Butterbur Health Dictionary

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Butterbur: From 1 Different Sources

Bog rhubarb. Petasites hybridus. Root.

Action: Astringent, expectorant, diuretic (mild), antispasmodic, stimulant. Of limited use because of pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

Uses: Inflammation of urinary tract, gravel, skin disorders. Gall bladder disorders, bronchitis, asthma, whooping cough. Migraine of liver origin.

Preparations: 1 teaspoon crushed root steeped in each cup cold water overnight. Next day warm, not boil, and strain. Half cup thrice daily.

Petaforce. (Vogel & Webb) capsules, 25mg Butterburr extract.

Neurochol (Brenner). Combines Butterburr and Wormwood. 

Health Source: Bartrams Encyclopedia of Herbal Medicine
Author: Health Encyclopedia

Butter-bur

Tussilago petasites. N.O. Compositae.

Synonym: Common Butterbur.

Habitat: Low-lying meadows and damp waysides.

Features ? Stem thick, nearly one foot high. Leaves, appearing after the flowers, very large, cordate, downy underneath. Pink flowers on short stalks bloom in early spring in thick spikes. Rhizome quarter-inch thick, furrowed longitudinally, purplish- brown, pithy.

Part used ? Rhizome.

Action: Stimulant, diuretic.

Now little used except locally. Was formerly valued in feverish colds and urinary complaints.... butter-bur

Tea For Kidney

Consumption of tea can lead to many health benefits, as it is a natural beverage. There are various types of tea which help with kidney problems, as well. Find out more about teas for kidney! Why drink tea for kidney Damage of kidney (nephropathy) can lead to various problems. Some of the more common ones include kidney failure (also known as renal failure), kidney tumors (Wilms tumor or renal cell carcinoma), and kidney stones. Consumption of tea can help treat these problems, prevent them or slow down their progress. They also help maintain the kidneys in a healthy condition, which leads to other health benefits, such as regulating the blood pressure. Teas for kidney There are several types of tea which help with kidney problems. Most of them are herbal teas. Club moss tea, elderberry tea, saw palmetto tea, and cleavers tea have a cleansing effect, helping with the detoxification process. In the case of kidney failures, you can add centaury tea and Ceylon tea to your treatment. For other kidney problems, as well as the ones mentioned before, drink fenugreek tea, burdock tea, sassafras tea, banaba tea, sage tea, juniper tea, privet tea, orris tea, or milk thistle tea. Also, in order to have a pair of healthy kidneys, you can drink cranberry tea, goji tea, rehmannia tea, dandelion tea, lemongrass tea, or kukicha tea. Tea for kidney stones Kidney stones are some of the most common kidney problems. They are solid concretions or crystal aggregations which are formed in the kidneys and eliminated through urine. Black tea is one type of tea that can help with kidney stones. Other teas, herbal ones this time, are butterbur tea, corn silk tea, uva ursi tea, stone root tea, triphala tea, marshmallow tea, alfalfa tea, pipsissewa tea, and abuta tea. Tea for kidney side effects Side effects vary from one tea to another. Generally, it is recommended to speak to your doctor first, before consuming one of these teas, if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Also, you have to be careful with black tea, which has a pretty high caffeine content. If your body can’t take caffeine, it might lead to unwanted side effects: headaches, nervousness, sleep problems, vomiting, diarrhea, irritability, irregular heartbeats, tremors, dizziness, or ringing in the ears. Teas you shouldn’t drink If you’ve got kidney problems, there are a few types of tea you should not drink. The list includes oolong tea, horse chestnut tea, lovage tea, wu yi tea, lemon verbena tea, rue tea, and periwinkle tea. Also, you might get kidney problems (even kidney stones) if you drink a high amount of boneset tea, yohimbe tea, yerba mate tea, essiac tea, parsley tea, osha tea, and meadowsweet tea. However, juniper tea and horsetail tea are part of a special class. They both help with kidney problems, but they have to be consumed properly. Over consumption can lead to kidney pains in the case of juniper tea, or kidney stones in the case of horsetail tea. You can protect your kidney, as well as treat various kidney problems, by drinking tea. Besides this, you’ll discover that, based on the type of tea you drink, you’ll get plenty of health benefits, as well. Have a cup of tea for kidney!... tea for kidney

Alkaloids

Alkaloids are basic organic substances, usually vegetable in origin and having an alkaline reaction. Like alkalis they combine with acids to form salts. They are natural amines, contain nitrogen and have a direct action on body tissue, chiefly of blood vessels and nerves. Some are toxic. All have a bitter taste. Most are insoluble in water but soluble in alcohol. Many herbs yield alkaloids, notably Comfrey (pyrrolizidine a.), Mistletoe, Butterbur, Blue Cohosh, Lobelia, Greater Celandine, Barberry, Boldo, Blue Cohosh, Betony, Colchicum, Ephedra, Gelsemium, Horsetail, Passion flower, Turkey corn. Some alkaloids stimulate the liver while others may be toxic. ... alkaloids

Anti-infectives

Herbs that stimulate the body’s immune system to withstand infection. Alternatives to anti-bacterial substances obtained from micro-organisms as penicillin, streptomycin etc. Those from herbs do not destroy beneficial bacteria normally present in the intestines, neither does the body get used to them.

