The Earthwise Herbal Repertory

by Matthew Wood

  Note: The stronger laxatives and cathartics, including Aloe barb., Cassia acutifolia, Rhamnus frangula, R. cathartica, and Rheum, are usually combined with fresh ginger rhizome to cut down on griping or cramping in the intestine. These remedies, and others like them, are usually dried to reduce their activity—but not the ginger. Some other carminative and relaxant may be added.

  Diarrhea (Acute): • Achillea (bacterial) • Acorus (tea) • Agrimonia (stress-related; infantile to adult) • ALCHEMILLA (epidemic diarrhea in infants) • Allium ursinum • Althaea • Andrographis • Ballota (sudden onset, cholera—Hool) • Calendula (tea) • Capsella • Capsicum (muco-bloody stools) • Carum • Castanea • Chamomilla (greenish discharges, tenderness and pain; child restless before and after; dried herb) • CINNAMOMUM (chills, beginning of bacterial diarrhea) • Coptis (with mouth sores) • Erigeron (bacterial; bloody) • FILIPENDULA (diarrhea in children) • Fragaria (children) • Gentiana (yellow diarrhea; gall-bladder infection) • Geranium (infantile, bacterial, catarrhal) • Geum spp. • Glechoma • Hamamelis (tinged with blood) • Hydrastis (imperfect recovery from) • IPECACUANHA (homeopathic; amoebic) • Iris (yellowish diarrhea from bacteria in the gall bladder) • JUGLANS NIGRA (infection, bacteria; burning, acid diarrhea) • Lycopus (hemorrhagic) • Mentha piperita (spasmodic) • Monarda punctata (nervous origin) • Olea (bacterial; leaf) • Platanus (heartwood) • Polygonum aviculare (knotgrass tea) • Potentilla (tension-related, hemorrhagic) • Pulmonaria • QUERCUS (powerfully astringent; do not use to suppress diarrhea, but for severe loss of tone; frequent, small doses) • Rheum (infantile diarrhea; burning, acid) • Rhodiola (warm astringent) • Rhus glabra (the preferred sumach for diarrhea) • Ribes (juice—Weiss) • ROSA (wild rose root) • RUBUS FRUTICOSUS (acute, infantile, epidemic, all ages; chronic; “there is perhaps no better remedy”—Tierra; leaf or root bark) • Sanguisorba • Teucrium (“acute summer diarrhea of children”—BHP) • Thymus vulgaris (infantile) • Vaccinium myrtillus (dry fruit or leaf) • ZINGIBERIS (gas, cramps, bloating, indigestion).

  Note: The herbal traveler should, for protection, take a mixture of equal parts Juglans nigra and Rubus fruticosis tinctures, with a pinch of Capsicum as an adjuvant, and Ipecacuanha in homeopathic form. In desperation, if diarrhea sets in and these aren’t available, drink nine bottles of Coca-Cola a day. Seriously. Homeopathic remedies are often available in the First and Third Worlds. The expression “summer diarrhea,” used above, is very frequent in the old books and refers to contaminated well water.

