Mary walked into the acupuncturist’s office and surveyed the situation.
She was a little uncertain, this being her first trip to a Chinese doctor.
As she looked around the reception room, she saw rows of jars containing
what appeared to be brightly-colored roots, seeds and fruits. There were
also strange mushrooms–black and varnished hanging on the wall in front
of her. She wondered if she was doing the right thing….



She walked up to the receptionist and was given a form to fill out that
had questions like, “what kind of climate do you prefer?” (she
said warm) “What percentage of raw food do you eat?” (about 30%)
and “How easily do you fall asleep?” (slowly). After being shown
into a cozy room with soft lighting, she was asked to sit on the treatment
table and make herself comfortable. Soft music was playing in the background
and the wall was covered with charts of people with funny lines running
up and down their body with small dots spaced regularly along them. Just
then the acupuncturist came in.



Greeting her warmly, she asked her some questions about her symptoms and
her life, her family and parent’s health and then put her fingers on her
wrist–she said to take her “pulses.” Mary had to stick her tongue
out and the practitioner took a few more notes. Finally she said, “Mary,
you have kidney yin deficiency and a damp spleen.” Dumfounded, Mary
said, “is it serious?” to which the acupuncturist replied, “it
is a very chronic condition, brought on by stress, eating food that is too
cold (like fruit) for your constitution, and by overwork.” This has
harmed your assimilation, weakened your adrenals and immune system.”




If you are like most of us, you are always looking for ways to be more healthy–to
feel better and to have more energy. To be stronger, and this includes our
whole being, but also every body system.



Every one of us has a certain body system or area that is especially sucesptible
to stress, both internal (like the inability to relax) and external (such
as pollution). In one person it might be the lungs, and we are constantly
coughing up mucous; in another, it might be our immune system, which can
lead to an amazing variety of the kinds of imbalances that medical science
loves to put names on. These include cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, candidiasis,
allergies, lupus, AIDS and perhaps even the common cold.



In the above consultation, we learned that Mary had weakened her adrenals
and immune system by innapropriate diet for her constitution, living situation,
work and climate she lived in. This is a very common situation today, and
coupled with the many chemical and other environmental stressors such as
second-hand cigarette smoke and electromagnetic radiation from computers
and power lines, has led to immune system imbalances being among the most
common types of ailments. Chronic fatigue syndrome, candidiasis and tooth
and gum disease are a few examples.



The good news is that, based on a knowledge of our own strengths and weaknesses,
we can adjust our diet and lifestyle so that we should be able to easily
withstand these environmental pressures. In other words, humans are marvelously
adaptable. When we turn our consciousness towards healing ourselves and
this planet we live on, living more in tune with the laws of the natural
world, amazing things happen!



If we have a chronic immune weakness of any kind, we may be uncertain how
to proceed. There are so many different kinds of doctors or health-care
providers. I have found that the important thing is asking for help. Once
we do this, we have taken the first step on our healing path. What kind
of practitioner we choose is a matter of personal choice. In my experience,
it is always best to get a second opinion–and by this I don’t mean two
opinions from the same kind of practitioner. If it feels the most comfortable,
go to a physician and get a variety of western tests. Then go to an acupuncturist,
naturopathic doctor or chiropractor and get a different perspective. Instinctively
we will know what approach is most gentle and effective for us–perhaps
we get the best results when we work with all three.



With this background, I would like to present some practical examples of
immune imbalances and how to best proceed.



Not everybody will develop the same disease when their immune system has
been weakened by years of stressful factors. Consequently, when we seek
the advice of a traditional healer or herbalist we may learn something very
interesting about ourselves. We learn that we are very unique and that our
pattern of imbalance may be quite different than another person–even one
that has the same symptoms, such as low energy, lower back pain and depression.




How are immune imbalances best repaired? Let’s look at two distinctly different
classes of immune imbalances.



Surface Immune Conditions

We may be fundamentaly strong and our basic constitution and present
state of health sound, but we are temporarily invaded by an external influence,
such as coldness or a pathogen, such as a flu virus. These types of immune
imbalances come and go–for instance, the average person gets 2.4 colds
a year. These are called “surface” or superficial imbalances.




The western names for common surface imbalances include colds, flu, mild
allergies (such as hayfever) and various types of acute infections, if they
are not chronic (such as bladder or yeast infections). These are often best
balanced by “surface immune-system” herbs such as echinacea,
osha, yerba mansa, lomatium, with the addition
of a cooling herb like goldenseal. There are many formulas of this
type in natural food stores everywhere–and they often have echinacea and
goldenseal as the lead herbs. This type of formula can be taken in 3 10-day
cycles, or less if needed. The herbs in this formula call forth our immune
reserves–it stimulates our immune system. It tells our immune cells to
come to the site of external infection and clear out the pathogens. I have
seen so many amazing successes over the years with this type of formula
that I am very enthusiastic about them.



Deep Immune Imbalances

Now if we have been under stress for some time, and we tend to have
a weak constitution anyway–which is the state of vitality we inherited
from our parents, our immune system might be quite deeply weakened. In this
case, the above formula will not answer our needs. It will try to call forth
our immune reserves, but there are none! Our reserves are almost gone. The
stimulation of echinacea will only create a further weakness. We may seem
to get better, but ultimately, it will not work. In this case what we need
to do is strengthen our immune system on a deep level–we must nourish or
“tonify” our immune reserves. This is what is called “bone-marrow
reserve” in western medicine, because all of our immune cells are first
created in the bone marrow, the deepest most protected part of our body.




Examples of this kind of immune disorder is cancer, severe allergies, environmental
illness, candidiasis, chronic fatigue syndrome and AIDS. In these kinds
of weaknesses, our immune system must be strengthened over a period of time;
sometimes it takes years to fully “recharge” our immune reserves.
Remember that it took years to get to this point in the first place.



Herbs: There are a number of herbs that have thousands of years behind them
and a tremendous amount of modern clinical and laboratory work to show that
they are especially effective at building up our immune system on a deep
level. These herbs can be found in natural food stores everywhere (as well
as at the acupuncturist’s) in a variety of formulations. They include astragalus,
ligustrum, reishi, shiitake, codonopsis and
atractylodes, among others.



Whatever system of healing we decide to follow, we are the best judge of
what is helping us. As we grow in awareness of our own strengths and weaknesses
and progress on our healing path, we discover that herbs, diets and all
other healing methods are simply helpers to aid us in discovering and releasing
our own healing power.



Diet for a Healthy Immune System

I have found the best programs for these kind of ailments include eating
a mostly (about 60-70%) cooked high carbohydrate died, with mostly whole
grains and legumes and vegetables. Make them organic, unprocessed (deemphasize
flour products like breads and muffins) and a good variety. Raw fruit (including
fruit juices) should be kept to a minimum unless one lives in a very hot
climate. During the summer a moderate amount is fine, during the winter,
it is best to use them very sparingly. Be moderate with raw vegetables and
salads, though not as much as with fruit. These foods are cooling, moisturizing
and induce elimination, which is fine if you are too hot, dry and have a
build-up of excessive fat or toxic wastes. If you are already cold, too
moist and deficient, eating too many raw foods will further aggravate the
situation. To summarize, the rules of diet for strengthening immune imbalances
are easy:



1. Eat food that is the highest quality, whole, unprocessed and suitable
for one’s constitution, work and climate.



2. Do not overeat, eat too late at night or in the morning before some exercise.




and most important,



3. Don’t worry about what we eat–we can consistently and gently remind
ourselves when we are not doing what we know will create the best health,
but we should not worry–relax and enjoy it…..whether it is a greasy burger
or the finest organic brown rice.

