Miss Lynndene Masimla

Medical English
Assignment 6-Alternative medicine
THYME
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The name is very old, and said to go back to Ancient Greek, and is probably older than that too.
Thyme is a fine, free-flowing light green powder and it is typically sed for sops, stffing, herb
bread and vegetable seasoning.
CONTENTS
Essential oils
HARVESTING
!n the period of flowering
USAGE
Garden thyme or simple thyme is some of the commonly sed of this aromatic semi-shrb, which
feels at home in most of continental Erope. Thyme was "ite valable in old Egypt too, where
some of the sorts were sed for embalming process #mmmification$. Thyme works strongly
antiseptic, and thyme oil is strongly anti-bacterial being efficient by concentrations down to %&'(((.
Thyme additives are therefore sed in toothpaste and gargles as a preserving agent. !t is e)tremely
sed on sores and wonds. Thyme is an e)cellent cogh remedy. Thyme is a noble strengthener of
the lng. !t is often sed to flavor meats, sops and stews.
ANGERS
!t is fine to se thyme as a seasoning dring pregnancy, bt strong medical doses shold be
avoided if there is any possibility that yo are pregnant. The *ood and +rg Administration
incldes thyme on its list of herbs generally regarded as safe, bt large doses may case intestinal
problems.
!ERGAMOT
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The bergamot #bee balm, tea, and horsemint$ is a robst aromatic perennial has its origin from
,orth America. !t was sed as tea and medical plant by -swego- !ndians by the shores of Lake
-ntario. This aromatic perennial has brittle and branches stems which in or gardens grow p to
.(cm or more. The prple flowers make themselves to be central /ewels in every garden.
HARVESTING
*resh leaves when the flowering is forming
ACTIVE SU!STANCE
Essential oils
E""ECT AN USE
0se the leaves to make facial steam. The leaves and flowers add color and flavor to potporri.
!mproves the *lavor of pork dishes. *ive or si) large leaves in . onces of boiling water make a
refreshing and rela)ing tea. 1ossible ses are for acne, an)iety, sores, oily skins, abscesses, cold
sores, etc.
ANGERS
Essential oils are flammable. +o not se if the area of application will be e)posed to snlight for 23
hors.
#ARS$EY
MAIN CHARACTERISTIC
!t is the world most poplar herb. The two most poplar types of parsley are the !talian flat leave
parsley and flat leaf parsley. The !talian variety has a more fragrant and less bitter taste than the
crly variety. The Ancient Greeks sed it to decorate the tombs of the deceased.
CONTENTS
Essential oils. !t is an e)cellent sorce of vitamin A, 4 and 5. !t is a good sorce of iron. 1arsley6s
volatile oil components inclde limonene, etc.
USAGE
1arsley tea help to control high blood pressre and 4herokee !ndians se it as a tonic to strengthen
the bladder. 7hen crshed and rbbed against the skin, parsley can redce itching in mos"ito
bites. !n ,orway today, it is one of the most sed green vegetables, and is sed a fine herb in all
sorts of food. The Greeks had some blind belief in the power of the tiny parsley. +ring their
blowots men pt parsley wreaths on their heads.
ANGERS
1arsley is high in o)alic acid, a compond involved in the formation of kidney stones and ntrition
deficiency. !n the middle ages, parsley was sed to perform abortions. Many times it killed both the
mother and the nborn child.
L Chamomile Herbal Tin
CAMOMILE
MAIN CHARCTERISTICS
It was also highly esteemed by the Saxons, being one of the nine holy plants, due to
its wonderful and powerful afects. The best quality Camomile comes from the ile
!elta in "gypt, as does our Camomile tea. Camomile ma#es a pleasant tea with a
fruity $a%or, enchanted by sugar or honey.
HARVESTING
Shortly after the $owers ha%e de%eloped
ACTIVE SUBSTANCES
"ssential oils
USAGE
OUTWARDLY
&utwardly its antiseptic efects are due to two diferent efects. The capillary
%essels, which widens when in$amed, shrin#s when exposed to the camomile
infuse. It has a genuine antibacterial efect.
INWARDLY
'is sweat inducing
'restraint the smooth muscles by intestinal diseases pro%o#ing an anticon%ulsant
efect.
'promote relaxation by means of other substances, which ma#e the sympathetical
ner%ous system more sensible and ha%e the efect on diseases of the stomach as
stomach cramp, colic, diarrhea
DANGERS
Though rare, allergic reactions to camomile ha%e been reported. (ersons with
allergies to plants of the aster family should a%oid use of camomile. Consuming
large amounts of highly concentrated preparations ha%e shown to cause nausea
and %omiting
$EMON !A$M
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
8The /oy of the heart9 is the most common name of the Lemon :alm in the ;candinavian contries.
HARVESTING
Leaves and tips /st picked /st before flowering.
CONTENTS
Essential oils, tannic acid
USAGE
The lemon balm incldes calmness, appeti<ing. !t has some se by nervos tension or stomach
ailments, migraine and as a calmative and an insomnia remedy together with hops and valerian.
*resh leaves has a strong lemon fragrance and shold be sed in salads and mshroom plats.
=ecently the balm is an important ob/ect for research. !t is made ot of restraining effects on virs,
particlarly on the >erpes ?irs. The e)tract prevents the virs from keeping fi)ed to celllar
membranes and pts the propagation cycles to an end. The crshed leaves, when rbbed on the
skin, are sed as a repellent for mos"itoes. Medicinally it is sed an herbal tea.
