word lists

Alternative Medicine Terms: Medicinal Herbs & Products

Note: For information on therapeutic uses of some herbals below, try ethnobotany search using Latin name.

Acacia catechu - catechu
Achillea millefolium - yarrow
acidophilus
aconite - dried root of Aconitum napellus; aconite root, monkshood, wolfsbane
Aconitum napellus
Adhatoda vasica, syn. Justicia adhatoda - adhatoda
adhatoda
Aesculus hippocastanum - horse chestnut
Agrimonia eupatoria - agrimony
agrimony
Albizzia lebbek - albizza
albizzia
Alchemilla vulgaris - lady's mantle
Aletris farinosa - "true" unicorn root
alfalfa
Allium ursinum - wild garlic
Allium cepa - onion
Allium sativum - garlic
Allium schoenzprasum - chives
aloe vera
Aloe barbadensis - aloe vera
alpha lipoic acid
Althaea officinalis - marshmallow
amalgam - dental mercury
American ephedra - Mormon tea, whorehouse tea, squaw tea, desert tea
American hellebore
amygdalin - see Laetrile
Anemone pulsatilla - pulsatilla, windflower
Anethum graveolens - dill
Angelica archangelica - angelica root
Angelica sinensis - dong quai
anise, aniseed
Anthemis nobilis - Roman chamomile
antiendomysial antibodies - see endomysium in medical dictionary
antigliadin antibodies - see gliadin in medical dictionary
antioxidant(s)
Apium graveolens - celery leaf, seed
apple pectin
Arctium lappa - burdock leaf, root
Arctostaphylos patula - manzanita
Arctostaphylos uva ursi - uva-ursi, bearberry, upland cranberry
arjuna
Armoracia rusticana - horseradish
Arnica montana - mountain tobacco root, leopard's bane root, fallkraut, and sneezewort (cream & gel)
Artemisia annua - sweet wormwood, sweet Annie, artemisia
Artemisia absinthium - wormwood
Asclepias tuberosa - pleurisy root, colic root
Asperula odorata - woodruff
Astragalus membranaceous - astragalus
astragalus
Atropa belladonna - belladonna
Australian tea tree oil
autumn olive - shrub; berries are a source of the antioxidant lycopene
Avena sativa - oat

B-17 - see Laetrile
Bach flower therapy - "Quasi-homeopathic system of ostensible diagnosis and treatment developed in the 1930s by British physician Edward Bach (1886-1936)."
B-cell glandulars
Bacopa monniera
balm mint
balsam of Peru
Baptisia tinctoria - wild indigo, baptisia
baptisia
barberry bark
barley grass
bearberry
bedstraw
bee balm
bee pollen
bee propolis
belladonna
benzoin
berberine
Berberis vulgaris - barberry
bergamot
beta-carotene
betaine HCl
Betula alba - birch
biestrogen - 20% estradiol + 80% estriol
"bi-est" - formulary: estrogen compound of 20% estradiol + 80% estriol
bilberry leaf
bioflavonoids
birch bark
black cohosh
black currant oil
black snakeroot
blackberry
bladderwrack
blessed thistle
blue cohosh
blue flag
blue violet
blueberry - huckleberry
blueberry leaf
boneset
boric acid
bovine cartilage
brewer's yeast
bromelain - a proteolytic extract obtained from pineapple stems; see Bromelain Complex™
bryony
buchu leaf
buckthorn bark
buckwheat
buldo leaf
burdock leaf, root
butternut bark

