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Anti-Inflammatories

Herbs that help the body to combat inflammations are known as anti-inflammatory remedies. Orthodox medicine places much emphasis on chemicals that work in an anti-inflammatory way to reduce symptoms and ease suffering in many diseases. This symptomatic alleviation is not the ideal way to use herbal anti-inflammatories. They are safe to use for the relief of pain & discomfort, but offer most when used in combination with other remedies to address the underlying problem.

Types of Herbal Anti-Inflammatories
Herbs can reduce inflammation in a number of different ways but rarely inhibit the natural reaction, rather they support and encourage the work the body is doing. An inflammation is a normal body response to infection or other problems. Through localized biochemical and tissue changes, the inflammatory reaction will often bring about the changes necessary to heal the focus of disease and restore health. It is a mistake to inhibit this response unless it is a life-threatening situation. For example, simply suppressing the symptoms of inflammation in the stomach, to relieve the discomfort, will not change underlying causes possibly leading to the development of a stomach ulcer. We have become conditioned into seeing inflammations as something to suppress and smother, rather than work with and help. Herbal remedies offer us this possibility, but as in all health matters there is a balance to achieve. Here it is the need to know when an inflammation is one to work with or one to suppress.

Herbal anti-inflammatories fall into four groups depending upon the way in which they are thought to work. It cannot be over-emphasized that the action of any plant is always more than the action of any specific constituent chemical. Keeping this holistic perspective in mind let us look at these groups:

o Salicin Containing
A large range of plants contain natural aspirin-type chemicals called salicylates. It is worth noting that the whole aspirin group of drugs were originally isolated from plant sources. In fact the name aspirin comes from the old botanical genus name of Meadowsweet - Spiraea/aspirin, and salicylate derives from Willow's Latin name Salix. Those herbs with significant quantities have a marked effect, without the dangers to the stomach of aspirin itself. In fact Meadowsweet, rich in salicylates, can be used to staunch mild stomach haemorrhage even though the salicylates can cause such problems. Other plants rich in such constituents include Willow Bark, Wintergreen, Birch, many of the Poplars, and Black Haw.

o 'Steroid Pre-Cursor' Containing
The steroids themselves were first isolated from plant material and some herbs contain safe to use compounds that are metabolized by the body into its own inflammation fighting steroidal molecules. Such plants will aid in reducing some kinds of inflammation. Examples are Liquorice and Wild Yam (which contains diosgenin).

o Oils

Many of the aromatic herbs with their wonderful essential oils have an anti-inflammatory action. One of the best of these remedies is Chamomile (Matricaria recutita), rich in terpenes such as bisobolol and chamazulene. Calendula and St. John's Wort are other well known plants that contain oils that soothe and reduce inflammation.

o Resins
A number of resin containing plants reduce inflammation in some areas of the body, but will often cause inflammation in the stomach. This limits their use but they are irreplacable in some arthritic conditions. Examples are Bogbean, Devil's Claw and Guaiacum.

o Other types of anti-inflammatories
As is usual with herbal remedies there are many valuable anti-inflammatories that have no clear cut chemical basis for their action. This in no way negates their value, rather it shows that there is more to health and well being than pharmaceutical chemistry! Of the many remedies in this group we can mention , and Black Cohosh.

Demulcent herbs will often have an apparently anti-inflammatory effect, but this is a simple soothing of inflamed surfaces rather than a reduction of the cellular inflammatory response.

Anti-inflammatories for Different Parts of the Body

Each system of the body has plants that are particularly suited to it and additionally work as anti-inflammatory remedies. This allows the herbalist to nurture the health and vitality of a system of the body that is suffering whilst also reducing any inflammation present. The following examples will clarify this.
For the circulatory system a number of herbs may be used to reduce inflammations in blood vessels, including Linden, Hawthorn berries, Horse Chestnut, and Yarrow.

