The Earthwise Herbal Repertory

by Matthew Wood

  For each structure there is an herb or herbs with an affinity to that region, tissue, or organ. The lower respiratory tract begins with the trachea (Acorus), descends down to the bifurcation of the tubes (Allium sativa), then to the bronchial tubes (Lobelia), which fan out like a tree to reach the mucosa of the periphery (Lilium) and the alveoli (Asclepias), where the exchange of O2 for CO2 and H2O takes place. They are kept moist by the secretion of mucin, and open by the secretion of surfactants (Polygala and saponins). Mucin is secreted from the extracellular matrix, through cell walls, into the alveoli, to protect and moisten the mucosa of the tract. (Althaea, Ulmus, or Verbascum is indicated if there is too little mucin; Rubus canadensis, Ceanothus if too much; and Lilium or Inula if too thick.) The mucin is pushed upwards by cilia or mucosal hairs (Symphytum, Verbascum—if the hairs are worn down by prolonged coughing).

  The lungs as a whole are surrounded by the pleural cavity and pleural membranes (Asclepias, Bryonia). Synovial fluid between the outer surface of the lungs and the inner surface of the pleural membrane, in the pleural cavity, lubricates each respiratory moment so that the lungs move smoothly within us.

  Respiratory spasm can occur either in the surface muscles of the chest (Lactuca) or in the vagus nerve instructing the diaphragm and movements of the lungs (Lobelia). Lung capacity is increased when there is greater oxygen exchange. Dorothy Hall used the iron in nettles (Urtica) to stimulate hemoglobin production, which in turn stimulates oxygen uptake and lung capacity.

  The terms “free secretion” and “free expectoration” refer to a continual discharge of clear mucin from the respiratory tract due to relaxed tissues and pores of the mucosa. It usually indicates the need for astringents or warming stimulants.

  Condition

  Asthma: • Achillea (heat) • Aesculus glabra (spasm; continual oppressed respiration) • Agrimonia (spasm; tortured to capture the breath; humid asthma) • Allium cepa (roasted-onion poultice or syrup on chest, to increase circulation in pneumonia) • Allium sativa (dried-out mucus on the trachea and bifurcation of the tubes; general antibiotic and tissue cleanser for the lungs) • Althaea officinalis (dry cough) • Anemopsis (moist cough) • AMMI (spasmodic cough; prevents attacks; long-term use) • Angelica (stimulating astringent and bitter; worn out, exhausted; shortness of breath; psychogenic) • Apium (debility) • Aralia racemosa (dry cough; worse at night, in winter, in dry air) • Asclepias tuberosa (“dry above, damp below”; nonspasmodic oppression of chest) condition, Asthma, • ASTER (restorative, frequently profound) • Betonica (atrophy) • Ceanothus (continual discharge from lungs, sinuses) • Collinsonia• Commiphora myrrha (moist cough; in elderly) • Convallaria (cardiac asthma) • Crataegus (emotional triggers; ears turn red at onset of attack—Donahue) • Curcuma • DROSERA (constriction of chest, spasmodic cough) • Ephedra • Eriodictyon (warming stimulant; old, debilitated cough; free expectoration) • EUPHORBIA (bronchitic asthma) • Foeniculum • Galium • Ganoderma (deepens respiration, oxidation) • GECKO (TCM remedy; oppressed respiration, can’t breath deeply, profuse sweat) • Gingko • Glechoma • GNAPHALIUM (congenital and infantile onset, lifelong) • GRINDELIA (bronchial asthma with rapid heart action; adhesive mucus, pectoral soreness, raw throat) • Glycyrrhiza • Hieracium pilosella • HYSSOPUS (dry; short of breath; wheezing) • Inula (bronchial asthma; green mucus) • Lactuca (constriction of chest muscles) • Linum (bronchial asthma, irritated mucosa, cough, mucus) • LOBELIA (spasm; worse from tobacco smoke and exercise) • Majorana (cough, tight chest, asthma) • Marrubium (humid cough; “many kinds of coughs,” psychogenic—LeSassier) • Melissa • Mentha piperita • Monarda fistulosa (clammy skin) • Nepeta • Oplopanax (combines well with Crataegus) • Origanum • Parietaria (shortness of breath) • Passiflora (preventive; long-term use) • Pimpinella (spasmodic, barking cough) • Polemonium (asthma, catarrhs, colds, pleurisy, bronchitis) • POLYGALA (children, old people, and others with weak lungs; must sit up; profuse deep mucus with much rattling and wheezing; old cases) • Populus (panting from hyperthyroid asthma) • Prunus serotina (irritable tissue; spasmodic cough; wheezing and whistling in trachea and bronchi) • Ptelea (spasmodic cough, constriction of chest) • Pulmonaria (old, broken-down cases; wheezing) • Sanguinaria (deep infection; dilute with other medicines) • SQUILLA • Stellaria • Symphytum • Symplocarpus (spasmodic, often accompanied by phlegm) • Tabebuia (humid asthma with yeast infection) • Thymus (Thyme) • Trifolium (chest tension related to psychogenic cause) • Tussilago • Urtica • Valeriana • Verbascum (cilia worn down; violent, hacking cough) • Veronica • Viburnum prunifolium • Zanthoxylum.