Cactus grandiflorus - cactus
cactus
calabar bean
calcium carbonate
calcium citrate
calcium D-Glucarate™ (Glucona)
calcium L-threonate - compound of calcium and L-threonic acid, a metabolite of vitamin C
calendula - marigold
Calendula officinalis - marigold, calendula
California poppy
Camellia sinensis
Cananga odorata - ylang ylang
caprylic acid
capsaicin (Axsain™, Zostrix™, Zostrix-HP™) - OTC topical (derived from hot chili pepper)
Capsella bursa-pastoris - shepherd's purse
Capsicum annuum - cayenne
caraway seed
Carthamus tinctorius - safflower
cascara sagrada bark
Cassia acutifolia
castor bean
cat's claw bark
catalpa
catechu
catnip tea
Caulophyllum thalactroides - blue cohosh
cayenne
Ceanothus americanus - redroot
celery leaf, seed
centaury
Cephaelis ipecacuanha - ipecac
Cetraria islandica - Iceland moss
Chamaemelum nobile - chamomile flower
chamomile flower
chaparral
chasteberry; chaste tree berry
chelated iron
Chelidonium majus - greater celandine
chervil
chickweed
chicory
Chimaphila umbellata - pipsissewa
China chlorella
Chinese ephedra - ma huang
chitosan
chives
Chlorella, various species - blue-green algae; China chlorella
chondroitin sulfate
chromium picolinate
Cichorium intybus - chicory
Cimicifuga racemosa - black cohosh, black snakeroot
Cinnamomum zeylanicum - cinnamon quills
cinnamon quills
citrus bioflavonoids
clary sage
clove
club moss
Cnicus benedictus - blessed thistle, holy thistle, St. Benedict thistle
cod liver oil
coenzyme Q₁₀ or CoQ₁₀ (ubiquinone)
colic root
colloidal silver
colombo root
coltsfoot herb and flower
comfrey
Commiphora molmol - myrrh
common club moss
coriander
Coriandrum sativum - coriander
cornsilk
cowslip
cramp bark
cranberry
cranesbill
Crataegus monogyna; Crataegus oxycantha) - hawthorn
Crocus sativus - saffron
cubeb
Curcuma longa - turmeric
curcumin - compound derived from tumeric and curry
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba - Indian cluster bean
Cymbopogon citracus - lemongrass

damiana leaf
dandelion leaf, root
dandelion
Datura stramonium - jimsonweed
dead nettle
deer velvet capsules - dietary supplement a.k.a. deer antler velvet, New Zealand deer velvet
deglycyrrhizinated licorice (DGL)
desert tea
DGL - deglycyrrhizinated licorice
D-Glucarate™ (Glucona); also see calcium D-Glucarate™ and potassium hydrogen D-Glucarate™
DHA - docosahexaenoic acid
Digitalis purpurea - foxglove
dill
Dioscorea composita - Mexican yams
dimethylaminoethanol (DMAE)
dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO)
DL-phenylalanine (DLPA)
DLPA (DL-phenylalanine)
DMAE - dimethylaminoethanol
DMSO (dimethylsulfoxide)
docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)
dong quai root
Dr. Bronner's pure castile soap (peppermint, eucalyptus, lavender, almond, etc.)

echinacea root, extract
Echinacea angustifolia - purple coneflower, echinacea
echinacea-goldenseal compound
EFA - essential fatty acids
Elaeagnus umbellate - autumn olive
elder
elecampane
Eleutherococcus senticosus - Siberian ginseng, eleuthero
eleuthero
Ephedra, various species - ephedra
ephedra
Epilobium parviflorum - small-flowered willow herb
Equisetum arvense - horsetail, shave grass
Eriodictyon glutinosum - yerba santa, yerba
Erigonum various species - buckwheat
Eriogonum racemosum - redroot buckwheat
essential fatty acids (EFA)
essential oils
Essiac - Herbal preparation taken in tea form; named for nurse Rene Caisse (reverse spelling)
eucalyptus leaf & oil
Eupatorium cannabinum - hemp agrimony
Eupatorium purpureum - gravel root, queen of the meadow
Euphorbia esula - spurge
Euphrasia officinalis - eyebright
evening primrose oil
eyebright

fallkraut
false unicorn root
fennel
fenugreek seed
feverfew
fish oil
flaxseed (linseed) oil
fo-ti (herb, a.k.a. ho shou wu)
Foeniculum vulgare - fennel
folic acid
foxglove
Fragaria vesca - strawberry
frankincense
Fucus vesiculosus - bladderwrack, kelp, seawrack, seaweed
Fumaria officinalis - fumitory
fumitory - e.g., Fumaria officinalis

