Women's Health / Men's Health Flashcards
Vitex - actions:
- normalizes pituitary function
- inhibits prolactin release
- aphrodisiac / anaphrodisiac
- regulating menstrual cycles and perimenopause
- a “progesterogenic” herb
Vitex - indications:
- mastalgia
- dysmenorrhea
- fertility
- menorrhagia
- oligomenorrhea
- prolactinoma
- PMS
- perimenopause
- endometriosis
- acne
- fibroids
- anxiety
Vitex - constituents:
- iridoid glycosides
- Labdane diterpenes
- flavonoids / flavonoid glycosides
- essential oils
Actea racemosa - actions:
- normalize female reproductive system
- emmenagogue
- antispasmodic
- anti-inflammatory
- antirheumatic
- alterative
- nervine
- hypotensive
- an “estrogenic” herb
Actea racemosa - indications:
- perimenopause
- surgically-induced menopause
- dysmenorrhea
- oligomenorrhea
- depression
- rheumatic and neuralgic pain
- uterine pain and tenderness
Actea racemosa - constituents:
- Triterpene glycosides
- isoferulic acid
- salicylic acid
- volatile acids
- tannins
Angelica - actions:
- circulatory stimulant
- analgesic
- antispasmodic if volatile oils present
- uterine stimulant if decocted
- hypotensive
- normalizes menstruation
- sedative
- anti-inflammatory
- diuretic
- antibacterial
- antiplatelet aggregation
Angelica - indications:
- dysmenorrhea
- irregular menses
- amenorrhea
- pain due to pelvic congestion
Chinese medicine - blood deficiency
- blood stasis.
Angelica - constituents:
- coumarins
- ferulic acid
- nicotinic acid
- succinic acid
- phytosterols
- carvacrol
- sesquiterpenes
Cramp bark - actions:
- antispasmodic
- astringent
- nervine
- hypotensive
- beta-2 agonist
- anti-inflammatory
Cramp bark - indications:
- dysmenorrhea
- menorrhagia
- bronchoconstriction
- skeletal muscle spasms
- pelvic congestion
- bladder spasms
Cramp bark - constituents:
- viopudial
- hydroquinones (arbutin)
- coumarins
- catechins
- phenolic acids
Maca - actions:
- adaptogen
- affinity for sex hormone conditions
- infertility
- low libido
- perimenopause
- depression
- anxiety
Maca - indications:
- perimenopause
- andropause
- low libido
- low energy
- “adrenal fatigue”
Maca - constituents:
- vitamins and minerals
- glucotropaeolin
- m-methoxyglucotropaeolin
- m-methoxybenzyl isothiocyanate
Rheum - actions:
phytoestrogen acting on ER-β-receptors
Rheum - indications:
- depression and anxiety assoc w/perimenopause
* climacteric sx
Rheum - constituents:
- rhaponticin
* hydroxystillbenes (desoxyrhaponticin)
Astringent, Styptic - used for atonic conditions or prolapse, menorrhagia, and dysmenorrhea:
Alchemilla vulgaris (lady’s mantle)
Female reproductive tract tonic - used for spasmodic menstrual cramps, amenorrhea, partus preparator:
Caulophyllum thalictroides (blue cohosh)
Anti-spasmodic, diaphoretic - used for spasmodic pain, HA, in hormone balance formulas, progesterogenic effect [contains diosgenin- hormone precursor for hormones synthesized in a lab]:
Dioscorea villosa (wild yam)
Nutritive phytoestrogenic herbs:
Medicago sativa (alfalfa) Trifolium pratense (red clover) Foeniculum vulgare (fennel)
Men are much more likely to struggle with _________ than women.