  Bronchitis (General): • Achillea • Adiantum • ALLIUM SATIVA • Aesculus glabra (spasm) • Agrimonia (chronic) • Althaea (dry; acute) • Amygdalus (inflammatory, dry) • Anemopsis (moist) • ANGELICA (recent infection or exhaustion from old bronchitis, with exhaustion, dampness; worse from cold and damp; root, seed, internally, at the beginning and end of infection) • Aralia racemosa (irritative, from dry air; roots, berries, in honey) • Armoracia (stimulating adjuvant) • Asafoetida (chronic) • Asclepias tuberosa (acute, dry, hot) • ASTER (spasmodic, irritative) • Baptisia (septic, darkish or purplish complexion; small dose) • Carum • Cetraria (recurrent acute irritation—Weiss; senescence) • Cimicifuga (sore, bruised, stuffy sensation in chest) • Chondrus (weakness) • Cinnamomum spp. (chilliness and shivering) • Collinsonia • Commiphora myrrha (exhaustion, muco-purulence) • DROSERA (“chronic bronchitis with peptic ulceration or gastritis”—BHP) • Equisetum • Eriodictyon (chronic, exhausted cough) • Eucalyptus (steam) • EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM (congestion without cough reflex) • Euphorbia • Foeniculum • Galium • Ganoderma • Glechoma (chronic catarrhal) • Glycyrrhiza (catarrh) • GRINDELIA (thick, adhesive, dried-out mucus) • HIERACIUM PILOSELLA (excessive sputum, soreness, hemoptysis) • HYSSOPUS (chronic catarrhal, with anxiety—Weiss; very dry skin and lungs) • INULA (incipient bronchitis; profuse green mucus, upset stomach from swallowing mucus) • Ligusticum • Lilium longiflorum (thick, adhesive, dried mucus, whitish or brown from admixture of blood; red, congested complexion) • LINUM (inflammation; flaxseed oil) • LOBELIA • Lycopus (inflammation) • MARRUBIUM (chronic; nonproductive cough) • Melissa • Mentha piperita (inhalation of essential oil in boiling water—Weiss) • Nepeta (relax spasm) • Petasites • Petroselinum • PIMPINELLA (barking cough “like Cerberus”—Fernie) • Pinus • Plantago (children) • POLYGALA (profuse expectoration, bronchopneumonia, rattling sound) • Polemonium • Populus gileadensis (chronic; hot, raw) • Propolis (chronic; hot, raw) • PRUNUS SEROTINA (irritation) • PULMONARIA • Sanguinaria (“asthma and bronchitis with feeble peripheral circulation”—BHP; must be diluted with other remedies) • Sanicula • Solidago (relapsing; kidneys not strong enough to resolve the fever) • SQUILLA (chronic; scanty sputum) • Stellaria • Stillingia • Symphytum • Symplocarpus (spasmodic; often with phlegm) • Terebintha (medicinal turpentine; 1-drop doses) • Teucrium (chronic) • Thuja (excessive and fetid mucus) • THYMUS • Trigonella (dry, “chesty” cough) • Trillium (excessive catarrh) • TUSSILAGO (“chronic spasmodic bronchial cough”—BHP) • Urtica (plus honey) • VERATRUM (strong, hard pulse with fever) • VERBASCUM (hard, racking cough; intercostal soreness; relapsing sub-acute bronchitis) • Viola tricolor.

