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Herbal Medicine > 01_Intro > Flashcards

01_Intro Flashcards

What is Herbal Medicine, Basic Principles, Herbal Actions, The Professional Herbalist

1
Q

What is Herbal Medicine

A

Herbal Medicine is the study and practise of the medicinal and therapeutic uses of plants.

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2
Q

Describe the origins and development of Herbal Medicine

A
  • Original, indigenous and folkloric knowledge of plants, passed down by WORD OF MOUTH
  • Medicine systems from the ancient world (Greece, Middle East, Far East)
  • Renaissance European explorers travelled to the Far East and the New World
  • North American settlers (C18-C19) and the importance of their systems to the UK and Irish traditions
  • Modern scientific era brings UNDERSTANDINGS FROM THE CHEMISTRY AND PHARMACOLOGY of herbs
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3
Q

Knowledge of Herbal Medicine is derived from?

A
  • Historical and traditional sources (including word of mouth)
  • Naturopathic practices (dating back to Hippocrates)
  • Energetics (mapping the flow of energy in the body, like Qi and Prana)
  • Scientific enquiry (pharmacology and evidence-base)
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4
Q

What is Western Herbal Medicine NOT?

A

it is NOT just western medicine using plants instead of drugs

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5
Q

How long was the humoral system used before it was taken over by modern scientific discoveries?

A

for 15 centuries

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6
Q

what does the humoral system describe?

A

based on the idea of 4 humours, which are thought of as “deep body fluids”

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7
Q

who are the 2 main contributors to the traditional component of WHM?

A
  • Hippocrates
  • Galen
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8
Q

What is the importance of the term Western Herbal Medicine today?

A

to distinguish from Oriental systems like TCM, Ayurveda

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9
Q

What are the 2 key areas of knowledge in Herbal Medicine?

A

A) knowledge about plants
B) knowledge about patients

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10
Q

What does the Latin term “Materia Medica” stand for?

A

The body of remedial substances used in the practise of medicine

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11
Q

In which geographical area is the Dandelion found?

A

it grows worldwide

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12
Q

Name some examples of scientific knowledge that is included in the Western Materia Medica

A
  • botany
  • cultivation
  • chemical constituents
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13
Q

Name 7 important areas of knowledge about plants

A
  • botany
  • plant identification
  • actions
  • energetics
  • plant chemistry
  • indications
  • dosage
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14
Q

What is a famous quote accredited to Hippocrates in relation to knowledge about the patients?

A

“It is more interesting to know the patient that has the disease than to know the disease the patient has”

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15
Q

What does ‘knowledge about patients’ entail?

A
  • Traditional “energetic” diagnostics (tongue and pulse)
  • Naturopathic diagnostics, incl. Iridology
  • Pathology and biomedical diagnoses
  • Underlying factors in causing the disease
  • What do symptoms mean
  • How do we assess and respond to a patient’s needs?
  • How do we manage a patient’s expectations?
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16
Q

List 6 key skills of a herbalist

A
  • Combining knowledge of plants with knowledge of patients
  • Matching PLANTS TO PATIENTS
  • Matching plants to pathologies
  • Combining plants to address different aspects of a presenting patient’s needs
  • Giving lifestyle (NATUROPATHIC) advise
  • MONITORING outcomes and modifying treatment
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17
Q

Name 2 historical influences on WHM

A
  • greek physician Hippocrates (BCE ~460-377)
  • roman physician Galen (CE 130-203)
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18
Q

What does ‘Materia Medica’ mean?

A

The body of remedial substances used in the practise of medicine

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19
Q

What is a ‘herbal monograph’ and why is it useful?

A

A herbal monograph is a detailed written study of a single herb.

