Raspberry (Rubus idaeus )   The leaf is the most valuable medicinal part of the raspberry and a tea is traditionally drunk by expectant mothers during the last three months of pregnancy to strengthen the uterus and to ease painful contractions during labor as well as checking any hemorrhage.  This action will occur if the herb is drunk regularly throughout pregnancy and also taken during labor. Although the specific mode of action is unknown, the leaves are thought to strengthen the longitudinal muscles of the uterus, increasing the force of contractions and thereby hastening childbirth.  The gentle astringency of raspberry leaves is also helpful for diarrhea in children, and an infusion makes a good mouthwash for ulcers and bleeding gums. It is used to treat irregular and excessive menstruation.   Externally, the leaves and roots are used as a gargle to treat tonsillitis and mouth inflammations, as a poultice and wash to treat sores, conjunctivitis, minor wounds, burns and varicose ulcers.  The fruit is antiscorbutic and diuretic. Fresh raspberry juice, mixed with a little honey, makes an excellent refrigerant beverage to be taken in the heat of a fever. Made into a syrup, it is said to have a beneficial effect on the heart.  The fruit is nutritious and mildly astringent.

Raspberry, Chinese (Rubus coreanus) An astringent herb that acts as a kidney and liver tonic.  Internally for complaints associated with disturbed liver and kidney functions, such as urinary dysfunction, premature graying, blurred vision, infertility, impotence, and premature ejaculation.  Fresh raspberry leaves can be pureed with some pure water and the juice extracted for use as an astringent wash to treat excessive watering of the eyes.  The juice of the bruised leaves or a decoction of the root are used in the treatment of ophthalmia.  The drug improves vision in liver and kidney deficient symptoms. 

Rattlesnake Master (Eryngium yuccifolium).....The plant was used as an antidote to snakebites. The roots were chewed and applied to the bite. The roots have been used medicinally for liver ailments, to increase urine flow, to induce vomiting, and to treat rattlesnake bite.  Very useful in dropsy, nephritic and calculus affections, also in scrofula and syphilis.  It is valuable as a diaphoretic and expectorant in pulmonary affections and used when Senega is not available.  There is some effect in treating inflammations and malaria.  The pulverized root is very effective in hemorrhoids and prolapsus.  Chewing the root results in increased saliva flow.   A liquid made from roots mashed in cold water was drunk to relieve muscular pains.  The roots have also been used for rheumatism, respiratory ailments, and kidney trouble.  A decoction of the roots has been found useful in cases of exhaustion from sexual depletion, with loss of erectile power, seminal emissions and orchitis. A tincture of the roots is used in the treatment of female reproductive disorders.       Rattlesnake master is reported to have bitter aromatic constituents.  No research seems to have been done on the effectiveness of rattlesnake master in the treatment on rattlesnake bites, but an extract of Eryngium creticum was found to be effective as an antivenum to the sting of the scorpion Leiurus quinuqestristus.  This Eryngium grows in Jordan, where it is used by people in rural areas for scorpion stings.

Rattlesnake Weed (Hieracium venosum) When fresh, the leaves are acrid and excoriating, and will often remove warts; but they lose this property on being dried, and are then (with the roots) simply bitter and astringent.  The roots and leaves are stimulating and astringent, moderately permanent, and quite positive in action. They arouse a full outward circulation; and may be used to advantage when the surface is cold and sluggish, and there is hemorrhage from any internal organ. They are useful in uterine hemorrhage, excessive menstruation, bleeding piles, and spitting of blood. They are not so drying as often to prove constipating, but act much like (though milder than) the bark of myrica. Like myrica, they may be used in chronic diarrhea, aphthous sores, nasal catarrh, nasal polypus, and as an injection in foul leucorrhea and rather insensitive forms of prolapsus. It exerts that peculiar influence in stimulating and consolidating the assimilative apparatus, that can be used to good effect in the treatment of those forms of scrofula which are associated with persistent watery looseness of the bowels. Drank freely in warm decoction, and the leaves at the same time applied as a fomentation, the plant is reputed to be of much service in arousing the circulation and nervous system, and casting out the virus of serpents. One ounce of the roots, or an ounce and a half of the leaves, will form a quart of infusion; or they may be added to relaxant alterants in the preparation of syrups. The purple veined-leaves of rattlesnake weed are unmistakable.
          Cherokee used the root tea with Mitchella for bowel disorders

Rau Can (Oenanthe javanica) A decoction of the whole plant is used in the treatment of epidemic influenza, fever and discomfort, jaundice, haematuria and metrorrhagia.   The seed contains 3.5% essential oil. This is effective at large dilutions against pathogenic fungi.  

Rau Rom (Vietnamese Coriander  Polygonum odoratum)    The roots of the closely related Fo-ti, Polygonum multiflorum, are used in Chinese herbal medicine as a tonic and to stimulate hair growth, where it is often combined with other herbs, such as ginseng (panax sp.).  Used in southeastern Asia against nausea, fever and to promote urination  It is sometimes employed as an anaphrodisiac.  In Cambodia the twigs and leaves are used to stimulate urination and to combat fever and nausea.  In Vietnam the plant is used to treat wound and snake bite.  The dried rhizome has astringent and anti-inflammatory uses.  In Europe, an infusion from the rhizome has been used as a gargle for ulcers and gingevitis, and applied to cuts, sores and hemorrhoids.   

Red Angel's Trumpet (Brugmansia sanguinea)  Known extensively throughout South America for its medicinal virtues and ritually brewed with Trichocereous pachanoi as one interpretation of Cimora. ... In Ecuador it is currently being cultivated for scopolamine.

Red China Root (Smilax lanceolata): Chop and boil a small handful of roots in 3 cups of water to use as a pleasant tasting blood tonic and for fatigue, anemia, acidity, toxicity, rheumatism, and skin conditions.  Drink with milk, cinnamon, and nutmeg to strengthen and proliferate red blood cells.

