A Beginners Guide to Herbal Actions

Guides

Feb 14

**In this post we are going to go over something called Herbal Actions.**

*Regardless of what plant knowledge you already have I hope you find* *this as interesting as I do!*

A Beginners Guide to Herbal Actions

This post may contain links but they are not affiliate links. I am not in any sort of affiliate program at this time. They are links to things I actually use.

Let’s start off by answering a question:

What are herbal actions?

It is how we describe a specific medicinal property or quality of a plant. It is what lets us know how to use the plant as well as where the plant is going to be working on the body.

This post is not going to be going over every single herbal action you may encounter, but we will be covering some of the more common ones.

We will not be covering many of the “anti” herbs, those are pretty self explanatory if you ask me. Plus those are typically telling you what symptom they can improve upon rather than actual herbal actions.

In this guide we will be going over the definition of the herbal action & then you will get 2-3 examples of an herb that fits into that category. Keep in mind an herb can, will & generally does fit into multiple categories.

Adaptogen:

plants that have a non-specific action in the body that increases the body's natural resistance to stressors.

They help to normalize the physiology & help the body adapt to internal or external stressors. They don’t necessarily block the stress but help to bring balance & are said to help “smooth out the rough edges”.

This is a classification of plants that I feel is over used in incorrect ways. We can’t just reach for our adaptogens & expect them to help if we’re not doing our part to help ourselves.

Examples:

Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera

Warming & Moistening
It improves cognitive & mental performance when under pressure

Cordyceps, Ophiocordyceps sinensis

Warming, Drying & Tonifying.
It helps to restore natural balance & metabolic function during times of prolonged stress. It does have a specific affinity for the lungs helping to reduce tension in the bronchi. It has been used as a tonic to raise energy & vitality bringing a higher level of function & wellbeing on a cellular level.

Shatavari, Asparagus racemosus

Cooling, Moistening & Tonifying.
It works on the pituitary gland & HPA (hypothalamic pituitary adrenal) axis. It is particularly nourishing to a weakened & depleted immune system. It’s this particular axis that is responsible for the release of cortisol & can help balance this stress hormone as too much or too little can have a wide range of health effects

Alterative:

Plants that open the channels of elimination & the body’s detoxification pathways.

These are plants that can alter or adjust our body's metabolism & they generally work on the catabolic (detoxification) side.

This is a very broad herbal category & we can have alteratives that work on the liver, large intestine, kidneys & urinary tract or through the skin which are our main channels of elimination

Examples:

Burdock root & seed, Arctium lappa

Cooling & Moistening
Diuretic, Diaphoretic, Hepatic (has an impact on the liver) skin Alterative.
It can be used for chronic skin conditions & is considered one of the classic blood purifier remedies

Horsetail, Equisetum arvense

Neutral & Drying
Diuretic & Nutritive Alterative which means it has a high nutrient content

Nettle leaf, Urtica dioica

Cooling & Drying
Diuretic & Nutritive Alternative.
It can be used to help build strength after illness & detox the body. Nettle is rich in iron, magnesium, calcium, chromium, zinc, potassium, phosphorus & silicon.

Anodyne/analgesic:

Plants that are pain relieving either topically or internally.

Types of pain they can help relieve is spasm, swelling, inflammation, wounds, cuts or lacerations & nerve pain

Examples:

Hops, Humulus lupulus

Cooling, Drying & Relaxing
Analgesic with Nervine Hypnotic & Sedative properties.
It is useful for treating pain associated with the nervous system, such as headaches that involve nervous tension, earaches & toothaches

St. John’s wort, Hypericum perforatum

Warming & Drying
Analgesic specific for nerve pain.
It can be taken internally as well as topically for pain associated with mild burns & contusions.
Look at Latin name, the plant has these little red perforations which are a signature for skin punctures

Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra

Cooling & Moistening
Inflammation Modulating herb with a specific affinity for the respiratory, reproductive & endocrine systems

Astringent:

Plants that tightens or constricts the mucous membranes & skin

Examples:

Calendula, Calendula officinalis

Warming, Drying & Tonifying.
It is one of our greatest tissue healing & lymphatic remedies we have.
It is an extremely effective stauncher of bleeding.
It is indicated where the skin is broken & itching in chronic weepy, damp & inflamed skin conditions such as eczema

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium

Warming & drying.
When used as an ointment or salve it can help to disinfect & help minor wounds.
When taken internally it can help with internal bleeding in the GI.
It also helps with supporting overall tone in the cardiovascular system

Bitters:

Plants that stimulate digestive, liver & gallbladder function.