As our remedies go directly to the digestive system they are of especial use in conditions that range from stomach ulcers to colitis & haemorrhoids. Such herbs include Chamomile, Wild Yam, Liquorice, Golden Seal, Marigold and Peppermint. The demulcent remedies, such as Marshmallow, that are rich in mucilage can have a localized effect of reducing inflammation through a contact soothing.
A number of herbs soothe the tissue of the urinary system directly as their anti-inflammatory constituents are passed through the kidneys and bladder. Plants that soothe the tissue and reduce infection will also have an anti-inflammatory action. Specific urinary anti-inflammatories are Golden Rod and Corn Silk.

For the reproductive system, many tonics and other specific reproductive remedies will often act in this way, for example Ladies Mantle and Blue Cohosh.
For hard working and abused muscles and bones, the salicylate-containing remedies come into their. Willow Bark, Meadowsweet, White Poplar and Birch are excellent. Others to consider are Bogbean, Devil's Claw, Black Cohosh, Feverfew, and Wild Yam. The treatment of arthritis conditions responds well to herbal therapy, but works best when done within the holistic perspective of treating the whole person and not simply the 'disease'.

Whilst the nervous system often feels like it needs anti-inflammatories, the best remedies for the 'inflamed state of mind' are the herbal relaxing nervines. The only true anti-inflammatory for the nervous tissue is St. John's Wort, which helps in the recovery of damaged nerves. However, many of the nervines will help such as Oats and Valerian.
There is an abundance of remedies to reduce inflammation on the skin. This is only to be expected if nature does provide us with what we need, considering all the nettles and brambles. A selection of these gifts of the natural world includes Marigold, St. John's Wort, Myrrh, Golden Seal, Arnica, Chickweed, and Plantain.

Examples of the Main groups of Anti-Inflammatories

o Salicylate containing : Meadowsweet, Willow bark, Wintergreen, Birch, White Poplar
o Steroid precursor containing : Wild Yam, Liquorice, other saponin containing herbs.
o Oil containing : Chamomile, St. John's Wort, Calendula
o Resin containing : Guaiacum, Bogbean
o Demulcent/emollients : Comfrey, Marshmallow

Anti-Inflammatories List

Angelica Angelica archangelica
Birch Betula spp.

Black Cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa
Black Haw Viburnum prunifolium

Blue Cohosh Caulophylum thalictroides
Bogbean Menyanthes trifoliata

Borage Borago officinalis

Calendula Calendula officinalis
Celery Seed Apium graveolens
Chamomile Matricaria recutita

Chickweed Stellaria media

Cleavers Galium aparine

Coltsfoot  Tussilago farfara
Comfrey   Symphytum officinalis
Corn Silk  Zea mays

Cramp Bark Viburnum opulus

Cranesbill Geranium maculatum

Devil's Claw Harpagophytum procumbens

Dill Anethum graveolens

Elder Sambucus nigra
False Unicorn Root Chamealirium luteum

Fennel Foeniculum vulgare

Fenugreek Trigonella foenumgraecum

Golden Rod Solidago virgauria

Golden Seal Hydrastis canadensis
Guaiacum Guaiacum officinalis

Hawthorn Crataegus spp.

Horsechestnut Aesculus hipposcastanum

Hyssop Hyssopus officinalis

Iceland moss Cetraria islandica
Irish Moss Chrondrus crispus

Ladies Mantle Alchemilla arvensis

Lavender Lavandula officinalis
Lesser Celandine Ranunculus ficaria

Life Root Senecio aureus
Linden Tilia platyphyllos

Liquorice Glycorrhiza glabra

Lungwort Pulmonaria officinalis

Mallow Malva sylvestris
Marshmallow Althaea officinalis

Meadowsweet Filipendula ulmaria
Mullein Verbascum thapsis

Peppermint Mentha piperata

Plantain Plantago media

Pleurisy root Asclepias tuberosa

Sage Salvia officinalis

Sheperd's Purse Capsella bursa-pastoris

Slippery Elm Ulmus fulva

St. John's Wort Hypericum perforatum

White Poplar Populus tremuloides
Wild Yam Dioscorea villosa
Willow bark Salix spp.

