Herbs At A Glance

Botanical Nomenclature: Piper methysticum
Family: Piperaceae
Common names: kava, kava kava, ava

Native to the Polynesian islands in the Pacific Ocean, kava is a shrubby evergreen that can reach 20 feet in height. Today its large heart-shaped leaves can be found in gardens and commercial nurseries around the world.

Kava gets its botanical name from the Latin word piper and the Greek word methysticum which combine to form the phrase “intoxicating pepper”. We’re not sure exactly how it came to be known as “kava” but one legend tells us that it is rooted in an ancient Hawaiian word that means “bitter”.

Traditional Medicinal Uses for Kava

Little is known of the true historical uses for kava but when Europeans began to “discover” Pacific Islanders using the plant, they observed it used both as medicine and as a part of various religious rituals. Children, it is said, were encouraged to chew the fresh leaf buds as a general tonic while older individuals drank teas made from the large, fleshy rhizomes for headaches, nervous conditions and a huge variety of infections.

Kava in Native American Healing

Native Americans living on the mainland of the U.S. were probably completely unaware of kava until traders began to share it with them in the late 1700s or so. We have no evidence of kava being part of any mainland Native American healing tradition.

Kava in Ayurveda

The best information we have tells us that kava didn’t make it out of the Central or South Pacific areas until European traders began to trade with Pacific Islanders in the mid-18th century. We can find no reliable information telling us that kava was ever important to Ayurveda in India.

Kava in Traditional Chinese Medicine

If the ancient Chinese herbalists knew of any variety of kava, they did not document their use of the plant. We can find no evidence that the plant was ever an important part of Chinese herbology.

Kava in Traditional European Herbalism

History tells us that Captain James Cook first brought kava back to Europe but it was only in the 1900s that kava became widely popular as an herbal remedy.

Kava in Modern Herbal Healing

In the late 1990s kava, which by that time was widely used as a sedative, came under scrutiny when it was linked to cases of liver damage. In the 2000s, a growing number of countries either tightly restricted its sale or banned the sale of kava products altogether. Here in the U.S. both the Centers for Disease Control and the Food & Drug Administration have issued strong warnings to consumers about using products containing kava.

But there was tremendous controversy concerning the facts cited in many of those reports. Many of the patients who suffered from liver damage were using kava in combination with other liver-damaging substances (mainly alcohol) and some of the reports were ultimately tied to low-quality kava that have been “cut” with high volumes of kava leaves. (Traditionally, only the rhizomes would have been used medicinally.)

Modern Scientific Studies on Kava

Much of the recent attention kava has received has been prompted by reports of kava being linked to liver damage but the herb has also seen its share of positive scientific scrutiny.

For Anxiety

One of the best-documented traditional uses for kava is for the treatment of anxiety. The scientific support, however, has been mixed. A 2006 study of 60 patients with generalized anxiety disorder found kava no better than placebo.

This seems to contradict the findings of previous studies which have found just the opposite. A 2003 review-study, for example, looked at previous studies going back to 1974 and found enough evidence to cautiously recommend that kava be studied further for the treatment of anxiety.

Sources:

Connor, K., et al. (2006). Kava in generalized anxiety disorder: three placebo-controlled trials. International Clinical Psychopharmacology.

Pittler, M., et al. (2003). Kava extract versus placebo for treating anxiety. The Cochrane Collaboration.

Centers for Disease Control. (2002). Hepatic Toxicity Possibly Associated with Kava-Containing Products —- United States, Germany, and Switzerland, 1999—2002.

Food & Drug Administration. (2002). Consumer Advisory: Kava-Containing Dietary Supplements May be Associated With Severe Liver Injury. (Press Release.)

Botanical Nomenclature: Cymbopogon citratus
Family: Poaceae
Common Names: lemongrass, lemon grass

Originally native to India and areas immediately surrounding it, lemongrass is now grown in warmer areas around the world. It is widely used in Asian cuisines but has been known to flavor soups, teas and main dishes in food found from the Caribbean to the South Pacific and even Africa.

At least 55 separate species of these elegant, clumping grasses exist but only one—Cymbopogon citratus—is widely called the “true” lemongrass. And it’s this species that herbalists talk about when they mention using lemongrass as an herb or essential oil.

Lemongrass is among our larger herbs. In some areas of the world the plant can reach more than 6 feet tall and spread out more than 4 feet wide. Its long drooping leaves can reach more than 3 feet in length with widths of an inch or more.