It is useful because it includes all the following relevant information about the herb:
- Botanical Name
- Common Name
- Botanical Family
- Distribution
- Part used
- Actions
- Energetics
- Constituents
- Indications
- Dose
- Description of Stem, Leaves, Flower, Root
- Contraindications and Safety

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20
Q

Name 2 things that are important to know about people/patients in herbal medicine

A

any 2 of the following:
* Traditional “energetic” diagnostics (tongue and pulse)
* Naturopathic diagnostics, incl. Iridology
* Pathology and biomedical diagnoses
* Underlying factors in causing the disease
* What do symptoms mean
* How do we assess and respond to a patient’s needs?
* How do we manage a patient’s expectations?

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21
Q

Name the 4 categories for herbal actions

A

A) Organ or tissue-specific actions
B) General actions
C) Multiple actions
D) Patient-specific actions

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22
Q

List 6 organ-specific herbal actions

A
  1. hepatic
  2. cardiac tonic
  3. Diuretic
  4. Diaphoretic
  5. Expectorant
  6. Nervine
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23
Q

Describe what a hepatic action means and name a herb

A

acts on the liver
Milk Thistle

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24
Q

describe cardiac tonic action and name a herb

A

tones the heart and circulation
Hawthorn

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25
Q

Describe diuretic action and name a herb

A

stimulates urination
Dandelion leaf

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26
Q

describe diaphoretic action and name a herb

A

stimulates perspiration (skin)
Elderflower

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27
Q

describe expectorant action and name a herb

A

stimulates elimination of mucous from the respiratory tract
Elecampane

28
Q

describe nervine action and name a herb

A

relaxes and/or tones the nerves
Skullcap

29
Q

Name 5 general herbal actions

A
  1. stimulant
  2. astringent
  3. demulcent
  4. vulnerary
  5. nutritive tonic
30
Q

describe stimulant action and name a herb

A

stimulates, no matter what organ or tissue
Cayenne

31
Q

describe astringent action and name a herb

A

contracts and tones tissues
Yarrow

32
Q

describe demulcent action and name a herb

A

soothes, lubricates and cools
Marshmallow

33
Q

describe vulnerary action and name a herb

A

promotes wound healing
Comfrey

34
Q

describe nutritive tonic and name a herb

A

nourishes
Nettle

35
Q

define alterative actions and name a herb

A

blood and lymph cleansers.
they work on specific organs e.g. liver, kidneys, lymph nodes in order to facilitate removal of wastes and toxins
Burdock root

36
Q

define adaptogens and name a herb

A

general tonics.
adaptogens help us to adapt to the stresses of life
Ginseng root

37
Q

define the difference in meaning of “Alterative” in pharmacology and Herbal Medicine

A

in pharmacology it is an obsolete word meaning “a drug that restores normal health”.

in Herbal medicine it has also come to mean a medicinal plant that purifies the blood stream or the lymph.

38
Q

how do Alternative herbs work to restore health

A

they have a wide variety of additional actions, like hepatic , diuretic, diaphoretic

39
Q

What did Dr. J R Christopher from the School of Natural Healing have to say about Alteratives

A

“the true alterative is an agent which slowly but surely cleans and purifies the blood stream and, at the same time, slowly tones up the organ or organs which may not be able to secrete impurities from the blood”

40
Q

List 5 well known alteratives

A

Dandelion (liver, digestion)
Red Clover (blood cleanser)
Burdock (liver, lymph, skin)
Nettle (liver, kidney)
Echinacea (lymph, immune)

41
Q

Name 6 well known adaptogens

A

Wild Oat (nerve tonic)
Siberian Ginseng (adrenal tonic)
Panax Ginseng (adrenal and energy tonic)
Rhodiola (energy tonic)
Borage (adrenal tonic)
Ashwagandha (nutritive and adrenal tonic)

42
Q

herbs with this type of action are often described as “general tonics”

A

Adaptogens

43
Q

name 5 characteristics of adaptogens

A
  • NON-SPECIFIC ACTIVITY (increase general wellbeing)
  • NORMALISING influence (correcting)
  • enable more rapid but less exaggerated healing response
  • innocuous at normal dose level (no toxicity, no extreme heroic actions, generally well tolerated)
  • a more sustained peak and gradual decline in blood glucose
44
Q