Red Flowered Bladder (Colutea orientalis) Leaves have a purging quality, but afterwards have a binding effect.  It is corrected with caraway seed, aniseed, or ginger and a dram taken in wine, ale or broth, on an empty stomach comforts and cleanses the stomach and purges phlegm from the head and brain, lungs, heart, liver and spleen.  From Culpeper: “It strengthens the senses, procures mirth, and is good in chronic agues.”   Modern practice uses Cassia angustifolia as the variety instead. 

Red Clover (Trifolium pratense) Traditional Chinese physicians have long used red clover blossoms as an expectorant.  Russian folk healers recommend it for asthma.  Other cultures have used it externally in salves for skin sores and eye problems and internally as a diuretic to treat water retention and as a sedative, anti-inflammatory, cough medicine, and cancer treatment.  America’s 19^th-century Eclectic physicians were great promoters of red clover. Their text, King’s American Dispensatory, called it “one of the few remedies which favorably influences pertussis [whooping cough]… possess[ing] a peculiar soothing property.” The Eclectics recommended red clover for cough, bronchitis, and tuberculosis but waxed truly enthusiastic about the herb as a cancer treatment: “It unquestionably retards the growth of carcinomata.”  During the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries, red clover was the major ingredient in many patent medicines.
            Red clover is used internally for skin complaints, especially eczema and psoriasis.  It may be used with complete safety in cases of childhood eczema, cancers of the breast, ovaries, and lymphatic system, chronic degenerative diseases, gout, whooping cough and dry cough.  Combined with chaparral in background treatment of cancer.  It has been given as part of a holistic treatment for breast tumors and fibroids, both associated with excess estrogen, because the herbal version competes with excess estrogen, allowing the body to come into balance.  The estrogenic effect may be of use in treating menopausal complaints.  Research has shown that the herb has a contraceptive effect in sheep.  Red clover blossoms have been long used in the form of a salve for the removal of external cancer and indolent ulcers.  A tea is also helpful to bathe the affected part, making it fresh daily.  It reduces the desire to smoke if chewed.  

Red Dead Nettle (Lamium purpureum): The leaves, when bruised and used as a poultice, are said to staunch blood flowing from a deep cut.  The dried herb, made into a tea and sweetened with honey, promotes perspiration and acts on the kidneys, being useful in cases of chill.

Red Hogweed (Boerhavia diffusa)  It has a long tradition in Ayurvedic medical practice.  Caraka used it to make a decoction for dissolving kidney stones.  The Ayurvedic surgeon Susruta mentions its use in snake-poisoning and rat-bite infections. Another great Ayurvedic physician, Chakradatta, used it to treat chronic alcoholics, while medieval physicians traditionally prescribed it for fevers in patients suffering from urethritis, as well as for asthma and jaundice.  It is now believed that Ayurvedic physicians defined a single tar vine plant with different colored flowers as three separate plants possessing similar medicinal properties.  However, Ayurvedic texts do identify the medicinal specialties of each, and the white-flowered variety is thought to be the most effective.  Today, Ayurvedic doctors primarily prescribe drugs made from the white-flowering hogweed to dissolve kidney stones and induce urination.
           It was found to stop intra-uterine-contraceptive-device (IUCD)-induced bleeding. This herb is also known for its anti-inflammatory and analgesic properties, which are comparable to that of ibuprofen. It has also proved useful as a hematinic.
                Punarnava's diuretic activity acts quickly for kidney infections, and urinary tract infection. It quickly increases urine flow and the alkaloidal effects work to help detoxify these systems of infection, and speed up the excretory processes.  The roots are used in the treatment of asthma, edema, anemia, jaundice, ascites, anasarca, scanty urine and internal inflammation. They are also said to be an antidote to snake poisoning. An alkaloid in the roots has been shown experimentally to produce a distinct and persistent rise in blood pressure plus marked diuresis.
              Named as punarnava in samskrit, Boerhavia diffusa is believed to be a great rejuvenator. The drug punarnava is also sourced by some Ayurvedists from a different species, Trianthema portulacastrum (Aizoaceae). Shvethapunarnava (white punarnava) is the preferred plant, but the flowers of both Boerhavia diffusa and Boerhavia repens are deep pink, while those of Trianthema portulacasstrum are white. Sometimes it is reported that Boerhavia punarnava is the name given to the white flowered variety of Boerhavia diffusa.  In western Africa, Boerhavia diffusa is used to treat convulsions, as laxative and a febrifuge. The leaves and roots are expectorant and emetic in large doses. Also used to treat asthma. Boiled roots are used as poultice on abscesses and to extract guinea worms.
            Punarnavine, boerhavic acid, reducing sugars, potassium nitrate and tannins including phlobaphens were extracted from the plant. Punarnavine raises blood pressure and produces diuresis. Particularly useful in cirrhosis of the liver and chronic peritonitis and as an anti-inflammatory. The roots have an anticonvulsant principle.

Red Mangrove (Rhizophora mangle): The red bark of the South American mangrove tree has been used for many years by the natives as a febrifuge but more recently it has been claimed that it is a specific in leprosy. They administer a beginning dose of one fluidrachm (3.75 mils) of the fluidextract twice a day which is gradually increased until the patient is taking a fluidounce and a half (45 mils) daily.                     
           Red mangrove is a folk remedy for angina, asthma, backache, boils, ciguatera, convulsions, diarrhea, dysentery, dyspepsia, elephantiasis, enuresis, epistaxis, eye ailments, fever, filariasis, hemoptysis, hemorrhage, inflammation, jaundice, leprosy, lesions, leucorrhea, malignancies, scrofula, short wind, sores, sorethroat, syphilis, tuberculosis, uterorrhagia, and wounds. One Cali doctor reported a cure of throat cancer, with gargles of mangrove bark The bark of the tree is boiled (1 handful of chopped bark in 1 gallon of water for 10 minutes) and used as a hot bath for very stubborn or serious sores, skin conditions, leprosy and swellings.