Galium verum - bedstraw
Ganoderma lucidum - reishi mushrooms (China), lingzhi mushrooms (Japan), a.k.a. ganoderma
garlic
GBE - acronym: Ginkgo biloba extract
genistein - a phytoestrogen from legumes
gentian root
Gentiana catesbaei - gentian root
Geranium robertianum - cranesbill
gin-soaked raisins
ginger
Ginkgo biloba extract - GBE
Ginkgo biloba
ginseng - a true ginseng belongs to the Panex genus
glucosamine sulfate
glutathione
Glycyrrhiza glabra - licorice
goldenrod
goldenseal
gotu kola
granadilla - fruit of the passionflower
grape seed extract
grapefruit seed extract
gravel root
greasewood
greater celandine
green barley
green tea
grindelia (herb)
Grindelia camporum - gumweed, grindelia
guar gum - a water-soluble fiber from the Indian cluster bean
gumweed

Hamamelis virginiana - witch hazel
hawthorn berry
hawthorn extract
Helonias luteum - false unicorn root
hemp agrimony
henbane
henna
hibiscus flower
ho shou wu (herb, a.k.a. fo-ti)
holy thistle
homocysteine
hops
horehound
horse chestnut
horseradish root
horsetail - a.k.a. shave grass
huckleberry - blueberry
Humulus lupulus - hops
hydrangea root
Hydrastis canadensis - goldenseal
Hydrocotyle asiatica - gotu kola
Hyland's Calms Forte - OTC/mail order product
Hyoscyamus niger - henbane
Hypericum perforatum - St. John's wort
hyssop
Hyssopus officinalis - hyssop

Iceland moss
Illicium verum - star anis
Indian cluster bean - see guar gum
Indian snakeroot
Indian tobacco
Inula helenium - elecampane
ipecac

jimsonweed
juniper berries
juniper oil
juniper
Juniperus scopularum, Juniperus communis - juniper
Justicia adhatoda, syn. Adhatoda vasica - adhatoda

kasha - cereal-like product made from buckwheat groats
kava extract
kava kava
kelp
ketogenic diet
Korean ginseng
Korean white ginseng

L-arginine
L-carnitine
L-lysine
lactobacillus capsules/tablets (yeast infections)
lady's mantle
lady's slipper
Laetrile (laevo-mandelonitrile-beta-glucuronoside; a.k.a. amygdalin, B-17)
Laetrile - a fruit-seed extract for treatment of cancer; NOT an FDA approved drug/treatment.
Lamium alba - dead nettle
Larrea tridentata - chapparal, greasewood
Lavandula spp. - lavender
lavender
lecithin
lemon balm
lemongrass
Leonotis leonurus - lion's tail
Leonurus cardiaca - motherwort
leopard's bane (Arnica montana)
licorice
Ligusticum porteri - osha
lingzhi (mushrooms)
linseed (flaxseed) oil
lion's tail
liver tonic tea
Lobelia inflata - lobelia, Indian tobacco
lobelia
Lycopodium clavatum - lycopodium, club moss, common club moss
lycopodium

ma huang - Chinese ephedra
Magna Pod™ pain relief magnets - New Age Health Innovations
maitake - an oriental mushroom
Malaleuca alternifolia - Australian tea tree
malic acid
mallow
malva flower
Malva sylvestris - malva flower
manna - exudation from Fraxinus ornus
mannitol
manzanita
Marrubium vulgare - horehound
marshmallow root
Max EPA fish oil (Nature's Way®)
mayapple
medical food - see definition
meadowsweet
Medicago sativa - alfalfa
melatonin
melilot
Melilotus officinalis - melilot
Melissa officinalis - balm mint, lemon balm
Mentha piperita - peppermint
Mentha pulegium - pennyroyal
Mentha spicata - spearmint
methylation
methylsulfonylmethane (MSM)
Mexican yams
milk thistle
minerals - calcium, chromium, copper, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, sodium, zinc
minor bupleurum combination - see sho-saiko-to on this list
mistletoe
Monarda didyma - bergamot (herb), bee balm, Oswego tea
monkshood (Aconitum napellus)
Morinda citrifolia - noni, Indian mulberry
Mormon tea
motherwort
mountain tobacco root
MSM (methylsulfonylmethane) - organic sulfur derived from DMSO
mugwort
mullein-garlic compound
mullein
mustard seed
Myroxylon balsamum - balsam of Peru
myrrh
myrrh gum

