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                             GLOSSARY
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This is provided as handy means of finding out what specific herbal
terms mean.  To acquaint you with the language of medicinal herbal
preparation.  We hope you can put this glossary to good use in your
alternative medicinal preparation and use.

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ALTERATIVE: A vague term to indicate a substance which alters a 
            condition by producing a gradual change toward the 
            restoration to health.
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ANODYNE: Eases pain.
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ANTHELMINTIC: Expels or destroys intestinal worms.
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ANTIDOTE: Agents which counteract or destroy the effects of poison or
          other medicines.
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ANTISCORBUTIC: Counteracts scurvy.
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ANTISEPTIC: Destroys or inhibits bacteria.
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ANTISPASMODIC: Prevents or allays spasms or cramps.
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APHRODISIAC: Stimulates the sex organs.
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APERIENT: Herbal agents that are mild laxatives to the intestines,
           being gentle in peristaltic action.
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APPETIZER: Stimulates the appetite.
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AROMATIC: Agents which emit a fragrant smell and produce a pungent 
          taste. Used chiefly to make other medicines more palatable.
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ASTRINGENT: Causes contraction of tissues.
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BALSAMIC: A healing or soothing agent.
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BITTER TONIC: Bitter tasting properties which stimulate the flow of
              saliva and gastric juice.  Used to increase the 
              appetite and aid the process of digestion.
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CARDIAC: Agents which have an effect on the heart.
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CARMINATIVE: Expels gas from the stomach, intestines or bowels.
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CATHARTIC: Causes evacuation from the bowels.  There are different
            types of cathartics.  Aperient or laxatives are mild and
            gentle in their actions.  Purgatives are powerful and
            produce copious evacuations and are used only by adults
            afflicted with stubborn conditions. 
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CHOLAGOGUE: Increases the flow of bile and promotes it's ejection.
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CORDIAL: Invigorating and stimulating.
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COUNTERIRRITANT: Agents applied to the skin to produce an irritation
                 for the purpose of counteracting a deep
                 inflammation.
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DEMULCENT: Soothing, bland.  Used to relieve internal inflammations.
           Provides a protective coating and allays irritation of
           the membranes.
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DEPURATIVE: A purifying agent.
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DETERGENT: Cleansing.
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DIGESTIVE: Aids digestion.
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DIAPHORETICS: Herbal agents that increase eliminative secretions
              through the sweat glands, thus facilitation elimination
              of toxic and accumulative waste matter.
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DIURETICS: Herbal agents that promote secretions of the urinary 
           system, increasing toxic elimination and accumulative 
           matter along with excess water.
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EMETICS: Herbal agents that cause evacuation of the stomach contents
         via induced vomiting and are usually anti-poisonous.
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EMMENAGOGUES: Herbal agents that act upon the reproductive system by
              strengthening and balancing the cellular tissues by
              regulating the body's hormonal flow.
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EMOLLIENTS: Herbal agents that soothe and soften the external skin
            surfaces and promote healing by removing foreign toxic 
            matter through absorption.
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ERRHINE: Substances which, when applied to the lining membrane of
          nostrils, creates a discharge of mucous.
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EPISPASTICS: Causes blisters, when applied to the surface of the 
             body, and causes sloughing.
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EXPECTORANTS: Herbal agents that act upon the mucosal membranes of
              the respiratory tract, facilitating catarrhal
              discharge, by rendering them less viscid.
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FEBRIFUGE: Reduces fever.
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GALACTAGOGUE: Promotes the secretion of milk from the nursing breast.
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GERMICIDE: Destructive to germs.
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HEMOSTATIC: Capable of slowing down or stopping hemorrhage.
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HYPNOTIC: Capable of inducing sleep.
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INVIGORANT: A strengthening agent.
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IRRITANT: Capable of producing local inflammatory reaction.
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LAXATIVE: Causes the bowels to act.
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MUCILAGINOUS: Emits a soothing quality to inflamed parts.
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NARCOTICS: Herbal agents that have a sedative effect by diminishing
           the action of the nervous system and vascular system.
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NERVINES: Herbal agents that regenerate the entire nervous system,
          having a calming effect, by altering deranged nervous 
          tissues and neutralizing toxins, that cause irritation of
          the nerve fibers.
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NUTRIENT or NUTRITIVE: Nourishing.
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OXYTOCIC: Capable of producing uterine contractions
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PECTORAL: Relieves affections of the chest and lungs.
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PURGATIVE: Causes copious evacuations from the bowels. More drastic
           than laxatives or aperient, and are generally combined
           with other agents to control or modify their actions.
           Used only by adults.
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REACTIVATOR: Restores to a state of activity.
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REJUVENATOR: An agent which imparts renewed vigor.
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RUBEFACIENT: A substance used externally which causes redness and
             increased blood supply when rubbed into the skin.
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SEDATIVE: Calms the nerves.
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SIALAGOGUES: Increases the flow of saliva.
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SOPORIFIC: Induces sleep.
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SPECIFIC: Agent or remedy that has a special effect on a particular
          disease.
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STIMULANTS: Equalizes circulation and regenerates the tissues of the
            arterial system.
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SUDORIFICS: Increases perspiration, thus facilitating the elimination
            of toxic waste through the skin.
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STOMACHIC: Stimulate the flow of digestive secretions and increases
            the volume.
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TENIAFUGE: Expels tapeworm.
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TONICS: Tones the alimentive tract, thus correcting problems of the
        digestive system. Promotes regeneration of tissues throughout
        the body.
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TOPICAL: Applied to the skin only.
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VERMIFUGES: Kills and/or expels parasites or worms.
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VESICANT: Raises blisters.
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VULNERARY: Tone and heal the muscular and skeletal systems and are
            often employed along with emollients as a poultice for
            external wounds.
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