Page 103 - Lost Book Remedies

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies

Lemon Verbena Tincture: Take fresh Lemon Pour the vodka over the leaves and fill the jar, making
Verbena leaves and flowers, chopped, 80 proof vodka sure all the leaves are covered. Cap the jar tightly and
or other drinking alcohol and a jar with a tight-fitting place it in a cool, dark place, such as a cupboard. Let
lid. Add the lemon verbena to the jar, packing it about the tincture steep for 6 to 8 weeks, shaking the jar
three quarters full. daily. Pour the alcohol through a fine mesh sieve or a
coffee filter to remove all the herb. Store the tincture in
a cool, dark cupboard for up to 7 years.

compounds are antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflamma-
Licorice Root, tory, and include natural steroid compounds.

Glycyrrhiza glabra Glycyrrhizin, one of the components of licorice root,
can cause side-effects if overused or taken in large
Licorice root is an adaptogenic herb that thrives in doses. Be aware of all side-effects and interactions be-
USDA growing zones 6 through 11. It is well known for fore using licorice root.
its strong candy flavor but is a valuable medicinal herb You can also get deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL),
for treating many illnesses. which has the glycyrrhizin removed, thus preventing
its side effects.

Leaky Gut Syndrome and Inflammation:
Leaky gut, or intestinal permeability, is an inflamma-
tory disease of the intestinal tract. Licorice root
soothes the intestines and reduces inflammation in the
gut and throughout the body.
Peptic Ulcers: Licorice root is effective against the
Helicobacter pylori bacteria that cause peptic ulcers.
The root kills the bacteria and helps heal the ulcers in
most people.

Heartburn, Stomach Problems, and Acid
Reflux: Licorice root has shown to be effective
against indigestion heartburn, acid reflux, indigestion,
stomach pain, and nausea.
Photo By Gardenology.org, CC by SA 3.0
Glycyrrhiza glabra and Glycyrrhiza uralensis are me- Fertility Problems, PMS, and Menopause
dicinally similar, but here we are referring to Glycyr- Symptoms: Licorice root has an estrogen-like effect
rhiza glabra. It is a member of the legume/pea family in women, due to the compound glabrene, which is a
(Fabaceae). phytoestrogen. It has been shown to help menstrual
and fertility problems. When used as a hormone re-
Identification: Glycyrrhiza glabra grows to approx- placement therapy, it reduces hot flashes and other
imately 3 feet tall (0.9m). Its pinnate leaves are 3 to 6 symptoms of menopause due to the compounds liqui-
inches long (7.5 – 15cm) with 9 to 17 leaflets each. The ritigenin and glabrene.
purple to pale blue flowers are about 1/2 inch long
(1.25cm), growing in a loose inflorescence. In the fall Cancer: Licorice root may aid in the treatment of
the plant produces fruit in the form of an oblong pod, prostate and breast cancers. Research is still in pro-
each of which contains several seeds. The root pro- gress on the use of licorice in cancer treatment, but the
duces runners growing close to the surface. early results are promising.

Medicinal Use: The roots and leaves contain many Hepatitis C: Glycyrrhizin is an anti-viral and anti-
types of compounds that are medically active: couma- inflammatory. It may act against the virus causing hep-
rins, triterpenoids, glabrene, and polyphenols. These atitis C and helps reduce long-term liver damage from
the disease. Herbalists use glycyrrhizin to treat chronic
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