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 (86 page)

A patent remedy with Salvia Root as the main ingredient was developed and is still widely used in China for treating angina. The main active constituents in Salvia Root include diterpene quinones (known as tanshinones I and II and cryptotanshinone), and it also includes caffeic acid, salvianolic acid and magnesium salvianolate.

Medical Uses:

Salvia Root is widely used in the Orient for supporting cardiovascular health and is now gaining popularity in the West for its heart-healthy properties. The isolated chemical, tanshinone, is said to increase the force of heartbeats, while slowing the heart rate and it works as a vasodilator, causing blood vessels to relax and increasing blood circulation. This action inhibits platelet aggregation (clotting), thereby reducing the risk of arteriosclerosis, stroke and heart attack. The tanshinones are said to reduce stasis of the blood (stagnation) and also help to ease the heart pain of angina pectoris.

Salvia Root is believed to promote healthy liver function and may help to prevent liver damage caused by alcohol, drugs or diseases. Some studies suggest that Salvia Root may provide benefits for treating liver diseases such as cirrhosis, fibrosis and chronic hepatitis.

By reducing stasis (stagnation in the blood), Salvia Root is said to purify the blood, and detoxified blood is thought to be very beneficial for treating many ailments, including skin problems, such as acne, abscesses and boils. The concept of eliminating stasis to generate new blood simply means that in order for new blood to be generated, old, stagnant and impure blood that is not vital must be removed. This theory of vitalizing blood has been applied to the treatment of bone marrow deficiencies.

The isolated tanshinones are unique to Salvia Root and have been shown to inhibit bacterial growth, reduce fever, diminish inflammation and aid urinary excretion of toxins.

A relatively new area of study for blood stasis concerns the process of ageing: In Traditional Chinese Medicine, it is thought that detoxified blood will help nourish the kidneys, liver and spleen; and conversely, stagnant blood results in contraction of ligaments, withering of the flesh and overall reduction in vitality, mental function and health. During the twentieth century, possibly due to changes in the environment, diet and lifestyle (as well as progress in medical research into ageing), it is generally believed that disorders associated with ageing additionally involve blood stasis. It is interesting to note that this was an idea first presented by Xu Lingtai, a famous physician of the Qing Dynasty, who wrote during the mid-eighteenth century that the blood of the elderly did not flow very well, thus creating other health difficulties; however, Xu's concept did not get much attention for another two hundred years.

Treatment:

Salvia Root has shown antiviral and antioxidant activity in laboratory studies. Salvianolate-B, recently isolated from Salvia Root by medical researchers at the Shanghai Institute of Materia Medica, was determined to have powerful antioxidant actions in vitro, and the salvianolic acid was shown to be the strongest of Salvia Root's constituents in protecting heart mitochondria from free radical damage.

In traditional Chinese medicine, danshen has been used to prevent and treat heart conditions and strokes. Results from animal and human studies support these uses of danshen to some extent. Danshen is known to decrease the blood’s ability to clot in at least two ways.

First, it limits the stickiness of blood components known as platelets. It also decreases the production of fibrin — threads of protein that trap blood cells to form clots. Both these effects help to improve blood circulation. In addition, chemicals in danshen may relax and widen blood vessels, especially those around the heart. In animal studies, chemicals in danshen have protected the inner linings of arteries from damage. Some other research also suggests that danshen potentially may increase the force of heartbeats and slow the heart rate slightly. All these effects potentially could improve heart function and help to restore functioning after a stroke.

Precautions:

Pregnant and nursing women should not use Salvia Root, nor should those who take prescription blood thinning medications (Coumadin, Plavix, aspirin, etc.). Those who are allergic to members of the mint family (thyme, basil, sage, marjoram, etc.) should avoid this herb, and you should not use Salvia Root if you take prescription medications or have high blood pressure or heart or blood vessel disease.

Dosages:
Take one (1) capsule, two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

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Did you know…?

Overview:

Sandalwood
has been used both internally and externally for thousands of years, and we still benefit from its
antibacterial qualities to relieve urinary tract disorders
, such as
cystitis, urethritis and bladder infection.
It also helps to
relieve pain, sore throat, stomachache, spasms and chronic bronchitis.

Plant Description:

The Sandalwood tree is an evergreen that is cultivated in a semi-wild state, usually in open forest; and because it is semi-parasitic, it depends upon a host for its nutrients that help it grow. Over three hundred plants have been recorded as hosts, which can include nearby grasses, herbs, shrubs or other trees. The wood of the tree is straight-grained and heavy and varies in color, and the tree bears oval leaves and small flowers of varying colors that bloom twice a year.

Sandalwood (Chandanam) is a fragrant wood, and the name may be applied to any of a number of woods. The 'true' sandalwood is the
wood
of trees in the genus
Santalum
; found in southern
India
and
Sri Lanka
,
Hawaii
, and many south Pacific islands. It is most commonly used for
incense
,
aromatherapy
,
perfume
, and fine woodworking. Although not commonly used as a construction material, temples have been built with sandalwood in
India
and retain the aroma after centuries. It is said to have been used for
embalming
the corpses of princes in
Ceylon
since the
9th century
. Jewelry boxes,
fans
, and ornate carvings continue to be made in many parts of Asia using sandalwood.

Sandalwood is the highly aromatic wood of the medium-sized Sandalwood tree (reaching about fifty feet in height) and is native to eastern Asia (probably to the islands in southeastern Indonesia) and has been known in India and other areas of the subcontinent for thousands of years.

History:

Some claim that it is native to India, but it is actually thought to have been introduced there well over two thousand years ago. Sandalwood is now also distributed throughout Sri Lanka, Malaysia, China, Taiwan and northern Australia and generally thrives as a crop in drier climates in well-drained, moist, fertile soil in partial shade at a minimum of fifty-nine degrees Fahrenheit, so it is interesting to note that Sandalwood was cultivated in the Royal Botanical Gardens at Kew, London, in the nineteenth century.

