Glossary of Terms

Adaptogen: Natural substance considered to help the body adapt to stress
 
Alkaloid: One of a diverse group of nitrogen-containing substances produced by plants that have a potent effect on body functions
 
Alterative: Restoring the normal functions of an organ or system
 
Amenorrhoea: Absence of menstruation
 
Analgesic: Substance to relieve mild pain
 
Anthelmintic: Substance which expels or destroys intestinal worms
 
Antiseptic: Powerful germicides destructive to harmful bacteria, tending to prevent decay and putrefaction
 
Anti-spasmodics: Agent for relief of muscular cramp, spasm or mild pain

Arteriosclerosis: Hardening of the arteries
 
Astringent: Substance to contract blood vessels and certain body tissues (mucous membranes) with the effect of reducing secretion and excretion
 
Atheroma: Degeneration of the walls of the arteries leading to restriction of circulation
 
Bradycardia: Abnormally slow heart beat
 
Carminative: Substance which relieves colic and flatulence
 
Cholagogue: Substance which stimulates or aids the release of bile from the gallbladder

Choleretic: Reduces cholesterol by excreting cholesterol, causes bile to flow freely
 
Claudication: Limping, when cramping pain in the leg is induced by exercise due to inadequate blood flow to muscles
 
Consultant Medical Herbalist: A person trained to give advice on the use of herbs as medicines
 
Cystitis: Inflammation of the bladder
 
Demulcant: Soothing agent that protects the mucus membranes and relieves irritation
 
Depurative: Blood purifier
 
Dermatitis: Inflammation of the skin
 
Diaphoretic: Substance which causes an increase in perspiration. Some are used to treat fevers
 
Diuretic: Substance that increases the volume of urine and therefore the frequency of urination
 
Douche: Flow of liquid into a body cavity; often the vagina to wash with a medicinal substance
 
Dysmenorrhoea: Painful or difficult menstruation
 
Dyspepsia: Disorder of the digestive process (indigestion)
 
Dyspnoea: Difficulty in breathing
 
Epithelisation: Growth of epithelial layer of skin over a raw or damaged area
 
Eczema: Acute or chronic inflammatory disease of the skin characterised by blisters which fill with colourless fluid and burst leaving the skin cracked, scaly and weepy.
 
Emetic: Substance that causes vomiting
 
Emmenagogue: Substance that stimulates the menstrual flow
 
Expectorant: Substance which promotes coughing or spitting to expel fluid from the lungs or air passages
 
Febrifuge: Substance which prevents or reduces fever (also known as antipyretic)
 
Flatulence: Condition in which excess gas is present in the gastro-intestinal system
 
Flavonoid: Natural chemical that prevents the deposit of fatty material in blood vessels. Broad class of coloured aromatic substances
 
Galactagogue: Substance that can induce or increase the secretion of milk for nursing mothers (breastfeeding)
 
Herpes: Inflammatory viral skin disease characterised by the formation of small vesicles in clusters - such as cold sores
 
Histamine: Protective substance present in all body tissues which are released into the blood when for example the skin is burnt or cut. Histamine has pronounced pharmacological activity causing dilation of blood vessels and contraction of smooth muscle. An important dediator of inflammation
 
Hypotensive: Substance that lowers the blood pressure
 
Hysteria: Mild form of neurosis which cannot be defined as mental illness
 
Laryngitis: Inflammation of the larynx (vocal cords)
 
Leucorrhoea: White discharge from the vagina
 
Lymph: Straw coloured fluid which circulates tissues of the body to lubricate and cleanse them
 
Maceration: Process of extracting substances from a plant by steeping in solvent eg oil or alcohol
 
Melancholia: Severe depression, often of a psychotic nature
 
Menorrhagia: Excessive menstrual flow
 
Myocardium: The muscular tissue of the heart
 
Nervine: Substance that calms nervous excitement
 
Neuralgia: Brief but severe pain along the course of a nerve
 
Phagocytosis: Ingestion of bacteria or other particles by phagocytes
 
Pharmacopoeia: Book containing descriptions of and recipes for the manufacture of those therapeutic substances that are officially recognised by a given country or place
 
Pharyngitis: Inflammation of the pharynx
 
Prophylactic: Substance that helps to prevent disease
 
Psoriasis: Chronic, non contagious, inflammatory skin condition
 
Purgative: Substance that causes evacuation of the bowel
 
Rhinitis: Inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nasal passage
 
Septicaemia: Bacterial infection in which the organisms invade or multiply in the blood
 
Sitosterol: Common plant sterol
 
Sterol A saturated or unsaturated alcohol derived from perhydrocyclopentanophenanthrene, such as cholesterol
 
Stomachic: A plant constituent that stimulates the secretory activity of the stomach. Used as a tonic to improve appetite
 
Styptic: Substance that stops bleeding, usually by contracting the tissue
 
Sudorific: Substance that induces sweating
 
Suppuration: Pus-formation as in an infected wound
 
Tonify: Increase the available energy of a body part or system
 
Topically: Applied directly to the part treated ie oil applied to a skin complaint, eye drops etc
 
Tincture: A solution of substances (both active and inactive therapeutically) extracted from medicinal plants by the maceration or percolation of the plant with alcohol or alcohol-water solutions.
 
Tinnitus: Sensation of noises in the ear: buzzing, ringing, singing. Intermittent or continuous
 
Urticaria: Nettle rash; a skin condition characterised by red weals that itch
 
Vaso-dilator: Substance that promotes increased circulation of blood by widening blood vessels
 
Vermifuge: Substance that expels or destroys intestinal worms
 
Vulnerary: Substance used to treat or heal wounds
 

All material in the Herb Information & purchase section of this site is provided for educational purposes only. Please consult your own medical advisor/herbalist regarding the applicability of any recommendations with respect to your symptoms or medical condition.