Medical Herbs: Active Constituents: Grouping 1

This is video 5, Wow ok, I need to count better

Proanthocyanins (prow·an·thow·sai·a·nuh·dnz)

Proanthocyanins are a chemical compound that give the fruit or flowers of many plants their red, blue or purple colors. The bonus is that it makes plants with this compound easier to spot. Herbs with this compound have higher antioxidant properties. Remember hearing how drinking cranberry juice can clear up a Urinary Tract Infection. Well this is why, Cranberry is one of the plants that is high in this compound.

There is not much out there on this that does not dive so far down the science rabbit hole that it would put most people to sleep. But again, these videos are covering the basics. If you would like to go way down the science rabbit hole I do have links in the description.

Coumarins

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/48076

Are natural bioactive compounds recognized for their anti-inflammatory, anticoagulant, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, antihypertensive, antituberculosis, anticonvulsant, adtiadipogenc, and antihyperglycemic pharmacological activities, as well as antioxidant and neuroprotective actions.

Wow say that 10 times fast. Ok lets get on with this!

These are a family of benzopyrones widely distributed in nature. They are naturally occurring oxygen containing heterocycles. The herbs and medications in this family tend to have lower side effects and are becoming more widely used.

This compound can be found in seeds, fruits, flowers, roots, leaves, and stems of plants. Herbs that have a higher concentration of this compound are Cinnamon Leaf, Cinnamon Bark, Cassia Leaf, Peppermint, Woodfrul, Lavender, and sweet clover.

Anthraquinones

Are the main active constituents in herbs often used to relieve constipation. They have an irritant or stimulating laxative effect on the large intestine. These are also used for dyes and pigments. Some of the herbs that contain Anthraquinones are Rhubarb Root, Senna Lead and Pod, Cascara, Buckhorn and Aloe (The outer pulp) (Be careful with aloe as there is a tiny bit of poisonous stuff there, that yellow bad smelling stuff when you cut the leaf close to the base, yeah that is not good for you, soak the end in water for about 24 hours and you should be good to go)

Cardiac Glycosides

Found most notably in Foxglove and in lily of the valley cardiac glycosides such as digitoxin, digoxin and convallatoxin have a strong, direct action on the heart. Supporting its strength and rate of contraction when it is failing. These are also extremely diuretic. They will stimulate urine production and that other thing that we do sometimes. What this does is remove excess fluid from the tissues and circulatory systems. However to much can be removed and so please be careful if working with these types of compounds.

This does not mean go out and buy a ton of Fox Glove and Lilly of the Valley and take it in heaping spoonfuls. Foxglove is poisonous, however you would need to use a lot, and there are very few recordings of this, however, better safe than sorry. You are trying to be healthier not sicker.

Cyanogenic Glycosides

https://www.intechopen.com/chapters/52207

Yup you guessed it, this is the compound more commonly known as Cyanide. And there are many plants that contain this in trace amounts. So when you are using plants that do contain this even in trace amount you need to be careful. Have I not mentioned when using herbs that you should be careful, if not let me mention it again please please please be careful.

Ok back to what I was talking about

So herbs that have trace amounts of Cyanide can be used as a muscle relaxant. Such as the bark of wild cherry and the leaves of the elderberry can be used to soothe dry coughs.

Do you have a NurtiBullet? Well, if you do and you have read the booklet that comes with it, then you know that Apple Seeds have a higher concentration of Cyanide and we are not supposed to grind them up, because they can make us ill. Though we do get trace amounts in apple juice between 0.001 and 0.08 mg/ml.

This is not to scare anyone but just so that you are aware that you are not using too much of this type of herb or seed in any ingestible formulas in the future.