The Complete Herbal Guide: A Natural Approach to Healing the Body - Heal Your Body Naturally and Maintain Optimal Health Using Alternative Medicine, Herbals, Vitamins, Fruits and Vegetables (72 page)

Prickly Pear is believed to be effective for hangover relief from overindulgence in alcohol.
  In tests, the greatest improvements were seen in symptoms of nausea, loss of appetite and dry mouth. 

Treatment:

Some researchers have hypothesized that hangovers are caused by inflammation, and Prickly Pear may work to improve hangover by reducing inflammation.

Prickly Pear has been used to treat eye inflammation, rabies, pimples, dysentery and diarrhea.  The action is not clearly understood, but the pectin content is believed to bind to bacteria and cause them to be eliminated from the body and is therefore helpful in treating diarrhea and other conditions associated with bacterial infection.Prickly Pear was once also used to treat gonorrhea.

Used externally, Prickly Pear joints are split open and applied as a healing pad for rheumatic and asthmatic symptoms.
  Applied to the skin in a salve, it is also used to provide topical relief for sun/windburn, wounds, rash, minor burns, hemorrhoids, insect bites and abrasions, and the pulp is used in shampoo.

Precautions:

Pregnant and nursing women should not use Prickly Pear, nor should those who have severe liver or kidney disease, since there has been limited research into its effects. The herb may cause abdominal bloating, nausea and diarrhea, and it should never be taken in conjunction with prescription diabetes medications, because it may cause hypoglycemia (blood sugar that is too low).Diabetics should always monitor their blood sugar levels carefully.

Dosages:

Take one (1) to two (2) capsules, three (3) times each day with water at mealtimes.

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Did you know…?

Prickly Ash Bark
is a traditional treatment for
all common ailments caused by insufficient circulation
, including leg cramps, varicose veins, cold hands and feet and the feeling of cold throughout the body. The increased circulation has also been used
to relieve the joint aches and pains of chronic rheumatism and arthritis
.

Plant Description:

Prickly Ash Bark
is a beautiful, deciduous tree that is a native of North America, growing anywhere from four to about twenty-five feet in height and may be found in woodlands and on riverbanks, thriving in damp, fertile, well-drained soil in sun or shade. True to its name, the Prickly Ash's branchlets are loaded with thorns and also produce alternately-growing, pinnate leaves, and the bruised foliage exudes a delicious, resinous citrus-orange-like fragrance. The tree (or shrub) also bears small, yellowish-green flowers that grow in clusters from April through June, before the leaves appear, and they are followed by small, red, edible berries.

History:

Prickly Ash Bark was widely used by numerous Native American tribes as a treatment for toothache, rheumatism, gonorrhea, sore throat and as a wash for itchy skin. In the case of toothache, a piece of the bark was apparently inserted into the tooth cavity to ease the ache, but it was never clear whether the relief was due to the actual effect on the pain or distraction of attention caused by irritation produced by the bark (although it is interesting to note that rubbing the berries on the skin is said to produce a numbing effect). Native Americans shared their knowledge of the herb with settlers, and Prickly Ash soon became a popular remedy for rheumatism and toothache (giving the tree several of its common names, Toothache Tree, etc.). The herb was included in Dr. Jacob Bigelow's monumental, three-volume
American Medical Botany
of 1817-1820, and he noted: "Many physicians place great reliance on its powers in rheumatic complaints."

Prickly Ash Bark became official in the
United States Pharmacopoeia
from 1820 to 1926 as a treatment for chronic rheumatism, flatulence and diarrhea. Although it was a widely used traditional American remedy for toothache and rheumatism, John Nash introduced the herb into mainstream medicine in the nineteenth century, when he used it to treat typhus and cholera epidemics.

Medical Uses:

Today, herbalists still specify Prickly Ash Bark as a remedy for rheumatism and also recommend it for improved circulation. Prickly Ash Bark is a spicy, warming, stimulant herb, and it is said to act in the same manner as Cayenne, but with a somewhat slower action. The bark and fruits are used in herbal medicines, and the essential oils are used in perfumery. Some of the constituents contained in Prickly Ash Bark include alkaloids (chelerythrine, magnoflorine, laurifoline, nitidine, tambetarine, candicine and gamma- and beta-fagarine), coumarins (xanthyletin, zanthoxyletin and alloxanthyletin), an aromatic bitter oil (xanthoxylin), tannin, volatile oils and resin.

Treatment:

Prickly Ash Bark is considered an "alterative" or herb that helps to gradually and favorably alter the course of an ailment or condition. It enhances the process of nutrition and excretion and restores normal bodily function and also acts to cleanse and stimulate the efficient removal of waste products from the system.

As a circulatory stimulant, Prickly Ash Bark improves circulation throughout the body and is beneficial to a wide variety of conditions. It helps to warm "cold" conditions in the body, including abdominal chills, peripheral circulation to the hands and feet, as well as the "dead" or white fingers associated with Raynaud's syndrome. The herb is said to produce arterial/capillary excitement to provide relief for leg cramping, chilblains, varicose veins, varicose ulcers and lymphatic circulation.

Since Prickly Ash Bark promotes general blood circulation, it is also said to be beneficial where poor circulation causes soreness or pain to the bones or joints. The herb is said to be especially helpful in cases of muscle spasms, aches and pains caused by chronic rheumatism and arthritic complaints.

Prickly Ash Bark is believed to stimulate the digestive system and assists in the relief of dyspepsia, colic, indigestion and general stomach problems. It is said to relieve flatulence (the presence of gas in the stomach and intestines) and reduce eruction (belching and burping). It is also believed to be a useful tonic in debilitated conditions of the stomach and digestive organs, including the liver.

