalists prefer the double flower variety, which adapts to almost any soil but favors moist, well-manured loam. The tiny seeds may be sown, but most gardeners prefer to propagate the plant from offshoots. Plant them about 18 inches apart in early spring.

Roman chamomile is quite hardy, but if your winters are particularly severe, protect the plants with mulch.

Oddly enough, Roman chamomile does best when it’s stepped on. In Britain, the plant is often used as a groundcover on garden paths. Walking on it releases the herb’s lovely apple fragrance and does not hurt the plant.

After harvesting, dry the flowers and store them in sealed containers to preserve theirvolatile oil.

In Germany, where herbal healing is more mainstream than it is in the United States, one pharmaceutical company markets a popular chamomile product called Kamillosan, which Germans use externally to treat wounds and inflammations, and internally for indigestion and ulcers. (This product is not available in the United States.) Chamomile is so popular in Germany that many there call the herb alles zutraut - “capable of anything.”

A slight exaggeration, perhaps, but chamomile does have a lot going for it.

Digestive Aid - Dozens of studies have supported chamomile’s traditional use as a digestive aid. Several chemicals (primarily bisabolol) in chamomile oil appear to have relaxing action on the smooth muscle lining of the digestive tract (making it an antispasmodic). In fact, one study shows chamomile relaxes the digestive tract as well as the opium-based drug papaverine.

Ulcers - Chamomile also may help prevent stomach ulcers and speed their healing. In one experiment, two groups of animals were fed a chemical known to cause ulcers. Those also given chamomile developed significantly fewer. Then the animals who developed ulcers were divided into two groups. Those fed chamomile recovered more quickly.

Women’s Health - Antispasmodics relax not only the digestive tract but other smooth muscles, such as the uterus, as well. Chamomile’s antispasmodic properties support its age-old use to soothe menstrual cramps and to lessen the possibility of premature labor.

Oddly enough, chamomile was also used to stimulate menstruation. The apparent contradiction remains unresolved, but European researchers have isolated a substance in chamomile that stimulates uterine contractions.

Women should feel free to try chamomile both to soothe menstrual cramps and to promote the onset of menstruation, but pregnant women should steer clear of medicinal amounts.

Tranquilizer - Chamomile’s long history as a tranquilizer also has a scientific basis according to researchers who showed that the herb depresses the central nervous system. Try an infusion when you feel anxious, or add a handful of chamomile flowers to a hot bath.

Arthritis - In animal studies, the herb successfully relieves arthritic joint inflammation. Animal findings don’t necessarily apply to people, but chamomile has been used traditionally to treat arthritis. Try it and see if it works for you.

Infection Prevention - The Eclectic physicians of America were on the right track using chamomile compresses to prevent wound infections. Some studies show chamomile oil applied to the skin reduces the time it takes burns to heal. Other studies show the herb kills the yeast fungi (Candida albicans) that cause vaginal infections, as well as certain bacteria (Staphylococcus). Chamomile also impairs the replication of polio virus. For cuts, scrapes, or burns, brew a strong infusion, cool it, and apply in compresses.

Immune Stimulant - No one knew why chamomile prevented infections until British researchers discovered that the herb stimulated the immune system’s infection-fighting white blood cells (macrophages and B-lymphocytes). Drink some when you have a cold or the flu. It does no harm, and it just might help.

Rx for Chamomile

Use an infusion or tincture to take advantage of chamomile’s many proven healing benefits.

For a pleasant, refreshing infusion, use 2 to 3 heaping teaspoons of flowers per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

In a tincture, use ½ to 1 teaspoon up to three times a day. When using commercial preparations, follow package directions.

Weak infusions of chamomile may be given cautiously to children under age 2 for colic. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

For a relaxing herbal bath, tie a handful of chamomile flowers into a cloth and run your bathwater over it.

For cuts and scrapes or burns, brew a strong infusion. Soak a clean cloth in the liquid and apply it as a compress.

Pretty Flowers, Potent Medicine

Family: Compositae; (includes Daisy, Dandelion, Marigold)

Genus and Species: Matricaria chamomilia (German or Hungarian); Anthemis Nobilis (Roman or English)

Also known as: Camomile, Matricaria, Anthemis, Ground Apple

Parts used: Flowers

In the tale of Peter Rabbit, Peter eats himself sick in Mr. McGregor’s garden, then gets chased out at the wrong end of the angry man’s hoe. When he gets home, his mother gives him chamomile tea.

