Lavender

Lavender and milky oats for nervous exhaustion and tension

Lavender and rosemary for headache with nervous tension

Lavender and feverfew for migraine

Lavender and catnip for colic in children

Lavender and peppermint for epigastric or abdominal discomfort with depression

𝗟𝗮𝘃𝗲𝗻𝗱𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝗮 𝗧𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗲𝘀𝗲 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄

We are all familiar with lavender’s calming and tranquilizing effects. It Calms the Heart Shen, i.e., anxiety, insomnia, palpitations. Calms Liver Yang rising and Liver Wind = headache, migraine, nervous tension.

As seen in rat studies, lavender has direct antispasmodic action on the intestines (Intestinal Qi disturbances); this is beneficial for IBS, gas, menstrual cramps, Crohn’s, intestinal colic, muscle spasms, etc.

It is also has a secondary effect as a mild circulatory stimulant. This gentle moving effect can move both Heart and Liver Qi, making it useful for mild depression, indigestion, bipolar disorder, anxiety-depression, etc.

Tu Si Zi - Cuscuta Chinensis - Cuscuta Seed

• Parasitic plant that  grows near water 

• Neutral energy with a sweet acrid flavor

• Dosage 6-16 grams

• Contraindications: Should not be used for Fire from Yin deficiency or in those with constipation and scanty dark urine

Traditional Chinese Medicine

• Treats Kidney Yin, Yang, and Jing

• Liver Yin deficiency

• Heart Qi deficiency from worry

• Tonifies and warms the Spleen

Treasury of Words on the Materia Medica: 

• Tonifies without being cloying or drastic

• Warms without being drying

• If there is Dampness it can dry, but if there is dryness it can moisten

• It can tonify if there is deficiency,  but facilitate if there is excess

• It can warm if there is Coldness, but cool if there is Heat

Studied in humans (China, Pakistan, India, Vietnam, Thailand, Korea) and used in treatment for: 

• Aphrodisiac improving sexual function (impotence)

• Male infertility, spermatorrhea

• Female infertility due to cold uterus

• Prevent miscarriage by calming a restless fetus

• Anti-aging 

• Anti-inflammatory and pain reliever

• Osteoporosis and tendon treatment

• Thirst, bitter taste, dry mouth

• Urinary incontinence, dribbling urine, frequent urinary urges

• Vaginal discharge, spermatorrhea, diarrhea

• Low abdominal and back pain

• Ulcers, wounds

• Jaundice

• Dandruff

• lactation 

• Improve vision - blurred vision, spots in the vision field, dry eyes

There have been many animal and in vitro studies that had positive results including: 

• The ethanolic extract of Cuscuta Chinensis was found to be Hepatoprotective in rats

• Erectile dysfunction in white rabbits

• Osteoporosis in rat bones (in-vitro) and cells (in-vitro)

• Skin protective qualities in mice

• Anti-diabetic activity mice and rats 

• Antifungal properties in goldfish

• Neuroprotective activity in cells (in-vitro) and rats and mice (in vivo)

• Stimulates the immune system in mice (in vivo and in-vitro) 

• Antioxidant activities (in vitro) 

• anticancer properties  (in vitro); antitumor (in vitro) human cells

• Renoprotective (Kidneys)  in rats

• Reproductive system rats, mice, and humans (both in vitro and in vivo)

• Enhances memory and aids in preventing biological aging  (senescence) in rats and mice

• Prevention of abortion in rats 

• Antidepressant activity in mice (aerial parts)

• Central Nervous System depressant in mice (whole plant)

• Antimutagenic effects in rats and mice

• Cardioprotective activity in dogs and rats

• Anti-nociceptive (anti-pain) in mice 

• Antiinflammatory effects in mice

• Effects on melanogenesis (production of the melanin pigments) in guinea pigs and zebrafish and invitro 

Chinese Herbal Medicine Materia Medica Dan Bensky, Steven Clavey, Erich StogerChinese Medical Herbology and Pharmacology John K Chen, Tina T Chen

tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13880209.2017.1340965;ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5187856; link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00436-013-3597-7; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7038433;d1wqtxts1xzle7.cloudfront.net/35493854/Cuscuta_chinensisLam._A_systematic_review_on....pdf;ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7038433/#B68; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6903142/#:; mdpi.com/1420-3049/23/12/3060; pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25281912; pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21905280;