Red Root (Ceanothus velutinus) Red root is an astringent to membranes and is a good gargle and mouthwash for a sore throat or sores in the mouth.  An infusion of the leaves has been used in the treatment of coughs and fevers. A decoction of the leaves and stems has been used both internally and externally in the treatment of dull pains, rheumatism etc. The leaves contain saponins and have been used as a skin wash that is also deodorant and can destroy some parasites. The tops were used in a bath to prevent diaper rash or to wash sores or eczema by the Okanagan-Coville. The Thompson used a decoction of branches or leaves as a wash for rheumatism, arthritis, and dull body pains, or in a general wash for bathing. A poultice of the dried powdered leaves has been used as a baby powder for treating diaper rash etc

Rowan (Sorbus aucuparia)    Rowan berries are astringent and rather acidic. The juice has been used medicinally as a gargle for sore throats and laryngitis, and its astringency was useful in treating hemorrhoids and excessive vaginal discharge. The fruit contains vitamin C and was formerly employed in the prevention of scurvy.  The fruit is antiscorbutic and astringent. It is normally used as a jam or an infusion to treat diarrhea and hemorrhoids. An infusion can also be used as a gargle for sore throats and as a wash to treat hemorrhoids and excessive vaginal discharge. The seeds contain cyanogenic glycosides which, in reaction with water, produce the extremely toxic prussic acid. In small quantities this acts as a stimulant to the respiratory system but in larger doses can cause respiratory failure and death. It is therefore best to remove the seeds when using the fruit medicinally or as a food.  Both the flowers and the fruit are aperient, mildly diuretic, laxative and emmenagogue. An infusion is used in the treatment of painful menstruation, constipation and kidney disorders. 

Royal Fern  (Osmunda regalis )  The mucilaginous roots, often boiled in water to produce royal fern jelly, once given to invalids as a nutritious, easily digested food, and also used to treat dysentery, coughs and pulmonary disorders.  The root is useful in the treatment of jaundice and removing obstructions of the viscera.  The fronds are used to make compresses for external application to wounds and rheumatic joints - for which purposes they are fairly effective. An infusion of the fronds, combined with wild ginger roots (Asarum species) has been used in the treatment of children with convulsions caused by intestinal worms.

Rubber Bush (Hymenoxys richardsonii): The lukewarm infusion of the roots is used to relieve sour stomach. A poultice of the chewed root has been applied as a dressing on sores and rashes

Sage (Salvia officinalis) -  Sage oil has a unique property from all other healing herbs--it reduces perspiration.  Several studies show sage cuts perspiration by as much as 50% with the maximum effect occurring 2 hours after ingestion.  This effect explains how it developed a reputation for treating fever with profuse sweating.  Salysat is a sage-based antiperspirant marketed in Germany.  Sage is a drying agent for the body.   Use it as a sore throat gargle and as a poultice for sores and stings.  Use two teaspoons of the herb per cup of water, steep for twenty minutes and take a quarter cup four times a day.   Can also be used as a gargle.  It tastes warm, aromatic and somewhat pungent.   Tincture: 15-40 drops, up to four times a day.
           Like rosemary, sage contains powerful antioxidants, which slow spoilage supporting its traditional use as a preservative.  This is due to the presence of labiatic acid and carnosic acid.  British researchers have confirmed that sage inhibits the enzyme that breaks down acetylcholine, thus preserving the compound that seems to help prevent and treat Alzheimer's.    
           Sage makes a good digestive remedy. The volatile oils have a relaxant effect on the smooth muscle of the digestive tract, while in conjunction with the bitters, they stimulate the appetite and improve digestion.  Sage encourages the flow of digestive enzymes and bile, settles the stomach, relieves colic, wind, indigestion, nausea, diarrhea and colitis, liver complaints, and worms.  Its antiseptic properties are helpful in infections such as gastroenteritis.  Sage is a tonic to the nervous system and has been used to enhance strength and vitality. 
             It has a tonic effect upon the female reproductive tract and is recommended for delayed or scanty menstruation, or lack of periods, menstrual cramps and infertility.  It has an estrogenic effect, excellent for menopausal problems, especially hot flashes and night sweats.  It stimulates the uterus, so is useful during childbirth and to expel the placenta.  It stops the flow of breast milk and it is excellent for weaning. One German study shows sage reduces blood sugar levels in diabetics who drink the infusion on an empty stomach.  It also contains astringent tannins  which account for its traditional use in treating canker sores, bleeding gums and sore throats.  Commission E endorses using 2-3 teaspoons of dried sage leaves per cup of boiling water to make an anti-gingivitis tea.   Recently published studies by a team of scientists from the Department of Microbiology and Chemotherapy at the Nippon Roche Research Center in Kamakura Japan, informed that powdered sage or sage tea helps to prevent blood clots from forming, and is quite useful in the prevention and treatment of myocardial infarction and general coronary pains.

Sage, Purple (Leucophyllum texanum): The dried leaves and flowers can be brewed into a pleasant herbal tea that is said to be mildly sedative and good as a bedtime drink or for treating colds and flus.

Sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate ) -  a tea made of the leaves has been used to treat headache, stomachache, vomiting, diarrhea, sore throat, and as an antidote for poisoning.  Some Indians chewed the leaves to ease stomach gas.  A wash made of boiled and steeped leaves was used for treating bullet wounds and cuts, to bathe newborn babies, and as a hot poultice in treating rheumatism.  A poultice was also placed on the stomach to induce menstruation, to relieve colic and treat worms. The leaves are boiled in water and the steam inhaled as a decongestant.  Warm leaves may be applied to the neck to help a sore throat.  The leaves are pungent and have been preferred for making medicine among other sagebrushes. 

Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)  The older herbalists held this plant in greater repute than it enjoys at the present day.  Pliny recommended a decoction of the plant beaten up with honey for diverse complaints.  Dodoens recommended it as a healer of wounds.  Gerard wrote that ‘it was a capital wound herb for all sorts of wounds, both of the head and body, either inward or outward, used either in juice or decoction of the herb, or by the powder of the herb or too, or the water of the distilled herb, or made into an ointment by itself or with other things to be kept.’  Turner advised the use of the herb, infused in wine or beer, for the cure of gout and rheumatism.

