Herbal Actions and Properties abortifacient – induces abortion, miscarriage, or premature removal of a fetus adaptogen – works through the endocrine system to modulate the physical, mental, and emotional effects of stress and increase resistance to physiological imbalances and disease by strengthening the immune system adjuvant – aids the action of a medicinal agent alterative – strengthens and nourishes the body, often through the removal of metabolic wastes amphoteric – normalizes function of an organ or body system analeptic – restorative or stimulating effect on central nervous system analgesic – relieves pain anaphrodisiac – reduces capacity for sexual arousal anesthetic – induces loss of sensation or consciousness due to the depression of nerve function antianemic – prevents or helps with anemia antibacterial – destroys or stops the growth of bacteria antibilious – eases stomach stress anticatarrh – reduces inflamed mucous membranes of head and throat antidepressant – acts to prevent, cure, or alleviate mental depression antidiabetic – prevents or relieves diabetes antidiarrhetic –prevents or treats diarrhea antiemetic – stops vomiting antifungal – destroys or inhibits the growth of fungus antihemorrhagic – controls hemorrhaging or bleeding anti-infectious – counteracts infection anti-inflammatory – controls inflammation, a reaction to injury or infection antimalarial – prevents or relieves malaria antimicrobial – destroys microbes antioxidant – prevents or inhibits oxidation antipruritic – prevents or relieves itching antipyretic – reduces fever (febrifuge) antirheumatic – eases pain of rheumatism, inflammation of joints and muscles antiseptic – produces asepsis, removes pus, blood, etc. antispasmodic – calms nervous and muscular spasms or convulsions antitussive – controls or prevents cough antiviral – opposes the action of a virus anxiolytic – reduces anxiety aperient – relieves constipation; mild laxative aperitive – stimulates the appetite for food aphrodisiac – increases the capacity for sexual arousal aromatic – a herb containing volatile oils, fragrant odor and slightly stimulating properties asepsis – sterile; free of germs, infection, and any form of life astringent – constricts and binds by coagulation of proteins aquaretic – increases blood flow to the kidneys without increasing sodium and chloride resorption, thereby retaining electrolytes while increasing urine output; increases intravascular fluid volume which increases vascular resistance and blood pressure bitter – stimulates appetite or digestive function bronchial –relaxes spasms or constriction of the bronchi or upper part of the lungs, thereby improving respiration carcinostatic –halts or inhibits the development or continued growth of cancer, carcinomas, or malignant tumors cardiotonic – increases strength and tone (normal tension or response to stimuli) of the heart carminative -- causes the release of stomach or intestinal gas catarrhal – pertains to the inflammation of mucous membranes of the head and throat cathartic – produces bowel movements caustic – contains acidic compounds that have an escharotic or corrosive action that is capable of burning or eating away living tissues cholagogue – increases flow of bile from gallbladder cicatrizant – aids formation of scar tissue and wound healing counterirritant – produces an inflammatory response for affecting an adjacent area demulcent – soothes and protects inflamed and irritated mucous membranes both topically and internally deobstruent – removes obstructions to clear or open natural ducts of the fluids and secretions of the body dermatitis – inflammation of the skin evidenced my itchiness, redness, and various lesions detergent – cleanses wounds and sores of infected or damaged tissue diaphoretic – increases perspiration (synonym: sudorific) digestive – promotes or aids the digestion process disinfectant – destroys pathogenic microbes, germs, and noxious properties of fermentation diuretic – increases urine flow dysmenorrhea – painful menstruation dyspepsia – imperfect or painful digestion ecbolic – tends to increase contractions of uterus, facilitating childbirth emetic – produces vomiting and evacuation of stomach contents emmenagogue – regulates and induces normal menstruation emollient – softens and soothes the skin errhine –stimulates sneezing, increasing flow of mucus in nasal passages escharotic – a caustic substance that destroys tissue and causes sloughing estrogenic – causes the production of estrogen euphoriant – produces a sense of bodily comfort; temporary effect and often addictive expectorant – facilitates removal of secretions febrifuge – reduces or relieves fever flatulence – excessive gas in the stomach or intestine galactagogue – promotes the flow of milk hemagogue – promotes the flow of blood hemostatic – controls or stops the flow of blood hepatic – having to do with the liver herpetic – treats skin eruptions relating to the herpes virus hypertensive – raises blood pressure hypnotic – strong-acting nervous system relaxant (nervines) that supports healthy sleep hypoglycemant – lowers blood sugar hypotensive – lowers blood pressure lactifuge – reduces the flow of milk laxative – loosens bowel contents lithotriptic – a substance that causes kidney or bladder stones to dissolve masticatory – increases flow of saliva upon chewing mucilaginous – polysaccharide-rich compounds that coat and soothe inflamed mucous membranes narcotic – induces drowsiness, sleep, or stupor, and lessons pain nephritic – has a beneficial influence on the kidneys nervine – a nerve tonic neuralgia – severe sharp pain along the course of a nerve nootropic – enhances memory, improves cognitive function and mood, reduces oxidative and eschemic damage to the brain nutritive – a herb containing nutrients required to nourish and build the body orexigenic – stimulates or increases the appetite parturfaciant – induces contractions of labor at childbirth purgative – causes the evacuation of intestinal contents; laxative refrigerant – relieves thirst with its cooling properties relaxant – tends to relax and relieve tension, especially muscular tension renal –strengthens, cleanses or treats imbalance or disease states affecting the kidneys resorbent – aids reabsorption of blood from bruises rheumatism – general term for acute or chronic conditions characterized by inflammation of the muscles and joints (includes arthritis, gout, bursitis, myositis, and fibromyositis). rubefacient – reddens skin, dilates the blood vessels, and increases blood supply locally sedative – exerts a soothing, tranquilizing effect on the body sialagogue – increases the production and flow of saliva soporific -- induces sleep stimulant – increases body or organ function temporarily stomachic – aids the stomach and digestive action sudorific – increase perspiration tonic –stimulates energy and increases strength and tone trophorestorative – nourishes and restores balance to the body. Trophorestorative herbs typically have a strong affinity for an organ or organ system and correct deficiency and weakness not only through temporary stimulation but by deeply nourishing that organ or organ system. vermifuge –expels worms from the intestines vulnerary – aids in healing wounds |