James had grown up in California’s Central Valley as a farmer’s son. In
those days, chemical farming was not questioned–it was just how things
were done. He recounted to me how he used to watch with great interest as
the bi-winged planes flew over the fields, trailing white clouds of pesticide
that filled the spaces between the rows of corn and engulfed the plants
in thick fog. The smell was strong, and times the wet spray would land on
his skin and hair. He always associated fond memories with that smell.

However after 25 years of chemical farming, James Ryan was not well. Over
a year before I met him, he began to have dizzy spells, nearly collapsing
on two occasions. That’s when he began to wonder about that familiar smell
he had loved so much as a child. He began to wonder if the constant exposure
to many toxic chemicals, plus the stress of running a big commercial farm
for so many years, had devastated his immune system.

At the advice of a Chinese herbalist, James began to take a tea of seven
herbs, including eleuthero, astragalus and reishi. Now, as we stood talking,
he attributed a large measure of his current health to these herbs, which
are often called “adaptogens” by herbalists. These herbs and other
adaptogens have been proven in clinical and laboratory studies to help us
adapt to the rapidly changing conditions in our modern, often synthetic
environment.

The following story is the practical side of adaptogens–why they are needed
today, what they are and how to use them, based on 22 years of experience
as an herbalist, quotes from other practicing herbalists and summaries of
scientific research performed on adaptogenic herbs from around the world.

Adapting to our Own Devices

Today, thanks to modern technology, we can change the natural environment
virtually at will. Air-conditioning, indoor lighting, central heating, pesticides,
food preservatives, cars, airplanes, polyester, and plastics are just a
few of the countless amenities we use to adapt the environment to our needs.
Yet however convenient or life-supporting these things may seem in the short-term,
they are a two-edged sword, bringing undesirable side effects in the long-term.
Some of the most obvious of these are already quickly becoming apparent:
smog, the thinning ozone layer, the greenhouse effect, and the many heavy
metals, pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals that are finding their
way into our bloodstreams for the first time in the history of our bodies’
delicate biochemistry. These by-products of “the good life” are
now creating a major problem for the adaptation and survival of most species
and biosystems here on planet Earth.

And to compound the problem, at the very moment when we need more than ever
to adapt to a quickly changing environment, as a society we seem
set on debilitating our bodies’ natural ability to adapt by constantly forcing
the environment to meet our needs (and whims) instead of vice versa. In
Darwinian terms, this does not bode well for our species.



It is ironic that the more we insulate ourselves from environmental change,
the more we isolate ourselve from that which gives us life.



Rene Dubos, the humanistic scientist and a special guiding light for me,
said: “This state of adaptedness gives a false sense of security
because it does not have a lasting value and does not prepare for the future.”




Therefore, it seems that the best course for survival is to increase
our adaptability to our environment, not the other way around. In other
words, instead of leaning on air conditioning to adapt to hot weather, it
may be best to strengthen ourselves and cultivate flexibility–both of mind
and body, and this is where the adaptogens can be of great importance.



The Russian scientist, G.M. Barenboim said it well:



“For the first time in the history of human civilization the biological
potentialities of the human body have failed to meet the requirements imposed
on it by the epoch. One witnesses an unusual ‘epidemic’ of fatigue aggravated
by the powerful action of man-made, external chemical and physical environmental
factors. Like the drugs that saved the world from numerous bacterial and
viral epidemics that cost millions of lives in the past, the adaptogens
are needed to help man withstand the diverse stresses of today.”




Herbal Adaptogens–Medicines of the Future

Fortunately for us, though, there is a class of herbs and other natural
remedies available that can help the body adapt better to its environment,
whether that environment be one of many harmful chemicals or simply one
of rapid change. These herbs are called adaptogens.



The word adaptogen was coined by the Russian scientist N.V. Lazarev,
in 1947. In Lazarev’s view, a medicinal substance must fulfill three criteria
in order to be classed as an adaptogen:



1. It must cause only minimal disorders in the body’s physiological functions;




2. It must increase the body’s resistance to adverse influences not by
a specific action but by a wide range of physical, chemical, and biochemical
factors;



3. It must have an overall normalizing effect, improving all kinds of conditions
and aggravating none.



Lazarev conducted his original studies of adaptogens on a chemical substance,
dibazole. However, his now renowned student, I.I. Brekhman, changed the
focus of adaptogenic research from synthetic substances to natural substances.
Brekhman first studied Panax ginseng, the classic Chinese herb for
longevity. But in 1959 Brekhman discovered that Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus
senticosus), which is more common and less expensive than Chinese ginseng,
has even stronger adaptogenic qualities than Panax.

Since then, Dr. Brekhman and many other researchers have conducted thousands
of scientific tests on eleuthero, as Siberian ginseng is called, as well
as on other herbal adaptogens. Literally hundreds of thousands of people
have taken these natural strengtheners, and the results have been resoundingly
positive: they have proven to be remarkably effective for preventing a variety
of ailments, increasing stamina and sports performance, and helping the
body to adapt to extreme or changing environmental conditions.



The research has shown that adaptogens act in a number of ways to strengthen
the body and protect it from the stress of a variety of life situations.
(Stress, as almost all types of doctors now warn, is a major factor in chronic
disease. It is no coincidence that three of the most-prescribed and best-selling
drugs in America are for stress-related ailments: Tagamet for ulcers, Inderal
for hypertension, and Xanex for anxiety.)



In general, adaptogens work by



1. Supporting the adrenal function, thus counteracting the adverse effects
of stress;



2. Enabling the body’s cells to have access to more energy;



3. Helping cells to eliminate toxic byproducts of the metabolic process;




4. Providing an anabolic (building-up) effect, hence the use of adaptogens
by body-builders;



5. Helping the body to utilize oxygen more efficiently;



6. Enhancing and speeding the proper regulation of bio-rhythms.



Although medical practitioners who believe only in the mainstream, allopathic
model of medicine often doubt that a single remedy can exhibit all the different
benefits of an herbal adaptogen, the concept of adaptogens is not unknown
to Western medicine. Until about 50 years ago, doctors commonly prescribed
medicines known as roborants (strengthening substances), tonics
(which restore normal tone to tissue), and alteratives (which cause
favorable changes in the processes of nutrition and repair). For example,
bitters such as gentian and quassia were widely used to improve digestion,
and strengthening foods such as oatmeal and yams were prescribed for the
convalescent. What we now call adaptogens combine at least some of the major
functions of roborants, tonics, and alteratives, and they particularly resemble
alteratives.



Below I will discuss the most important herbal adaptogens, giving pertinent
information and recommendations for use with each. Some herbalists classify
many herbs as adaptogens, including well-known immune-tonics (such as echinacea)
and bitters (such as golden seal). However, Russian researchers–who have
conducted most of the studies on adaptogens–have identified several herbs
that I will call primary adaptogens. These herbs were the first to be studied
as adaptogens, and they include: eleuthero, schizandra (Schizandra chinensis),
and reishi (Ganoderma lucidum).



There are also what I will call secondary adaptogens. These have shown some
normalizing activity, especially on the immune, nervous, and hormonal systems,
but they may not have been studied extensively for their adaptogenic qualities
or may not support the adrenal system. Secondary adaptogens include: ashwaganda
(Withania somniferum), gotu kola (Centella asiatica), wild
oats (Avena sativa), astragalus or huang chi (Astragalus membranaceous),
fo-ti or ho shou wu (Polygonum multiflorum), burdock (arctium
lappa), and suma (Pfaffia paniculata). There are probably other
herbs that fall into this second category of adaptogens, but these are the
best-understood and most readily available ones in this country.



Primary Herbal Adaptogens

Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)

There are three ways to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of an
herbal remedy: first, by its history of use, i.e., how it has been used
in the past and in other cultures, and with what results; second, by what
modern scientific research can show about an herb’s effect on the body,
its active constituents, and whether or not it has any subtle toxicity;
and third, by the results of the herb’s use in modern clinical practice.