Traditional Medicinal Uses for Lemongrass

Lemongrass was usually given as a tea in the various folk medical systems that used it. It was widely used to fight infections, bring down fevers and stimulate the digestive tract. In some cultures, it was a cure for headaches; in others, it was mainly used to fight skin infections.

Lemongrass in Native American Healing

Lemongrass is not native to the U.S. and no evidence of its use in any system of Native American healing is known.

Lemongrass in Ayurveda

Lemongrass was (and still is) heavily used in India’s traditional medical system, Ayurveda. Those healers considered it a pungent, sweet herb with cooling energies and a pungent effect. It was used to flush the kidneys, dissolve urinary stones and shrink an enlarged prostate.

Lemongrass in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Despite in popularity in some Asian folk medicines—especially Thai—lemongrass wasn’t actually used very much in traditional Chinese medicine.

Lemongrass in Traditional European Herbalism

We don’t know when lemongrass was first introduced to the herbal healers of Europe. Currently, it appears that its main use was in perfumery.

Lemongrass in Modern Herbal Medicine

Modern herbalists prize lemongrass for its citronellol content and use lemongrass primarily in teas formulated to soothe nerves and treat insomnia. But this herb is also growing in popularity as an ingredient in “natural” cosmetics and toiletries.

Scientific Studies on Lemongrass

Blood Pressure Reducing Effects

A study scheduled to be published in early 2010 found the citronellol content in 2 species of lemongrass, including C. citratus, effective at lowering blood pressure in laboratory animals. The compound exerted a direct effect on the smooth muscles of the cardiovascular system, relaxing blood vessels and lowering blood pressure.

Atherosclerosis Prevention

A 2009 study from Chile found 3 flavonoids in the leaves of lemongrass that acted as antioxidants in in vitro tests. Because of the way these particular flavonoids acted, the scientists behind this study postulated that lemongrass could prevent or even reverse atherosclerosis in humans.

References:

U.S. Department of Agriculture. (2010). Cymbopogon citratus (DC. ex Nees) Stapf lemon grass. PLANTS Database.
Bastos, J., et al. (2010). Hypotensive and Vasorelaxant Effects of Citronellol, a Monoterpene Alcohol, in Rats. Basic & Clinical Pharmacology & Toxicology.
Orrego, R., et al. (2009). Inhibitory effect of three C-glycosylflavonoids from Cymbopogon citratus (Lemongrass) on human low density lipoprotein oxidation. Molecules.

Botanical Nomenclature: Actaea racemosa or Cimicifuga recemosa
Family: Ranunculaceae
Common Names: cohosh, black cohosh, snakeroot, bugbane

The “black” part of black cohosh’s name comes from the fact that at this member of the buttercup family grows from gnarled black rhizomes. The history of its 2 botanical names is a bit more complicated, however.

The father of modern botany, Carl Linneaus, originally place this species of cohosh in the Actaea genus. Later botanists moved it to the Cimicifuga genus citing certain similarities to other plants in the group and most herbal texts still list black cohosh in this way. But better scientific methods and a better understanding of botany has prompted modern scientist to restore the plant to the former genus. Today, black cohosh is correctly referred to as Actaea recemosa.

Although it’s sometimes used alongside a plant known as blue cohosh, these two plants aren’t actually closely related.

Black Cohosh in Traditional Herbal Medicine

In traditional folk healing, the herbalists who used black cohosh used it in many of the same ways as their Native American peers—who had been using the plant medicinally for centuries, at least. But eventually black cohosh became best know as a “woman’s” plant and was most often used to treat premenstrual and menopausal symptoms.

Black Cohosh in Native American Healing

Black cohosh grows throughout wooded areas of the American northeast and can be found as far east as the Ozarks of Oklahoma and Arkansas. It’s not surprising that a number of Native American groups made good use of the herb.

The Cherokee, for example, used black cohosh to bring on menustral periods and as an abortifacient. They and several other groups, including the Iroquois, also used it as a pain reliever for rheumatism.

Infusions of the plant were also widely used as a diuretic. The Cherokee, Micmac and Pnobscot all used black cohosh for “kidney trouble”.

And there’s considerable evidence that it was also used as a general tonic. The Delaware and Oklahoma both used cohosh this way.

Black Cohosh in Ayurveda

Black coshoh is native to eastern parts of the U.S. and did not arrive in Europe or Asia until 1700 or later. It is unlikely that the herb was ever widely used by India’s folk healers.

Black Cohosh in Traditional Chinese Medicine

In preparation for this piece, we could find no evidence that this particular species of cohosh was ever widely used in Chinese herbology although other Actaea including A. spicata and A. asiatica may have been.

