Glossary

A

Acute: Designated disease with rapid onset, severe symptoms, and brief duration; opposite of chronic.
Adaptogen: Herbs that produce an increase in bodily resistance and vitality, helping the body adapt to and defend against the effects of environmental stress.
Alterative: Herbs that improve the quality of circulating fluids through a variety of subordinate mechanisms and gradually restore health and vitality to the body.
Allergen: Any substance that comes into contact with body tissue (by skin absorption, ingestion, or inhalation) and causes a specific reaction within the bloodstream.
Allergy: Hypersensitivity to a particular substance or antigen, such as pollen, fur, feathers, mold, dust, drugs, dyes, cosmetics, or food, causing characteristic symptoms when encountered, ingested or inhaled.
Analgesic/Anodyne: Herbs that relieve pain. Generally reserved for herbs which sedate or alter pain signaling in nerves.
Antacid: A substance that neutralizes acid.
Anthelmintic: Expels or destroys parasitic worms, particularly intestinal.
Antibiotic: A drug that kills microorganisms.
Antibody: A protein manufactured by lymphocytes that reacts with a specific antigen to fight invasion as the principal component of immunity.
Anticatarrhal: Herbs that eliminate or counteract the formation of mucus.
Antiemetic: An agent that reduces the incidence and severity of nausea or vomiting.

B

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C

Cardiopulmonary: of, relating to, or involving both the heart and the lungs.
Cholagogue: Promotes the flow and discharge of bile into the small intestine.
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E

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F

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G

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H

Hepatic: Relating to strengthening and toning the liver.
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I

Indication: A valid reason to use a certain herb.
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J

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K

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L

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