Lily of the Valley (Convallaria majalis )  Lily of the Valley is perhaps the most valuable heart remedy used today.  It is used for nervous sensitivity, neurasthenia, apoplexy, epilepsy, dropsy, valvular heart diseases, heart pains and heart diseases in general.  It has an action equivalent to Foxglove without its potential toxic effects.  Lily of the Valley may be used in the treatment of heart failure and water retention where this is associated with the heart.  It will aid the body where there is difficulty with breathing due to congestive conditions of the heart.  Also used for arteriosclerosis with angina and arterial hypotension.  Lily of the Valley encourages the heart to beat more slowly regularly and efficiently.  It is also strongly diuretic, reducing blood volume and lowering blood pressure.  It is better tolerated than foxglove, since it does not accumulate within the body to the same degree.  Relatively low doses are required to support heart rate and rhythm, and to increase urine production.  An ointment made from the roots is used in the treatment of burns and to prevent scar tissue. 

Linden (Tilia spp)  Lime Blossom, or Linden, is well known as a relaxing remedy for use in nervous tension.   It has a reputation as a prophylactic against the development of arteriosclerosis and hypertension.  It is considered to be a specific in the treatment of raised blood pressure associated with arteriosclerosis and nervous tension. It initially increases peripheral circulation to fingers and toes, helping the evaporation of body heat, and then stabilizes blood vessels and body temperature.   Linden is an excellent remedy for stress and panic, and is used specifically to treat nervous palpitations. Its relaxing action combined with a general effect upon the circulatory system give lime blossom a role in the treatment of some forms of migraine.  The diaphoresis combined with the relaxation explains its value in feverish colds and flus.  The flowers bring relief to colds, and flu by reducing nasal congestion and soothing fever. Because of their emollient quality, linden flowers are used in France to make a lotion for itchy skin.  The tea is given to babies for teething.
            The sapwood of a linden growing wild in the south of France (T. cordata) is used as a diuretic, choleretic, hypotensive and antispoasmodic.  A light infusion of the flowers is sedative, antispasmodic and diaphoretic.  It also thins the blood and enhances circulation. 

Lion's Ear (Leonotis nepetifolia)   The sheets are used against infectious diseases by infusing them and using them in inhalers and vapor baths as a preventative.  It is also used as an emmenagogue, amenorhea, fever and skin diseases.  . The sheets séches are sometimes used in Africa as substitute of the marijuana.   Used similarly to Lion’s Tail (Leonotis leonurus) it just blooms earlier.

Lion's Tail (Leonotis leonurus)  Many traditional uses have been recorded. The foliage is commonly made into a medicinal tea, which is favored for the hypnotic focus it gives. The leaves or roots are widely used as a remedy for snakebite and also to relieve other bites and stings. Decoctions of the dried leaf or root have been applied externally to treat boils, eczema, skin diseases and itching, and muscular cramps. Extracts are also used to relieve coughs, cold and influenza, as well as bronchitis, high blood pressure and headaches. Leaf infusions have been used to treat asthma and viral hepatitis. The tea is also used to treat headache, bronchitis, high blood pressure and the common cold.  This species is also important in Chinese/Vietnamese medicine as an euphoric, purgative and vermifuge.

Litsea cubeba   The root and stem are used in traditional Chinese medicine.   It expels wind and dampness, promotes the movement of qi and alleviates pain: for wind-damp painful obstruction and stomach aches.  Most commonly used for lower back pain.  It promotes the movement of qi and blood, warms the channels and alleviates pain: for dysmenorrhea that presents primarily with a distended and painful lower abdomen that improves with heat or pressure.  Also for blood stasis pain due to trauma, or other gynecological pain associated with blood stasis.  Also used for chills, headaches and muscle aches due to an exterior disorder. Has been reported to be useful in treating motion sickness.
         The fruits are reputed to alleviate chronic asthma, as well as being a treatment for coronary heart disease and high blood pressure.