  Diarrhea (Chronic): • ACACIA (diarrhea with colitis) • Achillea (bloody) • Acorus calamus (tea) • Agrimonia (stress-related) • Allium sativa (bacillary and amoebic) • Allium ursinum • Althaea • Anemopsis (with mouth sores) • Andrographis • Calendula (tea) • Capsicum (muco-bloody stools) • Chamomilla (diarrhea, indigestion, bloating) • Cimicifuga • Cola (chronic, atonic) • Commiphora myrrha (frequent, flatulent stool) • Coptis (with mouth sores) • Epilobium (wandering pains; chronic, bacterial, traveler’s diarrhea) • Erigeron (bacterial; bloody) • FILIPENDULA (diarrhea in children) • Geranium (bloody) • Hamamelis (tinged with blood) • Hydrastis (imperfect recovery from) • Juglans nigra (bacterial) • KRAMERIA • Liatris • Lycopus (hemorrhagic) • Mentha piperita (spasmodic) • Monarda punctata (of nervous origin) • Myrica (large, mucoid, semi-formed feces) • Myristica • Nymphaea • Olea (bacterial; leaf) • Platanus (heartwood) • Polygonatum • Polygonum aviculare (tea) • Polygonum bistorta (stimulating astringent; severe, bleeding; epidemic dysentery, in the old days) • POTENTILLA (tension-related; hemorrhagic) • Pulmonaria • Quercus (chronic, dilapidated intestine) • Rhodiola (warm astringent) • Rhus glabra (preferred over the other sumachs for diarrhea) • Rosa • RUBUS FRUTICOSUS (chronic, mild to severe; “there is perhaps no better remedy”—Tierra) • Sanguisorba (acute) • SYZYGIUM (chronic) • Teucrium (“acute summer diarrhea of children”—BHP) • Thymus vulgaris (infantile) • TSUGA (relaxation, depression; diarrhea, dysentery; orally or enema) • Vaccinium myrtillus (dry fruit or leaf) • Zingiberis (thin, watery stool; bloating, distention; tongue pale, coated white or grey, greasy or slimy; dried rhizome) • Zingiberis (gas, cramps; fresh rhizome).

  Diarrhea from Gall-Bladder Infection: • Gentiana (yellow diarrhea) • Iris (yellow diarrhea).

  Dysentery: • Acacia (demulcent) • Achillea (bleeding) • Alchemilla (astringent) • ALLIUM SATIVA (amebic) • Baptisia (antiseptic) • Berberis (hard, rapid pulse) • Capsicum (adjuvant, stimulant) • Cola (atonic, chronic) • Echinacea (antiseptic) • Geranium (astringent) • IPECACUANHA (homeopathic; amoebic dysentery; vomiting and diarrhea) • JUGLANS NIGRA (bacterial) • Lycopus (hemorrhagic, with rapid, irregular pulse) • Myristica (stimulant) • Plantago psyllium (demulcent) • Polygonum (stimulating astringent) • TSUGA (relaxation, depression; internal or enema).

  Diverticulitis, Diverticulosis: • ACHILLEA • Althaea officinalis • Chamomilla • Dioscorea • Humulus • Myrica • Plantago • Symphytum • Ulmus.

  Duodenum: • Echinacea (catarrh) • Chionanthus (inflammation) • Piper methysticum (duodenal ulcers, pain shooting to navel, spastic) • Podophyllum (duodenitis; small dose).

  Edema, Abdominal (see “Liver,” below): • Chelone glabra • Chimaphila • Equisetum • Iris versicolor • Juniperus.

  Rectal Fissure: • Aesculus glabra • Alchemilla (strengthens sphincter) • Althaea (lubricates the passage) • Agrimonia (pain) • Centella • Collinsonia • Hamamelis • Hydrastis • Hypericum (pain) • Polygonum bistorta (stimulating astringent; ointment) • Symphytum • Ulmus (lubricates the passage).

  Flatulence: • Acorus • Achillea • Alpinia (flatulence with fermentation) • Angelica (spasmodic colic and flatus) • Anthemis • Arctium (pain, tension, gas) • ASAFOETIDA (abdominal) • Asclepias tuberosa • Capsicum • Carum • Chamomilla (colic, flatus, diarrhea) • CINNAMOMUM CASSIA (cramping, nausea, looseness; worse from cold food) • Dioscorea • Foeniculum (tympanitic) • Humulus (with fermentation and acid eructations) • Hydrastis (putrid gas) • Illicium (flatulence with colic) • Imperatoria ostruthium • Juglans cinerea (distention and flatus) • Melilotus • MENTHA PIPERITA • Pimpinella anisum • Piper nigrum (black pepper) • Rheum (from cramping, indigestion, gas) • Salvia (flatulence and debility) • Valeriana (with nervousness) • Zanthoxylum (tympanitic) • Zingiberis.

  Hemorrhage, Gastrointestinal: • Achillea • Capsella • Cinnamomum zeylanicum • Erigeron • Trillium.

