The Encyclopedia of Bitter Medicinal Herbs

By Judson Carroll

Many medicinal herbs have bitter qualities and are among the most ancient herbs used and documented in human history. After discovering that many of the herbs were useful both to aid digestion and to help manage my asthma, I began on the path to making my own digestive and cocktail bitters. That began a series of articles and a great deal of historical research, eventually leading to this book.

The use of Bitter herbs dates back far beyond written history. They were used in ancient Egypt, found among medicinal herbs dating to as far as 60,000 years ago, used in every culture Although not mentioned as being combined with alcohol (except for a symbolic reference to Wormwood, and the mixture of Myrrh and gall in wine given to those who were about to be crucified, as a sedative) bitter herbs are mentioned prominently in the Bible, such as in the Passover Feast. It may be assumed that the digestive benefits of bitter herbs were recognized, beyond their symbolic value.

That leads us to Theriac. Many herbalists and historians point to Theriac as the first documented use of medicinal bitters in European literature... bitters have centuries old use in Chinese medicine. However, Theriac bears little resemblance to Digestive Bitters. Theriac was intended to be a universal defense against poisoning.

From there, the history and potent medicinal value of these herbs only becomes more fascinating! In this book, you will learn and out the Great Swedish Bitters, read the advice of Saints and alchemists, beer brewers and mixologists. But most importantly, you will learn how these powerful herbs may improve your health and make both meals and beverages more enjoyable.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Judson Carroll
• Release date: Sep 24, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005709037

Judson Carroll

Judson CarrollI am a certified Master Herbalist and Permaculturist from the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, USA. I began learning about herbs and their uses from the old Appalachian folks, especially the Hicks family of Beech Creek, when I was around 15.I host the Southern Appalachian Herbal Podcast: Southern Appalachian Herbs https://www.spreaker.com/show/southern-appalachian-herbsI teach free, online herbal medicine classes: Herbal Medicine 101 https://rumble.com/c/c-618325I also write a weekly article on herbs and their properties: https://southernappalachianherbs.blogspot.com/151My passion is being outside, enjoying the woods, the water and the garden. My mission is to revive the tradition of “folk medicine” in America, so families can care for their own ailments at home, using the herbs God gave us for that purpose. I am a moderator and contributor for The Grow Network and you can communicate with me there https://thegrownetwork.com/My email address is [e-mail]

Book preview

The Encyclopedia of Bitter Medicinal Herbs

By

Judson Carroll

Disclaimer:

The information in this book is not intended to diagnose or treat any disease or condition. I am not a health practitioner and am not offering advice. No content in this book has been evaluated or approved by the FDA. Following any information in this book is at your own risk.

Do your own thorough research before following any herbal advice. Be aware of interactions (drug or herbal), allergy, sensitivity or underlying conditions before proceeding with following any health information.

By continuing to read this book you agree to be responsible for yourself, do your own research, make your own choices and not to hold me responsible for your own actions.

Copyright 2022

All rights reserved. This book may not be shared or reproduced without written permission by the author.

Table of Contents

Introduction

A Brief History of Medicinal Bitters

Agrimony

Andrographis

Aloe

Angelica

Anise

Artichoke

Bay Laurel

Birch

Boneset

Bugle

Burdock

Calamus

Camphor

Cardamom

Carline Thistle

Centaury

Chamomile

Chicory

Cinchona

Cinnamon

Club Moss

Coriander

Cramp Bark

Daily Digestive Bitters

Dandelion

Dock

Elecampane

Feverfew

Gentian

Ginkgo

Goldenrod

Goldenseal

Hops

Hyssop

Jamaican Dogwood

Lady's Mantle

Lavender

Lemon Balm

Lemon Verbena

Licorice

Mallow

Medicinal Mushrooms

Milk Thistle

Mint

Monarda

Motherwort

Mistletoe (European)

Mugwort

Myrrh

Oregon Grape and Barberry

Parsley

Pine

Potentilla

Rhodiola

Rhubarb

Rosemary

Safflower

Sage

Sarsaparilla

Senna

Skullcap

Speedwell

Sweet Woodruff

Thyme

Tilia, Basswood or Lime

Turmeric

Valerian

Vervain

Violet

Vitex

Walnut

Wild Quinine

Wintergreen

Wormwood

Yarrow

Afterward

Introduction - How I Got Started With Bitters

I developed bad asthma at the age of 5. Allergies and asthma run in my family. Even though I went to a lot of doctors and allergy specialists, there really wasn't much I could do but just deal with it. My asthma got much worse when I was a vegetarian. It got better when I began eating a lot of meat and natural fats again and avoiding processed foods. For a while, especially while I was going to school in Georgia and working in Virginia, it basically went away. But, life brought me back to North Carolina... the land of the longleaf pine. My allergies are predominantly to pine, various molds and ragweed pollen. The asthma meds I was prescribed into my late teens didn't work well and resulted in chest pains when I was younger. So, I began to treat my asthma with herbs and other natural remedies.

My first real game changing discovery was Dang Shen (Codonopsis). Dang Shen is a Chinese herb that I found very helpful. It reduced my asthma symptoms and flare ups by about half, almost immediately. This was far more effective than any medication I had ever tried! A combination of turmeric, fish oil and black pepper helped with the allergic inflammation. Valerian and Skullcap helped with the spasmodic side of asthma. In an emergency, a glass of bourbon and either a tincture of Lobelia or a pipe of natural, burley tobacco did the trick in stopping an asthma attack... yes, this seems counter intuitive, but it is true. The tobacco would dilate my bronchioles and the bourbon would relax my lungs. I'm not recommending that to anyone else (in fact, I'm not recommending anything to anyone!) but, it worked for me. When the Primatene Mist inhaler was banned for a few years... supposedly because the tiny bit of propellant in the tiny cartridge was a greenhouse gas (as opposed to being a political favor to deep pocketed donors who wanted to force people onto prescriptions... prescriptions that have nice side effects, such as may result in sudden death), that combination was life saving more than once.

Things really came together in a manageable way when I also began brewing and drinking water kefir and kombucha daily. The micro-biome of the gut is incredibly important. The more we discover all the things that beneficial gut flora do for us... from immunity to cognitive ability and everything in between, the more we realize how essential a healthy gut is to being a healthy person. Actually, it becomes harder to differentiate the human organism from the bacteria and fungi we host! Anyway as, kombucha, kefir and lacto-fermented vegetables, like homemade pickles and sauerkraut became part of my daily diet, my asthma symptoms mostly went away.

But then, I ended up in the NC Sandhills... in a pine barren which should never have been inhabited by humans! Whether it was the pines, the drinking water (which is full of heavy metals and actually radioactive), the chemical runoff from the many golf courses, the black mold and mildew that covers everything that stands still.. or the former chemical plant which is a Super Fund site just on the edge of town that locals blame for all sorts of diseases like cancer, heart disease and cardiac issues... a site so contaminated that the ground water isn't even to be used to water grass... whatever it was, my asthma came back BIG TIME! Due to work and family issues, I was stuck there for most of several years.... I still have to be there for extended periods due to family responsibilities.