Little Mallow (Malva parviflora )  The bruised leaves have been rubbed on the skin to treat skin irritations.  A strained tea of the boiled leaves has been administered after childbirth to clean out the mother’s system.  As a headache remedy, the leaves or the whole plant have been mashed and placed on the forehead.  Powdered leaves have been blown into the throat to treat swollen glands.  The leaves have been used to induce perspiration and menstrual flow, reduce fever, and treat pneumonia. The whole plant can be used as a poultice on swellings, running sores and boils.  The seeds are used in the treatment of coughs and ulcers in the bladder.  A decoction of the roots or leaves has been used as a hair rinse to remove dandruff and to soften the hair.

Live Forever (Sedum purpureum )   The fresh leaves yield a juice that is used as an astringent to help heal wounds.  The plant has enjoyed a reputation as an internal remedy for ulcers, lung disorders, and dysentery and as an external astringent for the treatment of slow-healing wounds.  It is a popular remedy for diarrhea, stimulates the kidneys and has a reputation in the treatment of cancer. A poultice of the crushed leaves has been used in the treatment of boils and carbuncles.

Liverwort, Common (Marchantia polymorpha): Cytotoxicity against the KB cells; antileukemic activity in several compounds from leafy liverworts. In China, to treat jaundice, hepatitis and as an extermal cure to reduce inflammation; in Himalayas for boils and abscesses; mixed with vegetable oils as ointments for boils, eczema, cuts, bites, wounds, burns

Liverwort, Great Scented (Conocephalum conicum): Mixed with vegetable oils as ointments for boils, eczema, cuts, bites, wounds and burns; inhibits growth of micro-organisms. 

Liverwort, Ker-gawl (Hepatica americana, (H. tribola); H. nobilis)  While rarely found in herbal remedies today, it is a mild astringent and a diuretic.  It stimulates gall bladder production and is a mild laxative.  Its astringency has also stopped bleeding in the digestive tract and the resultant spitting of blood.  Historically, liverwort has been used for kidney problems and bronchitis.  It’s active constituent, protoaneminin, has been shown to have antibiotic action.  The Russians use it in their folk medicine and also to treat cattle with “mouth sickness.” 

Liverleaf  (Hepatica acutiloba)  The herb has astringent and tonic properties.  It also has demulcent activity. The roots and leaves are used dried or fresh in a tea or syrup. Of little use. 

Lobelia (Lobelia inflata)  Lobelia was a traditional Native American remedy and its use was later championed by the American herbalist Samuel Thomson (1769-1843), who made the herb the mainstay of his therapeutic system.  He mainly used it to induce vomiting.  It was promoted by Jethro Kloss and later by Dr. John Christopher.   A powerful antispasmodic and respiratory stimulant, lobelia is valuable for asthma, especially bronchial asthma, and chronic bronchitis.  It relaxes the muscles of the smaller bronchial tubes, thus opening the airways, stimulating breathing, and promoting the coughing up of phlegm.  In the Western tradition, lobelia has always been combined with cayenne, its hot stimulant action helping to push blood into areas that lobelia has relaxed.  Lobelia is often most effective when the infusion or diluted tincture is applied externally.  It relaxes muscles, particularly smooth muscle, which makes it useful for sprains, and back problems where muscle tension is a key factor.  Combined with cayenne, lobelia has been used as a chest and sinus rub.  Due to its chemical similarity to nicotine, lobelia is employed by herbalists to help patients give up smoking.  Lobeline sulphate has been part of commercial over-the-counter antismoking lozenges.  It seems to replace physical addiction to nicotine without its addictive effects.    The Native Americans smoked it like tobacco for respiratory problems and it gained the name Indian tobacco.  Both drinking the tea and smoking lobelia, usually with other herbs to modify its intense reaction, have been employed to treat asthma, bronchitis and whooping cough. Plasters and liniments for sprains, muscle spasms, and insect bites and poultices for breast cancer sometimes contain lobelia.