addiction * caffeine (coffee) * tobacco * alcohol / hops * cayenne (spicy food) * marijuana * cocaine * sugar!! these masking herbs will prevent pts from responding to gentle tonic herbs
There is a strong desire by men to add new strong herbs to replace addiction herbs, like:
- kava
- ginseng
- ephedra
First stage ND tx for BPH:
- postural awareness
- reduce chair sitting, tight belts, bike seat, etc
- inc water intake - 1/2 wt in oz
- inc exercise
- ejaculate to tolerance
Second stage tx for BPH:
- wt loss / diet
- aggressive addiction reduction, nutrition, group support
- nettle root and pumpkin seeds
- milk thistle or sesame oil
Third stage tx for BPH:
- pygeum, saw palmetto, or combo
- herbal suppositories
- zinc - 50mg/day
- hot/cold sitz bath
- addiction support
- 21-day detox
Common herbs for BPH:
- saw palmetto
- nettle - ROOT
- goldenrod
- pygeum
- willow herb
- pipsissewa
- cleavers
- rye pollen
- rhus spp
Saw palmetto - constituents:
- lipid-soluble compounds, fatty acids
- sitosterol
- carotenes, lipase, tannins, sugars
Saw palmetto - actions:
- anti-androgenic
- anti-exudative
- anti-inflammatory
- endocrine agent
- spasmolytic
- anti- spasmodic
Saw palmetto - indications:
- BPH
- male-pattern baldness
- chronic prostatitis
- urethral spasms / related incontinence
- prostate cancer
- pts who are underwt, depleted, poor appetite
Saw palmetto - cautions:
- toxicity - long term
- may cause nausea
- may lower testosterone
- pregnancy
Nettles - actions:
- diuretic
- anti-inflammatory
- anti-prostatic
LEAF ABOVE THE BELT - ROOT BELOW
Nettles - constituents:
- sterols
- lignans
- lectins
- coumarin
- triterpenes
Willow herb - indications:
- enlarged prostate
Pipsi - constituents:
- arbutin
- chimaphilin
- caffeic acid
- tannins
- ferulic acid
- methyl salicylate
- P-coumaric acid
Pipsi - actions:
- astringent
- alterative
- tonic
- diuretic
- antiseptic
Pipsi - indications:
- heat - flushing cheeks, “hot blood”
- liver inflammation, ascites
- abd / renal edema
- constipation w/hemorrhoids
- chronic bladder / renal issues
- breast tumors
Pipsi - keys:
- more alterative/lymphatic than uva-ursi
- lower tannins / better long term than uva-ursi
- homeopathic use - tumors of breast w/sharp pain
- chronic prostatitis/BPH where stagnation/DC
Goldenrod - constituents:
- saponins
- clerodane diterpenes
- phenolic glucosides
- flavonoids
Goldenrod - actions:
- anti-catarrhal
- anti-inflammatory
- anti-microbial (e coli, Strep. faecalis, Candida)
- astringent
- diaphoretic
- carminative
- aquaretic
- urinary antiseptic
Goldenrod - indications:
- irrigation of urinary tract
- esp renal gravel
- UTI
- irritable bladder
Prickly pear - indications:
BPH
Pomegranate - constituents:
- ellagic acid
* phytosterols
Pomegranate - actions:
- superfood
- antioxidant
- fertility
- obesity
Epididymitis herbs:
- echinacea
- phytolacca
- hydrastis
- myrrh
- pipsi
- uva-ursi
- cleavers
Best tx strategy in male infertility or impotence:
- remove obstacles to cure
- tonification
NOT STIMULATION
Sea buckthorn - actions:
- adaptogen
- antioxidant
- anticancer
- antiulcer
- anti-inflammatory
- antimicrobial
- antiviral
- cardiotonic
- immunomodulator
- hepatoprotective
- radioprotective
- tonic
- vulnerary
- sexual rejuvinator
Sea buckthorn - constituents:
- Vitamin C, E, K
- folate
- carotenoids
- fatty acids
- organic acids
- flavonoids
- tannins
- superoxide dismutase (SOD)
Tribulus - actions:
- tonic
- aphrodisiac
- estrogenic in females
- androgenic in males
- stimulates fertility
Tribulus - constituents:
- steroidal saponins
* phytosterols
Tribulus - indications:
- spermatogenesis
- inc plasma testosterone
- restore libido
- inc sperm count / motility
- stimulates GH, insulin, aldosterone
Maca - constituents:
- carbohydrates (59%)
- iodine
- aromatic glucosinolates
- antioxidant flavonoids
- sterols
- alkamide compounds
Maca - indications:
- mental acuity
- physical vitality
- endurance
- stamina
- aphrodisiac
- inc fertility
- nutritive relaxant
Wild oats - actions:
- antidepressant
- nervous system trophorestorative
- adrenal tonic
- sex tonic
- antispasmodic
- nerve tonic
Wild oats - indications:
- spasmodic nervous disorders
* cardiac weakness
Herbs for male libido support:
- Maca
- wild oats
- yohimbe
- damiana
- ginko biloba
- panax
- nettle
- muira puama
Horny goat weed - indications:
- tonify kidney yang - impotence, spermatorrhea, frequent urination, poor memory, painful cold LB and knees
- expel wind-damp cold - spasms, cramps, jt pain, limb numbness
- strengthen yin and yang, harness liver yang rising - dizziness, LB pain, irreg menses from liver/ki.