In the case of eleuthero, all three of these criteria have been eminently
fulfilled. Regarding its history of use, eleuthero has been known in China
for thousands of years, where it has traditionally been used to counteract
general debility and weakness by promoting vital energy. More recently,
in Russia millions of people take eleuthero daily, among them mountain climbers,
sailors, and factory workers who all use eleuthero to increase adaptability
and endurance and to reduce the frequency of illness. The Russian olympic
team uses eleuthero, especially weight-lifters and runners, and an eleuthero
extract was used to help cosmonauts adapt to the radically different living
conditions of outer space. Personally, in the last decade I have taken eleuthero
extract once for a 9-month period and several times for shorter periods,
and I have always noticed a decided increase in endurance and performance.

Regarding modern scientific research and clinical results, eleuthero is
one of the rare herbal medicines that has been extensively tested on humans
in clinical trials. Eleuthero’s adaptogenic and other protective and strengthening
properties have been studied and confirmed with thousands of human volunteers.
We can still learn much more about eleuthero, but already researchers have
defined some of the ways in which eleuthero affects the body biochemically,
and have also identified certain active constituents, which are natural
plant steroids called eleutherosides.

The American researcher, Norman Farnsworth, collected and translated many
of the original Russian studies on eleuthero (much of it done in the ’60s
and ’70s), and published these in Economic and Medicinal Plant Research,
vol. 1 (by Academic Press, Orlando, FL). While many of these studies were
not performed with the strictest methods of scientific control (that is,
they were not double-blind studies), their results do offer interesting
insights into how adaptogens work on large populations of everyday working
people, and what benefits they might offer. Representative results of these
studies are cited in Table 1. Eleuthero’s major physiological effects can
be summarized as follows:

1. Protects against environmental pollutants and radiation



2. Normalizes body temperature, thus treating hypothermia



3. Regulates blood-sugar levels



4. Protects the liver and enhances its ability to break down and get rid
of drugs in the body



5. Increases the body’s ability to resist infection



6. Supports optimum adrenal function



Also, and perhaps most importantly, is eleuthero’s anti-fatigue effect.
It has a highly beneficial influence on endurance and the capacity to work,
increasing the ability of the body’s cells to utilize phosphorus-containing
energy molecules and dispose of lactic acid and other byproducts of metabolism
(the sore muscles from a heavy workout result from a buildup of lactic acid).
This anti-fatigue effect is especially important for athletes, both professionals
and “weekend warriors.”



Finally, for infertile men, eleuthero has shown the ability to increase
semen output and reproductive capability. For those interested in taking
eleuthero, the original research used a liquid extract (also called a tincture),
which contains about 35% ethanol. Based on this research, I recommend three
basic dose levels:



1. For long-term maintenance where not under much stress or are not in a
training program, take one dropperful of the liquid extract upon rising
(if you put the drops in a cup of warm water or tea, most of the alcohol
will evaporate).



2. To increase performance in sports activities, on the job, or at school,
take one dropperful in the same manner upon rising and take a second dropperful
again in the evening about an hour after dinner.



3. For times of extra stress or dramatic changes (such as changes in jobs
or living situations), take three droppersful of the extract, either two
in the morning and one in the evening, or one in the morning, at noon, and
at night. Every ten days, take a two-day break with no eleuthero, then repeat
the cycle. You can do this for up to nine months, or longer if needed.

• The number and speed of radiogram receptions for radiotelegraphic operators
  was increased with daily doses of 1 1/2 droppersful (60 drops) of a liquid
  extract of eleuthero over a one-month period.
  
• Skiers taking a single dose of eleuthero extract (3 droppersful) before
  a race experienced increased resistance to the harmful effects of the cold
  and increased physical endurance, especially if the skier was not fully
  trained.
  
• Workers in a publishing house who had jobs involving physical labor
  showed enhanced cardiovascular output, ability to work, and improved appetite–without
  hypertension. However, the extract was not recommended for people with blood
  pressure over 180/90 mm Hg.
  
• Proofreaders were more effective in their work after taking 1 1/2 droppersful
  of eleuthero extract daily for 30 days.
  
• Sailors who took eleuthero extract while on long sea voyages showed
  improved work capability and normalization of body functions in high-temperature
  conditions.
  
• One thousand factory workers in a city of the polar region who took
  3 droppersful of eleuthero extract daily showed 50% reduction in general
  sickness and 40% reduction in the number of lost work days.
  
• Among truck drivers who took eleuthero extract in tea for six years,
  the total number of people contracting influenza dropped from 41.8% to 2.7%
  during that period, and the number of work days lost to influenza per year
  dropped from 286 per 100 workers to 11.
  
• Other studies showing that eleuthero dramatically reduced the number
  of sick days due to influenza among thousands of different kinds of workers
  are reported.
  
• Further studies show that eleuthero extract, when taken on a regular
  basis, can improve visual acuity, color perception, and hearing acuity,
  can increase the efficiency of people whose jobs require attention and cause
  nervous tension, and can improve physical and mental working capacity under
  unfavorable climatic conditions (i.e., too hot, too cold, high altitude,
  etc.).
  

Sick Volunteers

• Forty-five volunteers with heart disease showed enhanced feelings of
  well-being, fewer chest pains, reduced blood pressure and cholesterol levels,
  and improved ECG readings after six to eight courses (25 days each) of eleuthero
  extract (1 to 1 1/2 droppersful at a time, 3 times daily before meals).In
  a second study on 65 patients with cardiovascular disease, with the same
  dose as above, improvements were noted by some after the first course (25-35
  days).
  
• Several studies involving patients with diabetes showed that in some
  cases eleuthero extract is effective in lowering serum glucose levels.
  
• People with both hypotension and hypertension showed normalization of
  blood pressure after courses of eleuthero extract. Several other studies
  support these findings.
  
• Fifty-eight people with psychological imbalances and symptoms such as
  extreme exhaustion, irritability, insomnia, decreased work capacity, and
  a general state of anxiety, showed improvement after taking 2 droppersful
  of eleuthero extract, once in the morning and once in the evening, for four
  weeks. The patients felt that sound sleep and an increase in their sense
  of well-being were the most important benefits of the treatment.
  
• Five more studies with nearly 160 neurotic patients showed that eleuthero
  extract (as little as 1 dropperful a day) can be of benefit as indicated
  above. Some of the studies lasted for ten years.
  

Schizandra berries (Schizandra chinensis)

In the American horticultural trade, schizandra is called magnolia vine,
and indeed, botanically it is closely related to the familiar magnolia tree.
In China, the small red fruits of schizandra are considered to balance all
bodily systems because they have all of the five different flavors Chinese
herbalists use to classify medicinal herbs: sour, salty, bitter, sweet,
and acrid. Thus schizandra has been an important ingredient in traditional
Chinese tonic formulas since antiquity.



In the West, schizandra is often combined with eleuthero in adaptogenic
formulas, and has been extensively studied in this form in both Sweden and
Russia. It is also often included in commercial anti-stress, weight-loss,
and sports formulas in this country. Scientific studies have supported these
uses of schizandra, and have clarified the herb’s liver-protecting and strengthening
capabilities. The liver is a vital “adaptogenic” organ, because
it helps regulate blood sugar and hormone levels, and because it is the
main detoxifying organ of the body.



Schizandra can be taken as a tea (added to eleuthero with a little licorice
and ginger), or it can be purchased in a wide variety of commercial preparations,
such as tinctures and powdered extracts in tablet form.