Wintergreen Gaultheria procumbens

Witch Hazel Hamamelis virginiana
Yarrow Achillea millefolia

Anti-Inflammatories & Their Secondary Actions

Anti-Catarrhal : Coltsfoot, Cranesbill, Elder, Golden Rod, Golden Seal, Hyssop, Iceland moss, Irish Moss, Marshmallow, Mullein, Peppermint, Sage, Yarrow
Anti-Microbial : Calendula, Chamomile, Golden Rod, Golden Seal, Peppermint, Sage, St. John's Wort, White Poplar, Yarrow
Anti-Spasmodic : Angelica, Black Cohosh, Black Haw, Celery Seed, Chamomile, Cramp Bark, Dill, Elder, Fennel, Fenugreek, Hyssop, Lavender, Linden, Liquorice, Mullein, Peppermint, Pleurisy Root, Sage, St.John's Wort, White Poplar, Wild Yam

Astringent : Calendula, Comfrey, Cranesbill, Golden Rod, Golden Seal, Horsechestnut, Ladies Mantle, Lesser Celendine, Linden, Meadowsweet, Mullein, Plantain, Sage, Sheperd's Purse, White Poplar, Witch Hazel, Yarrow
Bitter : Bogbean, Chamomile, Golden Seal, Yarrow
Carminative : Angelica, Celery Seed, Chamomile, Dill, Fennel, Fenugreek, Golden Rod, Hyssop, Lavender, Linden, Liquorice, Meadowsweet, Peppermint, Sage, Yarrow
Cholagogue : Bogbean, Calendula, Golden Seal, Wild Yam

Demulcent : Chickweed, Comfrey, Corn Silk, Fenugreek, Iceland Moss, Irish Moss, Liquorice, Lungwort, Mallow, Marshmallow, Mullein, Slippery Elm
Diaphoretic : Angelica, Elder, Golden Rod, Guaiacum, Hyssop, Linden, Peppermint, Pleurisy Root, Yarrow
Diuretic : Bogbean, Celery Seed, Cleavers, Corn Silk, Elder, False Unicorn Root, Golden Rod, Hawthorn, Ladies Mantle, Life Root, Linden, Plantain, Yarrow
Emmenagogue : Black Cohosh, Black Haw, Blue Cohosh, Calendula, Cramp Bark, False Unicorn Root, Golden Seal, Hyssop, Ladies Mantle, Lavender, Life Root, Linden, Sage, Yarrow

Expectorant : Coltsfoot, Elder, Golden Seal, Hyssop, Iceland Moss, Irish Moss, Liquorice, Lungwort, Mallow, Marshmallow, Mullein, Plantain, Pleurisy Root
Hepatic : Bogbean, Calendula, Fennel, Fenugreek, Golden Seal, Hyssop, Liquorice, Wild Yam, Yarrow
Laxative : Golden Seal, Liquorice
Nervine : Black Cohosh, Black Haw, Borage, Celery Seed, Chamomile, Hyssop, Lavender, Linden, Peppermint, St.John's Wort
Tonic : Black Cohosh, False Unicorn Root, Golden Seal, Hawthorn, Meadowsweet, Mullein,

St. John's Wort, Yarrow
Vulnerary : Calendula, Chamomile, Chickweed, Comfrey, Hyssop, Ladies Mantle, Mallow, Marshmallow, Meadowsweet, Plantain, St. John's Wort, Witch Hazel, Yarrow

Anti-Inflammatories for the Systems

Circulatory System : Hawthorn, Horsechestnut, Linden, Yarrow
Respiratory System : Coltsfoot, Mullein, Pleurisy Root
Digestive System : Chamomile, Meadowsweet, Golden Seal
Urinary System : Corn Silk
Reproductive System : False Unicorn Root, Life Root, Ladies Mantle
The Nervous System : Black Cohosh, Linden, St. John's Wort
Musculo-Skeletal System : Black Cohosh, Bogbean, Celery Seed
The Skin : Calendula, Cleavers

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