Sidenote: bitters are not for everyone. If you are already someone who is cold & dry constitutionally, these may make things colder & dryer.

If you are cold & dry you would want to make sure you take a carminative herb alongside bitter herb

Examples:

Blessed thistle, Cnicus benedictus

Cooling & Drying
Alterative, Cholagogue/Choleretic & is considered a true bitter.
Due to its bitter nature it has been used as a digestive tonic, helping to promote appetite.
When taken in large doses it has some Diaphoretic properties.
It also does have some Galactagogue properties which means it can stimulate the production & quality of breast milk

Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla

cooling, Moistening & Relaxing
Aromatic Bitter & Bitter Nervine.
Helping to stimulate the digestion through the bitter action while simultaneously calming the nervous system & assisting in getting out of the fight or flight state & into the rest & digest state.

Carminative:

Plants that aid in the release or decreased production of intestinal gas.

Most of our kitchen spices fit into this category & they can warm up a bitter flavor

Examples:

Black pepper, Piper nigrum

Warming & Drying
General Carminative & Circulatory Stimulant.
It does help with increasing the bioavailability of other herbs as well as supporting healthy digestion.
It can be useful for people with cold or stagnant digestion. Signs you may have cold or stagnant digestion include feeling cold & heavy after meals, having a thick white coating on the tongue & slow transit time.

Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla

Cooling, Moistening & Relaxing

Bitter Nervine Carminative.
It is a go to remedy for indigestion, colic, flatulence & other digestive upsets especially when linked to stress & nervous tension.

Ginger (zingiber officinale)

Hot, Drying & Tonifying
Circulatory Stimulant & Carminative.
It is widely used for upset, weak or deficient digestion especially when countering nausea & vomiting.
It increases mucosal blood supply which can improve digestive secretions

Cholagogue:

Plants that stimulate the flow of bile from the liver via the gallbladder

All cholagogues are bitter but not all bitters are cholagogues

Examples:

Burdock root, Arctium lappa

Cooling & Moistening.
It is a very strong detoxifying herb that is known to promote bile flow, helping to support your liver health.

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale

Cooling & Drying.
It is an herb you would want to grab if you have an overworked liver, or an intolerance to fats as well as be a relief for stubborn constipation.

Gentian, Gentiana lutea

Cooling & Drying.
It can help a sluggish liver & restore the appetite

Choleretic:

Plants that stimulate the production of bile via the liver

Examples:

Turmeric, Curcuma longa

Hot & Drying.
It has the ability to increase bile output also helps to dissolve & prevent gallstones.
It is traditionally considered a blood purifier.

Milk Thistle, Silybum marianum

Warming, Moistening & Tonifying.
It is known to be restorative & protective of the liver helping to detoxify the blood & improve the assimilation of fat-soluble nutrients

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium

Warming & Drying.
It is a Digestive Stimulant & helps assist in the digestion of fats
It can be used to help soothe stomach cramps, flatulence & gastritis

Decongestant:

Plants that relieve nasal congestion & inflammation

Examples:

Eucalyptus, Eucalyptus spp

Warming, Drying & Tonifying.
Due to its high content of volatile (essential) oils it can be used externally or as an inhalant.
It also contains an expectorant action helping to clear mucus & congestion from the respiratory tract.

Thyme, Thymus vulgaris

Warming & Drying.
It can help the body to purge phlegm & may be an herb to reach for to help relieve asthma symptoms

Oregano, Origanum vulgare

Warming & Drying.
It is considered a lung tonic & has a specific affinity for conditions in the upper respiratory tract.
It can be an excellent ally when dealing with infection in the body & can be used as an antibacterial agent against 30 different human pathogen organisms including E. coli & staphylococcus species

Demulcent:

plants that contain mucilage that soothe & protect irritated mucous membranes & the skin. Mucilage is a thick, gluey, gelatinous carbohydrate that contains proteins & polysaccharides (long- chain sugar molecules)

Have you ever soaked a chia seed in water & it gets kind of slimy & gel like? That's mucilage & mucilage can reduce bowel irritation, toxin absorption, cough, bronchial & urinary spasm

Examples:

Aloe vera, Aloe vera

Cooling & Moistening
Digestive & Topical organ affinities.
It can help nourish the skin & is specifically indicated in hot, dry & irritated skin conditions.
Due to its high polysaccharide content it helps to heal mucus membranes calming inflammation & irritation.
It may be a simple, immediate & safe alternative to antacids.