Reishi (Ganoderma lucidum)

Reishi mushrooms are one of the most revered of the adaptogens. There
are stories of people in Japan traveling for hundreds of miles on foot to
pick them in the hopes of curing their cancer or other incurable disease.
The list of benefits observed in laboratory and clinic experiments reads
like a panacea wish-list. Reishi has shown a wide range of adaptogenic properties,
including blood sugar regulation, immune support, anti-cancer properties,
ability to oxygenate the blood efficiently, speeded regeneration of the
liver, a sedative and calming effect, free-radical protective effect, radiation
protective effect, reduction in sensitivity to allergens, anti-hypertensive
effect, and it lowers cholesterol.



Ken Jones and Terry Willard, in their book Reishi Mushroom, Herb of Spiritual
Potency and Medical Wonder, quote clinical studies in China with 90
coronary heart disease patients in seven different hospitals who were given
oral preparations of reishi over a four-month period. Although these studies
were uncontrolled (most Chinese studies are), the results suggest that reishi
has adaptogenic properties. Reishi relieved feelings of weariness in about
78% of the patients, feelings of cold extremities in 74%, and insomnia in
78%. In China, reishi is often added to herbal medicine combinations that
lower serum cholesterol and normalize blood pressure.



In one well-designed Japanese study, 53 patients with hypertension were
given 1.44 gms of the concentrate for 6 months. Blood pressure dropped from
156/103 to 137/93 in the group with genetically-based (essential) hypertension.




My own experience with this medicinal mushroom is that it can be of immediate
value for strengthening people who are recovering from chronic illness,
especially where there is general weakness. Children seem to respond quickly
to reishi. The following soup, modeled after a traditional formula, has
shown excellent results if taken for a week or two, or up to six months.

Secondary AdaptogenS

Ashwaganda (Withania somnifera)

Ashwaganda is an herb from India, where it has been used since antiquity
as an important medicine. The plant is a member of the usually narcotic
nightshade family, whose other safe members include the potato, tomato and
eggplant (some people may be mildly allergic to these). The small shrub
is widely cultivated throughout India and is still immensely popular in
traditional ayurvedic and folk medicine. People in India use all parts of
the plant. For instance, the berries are used to coagulate milk while the
twigs are used to clean the teeth.



However, it is the roots of ashwaganda that are considered to be medicinally
tonic, adaptogenic, and strengthening. Traditionally, they are recommended
for indigestion, heart disease, arthritis, lumbar pain, to lower fevers,
and as a general strengthening medicine for children and for people recovering
from illness. Current work in the clinic and laboratory has shown that ashwaganda
roots have strong tumor-inhibiting activity in humans as well as a marked
anti-inflammatory effect which supports its traditional use for arthritis.
The extract proved to be without side-effects when compared to hydrocortisone,
a synthetic drug often prescribed for arthritis.



Ashwaganda can be used as a whole herb in tea or purchased in a variety
of commercial products. The tea is made by simmering one part of the root
(by weight) in ten parts water (by volume) for one-half hour. Take the tea
twice daily, about one-half to one ounce at a time.



Gotu-kola (Centella asiatica)

Although gotu-kola looks nothing like parsley or angelica, it is a member
of the parsley family. It is a common weedy plant throughout Asia, often
growing in drainage ditches. It likes a wet, rich soil, and is a common
orchard weed in Hawaii. I grow the plant in pots on my back porch, so I
always have a supply of the tasty, kidney-shaped leaves.



According to legend, if one eats a leaf of gotu kola a day, one’s lifespan
will be extended to 1,000 years! I don’t expect to be around in my present
form for quite that long, but if gotu kola adds a few healthy years to my
life, well, so much the better.



Ayurveda, the ancient East Indian system of medicine, recognizes gotu kola
as an important brain and nervous system restorative. Modern science has
shown it to have adaptogenic properties and strong wound-healing capabilities.
It is used in many cosmetic preparations as a kind of a skin adaptogen,
helping our sensitive hides to adapt to stresses such as sunburn and other
traumas.



If you want to try gotu kola, make sure to purchase the fresh liquid
extract or grow the plant yourself and take it fresh. I have found that
gotu kola loses its properties rapidly when dried, and most of the commercial
dried gotu kola is worthless.



Wild Oats (Avena sativa)

This herb grows as a common grass throughout many parts of the world. Most
herbalists feel that a tincture or powdered extract of wild oats is effective
for helping to eliminate unwanted addictions. Several studies suggest that
it may reduce craving for nicotine in people who are trying to quit smoking.
Wild oats is also recommended as a nerve restorative where there is trauma
or nerve weakness. It should be taken for a long period of time to be effective,
at the dose of at least one dropperful of the liquid extract at a time,
or one tablet of the concentrated extract, two to three times daily.



Astragalus (Astragalus membranaceous)

One of the gems of Traditional Chinese Medicine, this root from the pea
family is sometimes stir-fried in honey to make it sweeter and enhance its
tonic properties. Astragalus is considered a powerful deep immune strengthener.
Both a long history of use and many laboratory tests have proven that astragalus
has adaptogenic and normalizing effects on the nervous, hormonal, and immune
systems.



I learned of astragalus during my first visit to a Chinese acupuncturist
and herbalist. The doctor’s name was Dr. Yau–which made me worry a bit
about his needling technique–but he turned out to have a very gentle hand.
Dr. Yau prescribed astragalus for me, as I was feeling stressed and fatigued
after two years of pre-medical classes, and I experienced splendid results.




Since then, I have designed many highly effective formulas using this remarkable
herb, and I have developed an especially healing relationship with astragalus
by growing it from seed in my herb garden.



Fo-ti or Ho Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum)

Chinese herbalists consider this member of the buckwheat family to be one
of the best adaptogenic and longevity herbs. The root of fo-ti is said to
take on magical powers when it is old and has several interesting names
applied to it, depending upon its age. According to the ancient herbalist
Li Shih-chen, at 50 years fo-ti is fist-size and is called “mountain
slave”; taken at this time, the herb “will preserve the black
color of the hair and moustache.” A 100-year-old root is as large as
a bowl and is called “hill-brother”; taken at this time the herb
will preserve “a cheerful countenance.” A 150-year-old root is
the size of a basin and if taken at this time, “the teeth will fall
out and come afresh.” At 200 years fo-ti is called “hill father,”
and if taken at this time “the countenance will become like that of
a youth, and the gait will equal that of a running horse.” And so forth.




I’ve started growing fo-ti in my garden, but so far it is only two years
old. My hair is showing a few grey hairs, but I have hopes….



Burdock (Arctium lappa)

Burdock is a close relative to such well-known herbs as echinacea, dandelion,
and feverfew, though it does not currently share the spotlight those other
herbs are enjoying. Burdock root, greens, and seeds were known to the ancient
Greeks as healing remedies, and in Western herbalism they were important
foods and medicines throughout the middle ages. Their nutritional content
of vitamins and minerals is high, yet even more interesting is their rich
complement of active medicinal compounds. Modern research has isolated chemical
constituents from burdock that have proven to be anti-bacterial, anti-fungal,
and, most importantly, tumor-protective and desmutagenic. Desmutagens
are substances that inactivate mutagens (cancer-causing agents) by reacting
with them and “taking them out of action.” Mutagens include pesticides,
natural chemicals from plants, and compounds that are created from foods
(such as meats) by cooking. Such potentially cancer-causing compounds are
now abundant in our food, water, and air, and many of them are already stored
in our fat tissues.



Aveline Kushi extols the adaptogenic properties of burdock in her book Complete
Guide to Macrobiotic Cooking. Kushi mentions that gobo (burdock roots)
can be eaten all year round, but is especially warming for the winter months
because it has a “very strong energy.” Kushi gives recipes for
preparing burdock roots with other vegetables such as carrots and green
beans. Tofu can be added to provide further nutrients. The tender gobo roots
are commonly found in supermarkets and natural foods markets in many parts
of the country and can be prepared by boiling, sauteing, or deep-frying.
I enjoy thinly-sliced gobo roots stir-fried in olive oil or sesame oil with
garlic, greens (such as kale), red peppers, and tofu. The crisp, firm roots
can also be added to soups of all kinds.



