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About.....Herbals
- Short Glossary of Terms
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Abortifacient: causes a pregnancy to
end.Adaptogen: improves the body's ability to cope with chronic
stress.
Adjuvant: an immunological agent that increases the antigenic
response.
Alexeteric: effective against infection or poisoning.
Alterative: gradually and favorably alters the
condition of the body.
Amebicide: destructive to amoebae; kills amoebas.
Analgesic: relieves pain.
Analeptic: used as a central nervous system stimulant.
Anaphrodisiac: destroys sexual desire.
Androgenic: produces masculine characteristics
Anesthetic: reversibly depresses neuron function to deaden pain
and/or other sensation response.
Anhidrotic: inhibits or prevents perspiration.
Anodyne: relieves pain.
Anorectic: suppresses or causes loss of
appetite.
Antacid: neutralizes acid.
Anthelmintic: destructive to parasitic worms.
Anti-abortive: helps to inhibit abortive tendencies.
Anti-allergenic: counteracts or relieves an acquired
hypersensitivity to a substance allergen that does not normally cause a
reaction.
Anti-anemic: substances that prevent or correct anemic
conditions.
Anti-anginal: counters or prevents symptoms of
angina.
Anti-arrhythmic: counters or prevents cardiac
arrhythmia.
Anti-arthritic: relieves arthritis.
Anti-asthmatic: prevents or arrests an asthmatic attack.
Antibacterial: destroys or suppresses the growth or reproduction
of bacteria.
Antibilious: diminishes secretion of bile; an herb used to
eliminate a biliary or jaundice condition in the body.
Antibiotic: inhibits growth of or destroys microorganisms.
Anticatarrhal: helps the body reduce excess
mucous and phlegm.
Anticholesterolemic: counteracts or relieves the presence of
excess cholesterol in the blood.
Anticholinergic: inhibits or blocks the physiological action of
acetylcholine at a receptor site.
Anticoagulant: any substance that prevents
blood clotting.
Anticonvulsant: preventing or relieving
convulsions.
Antidepressant: relieves depression.
Antidiabetic: lowers blood sugar.
Anti-diarrheal: eliminates diarrhea.
Antidiuretic: reduces the output of urine.
Antidote: reduces or counteracts the effects
of a poison.
Antidyscratic: used to treat chronic metabolic
disorders. Has a profound effect on the whole metabolic process.
Antidysenteric: relieves or prevents dysentery.
Anti-dyspeptic: prevents or relieves indigestion.
Anti-edema: counteracts or relieves a local or generalized
condition in which the body tissues contain excessive fluid.
Anti-emetic: reduces the feeling of nausea and can help to
relieve or prevent vomiting.
Anti-epileptic: prevents or arrests seizures.
Anti-febrile: reduces fever.
Anti-fungal: treats infections caused by
fungus.
Anti-galactogogue: diminishes lactation.
Anti-germ: antagonistic to germs.
Antigonadotropic: opposes or counteracts gonad-stimulating
hormones.
Anti-gout: opposes or cures gout.
Anti-hemorrhage: relieves abnormal internal or external discharge
of blood.
Antihistamine: counteracts histamine production in allergic
reactions and colds; tends to counteract an allergic condition.
Anti-hypertensive: reduces high blood pressure.
Anti-hysteric: relieves a neurotic condition presenting extreme
emotional states along with a series of mental manifestations.
Anti-infection: counteracts or relieves a pathogenic
microorganism or virus which multiplies.
Anti-inflammatory: reduces general
inflammation internally or externally.
Antikapha: counteracts the following characteristics: cold, wet,
heavy, slow, dull, smooth, and cloudy.
Antilithic: removes or prevents formation of
stones or gravel in the urinary system.
Anti-malarial: therapeutically effective against malaria. Also
called antipaludian.
Antimicrobial: destroys or inhibits bacteria,
fungi, protozoa or viruses that are pathogenic.
Antimigraine: treats migraines.
Antimycotic: antagonistic to fungi.
Antinauseous: prevents or relieves nausea.
Antineuralgic: relieves the pain of neuralgia.
Antineoplastic: inhibits and combats the
development of tumors.
Antioxidant: protects key cell components by
neutralizing the damaging effects of free radicals.
Antipaludian: therapeutically effective against malaria. Also
called antimalarial.
Antiperiodic: prevents the periodic recurrence of
attacks of a disease; as in malaria.
Antiperspirant: suppresses perspiration.
Antiphlogistic: prevents or relieves
inflammation.
Antipitta: counteracts the following characteristics: hot,
light, fluid, subtle, malodorous, soft and clear.
Antiprogestational: opposes the effects of
progesterone.
Antiproliferative: counteracts a process of
proliferation such as the reproduction or multiplication of similar forms,
especially of cells and morbid cysts.
Antipruriginous: prevents or relieves itching.