  Hemorrhoids: • ACHILLEA (bleeding; external) • AESCULUS GLABRA (continuous contraction of sphincter) • AESCULUS HIP. (with mental tension; external) • Agrimonia (painful) • Anethum • Bidens (bleeding—Hool) • Calendula (external) • Capsella bursa-pastoris (sitz baths) • Capsicum (assistant to other remedies) • Ceanothus • Chamomilla (painful) • Chelidonium • COLLINSONIA • Coptis • Epilobium (flower suppositories) • Equisetum • Geranium maculatum • Glechoma • HAMAMELIS (orifices relaxed, bleeding; “best ointment”—Weiss) • Hydrastis • Hypericum (painful, irritating) • Krameria (prolapsed or bleeding) • Lavendula (reduces swelling; suppository) • Myrica • Nepeta • Paeonia • Phytolacca • Plantago • Polygonum bistorta • Polygonum hydropiperoides (anal itching) • Potentilla • Pulmonaria • Quercus (large, swollen—Weiss) • Ranunculus ficaria (internal or prolapsed piles, with or without hemorrhage; topical) • Rubus canadensis (combine with Achillea in ointment) • RUMEX CRISPUS (bleeding) • RUSCUS • Sanicula (ointment) • Scrophularia (chronic) • Silybum • Stillingia • Symphytum • Ulmus (non-bleeding external piles; lubricates passage of stool) • Verbascum (highly sensitive; specific for the veins—Edgar Cayce) • Vinca • Zanthoxylum.

  Note: Consider combining with a mild laxative, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic, astringent, and bitter tonic to tone the pelvic veins. To make a cream, coconut butter is a good medium.

  Hernia (external treatments): • Achillea • Alchemilla (atonic muscle) • Althaea •
Capsella (atrophic muscle) • Chamomilla (tender, strangulated) • Glycyrrhiza (in oil, external rub for internal adhesions) • Hieracium pilosella • Hydrastis (torn) • Lobelia (strangulated) • Rubus canadensis (atonic muscle) • Symphytum • Trigonella.

  Ileocecal Irritability: • Fouquieria • Larrea • Plantago • Rumex crispus.

  Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS): • Agrimonia • Carum • Chamomilla • Cynara • Dioscorea (spasm) • Erigeron • Foeniculum • Glycyrrhiza • Mentha piperita (oil; 10–20 drops in a capsule, 4x/day) • Myrica (chronic ileocecal inflammation or cramps) • Plantago psyllium (mucilage) • Ulmus.

  “Leaky Gut Syndrome,” Dysbiosis, Food Sensitivity, Abnormal Flora: • Agrimony • Althaea (mucilage) • Borago (seed oil) • Epilobium • Eupatorium purpureum • IRIS (thyroid and blood-sugar fluctuations after eating—Wood) • Juglans nigra (abnormal flora) • Malva neglecta (mucilage—LeSassier) • Monarda fistulosa (systemic candida) • Mentha piperita (fermentation; abnormal flora—Weiss), Myrica (inactive canal, mucus in stool) • Olea • PLANTAGO • Polygonatum (abnormal flora; needs confirmation) • Urtica (mucus in stool).

  Parasites, Amebas, Worms: • ALLIUM SATIVA (ameba) • Allium ursinum (fresh) • Aloe barb. • Amygdalus (poultice or compress to draw out—Grieve) • Artemisia absinthium (small doses only; sub-active gall bladder; nematoid, pinworm, roundworm), Artemisia vulgaris (thread- and roundworm) • Berberis (long-term infestation) • Calendula (tea) • Centaurium (tea daily for 2–3 months) • CHAMOMILLA (pinworms) • Chenopodium • Cucurbita pepo (tapeworm; seed) • Euphorbia (amoebas) • Granatum (pomegranate bark) • Inula (hookworm) • JUGLANS NIGRA (dogs will eat this to deworm themselves; hull) • Malus (traditional preventative—needs confirmation; vinegar) • OLEA • TANACETUM PARTHENIUM (round- or threadworm in children; scabies, pruritus ani; small dose) • Thymus (hookworm, non-intestinal) • Zanthoxylum.

