Start Slowly
Take a small amount, well under the therapeutic dose to start. If you buy unstandardized herbs, do this each time you get a new bottle. The potency of herbs varies tremendously. Always have someone else in the house when you’re trying an herb for the first time just in case you have a bad reaction.
Find your own Personal Risk Tolerance
Experimenting with herbs entails some risk. There is no way to eliminate that risk, but you can reduce it. How much you reduce it depends on your own personal tolerance for risk. To get a rough idea of how much risk you are willing to accept, ask yourself these questions:
How much do I trust what I read in books? If you have a low tolerance for this kind of risk, the best idea is to run everything past an herbalist or naturopath. Have them supervise you the first time you try an herb. If you have a moderate tolerance for this kind of risk, try to get corroboration for what you read from another source.
How much do I want to risk interactions between herbs? If you have a low tolerance for this kind of risk, use only simples (single herbs) to reduce the chance of interaction. If you have a moderate tolerance, check the Commission E monographs for information about which herbs combine safely. For an extra margin of safety, you can run any combination in any book past someone with a sound training in combining herbs. Even if you have a high tolerance for risk, at least find some corroboration for your combinations in books or existing products before using them.
How much am I willing to risk illness from taking the wrong herb, the wrong dose, or wrong combination of herbs internally? If you have a low tolerance for this kind of risk, limit your use to topical use only. Some herbs can still hurt or even kill you when applied topically. But simply not putting an herb in your mouth lowers its chances of harming you. If you have a moderate level of tolerance for this kind of risk, check the herb and the dose in at least two sources, check to see if you are allergic to related plants, and then start with a lower dose the first time you try it. Even if you have a high tolerance for this kind of risk, you should use only herbs obtained from trusted sources for internal use.
How much am I willing to risk infection? If you can’t guarantee its sterility, don’t use a topical preparation on an open wound. The use of homemade ointment on open wounds has a long history. That history also includes things like loss of limbs and life to infection. If you have a low tolerance for the risk of infection, don’t use any herbal remedy on an open wound. If you have a moderate tolerance, you might consider only using commercial herbal preparations on open wounds. Reputable companies probably have a better knowledge of and facility for sterile procedures than you do. Even if you have a high tolerance for this kind of risk, you should watch any wounds you treat with herbal preparations for signs of infection and get help immediately if you see anything amiss.
How much do I trust my ability to handle the most potent herbal preparations? If you don’t completely trust yourself to handle the more dangerous preparations, avoid essential oils entirely or at least avoid the ones that are potentially fatal. The good news about essential oils is that they are very concentrated and powerful. The bad news is that they are very concentrated and powerful. One way to skirt the dangers of essential oils is to use them only with professional supervision, and limiting your personal experimentation to whole herbs and the preparations you make from them. In fact, the most conservative course of action is to limit yourself to only those herbs that have a history of use as food (chamomile tea, for example). If you have a higher tolerance for this kind of risk, you should at least use your strictest safe handling procedures when using essential oils. Be careful of unintended residues on utensils. Label everything that contains essential oils. Treat them with extreme respect.
Herbs have tremendous benefits for people seeking more involvement in their own health and well-being. They are not magic bullets, but they have advantages you won’t find in other forms of health care. Using them, however, is a skill like any other. It takes time, effort, and care to master.
Chapter Two
The Herbal
Agrimony
Scientific name: Agrimonia eupatoria
Also known as church steeples, cocklebur, sticklewort, philanthropos, stickwort, liverwort, common agrimony
Agrimonia eupatoria
Agrimony is a perennial plant; some might say “weed.” Various species of Agrimonia grow throughout the northern hemisphere, including North America, England, Scotland, and China. Agrimonia eupatoria is native to Europe. It grows in sunny fields and waste areas, and in hedgerows and stone walls. The above-ground parts are used medicinally. The roots are typically not.
The Greeks used it. So did the Anglo–Saxons. In the fifteenth century, it was one of the ingredients in “eau de arquebusade,” which was a remedy for treating gunshot wounds on the battlefield. The Meskwaki Indians used the root of the plant of the same genus (Agrimonia gryposepala) as a styptic for nosebleeds.6 Another relative of agrimony, xian he cao (Agrimonia pilosa), has been used in China as a remedy for bleeding and wounds.
Agrimony became popular as a medicinal plant for two reasons. The first is the tannins. Tannins are astringent, meaning they tighten or constrict skin. Agrimony also contains silica. Not until the late twentieth century did pharmaceutical companies began using fine silica on wound and burn dressings to heal these wounds more quickly. The silica in agrimony, however, has been used to treat wounds for centuries.
What is it good for?
Much of what we know about agrimony is anecdotal. The number of studies conducted regarding its safety and efficacy can be counted on one hand. It does contain catechin tannins, an astringent. Commission E recommends it for several uses, both topical and internal. If you’re looking for scientific research to tell you agrimony is safe and effective, however, you’re going to have to wait because it’s just not there right now. Traditional use, however, recommends it for the following:
Sore throats. We have a sound oral tradition through several cultures that says agrimony is good for sore throats and laryngitis. Used as a gargle, it can help take down swelling and relieve pain.7 It also contains flavonoids and Vitamin C. Commission E recommends it for oral and pharyngeal inflammation.
Skin Injury or inflammation. Commission E recommends it for topical use. It can aid in the healing of wounds and bruises, and because of its astringent properties, it may help stop bleeding. Because of the silica and tannins in agrimony, it can be particularly useful for scrapes and wounds that tend to weep. Some preliminary research suggests that it may also be mildly antiseptic and may help the body fight bacteria, viruses, and fungi.8
Muscle aches. Anecdotal evidence suggests that agrimony is good for muscle aches when used in a hot bath. If you have dry or sensitive skin, however, the tannins in agrimony may aggravate that problem.
How do you use it?
Infusion (taken internally for sore throat). Infusion brings out the best in agrimony.9 Infuse one teaspoon of the dried leaves, stems, or flowers in a cup (8 ounces) of hot water and let it steep for 5 to 15 minutes. Infusions can be drunk as tea or used as a gargle or rinse for sore throats or mouth wounds.
Decoction (for topical use and as a gargle). Prepare a very strong decoction and allow the mixture to cool. Soak a compress in it and apply it to the affected area several times a day. For a sore throat or laryngitis, gargle and spit the decoction up to three times a day. A decoction gargle can also be used for mouth injuries. Rinse and spit; don’t swallow.
Tincture. Tinctures are possible but work somewhat