The herbs and ferments still helped, but my asthma was becoming chronic bronchitis. Then, I discovered bitters. In an old lecture by herbalist, Michael Moore, he mentioned that if a person's allergies or asthma flare up just after eating a meal, it is a sign of upper GI deficiency. Essentially, there wasn't enough gastric acid to break down the food fast enough. The body then reacts to the undigested proteins as it would to an invading organism - a bacteria or virus. That is, basically, what triggers allergies, by the way - the body mistakes pollen (for instance) as being an infectious threat and fires up the immune system to fight it off. Well, I had just recently begun to have that problem and it was getting bad fast. Not only would I have an asthma attack after every meal, but I was beginning to have esophageal inflammation and spasms while eating that would occasionally even cause me to vomit!

Moore explained that taking digestive bitters before each meal would increase digestive juices, from saliva to gastric acid, to the pancreas and on. Obviously, it was worth a try, so I bought a bottle of Agnosrua Bitters - cocktail bitters. The effects were immediate! Not only did I find the bitters to be tasty, but a half teaspoon before each meal did the trick. I stopped having asthma flare ups after meals. I stopped throwing up during meals. Within a few days, my asthma symptoms were almost completely gone. I would still get a little tight and congested when my allergies flared up. But, the daily, chronic misery ended. I was so impressed that I began Moore's full herbal medicine course.

Well, that put me on the path to making my own bitters. I wanted more and better quality healthful herbs than I could get in cocktail bitters. I began making bitters from ancient formulas (bitters are among man's oldest medicines) and coming up with my own formulas. A lot of medicinal herbs have a bitter flavor profile - I really enjoy combining herbs for specific actions and flavor profiles. I'm a real foodie, so this appeals to multiple aspects of my personality.

And so, a series of articles that would become this book was born. I look forward to sharing my discoveries with others. Bitters may help with all sorts of health issues. But, it is very important that my readers understand that in no way is anything I write or say intended to diagnose or treat any disease or health condition. I will only say that an herb or other substance has traditionally been used for or share my own experience. This is information for the reader only. Unlike a doctor, I am not telling you what to do or even recommending anything. If you use any herb or other substance for any reason, whether mentioned on my bog or elsewhere, you are treating yourself. You take full responsibility. There are risks involved in any responsibility, so it is up to you to research and learn and be fully and truly responsible for yourself. Always keep in mind that people are unique individuals - what works for me may not work for you, you may have an allergy or an adverse reaction that no one else experiences, you may have underlying conditions that you don't even know about. Be very careful with your health.

A Brief History of Medicinal Bitters

Bitters are one of the most ancient medicines known to man. According to an article that ran in Science News Journal in 2009, entitled An ancient remedy: Bitter herbs and sweet wine Jars suggest early Egyptians mixed medicinal plants into alcoholic beverage.

The article documents archeological evidence that the herbs were mixed with wine, likely for medicinal purposes. Although not mentioned as being combined with alcohol (except for a symbolic reference to Wormwood, and the mixture of Myrrh and gall in wine given to those who were about to be crucified, as a sedative) bitter herbs are mentioned prominently in the Bible, such as in the Passover Feast. It may be assumed that the digestive benefits of bitter herbs were recognized, beyond their symbolic value.

That leads us to Theriac. Many herbalists and historians point to Theriac as the first documented use of medicinal bitters in European literature... bitters have centuries old use in Chinese medicine, but that is a topic I'll save for another day. However, Theriac bears little resemblance to Digestive Bitters. Theriac was intended to be a universal defense against poisoning.

According to legends, the history of theriac begins with the king Mithridates VI of Pontus who experimented with poisons and antidotes on his prisoners. His numerous toxicity experiments eventually led him to declare that he had discovered an antidote for every venomous reptile and poisonous substance. He mixed all the effective antidotes into a single one, mithridatium or mithridate. Mithridate contained opium, myrrh, saffron, ginger, cinnamon and castor, along with some forty other ingredients. When the Romans defeated him, his medical notes fell into their hands and Roman medici began to use them. Emperor Nero's physician Andromachus improved upon mithridatum by bringing the total number of ingredients to sixty-four, including viper's flesh, a mashed decoction of which, first roasted then well aged, proved the most constant ingredient. Lise Manniche, however, links the origins of theriac to the ancient Egyptian kyphi recipe, which was also used medicinally.

Greek physician Galen devoted a whole book. Theriaké, to theriac. One of his patients, Roman emperor Marcus Aurelius, took it on a regular basis.

In 667, ambassadors from Rûm presented the Emperor Gaozong of the Tang Dynasty in China with a theriac. The Chinese observed that it contained the gall of swine, was dark red in colour and the foreigners seemed to respect it greatly. The Tang pharmacologist Su Kung noted that it had proved its usefulness against the hundred ailments. Whether this panacea contained the traditional ingredients such as opium, myrrh and hemp, is not known. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theriac

Although Theriac contained bitter herbs, such as Gentian, it seems that the bitters as we know them came into medicinal use by ancient Greek and Roman physicians via Gentius. According to tradition, Gentian was named for Gentius, ruler of the Illyrian Kingdom (181-168 BC). Dioscorides (the Greek physician) believed that the king Gentius identified the properties of this plant and used the plant root in 167 BC by the incidence of Plague.

Regardless, by the Middle Ages, Medicinal (Tonic or Digestive) Bitters were in common use by the medical practitioners of the day. The use and documentation of medicinal herbs was especially important to the Benedictine Order. These Catholic monks and nuns did much to preserve and advance the study of horticulture, botany and medicine. They maintained large herb gardens, apothecaries and hospitals for treating the sick.

As can be seen, after Rome fell, the Benedictines quickly became the monastic masters of herbalism, already being focused on the mission of preserving knowledge. Among other things, they perfected the making of tinctures—suspending the essence of an herb in an alcohol base for medicinal and other purposes. Holy Roman Emperor Charlemagne (742-814 A.D.) so admired the Benedictine gardens and techniques that he ordered all monasteries throughout the empire to plant physic gardens to supply the monasteries and the empire with healing herbs. https://traditium.org/2017/11/04/monastic-herbalism-part-one/

Perhaps most prominent among the medicinally inclined Benedictines was Saint Hildegard of Bingen.

Born in 1098, Saint Hildegard was a mystic/visionary from childhood. She became an abbess, a horticulturalist, an herbalist and physician, teacher, artist, author, philosopher, musician and composer of a very large volume of Church music. She is considered to be the founder of Scientific Natural History in Germany. Her talents and works are immense and deep... far too much to get into here. She was a great proponent of digestive bitters and introduced the use of hops in beer both as a bittering agent and a preservative. https://www.healthyhildegard.com/bitter-herbs-for-appetite-control-and-digestion/

Saint Hildegard's influence can be seen in Fr. Kneipp. Born in 1821 in Bavaria, this German priest is best remembered for his Kneipp Water Cure. His cures included a number of herbal baths, soaks and steams, various dietary and lifestyle practices... and yes, herbal formulas that included medicinal bitters. His Kneipp Cure includes Aloe (as a bitter herb), Gentian, Buckthorn, Bog Bean, Chamomile, Anise, Camphor, Centaury, Cloves, Nettles, Fennel, Fenugreek, Grains of Paradise, Juniper, Mint, Chicory, Valerian, Angelica, Wormwood, as well as several other bitter herbs. He prescribed combinations of these Bitters both as tinctures and teas as part of his treatment for a variety of disorders and diseases.

