Herbal Action Glossary

All herbs are categorized by their active properties, these are known as their ‘actions’, below is a glossary of some of the actions found in herbs that are used as remedies for reproductive problems.

ADAPTOGEN
Affects immune, endocrine, and nervous systems with its ability to increase the body's capability to adapt to external and internal stress by strengthening those systems.

ALTERATIVE
Affects all systems with its ability to gradually alter or change a condition and restore normal function, tone and capacity.

ANABOLIC
Able to affect endocrine system and hormone function

ANALGESIC
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to reduce or eliminate pain by acting on the sensory nervous system, either centrally or peripherally. Painful sensations are deadened but still perceived.

ANAPHRODISIAC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to suppress, lessen or abolish sexual desire.

ANDROGENIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to act like an androgens that control the development and maintenance of masculine characteristics. and have a masculinizing effect. Androgens include testosterone, DHEA, or androsterone

ANESTHETIC
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to produce a loss of ability to perceive pain, touch or other sensations.

ANTI-ANDROGENIC
Affects the endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to prevent the effects of androgenic hormones such as testosterone.

ANTI-INFLAMMATORY
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to counteract inflammation.

ANTIDYSMENORRHEIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to prevent or relieve dysmenorrhea.

ANTIESTROGENIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to prevent the effects caused by estrogenic hormones.

ANTIGONADOTROPIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to prevent the growth of the gonads or is an antagonist to the functioning of the gonads (testes, ovaries).

ANTIHEMORRHAGIC
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to prevent or arrest hemorrhage.

ANTIHYPERTENSIVE
Affects both the endocrine system and the nervous system with its ability to prevent and/or treat high blood pressure.

ANTIHYPOTHYROID
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to prevent or relieve hypothyroidism by increasing iodine in the diet and providing iodine for the production of thyroid hormones.

ANTIPROSTATITIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to relieve prostatitis.

ANTISEPTIC
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to prevent, inhibit the growth of, or kill microorganisms that cause poisonous products in the bloodstream

ANTISPASMODIC
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to prevent or relieve spasms of muscles.

ANTITHROMBOTIC
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to dissolve blood clots

APHRODISIAC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to stimulate sexual desire.

ASTRINGENT
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to cause contraction of tissues.

BLOOD PURIFIER
Affects liver and detoxification systems with its ability to clean and purify the blood by promoting eliminative functions and the removal of waste matter.

CALMATIVE
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to cause a mild sedative or tranquilizing effect

CARMINATIVE
Affects digestive system and nutrition with its ability to relieve gases from the gastrointestinal tract and relieves colic.

CIRCULATORY STIMULANT
Affects digestive system and nutrition as well as detoxification with its ability to improve and/or increase circulation.

CIRCULATORY TONIC
Affects digestive system and nutrition as well as detoxification with its ability to restore tone to the muscular tissue that makes up the circulatory system, thereby increasing strength and the ability to transport blood.

DIURETIC
Affects liver and detoxification systems with its ability to increase the secretion of urine, and excretion of waste through the urine.

EMMENAGOGUE
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to promote or affect the flow of menstrual fluid.

ESTROGENIC ACTIVITY
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to act in a similar way to an estrogen. Estrogens are used as a therapy for menstrual disorders, menopausal disorders and coronary disorders in women.

EXPECTORANT
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to facilitate the removal of the secretions of the broncho-pulmonary mucous membrane and to loosen other mucus of the body, including CM.

GALACTOGOGUE
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to promote the flow of milk or lacteal secretion.

GONADOTROPIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to promote the growth and/or function of the gonads (ovaries, testes).

MALE TONIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to stimulate, restores and strengthens masculine characteristics.

NARCOTIC
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to depress the central nervous system, relieve pain and produce sleep in moderate doses. In low doses it may soothe, relieve and calm. In large doses, it produces unconsciousness, stupor, coma and possibly death, most narcotics are habit forming. Handle with care.

NERVINE
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to soothe the nerves and alleviate irritation and stress.

OXYTOCIC
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to mimic the effect of oxytocin; a pituitary gland hormone which stimulates contraction of uterine muscles and mammary glands. Oxytocics hasten or facilitates childbirth, especially by stimulating contractions of the uterus, promote labor contractions and support ability to suckle young.

RELAXANT
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to diminish muscle or nervous tension.

RUBEFACIENT
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to produces a mild irritation, reddening of the skin and local vasodilatation thereby increasing the blood supply to the area of application.

SEDATIVE
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to exert a soothing or tranquilizing effect and reduce anxiety, stress, irritability and excitement.

SIMPLE BITTER
Affects digestive system and nutrition with its ability to stimulate the tone of the gastrointestinal mucous membrane and stimulate the secretion of saliva and gastric juice reflexively by exciting the taste buds. A simple bitter is practically free from tannin and volatile oils and depends on the bitter properties for their action.

SPASMOLYTIC
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to act as an antispasmodic; arresting or preventing spasms, especially of smooth muscle.

SPERMICIDE
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to kill spermatozoa or sperm.

STIMULANT
Affects all systems with its ability to temporarily increase function and activity with a usually quick onset of action. A stimulant may be for a specific system such as "reproductive stimulant" or a specific tissue such as "uterine stimulant."

STIMULATING EXPECTORANT
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to stimulate the dilated bronchial mucus membranes and facilitate the removal of the secretions.

STYPTIC
Affects immune system and reactivity with its ability to stop hemorrhage by astringent action when used externally.

THYROID DEPRESSANT
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to suppress, inhibit or antagonize the functions of the thyroid gland and decrease the metabolic rate. Helps treat hyperthyroidism.

THYROID STIMULANT
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to enhance or stimulate the secretion of thyroxin and triidothyronine, both of which increase the rate of metabolism, as well as calcitonin which promotes the deposition of calcium in the bones and decreases the concentration of calcium in extracellular fluid. Helps treat hypothyroidism, cretinism and myxedema.

TONIC
Affects all systems with its ability to invigorate and strengthen all systems and organs. . A tonic may be for a specific tissue such as "uterine tonic."

TROPHORESTORATIVE
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to enhance growth and restore function of a tissue, organ or gland.

UTEROSEDATIVE
Affects endocrine system and hormone function with its ability to relax the uterus, antispasmodic.

VASOCONSTRICTOR
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to constrict the blood vessels, thereby raising blood pressure.

VASODILATOR
Affects nervous system and nerve function with its ability to dilates the blood vessels, thereby lowering blood pressure.