Locoto (Capsicum baccatum): The hot and pungent fruit is antihemorrhoidal when taken in small amounts, antirheumatic, antiseptic, diaphoretic, digestive, irritant, rubefacient, sialagogue and tonic. It is taken internally in the treatment of the cold stage of fevers, debility in convalescence or old age, varicose veins, asthma and digestive problems. Externally it is used in the treatment of sprains, unbroken chilblains, neuralgia, pleurisy etc.

Lomatium (Lomatium dissecta)  Both Lomatium and Ligusticum were used by Native Americans and early American medical practitioners for a variety of chronic or severe infectious disease states, particularly those of viral origin. Modern research is rather limited, but clinical trials have supported the inclusion of these botanicals for viral infections including HIV and condyloma.  Traditionally it’s demonstrated efficacy against a variety of bacterial infections including tuberculosis.
              Lomatium contains an oleoresin rich in terpenes. It acts as a stimulating expectorant, enhancing the liquification and consequent elimination of mucus from the lungs. It also appears to exert a strong antibacterial activity, interfering with bacterial replication and inducing increased phagocytosis. The resin also contains a number of furanocoumarins including nodakenetin, columbianin and pyranocoumarin. These resins may be responsible for the plant's antiviral effect. They may also be partly responsible for the phagocytic action lomatium causes               .
              Based on empirical evidence and discussions with clinical herbalists, lomatium can be used as an antimicrobial, especially in the lungs and upper respiratory tract. It provides quick-acting relief in cases of viral or bacterial infection, particularly when there is a large amount of thick or sticky mucus and infection is deep-seated and persistent. Consider taking lomatium for pneumonia, infective bronchitis and tuberculosis      
                As an immunostimulant, this herb is traditionally used to treat colds and flus. Many cases during the 1920s U.S. influenza epidemic were successfully treated with lomatium by the professional herbalists of the time, and it has been used for this purpose by Native Americans since the introduction of influenza to the Americas                          .
               Its infection-fighting ability makes lomatium valuable as a mouthwash and gargle for oral and throat infections, as a douche for bacterial and viral infections or candida, as a skin wash for infected cuts or wounds, and in many other first- aid situations                       .
                Both tea and tincture forms are commonly used. For acute bacterial or viral infections, 2.5 ml of the tincture diluted in water can be used three to four times daily. A painful, itchy full-body rash that can persist for days occurs frequently when the crude tincture is used.  It seems to occur more commonly with the strong, fresh-root preparation and disappears when treatment stops 

Long Dan Cao (Gentiana scabra) The root is a bitter, cooling, anti-inflammatory herb that stimulates the appetite and digestion, increases blood sugar levels and potentiates the sedative and analgesic properties of other herbs.  Internally used for liver disorders, eye complaints related to liver disharmony (such as conjunctivitis), acute urinary infections, hypertension with dizziness or tinnitus and tantrums in children.  Included in many Chinese patent remedies for “liver heat.”  It is also used in the treatment of jaundice, leucorrhoea, eczema, conjunctivitis, and sore throat.  

Long Pepper (Piper longum): The unripe spike of the plant and the root, which is thick and branched, is also medically important and is called modi or pippali-moolam. Long Pepper inhibits the secretion of digestive juice and lowers total stomach acid;  it lowers LDL and VLDL and TC; prevents hardening of the arteries; has a calming effect on CNS.  Seed used in cough and throat pain. Root used in paralysis, epilepsy, and stiff joints. Both seeds and root are used for cough, rheumatism, leprosy, and consumption. The herb is also believed to improve vitality.

Loofah (Luffa cylindrical )   In Chinese medicine, the inner skeleton of the dried fruit is used to treat pain in the muscles and joints, chest, and abdomen.  It is prescribed for chest infections accompanied by fever and pain, and is used to clear congested mucus.  Loofah is also given to treat painful or swollen breasts.  Research indicates the fresh vine has a stronger expectorant effect than the dried fruit.  Dried fruit fibers are used as abrasive sponges in skin care to remove dead skin and stimulate the peripheral circulation.             .