Prickly Ash Bark is considered a diaphoretic that increases perspiration and reduces intermittent fever. This action also helps to rid the body of toxins through the skin in the sweating process.

As a "nervine," Prickly Ash Bark acts as a tonic to strengthen the function of the nervous system, and in this case, it stimulates and exerts a gentle strengthening effect on the entire body. It is said to restore tone and normal functional activity in the nervous system and also help to strengthen feeble conditions, fatigue, convalescents and the elderly.

Prickly Ash Bark is said to destroy toxins. As an antimicrobial, the chelerythrine content in Prickly Ash is believed to destroy microbes, and it is believed to destroy worms, yeast overgrowth,
Candida
, cholera, gonorrhea, typhoid, typhus and dysentery.

As a strong stimulant, Prickly Ash Bark exerts a positive influence upon the entire body, including mucous membranes. This is believed to be of benefit to asthma, colds and sore throats.

Prickly Ash Bark contains tannins that exert an astringent action and help to control diarrhea.

Used externally, Prickly Ash Bark has been used as an anodyne for centuries for chronic joint pain, lumbago and rheumatism and is said to improve old wounds and indolent ulcers. The bark is thought to help relieve sores in the mouth and ease the pain of toothache.

Precautions:

Pregnant and nursing women should not use Prickly Ash Bark, nor should those who experience stomach inflammations.

Dosages: 
Take two (2) to three (3) capsules, one (1) time each day with water at an early to mid-day mealtime.

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Did you know…?

Primula
is a
soothing
and very versatile herb that
calms the nerves, eases headaches 
and acts as a mild
sedative and tranquilizer
. It is also thought to
relieve lung congestion
and ease bronchitis; and as an anti-inflammatory, Primula is also believed to relieve the discomforts of gout, arthritis and rheumatic conditions. And to think, this pretty flower was almost picked to extinction!

Plant Description:

Primula
is a hardy, herbaceous and low-growing perennial that is native to Europe, but many other species are common in continental Europe, Great Britain and Asia in north temperate zones. The beautiful, soft yellow flowers are popularly cultivated in gardens, with some varieties growing wild; and at one time, they were so popular that they were almost picked to extinction. The plant favors moist, limy soil in sun or partial shade, and the most common varieties grow from three to nine inches in height.

History:

Primula has a long history as a medicinal herb. The first-century Roman scholar, Pliny, recommended it for paralysis, gout and rheumatism, and Primula was once even known by the names
Herba paralysis
,
Radix arthritica,
and Palsywort, because of its widespread use for those conditions. In medieval times, Primula was used to treat conditions involving spasms, cramps, paralysis and rheumatic pain, and in 1653, the great English herbalist, Nicholas Culpepper, recommended it for treating spasms, cramps, paralysis and rheumatic pain, also calling it  "as fine a salve to heal wound[s] as any I know." 

He also prescribed the flowers for "all infirmities of the head," and the leaves as a beauty treatment, suggesting that they were excellent for "spots and wrinkles of the skin, sun burning and freckles."

The flowers were made into a wine, which was taken as a sedative and nervine, and it is interesting to note that Primula is still used today for most of these same medicinal applications. Today, in Europe, Primula (sometimes called the Primrose, but should not be confused with Evening Primrose, an entirely distinct herb with different applications) is used extensively as a blood purifier.  In addition to the medical applications of Primula, it is used in jams, desserts, salads and meat stuffing; boiled as a vegetable; and it is a fragrance in perfumes and potpourris. It is also used in the cosmetic industry as a lotion for skin spots and wrinkles. Some of the constituents in Primula include the fragrant oil, primulin, flavonoids (including quercetin), saponins and salicylates.

Medical Uses:

Primula has been used for centuries as a "nervine," or substance that has a tonic effect on the nervous system and produces a feeling of well-being. It has been used to calm nervous conditions, trembling, anxiety and general weakness.

Further supporting its tonic effect on the nervous system, Primula is also considered a calmative that has mild sedative or tranquilizing effects. It is believed to be helpful in treating insomnia, particularly when related to anxiety and tension.

Primula is a potent expectorant. The saponins in the herb are very helpful in relieving catarrh, mucous congestion, dry coughs, bronchitis and other lung ailments.

Treatment:

As a painkiller, the salicylates in Primula act like aspirin and are said to be effective in relieving ordinary and migraine headaches.

Primula is considered an anti-inflammatory herb. The quercetin content helps to relieve the aches and pains of rheumatism and arthritis. Moreover, as a blood purifier, the herb reinforces this action by easing gouty, arthritic, rheumatic, and various other conditions attributed to contaminated blood.

Used externally, Primula is used for skin problems, blemishes, spots, wrinkles, and is also said to promote a healthy glow.

Precautions:

Some people are allergic to Primula and should avoid its use. Moreover, it should not be used by pregnant women, nor by those who take anticoagulant drugs (warfarin, etc.), due to the aspirin-like salicylate content.

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Prunella
is an old treatment for internal and external bleeding and wounds, including excessive menstruation and bleeding ulcers. It is said to be a potent antiviral agent and has shown great promise in laboratory tests for possible use in herpes, HIV, and AIDS treatments.

Plant Description:

Prunella
is a creeping perennial that is native to Eurasia and grows throughout Europe and North America, where it may be found in damp meadows, pastures, waste places, and on roadsides, thriving in moist, well-drained soil in sunny areas or light shade. When imported to North America and Australia, it quickly became naturalized as a common wildflower and abundant in open and exposed situations, tending to oust native flowers.

It is a diminutive plant but will grow larger in all its parts when growing in more sheltered places. The main stem of the plant is grooved and rough to the touch and bears pointed oval leaves with dense, purple flower clusters (sometimes blue or pink).