Christopher's Herbal Syllabus

“Herbs are food for the body.” — Dr. John R. Christopher

Thinking in Families

A beginner learns herbs one at a time: chamomile is for sleep, peppermint is for the stomach. That works until there are a hundred herbs to remember. Dr. Christopher taught a better way. In his School of Natural Healing he organized the herbs into families by what they do: alteratives, astringents, cathartics, diaphoretics, diuretics, emmenagogues, expectorants and demulcents, nervines and antispasmodics, stimulants, tonics and anthelmintics. Learn the families, and you know what any new herb is for as soon as you know which family it belongs to.

This is Christopher’s Herbal Syllabus. This chapter teaches each family: what it does, when to use it, the herbs that lead it, and the cautions. Part Two of this book then gives a full entry for every herb, grouped the same way, with a few families added for the herbs Christopher taught elsewhere and the ones this book uses (adaptogens and immune herbs, wound and first aid herbs, and nutritive herbs).

Many herbs belong to more than one family. Yarrow is a diaphoretic, an astringent and a wound herb; licorice is a demulcent, an expectorant and a mild laxative. In Part Two each herb has its entry in its main family, and its other actions are listed in the entry.

Alteratives: The Blood Purifiers

What they do. Alteratives gradually “alter” the body toward health. The old herbalists called them blood purifiers. They help the liver, kidneys, lymph and skin clear wastes from the blood, so they are used for skin problems (acne, eczema, psoriasis, boils), swollen glands, chronic infection, arthritis and any condition where the body is “dirty” and slow to heal. They work slowly, over weeks and months.

Lead herbs. Red clover is Christopher’s chief alterative, the base of his Red Clover Combination. Burdock root clears the skin and lymph. Yellow dock cleans the blood and also builds it, because it carries iron. Echinacea purifies the blood and fights infection. Plantain draws out infection and poison. Garlic is an alterative, antibiotic and food in one. Oregon grape and sarsaparilla clear the skin. Poke root and chaparral are the strongest, used in small amounts for stubborn swellings and growths.

Cautions. Alteratives can bring on a cleansing reaction: a skin breakout, loose stools or tiredness for a few days. Start low. Poke root is strong: Christopher used it in small amounts, and the berries and raw root are not for home use beyond the tiny doses he taught. Chaparral is taken in modest amounts for limited periods.

Christopher’s Red Clover Combination shows how alteratives are combined: red clover with chaparral, licorice, Oregon grape, poke, echinacea, cascara, sarsaparilla, prickly ash, burdock and buckthorn.

Anthelmintics: The Worm Herbs

What they do. Anthelmintics (also called vermifuges) expel intestinal worms and other parasites. Christopher taught that parasites thrive in a clogged bowel, so anthelmintics are always given with laxative herbs to sweep the parasites out, and with a cleaner diet.

Lead herbs. Black walnut hull is Christopher’s favorite: it kills parasites and fungus and was his miracle cure for impetigo. Wormwood, the bitterest herb in the Bible, expels roundworms and pinworms. Pumpkin seeds, raw and freshly ground, are the gentlest, safe for children, and were a classic tapeworm remedy. Pomegranate root bark, male fern, kousso, pink root, Jerusalem oak (wormseed), santonica and tansy are the strong old vermifuges. Hyssop and garlic round out the family.

Cautions. The strong vermifuges are strong because they are toxic to worms, and in large amounts to people. Christopher used them in short courses, measured doses, followed by a laxative. Wormwood is taken for a week or two, not for months. Pregnant women should not take wormwood, tansy, male fern or the other strong vermifuges; children do best with pumpkin seeds, garlic and black walnut in child-sized doses.

How Christopher used them. A typical approach: a few days of the anthelmintic herb (black walnut, wormwood, or both), taken on an empty stomach, followed by a laxative herb or Lower Bowel Tonic to move the worms out, then a week’s rest, repeated to catch the eggs that hatch. Many herbalists time a parasite cleanse around the full moon, when parasites are said to be most active.