Peter’s mother was a wise herbalist. Chamomile is one of the best herbs for indigestion. It also soothes jangled nerves. Perhaps Peter’s mother also feared his ordeal would give him an ulcer: Chamomile may help prevent and heal them. Or perhaps Mr. McGregor’s hoe grazed Peter’s tender bunny skin. A chamomile compress can help heal many wounds.

Unfortunately, few who sip chamomile tea know what a healer they hold in their paws. Sorry-hands.

Herb of the Sun

Actually, chamomile is not one herb, but two-German (or Hungarian) chamomile and Roman (or English) chamomile. The two plants are botanically unrelated, but they both produce the same light blue oil used in healing since ancient times.

Chamomile’s daisylike flowers reminded the ancient Egyptians of the sun. They used it to treat fever, particularly the recurring fevers of malaria.

The Greek physician Dioscorides and the Roman naturalist Pliny recommended chamomile to treat headaches and kidney, liver, and bladder problems. India’s ancient Ayurvedic physicians used it similarly.

Germans have used chamomile since the dawn of history for digestive upsets and as a menstruation promoter and treatment for menstrual cramps.

Seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper recommended chamomile for fevers, digestive problems, aches, pains, jaundice, kidney stones, “dropsy” (congestive heart failure). and “to bring down women’s courses” (promote menstruation) .

British and German immigration introduced both charnomiles into North America, though most of the chamomile grown here today is the German variety.

America’s 19th-century Eclectic physicians recommended chamomile poultices to speed wound healing and prevent gangrene. They prescribed infusions for digestive problems, malaria, typhus, menstrual cramps, menstruation promotion, and for all birth-related difficulties: to quiet fetal kicking, stop premature labor, relieve sore breasts and nipples, suppress milk production, and relieve infant colic.

Best-Seller

Today chamomile is one of the nation’s best-selling herbs. It’s a favorite tea, by itself or in blends. Its apple aroma is the fragrance in many herbal skin-care products. And it has been used in shampoos since the days of the Vikings because it adds luster to blond hair.

Contemporary herbalists recommend chamomile externally to spur wound healing and treat inflammation, and internally for fever, digestive upsets, anxiety, and insomnia.

Diuretics should be used in consultation with a physician. They can deplete body stores of potassium, an essential nutrient. Those who use diuretics should also eat foods high in potassium, such as bananas and fresh vegetables, to replace lost electrolytes.

High blood pressure, congestive heart failure, and diabetes are serious conditions. Celery seed may help manage them, but it should be used in consultation with your physician as part of an overall treatment plan.

Pregnant women should not take diuretics without a physician’s approval.

Celery seed and oil are considered nontoxic and are on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults who are not taking other diuretics, celery seed is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

Celery seed should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If celery seed causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Needs Rich Soil

Celery grows best in well-watered, richly organic soil. Less ideal conditions produce tougher, stringier, more bitter stalks.

In mild areas, celery grows virtually year-round. Elsewhere, start seeds indoors in January and bed seedlings in early spring after the danger of frost has passed. Soak seeds before planting. Germination typically takes about ten days Transplant when seedlings are about 3 inches high at approximately three months. Space plants about 6 inches apart.

Water copiously. Stalk juiciness depends on how much water the plants receive.

Harvest seeds when they mature.

Certain chemicals (psoralens) in celery sometimes cause rashes in agricultural workers. Gardeners take note: Wearing sunscreen prevents the reaction.

Several of celery seed’s age-old uses in healing may be standing up to scientific examination.

Weight Loss - Celery seed contains a diuretic substance.

This finding lends credence to its traditional use in treating obesity, because celery would tend to eliminate water weight. Keep in mind, however, that any water weight lost using diuretics invariably returns. The key to permanent weight control is a low-fat, high-complex-carbohydrate diet and regular aerobic exercise.

High Blood Pressure - Physicians prescribe diuretics for high blood pressure. In one study, celery oil injections significantly reduced blood pressure in rabbits and dogs. Of course, people don’t take their celery by syringe, so Chinese researchers gave the herb to 16 people suffering from high blood pressure. Fourteen showed significant reductions.

