| A fascinating anecdotal biography of France's most famous unschooled herbalists. Messegue learned his art from his father, and, applying it skillfully and intuitively, he became a minor celebrity, summoned to treat the famous in France and abroad. An appendix includes recipes for his treatments, many of which were administered as foot or hand baths. The drawback for many readers will be that the application of this technique requires ample quantities of the plants used; some must be fresh, and though others can be dried, they must have been properly gathered and be available in quantity. |
| Also, the name used may be different from that used by herbalists. (Note that homeopathic MT's are usually a 1:10 strength, while ordinary herbal tinctures are 1:5.)
NV: Not vegan (contains animal products)
Rprtz/esp: Repertorize (see pages 78-85), but especially consider the following (for homeopathic remedies and flower essences) Rx: Prescription or treatment RxFs: Therapeutic foods tbt: "to bowel tolerance" of vitamin C. Vitamin C will, when given in doses beyond what can be absorbed, cause loose bowel movements. |
Barrie R Cassileth, Ph.D.
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 It also clarifies the ongoing debate between herbalists who urge the medical use of plants as they grow in nature and other researchers who stress the importance of identifying and isolating their active components.
What It Is
Herbs are plants or plant parts, such as flowers, leaves, stems, bark, and roots, that are used to season foods (culinary herbs) or applied against health problems (medicinal herbs). Every culture throughout history has used plants to treat medical problems. Originally, the specific utility of herbs was assumed to be based on their shape or color. |
Lita Lee, Lisa Turner and Burton Goldberg
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 Horsetail (Equisetum arvense): An astringent for the genitourinary system, horsetail is used for both inflammation and enlargement of the prostate. Some herbalists combine horsetail with hydrangea to treat prostate problems. The Thera-zyme UrT formula contains both of these herbs.
?Hydrangea (Hydrangea arborescens): A diuretic (increases urine flow), this herb is used to treat an inflamed or enlarged prostate, urinary infections, and kidney stones. |
Frantisek Stary
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 The era of the 'herbalists' coincided with the discovery of the New World between 1492 and 1500. In the year 1500 Alvarez Cabral landed on the coast of Brazil and claimed it for Portugal. This marked the beginning not only of the avid acquisition of gold but of the natural wealth of the New World as well. Then, as now, Europeans were interested in all forms of plants and their uses. Thus began the introduction of newly imported plant species to Europe's botanical gardens, and medicinal products, such as balsam and tropical drugs, to its apothecaries. |
| It's sale is restricted to medical herbalists under the Medicines Act 1968.
Scented Mayweed, Wild or German Chamomile
Chamomilla recutita (l.) rauschert Compositae
One of the most widely used medicinal herbs, Scented Mayweed is distributed throughout the whole world except for the tropical and arctic regions. It is thought to be native to southern and southeastern Europe. Flowerheads with stalks not exceeding two centimetres in length are gathered in succession during the summer before they are past their prime. |
| It is an ancient medicinal herb, often referred to by herbalists across the ages.
Lovage is a perennial herb with a fleshy overwintering rhizome and erect, hollow stems up to one and half metres high terminated by the flowerhead (1, 2). The leaves are alternate, the lower ones long-stalked, those higher up either short-stalked or with sheath-like stalks; they are two or three times pinnate, the upper stem leaves less divided. The flowers appear from June until August and are arranged in clusters of as many as twenty umbels. The small five-petalled flowers (3) are greenish-yellow. |
Dr. Gary Null
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 I learned about several herbalists, and studied with Letha Hadady over the years. I took several workshops with her, where I learned about Chinese herbs and the whole philosophy of Asian medicine as well as the Ayurvedic and the Tibetan systems. Over the years, I have taken formulas of Chinese and Western herbs.
The results are difficult to show concretely. All I can tell you is that 1 don't have cancer and that ten years later, after having had a very aggressive kind of tumor, I am still fine.
I believe in natural medicine. |
Gale Maleskey
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 At the same time, herbalists believe that herbs with choleretic properties stimulate gallbladder contraction.