The Swedish Bitters name, at first seems likely that the ingredients come from the country of Sweden (Swedish), but this is not the case. The name derives from the Swedish physicians Dr. Claus (Klaus) Samst. It wasn’t until the 18th century that it was formally labeled Swedish Bitters by Swedish physicians – Dr. Claus (Klaus) Samst.

The mixture with the different medicinal herbs was already long known in the family of the Swedish health-care professionals, but forgotten. The physicians, Dr. Claus (Klaus) and Dr. Urban Samst Hjärn found this in the 18 Century, returned and helped many people with different problems and illnesses.

It is believed that the formulation of a similar drug also belongs to the physician Theophrastus Bombast von Hohenheim (short: Paracelsus), who lived in the 16th Century and suffered much of a criticism from pharmacists and doctors, despite his successes in healing, it was considered as an alternative to traditional medicine.

Dr. Samst died at the age of 104 years in a riding accident. It is said that his ancestors lived a long life and have reached a biblical age.

INGREDIENTS (Large Swedish Bitters)

ANGELICA ARCHANGELICA

1. Angelica archangelica (Angelikawurz in German) — commonly known as garden angelica, Holy Ghost, wild celery, and Norwegian angelica.

ALOE VERA

2. Aloe Vera — also know as Aloe Barbadensis.

LYCOPODIUM

3. Lycopodium (Bärlappe in German) — also known as ground pines or creeping cedar.

PIMPINELLA

4. Pimpinella (Bibernelle in German) — is a plant genus in the family Apiaceae.

CARLINA ACAULIS

5. Carlina acaulis (Eberwurz in German) — is a perennial dicotyledonous flowering plant in the family Asteraceae, native to alpine regions of central and southern Europe.

VERONICA OFFICINALIS

6. Veronica officinalis (Ehrenpreiskraut in German) — is a species of Veronica, native to Europe and western Asia.

ALTHAEA

7. Althaea (Eibischwurz in German) — is a genus of 6−12 species of perennial herbs native to Europe and western Asia.

GENTIANA LUTEA

8. Gentiana lutea (Enzianwurz in German) — is a plant native to the mountains of central and southern Europe. Other names include ‘yellow gentian‘, ‘bitter root‘, ‘bitterwort‘, ‘centiyane‘ and ‘genciana‘.

ACORUS CALAMUS

9. Acorus calamus (Kalmus in German) — can also be called Sweet Flag or Calamus, among many other names. It’s a tall perennial wetland monocot of the Acoraceae family, in the genus Acorus.

CINNAMOMUM CAMPHORA

10. Cinnamomum camphora (Kampfer in German) — most known as camphor tree, camphorwood or camphor laurel. Large evergreen tree, native to China south of the Yangtze River, Taiwan, southern Japan, Korea, and Vietnam.

KANDIS — ROCK CANDY

11. Kandis — Rock Candy. If you are Diabetic, you can eliminate Kandis from your Swedish Bitters elixir mix.

VISCUM ALBUM

12. Viscum album (Mistelkraut in German) — type of mistletoe, known as European mistletoe, common mistletoe or simply as mistletoe (Old English mistle). It is native to Europe and western and southern Asia.

COMMIPHORA

13. Commiphora (Myrrhe in German) — is a species-rich genus of flowering plants in the frankincense and myrrh family.

JUGLANDACEAE

14. Juglandaceae (Nusskaben in German) — known as the walnut family, is a family of trees.

RHUBARB

15. Rhubarb (Rhabarberwurz in German) — also can be know as Rheum rhabarbarum and Rhei radix is a plant in the family Polygonaceae. Rhubarb is usually considered a vegetable.

SAFFLOWER

16. Safflower (Saflor in German) — also can be know as Carthamus tinctorius. It’s a highly branched, herbaceous, thistle-like annual plant.

SENNA

17. Senna (Sennesblätter in German) - Comes from Arabic name — sanā. Also knows as sennas. It’s a large flowering plants in the legume family of Fabaceae, and the sub family of Caesalpinioideae. Sennae folium is considered an herb, leaves and the fruit of the plant are used to make medicine. Senna is also FDA-approved nonprescription laxative.

GINKGO

18. Ginkgo (Gingoblätter in German) — Also know as Ginkgo biloba and known as the maidenhair tree. Many years ago, leaves from the Ginkgo biloba tree been used as a treatment in Chinese medicine. The ginkgo supplements helps to improve memory and sharpen thinking. Many people use Ginkgo to improves blood flow to the brain. Ginkgo can as well acts as an antioxidant.

THERIACA

19. Theriaca (Therriak in German) — also know as Theriac, Andromachi theriaca, it’s considered to be antidote against venom.

POTENTILLA ERECTA

20. Potentilla erecta (Tormentil in German) — also know as Common Tormentil, Potentilla laeta, Potentilla tormentilla, tormentil or septfoil. It’s a herbaceousperennial plant that belon to the rose family. Potentilla erecta for a long time is known as a remedy in traditional medicine for the treatment of inflammations, wounds, and gastrointestinal disorders. Some people make a tea out of potentilla and use it as a tea for diarrhea. Women take it for premenstrual syndrome, know as (PMS) and for mildly painful menstrual periods.

ARTEMISIA ABSINTHIUM

21. Artemisia absinthium (Wermutkraut in German) — also know as absinthium, absinthe wormwood, wormwood, common wormwood, green ginger or grand wormwood, is a species of Artemisia, native to temperate regions of Eurasia and Northern Africa.

CURCUMA ZEDOARIA

22. Curcuma zedoaria (Zitwerwurz in German) — also know as Zedoariae rhizoma, zedoary, white turmeric or kentjur, is a member of the genus Curcuma, family Zingiberaceae and is a native to India and Indonesia.

Source: Schwedenbalsam Swedish Bitters

Obviously, that is quite a list! BTW, the Theriac mentioned above is a mix of Valerian Root, Cinnamon and Cardamom). Not surprisingly, there is also a Small Swedish Bitters that uses only 11 of the 22 above. The Small Swedish bitters were popularized in the 1980s by Maria Treben, who based much of her work on Saint Hildegard and Fr. Kneipp. She also includes Saint Hildegard's recipe for Heart Wine, which uses dandelion stems as a Bitter in her book, Health Through God's Pharmacy.

The next major event in the history of medicinal Bitters came with the discovery of Quinine.