Astringents: Tightening and Drying

What they do. Astringents tighten and tone tissue. Their tannins draw tissues together, which stops bleeding, dries up discharges, heals diarrhea, tightens spongy gums, shrinks swollen veins and hemorrhoids, and protects raw skin. A cup of strong black tea puckers the mouth because of its tannins; that pucker is astringency.

Lead herbs. Bayberry bark is Christopher’s great astringent and the base of his famous composition powder for colds. White oak bark tightens gums, veins and hemorrhoids and stops bleeding. Red raspberry leaf is the gentle astringent and tonic of the uterus, safe through pregnancy. Witch hazel is the astringent for the skin. Cranesbill (wild geranium), tormentil, bistort and sumac stop bleeding and diarrhea. White poplar, white pond lily and ground ivy complete Christopher’s list. Yarrow and plantain are astringents too.

Cautions. Astringents dry, so they are used for wet conditions, not dry ones; a dry, constipated person needs demulcents, not astringents. Long, heavy use of high-tannin herbs can hinder iron absorption, so take them between meals rather than with them.

Cathartics: Moving the Bowel

What they do. Cathartics are laxatives. Christopher taught that health begins in the bowel and that most sick people are constipated, carrying old waste that poisons the blood. Cathartics range from gentle aperients (which simply encourage a natural movement) to purgatives (which force a strong one).

Lead herbs. Cascara sagrada, the “sacred bark,” is Christopher’s chief laxative: it moves the bowel and also tones it, so the bowel works better on its own over time. It must be aged a year before use, because fresh bark cramps. Senna is strong and reliable. Turkey rhubarb root is gentle in small amounts and moves strongly in larger ones. Barberry and balmony stimulate bile, which is the body’s own laxative. Butternut bark is gentle enough for children and the elderly. Cape aloe, a Schulze favorite, is one of the strongest. Licorice is mild. Culver’s root, wahoo, mountain flax, bitter root, balm of Gilead and mandrake are the old strong cathartics.

Cautions. Strong laxatives are a short-term tool, used to open the bowel while the diet, water and gentle herbs rebuild it. Christopher built his Lower Bowel Tonic so the bowel would not become dependent. Pregnant women should avoid senna, cascara, aloe, rhubarb and mandrake. Cathartics should not be given for abdominal pain that may be appendicitis or a blocked bowel. Long, heavy use lowers potassium, which matters for people on digoxin or diuretics. Mandrake (American mayapple) is the strongest of all and is a poison in larger amounts; Christopher used only small amounts, in formulas, for the liver.

Diaphoretics: Sweating Out a Fever

What they do. Diaphoretics open the pores and bring on a sweat. They are the herbalist’s fever remedy. Christopher taught that a fever is the body’s own cleansing fire and should not be suppressed with drugs; instead, help the body through it with hot diaphoretic teas, a hot bath, warm covers and rest, so the fever “breaks” in a sweat.

Lead herbs. Yarrow is the great fever herb, often with elder flower and peppermint, the classic “YEP” tea. Boneset was the American remedy for the “break-bone fever” of flu. Pleurisy root is Christopher’s lung herb, for fever with chest congestion. Catnip and chamomile are the gentle fever teas for children. Thyme, sage, hyssop, blessed thistle and spearmint complete his list, and cayenne and ginger speed any diaphoretic.

How to use them. Give diaphoretic tea hot, a cup every hour or two, keep the person warm and covered, and give plenty of fluids so they can sweat. Cold diaphoretic tea works as a diuretic instead.

Cautions. Watch for dehydration: give water, broth and herbal tea freely. Know the fevers that need a doctor: any fever in a baby under three months, a fever over 104°F (40°C) that will not come down, a fever with a stiff neck, confusion, a spreading purple rash or trouble breathing, and a fever lasting more than a few days.

