Herbal First Aid
Healthy Body Support
ABOUT MEDICINAL HERBS
A MEDICINAL HERB PICTORAL
THIS PAGE IS DEDICATED TO HELPING READERS GAIN MORE
INFORMATION ABOUT MEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR USES.
Please let me know if there is a specific medicinal herb you want to know more
about. I will be adding herbs on a weekly basis, so check in frequently to find
out what is new here.
Please note: The herbal and health
information provided in this Web Site is intended as historical information
only. It is based on the personal experiences of medicinal herbs users. This
information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent diseases.
Nothing in this Web Site should be considered as medical advice for dealing
with a given medical problem. You should consult your health care professional
for individual guidance for specific health problems, especially if you have a
serious medical condition. It can be dangerous to mix medicinal herb products
with prescription drugs. It can be dangerous to stop taking a prescription drug
without consulting with your health care professional. If you are under
professional health care, consult your provider before either stopping
prescribed medications or adding medicinal herbs.
(Photos on this web page by Hal or Cat Farneman unless otherwise noted.)
We are going to begin with a few herbs that are good for first aid use.
Known as Canaigre, Wild Rhubarb, Red Dock, Tanner's Dock, or Pie Plant (Rumex
hymenosepalus), this is a common plant often found in
sandy washes of the high western U.S. deserts, usually from 3,000 to 6,000 feet
above sea level.
It is best to gather the leaves in early spring before full
flower--usually March and early April. Gather the tubers after the plant dies
back in May. The plant will disappear after May until it comes back the
The leaves can be dried for future use and used in salves. The tubers should be
sliced into one quarter inch cross sections and dried. The dried slices can
then be ground into powder for use in dressing wounds and in salves.
A salve made from the dried leaf, or a tincture of the fresh leaf in either
alcohol or vinegar, are all effective to help modify and depress local
inflammations caused by hives, contact dermatitis, or chafing. They are also
effective for relieving sunburns. The leaf tincture can also be used to relieve
sores and inflammations on the face, mouth and neck.
The tubers are very high in tannins so work effectively as an astringent. A
slice of fresh or dried tuber, or powdered dried tuber will stop bleeding. An
alcohol tincture of the leaves or tubers applied as an astringent to the face
will heal acne sores. A strong decoction of the tubers can be used for tanning
(Refer to Medicinal Plants of the Desert and Canyon West by Michael
SAGEBRUSH, Wormwood, Chamiso, (Artemisia tridentata) is found in a large
part of the high deserts of the western U.S. Other types of
Artemisia are found all over the world in similar habitats. Mostly the leaves
are used, although the roots have strong similar properties.
Collect the leaves in their spring and summer growth, dry and remove
from branches. Powder the dried leaves for topical use. This is an age old
remedy for diaper rash and any moist area chafing. Simply dust the powder on
any afflicted area of the body. If rash develops in dry areas of the skin, make
a strong decoction of the leaves, or dissolve the powdered leaves in water and
The entire plant is strongly antimicrobial and antiparasitical.
There is a long history of useage in first aid as a disinfectant and cleansing
wash used as a strong decoction or tinctured with alcohol. Either the powdered
leaves dissolved in water, or a decoction of the leaves can be used as a douche
for Candida yeast infections, bathing also the outer areas if irritated.