Quinine was used as a muscle relaxant by the Quechua people, who are indigenous to Peru, Bolivia and Ecuador, to halt shivering due to low temperatures. The Quechua would mix the ground bark of cinchona trees with sweetened water to offset the bark's bitter taste, thus producing something similar to tonic water.

Spanish Jesuit missionaries were the first to bring cinchona to Europe. The Spanish had observed the Quechua's use of cinchona and were aware of the medicinal properties of cinchona bark by the 1570s or earlier: Nicolás Monardes (1571) and Juan Fragoso (1572) both described a tree, which was subsequently identified as the cinchona tree, whose bark was used to produce a drink to treat diarrhea. Quinine has been used in unextracted form by Europeans since at least the early 17th century.

It was first used to treat malaria in Rome in 1631. A popular story of how it was brought to Europe by the Countess of Chinchon was debunked by medical historian Alec Haggis around 1941. During the 17th century, malaria was endemic to the swamps and marshes surrounding the city of Rome. It had caused the deaths of several popes, many cardinals and countless common Roman citizens. Most of the Catholic priests trained in Rome had seen malaria victims and were familiar with the shivering brought on by the febrile phase of the disease.

The Jesuit brother Agostino Salumbrino (1564–1642), an apothecary by training who lived in Lima (now in present-day Peru), observed the Quechua using the bark of the cinchona tree to treat such shivering. While its effect in treating malaria (and malaria-induced shivering) was unrelated to its effect in controlling shivering from rigors, it was a successful medicine against malaria. At the first opportunity, Salumbrino sent a small quantity to Rome for testing as a malaria treatment. In the years that followed, cinchona bark, known as Jesuit's bark or Peruvian bark, became one of the most valuable commodities shipped from Peru to Europe. When King Charles II was cured of malaria at the end of the 17th Century with quinine, it became popular in London. It remained the antimalarial drug of choice until the 1940s, when other drugs took over. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinine

It is not surprising then, that quinine based tonics and bitters began appearing wherever sailors traveled. This led to the Gin and Tonic. By the 19th century, the British practice of adding herbal bitters (used as preventive medicines) to Canary wine had become immensely popular in the former American colonies. By 1806, American publications referenced the popularity of a new preparation termed a cocktail, which was described as a combination of "a stimulating liquor, composed of spirits of any kind, sugar, water, and bitters.

There was a great controversy over Angostura Bitters. Being a source of quinine like compounds and a very bitter substance, the bark of the Angostura tree began appearing in various Patent Bitters. Multiple brands called their Bitters, Angostura, because they contained Angostura as an ingredient. However, the first brand to call itself Angostura has never admitted to using Angostura in the recipe!

A German physician in Venezuela in 1824, who was trying to find a cure for stomach maladies, created Angostura Bitters, the first bitters. The name, Angostura Bitters was named after the town Angostura, in Venezuela. They were first used as cocktail ingredients when they reached England and Trinidad. https://www.cocktailbitters.com/bitters-history.html

This led to lawsuits by the Angostura company we all know and love, over the rights to copyright the name Angostura. It went back and forth as one court would find that they had the rights to the name because they branded their product first, then another would rule that any formula that contained Angostura could rightfully call itself Angostura. By the time it was eventually settled, it was essentially a moot point. The Bitters boom in America was grinding to a halt. The Pure Food and Drug Act of 1906 outlawed Patent Medicines and any Bitters that claimed to treat any medical condition... and you would be amazed at the claims some of them made! Then, Prohibition outlawed the cocktail.

After nearly 100 years of wandering in the dessert, thanks to dedicated herbalists and cocktail enthusiasts, Bitters are finally making a comeback. We now have craft bitters at bars and liquor stores. Even the much maligned Wormwood-based Absinthe can be found in most liquor stores (although it is somewhat of a pricey hipster novelty). In recent years, at least four books have been published on bitters, their history, cocktail recipes and making your own. Herbalists, such as myself, have a renewed interest in bitters....

Agrimony, Named For A King But Useful To All

Agrimony is a bitter herb that was commonly used in ancient medicine for a remarkable variety of purposes. Agrimony is a plant in the rose family and is, therefore, expectedly astringent. Agronomy’s official name Agrimonia eupatoria refers to Mithridates Eupator, the ruler of the Kingdom of Pontus from 120 to 63 BC. The king was a renowned herbalist, remembered for his herbal remedies against poison, known as the Universal Antidote in ancient Greek herbals. Pliny referred to Agrimony as, an herb of princely authority. Dioscorides wrote in de Materia Medica, The leaves of this (pounded fine and applied with old swines’ grease) heal difficult scars on ulcers. The seed and herb (taken as a drink with wine) help dysentery and serpent bites.

Agrimony also found an important role in the Monastic Medicine of the Middle Ages. Abbot Walafrid Stabo wrote in his herbal, Hortulus, in the 800s:

And here in handsome rows you can see my Agrimony. It clothes all the fields with its profusion it grows wild in the woodland shade. Much honor it has and many virtues - among them this: If it is crushed and drunk the draught will quench the most violent stomach ache. And if an enemy blade happens to wound us, we are recommended to try its aid, pounding the shoots and putting them on the open place. If we remember to add to the dressing some sharp vinegar, our full strength will soon be returned.

Writing around 1100, Saint Hildegard von Bingen wrote in Physica:

Agronomy is hot. A person who has lost his knowledge and understanding should have the hair cut from his head, for that hair creates a shaking tremor. Agrimony should be cooked in water, and that warm water used to wash his head. The same herb, so warmed, should be tied over his heart, when he first senses enveneration front he madness. Then, it should be placed warm, over his forehead and temples. It will clear up his knowledge and understanding, and take the insanity out of him. If someone produces or throws off mucus and much phlegm from his sick intestines, and has a cold stomach, he should frequently drink wine in which agrimony has been placed, before and after meals. It diminishes and purges the mucus, and warms the stomach. Also, in order that a person be purges from saliva, discharge and runny nose, one should take agrimony juice and twice as much fennel juice and add to these one half pennyweight of herb Robert juice. Then take as much galangal as there is of the other three, and six pennyweight of storax, and two pennyweight of female fer, and pulverize these. Blend this with the forename liquid and make little pills the size of beans. Afterward, take a pennyweight of the juice of celandine, and dip the pills in it, and place them to dry in the sun. If the sun has no heat, place them in a light wind or a gentle breeze, so that they may be gently dried. When a person wishes to eat these pills, he should wrap his belly in lamb skins, or the skin of some other animal, so that he becomes warm with their helpful heat. He should not get too close to the fire, but use the heat of this covering. He should consume the pills before sunrise, since dawn is a smooth and gentle time. He should take five to nine pills, dipping each one in honey before swallowing them. After eating them, he should walk around a bit in a shady place, not int he direct sun, until he feels a loosening. Around noon, after he has felt the loosening, or if his obdurate stomach has not yet had it, he should sip a porridge of the finest whole wheat flour, so that the gentle porridge may heal his intestines or his hardened stomach might soften.

….. Also if someone’s eyes are clouded, pound agrimony in a mortar and place the crushed matter over the eyes at night, being careful that it not enter the eyes, and bind them with a clothIt will attack the fogginess of the eyes and make them clear.