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera )  The entire plant is used in medicine.  The Sacred water lotus has been used in the Orient as a medicinal herb for well over 1,500 years.  The leaf juice is used in the treatment of diarrhea and is decocted with liquorice (Glycyrrhiza spp) for the treatment of sunstroke.  A decoction of the flowers is used in the treatment of premature ejaculation. The flowers are recommended as a cardiac tonic. A decoction of the floral receptacle is used in the treatment of abdominal cramps, bloody discharges etc.  The flower stalk is used in treating bleeding gastric ulcers, excessive menstruation, post-partum hemorrhage.  The stamens are astringent and used in treating urinary frequency, premature ejaculation, hemolysis, epistasis and uterine bleeding.  A decoction of the fruit is used in the treatment of agitation, fever, heart complaints etc.  The seed is used in the treatment of poor digestion, enteritis, chronic diarrhea, insomnia, palpitations etc.  The plumule and radicle are used to treat thirst in high febrile disease, hypertension, insomnia and restlessness.  The root starch is used in the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery etc, a paste is applied to ringworm and other skin ailments. It is also taken internally in the treatment of hemorrhages, excessive menstruation and nosebleeds. The roots are harvested in autumn or winter and dried for later use.  The root nodes are used in the treatment of nasal bleeding, hemoptysis, hematuria and functional bleeding of the uterus.  The plant has a folk history in the treatment of cancer, modern research has isolated certain compounds from the plant that show anticancer activity.   The leaves, which have antipyretic and refrigerant properties, are used against symptoms of summer-heat, such as headache, respiratory congestion, chronic thirst, and dark scanty urine.  The peduncle relieves stomachaches, calms restless fetus, and controls leukorrhea. 

Lotus, Blue (Nymphaea caerules): An aphrodisiac for both men and women as well as a general remedy for all illness enhancing sexual vigor and general good health. A tonic like ginseng, pain reliever like arnica, circulation stimulant richer than ginkgo biloba, and sexual stimulant richer than Viagra. It creates a feeling of well being, euphoria and ecstasy, as well as being widely used as a general remedy against illness, and is still used as a tonic for good health, consumed as an extract, 6-12 drops or up to 1 tsp to 1 Tbs in juice taken 1 to 3 times daily.  Traditionally,  fresh Blue Lotus was made into a tea or drank after being soaked in wine, usually followed by a cigarette made of the dried plant material.  Dried flowers are sometimes smoked for a mild sedative effect.   By itself, Lotus produces an opiate-like intoxication. Traditionally, Nymphaea caerulea was drunk after being soaked in warm water or wine, while the dried flowers were also smoked. About 5 grams of dried petals steeped in small amount of alcohol for a few hours to a week is said to have a synergistic effect with the Lotus, producing a euphoria. The overall effect of this combination is a narcotic empathogenic experience. According to recent studies, Blue Lily was found to be loaded with health-giving phytosterols and bioflavonoids. It turned out to be one of the greatest daily health tonics ever found.

Lotus, Egyptian (Nymphaea lotus): A soothing, astringent herb that has diuretic and tranquilizing effects and is reputedly detoxicant and aphrodisiac.  The seeds, crushed in water are an old remedy for diabetes.  The rhizomes is useful in Diarrhea, dysentery, dyspepsia and general debility. The flowers are astringent and cardiotonic. The seeds are sweet, cooling, constipating, aphrodisiac, stomachic and restorative. It has found uses both as a culinary delight and starchy food staple as well as being used internally as a treatment for gastrointestinal disorders and jaundice.