  Bronchitis (Acute): • Achillea • ALLIUM SATIVA • Althaea (dry; acute) • Amygdalus (inflammatory, dry) • Anemopsis (moist) • ANGELICA (at the beginning) • Armoracia (stimulant adjuvant) • Asafoetida (preventive) • Cetraria (recurrent acute irritation) • Cinnamomum spp. (chilliness and shivering) • Eucalyptus (upset stomach from swallowing mucus; in children, elderly; steam) • LOBELIA • MARRUBIUM • Melissa • Mentha piperita (inhale steam from oil in boiling water) • Nepeta (relaxes spasm) • Petasites • Petroselinum • PIMPINELLA (barking cough) • Pinus • Plantago (children) • Populus gileadensis (chronic; hot, raw) • Propolis (chronic; hot, raw) • PRUNUS SEROTINA (irrita
tion) • PULMONARIA • Stellaria • Symphytum • Symplocarpus (spasmodic) • THYMUS • Trigonella (dry, “chesty” cough—Chevalier) • TUSSILAGO • VERATRUM (strong, hard pulse with fever) • VERBASCUM (hard, racking cough; intercostal soreness; relapsing sub-acute bronchitis).

  Bronchitis (Chronic): • Agrimonia • Asafoetida (spasmodic) • Cetraria (recurrent acute, irritative, in elderly) • DROSERA • Eriodictyon (weakness) • Eryngium • Eupatorium perfoliatum (nonproductive) • Ganoderma (tonic) • Glechoma (chronic catarrhal) • Grindelia • Hyssopus (dry or catarrhal, with anxiety) • Inula (infection, green mucus; semi-suppressed with antibiotics) • Marrubium • Petasites • Populus gileadensis (hot, raw) • Propolis (hot, raw) • Pulmonaria • Sanguinaria (feeble peripheral circulation) • SQUILLA (scanty mucus) • Terebintha • Teucrium • Thuja (fetid) • Thymus • TUSSILAGO (“chronic spasmodic bronchial cough”—BHP) • Verbascum (relapsing, sub-acute) • Viola (dry).

  Bronchitis (Microbial): • Achillea • ALLIUM SATIVA • Anemopsis (moist) • Angelica • Armoracia (stimulant adjuvant) • Asafoetida • Baptisia • Commiphora myrrha (exhausted, muco-purulent) • DROSERA • Eucalyptus (steam) • Hyssopus • INULA (incipient bronchitis, profuse green mucus; swallowing mucus upsets stomach) • Petasites • Pinus • Polygala (profuse expectoration, bronchopneumonia, rattling) • Populus gileadensis (chronic; hot, raw) • Propolis (chronic; hot, raw) • Terebintha (medicinal turpentine—1-drop doses) • THYMUS • Tussilago.

  Bronchitis (Dry): • ALLIUM SATIVA (bifurcation of the tubes; dried-out mucus) • Althaea (dry; acute) • Amygdalus (inflammatory, dry) • ARALIA RACEMOSA (irritative, from dry air; roots, berries, in honey) • Asclepias tuberosa (acute, dry, hot) • Cetraria (recurrent, irritative; senescence) • Chondrus (weakness) • EUPATORIUM PERFOLIATUM (congestion without cough reflex) • Foeniculum • Galium • Glycyrrhiza (catarrh) • GRINDELIA (thick, adhesive, dried-out mucus) • HYSSOPUS (dry skin and catarrh) • Lilium longiflorum (thick, adhesive, whitish, dried-out mucus) • LINUM (inflammation; fresh ground seed) • Pimpinella • Plantago (children) • Populus gileadensis (chronic; hot, raw) • Propolis (chronic; hot, raw) • PRUNUS SEROTINA (irritation) • Solidago (relapsing) • Stellaria • Symphytum • Trigonella (dry, “chesty” cough—Chevalier) • Tussilago • VERBASCUM (hard, racking cough; intercostal soreness; relapsing sub-acute bronchitis) • Viola tricolor.

