A Guide To Medicinal Herbs & Plants


Many drug treatments are derived from plant sources, although modern doctors
generally do not 
endorse herbal or alternative remedies they have been in use for thousands of years,
and the 
common names of  some plants reflect their former use e.g Eyebright.

General rules and instructions 

Ensure that you have correctly identified the plant.
Note that you should only use the part of the plant indicated.
Remedies will generally be most potent when flowers are in bloom.
Make up all remedies freshly, make only as much as you need.

To make an infusion.

Cut and crush the herb so that juices are easily available.
Use one handful of herb to half litre (approx. 1pt.) of water.
Pour boiling water over over herb.
Allow to cool.

To make a decoction.

Mash herb.
Use one handful of herb to 85cc (approx 1.5 pints) of water.
Soak for at least half an hour.
Boil and reduce to 33% of original volume.

To make a poultice.

Mash Herb to make a flat pad.
If dry add water.
Apply to affected area and cover, bind in position.

To Express juice.

Crush herb.
Squeeze juice ONLY on to affected area.
Cover and bind.

Splinting Agents.

The roots of Comfrey & Solomons Seal are rich in starch and will set hard when
sufficiently 
reduced. Allow to cool and pack around injury.




Remedies.

STOPPING BLEEDING

Dove's foot crane's bill: Expressed juice.
Giant Puffball: Packed as poultice.
Periwinkle: Expressed juice of leaves.
Plantain: Pounded leaves as poultice.
Self-heal: Expressed juice.
Stork's-bill: Expressed juice of leaves.
Woundwort:  Expressed juice.

CLEANSING RASHES/SORES/WOUNDS

Burdock: Decoction of root; crushed raw root and salt for animal bites.
Camomile: Infusion of flowers as poultice.
Chickweed: Expressed juice of leaves.
Cleavers: Infusion of whole plant except roots.
Comfrey: Decoction of root as poultice.
Dead-nettle: infusion of flowers and shoots.
Docks: Crushed leaves.
Elder: Expressed juice of leaves.
Elm: Infusion of bark
Horehound: Infusion of whole plant except root.
Mallow: decoction of leaves and flowers as poultice.
Marsh mallow: Decoction of root; infusion of leaves and flowers; as poultice.
Oak: decoction of bark.
Sanicle: infusion of whole plant except root.
Scurvy grass: Crushed leaves.
Shepherd's purse: Infusion of whole plant, except roots as poultice.
Silverweed: Infusion of whole plant except roots.
Solomon's seal: Decoction of root as poultice.
St John's wort: Infusion of flowers and shoots.
Sorrel: Crushed leaves.
Tansy: Crushed leaves.
Watercress: Expressed juice.
Woundwort: Infusion of whole plant except root.
Yarrow: infusion of whole plant except root.

ANTISEPTIC

Garlic: Expressed juice.
Mallow: infusion of leaves and flowers.
Marsh mallow: Decoction of root; infusion of flowers and root.
Horseradish: Decoction of root.
Thyme: Infusion of leaves and flowers

ACHES/PAINS/BRUISES

Balm: Infusion of leaves.
Birch: Infusion of leaves.
Borage: Infusion of whole plant, except roots.
Burdock: Decoction of root.
Camomile: Expressed juice of flowers applied to swellings.
Chickweed: Infusion of whole plant, except roots.
Comfrey: Decoction of root applied to swelling.
Cowberry: Infusion of leaves and fruits.
Dock: Crushed leaves applied to bruises.
Dove's-foot crane's bill: Infusion of whole plant, except root, applied to swelling.
Elm: Infusion of bark.
Figwort: Decoction of whole plant, except roots, use externally to draw bruises and
blood clots.
Garlic: Expressed juice applied to swelling.
Horehound: Expressed juice for earache.
Poplar: Infusion of flowers and shoots applied to bruises.
Solomon's seal: Decoction of root, use externally.
Sorrel: Crushed leaves applied to bruises.
St John's wort: Infusion of flowers and shoots applied to bruises.
Tansy: Crushed leaves applied to bruises.
Willow: Decoction of bark.