Licorice, Glycyrrhiza glabra

Cooling & Moistening
Naturally produces mucilage that can help soothe inflamed mucous membranes through the entire body but it does have a particular affinity for the respiratory tract, digestive & urinary system.

Shatavari, Asparagus racemosus

Cooling & Moistening
Affinity for the urinary, digestive, reproductive & immune systems.
Renowned tonic for the female reproductive system & can improve low sperm count & irregularity in the male reproductive system

A Beginners Guide to Herbal Actions

Diaphoretic:

Plants that help open the pores of the skin, stimulate perspiration & increase circulation to the skin or surface of the body.

Element of Water moving up & out

Examples:

Yarrow, Achillea millefolium

Warming & Drying
Primary applications in home herbalism is the treatment for the common cold or flu.
It helps to break a fever especially when combined with elderflower & peppermint

Black pepper, Piper nigrum

Warming & Drying
Stimulant Diaphoretic & can be used to support a fever, which is actually what we want to do to a fever, support it, not suppress it otherwise you run the risk of lengthening the fever.
We want to move it along, not make it go away. It is to be given when someone is at phase one of a fever where they feel cold with shivers & chills

Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis

Cooling & Relaxing
Relaxant Diaphoretic helping to support peripheral circulation.
This can help manage a fever & bring down basal temperature. This could be used during phase 2 of a fever

Before we get to the next action let’s talk about the phases of a fever.

Body can alternate between the different 2 phases for the duration of the illness

It is actually dangerous to suppress a fever, instead we want to work with it & help support it. By suppressing it you run the risk of the illness lasting longer.

A fever is a vital response of the body to kill the pathogen or infection

Pathogen enters the body
Phase 1 fever → hypothalamus receives the message from the immune system & closes down the pores of the skin & raises the set point of the body. Let’s say the body temperature is 98.6 but the set point now sees it as 102 (for example)
- You start to feel cold, pale skin & fatigued
  - We need to start increasing circulation from the core out to the periphery
  - To address this phase take a hot bath & a stimulant diaphoretic
Phase 2 fever → the set point has been reached. The closing up of the pores will help trap the heat inside & cook out the pathogen
- You feel hot, feverish, sweating (or not), physical or psychological tension, muscle aches & pains. The pain associated with a fever is because typically the immune system requires a lot of amino acids so it will start stripping proteins from muscles to get those needed amino acids.

Diuretic:

Plants that purge moisture, drain fluids/water accumulation from the tissues of the entire body.

These are generally referred to as plants that make you have to pee, but they do have an affinity for the kidneys.

This action works systemically on the water element of the body water moving down & out of the body

Purges water from the tissues
Circulates the water
Gets the water out of the body

Examples:

Juniper, Juniperus communius

Warming, Drying & Stimulating
Diuretic with Alterative properties.
In the 17th century Dr Franciscus Sylvius devised a juniper flavored beverage, you may know this as gin, to be used as a diuretic & sold it as a cure for stomach disturbances, lower back pain, arthritis & gallstones. Shortly after junipers reputation as a medicine started to slip away

Celery seed, Apium graveolens

Cooling, Moistening & Relaxing
Diuretic that is commonly used for joint pain & high blood pressure.
It can help relieve excess inflammation & water retention.
It contains an volatile (essential) oil called apiol, which is an effective urinary antiseptic & diuretic helping in the treatment of urinary or kidney based infections.

Nettle leaf, Urtica dioica

Neutral in temperature & Drying
Diuretic that can help address joint pain.
It can help flush out bacteria from the urinary system as well as reduce water retention but it does so without causing dehydration or nutrient loss

Emmenagogue:

plants that can vitalize the blood & bring on menstruation.

These are never to be given to a pregnant person.

