Short Herbal Terms
This is provided as a handy means of finding out what specific herbal terms mean. To acquaint you with the language of medicinal herbal preperation. It is hoped that you can put this glossary to good use.
- Alterative:
- A vague term to indicate a substance which alters a condition by producing a gradual change toward the restoration af health.
- Anodyne:
- Eases pain.
- Anthemlmintic:
- Expels or destroys intestinal worms.
- Antidote:
- Agents wich counteract or destroy the effects of poison or other medicines.
- Antiscorbutic:
- Counteracts scurvy.
- Antiseptic:
- Destroys or inmhibits bacteria.
- Antispasmotic:
- Prevents or allays spasms or cramps.
- Aphrodisiac
- Stimulates the sex organs.
- Aperient:
- Herbal agents that are mild laxatives to the intestines, being gentle in peristalstic action.
- Astringent:
- Causes contraction of tissues.
- Carmative:
- Expels gas from the stomach, intestines, or bowels.
- Caaathartic:
- Causes evacuation from the bowels.
- Cholagogue:
- Increases the flow of bile and promotes its ejection.
- Demulcent:
- Soothing, bland. Used to relieve internal inflamations and provide a protective coating.
- Depurative:
- A purifying agent.
- Diaphoretics:
- Herbal agents that promote secretions through the sweat glands.
- Emetics:
- Agents that induce vomiting.
- Emmenagogues:
- Herbal agents that act apon the reproductive system via hormone balancing.
- Emollients:
- Herbs that soften skin.
- Errine:
- Used in nasal passages to create a mucous discharge.
- Epispastics:
- Causes blisters or sloughing on the suface of the skin.
- Expectorants:
- Thins mucous.
- Febrifuge:
- Reduces fevers.
- Galactagogue:
- Promotes milk secretion.
- Nervines:
- Herbal agents that regenerate the entire nervous system, having a calming effect, by altering deranged nerve tissue, that cause irritation of the nerve endings.
- Purgative:
- Causes copious evacuation of the bowels.
- Rebefacient:
- A substance used externally to increase blood supply, leaving the skin red.
- Soporific:
- Induces sleep.
- Sudorifics:
- Increases perspiration.
- Teniafuge:
- Expels worms.
- Tonic:
- Tones , promotes regeneration of tissues throughout the body.
- Vermifuges:
- Kills or expels parasites.
- Vesicant:
- Raises blisters.
- Vulnerary:
- Tones and heals, often used with an emollient tfor external wounds.
Produced by: Michael Hall, R.N.
FOR:
NUTRAMEDICAL
2665 TABLE ROCK ROAD
OAKLAND, MD 21550