Sandalwood's name comes to us from the Sanskrit word, Chandana, and it has a rich history in India as one of the luxury goods (including gold, gems, spices, silks, ivory and perfumes) that were sent along the coastal route to the Persian Gulf for trade.

However, aside from its commercial importance, Sandalwood was highly valued in Hindu rituals (including symbolic caste marks on the face and carved into figures and deities on temple doors, etc.) and devotional practices (including incense, etc.); and it was an important factor in Ayurvedic medicine that was (and still is) used to cool the body, decrease thirst and to treat headaches, scorpion stings and snake bites.

The trees are usually felled when at least fifty years old, and because it is somewhat soft, the wood is highly prized for carving, and the oil is invaluable in perfumes, aromatherapy and the cosmetic industry. The wood, oil and roots are used in herbal medicine. There are about nineteen species of
Santalum
, but the Sandalwood (S
. album
) has the highest oil content. Some of the constituents in Sandalwood include a rich essential oil, with at least ninety percent sesquiterpene alcohols, called santolols, the active ingredients present in all parts of the tree.

Medical Uses:

Sandalwood is considered a diuretic, which promotes the increase and flow of urine and is considered excellent for the genito-urinary system. Because it is also regarded as an antiseptic, its efficacy for urinary tract problems is enhanced, and it is used to relieve gleet (a discharge of mucus or pus from an inflamed urethra), gonorrhea, bladder infection, chronic cystitis and other infections of the urinary system.

Considered an expectorant, Sandalwood helps to loosen phlegm and congestion from the respiratory system, and is used to ease chronic bronchitis, dry cough, sore throat and inflammation of mucous tissue.

Sandalwood is an aromatic, bittersweet herb that is said to help treat digestive disorders and has been used to relieve indigestion, stomachache and vomiting.

Sandalwood is considered an analgesic, or substance that relieves pain and the herb is said to be effective in easing the pain of headaches, abdominal pain and spasms.

For thousands of years Sandalwood has been used to cool the body and relieve fevers.

Recent research has claimed that the santolols in Sandalwood not only possess antibacterial activity, but they may also be valuable in slowing the growth of warts and the herpes virus.

Used externally, Sandalwood is said to be beneficial for skin problems, especially those of bacterial origin and useful in cases of dermatitis, acne, psoriasis, scorpion stings and other inflammatory skin conditions. It is also used in lotions that alleviate dry skin, rash, itching and prickly heat. Its antibacterial qualities have also made it effective in deodorants and as a mouthwash to treat bad breath.

The oil of Sandalwood is used externally in aromatherapy and is said to calm the mind and body. It has been employed in the rooms of patients with mental health problems, as its fragrance is said to have a calming effect. It is also thought to help those who are suffering from stress and to soothe tension and anxiety.

Precautions:

Pregnant and nursing women and young children should not use Sandalwood, nor should those who suffer from chronic liver disease.

Dosages:

Take one (1) capsule, two (2) times each day with water at mealtimes.

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Sarsaparilla
has long been used as a
blood purifier and tonic that boosts stamina and energy.
Although there is no definitive evidence, many body-builders strongly maintain that Sarsaparilla (or Smilax) helps to build muscle mass, while avoiding the harmful side effects of anabolic steroids. Sarsaparilla is considered a fine tonic herb, an antibacterial and anti-inflammatory, and the herb may even act as an aphrodisiac.  Perhaps this is the reason that the "Good Guys" of the Old West, who disdained whiskey in favor of Sarsaparilla, always seemed to have that extra edge.

Plant Description:

Sarsaparilla is a woody, perennial, climbing vine, native to the rain forests of Central and South America, Jamaica and Caribbean regions, and also grows in other temperate zones such as Southeast Asia and Australia.
  The root is long and tuberous and supports a ground-trailing evergreen vine that may reach fifty feet in length, and the fragrance of the root (which has been used for centuries in herbal medicine) is spicy-sweet and it has a pleasant taste. 

Sarsaparilla
contains vitamins A, B-complex, C and D. Also the minerals iron, manganese, sodium, silicon, sulfur, copper, zinc, and iodine. It contains the amino acids methionine and cysteine.

It also contains diogenin, a saprogen which in turn contains the female hormone progesterone and the male hormone testosterone. Sarsaparilla helps strengthen the nerve fibers and tissues of the brain, spinal cord, lungs, and throat. Sarsaparilla is especially good for removing heavy metallic contaminants from the blood, which are received through the nostrils in the foul, smog-filled air of urban areas. Sarsaparilla root, which contains testosterone, will help hair grow again.

History:

Its name is derived from two Spanish words,
sarza
, meaning "bramble" and
parilla
, meaning "vine." 

The indigenous tribes of Central and South America used Sarsaparilla for centuries for sexual impotence, rheumatism, skin ailments and as a tonic for physical weakness.
  New World traders of the 1400s and 1500s soon discovered and adopted the herb and introduced it into European society, where physicians there considered it afine tonic, blood purifier, diuretic and diaphoretic, as well as a strong remedy for syphilis and other sexually-transmitted diseases. Since that time, Sarsaparilla has gained popularity for its medicinal effects, and it became registered as an official herb in the
United States Pharmacopoeia
as a treatment for syphilis from 1820 to 1910.  Some of the constituents included in Sarsaparilla are beta-sitosterol, starch, fatty acids, calcium, cetyl-alcohol, chromium, cobalt, glucose, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, resin, saponin, silicon, sitosterol-d glucoside, tin, zinc, B-vitamins and vitamins A, C and D.