  Bronchitis (Moist): • Anemopsis • Angelica (internally, at the end; exhaustion, dampness) • Armoracia (stimulant adjuvant) • Commiphora myrrha (stimulant; exhaustion, muco-purulent) • Equisetum • Eucalyptus (steam) • Glycyrrhiza (catarrh) • Grindelia (thick, adhesive, dried-out mucus) • Hieracium pilosella (excessive sputum, soreness, hemoptysis) • Inula • Ligusticum • Marrubium (chronic; nonproductive cough) • Polygala (profuse expectoration, bronchopneumonia, rattling) • Pulmonaria • Symplocarpus (spasm, phlegm) • Thuja • Thymus • Trillium (excessive catarrh) • Tussilago.

  Bronchitis (Spasmodic and Irritative): • Aesculus glabra • Agrimonia • Aralia racemosa (irritative) • Asafoetida • Cetraria (recurrent irritative) • Cimicifuga • DROSERA • Eryngium • Hyssopus (irritative) • LOBELIA • Marrubium • Nepeta • Petasites • Pimpinella • Polygala • PRUNUS SEROTINA (irritative) • Sambucus • Symplocarpus • Thymus (combines well with Drosera) • VERBASCUM (hard, racking cough; intercostal soreness; relapsing sub-acute bronchitis).

  Bronchitis (Febrile): • Achillea • ALLIUM SATIVA • Agrimonia (chills and fever) • Amygdalus (inflammatory, dry) • Angelica (at the beginning of the chill) • Armoracia (at the beginning of the chill and congestion) • Asclepias tuberosa (to open the skin) • Cinnamomum spp. (chilliness and shivering) • Lilium longiflorum (thick, adhesive, dried mucus, whitish or brown from admixture of blood; red, congested complexion) • Ganoderma • Lentinula • LINUM (inflammation; poultice of fresh-ground seed on chest) • LOBELIA • Lycopus (inflammation) • Melissa • Mentha piperita (inhalation of oil from boiling water) • Nepeta (relax spasm) • Polygala (profuse expectoration, bronchopneumonia, rattling) • PRUNUS SEROTINA (irritation) • Thymus • VERATRUM (strong, hard pulse with fever).

  Bronchorrhea (free secretion of thin mucin from the lungs): • Ceanothus • Ligusticum • Lobelia • Rubus canadensis • Salix nigra.

  Dyspnea: • Aesculus glabra (bronchial tightness, spasmodic cough) • Aristolochia serpentaria (small dose; after chill) • Asclepias tuberosa (oppressed respiration and pulse) • Crataegus • Gecko (with profuse sweat) • Inula • Lactuca (pressure on chest) • Lobelia (spasm) • Passiflora (relaxes adjacent muscles) • Prunus serotina (cardiopathies, irregular or oppressed pulse) • Schisandra.

  Emphysema: • Equisetum (strengthen cartilage) • Pulmonaria (strengthen cartilage) • Tussilago (warm tea in morning to expectorate congealed mucus—Weiss).

  Pneumonia: • Allium cepa (syrup on chest to loosen mucus) • Alchemilla (pockets of water) • Asclepias tuberosa (dry cough above, wet below; full, oppressed pulse) • Chelidonium (right lung; liver origin) • Eucalyptus (steam) • Eupatorium perfoliatum (acute lobar; chronic inactive stasis, i.e., the person is congested but has no cough reflex) • Inula • Ligusticum • Lycopodium (walking pneumonia) • Mentha piperita • Polygala (deep bronchopneumonia) • Sinapis alba, S. nigra (mustard compress to loosen mucus) • Verbascum • Zingiberis.

  Pleurisy: • Aconitum (homeopathic; acute) • ANGELICA (leaf) • ASCLEPIAS TUBEROSA (can be acute, but usually in old cases with adhesions in the pleura; sharp pain; oppressed pulse) • BRYONIA (homeopathic; acute febrile pleurisy, not chronic; dry, dark-red tongue; serrate/sharp pulse) • Eriodictyon (effusion) • Harpagophytum (pleurodynia) • Linum • Polemonium • Prunus (hectic cough, rapid breathing; irregular pulse) • Verbascum.