N-acetylcysteine (NAC)
NAC (N-acetylcysteine)
NAD - nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide
NADH - coenzyme antioxidant from vitamin B3; reduced form of NAD (Natrol)
Nardostachys jatamansi - spikenard
neti pot [trademark abandoned] - A small glass, ceramic, or plastic pot with spout used for nasal irrigation/cleansing; see, for example, photograph of SinuCleanse® pot.
nettle leaf
nettles
New Jersey tea
nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)
nutmeg
nutraceutical - see definition

oak
oat straw - herb, tincture
oat straw tea
octacosanoic acid
Oenothera biennis - evening primrose oil
omega-3
omega-6
onion
Ononis, various species - restharrow
oregano
Oregon grape root
osha
Oswego tea
Oxalis acetosella - wood sorrel

P25 tocotrienol complex - see Cardiem™
Paeonia lactiflora - peony
Panax quinquefolius - American ginseng
Panax schinseng - Asian, Chinese, or Korean ginseng
parsley
Passiflora incarnata - passionflower, wild passionflower, maypop; the fruit is known as granadilla and water lemon
passionflower
patchouli
pau d'arco
Pausinystalia johimbe - yohimbe
pectin, apple
pennyroyal
peony
peppermint
Petroselinum crispum - parsley
phyllanthus - Chinese herb
Physostigma venenosum - calabar bean
phytochemical - see definition
phytoestrogens - natural estrogens present in plants
Pimpinella anisum - anise, aniseed
Piper cubeba - cubeb
pipsissewa
Plantago major, Plantago lanceolata - plantain
Plantago psyllium - psyllium
plantain
pleurisy root
Podophyllum peltatum - mayapple
Polygonatum biflorum; Smilacina racemosa - Solomon's seal
Polygonum multiflorum - Japanese evergreen; roots yield herb fo-ti.
Popostemon cablin - patchouli
potassium hydrogen D-Glucarate™ (Glucona)
Potentilla anserina - silver weed
prickly ash bark
Primula veris - cowslip
probiotic supplements
PGE₁ (prostaglandin E₁)
proteolytic enzymes
psyllium seed & husks
pulsatilla
purple coneflower
pycnogenol - a bioflavonoid; see Pycnogenol® pine bark extract
Pygeum africanum - pygeum
pygeum

queen of the meadow, queen-of-the-meadow root
quercetin - a bioflavonoid
Quercus robur - oak

raspberry
rauwolfia, syn. whole-root rauwolfia - Raudixin®, Rauval®, Rauzide®; Rauverid®; Wolfina®
Rauwolfia serpentina - Indian snakeroot, serpentwood
red clover
red raspberry leaf tea
redroot buckwheat
redroot - New Jersey tea
reishi - an oriental mushroom
restharrow
Rhamnus purshiana - cascara sagrada bark
Rheum rhaponticum - rhubarb
rhubarb
Rhus glabra - sumac
Rhus toxicodendron (Rhus tox)
Ricinus communis - castor bean
Roman chamomile
rose hip - ripened accessory fruit of a rose
Rosemarinus officinalis - rosemary
rosemary
Rubus idaeus - raspberry
Rubus villosus - blackberry
rue
Ruta graveolens - rue