Antiputrefactive: prevents the decomposition of animal matter.
Antipyretic: reduces fever.
Antirheumatic: prevents or relieves rheumatic
problems.
Antiscarring: prevents or reduces scar tissue.
Antisclerotic: prevents hardening of tissues.
Antiscorbutic: prevents or relieves scurvy.
Antiscrofulous: used to heal scrofula; a tubercular condition of
the lymph nodes.
Antisecretory: inhibitory to secretion.
Antiseptic: inhibits the growth and development
of microorganisms without necessarily killing them.
Antisialogogue: reduces production of saliva.
Antispasmodic: relieves spasm, usually of
smooth muscle, as in arteries, bronchi, intestine, bile duct, ureters or
sphincters, but also of voluntary muscle.
Antisudorific: reduces the secretion of sweat.
Antisyphilitic: treats or cures syphilis or other venereal
diseases.
Antithrombotic: inhibits blood coagulation.
Antithyroid: suppresses thyroid function.
Antitoxin: neutralizes a specific biological toxin.
Antitumor: inhibits growth of a tumor.
Antitussive: relieves or suppresses coughing.
Antivata: counteracts the following characteristics: dry, cold,
light mobile, subtle, rough, hard, irregular and clear.
Antivenemous: antidotes to animal, vegetable, and mineral
poisons.
Antiviral: Weakens or opposes the action of a
virus.
Aperative: stimulates the appetite.
Aperient: very gentle laxative effect.
Aphrodisiac: increases sexual desire or
potency.
Aromatic: has an agreeable, somewhat pungent, spicy odor, and
slightly stimulant properties.
Arteriosedative: relaxes the arteries or arterioles, opening them
for increased flow and capacity.
Ascaracide: kills worms of the genus ascarus.
Astringent: has a constricting or binding
effect; aids in breaking down secretions.
Bactericidal: destroys bacteria.
Bacteriostat: inhibits or retards bacterial growth.
Balancing: promotes the
normal state of action and reaction in the body, mind, emotions or spirit.
Bitter: promotes appetite and aids digestion.
Bland: leeches out dampness and promotes urination. Used like
salty substances.
Blistering Agent: causes an inflammatory exudation blistering of
the skin when applied locally.
Broncho-dilator: relaxes and opens the upper parts of the lungs
to improve respiration and relax constricting spasms.
Broncholytic: breaks down bronchial congestion.
Calmative: relaxes, pacifies, soothes.
Carcinogenic: causes cancer.
Carcinostatic: ceases or slows the growth of carcinoma.
Carcinoma: cancerous tumor.
Cardiac: pertaining to the heart.
Cardiosedative: soothes and relaxes the heart
muscle.
Carminative: rich in volatile oils and expel
gas from the stomach and bowels.
Cathartic: causes emptying of the bowels and
stimulates glandular secretions.
Cell proliferant: encourages new cell growth.
Cephalic: of or relating to the head.
Cholagogue: promotes the flow and discharge of
bile into the small intestine.
Choleretic: stimulates the liver to
produce more bile.
Cicatrizant: aids the formation of a scar.
Coagulant: promotes or accelerates the coagulation of blood.
Conceptive: assists conception.
Contraceptive: prevents conception.
Coronary dilator: opens or widens the coronary arteries to allow
blood to pass through more freely.
Corrective: alters and lessens the severity of action of other
herbs, especially cathartics or purgatives.
Counterirritant: causes irritation or mild inflammation of the
skin in order to relieve inflammation in underlying or adjacent tissues.
Cyanogenetic: pertaining to a generation of cyanide.
Cytophylactic: prevents the decomposition or destruction of
cells.
Cytostatic: creates an obstruction of a capillary as the result
of accumulated leukocytes, as in a region of inflammation.
Decoagulant: inhibits coagulation of blood by reducing the amount
of existing coagulants or procoagulants.
Decongestant: reduces congestion.
Demulcent: soothing substances taken internally
to protect damaged tissue.
Deobstruent: removes obstruction to flow.
Deodorant: eliminates or masks a smell.
Depressant: decreases the rate of vital physiological activities.
Depurative: purifies or cleanses the blood.
Dermatropic: having an affinity for the skin.
Detoxicant: removes accumulated waste products, metabolites or
chemical toxins from the body.
Diaphoretic: aids the skin in the elimination
of toxins through perspiration.
Diffusing: tends to spread out, circulate and disperse.
Digestive: improves digestion.
Discutient: scatters or disperses a pathologic accumulation.
Disinfectant: frees from infection.
Diuretic: herbs that increase the flow of
urine.
Drastic hydragogue: strong, irritating laxative or cathartic;
eliminates excess abdominal fluid.
Eccoprotic: causing evacuation of the bowels.
Emetic: causes vomiting when taken in very high
doses.
Emmenagogue: herbs that promote menstruation.