Anytime you see “gogue” at the end of an herbal action it means its stimulating secretions in some way

Examples:

Chamomile, Matricaria chamomilla

Cooling, Moistening & Relaxing
Bitter Emmenagogue. Bitters generally have a downward bearing motion helping to drain fluids that are stagnant helping to dry out overly damp tissue.
It can be helpful with painful periods as well & has been commonly used throughout history as a woman's herb, but let’s make sure that we aren’t just trying to pigeon hole it as a female herb. Bitters generally have a downward bearing motion helping to drain fluids that are stagnant helping to dry out overly damp tissue.

Sage, Salvia officinalis

Warming, Drying & Tonifying
Stimulant & Tonic emmenagogue.
It has been used to help regulate & stabilize menstrual cycles while also calming any related symptoms such as mood swings, fatigue, nausea, weakness & headache.

Blue vervain, Verbena hastata

Cooling, Drying & Relaxing
Spasmolytic (antispasmodic) action as well as mild to moderate Nervine properties.
It may be helpful when there is an excess of cramping & constriction in the reproductive system. If the female reproductive system is in a state of constriction it’s possible the ability for fluids to drain down is reduced.

Expectorant:

Plants that help facilitate the cough reflex helping the cough to become more productive, efficient & effective in removing foreign matter from the lungs & bronchi.

Examples:

Elecampane, Inula helenium

Hot, Drying & Tonifying
It helps to stimulate the lungs & mucus membranes to help the cough to become more productive.
It has been used traditionally as a treatment for asthma, bronchitis, whooping cough & tuberculosis

Lobelia, Lobelia inflata

Warming at first, Cooling long term, Drying & Relaxing
It holds Expectorant & Spasmolytic properties which can help promote the expulsion of phlegm & for this reason can be helpful in treating respiratory diseases.
In larger doses it can induce vomiting.
It can also help with quitting smoking as one of its traditional names is Indian tobacco. It actually mimics nicotine in the body & helps to fill your nicotine receptors. This can help reduce withdrawal symptoms but do use some caution if you have an acute heart condition & work with this herb under the guidance of a trusted herbalist

Marshmallow, Althea officinalis

Cooling & Moistening
Demulcent Expectorant. It is wonderful at relieving dry cough as well as upset & irritable digestion.
Marshmallow contains 11% mucilage which is sensitive to both heat & alcohol so it is best taken as a powder or extracted in cold or warm water.

Inflammation Modulating:

Plants that help to address inflammation.

They aren’t anti inflammatory as there is no plant that is going to go in & override the natural intelligence of the body & turn off inflammation but they can go in & fine tune inflammation so it’s more manageable.

Inflammation is one way the body is communicating that something isn’t quite right so going in & turning off that signal is going to lead to more problems down the road

Examples:

Ginger, Zingiber officinale

Hot, Drying & Tonifying.
It helps to encourage a healthy inflammatory response as well as supporting the blood supply helping to clear congestion & reduce fluid retention
It can be a wonderful ally to help manage weight gain, metabolic syndrome & pre-diabetic states.

Rosehips, Rosa canina

Cooling & Moistening
The inflammation modulating effects of rosehips can be an ally for rheumatic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis & osteoarthritis as well as helpful in the treatment of painful or heavy menstruation.
It can has a specific musculoskeletal affinity as it has been known to reduce inflammation & pain via a moderating effect upon the entire immune system

Nervine:

Plants that have an affinity for the nervous system in a relaxing type of manner, but not all are considered calming agents.

The best nervine we have available to us is sleep.

There are 4 main nervine categories & 3 main bodily affinities (head, heart or gut)

Examples:

Coffee, Coffea arabica

Cooling, Drying & Stimulating
Nervine Stimulant
Directly stimulates the Central Nervous System

Motherwort, Leonurus cardiaca

Cooling, Drying & Relaxing
Nervine Sedative
Has a specific affinity for the cardiovascular & digestive system.
It can help calm anxiety symptoms in the chest as tension & anxiety are often associated with tightness in the diaphragm & ribcage

Passionflower, Passiflora incarnata

Cooling & Relaxing
Nervine Hypnotic, the strongest category of nervines.
It is used by herbalists as a central nervous system sedative & has been helpful in improving attention deficit disorders as well as treating drug withdrawal symptoms.
It is an excellent ally for insomnia & has less “hangover” type effects that some other sedatives can give

Lemon balm, Melissa officinalis

Cooling & Relaxing
Nervine trophorestorative which means it has an effect on the nervous system but it isn’t necessarily calming or sedative but rather directly restorative to the nervous system itself.
It is considered a primary herb of the nervous system & can be an excellent ally for those who experience lots of stress & anxiety.