TCM: (Officinalis) Indicated for blood in stool and urine, bleeding, dysentery; bleeding hemorrhoids; menorrhagia.  The fresh root is pulverized, mixed with sesame oil and applied to burns, pruritus and eczema

Salep (Orchis mascula )  Once believed to have aphrodisiac powers, purple orchid is now seen as a nourishing vegetable somewhat similar to the potato.  Its current medicinal use is generally confined to the treatment of diarrhea and irritated gastrointestinal tracts in children.  Was once much used for kidney disorders.

Salmonberry (Rubus spectabilis)  The leaves and the root are astringent. A poultice of the chewed leaves has been used as a dressing on burns.  The root bark is analgesic, astringent, disinfectant and stomachic. A decoction is used in the treatment of stomach complaints. A decoction has been used to lessen the pains of labor. The powdered bark has been used as a dusting powder on burns and sores. A poultice of the bark has been applied to wounds and aching teeth to ease the pain. A poultice of the chewed bark has been used as a dressing to relive pain and clean burns and wounds.

Saltbush (Atriplex canescens)  The leaves can be made into a soapy lather and used as a wash on itches and rashes such as chickenpox. A poultice of the crushed leaves can be applied to ant bites to reduce the pain and swelling. The dried tops as a lukewarm tea for nausea and vomiting from the flu; taken hot for breaking fevers.  The cold tea is used for simple stomachache.

Salvia Divinorum  Medicinal uses:  Traditional Mazatec healers have used Salvia divinorum to treat medical and psychiatric conditions conceptualized according to their traditional framework. Some of the conditions for which they use the herb are easily recognizable to Western medical practitioners (e.g colds, sore throats, constipation and diarrhea) and some are not, e.g. 'fat lambs belly' which is said to be due to a 'stone' put in the victims belly by means of evil witchcraft. Some alternative healers and herbalists are exploring possible uses for Salvia. The problems in objectively evaluating such efforts and 'sorting the wheat from the chaff' are considerable. There are no accepted uses for Salvia divinorum in standard medical practice at this time. A medical exploration of some possible uses suggested by Mazatec healing practice is in order in such areas as cough suppression (use to treat colds), and treatment of congestive heart failure and ascites (is 'fat lamb's belly' ascites?). Some other areas for exploration include Salvia aided psychotherapy (there is anecdotal material supporting its usefulness in resolving pathological grief), use of salvinorin as a brief acting general or dissociative anesthetic agent, use to provide pain relief, use in easing both the physical and mental suffering of  terminal patients as part of hospice care, and a possible antidepressant effect.

Samphire   (Crithmum maritimum) Though not currently much used in herbal medicine, samphire is a good diuretic and has potential as a treatment for obesity.  It has a high vitamin C and mineral content and is thought to relieve flatulence and to act as a digestive remedy. It was once recommended to cure kidney stones.  

Sampson's Snakeroot (Gentiana villosa)  Sampson’s snakeroot is esteemed not only as an antidote for snakebite and bites from rabid dogs.  It has also been specified for the treatment of gout and rheumatism.  The plant’s foremost use, generally in the form of a tea, has been to stimulate the appetite and help digestion.  The plant contains bitter chemical substances that would have this effect.

Sand Sage (Artemisia filifolia syn Oligosporus filifolius)  An infusion of the plant and juniper branches is used in the treatment of indigestion. A strong infusion of the plant is used as a lotion on snakebites. The plant is also used to treat boils. This thread-leaved sagebrush is useful as a bitter tonic for hypersecreters with ulcers or chronic stress gastritis, usually drunk in the evenings or when wakened by heartburn. The leaves and tops are boiled in water and the steam inhaled to treat headaches and sore throats.  The tea relieves prolonged conditions of gas from fermentation. 

Sand Sedge (Carex arenaria)  The rootstock of the sand sedge is also referred to as German sarsaparilla because it has a similar effect to the Central American smilax derived from Radix Sarsparillae.  It was used as a diuretic as well as a blood purifier for bronchitis, gout and rheumatism.  An infusion has been used in the treatment of abdominal and stomach disorders, liver complaints, and skin conditions such as eczema and pruritus. 

Sand Verbena (Abronia fragrans syn Abronia speciosa) The whole dried plant is boiled into a tea and taken frequently in small amounts to stimulate milk production in nursing mothers.  The roots and flowers were used by the North American Indians to treat stomach cramps and as a general panacea or 'life' medicine. A cold infusion was used as a lotion for sores or sore mouths and also to bathe perspiring feet.

Sandalwood (Santalum album)  Sandalwood is a classic for bladder infections.  It is taken to help the passing of stones, in kidney inflammations, and prostatitis.  The oil is cooling to the body and useful for fevers and infections when used as a massage.  The scent is calming, and helps focus the mind away from distracting chatter and creating the right mood for meditation..  Sandalwood has been used internally for chronic bronchitis and to treat gonorrhea and the urethral discharge that results.  Simmer one teaspoon of the wood per cup of water for 20 minutes, and take up to two cups a day in quarter-cup doses.  The alcohol tincture is 20-40 drops, 4 times a day, not with meals.  In Ayurvedic medicine, a paste of the wood is used to soothe rashes and itchy skin.  For nosebleeds, the oil can be smeared up into the nose using a finger saturated with the oil. 
          In Chinese medicine, sandalwood is held to be useful for chest and abdominal pain.  It is also used to treat vomiting, gonorrhea, choleraic difficulties and skin complaints.  Promotes the movement of qi and alleviates pain: for pain associated with stagnant qi in the chest and abdomen.  Contraindicated in cases of yin deficiency with heat signs.  The oil also stimulates the spleen, promotes white blood cell production and strengthens the immune system against infection. Very useful for chronic bronchitis, laryngitis, sore throat, hiccups and dry coughs. 
            Emotionally, sandalwood is profoundly seductive, dispelling anxiety and depression.  It casts out cynicism and obsessional attitudes, especially strong ties with the past, effecting a cure in cases of sexual dysfunction.  It comforts and helps the dying to make peace with the world.  It is used to awaken the power of kundalini and to connect that energy with the highest enlightenment.   About the erotic quality of the oil, scientists have discovered a connection.  Sandalwood smells similar to light concentrations of androsterone, a substance very similar in chemical structure to the male hormone testosterone and is released in men’s underarm perspiration. 