Brother Aloysius shows u that Agrimony continued in the tradition of Monatic Medicine and German Folk Medicine, writing that it was used as an Astringent, good for liver and spleen, abdominal blockage, pharyngitis, mild mouth ulceration, sore throat, swollen tonsils, chronic rheumatism, heavy bleeding, weakness of the digestive organs, blood spitting, bed wetting, urinary incontinence, cold urine, blockage and weakness of the liver, consumption, skin complaints, gravel, intestinal weakness, dropsy, renal colic, dysentery, hematuria, prolonged fever, flatulence, leukorrhea, ulcers of the bladder, sprains and dislocation.

According to Mrs. Grieve, Agrimony is mentioned in an old English medical manuscript:

'If it be leyd under mann's heed,

He shal sleepyn as he were deed;

He shal never drede ne wakyn

Till fro under his heed it be takyn.'

Gerard wrote in 1597:

It is hot, and doth moderately bind, and is of a temperate dryness. Galen saith that Agrimony is of fine and subtle parts, that it cutteth and scoureth; therefore, saith he, it removes obstructions or stoppings out of liver, and doth likewise strengthen it by reason of the binding quality that is in it.

The Virtues.

A. The decoction of the leaves of Agrimony is good for them that have naughty livers, and for such as piss blood upon the diseases of the kidneys.

B. The seed being drunk in wine (as Pliny affirmeth) doth help the bloody flux.

C. Dioscorides addeth, that it is a remedy for them that have bad livers, and for such as are bitten with serpents.

D. The leaves being stamped with old swine's grease, and applied, closeth up ulcers that be hardly healed, as Dioscorides saith.

E. Agrimony boiled in wine and drunk, helpes inveterate hepatic fluxes in old people.

In the 1600s Culpepper wrote of Agrimony:

It has moreover been recommended in dropsies and the jaundice. Externally, it has indeed its use; I have seen very bad sore legs cured by bathing and fomenting them with a decoction of this plant.

It is of a cleansing and cutting faculty, without any manifest heat, moderately drying and binding. It openeth and cleanseth the liver, helpeth the jaundice, and is very beneficial to the bowels, healing all inward wounds, bruises, hurts, and other distempers. The decoction of the herb made with wine, and drank, is good against the biting and stinging of serpents, and helps them that have foul, troubled or bloody water, and causes them to make water clear and speedily. It also helpeth the cholic, cleanseth the breast, and relieves the cough. A draught of the decoction, taken warm before the fit, first relieves, and in time removes the tertian or quartan ague. The leaves and seeds taken in wine, stay the bloody flux; outwardly applied, being stamped with old swine's grease, it helpeth old sores, cancers, and inveterate ulcers, and draweth forth thorns and splinters of wood, nails, or any other such thing, gotten into the flesh. It helpeth to strengthen members that be out of joint: and being bruised and applied, or the juice dropped in it, helpeth foul and imposthumed ears.

The distilled water of the herb is good to all the said purposes, either inward or outward, but a great deal weaker.

John K’Eogh wrote of Agrimony’s use in Irish Herbal Medicine in 1735:

Agrimony opens obstructions of the liver and wonderfully strengthens it. It purifies the blood and is good against the strangury, and pissing of blood, and its seeds taken in claret is powerfully good against the bloody flux. The leaves, powdered with hogs lard, heal old wound when applied in a warm poultice. If the leaves are bruised and a plaster made with the yolk of an egg, flour and honey, they can be applied to a cut or a gall after riding.

Apparently though, by the 1930s when Maude Grieve wrote her comprehensive A Modern Herbal, Agrimony had become mostly used as a folk remedy:

Agrimony has an old reputation as a popular, domestic medicinal herb, being a simple well known to all country-folk. ...

Agrimony was one of the most famous vulnerary herbs. The Anglo-Saxons, who called it Garclive, taught that it would heal wounds, snake bites, warts, etc. In the time of Chaucer, when we find its name appearing in the form of Egrimoyne, it was used with Mugwort and vinegar for 'a bad back' and 'alle woundes': and one of these old writers recommends it to be taken with a mixture of pounded frogs and human blood, as a remedy for all internal haemorrhages. It formed an ingredient of the famous arquebusade water as prepared against wounds inflicted by an arquebus, or hand-gun, and was mentioned by Philip de Comines, in his account of the battle of Morat in 1476. In France, the eau de arquebusade is still applied for sprains and bruises, being carefully made from many aromatic herbs. It was at one time included in the London Materia Medica as a vulnerary herb, but modern official medicine does not recognize its virtues, though it is still fully appreciated in herbal practice as a mild astringent and tonic, useful in coughs, diarrhoea and relaxed bowels. By pouring a pint of boiling water on a handful of the dried herb - stem, leaves and flowers - an excellent gargle may be made for a relaxed throat, and a teacupful of the same infusion is recommended, taken cold three or four times in the day for looseness in the bowels, also for passive losses of blood. It may be given either in infusion or decoction.

---Medicinal Action and Uses---Astringent tonic, diuretic. Agrimony has had a great reputation for curing jaundice and other liver complaints. Gerard believed in its efficacy. He says: 'A decoction of the leaves is good for them that have naughty livers': and he tells us also that Pliny called it a 'herb of princely authoritie.' Dioscorides stated that it was not only 'a remedy for them that have bad livers,' but also 'for such as are bitten with serpents.' Dr. Hill, who from 1751 to 1771 published several works on Herbal medicine, recommends 'an infusion of 6 oz. of the crown of the root in a quart of boiling water, sweetened with honey and half a pint drank three times a day,' as an effectual remedy for jaundice. It gives tone to the system and promotes assimilation of food.

Agrimony is also considered a very useful agent in skin eruptions and diseases of the blood, pimples, blotches, etc. A strong decoction of the root and leaves, sweetened with honey or sugar, has been taken successfully to cure scrofulous sores, being administered two or three times a day, in doses of a wineglassful, persistently for several months. The same decoction is also often employed in rural districts as an application to ulcers.

In addition to Agrimony’s varied medicinal uses, another wonderful asset of this herb is that it is so common. In most temperate zones, Agrimony can be found growing wild, whether native or introduced. Its yellow flowers grow on spikes that are easy to spot and identify. Agrimony is also a pretty flower that could be included in the garden or an ornamental landscape. Although once called all-heal by herbalists, this herb of legendary kings is generally regarded as a weed. Rarely is something so valued to be had for free by those who take the initiative to gather it.

Green Chiretta, Andrographis

Andrographis is fairly new to western herbalism, but has long use in Indian and Asian traditional medicine. Like Gentian in the west, Andrographis is also known as the King of Bitter Herbs. Andrographis is native to India and Sri Lanka. To say that Andrographis is intensely bitter would be an understatement. It is considered to be one of the most bitter substances found in nature..