Lovage (or Ligusticum levisticum)  Although no extravagant cures were attributed to lovage, medieval physicians and country folk claimed it alleviated a host of maladies.  Fresh juice from the plant squeezed into the eyes relieved conjunctivitis, and an infusion brewed from the seeds and dropped into the eyes remedied redness and dim vision.  Applied to the skin, this decoction was supposed to remove freckles.  People gargled with it, used it as a mouth wash, and drank it to mitigate pleurisy and flatulence.
            Boils, carbuncles and other pustules were treated with hot poultices of lovage leaves.  A tea made from the leaves was said to promote menstrual discharge, soothe bronchitis and bring comfort in the early stages of diptheria.  Drinking the dried and powdered roots in a medium of wine, water or oil was held to improve the functioning of the lymphatic system, reduce obesity and flabbiness through diuretic action, and remedy colic, jaundice, urinary troubles and stomach disorders.  Main ingredient in many European diuretic preparations and is added to urinary tract formulas.  Can irritate kidneys, so it is not suggested when an infection is present but Commission E suggests making a tea with 2-4 teaspoons of dried herb per cup of boiling water and drinking it once a day for treating kidney stones.  Also used to promote menstruation and to ease migraine headaches.
            The colonists in New England found an additional use for the dried root.  They nibbled bits of it in church to chase away the weariness caused by long and tedious sermons.  Also in the New World, the Shakers grew lovage and sold it for medicine and flavoring much like the monks did centuries earlier.  The Pennsylvania Germans dried its hollow stems to use as natural drinking straws.  A stimulating cordial called lovage was once popular at public houses and inns.  It was flavored with lovage, but was made primarily from tansy and yarrow.  Oil extracted from lovage roots was used in tobacco blends, perfumes and bath cologne.  Has been employed as a mouthwash for soothing tonsillitis and mouth ulcers.  

Lousewort (Pedicularis resupinata): The plant is used in the treatment of fevers, leucorrhoea, rheumatism, sterility and urinary difficulties. A decoction of the plant is used to wash foul ulcers

Lousewort, Marsh (Pedicularis palustris): Lousewort is poisonous and a powerful insecticide.  Formerly, an infusion of the plant was made to destroy lice and other insect parasites.  The plant is now rarely used.

Lovage, Chinese (Ligusticum sinense): Ligusticum is a Chinese herb that promotes circulation and regulates energy. Good for post-natal abdominal pain, painful abscesses, and headaches due to colds. The ligusticum roots and fruit are aromatic and stimulant, and have diuretic and carminative action. In herbal medicine ligusticum is used for disorders of the stomach and feverish attacks, especially for cases of colic and flatulence in children, its qualities being similar to those of Angelica in expelling flatulence, exciting perspiration and opening obstructions. The infusion of dried leaf  is used as a good emmenagogue.  Internally the dried rhizome and root  are also used for menstrual problems, postpartum bleeding, coronary heart disease and headaches (those caused by concussion). The root is soaked in alcohol for 2 weeks and then used in the treatment of gout

Lungwort   (Pulmonaria officinalis)  Lungwort has been used primarily for lung problems, especially in cases of bronchitis and laryngitis, and to reduce bronchial congestion.  The silica it contains restores the elasticity of lungs, and made it an appropriate remedy when tuberculosis was common.  Major ingredient in the English “Potters Balm of Gilead Cough Mixture.”  As a poultice, it helps enlarged thyroid, burns and tumors and reduces swelling and inflammation from injuries and bruises.  Potential use as a yin tonic.  An astringent, lungwort treats diarrhea, especially in children, and eases hemorrhoids.  Its properties are similar to those in comfrey.  Both contain allantoin, which promotes wound-healing action.   

-M- HERBS

Ma Dou Ling (Aristolochia contorta): A decoction of the fruit is used in the treatment of cancer, coughs, inflammation of the respiratory organs, hemorrhoids and hypertension. It is also used to resolve phlegm and lower blood pressure. It has an antibacterial action, effective against Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococci, bacillus dysentericae etc. The root contains aristolochic acid. This has anti-cancer properties and can be used in conjunction with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Aristolochic acid can also be used in the treatment of acute and serious infections such as TB, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and infantile pneumonia. It also increases the cellular immunity and phagocytosis function of the phagocytic cells. Aristolochic acid is said to be too toxic for clinical use. The root is used as a purgative in the treatment of rabies and also has sedative properties.