The aromatics of sagebrush are also antimicrobial and the smoke of the
burning leaves is often used by peoples to clear the air of both pestilence and
negativity. The steam rising from moist leaves on burning coals is used in this
same manner. Sagebrush is used by many nations to make smudge bundles used for
purification before and during ceremonies. Native Americans of the west also
used the leaves layered around stored dried foods to discourage insect and
Sagebrush is also used internally to stop internal bleeding, kill
parasites such as worms and microbial diseases and is particularly effective
against Malaria, Staphlycoccus aureus, Candida albicans, and any internal
amebic organisms. It should only be used internally with caution and under the
supervision of an experienced practitioner. Avoid internal use during
PLANTAIN, ribwort, snakeweed, common plantain (Plantago major),
lance-leaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata), desert plantain, wooly
plantain (Plantago insularis), and many other species of plantain:
A plant found vitually all over the world with the species varying but the
medicinal properties and uses essentially the same. It often grows wherever the
ground has been disturbed and was carried by Western Europeans to their
colonies, hence a common native name for the plant translates to "white
Some photos of plantain to give you an idea of its appearance: lance-leaf
plantain, Plantago lanceotata, growing in my herb garden; lance-leaf
plantain growing in our lawn; desert plantain, Plantago insularis, which
is tiny but prolific, so many can be harvested by pulling up the entire plant,
root and all. We then scatter the seeds for more plants. Another variety of
desert plantain, Plantago patagonica; next, a common desert plantain
variety found in our area; and lastly, the leaves from Common Plantain (or
English Plantain), Plantago major, are ovate and large.
distinguishing characteristics of this plant are the parallel veins of the
leaves, the strong fibers of the stems and leaves, the completely basal leaves
that grow outward from the root and sometimes clasp the ground (P. major), and
the tall, leafless flower stalks with small, inconspicuous flowers in tightly
arranged sausage-like spikes that grow above the rest of the plant. To make
certain the lance-leaf plantains are not mistaken for poisonous varieties of
lilies and green hellebore, it is wise to look for the distinctive flowering
stalks of plantain before picking.
Plantain is like having a
medicine cabinet and first aid kit right under your feet. The
fresh leaves are bruised or chewed and then applied as a poultice to wounds,
burns, bites and stings for immediate relief: minor bleeding is stopped, easing
the swelling, inflammation, pain, itching and stinging of insect bites and
stings, snake bites, spider bites, animal bites, and dermatitis reactions to
plants such as stinging nettle. It is said to neutralize venom and to reduce
allergic reactions. Dried leaves may also be used if moistened first. Keep the
poultice wet with the juice or tea of plantain leaves. Change the poultice
frequently before it dries. A tea or infusion from the leaves should also be
taken internally by the victim to neutralize internal reactions and speed the
Plantain roots and leaves are an alterative and stimulant for the
circulatory system. A tea or infusion of leaves, fresh or dried, is used for
kidney and bladder troubles and the juice extracted from the fresh leaves is
said to heal stomach ulcers. Plantain is also useful for easing pain and
healing problems in the lower intestinal tract. Apply a fine powder of dried
roots to the affected area to heal a toothache.
There are many reports of using the leaves as a poultice for wounds
that are difficult to heal, and used both externally and internally in cases of
blood poisoning where the swelling was completely reduced, swollen glands
returned to normal, red streaks go away and the wound is healed. For skin
disorders such as ringworm, running sores, old wounds, rashes and other
dermatitis, bathe the affected area frequently with a strong infusion of fresh
or dried leaves.
The seeds can be used for thrush by making a decoction
sweetened with honey and administered via one tablespoon three to four times
daily. The seeds are also used similarly to psyllium seeds, a tablespoon or two
soaked in hot water until a mucilage is formed and this drunk as a lubricating
laxative and source of dietary fiber. The seeds of all varieties of plantain
have been shown to reduce blood cholesterol levels.
The juice or a tea
from the leaves (two tablespoons of juice or strong tea to a pint of warm water
with a pinch of table salt) makes an excellent douche for vaginitis. A small
amount of the powdered juice from leaves can be dissolved in sterile water and
used as an eye wash for irritated eyes. Proteolytic enzymes contained in the
fresh leaves and the fresh or dried roots make plantain effective as an
internal vasoconstrictor for intestinal inflammation, from stomach ache to
dysentery or inflammed hemorrhoids.