As a bitter, Andrographis has hepatic, or liver protective qualities. It stimulates the gallbladder. It is also traditionally used to aid in digestion and for stomach issues. Beyond its strongly bitter properties though, Andrographis has many important medicinal properties.

According to ChineseHerbInfo.com:

Chiretta – Kariyat – Thread-the-Heart Lotus

Nature: bitter, cold

Enters: Small Intestine, Large Intestine, Lung, Stomach

Actions: Dries dampness; clears heat; eliminates toxicity.

• Exceedingly, overwhelmingly bitter. Can injure stomach Qi. Over 15g can cause nausea and/or vomiting. When taking it directly as a powder, it is often encapsulated.

Stimulates the immune system, especially phagocytic activity; stimulates bile production and flow; protects the liver from toxins; counters the damaging effects of free radicals; antiinflammatory; antiplatelet; abortifacient [contraindicated in pregnancy, though Chinese sources do not corroborate this].

• Used in Ayurveda for bitter tonic, stomachic, antipyretic, and laxative properties. Said to increase appetite, strengthen digestion, and diminish flatulence, hyperacidity and biliousness [probably in very small doses].

• Traditional uses include: loss of appetite, atonic dyspepsia, flatulence, diarrhea, dysentery, gastroenteritis, bowel complaints of children, liver infections, diabetes, general debility and convalescence after fevers, respiratory and skin infections.

• Indications supported by clinical trials: bacterial and viral infections including the common cold and pharyngotonsilitis, enteric infections; for prevention of urinary tract infections following shock wave lithotripsy, prophylaxis of common cold.

An article on the Banyan Botanicals website (www.banyanbotanicals.com) states:

This herb has been widely studied by scientists. At least 676 studies have been published since the 1970s for its multitude of benefits. A study from Chile showed very great benefit for people with colds. A group of 158 people took andrographis and measured their symptoms of headache, tiredness, earache, sleeplessness, sore throat, nasal secretion, phlegm, and frequency and intensity of cough. At day four, a significant decrease in the intensity of all symptoms was observed for the Andrographis paniculata group.

A double-blind-placebo-controlled study performed in Sweden treated 50 patients in the early stages of a cold with an herbal preparation containing 85 mg of Andrographis paniculata extract three times daily. After five days, 68% reported complete recovery, compared to only 36% of the controls. In the treated group, 55% called their colds unusually mild. These patients also took less sick leave from work. To top off all this research, a 2017 meta-analysis that crunched the numbers on 33 studies, including 71,715 patients, concluded that Andrographis appears beneficial and safe for relieving acute respiratory tract infection symptoms and shortening time to symptom resolution.

An excellent article by GreenMedInfo lists Andrographis as Anti-viral, along with 9 other significant benefits of the herb:

Anti-Viral

Scandinavian countries commonly use andrographis for cold prevention and treatment. A double-blind, placebo-controlled study of fifty patients using standardized Andrographis paniculata extract showed that the herb significantly decreased the duration and subjective severity of the common cold. Studies have also revealed that standardized andrographis preparations significantly improve signs and symptoms of both the common cold and sinusitis relative to placebo. In vitro investigations exemplify that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Andrographis are also effective against highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses

Impressively, systematic literature searches have concluded that andrographis is a safe and effective agent for the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections. In fact, andrographis standardized to andrographolide alleviates several symptoms of uncomplicated upper respiratory tract infections including muscular pain, earache, cough, sore throat, and headache.

(www.empoweredautoimmune.com/single-post/2018/01/13/10-Reasons-to-Add-Andrographis-to-Your-Medicine-Cabinet)

A peer reviewed article on the NCBI site states:

S. chirayita a traditional Ayurvedic herb is used by different indigenous population groups in multiple ways for several medicinal purposes

The whole plant is widely used by local people for the treatment of hepatitis, inflammation, and digestive diseases (Bhatt et al., 2006). The wide range of medicinal uses include the treatment of chronic fever, malaria, anemia, bronchial asthma, hepatotoxic disorders, liver disorders, hepatitis, gastritis, constipation, dyspepsia, skin diseases, worms, epilepsy, ulcers, scanty urine, hypertension, melancholia, and certain types of mental disorders, secretion of bile, blood purification, and diabetes (Karan et al., 1999; Banerjee et al., 2000; Rai et al., 2000; Saha et al., 2004; Chen et al., 2011). Recently, S. chirayita extracts showed anti-hepatitis B virus (anti-HBV) activities (Zhou et al., 2015). Traditionally, decoctions of this species are used for anthelmintic, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic, antimalarial, antifungal, antibacterial, cardiostimulant, antifatigue, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, antidiarrheal, as protectant of the heart and also help in lowering blood pressure and blood sugar (Schimmer and Mauthner, 1996). Herbal formulations such as Ayush-64, Diabecon, Mensturyl syrup, and Melicon V ointment (Edwin and Chungath, 1988; Mitra et al., 1996) contain S. chirayita extract in different concentrations for its antipyretic, hypoglycaemic, antifungal, and antibacterial properties. Furthermore, the curative value of this herb has also been recorded in ancient Ayurveda medicine systems and other conventional medical systems. (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4709473/)

Lastly, back in 2018, Andrographis was included on an excellent article by The Grow Network, Top 10 Immune-boosting Herbs:

Though you likely haven’t heard of it before, green chiretta is a common herb in India and Sri Lanka that has well-studied benefits for the immune system. Studies show that it works both to reduce your risk of developing a cold and to help you recover faster. The evidence shows that the plant works to promote the ability of a variety of immune cells to fight off foreign invaders before they can establish themselves.

Now, I’m not going to claim that we Grow Network writers can tell the future… but, I have to admit this article was rather prescient with the COVID-19 era still unseen on the horizon! Although this herb is not a part of my herbal tradition, it is definitely one I plan to add to my herb garden this year.

Thanks to Herbalist and friend, Torey Lee for help in finding the resources for this entry.

Aloe, a Surprising Bitter Herb

When I received my first batch of Swedish Bitters, I was quite surprised to find Aloe listed as the first ingredient. My mother and my grandparents always had a few aloe plants growing in a sunny window. That was our first aid for burns. I also knew of Aloe juice being used for stomach and digestive conditions and such. But, I never thought of it as a Bitter. I was especially surprised when I opened Maria Treben's classic, Health Through God's Pharmacy, to find that not only was Aloe listed as a primary herb in the Swedish Bitters, but it was listed that Gentian or Wormwood could substitute for Aloe... meaning that Aloe was THE primary Bitter!

The medicinal use of Aloe seems to originate in the ancient Middle East, where it is used both medicinally and in religious symbolism. Mrs. Grieve wrote in her A Modern Herbal:

The Mahometans, especially those in Egypt, regard the Aloe as a religious symbol, and the Mussulman who has made a pilgrimage to the shrine of the Prophet is entitled to hang the Aloe over his doorway. The Mahometans also believe that this holy symbol protects a householder from any malign influence.

In Cairo, the Jews also adopt the practice of hanging up the Aloe.

