Medicinal properties
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Many plants have traditional medical uses. Ethnobotanists and pharmacognacists catalog and study these plants and uses. This is a list of some of the more common medicinal properties that are ascribed to plants.
- Anti-catarrhal -- eliminates or counteracts mucous conditions
- Anti-coagulant -- prevent coagulation of blood
- Anti-histamine -- reduce or eliminate allergic effects mediated by histamine
- Anti-emetic -- relieves vomiting
- Anti-inflammatory -- reduces inflammation
- Anti-microbial -- kills or slows the growth of microbes
- Anti-bacterial -- kills or slows the growth of bacteria
- Anti-fungal -- kills or slows the growth of fungi
- Anti-viral -- kills or slows the growth of viruses
- Anti-parasitic -- kills or slows the growth of parasites
- Anti-pyretic -- prevents or reduces fever by lowering body temperature
- Anti-spasmodic -- suppresses smooth muscle contractions
- Astringent -- shrinks or constricts body tissues
- Carminative -- anti-spasmodic, used particularly against cramps of the digestive tract
- Cholagogue -- promotes the discharge of bile from the system
- Demulcent -- acts as a protective barrier on irritated or inflamed tissue
- Diaphoretic -- increases perspiration
- Diuretic -- elevates the rate of bodily urine excretion
- Emetic -- induces vomiting
- Emmenagogue -- stimulates blood flow in the pelvic area and uterus
- Expectorant -- loosen mucus from the respiratory tract
- Hepatic -- strengthens or regulates the secretion of bile
- Laxative -- promotes defecation
- Nervine -- has a beneficial effect upon the nervous system in some way
- Sedative -- depresses the central nervous system, causing calmness, relaxation and similar, stronger effects
- Tonic -- strengthens and improves specific organs, systems, weaknesses or the body as a whole
- Stomachic -- tones the stomach, improving its function and increasing appetite
- Vulnerary -- used in healing or treating wounds
See also
Acknowledgement and Attribution Regarding Sources of Content
Some of the initial content on this page may be incorporated in part from copyleft sources in the public domain including wikis such as Wikipedia and AskDrWiki. Drug information for patients came from the The National Library of Medicine. Infectious disease information may have come from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC). Differential Diagnoses are drawn from clinicians as well as an amalgamation of 3 sources: 1.The Disease Database; 2. Kahan, Scott, Smith, Ellen G. In A Page: Signs and Symptoms. Malden, Massachusetts: Blackwell Publishing, 2004:3; 3. Sailer, Christian, Wasner, Susanne. Differential Diagnosis Pocket. Hermosa Beach, CA: Borm Bruckmeir Publishing LLC, 2002:7 .
