Herbs whose tannins tighten and tone tissue, stop bleeding, dry discharges and heal diarrhea: bayberry, white oak, red raspberry, witch hazel and Christopher's other astringents. Chapter 5 teaches this family as a whole.
- Bayberry
- White Oak
- Red Raspberry
- White Poplar
- Cranesbill
- Sumac
- Ground Ivy
- Bistort
- White Pond Lily
- Tormentil
- Witch Hazel
No. 25Bayberry
Traditional uses and main actions
Christopher's great astringent and stimulant, the base of his famous Composition Powder for colds and flu (with ginger, white pine, cloves and cayenne). Used for diarrhea, sore throats and spongy, bleeding gums, to stop bleeding and to tighten tissue. Part of Schulze's Anti-Infection formula and Christopher's Herbal Eyebright.
How it's prepared
Decoction; powder (as snuff for sinus congestion, as tooth powder, in formulas); tincture; gargle.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day; powder, ¼–½ teaspoon in hot water.
Cautions and interactions
Large amounts can cause vomiting. Not in pregnancy beyond small amounts. As with all high-tannin herbs, take between meals.
Taught in Lessons 3, 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 26White Oak
Traditional uses and main actions
One of the strongest astringents. A decoction or wash tightens spongy gums, stops bleeding, heals diarrhea, shrinks hemorrhoids and varicose veins, and soothes weeping skin. The first herb in Christopher's BF&C formula for bones, flesh and cartilage. Christopher listed the black, red and English oaks with it.
How it's prepared
Strong decoction as a drink, gargle, wash, sitz bath or compress; powder in tooth powders and formulas.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup simmered 15 minutes, 2–3 cups a day for a short time; stronger outside.
Cautions and interactions
Very high in tannins: use short term by mouth, between meals. Not for constipation.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 27Red Raspberry
Traditional uses and main actions
The gentle astringent and the great tonic of the uterus, used through pregnancy to prepare for an easy birth and after birth to help the uterus recover. Also for diarrhea, sore throats and mouth sores, and as a mineral-rich tea. Optional in Arukah Herbal Calcium; part of Christopher's Nu-Fem, Lower Bowel Tonic and Herbal Eyebright.
How it's prepared
Tea or nourishing infusion; tincture.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1–2 teaspoons per cup, 2–3 cups a day; in pregnancy, traditionally a cup or more a day, many midwives starting in the second trimester.
Cautions and interactions
Very safe. Some midwives start it after the first trimester.
Taught in Lessons 4, 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapters of the same number in this book).
No. 28White Poplar
Traditional uses and main actions
Christopher listed it among both the astringents and the tonics. Like willow, it contains salicin, so it eases pain, fever and arthritis; it is also a bitter digestive tonic and a remedy for urinary infections.
How it's prepared
Decoction; tincture.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Contains salicylates: avoid with aspirin allergy, with blood thinners and in children with viral illness (as with aspirin).
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 29Cranesbill
Traditional uses and main actions
A strong but gentle astringent used to stop bleeding (inside and out), diarrhea and dysentery, heavy menstrual bleeding and mouth sores.
How it's prepared
Decoction; powder sprinkled on wounds; gargle.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day for a short time.
Cautions and interactions
High in tannins: short term, between meals.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 30Sumac
Traditional uses and main actions
The red, sour berries make a cooling drink ("sumac lemonade") for fevers and sore throats and a gargle; the bark is an astringent for diarrhea. Ground sumac berries are a spice of the Middle East, part of za'atar.
How it's prepared
Cold infusion of the berries; decoction of the bark.
Typical amounts
Berry drink freely; bark decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Use only red-berried sumac. Poison sumac (Toxicodendron vernix), which grows in swamps and has white berries, causes a severe rash like poison ivy.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 31Ground Ivy
Traditional uses and main actions
A common creeping mint-family weed, used as a mild astringent and expectorant for coughs, catarrh, sinus congestion and tinnitus, and as a wash for sore eyes.
How it's prepared
Tea; snuff of the dried leaf for sinuses.
Typical amounts
Tea, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Safe in tea; toxic to horses in quantity.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 32Bistort
Traditional uses and main actions
One of the strongest astringents, used for diarrhea, bleeding, heavy menstruation, mouth ulcers and as a gargle and wound wash.
How it's prepared
Decoction; gargle; powder on wounds.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day for a short time.
Cautions and interactions
High tannin: short term, between meals.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 33White Pond Lily
Traditional uses and main actions
An astringent and soothing herb used for diarrhea, vaginal discharge (as a douche), sore throats and mouth ulcers, and as a poultice for boils and swellings.
How it's prepared
Decoction; poultice.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day.
Cautions and interactions
Generally safe in normal amounts.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 34Tormentil
Traditional uses and main actions
Among the richest herbs in tannins, used for diarrhea, bleeding, sore gums and throat, and as a wash for wounds and hemorrhoids.
How it's prepared
Decoction; tincture; gargle.
Typical amounts
Decoction, 1 teaspoon per cup, 2–3 cups a day for a short time.
Cautions and interactions
High tannin: short term, between meals.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).
No. 35Witch Hazel
Traditional uses and main actions
The astringent for the skin: bruises, swelling, hemorrhoids, varicose veins, insect bites, oily skin, and as an aftershave. Native Americans used it for sores and swellings.
How it's prepared
Distilled witch hazel water (drugstore) outside; decoction as a compress or wash.
Typical amounts
Outside freely; by mouth, a weak tea only for a short time.
Cautions and interactions
Drugstore witch hazel contains alcohol and is for outside use only.
Taught in Lesson 5 of Arukah's Herbalism certification (the chapter of the same number in this book).