Emollient: soothes the skin or mucous membrane.
Emulsificant: breaks down large fat molecules by reducing surface
tension, thus rendering the fat molecules more soluble.
Errhine: promotes or induces nasal discharge.
Estrogenic: causes estrus; acting to produce the effects of an
estrogen.
Euphoriant: gives a general sense of well-being; tends to produce
euphoria.
Excipient: an inert substance added to a prescription in order to
confer a suitable consistency or form to the drug.
Excitant: produces excitation of the vital functions.
Expectorant: assists the body in expelling
excess mucous from the respiratory system.
Expellant: expels.
Febrifuge: helps the body to bring down fevers.
Fumigant: used for its disinfecting fumes.
Fungicidal: has a destructive, killing action upon fungi.
Galactogogue: helps increase the flow of
mother’s milk.
Gonadatrophic: stimulates the gonads; applied to hormones of the
anterior pituitary which influence the gonads.
Hallucinogen: induces hallucination.
Hematinic: improves the quality of the blood, increasing the
hemoglobin level and the number of erythrocytes.
Hematogenic: promotes the formation of blood cells.
Hematonic: increases the amount of hemoglobin in the blood.
Hemolytic: destructive to blood cells.
Hemopoietic: increases the rate of formation of blood.
Hemostatic: arrests the flow of blood within the vessels, arrests
hemorrhaging.
Herbicide: kills plants.
Hepatic: Strengthens, tones and stimulates
secretive functions of the liver.
Hydragogue: produces a discharge of watery fluid; denotes a class
of cathartics that retain fluids in the intestine and aid in the removal of
edematous fluids.
Hydrophilic: attracts or associates with water molecules,
possessed by polar radicals or ions, as opposed to hydrophobic.
Hydrophobic: lacks an affinity for water molecules, as opposed to
hydrophilic.
Hypertension: high blood pressure.
Hypertensive: increases blood pressure.
Hypnotic: helps induce sleep (not a hypnotic
trance).
Hypoglycemic: lowers blood sugar.
Hypotensive: lowers blood pressure.
Immunostimulant: stimulates or enhances the
function of the immune system.
Inebriant: intoxicates.
Inotropic: affecting the force
of muscle contraction.
Insecticide: kills insects.
Intoxicant: causes drunkenness.
Irritant: causes an extreme, incipient inflammatory reaction of
the tissues to an injury.
Larvacide: kills larva.
Laxative: promotes the evacuation of the
bowels.
Lenitive: demulcent or soothing. Eases pain or discomfort.
Leukopenic: causes an abnormally low number of leukocytes in the
circulating blood.
Lipophilic: capable of dissolving, of being dissolved in, or of
absorbing lipids.
Litholitic: affects the dissolution of a calculus or stone (gall,
kidney).
Lithotriptic: same as above.
Lubricating: reduces friction between parts which brush against
each other as they move.
Lymphatic: stimulates or otherwise affects the lymphatic system.
Metabolic stimulant: stimulates the
metabolism.
Mitogenic: induces mitosis.
Mitosis: the process of cell replication by
division.
Mucilaginous: contains gelatinous constituents
and is often a demulcent.
Mucilant: increases secretion of mucous.
Mutagenic: induces or increases mutation in an
organism.
Mydriatic: dilates the pupil.
Narcotic: induces a state of stuporous
analgesia.
Nematicide: kills nematode worms, which includes roundworms and
threadworms.
Nephritic: acts on the kidneys; renal.
Nervine: eases anxiety and stress and nourish
the nerves.
Neutral: in chemistry, neither acid nor alkaline.
Nourishing: feeds, restores and strengthens.
Nutrient: a constituent of food necessary for normal physiologic
function; provides nourishment.
Nutritive: nourishes and builds body tissues.
Oncolytic: Refers to viruses that kill cancer cells more often
than they kill normal cells.
Opthalmic: relates to or is healing to the eye.
Osmotic: diffuses fluid through a semi-permeable membrane until
there is an equal concentration of fluid on both sides of the membrane.
Oxygenating: saturates the blood or tissues with oxygen.
Oxytocic: hastens childbirth, induces or accelerates labor
especially by stimulating contractions of the uterus.
Palliative: relieves or soothes the symptoms of a disease or
disorder without affecting a cure.
Panacea: a cure-all.
Parasiticide: kills parasites in the digestive
tract and on the skin.
Parasympathetic regulator: regulates the parasympathetic nervous
system, enhancing immune activity.
Parasympatholytic: produces effects resembling those of
interruption of the parasympathetic nerve supply to a part.
Parturient: stimulates uterine contractions, which induce and
assist labor, promotes and hastens childbirth
Pectoral: has a general strengthening and
healing effect on the respiratory system.
Pediculicide: destroys lice.