If you want to use celery seed in your treatment plan, talk it over with your doctor.

Congestive Heart Failure - The fact that celery seed has been shown to contain a diuretic also supports its traditional use as a treatment for congestive heart failure, which involves serious fluid buildup. If you think you’d like to use celery seed for this purpose, discuss it with your doctor.

Anxiety and Insomnia - Celery seed oil contains chemicals (phthalides) that have sedative effects in animals. Animal findings don’t always apply to humans, but if you’re anxious, nervous, or wakeful, try this herb and see if it works for you.

Diabetes - Several studies have indicated that celery seed reduces blood sugar (glucose) levels, an important part of managing diabetes. Diabetes requires professional ‘treatment. If you’d like to use celery seed as part of your treatment plan, discuss it with your physician.

Women’s Health - Celery seed stimulates uterine contractions in animals, lending support to its traditional uses in menstruation promotion and abortion. Animal results don’t always apply to people, but pregnant women should exercise caution and not use it. Celery stalks, however, are not harmful. Other women may try it to bring on their periods, but do not use celery seed to try to induce abortion.

Diuretics help relieve the bloated feeling caused by premenstrual fluid retention. Women bothered by premenstrual syndrome (PMS) might try some celery seed during the uncomfortable days right before their periods.

Intriguing Possibilities. Celery contains chemicals (psoralens), which have been used to treat psoriasis and more recently, one form of cancer, cutaneous ‘l-cell lymphoma. But further research is needed before this herb can be used to treat these diseases.

Rx for Celery Seed

Celery seed may be used under the supervision of a physician as part of a program to treat high blood pressure, congestive heart failure, or diabetes.

Try a pleasant-tasting infusion as a mild relaxant or to bring on menstruation. Use 1 to 2 teaspoons of freshly crushed seeds per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

In a tincture, take ½ to I teaspoon up to three times a day Celery seed preparations should not be given to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

A Natural Diuretic

Family: Umbelliferae; (includes Carrot, Parsley)

Genus and Species: Apium Graveolens

Also known as: Marsh Parsley, Wild Celery

Parts used: Fruit (”seeds”)

Celery stalks don’t do much but add crunch to salads. But scientists have discovered a surprising number of healing benefits in celery seed. They may help relieve insomnia and high blood pressure and may even help some people manage diabetes and congestive heart failure.

Elixir for Greek Athletes

The ancient Greeks gave celery wine to winning athletes, and celery elixirs have been used in healing throughout history. (A contemporary echo of this, minus any medicinal claims, is the celery-flavored soft drink, Dr. Brown’s eel-Ray Soda.)

India’s traditional Ayurvedic physicians have prescribed celery seed since ancient times as a diuretic to treat water retention and as a treatment for colds, flu, indigestion, arthritis, and diseases of the liver and spleen.

The medieval German abbess/herbalist Hildegard of Bingen wrote: “Whoever is plagued by [the arthritis of] gout …should powder celery seeds… because this is the best remedy.”

English herbalist John Gerard claimed celery “provoketh urine” as an aid to weight loss and expelled “phlegm out of the head.”

Seventeenth-century England’s Nicholas Culpeper also recommended celery seed as a diuretic for “dropsy” (congestive heart failure).

Later herbalists suggested it for insomnia, obesity, nervousness, and several cancers, as a menstruation promoter, and to bring on abortion. It has even been recommended as an aphrodisiac.

Oddly, America’s 19th-century botanical physicians, the Eclectics, were not impressed. They considered celery a mere footnote under its close relative, parsley. If parsley were unavailable, the Eclectics grudgingly recommended celery as “a nerve tonic” and for arthritis and chest congestion.

Contemporary herbalists recommend celery as a diuretic, tranquilizer, sedative, and menstruation promoter, and as treatment for gout, arthritis, obesity, anxiety, and lack of appetite (gustatory, not sexual).

Catnip is considered nontoxic. but some people may experience upset stomach.

The Food and Drug Administration lists catnip as an herb of “undefined safety,” but no significant toxic reactions have ever been reported. For otherwise healthy nonpregnant, nonnursing adults, catnip is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

Catnip should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If catnip causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Protect Plants from Cats

Catnip is a gray-green aromatic perennial that grows to 3 feet and bears all the hallmarks of the mint family: a square stem, fuzzy leaves, and twin-lipped flowers.