Sandalwood, Red (Pterocarpus santalus):  Used occasionally in India for diabetes; the antidiabetic constituent is pterostilbene which also has insecticidal activity.  Employed in pharmacy for coloring tinctures.

Sandwort (Spergularia rubra)   :   This herb acts as a diuretic, stimulating functioning of the bladder, and is especially known in Malta for this use. It has been recommended for inflammation of the bladder as well as for bladder stones. The powdered herb is allowed to steep in a pint of boiling water in the preparation of one ounce of the powder to a pint of water. It has been recommended to be taken several times a day, perhaps a cup every two hours until relief is obtained. This should be accompanied by a mild diet with non-irritating foods such as barley water.  The plant contains a resinous aromatic substance that is probably the active principle. An infusion is thought to relax the muscle walls of the urinary tubules and so it is used in the treatment of kidney stones, acute and chronic cystitis and catarrh of the bladder. 

Sanicle (Sanicula europaea )  Wood sanicle used to be widely used as a herbal remedy and has a long-standing reputation for healing wounds and treating internal bleeding. The herb is traditionally thought to be detoxifying and has also been taken internally to treat skin problems. A potentially valuable plant, but it is little used in modern herbalism.  The herb is highly esteemed in the treatment of blood disorders, where it is usually given in combination with other herbs. It is also taken internally in the treatment of bleeding in the stomach and intestines, the coughing up of blood, nosebleeds, chest and lung complaints, dysentery, diarrhea etc. It can also be used as a mouth gargle for sore throats.
               It may also be of use in treating diarrhea and dysentery, bronchial and congestive problems, and sore throats.  This herb is traditionally thought to be detoxifying and has been taken internally for skin problems.  An old treatment for dropsy.  Externally, sanicle may be applied as a poultice or ointment for wounds, burns, chilblains, hemorrhoids, and inflamed skin and rashes.  As an astringent it is valuable for relieving leucorrhea.

Sanvitalia (Sanvitalia abertii): As a mild laxative and stimulant to digestive fluids and saliva.  Especially useful for dry, marbly, chronic constipation accompanied by sore gums and bad breath. The flowers are chewed to whiten stained teeth. 

Sanzashi (Crataegus cuneata): In China, the berries are mainly taken for symptoms of 'food stagnation', which can include abdominal bloating, indigestion, flatulence and diarrhea. They are believed to 'move' the blood, and are used to relieve stagnation in dysmenorrhea and after childbirth. The fruit is used in the treatment of dyspepsia, stagnation of fatty food, abdominal fullness, retention of lochia, amenorrhea, postpartum abdominal pain, hypertension and coronary heart disease. Ayurvedic medicine recommends hawthorn for heart and circulatory complaints.  In search of new products for the treatment of hyperlipidemia with a low frequency of side effects, a decoction of Crataegus cuneata, Nelumbo nucifera and GP has been tested. A reduction of triglyceride and cholesterol was seen.  

Sapphireberry (Symplocos paniculata) The bark is useful in the treatment of menorrhagia, bowel complaints, eye diseases and ulcers. It is also used as a gargle for giving firmness to spongy and bleeding gums.

Sarsaparilla (Smilax regelii)  Used to treat skin disorders, liver problems, rheumatism and hormone excesses.   Generally the best quality sarsaparilla is the Jamaican.  Honduran and Mexican are also very good.  The roots with the deeper orange-red color are considered to be of superior quality.  Sarsaparilla is excellent for chronic hepatic disorders, for venereal diseases like gonorrhea and syphilis, and for female leuchorrea, and herpes.  It combines well with other alteratives and especially with yellow dock, sassafras, burdock, dandelion and red clover.  It also is of some help for epilepsy and other nervous system disorders.  It is anti-inflammatory and cleansing and can bring relief to skin problems caused by blood impurities such as eczema, psoriasis and itchiness. Chinese tests indicate that sarsaparilla root, in combination with five other herbs, was tested as a treatment for syphilis.  Reportedly, 90% of the acute cases subsequently cleared. In Mexico, the root is still frequently consumed for its reputed tonic and aphrodisiac properties.  Native Amazonian peoples take sarsaparilla to improve virility and to treat menopausal problems.  It has a progesterogenic action, making it beneficial in premenstrual problems and debility and depression associated with menopause.  It has a tonic and specifically testosterogenic action on the body (stimulates the production of testosterone) and stimulates natural cortisone, leading to increased muscle bulk, and it has a potential use for impotence.     
                   The majority of Sarsaparilla's pharmacological properties and actions have been attributed to a pharmacologically active group of phytochemicals called steroids and saponins. The saponins have been reported to facilitate the absorption by the body of other drugs and phytochemicals which accounts for its history of use in herbal formulas as a bioavailability and herbal enhancement agent. 
             Saponins and plant steroids found in many species of plants, including Sarsaparilla, can be chemically synthesized into human steroids like estrogen and testosterone. This chemical synthesization has never been documented to occur in the human body - only in the laboratory. Plant steroids and their actions in the human body are still a subject of much interest, too little research, and unfortunately, misinformation mainly for marketing purposes. Sarsaparilla has been erroneously touted to contain testosterone and/or other anabolic steroids. While it is a rich source of steroids and saponins, it has never been proven to have any anabolic effects, nor is testosterone found in sarsaparilla or any other plant source thus far. There is no known toxicity or side effects documented for sarsaparilla, however ingestion of large dosages of saponins may cause gastro-intestinal irritation. For psoriasis it will combine well with Burdock, Yellow Dock and Cleavers.