FEVERS
(These plants induce perspiration to break fever)

Camomile: Infusion of leaves and flowers.
Elder: Infusion of flowers and fruit.
Elm: Decoction of bark.
Feverfew: Infusion of the whole plant, except roots.
Lime: infusion of leaves.

COLDS/SORE THROATS/RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS

Agrimony: Infusion of whole plant, except roots.
Angelica: Decoction of root.
Bilberry: Infusion of leaves and fruit.
Bistort: Infusion of whole plant, except root.
Borage: Infusion of whole plant except root.
Burdock: Decoction of root.
Camomile: Infusion of flower, use as gargle.
Colt's-foot: Infusion of leaves and flowers.
Comfrey: Infusion of whole plant.
Great mullein: Infusion of whole plant, except root; Infusion of root as gargle.
Horehound: Infusion of whole plant, except root.
Horseradish: Raw root.
Lime: infusion of flowers.
Lungwort: Infusion of whole plant, except root.
Mallow: Infusion of  flowers and leaves.
Marsh mallow: Decoction of root, infusion of leaves and flowers.
Mint: Infusion of whole plant, except root.
Mountain avens: Infusion of whole plant as gargle.
Nettle: Infusion of leaves.
Oak: Decoction of bark as gargle.
Plantain: Infusion of leaves and stems.
Poplars: Infusion of leaf buds.
Roses: Decoction of hips.
Sanicle: Infusion of whole plant, except roots.
Self-heal: Infusion of whole plant, except root used as gargle.
St. John's wort: Infusion of flowers and shoots.
Thyme: Infusion of leaves and flowers.
Willow: Decoction of bark.
Yarrow: Infusion of whole plant, except roots, use as inhalant.

SETTLING STOMACH

Balm: Infusion of leaves.
Bilberry: Decoction of fruit.
Bracken: Infusion of leaves.
Bramble: Infusion of leaves.
Dandelion: Decoction of whole plant.
Horseradish: Infusion of root.
Mint: Infusion of whole plant, except root, with crushed charcoal.
Solomon's seal: Decoction of root.
Sanicle: Infusion of root.
Yarrow: Infusion of leaves and flowers.

DIARRHOEA

Bilberry: Decoction of fruit.
Bistort: Infusion of whole plant except roots.
Bramble: Infusion of leaves or decoction of fruit.
Cowberry: Decoction of fruit.
Elm: infusion of bark.
Great burnet: Infusion of leaves and shoot.
Hazel: Infusion of leaves.
Marsh mallow: Infusion of leaves and flowers, decoction of root.
Mint: Infusion of whole plant except root.
Mountain avens: Infusion of whole plant, except root.
Oak: Decoction of bark.
Plantain: Infusion of leaves and stems.

CONSTIPATION

Agrimony: Infusion of whole plant, except root.
Barberry: Expressed juice of fruit.
Common cleavers: Infusion of whole plant except root.
Couch Grass: Decoction of root.
Dandelion: Decoction of whole plant.
Elder: Expressed juice of fruit.
Feverfew: Infusion of leaves and flowers.
Rowan: Expressed juice of fruit.
Rose: Decoction of  hips.
Walnut: Decoction of bark.

HAEMORRHOIDS

Bilberry: Expressed juice of fruit.
Camomile: infusion of leaves and flowers.
Elm: Decoction of bark.
Lesser celandine: Expressed juice of leaves.
Oak: Decoction of bark.
Plantain: Expressed juice.
Poplar: Decoction of leaf buds.
Silverweed: Infusion of whole plant, except roots.
Solomon's seal: Decoction of root.

EXPELLING WORMS

Bracken: Infusion of roots.
Feverfew: Decoction of leaves and flowers.
Figwort: Infusion of whole plant, except roots.
Tansy: Infusion of leaves and flowers, use sparingly in small amounts.