Transcript Botanical Medicine 1 Week 1 Contemporary Herbal Figures

Quiz Prescription Writing
Answers
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Case 1: You are prescribing a tea for a patient who
has a history of heartburn. Your tea prescription
includes 1 ounce of Peppermint leaf, 1 ounce of
Chamomile flowers and ½ ounce of Yarrow
flowering tops. This should last the patient about 3
weeks. You tell your patient to take 1 Tbsp. of the
mix in one cup of hot water and to let it steep for 15
minutes and then strain and drink 1 cup with each
meal. You would like her to have 4 refills.
Quiz Prescription Writing
Answers
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Rx and Qty:
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Disp. 1 oz. Mentha x piperita, 1 oz.
Matricaria recutita, ½ oz. Achillea
millefolium
Sig: 1 Tbsp. per cup hot aq, steep 15
min., strain and drink 1 cup cc
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Refills 1 2 3 4 prn x____months
Quiz Prescription Writing
Answers
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Case 2: You see a female patient who is
experiencing gas and bloating almost daily
within an hour after every meal. Her vitals
and physical exam are all within normal
limits. You investigate her dietary intake and
begin looking for possible dietary allergens.
In the meantime, you prescribe a 1 oz.
tincture with Matricaria recutita and
Foeniculum vulgare equal parts. You would
like her to take 15 drops of this tincture 15
minutes before each meal daily for the next
2 weeks with 3 refills.
Quiz Prescription Writing
Answers
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Rx: Matricaria recutita tinc. And
Foeniculum vulgare tinc. aa (or ss)
Sig: 15 gtts 15 min ac qd x 2 weeks
Qty: 1 oz.
Refills 1 2 3 4 prn x ____months
Bitters
Botanical Medicine 1
Brandy Webb, ND
Western Herbal Perspective
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The energy of bitter is cooling and
drying
Bitters move us out of a sympatheticdominated state into parasympatheticdominated state
Bitter herbs stimulate the bitter taste
buds causing secretion of gastric
fluids, which aids digestion
Ayurvedic Perspective
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Ayurvedic medicine is a form of holistic medicine
that started in India thousands of years ago and
focuses on treating people constitutionally rather
than based on their symptoms
Bitter is the coldest, most drying, and most
depleting of the 6 tastes (others are sweet, sour,
salty, pungent, and astringent)
Helpful for reducing fever, promoting digestion,
relieving burning and itch
Promote elimination of toxins, detoxification, and
proper circulation
Ayurvedic Perspective
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Other uses for bitters:
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Liver conditions (including jaundice and liver
congestion)
As an antibacterial, antiviral, or antiparasitic
To promote proper sugar metabolism
To reduce body fat
For anti-tumor properties
Bitter herbs can deplete overall vitality and
depress sexual energy
Use of Bitters According to
Western Herbalism
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Stimulate digestion
Enhance absorption of nutrients
Used as tonics/strengthen the body
Tonify muscles, tissues and organs
Promote elimination of toxins and
metabolic waste products
Purify the blood/eradicate infection
Additional Considerations for
Use of Bitter Herbs
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Stimulate digestion when dosed in
small amounts at appropriate time;
however, in higher doses can actually
suppress digestion
Think of bitters with patients with heat
conditions and high Pitta constitution
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Pitta is the dosha characterized as hot
and eruptive, having high metabolism
and strong appetite
Additional Considerations for
Use of Bitter Herbs
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Treatment of fever:
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Best reserved for fevers in the core of the body
or in the blood, or when the liver is hot
For more “surface” fevers, meaning those
associated with colds and flus, use diaphoretics
Bitters can be helpful for lingering and recurrent
fevers
Commonly given with carminative herbs
Best therapeutic effects achieved when
used over an extended period of time
Achillea millefolium
Achillea millefolium
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Yarrow
Asteraceae family
Constituents
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Volatile oils
Sesquiterpine lactones (bitter)
Tannins
Flavonoids
Alkaloids
Phenolic acids
Coumarins
Achillea millefolium
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Actions
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Bitter
Astringent
Antispasmodic
Diaphoretic
Diuretic
Antimicrobial
Hypotensive
Anti-inflammatory
Hepatic
Gentian lutea
Gentian lutea
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Gentian
Gentianaceae family
Constituents
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Iridoids (bitter)
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Amarogentian
Gentamarin
Xanthones
Alkaloids
Phenolic acids
Sugars
Volatile oils (trace)
Gentian lutea
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Actions
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Bitter
Sialagogue
Cholagogue
Hepatic
Antimicrobial
Antihelminthic
Emmenagogue
Iris versicolor
Iris versicolor
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Blue flag
Iridaceae family
Constituents
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Volatile oils
Glycoside iridin
Acids
Triterpenoids
Gum
Resins
Sterols
Iris versicolor
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Actions
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Cholagogue
Hepatic
Alterative
Laxative
Diuretic
Anti-inflammatory
Menyanthes trifoliata
Menyanthes trifoliata
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Bog bean
Menyanthaceae family
Constituents
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Iridoids (bitter)
Flavanoid glycosides
Anthraquinones
Coumarins
Alkaloids
Tannins
Menyanthes trifoliata
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Actions
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Bitter
Cholagogue
Diuretic
Antirheumatic
Matricaria recutita
Matricaria recutita
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Chamomile
Asteraceae family
Constituents
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Sesquiterpenes (bitter)
Sesquiterpene lactones (bitter)
Flavanoid glycosides
Matricaria recutita
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Actions
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Bitter
Carminative
Antispasmodic
Anti-inflammatory
Antimicrobial
Nervine
Vulnerary