Catnip grows easily from seeds or root divisions planted in spring or fall. It thrives in almost any well-drained soil under full sun or partial shade. Some growers say keeping soil on the dry side produces more aromatic plants. Thin seedlings to 18-inch spacings.

Harvest the leaves and flower tops in late summer when the plants are in bloom. Dry and store in opaque, tightly sealed containers to preserve the volatile oil.

Gardeners’ mythology holds that cats are not attracted to catnip in the ground An old rhyme says: “If you set it; the cats will get it; But if you sow it; The cats won’t know it.” Don’t you believe it. Cats often destroy sown plants. The current consensus is that sowing, per se. does not keep cats away. The key is to prevent bruising of the leaves. Carefully cultivated, completely unbruised plants reportedly hold little attraction for cats. But any bruising releases the plant’s aromatic oil, and the cats come running.

Studies show catnip is definitely not just for cats. Modern herbalists tend to overstate its value, but scientists have confirmed several of its traditional uses.

Digestive Aid - Like the other mints, catnip may soothe the smooth muscles ofthe digestive tract (making it an antispasmodic). Have a cup of catnip tea after meals if you’re prone to indigestion or heartburn.

Women’s Health - Antispasmodics calm not only the digestive tract but other smooth muscles as well-the uterus, for example. Catnip’s antispasmodic effect supports its traditional use for relieving menstrual cramps.

Catnip was also used traditionally as a menstruation promoter. Current research suggests it should not stimulate the uterus, but pregnant women should exercise caution and not use medicinal amounts.

Tranquilizer - German researchers report the chemicals (nepetalactone isomers) responsible for cats’ intoxication are similar to the natural sedatives (valepotriates) in valerian. This finding supports catnip’s traditional use as a mild tranquilizer and sedative. Try a cup of tea when you feel tense or before bed and see if it works for you.

Infection Prevention - Catnip also has some antibiotic properties, which lends credence to its traditional use in some cases of diarrhea and fever. As an antibiotic, catnip is not particularly powerful, but it may help prevent infection after garden mishaps.

Rx for Catnip

Enjoya pleasant, minty infusion of catnip as a digestive aid, as a mild tranquilizer, or to soothe menstrual cramps.

For an infusion, use 2 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Do not boil catnip; boiling dissipates its healing oil. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

If you prefer a tincture, take ½ to 1 teaspoon up to three times a day.

Weak, cool catnip infusions may be given cautiously to colicky infants. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

To treat minor garden mishaps, press some crushed catnip leaves into cuts and scrapes on your way to washing and bandaging them.

Enjoy it with Kitty

Family: Labiatae; (includes Mint)

Genus and Species: Nepeta Cataria

Also known as: Catmint, catnep, catswort, field balm

Parts used: Flowers and Leaves

You don’t have to be an herbalist to know this plant’s effect on cats. But here’s a case where one species’ intoxicant is another’s calmer. In people, catnip may help soothe the digestive tract. It may also help relieve menstrual cramps and soothe the nerves, and it might provide handy first aid for gardeners.

Healing Vapors

From Europe to China, catnip has been used medicinally for at least 2,000 years. In teas, its pleasant, lemon-minty vapors were considered a cold and cough remedy, relieving chest congestion and loosening phlegm. Old herbals also praised its ability to promote sweating, a traditional treatment for fever.

Catnip also has a long history of use as a tranquilizer, sedative, digestive aid, menstruation promoter, and treatment for menstrual cramps, flatulence, and infant colic. Parents used to give a weak catnip tea to colicky infants and even hang a small bag of the herb around their necks so they could inhale its soothing vapors.

Equal parts of catnip and saffron were once recommended for smallpox and scarlet fever.

The leaves were also chewed to relieve toothache, and as crazy as this sounds today, smoked to treat bronchitis and asthma.

Catnip was a popular beverage tea in pre-Elizabethan England. During the Age of Exploration, it was replaced by the more stimulating Chinese herb we call tea (Camellia sinensis). However, not all English catnip lovers switched to Chinese tea without regrets. In her book, Tlie Herb Garden, a certain Miss Bardswell clucked, “Catmint Tea was … a good deal more wholesome.”