In the neighbourhood of Mecca, at the extremity of every grave, on a spot facing the epitaph, Burckhardt found planted a low shrubby species of Aloe whose Arabic name, saber, signifies patience. This plant is evergreen and requires very little water. Its name refers to the waiting-time between the burial and the resurrection morning.

In ancient Egypt, Aloe was known as a Plant of Immortality and aloe was mentioned by King Solomon in the Psalms, and for anointing Christ's body. Greek physician, Dioscorides was the first Westerner to write about the plant’s benefits. Dioscorides learned about aloe while traveling with the Roman armies and wrote that aloe vera acted as a laxative and that it encouraged sleep. (https://blog.aloecure.com/blog/aloe-vera-history). It is said that Cleopatra used Aloe in her beauty regimen and that Alexander the Great even battled over an island to secure its Aloe. Columbus brought Aloe to the New World, as it was a medicinal herb commonly used by Jesuit priests.

The Bitter flavor profile of aloe is evident in the meaning of its name. Aloe is said to have derived from an Arabic term meaning, Shining Bitter Substance.... which is odd considering that one would have such limited use of a word with such a specific meaning... but, we'll go with that. A quick internet search turns up many articles such as Why does Aloe taste so Bitter/bad? and, How to Mask Aloe's Bitter Taste. Apparently there is even a variety of Aloe bred to be less Bitter (Aloe ferox). But, for those of us who recognize the health benefits of Bitters and the medicinal actions of the very Bitter flavor, we need not fear or alter our Aloe. It seems the Bitterness of the Bitter compounds in Aloe is dependent on an individual's taste; some describe it as Bitter/sweet, while others find it to be among the most Bitter substances on earth.

But, how the heck do you transform the mucilaginous juice of Aloe into something one can use is dry herb formulas?

By 600 BCE, Arab traders had found a way to easily separate the gel part of the aloe plant from the rind. They did this by crushing the leaves and placing the pulp into goatskin bags to dry in the sun. The dried aloe was then powdered, which made it easy to transport to different parts of the East, including India and Persia. (https://www.spiceography.com/aloe-vera/)

By the way, if you grow your own, be sure not to over water it. Aloe is a desert plant that likes hot, dry conditions, at least to a point.

So, let's get into the specific properties of Aloe. Pliny the Elder mentioned Aloe as an ingredient in two formulas. Dioscorides gives us the most full use of the herb in the ancient world:

Aloe has a leaf almost like squill — thick, fat, somewhat broad near the stem, broken or bow-backed behind, with short, thin prickles along the sides. It sends out a stalk similar to anthericum, has a white flower, and seed similar to asphodelus. All of it has a strong scent and is very bitter to the taste. It has only one root like a stake. It grows abundantly and thickly in India, and the extracted juice is brought from there. It also grows in Arabia, Asia and certain seabordering places and islands as in Andros. This type is not good for extracting juice, but suitable for closing open cuts, sores and wounds, pounded into small pieces and applied. There is a thick kind of juice that is grainy, one of which seems to have the purest substance, the other similar to liver. Choose the pure that is undeceitful, unstony, glittering, yellowish, brittle, like liver, easily melted, and excels in bitterness. That which is black and hard to break, refuse. They counterfeit it with gum — which is noticed by the taste, the bitterness, the strength of the smell, and because it does not fall into pieces (as much as the smallest crumb) squeezed in the fingers. Some mix acacia with it. It is astringent, procures sleep, dries, thickens bodies, loosens the intestines, and cleans the stomach, two spoonfuls taken in a drink with cold water or warm milk. This amount with thirty grains weight of water (or one teaspoonful of a drink) stops the spitting of blood and cleans jaundice. Swallowed with rosin (or taken either with water or boiled honey) it loosens the bowels, but three teaspoonfuls fully purges. Mixed with other purging medicines it makes them less hurtful to the stomach. Sprinkled on dry it heals wounds, and brings boils to a scar and represses them. It effectively heals ulcerated genitals, and heals the broken foreskin of boys. Mixed with sweet wine it cures the joints and cracks in the perineum. It stops discharges of blood from haemorrhoids, brings pterygium [membrane on eye] to a scar, and takes away bruises and low blood pressure with honey. It soothes rough skin, itchiness of the eye corners, and headaches, rubbed with vinegar and rosaceum on the forehead and the temples. With wine it stops the hair falling off [alopecia]; and with honey and wine it is good for the tonsils, as well as the gums and all sores in the mouth. It is roasted for eye medicines in a clean, red-hot ceramic jar, turned continuously until it is roasted evenly. It is then washed, the sandy part separated as useless, and the most fat and smooth taken. It is also called amphibion, eryngium, herminum, or tragoceros; the Romans call it aloa, and the Barbarians, aloe.

Saint Hildegard von Bingen, writing around 1100, recommended Aloe as a topical poultice for daily stomach fevers, to strengthen a person and remove similar issues from the head. Similarly, she recommends this herb as a chest plaster for cough. Internally, she recommends it infused in wine with horehound and licorice.

Fr. Kneipp tells us that Aloe continued to be used in Monastic and German Folk Medicine in the 1800s. He preferred an American variety:

Bitter Aloe. (Agave Americana L.)

This plant's home is far away in America. Thence it has been brought to us; and it is not seldom to be seen in the windows of the friends of flowers, standing prominent among all the other plants. It is conspicuous and easily recognized by its very thick, pulpous, and rather long, seagreen and thorny leaves. Blossoms are seldom to be seen on it; but if the effects of the fleshy leaves were known, no flourist would certainly let this exotic plant be wanting among his flowers. The effects are these:

One of these leaves boiled in water and a cupful of the decoction taken, purges stomach and bowels. This plant, is also a remedy for liver complaints and for jaundice, if it is pulverized and a pinch of it taken twice a day.

A leaf boiled with a teaspoonful of honey in half a pint of water and taken in small quantities, will take away interior heat, and will prove especially serviceably in cases where there are blisters on the palate, or a whooping-cough has arisen from the interior heat. A small particle of the leaf, boiled with an egg-spoonful of honey, takes away the heat from the eyes, if they are thoroughly washed with it. If you have hurt yourself, or have got an ulcer on any part of your body, the application of this leaf will relieve you, for it is an excellent remedy. Wormwood, boiled with aloe, drives out the bad watery matters, from which dropsy is likely to originate; moreover it improves the stomach.

On account of its many good qualities I advise every lover of flowers to give this plant a place among his flower-pots.

Brother Aloysius though, simply wrote of Aloe vera:

Aloe (Aloe vera) - Used as a stomach tonic, and strengthening purgative, to bring on late menstruation, as an eyewash, for sores, scars and fresh wounds.

The Ashkenazi Jews brought much of the Herbal Medicine of the ancient Hebrew, Egyptian and Babylonian traditions into central Europe. Deatra Cohen and Adam Segel tell us in their book on the subject, that the custom of keeping aloe plants in the windows of homes may have come through this tradition.