Some essential oils are natural antibiotics. Others: Blue Flag root, Buchu, Chaparral, Butterbur, Echinacea, Feverfew, Garlic, Goldenseal, Holy Thistle, Horse Radish (Vogel), Juniper berries, Myrrh, Nasturtium, Poke root, Red Clover, Watercress (Vogel), Wild Indigo, Wild Thyme.

Vitamin C is a powerful antibiotic (1-2g daily).

ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES. A group of agents known to reduce inflammation. Action is not to suppress but to enable tissue to return to normal on the strength of its own resources. Some members of the group are helpful for chronic conditions such as polyarthritis and rheumatism caused by a sub-acute inflammation going on quietly over a long time. Others work by blocking prostaglandin synthesis. General. Chamomile (German, Roman), Cowslip root, Fennel, Feverfew, Heartsease, Mistletoe, Turmeric, Yellow Dock.

Specific. Bistort (bowel). Comfrey (bones). Devil’s Claw (muscles). St John’s Wort (nerve tissue). Lignum vitae (rheumatic joints). Poke root (lymph vessels). Eyebright (conjunctivitis: topical as an eye lotion). Horsechestnut (anus). Bogbean (liver and gall bladder).

Steroid-like action. Ginseng, Black Cohosh, Black Haw, Liquorice, Wild Yam.

Aspirin-like action. Birch, Black Willow bark, Meadowsweet, White Poplar bark, White Willow bark, Wintergreen.

Some types of inflammation may be reduced by herbs that stimulate the eliminatory organs – lungs, bowel, skin and kidneys. A timely enema may reduce a high temperature with inflammation, to expel toxins and unload an over-loaded bowel; (Dandelion root, Parsley root, Sarsaparilla).

ANTI-INFLAMMATION FORMULA. (Biostrath). Drops containing cultures combined with extracts derived from medicinal plants possessing known therapeutic properties: Arnica, Bryony, Balm, Chamomile, Horseradish, Marigold, Hypericum, Echinacea.

Indications: colic, inflammation of the alimentary tract. ... anti-infectives

Anti-spasmodics

Agents for relief of muscular cramp, spasm or mild pain. To reduce spasm of smooth muscle. The key remedy is Cramp bark but all have their specific uses.

They may be general (Black Haw, Cramp bark), or those that exert their influence upon specific structures: Hyssop (lungs), Cloves (mucous membranes), Wild Thyme (bronchi), Figwort (anus).

Others in common use: Asafoetida, Balm, Betony, Black Haw (muscles generally, also womb), Black Cohosh, Blue Cohosh, Butterburr, Blood root (externally), Cayenne, German Chamomile (stomach), Dong Quai (ovaries), Eucalyptus, Hops (stomach), Ladyslipper, Liquorice, Lime Blossom, Lobelia, Mistletoe, Motherwort (heart), Nutmeg (angina), Passion Flower, Skullcap, Skunk Cabbage, Thyme, Valerian, Vervain, Wild Cherry (respiratory), Wild Carrot (kidneys and bladder), Wild Lettuce, Wild Yam. Devil’s Claw (muscles).

Anti-Spasmodic Drops (Heath and Heather). Cramp, neuralgia, etc. Tincture Myrrh 6 per cent; Tincture Capsic 15 per cent; with 45 per cent ethanol extractive from Scutellaria (Skullcap) 10 per cent; Lobelia 1.25 per cent; Fennel 2.5 per cent; American Valerian 5 per cent. Dose: 10-30 drops according to age.

John Christopher: 2oz crushed Lobelia seeds; half an ounce Lobelia herb; 1 teaspoon Cayenne; macerated in 1 pint cider 8 days. 1-2 teaspoon when necessary.

Combination: powders. Equal parts: Skullcap, Valerian, Lobelia, Black Cohosh. Myrrh quarter part. Mix. Sift. Quarter of a teaspoon in water, honey etc as necessary.

Formula. Powders. Cramp Bark 2; Skullcap 1; Cloves half; Cayenne Pepper quarter. Mix. Dose: 500mg (two 00 capsules or one-third teaspoon thrice daily. (Indian Herbology of North America, Alma R. Hutchens) ... anti-spasmodics

Cramp

Sustained contraction of a muscle. Charley Horse.