Hangman’s Root

Colonists introduced catnip into North America. It quickly went wild and now grows across the continent. The Indians adopted the herb and used it as the whites did, for indigestion and infant colic and as a beverage.

Early Americans also believed catnip roots made even the kindest person mean. Hangmen used to consume the roots before executions to get in the right mood for their work.

Catnip was listed as a stomach soother in the US.

Pliarmacopoeia from 1842 to 1882 and the National Formulary, the pharmacists’ reference, from 1916 to 1950.

Contemporary herbalists continue to have great faith in catnip. One writes, “Surely a plant with such a powerful impact on our feline friends … could not be destitute of medicinal value in humans.” Modern herbals recommend catnip as a tranquilizer, sedative, digestive aid, and treatment for colds, colic, diarrhea, flatulence, and fever.

Not a Hallucinogen

A report published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in 1969 claimed catnip produces marijuana-like intoxication. The wire services picked up the story, newspapers ran screaming headlines, and bewildered pet shop owners reported a sudden run on cat toys.

But the report was quickly discredited by correspondents who flooded the medical journal with letters pointing out that the “catnip” photos that ran with the article were actually marijuana. Catnip has no history as a human intoxicant, and authorities quickly dismissed the notion that smoking catnip caused anything but a sore throat.

Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the popular press. As Yarro Tyler, Ph.D., writes in The New Honest Herbal, “Once an erroneous statement has appeared in print, it is almost impossible to eradicate. Catnip continues to be listed in practically every book devoted to drugs of abuse as a mild intoxicant.” For the record: It isn’t.

Cat intoxication is another matter. All cats are attracted to catnip, but only about two-thirds exhibit strong “feline catnip euphoria,” according to a report published in Economic Botany. Kitty euphoria is an inherited trait, and not all cats have the gene necessary for it.

Anthraquinone laxatives are considered a last resort for constipation. First, eat a diet higher in fiber, drink more fluids, and exercise more. If that doesn’t work, try a bulk-forming laxative, such as psyllium, for example. And if that doesn’t provide relief, try Cascara Sagrada.

Cascara Sagrada should never be used for more than two weeks. Over time, it causes lazy bowel syndrome, an inability to move stool without chemical stimulation. If constipation persists, consult a physician.

Cascara bark must be stored for at least a year before use.

The fresh herb contains chemicals that can cause violent catharsis and severe intestinal cramps. Drying changes these chemicals and gives the herb milder action. Fresh bark may also be artificially dried by baking at 250°F for several hours.

Cascara Sagrada should not be used by anyone with ulcers, ulcerative colitis, irritable bowel syndrome, hemorrhoids, or other gastrointestinal conditions.

Pregnant women should not use Cascara Sagrada.

For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults who do not have digestive disorders and are not taking other laxatives, Cascara Sagrada is considered relatively safe when used cautiously in amounts typically recommended.

Cascara Sagrada should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If Cascara Sagrada causes minor discomforts such as nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, or intestinal cramps, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if constipation does not improve in a few days.

Not for the Backyard

Cascara Sagrada is an unassuming, 20-foot tree with reddishbrown bark and thin, finely serrated leaves. It grows in the Northwest and is not a garden herb.

Modern herbals recommend Cascara Sagrada for constipation and endorse the Eclectic physicians’ assertion that it “restores bowel tone.”

Constipation - Cascara Sagrada is an ingredient in dozens of over-the-counter laxatives, among them Comfolax plus and Nature’s Remedy. In addition, physicians write more than 2.5 million prescriptions a year for products that contain cascara.

Cascara Sagrada contains chemicals (anthraquinones) that stimulate the intestinal contractions we know as “the urge.” And the Spanish were right in believing that Cascara Sagrada is milder than the other anthraquinone laxatives, which include aloe, buckthorn, rhubarb, and senna. As a result, cascara is less likely to cause nausea, vomiting, and intestinal cramps. On the other hand, these reactions are possible. If they occur, use less or stop using it.

Research has also supported the Eclectics’ observation that Cascara Sagrada restores bowel tone. According to the natural-product text, Pharmacognosy, “Cascara Sagrada… not only acts as a laxative, but also restores natural tone to the colon.”

