- Adaptogen
- Herbs that normalize and restore body functions and increase the body’s nonspecific resistance to stress: ginseng, licorice, nettle and astragulus.
- Alterative
- Also known as blood purifiers. Herbs that gradually restore health and vitality to the body: burdock, red clover, nettle, oregon grape, alfalfa, gota kola, marshmallow, dong quai, and ginseng.
- Analgesic/Anodyne
- Substance that relieves pain: scullcap, valerian, passion flower, catnip and chamomile.
- Antacid
- Substances that neutralize excess acid in the stomach and intestinal tract: dandelion, fennel, slippery elm, catnip, mullein and meadowsweet.
- Anthelmintic
- Herbs that expels or kills worms: garlic, onion, wormwood, rue and thyme.
- Antibiotic
- Substance that inhibit the growth of or destroy bacteria, viruses or amoebas: echinacea, goldenseal, myrrh, chaparral, juniper berries, thyme and garlic.
- Anticatarrhal
- Substances that eliminate or counteract the formation of mucus: cayenne, ginger, sage, cinnamon, anise, gota kola, mullein, comfrey and wild cherry bark.
- Anti-inflammatory
- Herbs that reduce inflammation: St. John’s wort, calendula, arnica, licorice, chamomile and wild yam.
- Antilithic
- Herbs that prevent or dissolve and discharge urinary and biliary stones and gravel: dandelion, cleavers, corn silk, uva ursi. For gallbladder: Oregon grape and chaparral.
- Antiphlogistic
- Reduces localized inflammations, itching and swelling.
- Antipyretic
- Cooling herbs used to reduce fevers: alfalfa, basil, gota kola, skullcap, chickweed, yarrow.
- Antiseptic
- Substances that can be applied to the skin to prevent the growth of bacteria: goldenseal, calendula, chaparral, myrrh and the oils of thyme, garlic, pine, juniper berries and sage.
- Antispasmodic
- Herbs that prevent or relax muscle spasms: lobelia, dong quai, black and blue cohosh, scullcap, valerian, kava kava, raspberry leaves and rue.
- Aphrodisiac
- Substances used to improve sexual potency and power: damiana, saw palmetto, ginseng, sarsaparilla, kava kava and burdock.
- Aromatic
- A pleasant smelling and tasting herb that stimulates the gastro-intestinal system, and improves the taste of medicines and foods: lavender, peppermint, angelica, cinnamon, dill, citrus peel.
- Astringent
- Herb causing constriction of tissues: witch hazel, white oak bark, yellow dock, uva ursi, calendula, myrrh, horsetail, blackberry root.
- Bitter
- Stimulates gastric function: hops, mugwort, dandelion.
- Carminative
- Promotes digestion, expels gas, and relieves gripping: anise, fennel, chamomile, peppermint, caraway, ginger.
- Cholagogue
- Herbs taken to promote the flow and discharge of bile into the small intestine: goldenseal, oregon grape, dandelion, wild yam.
- Demulcent
- Soothing substances taken internally that protect and sooth the digestive tract. They trigger reflex mechanisms that travel through the spinal nerves effectively reducing inflammation and irritation in the respiratory and urinary systems: comfrey, marshmallow, slippery elm, corn silk.
- Diaphoretic
- Substances that promote perspiration: elder, yarrow, osha, ginger.
- Diuretic
- Substances that increases the flow of urine: dandelion, couch grass, uva ursi, plantain, horsetail.
- Emetic
- Substances that induce vomiting and causing the stomach to empty: lobelia, ipecac, elecampane, blessed thistle.
- Emmenagogue
- Herbs that promote menstruation: pennyroyal, juniper berries myrrh, black cohosh, rue, wild ginger.
- Emollients
- Substances that sooth and soften the skin: marshmallow, comfrey root, slippery elm, chickweed, plantain.
- Expectorant
- Herbs that help expel mucus from the lungs and throat.
- Stimulating expectorant
- Herbs that stimulate the nerves and muscles of the respiratory system to manifest a cough, example is elecampane.
- Relaxing expectorant
- Herbs that reduce tension in lung tissue, often easing tightness, allowing natural coughing and flow of mucus to occur, example is coltsfoot, licorice, hyssop.
- Amphoteric expectorant
- Herbs that stimulate or relax the respiratory systems, using the body’s choice which is necessary: lobelia, mullein, horehound, elder, garlic.
- Febrifuge
- Herbs that assist the body in reducing fevers: catnip, elder, peppermint.
- Galactogogue
- Substance that increase the secretion of milk: anise, blessed thistle, fennel and vervain.
- Hemostatic
- Herbs that are internal astringents that arrest internal hemorrhaging: blackberry, cayenne, cranesbill, mullein, goldenseal, horsetail, uva ursi, yellow dock, witch hazel, shepherd’s purse.
- Hepatic
- Herbs that strengthen and tone the liver: Oregon grape, agrimony, dandelion, goldenseal, wild yam.
- Hypnotic
- Herbs that have a powerful relaxant and sedative action, and help induce sleep: hops, valerian, wild lettuce.
- Hypotensive
- Herbs that reduce elevated blood pressure: crampbark, garlic, onion, yarrow, hawthorn berries.
- Laxative
- Substances that stimulate bowel movement: cascara sagrada, yellow dock, rhubarb root.
- Lymphatic
- Herbs that support the health and activity of the lymphatic system: cleaver, calendula, echinacea.
- Nervine
- Herbs that calm nervous tension and nourish the nerves: chamomile, hops, oats, scullcap, St. John’s wort.
- Oxytocic
- Substances that stimulate uterine contractions to assist and induce labor: black and blue cohosh, rue, squawvine, uva ursi.
- Pectoral
- Herbs that generally strengthen and heal the respiratory system: elecampane, coltsfoot, comfrey, mullein.
- Rubefacient
- Substances that increase the flow of blood to the surface of the skin and produce redness. They draw inflammation and congestions from deeper areas: nettle, mustard seed, cayenne, horseradish, black pepper, pine and thyme oil.
- Sedative
- Herbs that quiet the nervous system: valerian, scullcap, passion flower, wood betony, chamomile, catnip.
- Sialogogue
- Herbs that promote the secretion and flow of saliva: echinacea, black pepper, cayenne, ginger, licorice.
- Stimulants
- Herbs that increase the energy of the body, quicken circulation, break up obstructions and congestion: cayenne, ginger, horseradish, mustard, wormwood.
- Styptic
- Herbs that arrest or reduce external bleeding due to astringent action on blood vessels: yarrow, horsetail, cayenne, plantain.
- Tonic
- Herbs that stimulate nutrition by improving the assimilation of essential nutrients by the organs, they improve systemic tone giving increased vigor, energy and strength to the tissues of either specific organs or to the whole body. Most tonics have an affinity for a particular system. Nerve tonics: skullcap, lobelia, valerian, oats. Heart tonics: hawthorn, ginseng, motherwort. Stomach tonics: agrimony, elecampane, gentain. Liver tonics: dandelion, sassafras, cascara. Biliary tonics: Oregon grape, goldenseal, rhubarb, parsley, wild yam. Sexual tonics: damiana, ginseng, dong quai, burdock, licorice.
- Vasodilator
- Herbs that expand blood vessels and allow increased circulation: ginkgo, feverfew, Siberian ginseng, ginger, cayenne.
- Vulnerary
- Herbs that help the body to heal wounds by promoting cell growth and repair: comfrey, calendula, chickweed, St. John’s wort, marshmallow, aloe vera, rosemary, thyme and slippery elm.