safflower
saffron
sage
Salix alba - willow
Salvia, various species - sage
Sambucus nigra - elder
sanicle
Sanicula, various species - sanicle
Saponaria officinalis - soapwort
sarsaparilla root
sassafras leaf & root
Sassafras albidum - sassafras
Satureja hotenis - summer savory
saw palmetto
Scutellaria laterifolia - skullcap
sea cucumber
seaweed
seawrack
senna
Sepia 30C
Serenoa repens - saw palmetto
serpentwood
shark cartilage
shepherd's purse
shiitake - an oriental mushroom
sho-saiko-to (Liver Kampo™) - see MT Desk glossary entry. sho-saiko-to is also referred to as SSKT, minor bupleurum combination or xiao chai hu tang; extract of mixture of bupleurum root, pinellia tuber, scutellaria root, jujube, ginseng, glycyrrhiza, ginger
Siberian ginseng
silver weed
silybin - active chemical component of milk thistle (Silybum marianum)
Silybum marianum - milk thistle, marian, St. Mary's thistle
skullcap
slippery elm
Smilacina racemosa; Polygonatum biflorum - Solomon's seal
sneezewort
soapwort
Solidago virgaurea - goldenrod
Solomon's seal root
soy isoflavones
spearmint leaf
speedwell
spikenard
Spiraea ulmaria - meadowsweet
spirulina - a blue-green microalgae
Spirulina fusiformis - spirulina
spurge
SSKT (sho-saiko-to)
squaw tea
St. Benedict thistle
St. John's wort
star anis
Stellaria media- chickweed
stinging nettle
strawberry
Styrax benzoin - benzoin tree
sumac berry & bark
summer savory leaf
Swedish bitters
sweet almond oil emollient
sweet Annie
sweet violet
Symphytum officinale - comfrey
Syzygium aromaticum - clove

T-cell glandulars
Tabebuia impetiginosa - pau d'arco
Tamus communis - bryony
Tanacetum parthenium - feverfew
Tanacetum vulgare - tansy
tannin - [found in coffee, many teas, and some fruit juices]
tansy
Taraxacum officinalis - dandelion leaf, root; taraxacum
tea tree oil
Terminalia arjuna - arjuna
thyme leaf
Thymus vulgaris - thyme
TMG (trimethylglycine)
transsulfuration (relating to methylation)
"tri-est" - formulary: triple estrogen compound of micronized estriol, estrone, estradiol
triestrogen - 10% estrone + 10% estradiol + 80% estriol
Trifolium pratense - red clover
Trigonella foenum-graecum - fenugreek
trimethylglycine (TMG)
"true" unicorn root
turmeric
Turnera diffusa - damiana
Tussilago farfara - coltsfoot

Ulmus fulva - slippery elm
Unicaria tomentosa - cat's claw
upland cranberry
Urtica dioica - nettle, stinging nettle
usnea - a lichen; common "herbal antibiotic"
Usnea spp. - usnea
uva-ursi

valerian root
Valeriana officinalis - valerian root
Veratrum viride - American hellebore, veratrum alkaloids
Verbascum thapsus - mullein
Verbena officinalis - vervain
Veronica officinalis - speedwell
vervain blue
Viola odorata - sweet violet
Viscum album - mistletoe
vitamin(s) A, B1, B2, B3, B6, B12, B complex, C, D, and E [no hyphen; numbers subscript, if available: AAMT BOS, p. 119]
Vitex agnus-castus - vitex, chasteberry, chaste tree berry

water lemon - berry-like fruit of the passionflower
white oak bark
whorehouse tea
wild alum root
wild cherry bark
wild garlic
wild indigo
wild yam
willow
windflower
witch hazel
wolfsbane (Aconitum napellus)
wood betony
wood sorrel
woodruff
wormwood

xiao chai hu tang - see sho-saiko-to on this list
xylitol - A five-carbon sugar alcohol, a derivative of xylose, obtained especially from birch bark; used as a sweetener

yarrow root
yellow dock root
yerba, yerba santa
ylang ylang
yohimbe
yucca root

zinc lozenges
zinc picolinate
Zingiber officinale - ginger

Disclaimer: MT Desk strives for accuracy and to the best of our ability, the information presented has been verified and presented using proper capitalization. Many herbal product labels employ all-caps or initial-caps form, and many web-based and published herbal guides do as well. We suggest consulting with your client or service regarding capitalization form preferred for these products.

References consulted:

Complete Encyclopedia of Natural Healing by G. Null, Ph.D. [ISBN 1-57566-258-2], 1998
Encyclopedia of Natural Medicine, 2nd ed., by M. Murray, N.D., and J. Pizzorno, N.D. [ISBN 0-7615-1157-1], 1998
The Green Pharmacy by J.A. Duke, Ph.D. [ISBN 0-87596-316-1], 1997

Additional suggested references:

Alternative Medicine: The Definitive Guide by the Burton Goldberg Group [ISBN: 0963633430], 1994