ANGERS
Althogh it has not yet been demonstrated in clinical stdies, lemon balm may intervene with
sedatives and thyroid medications. !f yo are taking sedatives #for sleep disorders or an)iety$ or
medications to reglate yor thyroid, yo shold conslt a health care practitioner before taking
lemon balm. This herb shold not be sed by pregnant or breastfeeding women.
CA$ENU$A
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The calendla is poplar by gardeners becase of its flowering and big intense yellow or orange
flower bags from @ne to early atmn. The name of this plant has origin from the ancient =omans,
who regarded it to be a plant with flowers in bloom on the first day of each month and this sefl
remedy by irreglar menstration.
HARVESTING
As the flowers are flly opened
CONTENTIONS
Essential oils
MEICA$ E""ECT AN USE
As a medical plant the calendla is sed for sores and wonds. 4alendla e)tracts are applied in
healing ointments, by cosmetics and as a garnitre, calendla is poplar in flower decorations and
spice. !t is also sed for tea blends, as a saffron sbstitte in rice and sops or even deserts
#cstards$. 4alendla flowers are very sefl for dying wool, and are prodcing a fine yellow color
with the mordant alm.
ANGERS
*re"ent skin irritations may reslt in an allergic reaction to the herb. 4alendla is also known to
affect the menstral cycle and shold not be sed dring pregnancy and breastfeeding. Topical
se only.
ARNICA
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The German poet @ohan 7olfgang von Goethe is told having taking a cp Arnica tea against his
angina pectoris as a daily treatment. 0nfortnately the arnica year for year is thrown ot of most of
its home areas becase of dying and the se of lime mi)tre.
HARVESTRY
*lly opened flower baskets
MEICA$ USAGE
The arnica is a good illstration to the variety effects in medical plants. Arnica shold be sed
e)ternally as a remedy by dangers of blows, cts, on swelling and works by altering the chemical
strctre of definite sbstances which are involving the process of inflammation. The arnica has a
positive effect on the heart-heart plsation will increase. ;trong lowering effect on the cholesterol
level in the blood.
ANGERS
>igher concentrations case a heart stop. Great care mst be e)orcised as many people are
sensitive to the plant and many severe cases of poisoning have reslted from its se, especially if
taken internally.


ROSEMARY
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
The rosemary scrb may grow p to abot two meters in its homeland arond the Mediterranean
;ea. !t has been sed for domestic and medical powers since the ancient Greek times, and has
even been regarded having medical powers.
HARVESTING
After flowering
CONTENTS
Essential oil, tannic acid
USAGE
!nternally rosemary drg works appeti<ing, digestive and mildly antispasmodic. *or e)ternal se
the concentrative agents of rosemary oil are applied as an analgesic remedy by sprains and
arthritis. 0sed in bath oils with stimlating affects on the circlation. !n the domestic cisine the
rosemary leaves are a fine spice for venison, chicken, fish, pork and in sops and saces. Ancient
Greek attached the rosemary to powers of eternal yoth and the stdents whore rosemary wreaths
when attending the e)ams. The scent alone cold nder the right conditions give eternal yoth and
secre fidelity and love. :ranches of rosemary were brned in order to clean wads and had also
the power of protecting against the pest.
ANGERS
The oil shold not be taken internally. Even small doses can case stomach, kidney and intestinal
problems, and large amonts may be poisonos. 0se as a tea instead. 1regnant women shold not
se the herb medically, itAs okay for seasoning.
TUMERIC
MAIN CHARCTERISTICS
Trmeric is a flowering plant in the ginger family and it is widely sed as food coloring and is on of
the principal ingredients in crry powder. Trmeric has a long history in 4hinese medicine as an
anti-inflammatory, to treat digestive disorders and liver problems, and for the treatment of skin
diseases and wond healing. A relative of trmeric is gingerB Trmeric is a torrential plant that
grows p to ' to C feet high in the tropical regions of ;othern Asia. Trmeric is a fragrant and has a
bitter, somewhat sharp taste.
MEICA$ USES AN INICATIONS
+igestive disorders Dit indces the flow of bile, which helps break down fats
-steoarthritis-to redce inflammation, trmeric may help relieve the symptoms of osteoarthritis.
4ancer-evidence from laboratory stdies sggests that crcmin has the potential in the treatment
of varios forms of cancer, inclding prostrate, breast, skin and colon.
GINGER
GINGER
MAIN CHARACTERISTICS
Ginger is a knotted, thick, beige ndergrond stem. The stem e)tends roghly %2 inches above
grond with long, narrow, ribbed, green leaves and white or yellowish-green flowers. The
important active components of the ginger root are thoght to be volatile oils and pngent phenol
componds. Ginger prodcts are made from fresh or dried ginger root, or from stream distillation
of the oil of the root. The herb is available in e)tracts, capsles and oils.
USES O" THE HER!
!n 4hina ginger has been sed to aid digestion and treat stomach pset diarrhea and nasea for
more than 2((( years. ;ince ancient times ginger has also been sed to treat arthritis, colic,
diarrhea and heart conditions. Ginger is an important spice and is believed to help common cold,
fl-like symptoms, headaches and even painfl menstral periods. Motion sickness-several stdies
sggest that may be more effective than placebo in redcing symptoms associated with motion
sickness. !nflammation-ginger has long been sed in traditional medical practices to decrease
inflammation.
ANGERS
:lood-thinning medications
Althogh ginger may intervene with blood clotting, there have been no specific or case reports of
interactions between ginger and blood thinning medications. 1eople taking these medications with
ginger shold be monitored closely by a health practitioner for the risk of bleeding.