Suma (Pfaffia paniculata)

This herb, native to the Amazon has been used in South America for generations
as a heal-all. In Spanish it has been called “para todo,” because
of its wide range of applications. Modern research suggests that suma may
be an effective adaptogen. It is prescribed in Brazilian hospitals for cancer
and diabetes, for which purpose it is taken in tea form, two or three cups
daily. The American herbalists Janet Zand and Michael Tierra recommend suma
for its strengthening properties, especially for women who suffer from fatigue
and hormonal imbalances. Tierra claims that.”to obtain the maximum
benefits, one has to take it as a ‘food tonic’, for instance 2 to 4 capsules
of the powder which is equivalent to 1 tablet of the powdered extract
or up to a teaspoon of the powder (as a tea or in food) every hour for an
extended period of time–up to a month or more.” After this period,
he has seen a smaller dose (one dose 3 or 4 times a week) have the same
effect. Tierra enthusiastically recounted people with chronic fatigue syndrome
that “were so tired they couldn’t answer the telephone,” that
after a week (of taking Suma) they could start functioning again. He cautions
that some people may experience nausea, in which case it is best to cut
the dose down (perhaps by a third) until the nausea disappears. He also
feels that it is contraindicated with inflammatory conditions manifesting
in acute sydromes like colds, and other infections.



Finally, note that adaptogens are promising herbal medicines for another
important reason. Not only do adaptogenic plants contain important nutrients
such as iron, magnesium, and germanium, which we already know are important
for maintaining optimum health, but their steroid-like compounds may also
prove to be essential dietary ingredients. Although scientists have yet
to set “daily minimum requirements” for these adaptogenic compounds,
we may yet find that the lack of them in our modern diets is a contributing
factor in the stress-related and immune-based chronic illness which are
increasingly common today.



It is certain tht nature herself is our most powerful ally in our quest
for health and longevity, and herbs are not the only of nature’s adaptogens
available. Saunas and cold water treatments (when properly applied) are
adaptogenic in their normalizing and general strengthening effects, as are
all forms of exercise, if practiced wisely. Also, as Norman Cousins has
so eloquently put forth, laughing is a deeply healing activity and is, in
rather serious terms, one of the greatest adaptogens.

• Adaptogens (adrenal support and stress-protection): eleuthero, ashwaganda,
  gotu kola
  
• Hormonal balancing herbs: vitex, licorice
  
• Circulation activators: ginger, cayenne, prickly ash
  

• 1 part marshmallow root
  
  
• 1/4 part licorice root
  
  
• 1/2 part peppermint
  
  
• 1/2 part camomile flowers
  
  
• 1/4 part fennel
  
  

© 1996

The over the Counter (OTC) drugs Aspirin and acetominophin (the main
active ingredient of Tylenol and other analgesics) are two of the world’s
best-selling medications of all time. One would hardly be surprised to see
this title on an article in the local paper. But what would you say if you
read that many people develop liver disease from taking therapeutic doses
of these ubiquitous drugs, and that this known side-effect was not mentioned
on their labels or accompanying literature?



Although aspirin and acetominophen have a reputation as being generally
safe, many people are aware that these non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs
(NSAIDs) can cause stomach bleeding and are associated with Reye’s Syndrome.




Recent studies seem to support the use of daily aspirin in order to reduce
the liklihood of heart attack? and strokes.



What about the environmental impact of synthetically producing ?? of tons
of the drugs–energy and chemical pollution, and the use of dwindling resources
of oil.

Risk to Benefit Ratio



Few people, except the most staunchly holistic of health practitioners,
would deny that aspirin or acetominophen[MT1] has some place in the modern
medicine. Especially after experiencing a severe toothache or other intractable
pain. Pain itself, if it goes on long enough can place a tremendous strain
on our energy and immune system reserves. But magic bullets have their pitfalls,
too. They seduce us into forgetting why the pain is there in the first place.




Their almost universal occurrence–not only in drug stores, where one might
expect them, but in restaurants, gas stations and convenience stores, makes
it easy to soothe the ill and forget about the deeper meaning of it all.
Why does the toothache occur in the first place? Is it just bad luck that
we have weak enamel, or does diet, stress and the overall health of our
environment (such as water quality) play a role?



Can milder, but safer (such as willow-bark extract) plant-based medicines
offer some relief, as well allow an opportunity to look further into the
depths of our pain? Traditional healers, herbalists and other holistic health
practitioners might say so. Many pharmacists and doctors would not.



Although these issues appear to be mainly philosophical musings, they are
relevant to the central theme of this piece….are aspirin and acetominophen
safe, and if not, under what circumstances is the risk worthwhile?



Many scientists are fond of looking at the risk to benefit ratio of a drug,
device or method with which to mitigate disease.



To a pharmacist, acetaminophen may help alleviate a headache, toothache,
or other pain, thus holding great benefit and little risk. A traditional
healer may feel that aspirin only masks the symptoms of a headache and thus
does not help a person look at underlying causes, such as job stress, which
may eventually lead to more serious illness-thus offering little benefit
and possibly important risks.



Recently, common non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents have shown hepatotoxicity,
including acetominophen and aspirin in therapeutic doses.1,2,3,4,5 It has
been reported that “about 50% of patients given aspirin regularly in
anti-inflammatory doses develop mild, dose-dependent reversible liver damage”




In evaluating comfrey toxicity, one must be conscious of a possible double
standard that some pharmaceutical drugs widely sold in drug stores, markets,
convenience stores, and many other outlets have been proven to be hepatotoxic.
The most common examples are aspirin,6 acetaminophen (as well as common
proprietary preparations containing acetaminophen),7 and antibiotics such
as tetracycline, erythromycin, and cyclosporin.8,9,10



The main point in assessing the toxicity of both drugs and herbs seems to
be the risk/benefit ratio. Although few dismiss the benefit of discriminating
use of over-the-counter analgesics, anti-inflammatory agents and antibiotics,
the lack of warning on packages and in advertising for these products can
be noted.



[**go into several drug stores and take notes on about 6 major brands–do
any of them mention liver toxicity?]** report findings**



It is known that children, alcoholics, and people with a history of liver
disease are also more susceptible to liver damage from these drugs, but
this is not noted on commonly-sold drugs in these categories.11



“About 50% of patients given aspirin regularly in anti-inflammatory
doses develop mild, dose-dependent reversible liver damage as shown by elevation
of the plasma aminotransferase activity. Liver damage is more severe in
a small minority and it may rarely be complicated by disseminated intravascular
coagulation and encephalopathy with a fatal outcome (Prescott).”



“In other cases lier damage could have been caused by exposure to other
agents, viral infection or naturally occurring liver disease.



Dr. L.F. Prescott, a clinical pharmacologist from the Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh
has said that “liver damage has been reported on occasion with virtually
all non-narcotic analgesics. Exotic, newer generation drugs in this category,
such as diclofenac, glafenine, phenylbutazone can cause liver damage after
a short period of use, but Dr. Prescott notes that “paradoxically,
it is acetylsalicylic acid (aspirin) and paracetamol (acetaminophen), two
of the longest established non-prescription analgesics, which seem to have
the greatest potential for hepatotoxicity at present.



Some individuals are especially susceptible to sustaining liver damage from
these two drugs, which is usually said to be caused by ‘hypersensitivity’
or idiosyncrasy.



Besides liver toxicity, regular and heavy consumption of aspirin can also
cause other serious problems in susceptable individuals, such as hemorrhage
due to the interference of the drug on the vitamin K-dependent synthesis
in the liver of clotting factors.