  Prolapse: • Alchemilla (tea) • Capsella bursa-pastoris (external) • Juglans nigra (leaf) • Rubus canadensis (leaf).

  Rectum, Anus: • Aristolochia (anal fistula, erosive) • Chamomilla (excoriation, pinworms) • HAMAMELIS (fissure, soreness, tender piles) • Hydrastis (eczema; pruritus ani) • PAEONIA (crack, fissure, fistula, ulcer, piles) • Quercus (prolapse) • Ruscus • SCROPHULARIA (pruritus ani) • STELLARIA (pruritus ani) • Tanacetum parthenium (pruritus ani from pinworms) • Tsuga (prolapse) • Urtica (pinworms).

  Spasm of Circular Muscle Fibers: • Allium sativa (Weiss) • Dioscorea.

  Stool: • Anthemis (green, slimy, with rotten-egg smell) • Baptisia (dark, rotten) • Chamomilla (green, slimy) • Chelidonium (clay-colored) • Chenopodium • Chionanthus (clay-colored; frothy; green) • Collinsonia (hard, ball-like) • Iris versicolor (yellowish, greenish from gall-bladder infection) • Veronicastrum (clay-colored; half-digested food) • Podophyllum (clay-colored or greenish) • Rubus canadensis (watery; in children) • Urtica (profuse, mucoid).

  Ulcers: See “Colitis, Enteritis,” above.

  FORMULARY

  Acacia—with Acorus, Mentha piperita, Filipendula, Agrimonia, Quercus (lower-bowel complaints). BHP 1983, 53.

  Acorus—with Carum, Agrimonia, Myrica, Quercus (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 49.

  Agrimonia—with Linaria, Berberis, Chamomilla, Taraxacum, Petroselinum, 1 part each (appendicitis).

  Agrimonia—with Polygonum hydropiperoides, Ceanothus, and a pinch of Myrica (nutritive, astringent, and cleansing bowel tonic).

  Alchemilla—with Agrimonia, Geum, or Potentilla (gastroenteritis). BHP 1983, 19.

  Alchemilla—with Geranium and Castanea (infantile diarrhea). BHP 1983, 53.

  Althaea—with Filipendula and Capsicum as an adjuvant (flatulence or spasm of the GI). BHP 1983, 48.

  Asarum—with Hydrastis and Geranium (colitis).

  Bidens—with Acorus, Agrimonia, or Zingiberis (general GI). BHP 1983, 43.

  Bidens—with Achillea, Rumex crispus (bleeding hemorrhoids).

  Cinnamomum zeylanicum—with Geranium, Quercus, Acorus, Acacia (diarrhea with colic or tormina). BHP 1983, 68–9.

  Foeniculum—with Chamomilla, Acorus, Ginger (flatulent colic). Modified from BHP 1983, 93.

  Geranium—with Geum, Agrimonia, Pulmonaria (children’s diarrhea). BHP 1983, 173.

  Geum urbanum—with Bidens (ulcerative colitis). BHP 1983, 103.

  Gnaphalium—with coolant (Rosa, Prunus serotina, Amygdalus, or Tilia) and astringent (Geranium or Ceanothus); one part each of the three (celiac sprue).

  Hamamelis—with Collinsonia, Aesculus hip. (hemorrhoids).

  Hamamelis—with Plantago or Ranunculus ficaria (hemorrhoids). BHP 1983, 109.

  Hypericum—with Hamamelis (hemorrhoids). BHP 1983, 115.

  Juglans nigra (hull)—with Rubus fruticosis leaf or root bark (equal parts), plus a pinch of Capsicum as an adjuvant, in tincture (acute bacterial diarrhea).

  Mentha piperita—combines well with Pimpinella (flatulent colic). BHP 1983, 141, 160.

  Myrica—with Nymphaea, Quercus (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 151.

  Myristica—adjuvant in dyspepsia and diarrhea formulae.