Intriguing Possibility - Harry Hoxsey may have been on the right track. The herb contains aloe-emodin, which has been shown to have anti-leukemia action in laboratory animals, supporting its use as a cancer treatment. Unfortunately, aloe-emodin is also quite toxic, and scientists say more research is needed before it can be used to treat leukemia.

Rx for Cascara Sagrada

To benefit from the laxative action of Cascara Sagrada, use either a decoction or a tincture.

For a decoction, boil I teaspoon of well-dried bark in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Drink at room temperature, I to 2 cups a day before bed.

The taste is quite bitter. You may find that a tincture is more palatable. In a tincture, take 112 teaspoon at bedtime.

When using commercial preparations, follow package directions.

Do not give Cascara Sagrada to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

World’s Most Popular Laxative

Family: Rhamnaceae; (includes Buckthorn)

Genus and Species: Rhamnus Purshiana

Also known as: Cascara, sacred bark, chittem bark

Parts used: Dried, aged bark

The 16th-century Spanish explorers who first visited northern California had a problem-constipation. The local Indians had the solution-a tea made from a healing herb they held sacred. The herb worked, and the Spanish named it Cascara Sagrada, “sacred bark.” It has been the answer to millions of prayers ever since.

Wonder of the New World

The Spanish recognized Cascara Sagrada as a relative of buckthorn, the powerful laxative herb used in Europe since ancient times. But Cascara Sagrada was much gentler. The explorers sent some back to Spain, where its comparatively mild action was hailed as a wonder of the New World.

But the Spanish explorers were more interested in finding gold than in spreading laxatives around the newly discovered continent. For a long time Cascara Sagrada remained a West Coast folk remedy, known as “chittem bark,” a polite variant of the Gold Rush ‘4gers’ name, “sh-tin’ bark.”

In 1877, a Detroit Eclectic physician extolled cascara’s mildness in a home medical guide, prompting Parke, Davis & Co., the pharmaceutical firm, to market a commercial preparation. Cascara Sagrada has been one of the world’s most popular herbal medicines ever since.

Cascara Sagrada entered the U.S. Pharmacopoeia in 1890 and remains there to this day.

In Appalachian folk medicine, Cascara Sagrada has also been used to treat cancer. It was an ingredient in the popular but highly controversial-Hoxsey Cancer Formula, an alternative therapy marketed from the I930s to the I950s by ex-coal miner Harry Hoxsey.

There have been no reports of harm from caraway.

Although caraway appears to have antispasmodic properties, which means that it might relax the uterus, the herb has been used throughout history to promote menstruation. Pregnant women should exercise caution and not use the herb medicinally.

Caraway seed is on the Food and Drug Administration’s list of herbs generally regarded as safe. For otherwise healthy non-pregnant, non-nursing adults, caraway is safe in amounts typically recommended.

Caraway should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. Let your doctor know if you experience unpleasant effects or if stomach distress does not improve significantly in two weeks.

A Tasty Addition to the Garden

Caraway is an attractive biennial that reaches 2 feet. It has feathery leaves and umbrella-like clusters of tiny white flowers, which bloom in early summer.

Caraway grows easily from seeds planted in spring ½ inch deep and 8 inches apart. Caraway likes rich, well-drained soil and full sun. Keep plants moist but not wet.

The first year, caraway produces a small rosette of leaves and a long taproot. Don’t transplant it once it has become established. During the second year, caraway sends up its stem, reveals its feathery leaves, and produces its seeds.

Seeds appear in midsummer. Harvest them as soon as they ripen. Leave some seeds behind and the plants will selfsow.

The Egyptians were right. It’s amazing that a treatment used 3,500 years ago can still be effective today.

Digestive Aid - Modern researchers have discovered that two chemicals (carvol and carvene) in caraway seeds soothe the smooth muscle tissue of the digestive tract and help expel gas Women’s Health. Antispasmodics, which appear to be present in caraway, soothe not only the digestive tract but other smooth muscles, such as the uterus, as well. Thus, caraway might relax the uterus, not stimulate it. Women may try it for relief of menstrual cramps.

Rx for Caraway

Fresh seeds may be mixed into any food or chewed a teaspoonful at a time.

Add caraway seeds to any dishes that benefit from their unique flavor. They are often used in breads, soups, salads, stews, cheeses, sauerkraut, pickling brines, and meat dishes.

Caraway oil is also used to flavor two digestive-aid liqueurs, Scandinavian Aquavit and German Kummel.