Sassafras (Sassafras albidum)  Sassafras has traditionally been used for treating high blood pressure, rheumatism, arthritis, gout, menstrual and kidney problems.  The herb is listed in 1983 British Herbal Pharmacopoeia for head lice, cutaneous eruptions, rheumatic pains and gout, skin diseases and acne and ulcer.  Sassafras is an excellent warming diuretic, which makes it good for most arthritic conditions. Dosage is 10-30 drops of the tincture.  The root bark of sassafras improves digestion and increases sweating during flus, fevers and measles.  It is slightly laxative, and has been used to reduce high blood pressure and to decrease mother’s milk.  It is also a remedy for poison ivy and oak rash poison.  Native Americans used a wash of the bark to bathe infected sores and of the twigs as eyewash.  The plant’s disinfectant action makes a valuable mouthwash and dentrifice.  

Savory (Satureja hortensis and S montana): Savory has aromatic and carminative properties, and though chiefly used as a culinary herb, it may be added to medicines for its aromatic and warming qualities.  It was formerly deemed a sovereign remedy for the colic and a cure for flatulence, on this account, and was also considered a good expectorant.  A mild tea made with a few crushed dried leaves and boiling water has a pleasant, warming effect and since savory, like rue, is reputed to sharpen the eyesight, use it also to relieve eyestrain due to overtiredness or bad lighting.  It will also help to disguise the flavor of unpalatable medicine, and a few leaves added to a bottle of white wine makes a refreshing tonic.  In an emergency crushed leaves of savory can be applied to bee strings to bring rapid relief.  In Elizabethan times, the leaves were crushed into poultices for the treatment of colds and chest ailments like asthma.  A tea of savory can be helpful for diarrhea and can also stimulate the appetite.  Cherokee Indians used the herb as a snuff to cure headaches.

Saw palmetto (Seronoa repens) A hexane extract of the berries has been shown to have antiandrogenic properties through a direct action on the estrogen receptors and by inhibiting the enzyme testosterone-5-alph-reductase. Subcutaneously administered extracts were strongly estrogenic in mice.  Furthermore, saw palmetto extract has been shown to prevent the conversion of testosterone to dihydrotestosterone (DHT) as well as to inhibit DHT binding to cellular and nuclear receptor sites, thereby increasing the metabolism and excretion of DHT.  A double-blind placebo-controlled study evaluated the hormonal effects of saw palmetto extract given to men with benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH) for 3 months prior to operation.  The study found that saw palmetto displayed an estrogenic and antiprogesterone effect as determined by estrogen and progesterone receptor activity. 
            Aids thyroid in regulating sexual development and normalizing the activity of those glands and organs.  Tonic.  Good for strengthening and body building.  For men, it treats enlarged and weakened prostate, impotence.  For women, it increases breast size and secreting ability, relieves ovarian and uterine irritability, frigidity. Stimulates appetite, improves digestion and increases assimilation of nutrients.  Expectorant, used for colds, head and nose congestion, asthma, bronchitis. Promotes urine flow, urinary antiseptic, good for infections of gastro-urinary tract.  Also used in diabetes.  Increases the tone of the bladder, allowing a better contraction and more complete expulsion of the contents, relieving any straining pain.  Nourishes the nervous system and aids assimilation of nutrients.  Nicknamed the "plant catheter" because it has the ability to strengthen the neck of the bladder.    Because saw palmetto blocks the formation of DHT which kills off hair follicles it's possible this can be used to prevent hair loss.  

Scammony Root (Ipomoea orizabensis )  One of the most effective purgatives known producing copious watery evacuations. In large doses it causes considerable pain, and its preparations should not be used by those suffering from gastric or intestinal inflammation.

Scarlet Pimpernel (Anagallis arvensis)  Not used much by medical herbalists today, scarlet pimpernel has diuretic, sweat-inducing, and expectorant properties.  As an expectorant, it was used to stimulate the coughing up of mucus and help recovery from colds and flu.  It has been used to treat epilepsy and mental problems for 2,000 years, but there is little evidence to support its efficacy. A tincture prepared from the fresh plant is used to treat skin eruptions and ulcers, also as a cholagogic and diuretic. The whole herb can be taken internally or applied externally as a poultice. An infusion is used in the treatment of dropsy, skin infections and disorders of the liver and gall bladder.

Scopolia (Scopolia carniolica)  A narcotic, warming herb that dilates the pupils, relaxes spasms, and relieves pain.  Internally, in Chinese medicine, used for chronic diarrhea, dysentery, stomachache, and manic-depressive states.  Mainly as a source of hyoscine, and sometimes as a substitute for Atropa belladonna, notably in the manufacture of belladonna plasters, and for Hyoscyamus niger.  For use by qualified practitioners only.   In 1900 an alkaloid from this plant was combined with morpone from Papaver somniferum to produce “twilight sleep”; this compound was used as a preanesthetic prior to the administration of chloroform or ether.  The dried root causes a sleep that resembles normal sleep. In the past, it had medical uses as a cerebral sedative for manias and drug addiction; it potentiates other sedatives.  Scopolia root acts as a parasympatholytic/anticholinergic via competitive antagonism of the neuromuscular transmitter acetylcholine. This antagonism affects more the muscarine-like effect of acetylcholine, less the nicotine-like effects at the ganglions and the neuromuscular end-plate. Scopolia root displays peripheral effects targeted on the vegetative nervous system and the smooth muscles, as well as central nervous effects. Because of its parasympatholytic properties, scopolia root causes relaxation of the smooth muscle organs and elimination of spastic conditions, especially of the gastrointestinal tract and the bile ducts. Conditions of muscular tremors and muscular rigidity, caused by central nervous impulses, disappear. The action on the heart is positively chronotropic and positively dromotropic.

Scorpion's Tail (Heliotropium indicum syn Tiaridium indicum)  All parts of this plant are used as medicine by local people. It is also used in ayurvedc treatments. The juice of the leaves can be applied on boils, pimples, ulcers, sores and wounds to cure. It has a potent wound healing effect, very strong antitumor agent.  In Belize, the plant’s used for diarrhea, malaise, or vomiting in infants—boil an entire plant in 1 gallon water for 5 minutes and bathe infant in warm water at bedtime. Use tea bath for skin conditions. Take unsweetened tea for painful periods or scanty flow.  To prepare tea, boil 3 15-cm long stem pieces with leaves for 5 minutes in 3 cups water and drink warm.  Note that the plant can be toxic if drunk regularly or in large doses.  Boil 3 leaves in 1 cup water for 10 minutes and strain through cloth to use as eye wash.  Biological activities reported include uterine stimulant effect in rats from a water extract of roots; uterine stimulant effect in rats from an ethanol extract of roots; antispasmodic activity of an unspecified type from a dried seed extract in guinea pigs. 

