Historical Herbalist: Dioscorides
Historical Herbalists: Dioscorides Introduction Pendanius Dioscorides, a Greek physician from the first century, is known for his contributions to pharmacology through his publication De Materia Medica.1 As a matter of fact, Dioscorides, originally from the region now known as Turkey, served as a surgeon in the Roman army under Nero.2 De Materia Medica De Materia […]
Herbal Highlights: St. John’s Wort
Herb Highlights: St. John’s Wort Introduction What’s in a name? According to legend, the name St. John’s Wort comes from the Christian figure John the Baptist.1 Consequently, these bright yellow flowers typically bloom around the summer solstice which is close to June 24th, St. John’s celebrated birthday. Despite the bright yellow nature of the flower, […]
Herb Highlights: Valerian
Herb Highlights: Valerian Introduction What is that smell? Many of those who work with herbs know the smell of dried Valerian root. It is quite pungent, like the smell of a wet dog. The smell comes from the plant’s valeric acid.1 Despite this, the odor is not linked to any of the effects of Valerian. […]
Historical Herbalist: Hippocrates
Historical Herbalists: Hippocrates Introduction Holistic Humorism In Hippocrates’ lifetime, illness came from gods or superstitious beliefs.1 In fact, people viewed the body as a collection of separate parts.4 Hippocrates challenged these ideas and used a holistic approach to understand and treat illness. The idea of humors goes back to Ancient Indian Ayurvedic medicine.5 So the […]
Herb Highlights: Oregon Grape
Herb Highlights: Oregon Grape Introduction On the United Plant Savers Species at Risk List, the Oregon Grape is in the “To Watch” category of plants that could be “At Risk” in the future. Plants that are “At Risk” are those listed as endangered or threatened on the state or federal level. As the state flower […]
Historical Herbalists: Yellow Emperor
Historical Herbalists: Yellow Emperor Introduction Our company’s namesake, the Yellow Emperor or Huangdi, is a legendary figure in history. The legends say the Yellow Emperor’s rule over China started in the late 2690s BCE.1 Since that is well over 5,000 years ago, we will never know the Yellow Emperor’s true origins. Similarly to other legendary […]
Herb Highlights: Slippery Elm
Introduction Slippery Elm, also known as Red Elm, is a deciduous tree native to North America1. In the mid-1700s it was the same species as the American Elm. Later, in 1793, Slippery Elm became a unique species2. Slippery Elm has many uses ranging from construction to medicine.Uses over time Slippery Elm’s value to humans has a […]
Herb Highlights: Cloves
Introduction Cloves are a spice that humans have traded for centuries.1 In the United States, we associate cloves with fall and winter drinks and confections. Ironically, the plant is native to Indonesia, which is in a tropical zone. Currently, cloves grow in tropical countries worldwide.2 Today, cloves are a common spice in food, but […]
Herb Highlights: Kava
Introduction Kava is a traditional medicinal plant from the South Pacific. It originated either on the island of New Guinea or Vanuatu1, but no one knows for sure. Currently, it grows on many islands in Oceania. The scientific name for the kava most popularly used today is Piper methysticum. Actually, this cultivar is sterile, cultivated […]
Herb Highlights: Echinacea spp.
Introduction There are ten species of Echinacea and all are native to the plains of central and eastern North America1. Also known as coneflower, Echinacea is yet another herb that we know about thanks to its use by Native American tribes like Kiowa, Cheyenne, Pawnee, and Lakota. These tribes used it for various reasons from […]