The Herbal Resource

The main substances found in great burnet are flavonoids, saponins, ursolic acid, arabinose, essential oil, vitamin C, and tannins. The scientific name Sanguisorba refers to the herbs medicinal properties where “anguis” means blood and “sorb” means “to suck up”. For centuries the plant has mostly been used as a hemostatic agent both in Western and Chinese herbal medicine. The rhizomes … [Read More...] about What is Great Burnet used for?

Tormentil has been known for its medicinal properties for centuries. In European herbal books from the early medieval period, the rhizome is referred to as Rhizoma tormentillae (tormentum = pain). In the past, the plant was attributed to almost magical abilities as a remedy for all kinds of conditions causing pain. In the late Middle Ages, the herb was highly recommended in the … [Read More...] about What is Tormentil used for?

In ancient times, fumitory was regarded to have magical powers. The plant was burned in bonfires because it was believed that the smoke from the plant could protect against witchcraft and expel evil spirits. According to an ancient legend, the plant first come to be, not from a seed, but from a vaporous smoke rising from the earth. Medicinal Uses in Recent Times Fumitory is not used to … [Read More...] about What is Fumitory used for?

The main substances found in the plant are gelatin, essential oil, stilbenoids, blespirol, and phenanthrene glucosides. In Western herbal medicine, the rhizome (root) is known for its astringent, expectorant and emollient (due to the high mucus content of the plant) properties and it has been used to treat indigestion, dysentery and fever. The herb is rarely used in Western herbal … [Read More...] about What is Bletilla used for?

Cloves contain 12-26% oil, with eugenol (70-90%) and beta-caryophyllene (as high as 7%) as the main constituents. Other ingredients found in the oil are furfural, methyl salicylate and alpha-pinene. The composition of the essential oil can vary depending on the quality and origin of the clove tree. Eugenol inhibits prostaglandin and explains the analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties of … [Read More...] about What is Clove used for?

The sweet orange oil is one of the most widely sold essential oils in the world. The oil is produced by pressing the fruit peel and fruit wall which contain around 0.3 to 2 percent essential oil. The sweet orange oil has low viscosity and the color ranges from light to dark orange. Essential oil of pressed orange peel contains d-limonene (ca. 90 percent), a monoterpene, which is one of the … [Read More...] about What is Sweet Orange used for?

The fact that the bark of goat willow has analgesic and antipyretic properties, was already known by the philosophers of ancient Greece Hippocrates and Theophrastus. In medieval times in many parts of Europe, the medicinal properties of the bark were known and the bark was commonly chewed on in order to relieve pain associated with a headache and toothache. Furthermore, the bark was … [Read More...] about What is Goat Willow used for?

The strong astringent properties of the tannins present in wood avens combined with other substances could make the herb helpful as an herbal remedy for many ailments associated with the digestive system, such as diarrhea, dysentery, peptic ulcers, ulcerative colitis, Crohn’s disease and other similar inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD). The herb is regarded to be useful in … [Read More...] about What is Wood Avens used for?

Dang shen, as the dried root of poor man’s ginseng is called in Chinese, is a very important and commonly used herbal medicine in China. In China, the herb is regarded both as food and medicine. It is often ground into flour, boiled with rice, added to soups and used as an ingredient in nourishing teas. The roots are viewed as an effective and more affordable substitute for ginseng, hence … [Read More...] about What is Dang Shen (Poor Man’s Ginseng) used for?

The herb contains approximately 1% silicic acid which is partly water-soluble (0.08%) in boiling water. It contains 4% tannins, phenolic acids (caffeic acid and chlorogenic acid), coumarins (umbelliferon and scopoletin) and flavonoid glycosides (hyperin, quercitrin and avicularin). In addition, the herb contains mucins, tannins, traces of an essential oil, vitamin C and other … [Read More...] about What is Knotgrass used for?

The healing properties of neem are mainly due to some bitter substances, known as triterpenes (limonoids), with azadirachtin as one of the main active ingredients. In addition, neem contains beta-sitosterol, tannins, polysaccharides, flavonoids and essential oil. Neem in Ayurvedic or Indian Medicine For centuries, the neem tree has played a big part in Ayurvedic medicine and Indian folk … [Read More...] about What is Neem used for?