Scots Pine (Pinus sylvestris )   Scot's pine has quite a wide range of medicinal uses, being valued especially for its antiseptic action and beneficial effect upon the respiratory system. It may be used in cases of bronchitis, sinustitis or upper respiratory catarrh, both as an inhalant and internally.  It may also be helpful in asthma.  The stimulating action gives the herb a role in the internal treatment of rheumatism and arthritis.  Scots pine branches and stems yield a thick resin, which is also antiseptic within the respiratory tract.  It is a valuable remedy in the treatment of kidney, bladder and rheumatic affections, and also in diseases of the mucous membranes. Externally it is used in the form of liniment plasters and inhalers.  The leaves and young shoots are antiseptic, diuretic and expectorant. They are used internally for their mildly antiseptic effect within the chest and are also used to treat rheumatism and arthritis. There is a tradition of adding the twigs to bath water to ease nervous debility and sleeplessness, as well as aiding the healing of cuts and soothing skin irritations.  The seeds are used for bronchitis, tuberculosis and bladder infections.  A decoction of the seeds may be applied to suppress excessive vaginal discharge.

Screwpine (Pandanus odoratissimus)  Screwpine is restorative, antihydrotic, deodorant, indolent and phylactic, promoting a feeling of wellbeing and acting as a counter to tropical lassitude.  A useful adjunct to oral hygiene as a breath sweetener, it is also used in local ritual, its sweetness symbolizing man’s better qualities.  Externally used as a poultice for boils (leaf bud)  

Scurvy Grass (Cochlearia officinalis )  The young plant, which has a general detoxicant effect and contains a wide range of minerals is taken as a spring tonic.  Like watercress, it has diuretic properties and is useful for any condition in which poor nutrition is a factor.  It can be used in the form of a juice as an antiseptic mouthwash for canker sores, and can also be applied externally to spots and pimples. Blood purification cures use it as an essential ingredient. An infusion of 8 parts leaves, 3 parts alcohol and 3 parts water, concentrated to two-thirds of its original volume, is an effective remedy for toothache when used on a cotton ball.  The fresh leaves are used in the treatment of rheumatics, dropsy, white fluor (vaginal discharge) and constipation.   

Sea Beet (Beta vulgaris ssp. maritima): Although little used in modern herbalism, beet has a long history of folk use, especially in the treatment of tumors.  A decoction prepared from the seed has been used as a remedy for tumors of the intestines. The seed, boiled in water, is said to cure genital tumors.  The juice or other parts of the plant is said to help in the treatment of tumors, leukemia and other forms of cancer such as cancer of the breast, esophagus, glands, head, intestines, leg, lip, lung, prostate, rectum, spleen, stomach, and uterus. Some figure that betacyanin and anthocyanin are important in the exchange of substances of cancer cells; others note two main components of the amines, choline and its oxidation product betaine, whose absence produces tumors in mice. The juice has been applied to ulcers.  A decoction is used as a purgative by those who suffer from hemorrhoids in South Africa.  Leaves and roots used as an emmenagogue.  In the old days, beet juice was recommended as a remedy for anemia and yellow jaundice, and, put into the nostrils to purge the head, clear ringing ears, and alleviate toothache. Beet juice in vinegar was said to rid the scalp of dandruff as scurf, and was recommended to prevent falling hair. Juice of the white beet was said to clear obstructions of the liver and spleen. Culpepper recommended it for treating headache and vertigo as well as all affections of the brain.  

Sea Buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides)  Sea buckthorn berries are very high in vitamin C.  They have been used to help improve resistance to infection.  The berries are mildly astringent, and a decoction of them has been used as a wash to treat skin irritation and eruptions. Medicinal uses of sea-buckthorn are well documented in Asia and Europe. Investigations on modern medicinal uses were initiated in Russia during the 1950's. Preparations of sea-buckthorn oils are recommended for external use in the case of burns, bed sores, and other skin complications induced by confinement to a bed or treatment with X-ray or radiation. Internally, sea-buckthorn is used for the treatment of stomach and duodenal ulcers. In the United Kingdom and Europe sea-buckthorn products are used in aromatherapy. Research in the late 1950's and early 1960's reported that 5-hydroxytryptamine (hippophan) isolated from sea-buckthorn bark inhibited tumor growth. More recently, clinical studies on the anti-tumor functions of sea-buckthorn oils conducted in China have been positive. Sea-buckthorn oil, juice or the extracts from oil, juice, leaves and bark have been used successfully to treat high blood lipid symptoms, eye diseases, gingivitis and cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and coronary heart disease. Sea-buckthorn was formally listed in the "Pharmacopoeia of China" in 1977.  The tender branches and leaves contain bioactive substances which are used to produce an oil that is quite distinct from the oil produced from the fruit. Yields of around 3% of oil are obtained. This oil is used as an ointment for treating burns.  The fruit is astringent and used as a tonic. The freshly-pressed juice is used in the treatment of colds, febrile conditions, exhaustion etc. The fruit is a very rich source of vitamins and minerals, especially in vitamins A, C and E, flavonoids and other bioactive compounds. It is also a fairly good source of essential fatty acids, which is fairly unusual for a fruit. It is being investigated as a food that is capable of reducing the incidence of cancer and also as a means of halting or reversing the growth of cancers. The juice is also a component of many vitamin-rich medicaments and cosmetic preparations such as face-creams and toothpastes. A decoction of the fruit has been used as a wash to treat skin irritation and eruptions.

Sea Daffodil (Pancratium maritimum)   Dioscorides used this plant medicinally for asthma and coughs.