For a pleasant-tasting infusion that might help aid digestion, relieve gas or menstrual cramping, use 2 to 3 teaspoons of bruised or crushed seeds per cup of boiling water. Steep 10 to 20 minutes. Drink up to 3 cups a day.

If you prefer a tincture, take ½ to 1 teaspoon up to three times a day.

Low-strength caraway infusions may be given to infants for colic and gas.

Digestive Aid Since Ancient Egypt

Family: Umbelliferae; (includes Carrot, Parsley)

Genus and Species: Carum Carvi

Also known as: Carum

Parts used: Fruits (”seeds”)

Caraway is best known as the seed that flavors rye bread. The reason it’s in rye bread, and many other foods, is that caraway has been used since ancient times to calm the digestive tract and expel gas.

Caraway seeds have been found in prehistoric food remains from 3500 s.c. The ancient Egyptians loved the aromatic seeds. They were recommended for digestive upsets in the Ebers Papyrus, one of the world’s oldest surviving medical documents, about 1500 BC.

Unchanged for Centuries

Caraway is one of only a handful of herbs whose major medicinal use has remained unchanged throughout history. The ancient Greek physician Dioscorides mentioned the seeds to aid digestion, and herbals down through the ages have recommended them for indigestion, gas, and infant colic.

In Shakespeare’s day, baked apples with caraway seeds were considered a stomach-soothing dessert. In Henry IV, a meal ends with “a pippin and a dish of caraway” Seventeenth-century English herbalist Nicholas Culpeper said caraway “helpeth digestion… and easeth the pains of the wind colic.”

And America’s 19th-century Eclectic physicians believed the seeds “gently excite the digestive powers… I and are I used in flatulent colic, especially of children.”

Throughout history, in Europe, the Middle East, and early America, caraway was a favorite addition to laxative herbs because it tempered their often violent effects.

Caraway’s only other traditional uses relate to women’s health-for menstrual cramps, menstruation promotion, and milk promotion in nursing mothers.

No one questioned burdock’s safety until the Journal of the American Medical Association linked it to one case of poisoning that could have proved fatal.

A woman who drank a strong decoction experienced blurred vision, dry mouth, and hallucinations-classic symptoms of atropine poisoning. Burdock does not contain atropine, but a plant that looks similar does-belladonna. Presumably, some belladonna accidentally adulterated the woman’s burdock.

One case of adulteration is not cause for alarm, but if you use burdock, buy it from a reliable source, and if you develop any symptoms of atropine poisoning-dry mouth, blurred vision, and hallucinations-seek emergency medical treatment immediately. The Toxicol0gy of Botanical Medicines identifies burdock as a uterine stimulant. Pregnant women shouldn’t use it.

The Food and Drug Administration lists burdock as an herb of “undefined safety,” but except for that one case of atropine poisoning, it apparently never has caused problems. For otherwise healthy nonpregnant, nonnursing adults, burdock is considered safe in amounts typically recommended.

Burdock should be used in medicinal amounts only in consultation with your doctor. If burdock causes minor discomforts, such as stomach upset or diarrhea, use less or stop using it. Let your doctor know if you experience any unpleasant effects or if the symptoms for which the herb is being used do not improve significantly in two weeks.

Medicine is in the Roots

Burdock’s medicinal root has brown bark and a white, spongy, fibrous interior, which becomes hard when dried. Its stem is multibranched, with long, egg-shaped leaves. Each branch is topped by a bristled “flower,” actually a clump of many purplish flowers, which produces its infamous burrs.

Burdock grows easily from seeds planted in spring. Thin seedlings to o-inch spacing. Burdock prefers moist. rich, deeply cultivated soil and full sun but tolerates poorer soils. Many herbalists mix wood chips and sawdust into burdock beds to keep the soil loose so roots are easier to harvest. Burdock roots deeply, so transplanting is not advised for established plants. Harvest the roots during the fall of the first year or the spring of the second.

Many modern herbal experts say thumbs down to burdock as a healing herb. In Natural Product Medicine, Ara Der Marderosian, Ph.D., and Lawrence Liberti write: “There is little evidence to suggest burdock is useful in treatment of any human disease.” And in The New Honest Herbal, Varro Tyler, Ph.D., writes: “In spite of its long folkloric use, no solid evidence exists that burdock exhibits useful therapeutic activity.”