List the 7 principles of Naturopathy

A
  1. Vis Medicatrix Naturae - the Healing Power of Nature
  2. First do not harm - non-invasive, non-toxic treatments
  3. Find the cause - lifestyle, history, constitution
  4. Doctor as teacher (Latin doceo = I teach)
  5. Treat the whole person
  6. Prevent if possible (prevention is better than cure)
  7. Establish positive health (as opposed to “killing” or “curing” disease)
45
Q

Name 4 assessment tools of the professional herbalist

A
  • the case questionnaire
  • Traditional diagnostics
  • Iridology
  • Clinical diagnostic skills
46
Q

what does the case questionnaire cover?

A

○ Presenting complaints
○ Current medication
○ Medical history
○ Family history
○ Current lifestyle
○ Systems status screening and assessment

47
Q

what do traditional diagnostics cover?

A

Energetics
Tongue
Pulse

48
Q

what does iridology cover?

A

Information about individual constitution

49
Q

List 3 examples of clinical diagnositc skills

A

Palpation
Blood pressure
Temperature,etc

50
Q

Name 5 components to consider when selecting treatment options

A

1) decide diagnosis
2) Decide causative factors
3) Choose herbs to fit pathology, energetics and causes
4) give naturopathic advice (lifestyle, diet, etc)
5) monitor treatment and revise as necessary

51
Q

When deciding the diagnosis, what factors must you consider?

A

○ Conventional (pathology, differential diagnosis)
○ Traditional (energetic)

52
Q

what must you consider when deciding on the causative factors

A

○ Lifestyle
○ History
○ Constitution

53
Q

when choosing herbs, what do they need to fit

A

○ Pathology
○ Energetics
○ Causes

54
Q

Name 2 important factors in regards to Safety

A
  • Knowing how to work alongside the medical profession and pharmaceuticals is essential (interactions and contraindications)
  • Not all herbs are safe just because they are natural
    However, even herbs with powerful and possibly toxic effects can be used by knowledgeable and responsible practitioners
55
Q

what are herbalists

A

herbalists are “primary health care practitioners”: they may see patients before a doctor does.
thus they need to have appropriate standards of competence and behaviour

56
Q

How do professional associations provide voluntary self-regulation?

A

○ Arrange insurance
○ Maintain standards of practise, codes of ethics and conduct
○ Accredit training courses and provide Continued Professional Development (CPD) opportunities

57
Q

what do we mean by herbal actions?

A

how herbs affect
body systems and organs.

58
Q

What is an alterative herb?

A

a blood and lymph cleanser that works on specific organs in order to facilitate removal of wastes and toxins

59
Q

Name ONE alterative herb

A

Burdock root
Dandelion
Red Clover
Nettle
Echinacea

60
Q

State THREE of the 7 principles of Naturopathy

A
  1. Vis Medicatrix Naturae - the Healing Power of Nature
  2. First do not harm - non-invasive, non-toxic treatments
  3. Find the cause - lifestyle, history, constitution
  4. Doctor as teacher (Latin doceo = I teach)
  5. Treat the whole person
  6. Prevent if possible (prevention is better than cure)
  7. Establish positive health (as opposed to “killing” or “curing” disease)
61
Q

What is meant by a “primary health care practitioner”?

A

they may see patients before a doctor does (so they need to have appropriate standards of competence and behaviour)

62
Q

List THREE functions of a Professional Association

A

○ Arrange insurance
○ Maintain standards of practise, codes of ethics and conduct
○ Accredit training courses and provide Continued Professional Development (CPD) opportunities

63
Q

As a herbalist, would you be allowed to practise in the UK by law?

A

Yes

64
Q

According to the WHO, what percentage of the world’s population uses herbal medicine?

A

80%

65
Q
A

Herbal Medicine (2 decks)

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