Plantain has been used successfully
for infections such as internal parasites, yeast overgrowth, syphilis and
intestinal worms. The juice from fresh leaves or a strong infusion from fresh
or dried leaves is taken internally, a cupfull three to four times daily until
all symptoms are gone. Also use externally where applicable.
of plantain: the strong fibers of Plantago major leaves and stems can be peeled
away for use in making cordage. Young plantain leaves make a good addition to
salad and the more mature leaves can be steamed and eaten with the fibers
easily removed after cooking. Taste is similar to chard. Plantain is high in
vitamins A, K and C. The seeds gathered when dry are a good source of protein.
So, don't despair when plantain shows up in your lawn and seems to be able to
defy your lawn mower. Just dig up the plantain and move it into your herb
GRAPE (Mahonia [or Berberis] repens, M. aquifolia, M. nervosa, M. pinnata, M.
trifoliata, M. wilcoxii, M. haematocarpa, M. fremontii) Other
names: Mahonia, Creeping Barberry, Barberry, Yerba de la Sangre, Sangre de
Cristo, Holly Grape, Rocky Mountain Grape root, Creeping Barberry.
Mahonia (Berberis) trifoliata is known locally in Arizona and New
Mexico as Algerita; Berberis fremontii is known as Fremont Barberry. Mahonia
aquifolia is often used in landscaping and is the state flower of
Oregon. Most of these plants found in canyons and arroyos. M. repens is
drought tolerant as long as it has shade. Mahonia pinnata is the
exception and will even grow on rocky, exposed places within forests and along
open rocky ridges in southern California and all the way down into Baja.
The primary bioactive constituent of the species in the Berberidaceae family is
the yellow alkaloid berberine. It is found in the foliage, stems and roots,
although usually strongest in the roots. Gather the roots and lower yellow
stems from midsummer to winter, the leaves from May through mid-fall. The
cleaned roots should be chopped while still fresh since they become very dense
and hard once dry. If there is a layer of brown bark on the stems and roots,
scrape this off and only use the yellow parts. The leaves can be collected and
dried in a paper bag. The dried leaves, stored away from any light, will last
for up to a year. The dried roots and stems will last for several years.
Oregon Grape can be used as a bitter tonic for impaired salivary and gastric
secretions to aid digestion; as a stimulant to liver function; and as an
antimicrobial for the skin and intestinal tract. It is a blood alterative in
that it cleanses the blood and normalizes blood chemistry. Use up to 30 drops
of the root tincture three to four times per day for a digestion and liver
stimulant. The root tincture, or tea made from the root or leaf, is used as
needed topically or as a mouthwash. Infuse oil with the leaves or root pieces
to use as a salve. The dried leaves may be powdered and dusted on skin
abrasions and rashes as an antibacterial. M. aquifolia has been shown in
laboratory tests to be effective against staph infections. The tea or tincture
can be taken every three to four hours for intestinal infections. Since it
normalizes blood chemistry, it has been useful in counteracting PMS symptoms.
Oregon grape should not be taken internally during pregnancy.
Southwest, curanderas boil the leaves in water and drink the tea twice a
day for anemia, and take the decoction early in the morning before eating to
bring on menstruation. The leaves or roots are boiled or tinctured and taken
internally to cleanse the blood. The Navajos use a decoction of the leaves and
stems to relieve the inflammation of rheumatism. The tea from the roots has
been used as an alterative, antisyphilitic, diuretic and laxative. Of the
species with juicy berries, the ripe berries can be made into a tasty jam that
some call happy berry jam because it tends to lighten depressed moods.
The the roots can be used effectively as a yellow dye.
(Refer to Moore,
Michael, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West Museum of New Mexico
Press, 1979; Moore, Michael, Medicinal Plants of the Pacific West, Red
Crane Books, Santa Fe, 1993; Moore, Michael, Medicinal Plants of the Desert and
Canyon West, Museum of New Mexico Press, 1989; and Curtin, L.S.M., Healing
Herbs of the Upper Rio Grande, Traditional Medicine of the Southwest, Revised
and Edited by Michael Moore, Western Edge Press, 1997.)