Umehara K, Nemoto K, Ohkubo T, Miyase T, Degawa M, Noguchi H. Isolation of a new 15-membered macrocyclic glycolipid lactone, Cuscutic Resinoside a from the seeds of Cuscuta Chinensis: a stimulator of breast cancer cell proliferation. Planta Med. 2004;70:299–304;Cai XG, Xu AX, Ge B, Gao X, Yang SH. Effects of a polysaccharide from CCL on inhibiting oxygen free radical threshold of senile mice model. Acta Acad Med Mil Tertiae. 2005;27:1326–1328.;   Effect of Total Flavones from Cuscuta Chinensis on Anti-Abortion via the MAPK Signaling Pathway Hai-wang Wu, 1 Yi-hui Feng,1 Dong-ying Wang,1 Wei-yu Qiu,1 Qing-Ying Yu,1 Li-lin Yang,1 Chun Liang,2 Song-ping Luo, 1,3 and Jie Gao 3; Hepatoprotective and antioxidant effects of Cuscuta Chinensis against acetaminophen-induced hepatotoxicity in rats Feng-Lin Yen a, Tzu-Hui Wu a, Liang-Tzung Lin b, Chun-Ching Lin c,∗ a Graduate Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, School of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan b Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada c Faculty of Pharmacy, College of Pharmacy, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan

20 Things About Evening Primrose - Oenothera biennis - Sun Drops

• Native to North America

• Flowers open and release scent in the evenings and are pollinated by moths

• Parts used: root, root bark, leaf, flower, seed, stem

• Anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic (muscle tension, spasms, etc), astringent, diuretic, sedative  

Uses: 

• Native Americans used poultices for bruises and wounds, ingested for bowel pains, weight loss, and muscle strength

• Whooping cough, asthma, hiccups, COPD

• Gastrointestinal uses include IBS, IBD, colitis, poor digestion, vomiting, diverticulitis, chronic indigestion, chronic diarrhea

• Blood or mucus in urine, bladder spasms, nervous bladder

• Antidepressant - depression when toxins and waste have accumulated in the digestive tract

• Sluggish Liver and Liver inflammation

• Nervous exhaustion and anxiety

• Seeds were recommended as a coffee substitute in wartime

Evening Primrose Seed Oil:

• Yin tonic in Traditional Chinese Medicine 

• Contains Gamma lipoic acid (GLA) -essential fatty acids that help balance hormones and fight inflammation and Linolenic acid - contains fatty acids, supports Heart health, improves insulin sensitivity and Blood pressure

• Hypertension, anxiety, and fatigue

• Women: PMS, dysmenorrhea, endometriosis, sore breasts, fibrocystic breasts

• Skin: Burns, atopic dermatitis (especially itching), psoriasis, eczema, and acne

• Anti-cancer therapy - In studies, the oil has shown antiproliferative effects against breast, hepatic, prostate, and leukemia cancer cell lines

• Benefits seen through clinical trials include diabetic neuropathy, hypertension, mastalgia, PMS, osteoporosis, and dementia.  Mixed results in trials for atopic eczema and dermatitis, rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis, diabetic lipid metabolism, and alcoholism. 

• Osteoporosis: Combined with fish oil a trial confirmed osteocalcin levels rose (a bone formation marker) and alkaline phosphatase levels dropped (indicates an increase in bone mineral density)

     ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6003444;ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116039;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/22414479;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28555835;pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/1185351; nccih.nih.gov/health/evening-primrose-oil; ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6116039/#:~:text=Evening%20primrose

• Granica, S.;  ´nska, M.E.; Piwowarski, J.P.; Ziaja, M.; Kiss, A.K. Chemical composition, antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activity of extracts prepared from aerial parts of Oenothera biennis L. and Oenothera paradoxa Hudziok obtained after seeds cultivation. J. Agric. Food Chem. 2013, 61, 801–810

• The Worst Weeds Are Your Best Medicine– The Common and Weedy Plant Materia Medica ©2005 Revised 2018 David Winston, RH (AHG) 

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• Medical Herbalism - The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine David Hoffman

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