Causes: oxygen starvation, lactic acid build-up. A common cause is depletion of salt from excessive sweating. Night cramps may be due to impaired blood supply or mineral deficiency: Calcium, Iron, Magnesium. Spasm takes many forms: writer’s, swimmer’s, pianist’s, harpist’s, trumpeter’s, hornplayer’s or emotional stress due to tightening of the facial muscles (German Chamomile). Athlete’s cramp from mechanical stress may be relieved by Cramp Bark as well as manipulation. Repetitive strain injury (RSI).

Cramp of the heart muscle is known as angina (Cramp Bark, Motherwort). Where due to spasm of blood vessels from atherosclerosis it may take the form of intermittent claudication (Prickly Ash bark, Cramp bark, Nettles, Vitamin E). For cramp in the back (Cramp bark, Ligvites); stomach (Fennel, Cardamoms, Turkey Rhubarb); womb (Squaw vine, Wild Yam, Cramp bark); kidney and bladder (Horsetail); muscles (Devil’s Claw).

Alternatives. Teas. Mild cases. Any one: German Chamomile, Lime flowers, Holy Thistle, Motherwort, Silverweed, Skullcap, St John’s Wort, Betony.

Combination: equal parts, Skullcap, German Chamomile, Motherwort. 1 heaped teaspoon to each cup boiling water; infuse 5-10 minutes. 1 cup thrice daily or as necessary.

Decoction. More severe cases. Any one: Cramp bark, Valerian, Peruvian bark, Wild Yam, Prickly Ash bark.

Tablets/capsules. Black Cohosh, Cramp bark, Prickly Ash bark, Devil’s Claw, Wild Yam, Ligvites. Combination. Equal parts, Butterburr and Cramp bark. Dose: powders 500mg (two 00 capsules or one- third teaspoon thrice daily); Liquid extracts: one 5ml teaspoon. Tinctures: 1-2 teaspoons. Thrice daily or as necessary.

John William Fyfe MD. “After 20 years broken sleep from leg cramps a patient found relief with 15 drops Liquid Extract Black Haw, thrice daily for 3-4 days.” This was used successfully in his practice for over 30 years.

Aromatherapy. Massage oil. 3 drops Marjoram, 3 drops Basil, in 2 teaspoons Almond or other vegetable oil. Or: Cypress oil, Mustard bath for feet.

Diet. See food sources of Calcium, Iron and Magnesium.

Supplements. Daily. B-complex 100mg; B6 100mg; Dolomite tablets (1000mg); Vitamin E (400iu); Vitamin C (2g); Calcium ascorbate (800mg); Magnesium 300mg (450mg, pregnancy). Zinc (25mg).

For cramp of pregnancy – see PREGNANCY. ... cramp

Dysmenorrhoea

Painful menstruation – two types – (1) primary or spasmodic (2) secondary – secondary to pelvic disease. Herbal treatment is the same for both types.

The womb goes into spasm with pains as in labour; teenager screams aloud. Causes may be glandular inadequacy, prolapse of the womb, inflammation and congestion of the lining, scars on the cervix, psychological disorders. The most likely cause is hormonal imbalance. Where due to a chill, a hot bath and herbal teas (Agnus Castus, Pennyroyal, or Raspberry leaves) are indicated. Where accompanied by emotional excitability, the addition of Skullcap or Motherwort is beneficial.

Cause of the pain is mostly a high concentration of prostaglandins – chemical hormone-like substances that have an astringent effect upon walls of the womb thus arresting blood supply. Herbal vaso-dilators or relaxants have an anti-prostaglandin effect.

Treatment. The first concern of the practitioner is to administer a uterine vaso-dilator to increase the capacity of the blood vessels to transport blood. This effect can be obtained by employing antispasmodics, and nerve relaxants. Those having a specific effect upon the womb are: Agnus Castus, Black Cohosh, Black Haw, Blue Cohosh, Butterbur, Caraway, Cramp bark, Helonias, Jamaica Dogwood, Goldenseal, Lovage, Motherwort, Mugwort, Peppermint, Pulsatilla, St John’s Wort, Skullcap, Squaw Vine, Valerian, Wild Thyme, Wild Yam.

Teas. Lovage, Motherwort, Mugwort, Peppermint, Skullcap, Chamomile, Wild Thyme, Agnus Castus, Raspberry leaves. Add a pinch of Ginger.

Decoctions. Black Cohosh, Black Haw, Blue Cohosh, Butterbur, Cramp bark, False Unicorn root, Jamaica Dogwood, Squaw Vine, Valerian, Wild Yam. A pinch of Ginger enhances action.