Milk thistle is one herb with thes^ properties. "It gets things moving and helps flush out the small stones, help improve the digestion of fats, she
Although some supplement formulas are made up of a number of choleretic herbs, Dr. Warnock favors milk thistle taken by itself. "What usually happens when you put a lot of herbs into one capsule is that you don't end up with high concentrations of any of them," he says. |
Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
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 Pertinent to this blend, it can be noted that herbalists have used Goldenseal in America for over a hundred years for inflammation of eyes (3) and to soothe and tone catarrhal and follicular conjunctivitis (4). The American Indians were the first to use it for sore eyes. White doctors did not pick up the use of this herb until about 1800 (5-6). Early pioneers, along with many Indian tribes, used it as a general tonic, but thought of it as being a specific treatment for the eyes. |
National Women's Health Network
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 One double-blind, placebo-controlled study of seventy-one postmenopausal women found that this herb by itself did not affect the number of hot flashes, estrogeniza-
There have been no clinical studies on vitex for menopausal symptoms, although many herbalists believe that it balances hormone levels, especially in women with unpredictable or heavy bleeding before menopause. tion of vaginal cells, or endometrial thickness as measured by sonogram.15 Keep in mind, however, that Chinese herbs are generally used in mixtures rather than by themselves. |
John Heinerman
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 THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS
Maurice Messegue is one of Europe's greatest and most famous herbalists. Born in the remote French village in the Gers in Gascony, he learned at a very young age from his father the plant lore handed down by generations of his forebears: the special properties of everyday plants and flowers.
It was Mistinguett, the toast of Paris and the beloved of French film star Maurice Chevalier, who started him along the road to fame when he cured the rheumatism in her million-dollar legs. Through Mistinguett, Messegue encountered a whole new world he barely knew existed. |
| In Great Britain medical herbalists are protected under a special charter granted to them several centuries ago, which allows them to diagnose and prescribe just as regular doctors can. They receive extensive training in herbal lore and general medicine before receiving their licenses to practice.) The individual to whom Magistrate Wascombe presented himself prescribed five tablespoons of a garlic-and-onion mix (equal parts of each) every day. In addition, his lady herbalist put him on tinctures of mistletoe, belladonna, and Crataegus (hawthorn). |
| THERAPEUTIC BENEFITS
Different traditional herbalists and folk healers with whom I have visited in Nigeria, Senegal, Ethiopia, South Africa and elsewhere on the African continent, have been unanimous in their praise of persimmon fruit for getting rid of any type of intestinal parasites, but preferably when it is still somewhat unripe. In its unripened state, they insist, there are more nasty-tasting substances to help kill these harmful parasites than when it's sweet and ripe. |
| Some Oriental herbalists and alternative-minded doctors prescribe quince juice for their patients suffering from cholera. This seems to prevent the dangers inherent with the onset of dehydration by quickly and effectively stopping the diarrhea.
Dysentery (Amebic). This is a condition of prolonged diarrhea resulting from ulcerative inflammation of the colon, caused chiefly by infection with Entamoeba histolytica. Quince juice can halt the diarrhea and stop the infection because of its strong astringent properties.
Lice. |
James Green
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 So, if you are not already outdoors reading these words, please, weather permitting, step outside with me and we'll find Taraxacum officinale, a most notorious wild plant____
This is the plant that herbalists, children, and poets call Dandelion.
Dandelion
Many other people call it a weed and treat it rather rudely.
Let us refer to it as a wild medicinal plant and perceive the extract we're about to make with it as an herbal tonic. |
| However, in the past few years reductionist science has proclaimed Comfrey (in particular, the root and the early spring leaves) to be the possessor and conveyer of certain toxic components called pyrrolizidine alkaloids which are said to cause damage to the liver of human beings. Many herbalists have accepted this as truth and a number of us have not. |
| These people I recognize as "plant persons," the green herbalists. When in the field, a green herbalist realizes that he or she is a visitor, a guest in quest of great gifts. This field persona emits respect and gratitude, and monitors one's harvesting technique in such manner that the plant community is honored and can continue to thrive. |
| There is a specific time in Earth's solar and lunar cycles when an herb will yield its best "medicine." herbalists for thousands of years have recorded information concerning the proper time to pick various herbs. And of course, being experts, they don't always agree with each other. However, most do agree that during specific periods of the plant's yearly growth and daily life cycle the medicinal constituents are more fully developed and abundant in certain parts of the plant than they are in others. |
| As I mentioned above, a collection
Once succulent herbs are fully dried there is no longer enough water available in the vegetable tissues to support microorganism lifestyles; therefore the potency of one's precious harvest is gready prolonged and herbalists are very happy. of properly handled and correctly dried herbs will elicit the same diversity and sensual inspiration as the garden's collection of juicy green hues. |
Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
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| Such complicity between pontificating professionals and bumbling, eager-beaver, got-tell-em-like-it-is herbalists and authors has created doubts in the minds of thousands of people about one of the most beneficial herbs known.
I cannot hope to rectify the damage that has been done, but at least I can set forth the facts as they stand. The major fact is that there are no reported cases of intoxication as a result of using whole Licorice root, neither in powdered nor stick nor tea form.