Peristalsis: a progressive wave like movement that occurs
involuntarily in hollow tubes of the body, esp. the alimentary canal.
Philter: a love potion.
Photosensitizing: in combination with light will cause a
sensitivity reaction such as discoloration of the skin.
Phototoxic: renders the skin susceptible to damage by light.
Phytoestrogenic: has activity similar
to estrogens.
Piscicide: poisonous to fish.
Poisonous: causes injury, illness, or death.
Proteolytic: pertaining to the splitting of proteins by hydrolysis
of the peptide bonds with formation of smaller polypeptides; the process may be
catalyzed by proteolytic enzymes, by acids or by bases.
Protisticide: kills any member of the kingdom protista, a
single-cell endoorganism.
Psychedelic: causes visual hallucinations, intensified
perception, and, sometimes, behavior similar to that seen in psychosis.
Psychotonic: invigorates and increases the general well-being of
the brain.
Psychotropic: affects the mind, denoting drugs used in the
treatment of mental illnesses.
Pulicide: destructive to fleas.
Pungent: spicy; acrid. Dispels phlegmatic stagnation with a
tonifying action on the lungs.
Purgative: promotes bowel movement and
increased intestinal peristalsis.
Pyretic: of or relating to fever.
Raticide: poisonous to rats.
Refrigerant: cools; reduces slight fever.
Regulative: aids in normalizing.
Rehabilitative: restores; puts back in good condition.
Rejuvanitive: makes young or youthful again. Refreshes,
replenishes, and revives.
Relaxant: relaxes, reduces tension, especially muscular tension.
Repellant: inspires aversion or distaste. Repels or drives off,
also an insect repellent.
Resolvent: arrests an inflammatory process or causes the
absorption of a tumor or growth.
Restorative: renews health and strength.
Revulsive: counter-irritant. Causes irritation or a mild
inflammation in order to relieve a deep-seated inflammatory.
Rheumatic: relating to, or characterized by, acute or chronic
inflammation, soreness and stiffness of muscles, and pain in the joints.
Roborant: a strengthening tonic.
Rodenticide: a substance used to kill rodents.
Rubefacient: herbs that, when applied to the
skin, stimulate circulation in that area.
Schizonticide: destroys the schizant, a stage in the development
of the malarial parasite.
Secretolytic: arrests the flow of secretions.
Secretomotor: stimulates secretion.
Sedative: quiets nervous excitement; calms, or tranquilizes;
reducing or relieving anxiety, stress, irritability, or excitement.
Sensual: enhances the body's physical senses.
Sialagogue:
stimulates the flow of saliva.
Soothing:
tends to soothe and have a sedative effect.
Soporific:
causes deep sleep; Induces sleep; a
hypnotic.
Spasmolytic:
relieves smooth muscle spasms.
Spermatogenic:
produces semen or spermatozoa.
Spermicide:
destructive to spermatozoa.
Splenetic:
effects chronic disease of the spleen. Helpful for
fretful or surly conditions.
Sterilant:
eliminates living microorganisms.
Sternutatory:
induces sneezing.
Stimulant:
increases metabolism, circulation,
breaks up obstructions and warms the body.
Stomachic: improves appetite and digestion. Strengthens or
stimulates the stomach.
Stupefacient: induces stupor; stupefying or narcotic.
Styptic: stops superficial bleeding by
contraction of blood vessels or by coagulation.
Sudorific: stimulates the sudoriferous glands and produce visible
and profuse perspiration.
Suppurative: produces pus or associated with suppuration.
Sympathetic nervous system inhibitor: inhibits the actions of the
sympathetic nervous system.
Syncope: a brief loss of consciousness caused by a temporary
deficiency of oxygen in the brain; a swoon.
T-cell stimulant: stimulates white blood cells critical to immune
function.
Taeniafuge: expels tapeworms.
Thymoleptic: raises the mood and alleviates
depression
Thyrostatic:
reduces the activity of the thyroid gland.
Tonic: invigorates; increases physical or mental tone or
strength.
Toxic: poisonous.
Tranquilizer: promotes tranquility by calming, soothing,
quieting, or pacifying without sedating or depressant effects.
Unguent: a salve for soothing or healing.
Uterosedative: sedative to the uterus.
Uterostimulant: stimulates the uterus.
Vagotonic: aids problems of irritability of the vagal nerve. May
help with excessive peristalsis and loss of the pharyngeal reflex.
Vasoconstrictive: causes narrowing of the blood vessels.
Vasodepressant: has a depressing influence on the circulation,
lowering blood pressure by dilating blood vessels.
Vasodilator: relaxes and dilates the blood
vessels, allowing increased blood flow
Vermifuge: destructive to parasitic worms.
Viricide: inhibits or destroys viruses.
Virostatic: stops viruses in the body.
Virocidal: kills viruses.
Vulnerary: herbs used in the
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Last modified:
December 12, 2006