Although aspirin has been used for many years, it is only recently that
the hepatoxicity of aspirin has been documented.



**”liver damage does not seem to occur unless salicylate concentrations
are maintained for several days or weeks.”



Many clinical and laboratory tests have adequately confirmed a close relationship
between aspirin ingestion, blood salycilate concentrations and lier damage.”

The ginkgo tree is considered one of the world’s oldest living things and
was first named Ginkgo biloba because of its 2-lobed fan-shaped leaves.
The trees not only live to be over 1,000 years old, attaining a massive
size, they have been around on planted earth for at least 2 million years.
The fossil record shows that ginkgo lived in forests throughout several
parts of the world including North America. In fact, one of the most extensive
fossil forests can be seen on the banks of the Columbia river along the
Oregon-Washington border.



Why has this tree survived when all others have died out? Modern tests show
it to be remarkably resistant to insect damage, virus or bacterial infection,
as well as modern chemical pollution which is why it is such a successful
street tree in many parts of the world. Observers of the ginkgo phenomenon
feel that it is ginkgo’s beauty though, that has brought it into the modern
age. As many legends tell, the trees were planted around temples by priests
and priestesses because of their magnificent stature and delicate beauty.
Thus they have been perpetuated and brought into the modern age.



The healing traditions of ginkgo were recorded from thousands of years
ago when the seeds were used in medicinal preparations to strengthen the
kidneys, improve digestion and help strengthen people who were recovering
from many kinds of illnesses. The seeds were often added to popular dishes,
considered both delicious and healing. The following recipe comes from 5
generations of Chinese families–I learned of it during a meal in the country’s
first medicinal herb restaurant, the Emperor in San Francisco.



Cook 1 cup of rice in 2 cups of water until tender. Cook 1/2 cup of ginkgo
nuts (available from Chinese food stores or ethnic sections in many natural
foods stores or supermarkets) in enough water to cover them until tender.
Add the ginkgo water to the rice and blend until creamy, add the ginkgo
nuts and blend a little until the nuts are partly chopped, then heat the
porridge until hot and serve forth in a porcelain pot. Flavoring spices
such as cinnamon, nutmeg or allspice can be added, if desired.



This delicious treat–the nuts are sweet, slightly bitter and astringent–makes
a good dessert with all the healthful properties of the traditional ginkgo
nut, which can help expel mucous from the respiratory tract, benefiting
asthma or other respiratory ailments where there is wheezing and help strengthen
a weak bladder when there is frequent urination–having to get up in thee
night to visit the bathroom According to traditional Chinese medicine, the
nuts are highly nutritious, but should not be used on a continual basis–and
should not be used raw.



Modern studies

Although the nuts have the longest history of use in Traditional Chinese
Medicine, it is the leaves that excite modern scientific interest. The Germans,
with their penchant for analyzing the constituents and activity of natural
substances, discovered, developed and brought the leaf medicine from ginkgo
into the modern age. In the 1950s, researchers from Wilmar Schwabe, a company
making highly-researched products from medicinal plants became interested
in the chemistry of ginkgo and isolated several compounds which they found
to be active in biological systems. A highly purified extract was developed
and experimentation began in clinical situations to support the preliminary
laboratory results. Over the last 35 years, hundreds of tests in both laboratory
and clinic have proven without a doubt that ginkgo extract is a veritable
treasure-trove of active compounds displaying an amazing array of activity
on important body systems. Ginkgo is helping to counteract some of the more
unsolved human ailments such as ringing in the ears (tinnitis), visual disturbances
due to retina damage, and especially circulation and brain disorders.



First and foremost, ginkgo is a preparation for the health problems that
can develop during the aging process–it is a medicine for middle-age and
older. This is the application for which it is prescribed, having become
one of the most successful drugs in Germany and France and other parts of
Europe. In the U.S., ginkgo products have been available in most natural
food stores for 2 or 3 years, but are just now becoming known as a memory
and mental clarity-promoting herb. The full range of its amazing benefits
may still await discovery.



Many herbalists feel that it is a matter of time until ginkgo is accepted
as a remedy of major importance not only among natural practitioners, but
in the allopathic medical community as well. And herein lies not only promise
of great benefit for reducing suffering and disease, but a possible problem.
(statement from Mark?). Will ginkgo be available in the future as a prescription
drug, or will it continue to be available widely, as today, in natural food
stores and herb shops as a health supplement? Drug or supplement is an interesting
question and one that needs to be resolved because it is one that may determine
the fate of many natural remedies, such as evening primrose seed oil, which
is already under fire because the studies show without doubt that it is
effective, not unlike the studies on ginkgo.



Although ginkgo has been shown to posses many interesting properties, and
an exploration of the available literature can be bewildering in its complexity,
these can be boiled down to a few of the most interesting and important
effects on the body and the major areas of practical application for everyday
health problems. To summarize, ginkgo is primarily an important remedy for
aging and the elderly–for restoring proper function and preventing degenerative
changes in important parts of the body. The most profoundly affected organs
of the body are the eyes, brain, blood vessels and cardiovascular system,
but beneficial effects on the organs of hearing and sight must also be mentioned.




Active Constituents


These major physiological effects are thought to be due to several groups
of active chemicals or constituents, specifically, flavonoid-like compounds,
such as quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin, and complex molecules called
terpenoids, most importantly, ginkgolides A, B, C, J, M and one bilobalide
(which are unique to ginkgo). Many commercial products are standardized
(proven to be at a certain level in each batch) to 24% of the flavonoids–which
may be the most desirable form in which to take ginkgo when a strong, consistent,
highly purified product is needed. As a mild, but more wholesome, daily
supplement, the liquid extract may be the product of choice. Both kinds
of extracts are widely available.



Although scientists enjoy quantifying and pinning down exactly what minute
effects these compounds have on the biological processes of the body for
standardization or consistency of activity, and for advancement of our general
knowledge of how the body works, herbalists take a more simple and traditional
approach. Here, anecdotal and practical experience, as well as a long history
of use is of primary interest. Important too, is how a particular remedy
will affect an individual, which might have a different effect than with
another individual with a different kind of constitution. Obviously, both
approaches have something to offer–both pure science and humanistic person-oriented
medicine.



Practical Uses


An important question to the reader of this article is obviously, what can
ginkgo do for me? Clinical trails with human volunteers are going on now
throughout Europe, with new studies being reported regularly. Many previous
studies, performed over the last 15 years or so show that ginkgo is most
useful in the following areas:

• protection against free-radicals
  
• improvement of circulation of the legs and brain in the elderly, help
  in preventing cardiovascular disease and improvement of vessel tone and
  blood characteristics
  
• protection against loss of mental powers, helping mental clarity, memory,
  and concentration
  
• increasing blood, oxygen and energy supplies to the brain
  
• ringing in the ears, vertigo, and dizziness
  
• protection against retina damage and vision loss due to free-radical
  damage
  
• may offer protection against environmental toxins (pesticides and herbicides)
  and general stress support
  
• PAF-acether inhibitor, possibly counteracting toxic shock and reducing
  symptoms of asthma, and other common allergic or immune-based disorders
  
• has shown short-term memory enhancing ability, in both young and old
  people
  

In short, ginkgo may be the ideal herbal support to counteract some of the
most common conditions associated with the aging process and of many environmental
stressors, to which we are all subject.



To summarize, the main point to remember is that ginkgo, with regular use,
can help increase and maintain the blood supply to the very small vessels
of the body, the capillaries. These vessels nourish all the tissues of the
body, but most importantly the brain, extremities, skin, eyes, the inner
ear, the heart and other vital organs.



Ginkgo may be the first herb that “comes to mind” for many of
these increasingly common health problems.