WILD TOBACCO (Nicotiana attenuata, N. trigonophylla, N. glauca)
Other names: Punche, Indian Tobacco, Coyote Tobacco, Mustard Tree, and Tree
Tobacco (N. glauca).
Nicotiana glauca, Tree Tobacco, is a
perennial plant and not native, but originally from Peru. It has naturalized in
Southern California and has even spread out to the southern regions of Arizona,
New Mexico and Texas. The true native tobaccos are annuals, coming up in the
spring after rains and not lasting long after the heat of summer arrives. They
like dry stream beds, meadows, flats, flood plains, rocky outcroppings and the
desert. Both the leaves and blossoms are used.
The various species of Wild Tobacco are mainly used externally as an analgesic
poultice and in liniments and salves for its analgesic qualities on sore
muscles and joints, sunburns, or any external pain. Add a strong infusion of
the leaves to bath water to relieve the pains of hemmorrhoids, menstrual
cramps, muscle bruises or muscles sore from over use. Tobacco neutralizes skin
reactions to bites and stings, stopping the swelling, burning and itching.
Fresh leaves can be crushed and applied to insect bites and stings, dried
leaves should be moistened before applying. Even processed commercial tobacco (N.
tabacum) can be used on insect bites and bee stings, so if no tobacco
plants are nearby, look for a cigarette butt and moisten the tobacco in it to
apply as a poultice.
A liniment for sore joints and muscles can be made
by steeping one cup of dried wild tobacco leaves and one tablespoon of cayenne
pepper powder in a quart of alcohol for at least two weeks. An olive oil base
may also be used if the alcohol liniment is too drying to the skin.
Tobacco is also useful as an insecticide: steep one cup of dried, crumbled
leaves in a quart of boiling water for 30 minutes. Remove from heat and add one
tablespoon of liquid detergent; cool to room temperature. Strain and spray onto
plants. Do not use commercial pipe, cigar or cigarette tobacco as an
insecticide on plants in the Solanaceae family, such as peppers, tomatoes and
potatoes, as it often contains the mosaic virus which will infects plants of
Tobacco should not be taken internally.
from tobacco is also used ceremonially as a means of communication with spirit
and to facilitate peaceful communications between those in the ceremony. It
emphasizes the inclusiveness of those partaking. The smoke travels to the land
of the spirits and it is thought that the ancestors remember the pleasure of
tobacco smoke used in ceremony and thus return to partake of the essence of the
tobacco, bringing with them their wisdom and assistance. Tobacco and tobacco
smoke were used in divination among some indigenous peoples.
Moore, Michael, Medicinal Plants of the Mountain West Museum of New
Mexico Press, 1979; Savinelli, Alfred, Plants of Power, Native Voices,
Summertown, TN, 2002.)
(Quercus spp.) Other names: Live Oak, Scrub Oak, Gambelís
Oak, Encino, etc. The bark, galls, leaves and acorns may all be used. The
primary useful ingredients are tannin and quercin, which are astringent. The
quercin also has analgesic properties similar to salicin. This makes it good as
a first aid wash for burns, abrasions, cuts, gum inflammations, as a gargle for
sore throats, as an intestinal tonic and for diarrhea. It has a clotting,
shrinking and antiseptic effect. The leaves can be chewed into a bolus and
applied to insect bites to reduce the swelling, itching and stinging. A piece
of the bark can be chewed to lessen the pain from a minor toothache.
tea is very bitter, so it isnít likely that one would want to overdose, but too
much of the tannic acid can be upsetting to the system, so use sparingly for
internal use. The galls are the highest in tannins, so use them only for
external treatments. Any part of the oak can be combined with Sage leaves in a
water base, simmered, cooled and applied to poison oak or poison ivy rash to
stop the dermatitis reaction. The tannin can also be extracted and used as a
tanning agent for leather, and as a dye. Since Oaks in one species or another
are found everywhere in the west, it is a good plant to know for first aid when
out in the wilderness. The fruit of the oaks, known as acorns, can be leached
of their tannic acid content, either before or after grinding, and used as a