  Tuberculosis: • Achillea (bleeding; pulse rapid, nonresistant) • Agrimonia (early stages) • Ajuga (pulse rapid, elevated, weak) • Amygdalus (fever and dryness; lung abscess) • Asclepias tuberosa • Baptisia (hectic fever and night sweats) • Bidens (hemorrhaging) • Eriodictyon (exhausted cough, profuse discharge) • Humulus • Lactuca • Lycopus (hemorrhaging from lungs) • Polygonatum (Occom) • Populus (dry, irritable) • Prunus serotina (irritation) • Rosa (bleeding and fever) • Salvia (hectic fever and night sweats) • SENECIO AUREUS (early stages; hemorrhage, lung fever) • Symphytum (bleeding from mucosa) • USNEA • Verbascum • Zanthoxylum.

  Note: Tubercular patients lose their civil rights, will be under the control of the government, and cannot deviate from the prescribed course of treatment. The above is a list of traditional remedies, perhaps still useful.

  Sleep Apnea, Snoring: • Ammi • Grindelia (breath stops when falling asleep; waking with a start, gasping for breath) • URTICA (swollen tissues, often confirmed).

  Tobacco addiction and side effects of smoking: • Acorus (reputedly helps to quit) • Althaea (dried-out, irritated tissues) • Aralia racemosa (irritation from dry air, dried-out passages) • AVENA (reparative to tissues; helps addictions) • CAPSICUM (lessens cravings, improves circulation to the lungs) • Crataegus • Eriodictyon (weak cough) • Glycyrrhiza • Grindelia (moistening) • Lilium longiflorum (moistening, decongesting) • LOBELIA (helps to quit and detoxifies, oft-proven) • PLANTAGO (reputedly helps to quit) • Scutellaria • Tussilago (for side effects; shortness of breath, nasty, chronic cough) • Valeriana (antispasmodic) • Zingiberis (antispasmodic).

  Note: Many people smoke to relax muscles in order to relieve spasm, temporarily deepen respiration, or have a bowel movement. Attempt to identify any such physiological reason for the addiction, not just treating tobacco use wholly as a pointless addiction. Lobelia is particularly good for relaxing muscles that depend on tobacco addiction and also releasing nicotine from the tissues. Even one dose can bring on “tobacco breath.” It will also release opiates and other drugs and cause “flashbacks.” It was once an official drug for nicotine addiction, but was discontinued because of its capricious, unpredictable
actions. It is best to combine with another herb to lessen the “wicked edge” of lobelia.

  Exposure to Smoke, Particulate Matter: • Carbo vegetabilis (homeopathic; problems from exposure to smoke) • Plantago (fibers or particulates in lungs) • Verbascum (pollutants, smoke).

  Lung Weakness: • Asarum (chronic cough, debility) • Asclepias tuberosa (pleuritic adhesions) • Chondrus (children and other weak persons) • Codonopsis (thin, weak, tired, dry; shortness of breath) • Commiphora myrrha (chronic cough with debility) • Eriodictyon • Eupatorium perfoliatum • Ganoderma (tonic) • Glycyrrhiza • Liquidambar (chronic debilitation; chest pains, anorexia, diminished strength) • Lobelia (exhaustion) • Marrubium • Styrax (gum benzoin; chronic weakness, debility, chest pains, diminished strength and appetite) • Symphytum • URTICA (increases iron, hemoglobin, respiration).

  Cough

  Acute, Initial Stages (also see following entry): • Aconitum (homeopathic) • Acorus (tracheal; worse from smoke) • Althaea (irritable fauces) • Aralia racemosa (irritable nose, throat, lungs) • Cannabis (spasmodic, paroxysmal) • Drosera (spasmodic, paroxysmal; irritable mucosa) • Eucalyptus (steam) • Glycyrrhiza • Gnaphalium • Inula (acute bronchitis) • Ligusticum (beginning and end stages) • Lobelia (sudden-onset spasm, paroxysm) • Pimpinella (dry, harsh, sharp, or weak) • Sambucus • Trifolium (irritation of fauces, throat, lungs from fluid running down) • Tussilago (irritable larynx and pharynx) • Ulmus (pharynx and larynx) • Verbascum (dry, harsh, racking; nervousness; tension in throat).