Diuretics: The Kidney Herbs

What they do. Diuretics increase the flow of urine. They help the kidneys flush wastes, clear water retention and edema, soothe and disinfect the urinary tract, and help pass gravel and stones.

Lead herbs. Parsley is Christopher’s “universal kidney cleanser,” the base of Juni-Pars. Juniper berry is a strong diuretic and urinary disinfectant. Uva ursi (bearberry) is the great bladder antiseptic. Gravel root (queen of the meadow) is the stone herb. Cleavers is a gentle diuretic and lymph cleanser. Corn silk soothes. Buchu, wild carrot and burdock seed finish his list, and dandelion leaf is the diuretic that replaces the potassium it flushes.

Cautions. Diuretics are short-term remedies for most people, with plenty of water. Juniper should not be used in pregnancy or with kidney disease, and only for a few weeks at a time. Uva ursi works best in alkaline urine and is taken for a week or two, not long term. Diuretic herbs add to diuretic drugs and can change lithium levels. Severe flank pain, fever with back pain, or blood in the urine needs a doctor.

Emmenagogues: The Women’s Herbs

What they do. Emmenagogues bring on and regulate menstruation. In Christopher’s day the word covered the whole range of women’s herbs: those that bring on a late period, those that ease cramps, those that tone the uterus, and those that help a pregnancy or a birth.

Lead herbs. False unicorn root is Christopher’s great women’s herb, used with lobelia to prevent miscarriage and as the base of Nu-Fem. Squaw vine (partridge berry) tones the uterus and prepares it for birth. Cramp bark relaxes uterine cramps. Blue cohosh is the labor herb, used by midwives at term. Motherwort calms the heart and the nerves. True unicorn root, blessed thistle, life root and southernwood complete his list, along with the strong ones, pennyroyal, tansy and rue. Arukah adds dong quai and chaste tree (vitex), two of the most used women’s herbs today.

Cautions. This family needs the most care, because some of these herbs bring on a period strongly enough to end an early pregnancy. Pennyroyal, tansy, rue, life root, southernwood and blue cohosh are not taken during pregnancy, except blue cohosh at term under a midwife. Pennyroyal essential oil is dangerous at any time: a small amount by mouth has caused liver failure and death; the herb tea is a very different and much weaker thing. Women with heavy bleeding, fibroids or a bleeding disorder should avoid the strong emmenagogues and dong quai.

Expectorants and Demulcents: The Lung Herbs

What they do. Expectorants loosen mucus and help the lungs cough it up. Demulcents soothe, coat and moisten irritated tissue: a raw throat, a dry cough, an inflamed stomach. Christopher grouped them because lung problems usually need both: something to clear the phlegm and something to soothe the irritation.

Lead herbs. Comfrey is Christopher’s “ultimate lung healer,” soothing and rebuilding lung tissue. Mullein is the great respiratory herb, gentle and safe for all ages. Elecampane clears deep, stubborn congestion. Horehound loosens a wet cough and is the old cough candy. Wild cherry bark calms a dry, irritating cough. Marshmallow, slippery elm, chickweed and hollyhock are the soothing demulcents. Licorice is both. Lobelia is the strongest expectorant of all.

Cautions. Licorice in large amounts for long periods raises blood pressure and lowers potassium. Demulcents coat the gut and slow the absorption of medicines: take them 1–2 hours apart. Wild cherry bark is taken in measured amounts (its cough-calming compound is related to cyanide in large doses). Trouble breathing, a high fever with chest pain, coughing blood, or a cough lasting weeks needs a doctor.

Nervines and Antispasmodics: The Nerve Herbs

What they do. Nervines feed, calm and strengthen the nervous system. Antispasmodics relax spasm and cramp in muscles and organs. Christopher taught that nervous problems often come from starved nerves, and that the nervines feed them.