Sea Grape (Coccoloba uvifera): A gum from the bark is used for throat ailments, and the roots are used to treat dysentery.  A decoction is prepared from the leaves, wood, and bark, which are excessively astringent, then evaporated, and the thick fluid poured into vessels, in which it solidifies upon cooling. Upon extracting it from the vessels containing it, it is readily reduced to pieces varying in size, generally about as large as a small cherry, and with a disposition to the orthogonal form. They are lighter colored, and less shining than the ordinary kino, are impervious to light in bulk, but garnet-red and semi-transparent in thin fragments; are brittle and pulverable, forming a paler-colored powder than the commercial drug. They are inodorous, amarous, and excessively astringent, impart a red hue to the saliva when masticated, and contain about 41 per cent of tannic acid. Cold water, and alcohol, dissolve nearly the whole of West Indian kino, about 6 to 11 per cent remaining undissolved.

Sea Holly (Eryngium maritimum)  Sea holly is used as a diuretic.  It is prescribed as a treatment for cystitis and urethritis, and taken as a means to alleviate kidney stones. It is unlikely that the herb actually dissolves established stones, but it probably helps retard their formation.  Sea holly is also used to treat enlargement or inflammation of the prostate gland, and may be of benefit in treating chest problems.  It will ease colic due to urinary problems as well as reducing hemorrhage.  

Sea Parsley (Ligusticum scoticum)  Once used medicinally as an aromatic flavoring and in the treatment of rheumatism. The root is used in the treatment of hysterical and uterine disorders.  The seeds are sweetly aromatic and have been used as a carminative, deodorant and stimulant. They are also sometimes used for flavoring other herbal remedies. It is used as a remedy to cure sheep of the cough. The root taken fasting expels wind. A broth made from lamb and lovage was used to treat people suffering from an uncertain condition known as 'glacach', which is described as either a consumption or a swelling in the palm of the hand. It was also thought to act as an aphrodisiac. The root of this species was thought to act as a carminative for livestock given in whey to calves.

Sea Rocket (Cakile maritime): From Culpeper: It is a martial plant, of a hot nature, and bitterish taste, opening and attenuating, good to cleanse the lungs of tough viscid phlegm, and of great service in asthmas, and difficulty of breathing; and is often used as an emetic, and to help the jaundice and dropsy. It is prescribed in scrofulous affections, lymphatic disturbances, and the malaise that follows malaria.

Sea Wormwood (Artemisia maritima)  These flower heads are especially effective against Ascaris lumbricoides, which are nematode worms similar to earthworms, white in color, that frequently infest the intestine of children.  These flowers have also proven effective against other intestinal parasites. Its medicinal virtues are similar to wormwood, A. absinthum, though milder in their action. It is used mainly as a tonic to the digestive system, in treating intermittent fevers and as a vermifuge

Seagrape (Coccoloba uvifera )  The fruits have been used to reduce fever.  The roots have been used to treat diarrhea.  The bark yields an extract known as “Jamaica kino,” used to treat dysentery. A gum from the bark is used for throat ailments.

Sedge (Cyperus rotundus )  Important in traditional Chinese medicine and also used in Ayurvedic medicine.  Bittersweet herb that relieves spasms and pain, acting mainly on the digestive system and uterus.  Internally used for digestive problems related to blocked liver energy and menstrual complaints including gas, bloating, food stagnation, colds caused by food congestion, depression and moodiness.  It is like Bupleurum in its power to regulate liver chi.   An essential oil in the tubers has antibiotic activity and has been shown to arrest the growth of Micrococcus pyrogenes.  The plant is rated 8th amongst 250 potential antifertility plants in China. The plant is used in the treatment of cervical cancer

Self-Heal (Prunella vulgaris) All above-ground parts of the plant are useful. It can be used fresh, or dried for later use.  Make it into a tincture, an infusion, or an ointment for topical use.  Internally, selfheal has been used in Western medicine for hemorrhage and to decrease excessive menstruation.  Externally in Western medicine, used for minor injuries, sores, burns, bruises, sore throat, mouth inflammations, and hemorrhoids (whole plant).  The juice of a crushed stem or two will soothe nettle stings, minor bouts with poison ivy, insect bites and stings.  Because it contains the compound rosmarinic acid, it is used for treatment of Graves Disease as it helps suppress thyroid hormone production. Self-heal contains substances that are diuretic and act against tumors.  Lab tests indicate it may also be antibiotic, hypotensive and antimutagenic in action.  In making an oil infusion let the plants wilt for a full day to increase the shelf life of the oil.  Research: A 1993 Canadian study regarding HIV-1 found that a purified extract of Selfheal was able to significantly inhibit HIV-1 replication with very low toxicity.  The extract was able to inhibit HIV-1 in both lymph and blood.  Although prunellin was unable to prevent HIV-1 infection when cells were pretreated with the purified herbal extract, the virus’ ability to cause infection was dramatically decreased when it was saturated with prunellin.  The purified extract was also able to block cell-to-cell transmission of HIV-1.  Moreover, the extract was also able to interfere with the ability of HIV-1 to bind to CD4 cells. The researchers suggest that the purified extract antagonizes HIV-1 infection of susceptible cells by preventing viral attachment to the CD4 receptor. 

TCM: Indications: jaundice: sore and swollen eyeballs; over-sensitivity to light; headache and dizziness; gout; scrofula; high blood pressure.  In Chinese medicine it is often combined with Dendranthema x grandiflorum for headaches, high blood pressure, mumps, mastitis, conjunctivitis and hyperactivity in children related to liver energy problems (flowers).  Chinese research shows the herb to have a moderately strong antibiotic actions against a broad range of pathogens, including the Shigella species and e. coli strains of which can cause enteritis and urinary infections.  Studies also indicate that self-heal has a mildly dilating effect on the blood vessels, helping to lower blood pressure.  In China, self-heal is taken on its own or with Chrysanthemum for fevers, headaches, dizziness, and vertigo, and to soothe and calm inflamed and sore eyes.  It is thought to cool “liver fire” resulting from liver weakness, and is prescribed for infected and enlarged glands, especially the lymph nodes of the neck.