The above article was taken partly from the soon to be published book on
ginkgo, GINKGO–THE MIND AND CIRCULATION HERB by Christopher Hobbs, published
by Botanica Press, available in many natural food stores.

Introduction

Herbal medicines are the precursors of many common drugs prescribed in clinical
practice in modern western industrial countries today. Further, herbs and
herbal products are still an important part of the primary health care systems
in many parts of the world–in countries such as China and Mexico, and throughout
South America and Africa. Common use and interest in herbal medicine is
also growing in some industrial countries such as the United States and
Germany. Throughout recorded history, some of the same herbal medicines
commonly used today were recognized and prescribed by ancient doctors–handed
down from unknown antiquity.



One such plant was called agnos by the ancient Greeks, over 2,000
years ago; then agnus castus throughout the middle ages and renaissance.
Today one can still buy these small spicy fruits in European herb markets
by the same name.



The ancients ascribed many magical powers to this plant, and it was considered
an important healing herb among the common people during the following centuries.
Throughout Europe, where herbal medicine has more of an unbroken tradition
than it does in the United States, agnus castus or “vitex” as
it is usually called here, is often used to help relieve the symptoms associated
with female hormonal imbalances such as the depression, cramps, mood swings,
water retention and weight gain associated with the menstrual cycle (PMS-associated
symptoms). In European herbalism and medical practice, Vitex extracts are
also prescribed for uterine fibroid cysts and to help alleviate the unpleasant
symptoms of menopause.



The lack of modern controlled studies is surprising, given the herb’s extremely
long history of use as a hormone balancing remedy and a legendary remedy
to help subdue excited libidos among those who would remain chaste. Identification
and standardization of active constituents still await interested researchers.
This work may be soon forthcoming given the current re-awakening of interest
in this ancient herb.



Botany and Natural Occurance of Chaste Tree

Vitex, a genus from the Verbenaceae, consists of about 60 species
in the tropics and subtropics in both hemispheres. Vitex agnus castus
is in the vervain family (Verbenaceae) and is a well-known aromatic shrub
to small tree growing in the Mediterranean area to western Asia. The plant
has long spires of pale lilac or rose colored flowers and small grey-brown,
hard fruits, which is the part used medicinally. It is often found growing
next to streams, and it loves water, but this author has seen it growing
in very dry, rocky spots on the Greek islands.



Vitex usually grows from three to nine feet tall, but under cultivation
can develop to 20 feet tall. The bark is white-felted, the opposite leaves
are palmately compound with 5-7 leaflets. The flowers are in interrupted
spikes and the corolla is two-lipped from 6-9 mm long. The fruit is a small hard reddish-black drupe with a persistent calyx.

Because agnus castus is native to Greece and Italy, it was well-known by
the ancients. The name Vitex comes from the Romans, perhaps because
it was considered related to the willow, Salix–both because of its
leaves and its flexible branches, used like willow in wickerwork. Agnus-castus
comes from the Greek agnos castus, chaste, because the plant has
since those times been associated with chastity. Pliny, the Greek natural
historian (AD 23-79) wrote that the Greeks called it lygos, or agnos
because the “Athenian matrons, preserving their chastity at the
Thesmophoria, strew their beds with its leaves.”



Linnaeus described the plant as Vitex agnus castus in Species
Plantarum (1753), naming De Plantis Epitome of Mattioli (1586),
Royen’s Florae Leydensis Prodromus (1740), Gronovious’ Flora Virginica
(1739-47) and Bauhin’s Theatri Botanici (1623) as the authorities.
Bauhin called it Vitex latiore folio.



History of Use and Folklore

Ancient Medicine (Egyptians, Greeks, Romans)


The ancients valued vitex highly for many health problems, and used its
branches for making furniture. Pliny, the great writer and compiler on natural
history, said the seeds taste like wine when a drink is made of them, and
were taken to reduce fevers and stimulate perspiration. The drink was used
in similar ways common today in European herbalism: to promote menstruation,
“to purge the uterus” and to promote the free flow of milk
in new mothers. According to Pliny, vitex was highly revered as one of the
most useful medicines of the times. Because of their hot nature, the seeds
of Vitex were taken to dispel “wind” or flatulence from the bowels,
to promote urine, check diarrhea and greatly benefit dropsy and splenic
diseases. The remedy was considered efficacious as an antidote to the bites
of spiders and snakes. Pliny mentions two kinds of agnus castus– one that
is small and shrubby and the other a small tree with speckled flowers. The
Greek historian wrote that the smaller one was the more effective for snake
bites. One drachma of the seed, or two of the most tender leaves, were taken
in wine, or in vinegar and water. A tincture of fruits, or an herbal wine
seem to be an effective way of taking vitex, as the oldest and best-studied
vitex product is a liquid tincture.



Throughout history, vitex has been associated with sexual passion. Pliny
claims that vitex “checks violent sexual desire.” The blossom
and tender shoots mixed with rose oil clear away headache “due to
intoxication.” A fomentation and decoction “takes away
the more severe type of headache, purges the uterus, and the bowels, if
drunk with pennyroyal.” Finally, an interesting application, though
perhaps not so useful today–“It is said that those who keep a twig
in their hand or in their girdle do not suffer from chafing between the
thighs.” Maybe it was the Roman feasts that made this a real problem.



Dioscorides, the greatest and most reliable of the ancient herbalists writes
more in his De Materia Medica (about 55 A.D.), about vitex than many
of the hundreds of other herbs he includes in the work. Most remarkably,
his account of its properties are exactly those that are the major modern
indications: “it both brings down the milk and expels ye menstrua–being
drank …in wine [and]..a decoction of the seed [is for] inflammation
about the womb.” Mixed with pulegeum (pennyroyal) he further recommends
it for headaches, perhaps attendant with menstrual difficulties. He stresses
that externally (as a poltice or fomentation) it is of service in inflammations,
venomous bites and wounds. Dioscorides also quotes from earlier authors
that vitex has a warming, binding faculty and that the “seed [is] as
of pepper.” He echoes earlier works, too, in hinting that the origin
of the legends about vitex being able to curb sexual appetites derived from
women placing the foul-smelling branches and leaves upon their bed to deter
amorous men.



Middle Ages (Arabians, Salerno, Saxon Leechdom)


After the Roman period, herbalism did not continue to develop in
a very critical or sophisticated way–most writers copied and recopied the
Codex of Dioscorides and the works of a few other ancient medical
writers. Of course, the day-to-day use of herbs by the common people continued
throughout the period. Novel written herbals from this period (100 – 900
AD) are very rare, existing only in manuscript form, and few, if any, have
been reprinted , so they are not generally available. About 850 AD, original
medical and pharmaceutical ideas again began to flourish in Persia, during
the “Golden Age of Arabic science.” These ideas and evolutionary
writings were preserved in the works of several notable authors on medicine,
materia medica and pharmacy; and about the same time, the first herb books
were written down in medieval Anglo-Saxon (in England) by “leeches”
or doctors who used herbs and other cures, in their “leechbooks.”



Agnus castus was apparently known by the Persians, as seen in two of the
translated works on materia medica, The Medical Formulary of Al-Kindi
from the last half of the 9th century, and The Medical Formulary
of Al-Samarquandi from about 1200 AD. The Persian name was Faqad, banjakusht
or fanjakusht. Al-Samarqandi mentions its use with other simples to “cure
insanity, the stroke of madness and epilepsy.” Levey, the researcher
and translator of these two Arabian works, adds that the fruits are currently
sold in Egyptian bazaars as “a calming agent in hysteria.”
Al Kindi mixes agnus castus with other herbs to make a “black remedy”
to cure insanity, madness and epilepsy.