Mace   (Myristica fragrans): Carminative, stimulant, and tonic, mace aids the digestion, is beneficial to the circulation and is used to mollify febrile upsets and in Asia to relieve nausea.  Mace butter is employed as a mild counter-irritant and used in hair lotions and plasters.  As with nutmeg, large doses of mace can lead to hallucination and epileptiform fits, myristin being poisonous, but dangerous doses are unlikely to be taken in the course of everyday use.  Taken in a toddy, it was a cure for insomnia, but prolonged over-indulgence is now avoided as addictive.

Madagascar Periwinkle (Vinca rosea) In 1923, considerable interest was aroused in the medical world by the statement that this species of Vinca had the power to cure diabetes, and would probably prove an efficient substitute for Insulin, but V. major has long been used by herbalists for this purpose. Vincristine, a major chemotherapy agent for leukemia, and vinblastin (for Hodgkin’s disease) are derived from the plant.  The anti-cancer constituents are very strong and should only be taken under the supervision of a qualified health care practitioner.  Use as a fluid extract.  It has also been used in traditional herbal medicine to treat wasp stings (India), stop bleeding (Hawaii), as an eyewash (Cuba), and to treat diabetes (Jamaica); contains the alkaloid alstonine which can reduce blood pressure.

Madder (Rubia tinctorium )  Madder is still grown as a medicinal in central Europe and west Asia.  The root eliminates and prevents the formation of kidney and bladder stones, increases bile production and menstruation, and is a laxative. It is especially useful in urinary tract afflictions in which the system has become alkaline.  Powdered root is wound-healing, often used for skin ulcers.  Two ounces of the root can be boiled in six quarts of water and added to the tub to make a bath that will heal the skin. The red coloring agent is so potent that it turns the urine red and eventually even stains the bones, although no health problems are associated with these phenomena.  Infusions of leaves and stems treat constipation, diarrhea and bladder disorders.  It has a marked effect on the liver and has been found useful in jaundice.    A madder poultice encourages wound healing. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine in east India and considered an important “blood-purifying” herb that “cleans” the body by improving liver functions. Used for many pitta-type bleeding conditions.  Homeopathically used to treat anemia and ailments of the spleen.  

Maidenhair Fern (Adiantum capillus-veneris  (A pedatum North American variety))  Medicinal Uses: Used by Western herbalists to treat coughs, bronchitis, excess mucus, sore throat, and chronic nasal congestion.  The plant also has a longstanding reputation as a remedy for conditions of the hair and scalp.  It may be used as an infusion.  Native American sometimes chewed the leaves of the plant to stop internal bleeding.  An extract of the plant has diuretic and hypoglycemic activity in animals.  It needs to be used fresh as it’s highly sensitive to time and heat.  Can be used in a poultice (raw and crushed), directly applied to a wound or scalded and infused for several minutes for a topical poultice to treat eczema, suppurating infections and wounds.  In the form of a hair lotion, it stimulates hair growth.  In a tea (1 plant in 1 cup water), it is excellent in treating coughs and chronic skin disorders.  In the case of poor blood circulation, take 3 cups daily.  A tincture is also a good choice as an effective concentrated preparation: 2/3 oz in 1 cup alcohol.  