  Pimpinella—aromatic sweet adjuvant to prevent tormina and griping in cathartic formulae. BHP 1983, 160.

  Polygonum bistorta—with Geranium, Agrimonia, or Quercus (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 168.

  Potentilla—with Acacia (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 170.

  Potentilla—with Quercus, Krameria, or Geranium (chronic diarrhea, intestinal prolapse). BHP 1983, 170.

  Potentilla—with Sanguisorba, Acacia (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 189.

  Quercus—with Capsicum or Zingiberis, before meals (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 175.

  Ranunculus ficaria—with Pulmonaria, Calendula (hemorrhoids). BHP 1983, 173.

  Rhamnus purshiana—with Berberis, Glycyrrhiza, Zingiberis (constipation).

  Rhamnus purshiana—with glycerin (“the hidden treasure” for constipation). Stacey Jones.

  Tsuga—with Acacia, Quercus (diarrhea). BHP 1983, 219.

  Veronicastrum—with Hydrastis, Acorus (constipation “associated with flatulent distension”). BHP 1983, 229. The first ingredient is very purgative; use in a small proportion.

  Zingiberis—adjuvant with cathartics, to prevent spasm.

  Zingiberis—with Dioscorea, Chamomilla, Acorus (intestinal colic). BHP 1983, 79.

  CANADA HEMLOCK (TSUGA CANADENSIS)

  I heard a beautiful healing story from herbalist Margi Flint. Her grandfather was a traveling salesman, selling chocolate in northern New England. A blizzard struck, and he was stranded in a small town in Maine. He came down with bloody dysentery—usually fatal without medical attention in those days.

  An Indian man came out of the forest on snowshoes saying, “I heard someone in town is sick.” His treatment was successful, and Margi’s grandfather offered to pay him. The man replied that what he really needed was a rifle, to take care of his family. He had been unable to get one since it was illegal to sell firearms to Indians.

  Margi’s grandfather returned the next year with a rifle. In gratitude, the man gave him a decorated buckskin jacket. I asked Margi’s father, Putnam Flint, what the remedy was, and he said, “I know for sure it had hemlock bark in it.” I have seen Margi wearing that jacket.

  Assimilation

  Normally this function would be included with the small intestine or lower gastrointestinal tract, but in order to explore it more thoroughly, I have given it a section of its own. This is in keeping with traditions both East and West.

  William Cook was one of the most observant of the physiomedical doctors; we may rightly refer to him as “wise.” He draws our attention to the differences between “tonics to the digestive and to the assimilative apparatus.” This is a distinction that has “not heretofore been made; but it is one of importance.” He goes on to say that agents “which act on the assimilative organs are so few as to deserve especial notice.” Among these he particularly points out Geum virginianum and G. rivale (avens, water avens, chocolate root), nativ
e to North America but probably cognate with the Old World Geum urbanum. He writes of the chocolate root:

  In those forms of indigestion which arise from debility of the duodenum, pancreas and mesenteries—connected with pains and laxity of the bowels, curdy stools, and slow loss of flesh—it is a peculiarly valuable article; and may be used freely, especially when boiled in milk and used as a sort of chocolate. From this action, it has been set down as useful in dyspepsia, whereas it is insignificant in this malady of the stomach. Its action on the duodenum and mesenteries fits it for a class of cases to which few articles are applicable; and I am decidedly of the opinion that it will be found useful in tabes mesenterica, and in those forms of scrofulous looseness of the bowels which are dependent upon defective assimilation, and which often pass roughly as chronic diarrhea (Cook 1869, 448).

  Lack of absorption and assimilation not only affects nutrition but the pickup of water—hence the diarrhea. The idea of assimilation in Cook’s medicine is similar to the idea of the “spleen” in Traditional Chinese Medicine, which is associated with the post-digestive process of “transportation and transformation” of food and fluids. Spleen deficiency causes malnutrition, tissue laxity, and diarrhea. It is also similar to the Greek idea of the “spleen,” again associated with the nutritive function.