Vitex did not grow naturally in England, so it may not have been known at
the time of the Anglo-Saxon leeches, around 900 to 1450. It is not mentioned
in the Leech-book of Bald or the Herbarium of Apuleius.



The Renaissance (The Age of Herbalism)

After the Persian period, which ended about 1450, the Renaissance began
to flower in Europe, which was especially fortuitous for herbal medicine
especially after the invention of the printing press–about 1455.



Among the earliest herbals of the Renaissance (in English) is Banckes’
Herbal (1525), which is generally presumed to be a compilation from
other, older sources. Vitex is given as much space as most of the other
herbs, so it must have been well-known in England before 1500, at least–although
the uses Banckes quotes about Angus castus, such as “it will keep
men and women chaste,” drunk with fennel seed, “it will
destroy the dropsy,” or washing a man’s head will cure “an
evil that is called lethargy” are not very revealing. Also, the
herb is said to be good to “defy [dispel] the hardness and stopping
of the milt” [spleen]. Vitex is described as having yellow flowers
and bear black berries, so he may never have actually seen the plant.



After Bancke’s Herbal, a series of what are called “the great herbals”
were published over the next 100 years; namely, in Germany, by Boch, Fuchs,
Brunfels and in England, Turner, Dodoens (English translation from the Dutch),
Gerard and Parkinson and in Italy, Matthioli. Culpepper’s famous herbal
was published just after Parkinson’s (late 1600s), and drew heavily on the
other, older herbals.



Gerard, one of the greatest of the Renaissance herbalists, gathered herbal
uses from the ancients, folk uses of the time and uses from professional
herbalists and wrote them down in his famous Herbal. His information tends
to be fanciful and practical, both. On the fanciful side, he considers that
vitex will have the same effect whether it is taken in powder, tea or whether
“the leaves be carried about the body.” As is usual throughout
this period, Gerard mentions that it is the remedy for those who
would live chaste. On the practical side, he also extols it as a cure for
“windiness of the stomach,” or flatulence. Those who drink
an infusion of the fruits in wine (a wineglass full at a time) can also
expect that it will “cureth the stoppings of the liver and spleen“.
Gerard also encourages its use as a “female” herb. He writes that
the seed and leaves are good against pain and inflammations of the uterus,
and that the seed drunk with pennyroyal will bring on the menses and as
a poultice, cure a headache (which is a quote from Dioscorides).



Official Medicine in Europe (1618 to the early 1700’s)

Vitex was official in some European pharmacopeias, including the influential
first Pharmacopoeia Londinensis of 1618, but quickly was dropped
from official status, and by 1713, Alleyne, in his New English Dispensatory,
reporting on official drugs, could only say, “…not now in esteem,
or scarce ever made or used in the shops.” In 1790 the only major
official pharmacopeia it could be seen in was that of Dispensatorium
pharmaceuticum Brunsvicense (1777). Currently, it is not listed as official
in any pharmacopeias in Martindale’s Extra Pharmacopeia.xx?



The Modern Age

Vitex was well-known in the early 1700’s in England, and the belief
of the ancients that it was efficacious to quell excess sexual passions
was often quoted, but it wasn’t much used in medical practice by “the
moderns.” James, in his Pharmacopeia Universalis (1747), asserts
that the common belief of the current practitioners was that the herb was
only repressive to the passions in people who were excessively hot, because
of its drying nature, which might act to dry up excess “seed,”
but that because of its hot nature, it could actually be a stimulant of
sexual desire where the person was “cold:” “Persons languid
in this respect are to be stimulated and roused.” It is interesting
that many of the energetic properties of vitex and other herbs were ascribed
to them, in some cases quite close to ones given in current Traditional
Chinese Medicine.



To summarize, vitex was revered for many ailments, such as colic, gas and
other digestive problems in areas where it grew naturally, namely around
the Mediterranean area. In England, it was considered to be useful for the
above conditions based on the writings of the Greeks and Romans–it had
a very strong reputation, which carried through for centuries. The English
began to lose interest in it about the 1700’s and didn’t get excited about
it again until the middle 1900’s, at which time it became known as a valuable
herb for female reproductive imbalances. For instance, Vitex cannot be found
in any of the English herbals from the early 1900’s, such as Leyel’s herbals
or Potter’s. Grieve, in her famous A Modern Herbal, gives Vitex a
scant paragraph or two, saying that “a tincture (of the fresh,
ripe berries are used] for the relief of paralysis, pains in the limbs,
weakness, etc.“



In Germany and France, the herb was more used and had less of a drop in
popularity than in the more distant England. For instance, in the 1880’s
in France, the fruits were said to be bitter and aromatic, a promoter of
good digestion, diuretic, carminative and to remove “visceral obstructions.”
The author of a French medical herbal work of the late 1800’s, Cazin, mentions
that the use of vitex to cool the passions was well-known; also mentioned
is a famous syrup, “an infallible remedy for maintaining chastity
and repressing the ardors of Venus,” made from the seeds by a contemporary
priest “endowed with great piety and an apostolic zeal.”
He goes on to say that the remedy was distributed in the convents to subdue
passion, but he doubted it had that effect. Rather he considered that it
had “a very stimulating property.”



Folk Medicine vs. “Official Medicine”

It is somewhat revealing that Vitex agnus castus has not been listed
in the official medicine books to any extent, indicating that it has been
most used in folk medicine. It was revered and widely used in Greek, Roman,
Persian medicine and during the middle-ages, throughout Europe, dropping
from official ranks in the middle 1600’s. From there, it was widely used
as a common folk-remedy for female hormonal imbalances and for stimulating
the milk flow until present, as is reviewed above. In the early part of
the 1900’s, it began to be investigated chemically and in the 1950’s, pharmacologically
in the clinic and laboratory. It is currently seeing a new wave of popularity
in England, other parts of Europe.



American Medicine

Vitex was not known or used in American medicine, either in “official”
medicine or in folk medicine and even the most comprehensive of the Eclectic
medical works, the Felter-Lloyd revision of King’s American Dispensatory,
only mentions it in passing. However, it is currently receiving interest
in herbal-based clinical practices for a variety of female disorders, and
products containing Vitex are widely available in natural food stores and
herb stores across the country.



Use in Asia, other Cultures



Vitex agnus-castus is not used in Traditional Chinese Medicine
(TCM), or in traditional east Indian medicine (Ayurveda), though it is indigenous
into Baluchistan in Pakistan and occasionally grown in Indian gardens. Several
other Vitex species are used in these traditional systems, especially
Vitex negundo, and V. trifoliata (=V. incisa). In Ayurveda,
the two are used in similar ways, but the latter plant is considered stronger.
A tea of the roots (1/2 cup 2X daily) is reported to be a pleasant bitter
in cases of malaria and typhus fevers and is commonly used for a number
of everyday health problems.



Vitex negundo is known throughout Asia and grows abundantly in southern
India, where the fruits are considered a vermifuge. V. negundo is
found plentifully in North China, and in TCM the roots are employed in colds
and rheumatic pains, and an infusion of the twigs is considered to be an
effective remedy for headaches, dizziness, convulsions of children, coughs,
mental unrest and is said to promote wakefulness. Interestingly, the seeds
of the same plant (and other species of Vitex) are reported sold in Chinese
pharmacies in Malaya under the name Ching tzü as the main part used
in medicine, which echos the use of V. agnus-castus in western herbalism.
Hooper reports that the fruits are “given for headache, catarrh
and watery eyes.” The seeds of V. trifoliata are prescibed
in headache and catarrh and are said to promote the growth of the beard;
they are also used as a remedy for breast cancer.



A hot decoction of the seeds of vitex are used as a contraceptive, and as
a hot decoction and vaginal pessary for an emmenagogue in Unani traditional
medicine, according to Razzack.

Bibliography



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Formerly published in Pharmacy in History