Formula. Skullcap 2; Black Cohosh 1; Cramp bark 1. Dosage. Powders: 500mg or one-third teaspoon. Liquid extracts: half-1 teaspoon. Tinctures: 1-2 teaspoons. In honey, water or fruit juice thrice daily, before meals.

In the absence of the above, the following are also reliable: Black Haw, Helonias, Squaw Vine. Jamaica Dogwood combines well with Black Haw.

Antispasmodic drops.

Supplements. B-complex, B6, Calcium, Magnesium.

Supportives: Heat to the feet. Hot water bottle and electric blanket. Bedrest helps relax pelvic tissues. ... dysmenorrhoea

Essential Oils

Volatile oils. Out of 250,000 flowering plants only 2,000 yield essential oils. Soluble in alcohol, colourless. Contained in plants, they are responsible for taste, aroma and medicinal action. Organic properties give the flower its scent. May be anti-bacterial, antispasmodic, sedative, expectorant, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory. The smell of a flower roughly conveys the potency of its oil. An example is menthol in the mint family.

Oils used in Phytotherapy: Almond, English Chamomile, Aniseed, Bergamot, Black Pepper, Buchu, Camphor, Cedarwood, Cloves, Coriander, Cypress, Eucalyptus, Geranium, Juniper, Lavender (French), Lavender (English), Lavender (Spanish), Lemon, Marjoram, Orange (sweet), Patchouli, Peppermint, Pine (Scots), Rosemary, Sage, Sandalwood, Thyme, Spearmint, St John’s Wort, Turpentine, Ylang Ylang.

Most oils are obtained by steam distillation. Being highly concentrated, internal use is by a few drops, diluted. About 30-40 are used medicinally; each having its own specific healing properties. Some are convenient as inhalants; a few drops on a tissue for relief of catarrh, colds, etc. Fragrant burners and electronic diffusers are available for vapour-inhalation. Bring to boil 2 pints water; allow to stand 3-4 minutes; sprinkle on the surface 5-10 drops Eucalyptus oil and with towel over head, inhale steam, 5-10 minutes.

Examples: (a) equal parts dilute oils of Thyme and Hypericum (acute middle ear inflammation) 3-4 drops injected into ear 2-3 times daily. (b) 10 drops oil Marjoram in bath water for cramp. Eucalyptus is a useful antibacterial; Cinnamon (anti-inflammatory), Juniper (urinary antiseptic), Orange blossom (anti- depressant), Lavender (sedative).

Essential oils should never be used neat, except as prescribed by a suitably qualified practitioner. While aromatherapists do not prescribe internally, Dr Paul Belaiche, one of France’s leading experts on essential oils, advises oral medication at a maximum daily dosage of 12 drops according to the oil. He advises drops on the tongue, on activated charcoal, in capsule form using a suitable excipient or vegetable oil, or mixed with a little honey. Anal injection has proved successful, (8-10 drops in 10ml vegetable oil) or suppositories made from 200-300mg (8-10 drops) essential oil to 2 grams of base per suppository. Oils should never be allowed to touch the eyes.

Capsules of Garlic oil may be inserted into the rectum for worms or prostate disorder. OR: 10 drops oil mixed with 10ml vegetable oil and injected with the aid of a pipette. Dilute oil of Thyme is used as a massage-rub for chest infections. Oil of Cloves is not only an antiseptic but an analgesic to assuage moderate dental pain. Volatile oils reflexly stimulate the medulla through the olfactory nerve, thus promoting appetite and flow of saliva. All stimulate production of white blood cells and thereby support the immune system.

Oils not used: Basil, Bitter Almonds, Boldo, Calamus, Horseradish, Mugwort, Mustard, Pennyroyal, Rue, Sassafras, Savin, Tansy, Thuja, Wormseed.

Oils not used in pregnancy: Bay, Buchu, Chamomile, Clary Sage, Cinnamon, Clove, Fennel, Hyssop, Juniper, Marjoram, Myrrh, Peppermint, Rose, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme. All other oils – half the normal amount.

Tea: 2-3 drops, selected oil, on teabag makes 3 cups tea.

Inhalant: 10 drops on tissue, or same amount in hot water to inhale steam.

Bath water: add: 10-15 drops.

Compress: 10-15 drops in half a cup (75ml) milk or water. Soak suitable material and apply.

Massage: 6 drops in two teaspoons ‘carrier’ vegetable oil (Almond, Peanut, Olive, etc).

Fragrant oils replace hospital smell.

Essential oil suppliers: Butterbur and Sage, 101 Highgrove Street, Reading RG1 5EJ. Also: Shirley Price Aromatherapy, Wesley House, Stockwell Road, Hinckley, Leics LE10 1RD. ... essential oils


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