Lead herbs. Lobelia is Christopher’s “thinking herb,” the most important herb in this family and perhaps in his whole practice. It relaxes spasm anywhere (lungs, muscles, bowel, uterus), opens the airways, and goes where it is needed, carrying other herbs with it. Skullcap feeds the nerves and calms the mind. Valerian is the strong sleep herb. Lady’s slipper was the old “American valerian.” Hops calms and helps sleep. Black cohosh relaxes muscles and eases women’s cramps and hot flashes. Wild yam and cramp bark relax cramps. Wood betony soothes headaches. Mistletoe calms the heart and nerves in small amounts. Arukah adds passionflower and oat straw.

Lobelia’s safety. Lobelia is an emetic: in a large enough dose it makes a person vomit. That is why it has been called a poison. Christopher taught that it is not: the vomiting is the body’s protection, and it empties the stomach long before a dangerous amount could be absorbed. He once drank a large amount by mistake, thinking it was apple cider vinegar, vomited hard, and suffered nothing more. Use it in measured doses (Schulze gives 5–60 drops of tincture 3–4 times a day, more in emergencies), and expect nausea if you take too much.

Cautions. Sedative nervines (valerian, hops, lady’s slipper, passionflower) add to sleeping pills, anxiety drugs and alcohol, and a person should not drive after a strong dose. Black cohosh is not taken in pregnancy except by midwives at term. Mistletoe is used in small, measured amounts of the leaf; the berries are poisonous. Psychiatric medications must be lowered gradually with the prescriber, never stopped suddenly because an herb seems to be working.

Stimulants: Heat and Circulation

What they do. Stimulants warm the body and speed up circulation and function. They are the Thomsonian “heat”: they drive blood to cold hands and feet, wake up a sluggish system and carry other herbs through the body.

Lead herbs. Cayenne is the king (Chapter 3). Ginger is cayenne’s gentler partner, the second choice for circulation and the first for nausea. Prickly ash is the “toothache tree,” a circulatory stimulant for cold joints. Peppermint stimulates and cools at once. Cloves, horseradish, black pepper and Virginia snakeroot complete Christopher’s list. Arukah adds the heart herbs hawthorn and ginkgo, which Dr. Schulze pairs with cayenne in his Heart Formula and Brain Tonic.

Cautions. Stimulants can overheat a person who is already hot, flushed and inflamed; match the herb to the person. Ginkgo adds to blood thinners. Hawthorn adds to heart drugs such as digoxin and blood pressure medicines, which is useful but means the drug may need to come down with the prescriber.

Tonics and Bitters

What they do. Tonics strengthen and restore. Christopher’s tonics are mostly bitters, which wake up digestion: the bitter taste on the tongue signals the stomach, liver, gallbladder and pancreas to release their juices. A few drops of a bitter before a meal improves appetite and digestion, and over time strengthens the whole body.

Lead herbs. Goldenseal is Christopher’s great tonic and antiseptic for the mucous membranes. Gentian is the classic bitter. Barberry and balmony stimulate the liver. Calumba, American colombo, European centaury and Peruvian bark (cinchona, the source of quinine) are the old bitter tonics. Myrrh is the antiseptic tonic for the mouth and wounds. Blessed thistle, white poplar and false unicorn are tonics too. Arukah adds milk thistle, the liver’s protector, and fennel, dandelion root and turmeric.

Cautions. Goldenseal is overharvested in the wild: buy cultivated. It is taken for a few weeks at a time, not continually, and not in pregnancy. Its berberine lowers blood sugar and affects how the liver clears many drugs. Peruvian bark is strong (quinine) and is used only in small amounts.

Adaptogens, Immune Herbs and Pain Herbs

Christopher’s syllabus predates the word “adaptogen,” but his formulas use several of these herbs (ginseng in BPE and Adrenetone). Adaptogens help the body cope with stress of every kind and restore balance: ashwagandha, Asian and American ginseng, holy basil, rhodiola, reishi and astragalus. Immune herbs (echinacea, astragalus, reishi, garlic) strengthen the body’s defenses. The pain herbs are white willow bark (the original aspirin), devil’s claw, turmeric and Jamaican dogwood. Each has an entry in Part Two.