Most traditional claims for burdock have not withstood scientific scrutiny. It does not treat leprosy, arthritis, uterine prolapse, or congestive heart failure. But several studies suggest the herb may prove to be therapeutic after all.

Infection - German researchers have discovered fresh burdock root contains chemicals (polyacetylenes) that kill disease-causing bacteria and fungi. Though dried burdock contains less of these chemicals, their presence may help explain the herb’s traditional use against ringworm, a fungal infection, and several bacterial infections, including gonorrhea, skin infections, and urinary tract infections.

However, burdock is no substitute for professional medical treatment of fungal and bacterial infections.

Intriguing Possibilities - Burdock has been used extensively around the world as a cancer treatment. and several studies show that substances found in the herb do, in fact. have antitumor activity. An article published in Chemotherapy identified a chemical (arctigenin) in burdock as an “inhibitor of experimental tumor growth.” And a study published in Mutation Research showed the herb decreases mutations in cells exposed to mutation-causing chemicals. (Most substances that cause genetic mutations also cause cancer.)

Of course, cancer requires professional care. If you’d like to try burdock in addition to standard therapy, discuss it with your physician.

Finally, burdock has an as-yet-unexplained anti-poisoning effect. Experimental animals fed the herb were somehow protected against several chemicals known to be toxic.

In view of these tantalizing findings, let’s hope scientists cling to burdock research as tenaciously as the plant’s burrs cling to just about anything.

Rx for Burdock

If your physician gives the okay, use burdock in conjunction with other cancer therapy. The herb may also be used as part of the treatment for certain infections, such as those that attack the urinary tract, and also for gonorrhea. Take it as a decoction or tincture.

For a decoction, boil I teaspoon of root in 3 cups of water for 30 minutes. Cool. Drink up to 3 cups a day. It has a sweet taste similar to celery root.

In a tincture, take 112 to I teaspoon up to three times a day. Do not give burdock to children under age 2. For older children and people over 65, start with low-strength preparations and increase strength if necessary.

Likely to Stick Around

Family: Compositae; (includes Daisy, Dandelion, Marigold)

Genus and Species: Arctium Lappa

Also known as: Great Burdock, Burr

Parts used: Primarily Roots, also Leaves and Seeds

Burdock - the name is a combination of bur, from its tenacious burrs, and dock, Old English for “plant” seems to reach out and grab anything that comes near it And the same could be said for its place in modern herbal healing. While many scientists have dismissed burdock as useless, it seems destined to hang on as a healing herb, particularly as a potential treatment for cancer.

Burdock has had its ups and downs in the past. When it wasn’t being reviled as a pest, it was being recommended as a healing treatment for a surprising variety of conditions. The medieval German abbess/herbalist Hildegard of Bingen used it to treat cancerous tumors.

Early Chinese physicians considered burdock a remedy for colds, flu, throat infections, and pneumonia. India’s traditional Ayurvedic healers used it similarly.

An Herb for All Reasons

During the 14th century in Europe, burdock leaves were pounded in wine and used to treat leprosy London’s overly imaginative 17th century herbalist Nicholas Culpeper recommended burdock for uterine prolapse, a condition in which the ligaments supporting the uterus weaken, causing it to fall into the vagina. Culpeper’s bizarre prescription: Place burdock on the crown of the head to draw the womb back up.
Later European herbalists prescribed burdock root for fever, cancer, eczema, psoriasis, acne, dandruff, gout, ringworm, skin infections, syphilis, gonorrhea, and problems associated with childbirth.

America’s 19th-century Eclectic physicians considered it an excellent diuretic and prescribed it for urinary tract infection, kidney problems, and painful urination, in addition to skin infections and arthritis.

The Cancer Controversy

Centuries after Hildegard recommended burdock for cancer, the herb’s reputation as a tumor treatment spread to Russia, China, India, and the Americas.

From the 1930s to the 1950s, burdock was an ingredient in the alternative cancer treatment marketed by ex-coal miner Harry Hoxsey.

Contemporary herbalists have abandoned burdock as a cancer treatment (perhaps prematurely) but continue to recommend it for skin problems, wound treatment, urinary tract infection, arthritis, sciatica, ulcers, and even anorexia nervasa.