Black Cohosh in Traditional European Healing

Black cohosh probably didn’t make it to Europe until sometime after 1700 but by the mid 1750s it was being propagated and planted in backyard herbal gardens throughout Europe. Herbalists of the time took their cue from stories of Native American healers and used black cohosh as a general tonic and to aid childbirth.

Black Cohosh in Modern Herbal Medicine

Today, despite some studies questioning its effectiveness, black cohosh is used mainly to help ease symptoms of menopause. Herbalists believed for decades that the plant contained phytoestrogens that mimicked the effect of the hormone estrogen. Recent studies have cast doubt on this idea, however.

The plant is frequently included in “recipes” for inducing labor (and home abortions) although, once again, its ability to simulate contractions has never actually been proven.

Serious Medical Studies on Black Cohosh

Menopausal Symptoms

In recent decades, many of the traditional uses for black cohosh have been abandoned in favor of embracing the herb as a “woman’s remedy”. Unfortunately, science seems to be shooting down 2 popular uses for this plant. A 2009 study in the journal Menopause found the herb less effective than the study’s placebo at reducing hot flashes while another study, also from 2009, found it ineffective for menopause-related depression.

Anti-Inflammatory Effects

A number of studies have focused on one of the oldest uses for black cohosh—the ability to the herb to reduce inflammation. A 2009 study from China is only the latest that suggests that this unassuming plant may help fight pain and reduce swelling in the body.

Sources:

Moerma, D. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press.
Yang, C., et al. (2009). Identification of the bioactive constituent and its mechanisms of action in mediating the anti-inflammatory effects of black cohosh and related Cimicifuga species on human primary blood macrophages. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry.
Amsterdam, J., et al. (2009). Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Cimicifuga racemosa (black cohosh) in women with anxiety disorder due to menopause. Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
Geller, S., et al. (2009). Safety and efficacy of black cohosh and red clover for the management of vasomotor symptoms: a randomized controlled trial. Menopause.

Botanical Nomenclature: Lobelia inflata
Family: Campanulaceae
Common Names: lobelia, Indian tobacco, vomitwort, vomitweed

It’s hard not to smile just a little at any plant known by such a colorful name as “puke weed” but that’s exactly how many people think of lobelia. But this tall herb is good for more than just helping you empty your stomach. Over the years, it’s been used to ease asthma, protect against evil spirits and even ease nicotine and drug withdrawal. Folks have eaten it, smoked it, rubbed it on their bodies and drank it as tea.

Traditional Medicinal Uses for Lobelia

Traditionally, lobelia is best-known as an emetic and was at one time widely prescribed by herbalists as a way to quickly purge the body through vomiting. However, some old herbs texts also tell of its use as a muscle relaxant.

Lobelia in Native American Healing

A number of species of lobelia have long histories of use among Native Americans. The Cherokee, for example used at least 4 species—L. inflata, L. siphilitic, L. cardinalis and L. spicata. In Cherokee healing, lobelia was used mainly for muscle pain and spasms. They crushed and chewed the leaves, crushed and made poultices of the roots and even brewed tea from the plant.

The Delaware, Pawnee, Iriquois, Cree and others also made use of the various species which they could find locally.

Lobelia was also used for less-medical purposes. The Meskwaki, for example, chopped and consumed the roots to renew their marital love while the Iroquois brewed lobelia into tea and drank it ward off evil entities.

Lobelia in Ayurveda

Although various species of the plant are found around the world, L. inflata—the one most people think of as “true” lobelia—is found only in the eastern U.S. and along the U.S. and Canadian border. As such, we can find no evidence that lobelia was used in India’s system of Ayurveda.

Lobelia in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Traditional Chinese medicine made good use of another species of lobelia, L. chinensis, but we can find no evidence that the plant we most often call the “real” one—L. inflata—was ever widely used in Chinese herbology.

Lobelia in Traditional European Herbalism

The most common species found in Europe is L. dortmanna. Little is known of any widespread medicinal uses.

Lobelia in Modern Herbal Medicine

Modern herbalists use lobelia for many of the same purposes as herbalists from centuries past. It may not be used quite as heavily as an emetic these days, but it still enjoys some use as a folk treatment for asthma, muscle cramps and any other condition in which constriction is involved.

Lobelia is also sometimes used in herbal “stop-smoking” aids. It contains no nicotine but contains chemicals that act in a similar way. Many lobelia users find it soothing, relaxing and even antidepressant. Some clinical herbalists even feel that it may sometime be included in other drug withdrawal programs.

Serious Medical Studies on Lobelia

Despite a long history of use, surprisingly few studies have been done on the potential medicinal properties of plants in this genus.