Wound and First Aid Herbs; Nutritive Herbs

Two more families complete Part Two. The wound herbs (vulneraries) heal skin and flesh: aloe, calendula, arnica (outside only), St. John’s wort, usnea, self-heal and jewelweed, alongside plantain, yarrow and comfrey. The nutritive herbs are herbs as food, rich in minerals and gentle enough to take every day: nettle, alfalfa, oat straw, horsetail, kelp and dulse, rose hips and hibiscus. These are the herbs of Arukah Herbal Calcium and Arukah SuperFood.

Building a Formula

Christopher rarely gave one herb alone. Like the Chinese herbalists, he built formulas, and his formulas follow a pattern you can use:

1. The lead herb (often the largest part): the herb that does the main job. In Juni-Pars, juniper and parsley; in the Herbal Calcium, horsetail.
2. Supporting herbs that do the same job in another way or reach another organ involved. In Juni-Pars, uva ursi disinfects and gravel root dissolves stones.
3. Soothing herbs (demulcents) to protect irritated tissue and balance strong herbs: marshmallow root in Juni-Pars, comfrey in the calcium formula.
4. The activators: a small amount of cayenne or ginger to stimulate and carry the formula through the body, and often lobelia to relax and direct it. Christopher put one or more of these in most formulas.

For example, a simple Arukah cold-and-flu tea in Christopher’s style: 3 parts yarrow (lead, diaphoretic), 2 parts elder flower and 2 parts peppermint (support), 1 part licorice (soothing, and it tastes good), and a pinch of ginger or cayenne (activator). Give it hot, a cup every two hours.

Some guidelines:

• Start simple. One, two or three herbs you know well beat ten you do not.
• Match the formula to the person, not just the complaint: a cold, pale person with a wet cough needs warming expectorants (ginger, elecampane, thyme); a hot, dry cough needs cooling demulcents (marshmallow, licorice, wild cherry).
• Cleanse, then build. Use the cleansing families (alteratives, cathartics, diuretics, diaphoretics) first, then the building ones (tonics, nutritives, nervines).
• Six days on, one day off, for long-term formulas.

How to Study the Syllabus

The herb reference in Part Two has over a hundred and forty entries. You will not memorize them all at once, and you do not need to. Here is how to learn them:

1. Learn the families first. Read this chapter until you can name each family and its lead herbs.
2. Learn ten herbs well. Choose ten from your kitchen, your yard and your first aid kit. Read their entries, make a remedy from each, and use them.
3. Meet the plants. Identify the herbs growing around you with Google Lens or a field guide (Chapter 6), and look each one up.
4. Add a family at a time. Each month, learn the lead herbs of one more family.

Then, when a friend comes to you with a cough, you will not have to remember a hundred herbs. You will ask: is it wet or dry? Hot or cold? And the right family, and the right herb, will come to mind.

Sources and further reading

• Christopher, J. R. School of Natural Healing. Christopher Publications, 1976 (the herbal syllabus by family: alteratives, anthelmintics, astringents, cathartics, diaphoretics, diuretics, emmenagogues, expectorants and demulcents, nervines and antispasmodics, stimulants, tonics).
• Vega, M. Arukah Herbalism syllabus notes and The Life and Teachings of Master Herbalist John R. Christopher (ebook).
• Christopher, D. An Herbal Legacy of Courage (formulas: Red Clover Combination, Juni-Pars, Nu-Fem, BPE, Adrenetone).
• Schulze, R. There Are No Incurable Diseases (Lobelia Tincture dosage).
• Hoffmann, D. Medical Herbalism: The Science and Practice of Herbal Medicine. Healing Arts Press, 2003.