The culprits are derivatives and concentrated extracts of the herb. |
| None of that research deals directly with prostate problems, but it does demonstrate the remarkable diuretic properties of the herb (7). Most herbalists around the world agree that Cornsilk directly reduces painful symptoms and swelling due to several inflammatory conditions, including cystitis, pyelitis, oligouria, hepatitis, and all edematous
Conditions. See Also diuretic
BUCHU LEAF is provided as a urinary disinfectant, one of the important secondary considerations when treating prostate problems. The leaves are also mildly diuretic in their own right. |
Dr. Vern Cherewatenko and Paul Perry
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 In China, herbalists give garcinia to patients with type 2 diabetes and heart problems.
It was the use of Garcinia cambogia in traditional treatments that led to an interest in its essence by researchers. Chemical researchers knew that it worked as a treatment for a variety of conditions, but they didn't know why. In 1965 two researchers found that the active ingredient in this herbal remedy was hydroxycitric acid
(HCA), and research on its effects began. What they found with HCA was a chemical compound that did more than expected.
A chemist at Brandeis University, J. A. Watson, Ph.D. |
Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
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| Periodically, its effectiveness has been questioned, even by herbalists, but nay-sayers have made little impact. They are quickly buried and forgotten and the traditional use continues unabated. Some naturalists, spooked by the obvious correlation between the Doctrine of Signatures and the appearance and use of Eyebright, have been quick to call attention to this puported superstitious connection. Are they right? Is this herb a fraud? Not according to the majority of those who have investigated its properties for themselves. |
Lendon H. Smith, M.D.
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| The naturopathic doctor would add the B-complex, calcium, magnesium, tryptophan, bach flowers, and seek to eliminate stress. herbalists have found the following of great help: Oxytropis, Natrum muriaticum, Borax, Aluminum, Sanic causticum, Electrictas, Plumbum metallicum, Sepia, Lil-ium tigrin, valerian root, black cohosh, chamomile, hops, skullcap, Capsicum, and passion flower.
HYPERACTIVITY
Since most of the hyperactive kids are low in calcium and magnesium, it is easy to see why they are restless, touchy, and distractible. Many have school phobia. |
Daniel B. Mowrey, Ph.D.
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| Fortunately, today's herbalists continue to sing its praises, but not many researchers have investigated the many claims. One existing piece of work demonstrated significant hypotensive activity in the glycoside constituents of Wood Betony (5). Another study discovered that Wood Betony is active against tuberculosis bacteria (6). Since we know there are active principles in the herb, it would seem to deserve more active research attention. See Also NERVOUS TENSION; NERVES & GLANDS
SKULLCAP has a checkered history for pain relief. |
Mark Bricklin
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 Modern herbalists recommend a hot strong decoction of comfrey tea for bad bruises, swellings, sprains and boils. Jethro Kloss recommends a poultice made of the fresh leaves for sore breasts, wounds, ulcers, burns and gangrene. Where the skin is lacerated, of course, the poultice should never be uncomfortably hot.
Audrey Wynne Hatfield (A Herb For Every III, J. M. Dent & Sons, London, 1973) makes a comfrey poultice by chopping up the leaves and mixing them with boiling water. When they are cooled, she sandwiches them between gauze and applies it to the skin. |
| Jethro Kloss was the Walt Whitman of herbalists. The paperback edition of his classic, which runs on to some 700 pages, is packed with every imaginable kind of information about maintaining health and curing illness. Kloss wrote with a passionate conviction; not surprisingly, you will find in Kloss's dietary and general health advice many passages that seem arbitrary, outdated, excessively emphatic or simply incorrect.
On the other hand, the hundreds of herbal remedies, and especially the combination herbal therapies that Kloss presents, are a goldmine of potential usefulness. |
| To perk out of the blues, herbalists value a hot cup of rosemary tea, perhaps with a pinch of valerian.
Diabetes
There are two basic kinds of diabetes: juvenile diabetes, which occurs during youth, and adult-onset diabetes. The latter is far more common, and unless otherwise specified, that is the kind of diabetes we are discussing here.
The most important single factor in the diabetic's diet is weight control. Excessive weight makes the body less sensitive to insulin, the hormone needed to control the level of glucose in the blood. |
| Especially recommended for serious students of natural medicine who want to have a book that balances the sometimes excessive enthusiasm of herbalists lacking real scientific credentials.
Thomson, William A. R., ed. Medicines from the Earth. Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill, 1978.
A lavishly illustrated and superbly designed book that will happily grace your coffee table or herbal tea table. Just be careful you don't go and spoil the fun by killing yourself. Although the artistic design of this book is, as I said, beautiful, the content design is a disaster—and I use that word advisedly. |
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