Glossary of Medicinal Herbal Terms

This list is a brief introduction to some common terms used to describe the properties of medicinal herbs, along with some examples of herbs in each category.

Alterative- Purifies blood and detoxifies, improves assimilation of nutrients and elimination of waste; generally improves overall health. Some examples of alteratives are red clover, burdock root, nettles and echinacea.

Analgesic- Relieves pain. Analgesics such as cramp bark and black cohosh are also antispasmodics, and relieve pain by easing muscle spasms. Other analgesics such as cloves act by directly affecting the nerves, and are useful for topical application to relieve toothache. Anodyne is another term that refers to herbs that relieve pain.

Antipyretic- Has cooling properties that reduce fever. Some antipyretic herbs are alfalfa, boneset and chickweed.

Antispasmodic- Relieves muscle spasms and cramps. Lobelia, black haw, dong quai and motherwort are antispasmodics.

Astringent- Has drying, binding or constricting properties; used to relieve swelling, stop discharges or dry up skin eruptions. Most astringent herbs contain tannins. Some astringent herbs are oak bark, horsetail, bayberry bark and witch hazel.

Carminative- Relieves intestinal gas and griping, promotes peristalsis. Carminatives are often taken after a meal. Some carminative herbs are fennel, ginger, caraway and anise.

Cholagogue- Promotes the release of bile from the gall bladder; used to improve digestion. Cholagogues are often very bitter, since the bitter taste stimulates bile production. Barberry, Oregon grape root and gentian.

Demulcent- Soothes and relieves irritation of mucous membranes. Demulcents are often included in formulas for cough, and in diuretic formulas to protect the urinary tract from irritation. Slippery elm and marshmallow root are demulcents used in many herbal preparations.

Diaphoretic- Induces sweating; often used at the early stages of colds and flu. There are two categories of diaphoretics: warming or stimulating, such as ginger and angelica; and cooling or relaxing, which include wild yam and lemon balm.

Diuretic- Increases urine output, used for water retention or edema. Uva ursi, dandelion and cleavers are diuretics.

Emmenagogue- Promotes menstrual flow, helps to regulate menstrual cycle. Emmenagogues should be avoided during pregnancy. Some examples are angelica, pennyroyal and myrrh.

Expectorant- Promotes the expulsion of mucus from the lungs, bronchial tubes and throat. Mullein, yerba santa, coltsfoot and elecampane are expectorants commonly used for lung congestion.

Galactagogue- Promotes production of mother's milk. Some examples are blessed thistle, vervain and raspberry leaf.

Hemostatic- Stops bleeding; hemostatics are often astringent herbs. Yarrow is one of the most powerful hemostatic herbs; others include shepherd's purse, goldenseal and cranesbill.

Nervine- Calms nervous tension and anxiety. Skullcap, lavender and chamomile are popular nervines.

Rubefacient- Increases the flow of blood to the surface of the skin. Rubefacients are often used for inflammation caused by arthritis, rheumatism and similar joint conditions. Eucalyptus, mustard seed and cayenne are rubefacients.

Sedative- Calms the nervous system. Sedatives are generally stronger than nervines, and are often used to relieve insomnia. Some sedatives are valerian, passion flower and hops.

Vulnerary- Fosters healing of cuts, burns and other skin wounds by stimulating growth of cells. Aloe vera, comfrey, calendula and plantain are vulnerary herbs.

Sources:
Tierra, Michael. The Way of Herbs.
http://www.gaines.com/html/Libraries/Herbs/glossary.html