Spasmolytics:

Plants that help soothe muscle contractions & prevent spasm.

They are generally referred to as antispasmodic.

They work predominantly on the physiological level of tension by relaxing overly tight muscles.

Examples:

Ginger, Zingiber officinale

Hot, Drying & Tonifying
Digestive & Cardiovascular spasmolytic.
The heat of ginger helps to relieve muscular aches, pains & spasm throughout the entire body.
It also helps encourage the body to have a healthy inflammatory response, clearing congestion & reducing fluid retention which means it helps improve circulation & helps ease congestion in the body

Lobelia, Lobelia inflata

Warming at first, Cooling long term, Drying & Relaxing.
It is a musculoskeletal, respiratory & reproductive tract Spasmolytic.
It can be used in the treatment for an asthma attack or tense spasmodic coughs.
The main action of lobelia is relaxant as it has the ability to relax the nervous system & the musculoskeletal system. This is the most reliable spasmolytic we have in the west with frequent dosing as lobelia is said to equalize the charge on the nerves at the neuromuscular junction between neuron & muscle fiber

Hops, Humulus lupulus

Cooling, Drying & Relaxing
Musculoskeletal system affinity
It has been used traditionally as a sedative with analgesic qualities

Trophorestorative:

Plants that have a healing & restorative action on a specific organ or tissue. There is a trophorestorative for every organ & system in the body

Examples:

Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale

Cooling & Drying
Healing & restorative to the gastrointestinal tract, liver, female reproductive system

Nettle, Urtica dioica

Neutral & Drying.
Healing & restorative to the kidneys & adrenal glands (seed), Urinary Tract, Male Reproductive System & Bones

Vulnerary:

Plants that are wound healing topically & internally

Remember the digestive system is considered to be the internal skin of the body. According to herbalist & founder of the Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, Michael Moore, the human digestive tract can be seen as a donut. Stay with me, I understand this sounds like a weird analogy but don’t be so quick to judge it.

Our digestive tract, from where things go into the mouth & out the other end, is one long tube. Albeit a tube with many twists & turns, but a tube none the less. Just allow your imagination to show you what I mean. It took me hearing this a few times to actually start to understand that statement.

Look at how the tract is actually protecting the internal parts of the body

From where food goes in, is processed & then excreted is one long tube full of twists & turns.

The digestive tract is actually what protects the internal organs from external & foreign matter. It may sound odd that your small intestine which is nestled deep in your body is protecting you from outside invaders. The digestive tract is where your immune system lives after all. It’s when the digestive tract becomes compromised & begins to leak that we can start to run into some major problems that can potentially become an autoimmune situation.

Examples:

Aloe vera, Aloe spp

Cooling & Moistening.
It can be used internally & externally helping to modulate inflammation & irritation.
Due to its high polysaccharide content it heals mucous membranes & helps to calm irritation & inflammation

Calendula, Calendula officinalis

Warming, Drying & Tonifying.
It helps to speed up tissue healing.
It works excellently for skin inflammations (dermatitis or eczema) & minor wounds & abrasions.
It does have an affinity for the lymphatic system helping to improve lymphatic drainage & toning exposed skin tissue

Comfrey, Symphytum officinalis

Cooling, Moistening & Tonifying.
It helps to promote wound healing, skin regeneration, heals bones & modulates inflammation.
One of its traditional names is Knitbone
It is recommended to be used externally & topically for bruises, sprains, bone injuries, aches & pains. There are some safety concerns regarding the internal use of comfrey & its effects on the liver. To read more about them check out these article HERE & HERE so you can make your own informed decisions. If you are someone who has a history of liver disease or a compromised liver I would play it safe & avoid any INTERNAL use of this plant. External use is safe regardless of the condition of the liver

And that concludes our beginners guide to herbal actions.

Comment down below & let me know were there any new herbal actions you learned about? Are there any actions that I didn’t cover you would like to know more about? I’d love to hear about it