Makabuhai (Tinospora crispa ): The Filipinos and Malays in general consider this vine as a universal medicine. It is the most popular of local medicinal plants. Makabuhai, the common Tagalog name; means, “to give life”. It is commonly prescribed as an aqueous extract in the treatment of stomach trouble, indigestion, and diarrhea. It is the basis of a popular preparation, which is used as a cordial, a tonic, or an ingredient in cocktails. It is also an effective remedy in the treatment of tropical ulcers. In powder form, it is prescribed in fevers. A preparation with coconut oil is an effective cure for rheumatism and also for flatulence of children (kabag). The preparation is made by chopping the makabuhai stem into pieces of 1 or 2 inches long, placing them in a jar with coconut oil, and “cooking” them under the sun. The jar is then put aside and not opened until a year has elapsed. A decoction of the stem is considered an effective cure if used as a wash for tropical ulcers. Father de Sta.Maria includes makabuhai in his book, “Manual de Medicinas Caseras,” and says that it is given the decoction or powder from as a febrifuge. The decoction of the stem is also an excellent vulnerary for itches, ordinary and cancerous wounds. Guerrero reports that internally it is used as tonic and antimalaria; externally as a parasiticide.
            Traditionally used in Thai medicine, Tinospora crispa is one ingredient in Thai folk remedies for maintaining good health. A decoction of the stems, leaves and roots is used to treat fever, cholera, diabetes, rheumatism and snake-bites, an infusion of the stem is drunk as a vermifuge, a decoction of the stem is used for washing sore eyes and syphilitic sores, the crushed leaves are applied on wounds and made into poultice for itch. Also it reduces thirst, internal inflammation, and increases appetite.
The drug (stem) is registered in the Thailand Pharmacopoeia, and commonly used in hospital to treat diabetes.
        In Vietnam the southern pharmacopoeia was developed and adapted in the 14th century by the monk Tue Tinh, to treat Vietnamese for diseases common to the tropics, while keeping the principles of Chinese medicine and blending into it the qualities of southern plants known to traditional popular medicine. To treat Malaria they use the Tinospora crispa.
               In general folklore, the stem decoction is considered antipyretic, useful as an antimalarial and a wash for skin ulcers. Traditionally an infusion is used to treat fever due to malaria and also in cases of jaundice and for use against intestinal worms. The antimalarial effect was confirmed in a study. A decoction of the stems, leaves and roots is used to treat fever, cholera, diabetes, rheumatism and snake-bites. An infusion of the stem is drunk as a vermifuge. A decoction of the stem is used for washing sore eyes and syphilitic sores. The crushed leaves are applied on wounds and made into poultice for itch.
            A decoction of the fresh root mixed with pepper and goat’s milk is given for rheumatism, where the dose is half a pint (in doses of two to four ounces according to another author under chronic rheumatism and syphilitic cachexia) every morning. It is said to be laxative and sudorific. When under this treatment the natives make a curry of the leaves, which they recommend to their patients. The leaves when agitated in water render it mucilaginous and is then sweetened with sugar and drunk when freshly made (half a pint taken twice-a-day). This is given for the cure of gonorrhea and is said to soothe the smarting and scalding. It is also used externally as a cooling and soothing application in prurigo, eczema, impetigo, etc.
        If allowed to stand for a few minutes, the mucilaginous parts separate, contract and float in the center Leaving the water clear, and almost tasteless.
          Decoction of the root in combination with ginger and sugar is given in cases of bilious dyspepsia and in cases of fevers with other bitters and aromatics. Roots rubbed with bonduc nuts in water are given for stomachache, especially in children.
                Indonesians use an infusion of the stems to treat fevers and malaria. They can also be used to treat stomachache and jaundice. The infusion is also useful in fevers caused by smallpox and cholera. Another popular use of this infusion is in a mixture for treating indigestion.
                In India, the leaves are made into a calming or soothing drug mainly for children that acts by relieving pain and flatulence. The juice of the leaves coagulates in water and forms a mucilage which is used externally as a cooling and soothing application in prurigo, eczema, impetigo etc.  Decoction of the root (1 in 10) mixed with long-pepper and goat's milk is given in doses of two to four ounces in chronic rheumatism and syphilitic cachexia. Roots rubbed with bonduc nuts in water are given for stomachache, especially in children.

Male Fern (Dryopteris filix-mas (Syn Aspidium filix-mas))  :  One of the most effective of all “worm herbs,” male fern root, or the oleo-resin it yields, is a specific treatment for tapeworms.