Methamphetamine Withdrawal

One of the most controversial uses for lobelia involves its role in substance abuse treatment programs. Lobelia contains an alkaloid known as lobelane or lobeline. Lobelane, in turn, has been shown to help “wean” meth users off their drug. A 2007 animal study found that rats who were given lobelane over a period of time actually self-fed less and less meth. These findings support those of a 2004 study which found that in high doses, the alkaloid decreased secretions from the adrenal glands of rats.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

One challenge facing cancer patients is that of multi-drug resistance, or MDR, cancers. A 2008 study from Germany didn’t find that lobelia actually killed cancer cells but the study did suggest that the alkaloid lobeline, which is found in lobelia, made the standard chemotherapy treatment work better against MDR tumors.

Sources:

USDA. (2010). Lobelia inflata L. PLANTS Database.
Moerman, D. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press.
Lim, D., et al. (2004). Influence of lobeline on catecholamine release from the isolated perfused rat adrenal gland. Autonomic Neuroscience.
Neugebauer, N., et al. (2007). Lobelane decreases methamphetamine self-administration in rats. European Journal of Pharmacology.
Ma, Y., et al. (2008). Lobeline, a piperidine alkaloid from Lobelia can reverse P-gp dependent multidrug resistance in tumor cells. Phytomedicine.

Botanical Nomenclature: Rhodiola rosea
Family: Crassulaceae
Common Names: rose root, rhodiola, golden root, roseroot, Aaron’s rod

Although most Americans have probably never heard of the herb we know as rhodiola it may well be the greatest gift Russian folk healing has ever shared with us. Growing in extremely cold climates—and at altitudes of more 2200 feet—rhodiola, or golden root, is found throughout the Arctic.

Traditional Medicinal Uses for Rhodiola

Although rhodiola has been used as something of a cure-all by the various cultures who’ve used it throughout the centuries, rhodiola was most often used as a general tonic, or adaptogen.

Rhodiola in Native American Healing

Rhodiola is often described as a plant native to Artic areas of Europe but it was widely distributed in the Artic area of North America, too. The Nunivak people infused its flowers and drank it as tea while other Native Peoples used it more as a general food crop than for any specific medicinal purpose.

The Inupiat, in particular, made good use of rhodiola. They called it roseroot and fermented the stems, leaves and blossoms for use during times when others foods were scarce.

Rhodiola in Ayurveda

Although rhodiola is considered native to the Himalaya Mountains of northern India, we can find no mention of its use in the traditional Indian system of medicine known as Ayurveda.

Rhodiola in Traditional Chinese Medicine

Although legend tells us of ancient Chinese expeditions that repeatedly trekked off to retrieve rhodiola from the northern mountains of China, we can find no evidence that it was widely used in traditional Chinese herbalism.

Rhodiola in Traditional European Medicine

Carl Linnaeus—the father of modern botany—was the one who gave rhodiola its official binomial Rhodiola rosea. He named it so because of the fresh rose scent he observed in the plant’s freshly-cut roots.

Like Linnaeus, traditional European healers used rhodiola mainly for its astringent properties.

Rhodiola in Modern Herbal Healing

Today rhodiola is used as a general tonic to ease fatigue and increase energy. It increases mental awareness and decreases feelings of stress. But modern science is also looking seriously at this plant for its antidepressant actions. It seems to be especially to menopausal women.

Serious Medical Studies on Rhodiola

Science only really began to pay attention to Rhodiola a few decades ago but today it’s being studied for its antioxidant, antidepressant and even anti-cancer actions. Most of these studies were in vitro experiments or animal studies but a few have produced particularly promising results.

Anti-Fatigue Benefits

Rhodiola has long been used as a general tonic to erase fatigue and modern science now supports this use with laboratory evidence. While actual human studies are scant, a number of animals studies have shown that rhodiola safely and effectively increases energy and endurance when used prior to physical exertion.

Anti-Cancer Benefits

Perhaps the most exciting use for rhodiola involves the fight against cancer. A number of studies have suggested that rhodiola—which is already known to have antioxidant actions in the body—might help prevent or even treat certain cancers. Indeed, a 2005 study from Canada, foir example, found rhodiola had some activity against prostate cancer cells.

References:

Moerman, D. (1998). Native American Ethnobotany. Timber Press.
Lee, F., et al. (2009). Chronic Rhodiola rosea extract supplementation enforces exhaustive swimming tolerance. The American Journal of Chinese Medicine.
Ming, D. et al. (2005). Bioactive compounds from Rhodiola rosea (Crassulaceae). Phytotherapy Research.