Sophie Hodorowicz Knab tells us that in the Christian Polish, as well, kept aloe plants indoors, in windows for medicinal use. Igor Vilevich Zevin tells us that in the cold climate of Russia, Aloe has been grown the same way, but only since the 1930s, using it for cuts, scrapes, burns, cold sores, sunburns and other skin irritations. .

Gerard informs us that the use of Aloe had become common in Britain and western Europe by the 1500s:

The herb is called in Latin, and in shops also, Aloe and so is likewise the juice. It is named in French, Poroquet: in Spanish, Azevar, and Yerba bavosa: in English, Aloes, Herb Aloes, Sea Houseleek, Sea Allgreen.

The herb is called of the latter herbarists oftentimes Sempervivum, and Sempervivum marinum, because it lasteth long after the manner of Houseleek. It seemeth also that Columella in his tenth book nameth it Sedum, where he setteth down remedies against the canker-worms in trees.

Profuit & plantis latices insfundere amaros

Marrubii, multoque Sedi contingere succo.

In English thus

Liquors of Horehound profit much being poured on trees:

The same effect Sea Houseleek works as well as these.

For he reciteth the juice of Sedum or Houseleek among the bitter juices, and there is none of the Houseleeks bitter but this.

The Temperature.

Aloe, that is to say, the juice which is used in physic, is good for many things. It is hot, and that in the first or second degree, but dry in the third, extreme bitter, yet without biting. It is also of an emplastic or clammy quality, and something binding, externally applied.

The virtues.

A. It purgeth the belly, and is withal a wholesome and convenient medicine for the stomach, if any at all be wholesome. For as Paulus Aegineta writeth, when all purging medicines are hurtful to the stomach, Aloes only is comfortable. And it purgeth more effectually if it be not washed: and if it be, it then strengtheneth the stomach the more.

B. It bringeth forth choler, but especially it purgeth such excrements as be in the stomach, the first veins, and in the nearest passages. For it is of the number of those medicines, which the Grecians call of the voiding away of the ordure; and of such whose purging force passeth not far beyond the stomach. Furthermore Aloe is is an enemy to all kinds of putrefactions; and defendeth the body from all manner of corruption. It also preserveth dead carcasses from putrefying; it killeth and purgeth away all manner of worms of the belly. It is good against a stinking breath proceeding from the imperfection of the stomach: it openeth the piles or haemorrhoids of the fundament; and being taken in a small quantity, it bringeth down the monthly courses: it is thought to be good and profitable against obstructions and stoppings in the rest of the entrails. Yet some there be who think, that it is not convenient for the liver.

C. One dram thereof given is sufficient to purge. Now and then half a dram or little more is enough.

D. It healeth up green wounds and deep sores, cleanseth ulcers, and cureth such sores as are hardly to be helped, especially in the fundament and secret parts. It is with good success mixed with medicines which stanch bleeding, and with plasters that be applied to bloody wounds; for it helpeth them by reason of his emplastic quality and substance. It is profitably put into medicines for the eyes forasmuch as it cleanseth and drieth without biting.

E. Dioscorides saith, that it must be torrified or parched at the fire, in a clean and red hot vessel, and continually stirred with a spatula, or iron ladle, till it be torrified in all the parts alike: and that it must also be washed, to the end that the unprofitable and sandy dross, may sink down unto the bottom, and that which is smooth and most perfect be taken and reserved.

F. The same author also teacheth, that mixed with honey it taketh away black and blue spots, which come of stripes: that it helpeth the inward ruggedness of the eye-lids, and itching in the corners of the eyes: it remedieth the headache, if the temples and forehead be anointed therewith, being mixed with vinegar and oil of Roses: being tempered with wine, it stayeth the falling off of the hair, if the head be washed therewith: and mixed with wine and honey, it is a remedy for the swelling of the uvula, and swelling of the almonds of the throat, for the gums & all ulcers of the mouth.

G. The juice of this herb Aloe (whereof is made that excellent and most familiar purger, called Aloe Succotrina, the best is that which is clear and shining, of a brown yellowish colour) it openeth the belly, purging cold, phlegmatick, and choleric humours, especially in those bodies that are surcharged with surfeiting, either of meat or drink, and whose bodies are fully replete with humours, faring daintily, and wanting exercise. This Aloes I say, taken in a small quantity after supper (or rather before) in a stewed prune, or in water the quantity of two drams in the morning, is a most sovereign medicine to comfort the stomach, and to cleanse and drive forth all superfluous humours. Some use to mix the same with Cinnamon, Ginger, and Mace, for the purpose above said; and for the jaundice, spitting of blood, and all extraordinary issues of blood.

H. The same used in ulcers, especially those of the secret parts or fundament, or made into powder, and strewed on fresh wounds, stayeth the blood, and healeth the same, as those ulcers before spoken of.

I. The same taken inwardly causeth the haemorrhoids to bleed, and being laid thereon it causeth them to cease bleeding.

Writing about 100 years later, Culpepper tells us:

It is a martial plant, hot in the second degree, and dry in the third; of a very bitter taste; the juice being refined and clarified from its dross, is of a clear and blackish clean brown colour: it opens the belly, and purges cold, phlegmatic, and choleric humours which overburden and hurt the stomach: it is the basis in almost all pills and comforts, cleanses and dries up all superfluous humours. It may be taken with cinnamon, ginger, mace, galingal, or anniseed, to assuage and drive away pains of the stomach, to warm it and expel phlegm: the same is also good against the jaundice and spitting of blood. Aloes made into powder, and strewed upon new bloody wounds, stops the blood and heals them: it likewise closes up old ulcers, particularly those about the private parts and fundament: boiled with wine and honey, it heals rifts and hemorrhoides: applied with honey it takes away black spots that come by stripes or bruises, and is good against inflammations, hurts, and scabs of the eyes, and against running and dimness of the same. Mixed with oil of roses and vinegar, and applied to the forehead and temples, it helps the head-ach: the head being rubbed with Aloes mixed with wine, preserves the hair; applied with wine, it cures sore mouths, sore gums, sore throat, and kernels under the tongue, and outwardly applied, is a good consolidative medicine. It likewise powerfully resists putrefaction, removes obstructions of the viscera, kills worms in the stomach and intestines, is good for the ague, green sickness, and provokes the menses.

Mrs. Grieve wrote of Aloe’s virtues:

Medicinal Action and Uses---The drug Aloes is one of the safest and best warm and stimulating purgatives to persons of sedentary habits and phlegmatic constitutions. An ordinary small dose takes from 15 to 18 hours to produce an effect. Its action is exerted mainly on the large intestine, for which reason, also it is useful as a vermifuge. Its use, however, is said to induce Piles.

From the Chemist and Druggist (July 22, 1922):

'Aloes, strychnine and belladonna in pill form was criticized by Dr. Bernard Fautus in a paper read before the Chicago branch of the American Pharmaceutical Society. He pointed out that when given at the same time they cannot possibly act together because of the different speed and duration of the three agents. Aloin is slow in action, requiring from 10 to 12 hours. Strychnine and Atropine, on the other hand, are rapidly absorbed, and have but a brief duration of action.'

Preparations of Aloes are