The intensely fragrant leaves are a good base for potpourri. The plant is very aromatic, and its fragrance, like that of roses, was credited with medicinal properties by the Roman scholar Pliny. A known ingredient of the entheogenic kykeon potion along with ergot which was drunk during the Eleusinian Mysteries of ancient Greece. Often considered psychoactive in its own right, this plant interestingly enough has a history of use as a migraine treatment in England. Peruvian shamans also burn this plant as an offering to Pachamama, that is, they use it as an incense. Pennyroyal has toxic effects on the liver, however, and is no longer recommended for internal use in any form. Great for potpourri.

Infuse for a tonic and astringent tea, specifically good for coughs. Proven effective for oral inflammations, in Asian medicine, Rose flower tea is also used to treat cough, wounds, and excessive sweating. Make rosewater as an antiseptic tonic. The flower has astringent and antibiotic properties, drying and tightening the tissues. The petals are often added to healing incenses and sachets. Scatter the rose petals in the bed chamber on your honeymoon. Grieve: The petals of the dark red Rose, R. gallica, known as the Provins Rose, are employed medicinally for the preparation of an infusion and a confection. In this country it is specially grown for medicinal purposes in Oxfordshire and Derbyshire. The British Pharmacopoeia directs that Red Rose petals are to be obtained only from R. gallica, of which, however, there are many variations. The main point is that the petals suitable for medicinal purposes must yield a deep rose-coloured and somewhat astringent and fragrant infusion when boiling water is poured upon them.

Infuse for a tonic and astringent tea, specifically good for coughs. Proven effective for oral inflammations, in Asian medicine, Rose flower tea is also used to treat cough, wounds, and excessive sweating. Make rosewater as an antiseptic tonic. The flower has astringent and antibiotic properties, drying and tightening the tissues. The petals are often added to healing incenses and sachets. Scatter the rose petals in the bed chamber on your honeymoon. Kings: This rose, on account of its delightful fragrancy, is principally employed in France for the distillation of rose-water, so much used in collyria and other lotions. Grieve: In modern herbal medicine the flowers of the common Red Rose dried are given in infusions and sometimes in powder for haemorrhage. A tincture is made from them by pouring 1 pint of boiling water on 1 OZ. of the dried petals, adding 15 drops of oil of Vitriol and 3 or 4 drachms of white sugar. The tincture when strained is of a beautiful red colour. Three or four spoonsful of the tincture taken two or three times a day are considered good for strengthening the stomach and a pleasant remedy in all haemorrhages.

Red Sage is a very popular and versatile gourmet spice. Red Sage tea has traditionally been used for inflammations of the mouth, throat and tonsils, its volatile oils soothing the mucous membranes. It is also a traditional suppressor of breast milk. Modern research confirms the antioxidant and bacteriacidal actions of Red Sages constituents. As a gargle it will aid in the treatment of laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis and quinsy. The German Commission E monograph suggests a daily dose of sage leaf tea for these purposes. A valuable carminative used in dyspepsia. Red Sage stimulates the muscles of the uterus and so should be avoided during pregnancy. Grieve: In the United States, where it is still an official medicine, it is in some repute, especially in the form of an infusion, the principal and most valued application of which is as a wash for the cure of affections of the mouth and as a gargle in inflamed sore throat, being excellent for relaxed throat and tonsils, and also for ulcerated throat. The gargle is useful for bleeding gums and to prevent an excessive flow of saliva. The infusion when made for internal use is termed Sage Tea, and can be made simply by pouring 1 pint of boiling water on to 1 OZ. of the dried herb, the dose being from a wineglassful to half a teacupful, as often as required, but the old-fashioned way of making it is more elaborate and the result is a pleasant drink, cooling in fevers, and also a cleanser and purifier of the blood. Half an ounce of fresh Sage leaves, 1 OZ. of sugar, the juice of 1 lemon, or < OZ. of grated rind, are infused in a quart of boiling water and strained off after half an hour. (In Jamaica the negroes sweeten Sage Tea with lime-juice instead of lemon.) Sage Tea or infusion of Sage is a valuable agent in the delirium of fevers and in the nervous excitement frequently accompanying brain and nervous diseases and has considerable reputation as a remedy, given in small and oft-repeated doses. It will check excessive perspiration in phthisis cases, and is useful as an emmenagogue. A cup of the strong infusion will be found good to relieve nervous headache. The infusion made strong, without the lemons and sugar, is an excellent lotion for ulcers and to heal raw abrasions of the skin. It has also been popularly used as an application to the scalp, to darken the hair. The fresh leaves, rubbed on the teeth, will cleanse them and strengthen the gums. Sage is a common ingredient in tooth-powders. Sage and Onion stuffing for ducks, geese and pork enables the stomach to digest the rich food.

This great tasting aromatic tea is an excellent carminative, having a relaxing effect on the muscles of the digestive system, combats flatulence and stimulates bile and digestive juice flow. The volatile oil acts as a mild anaesthetic to the stomach wall, which allays feelings of nausea. Also relieves the nausea & vomiting of pregnancy and travel sickness. It is a traditional treatment of fevers, colds and flu. As an inhalant it is used as temporary relief for nasal catarrh. Where headaches are associated with digestion, Peppermint may help. As a nervine it eases anxiety and tension. In painful periods, it relieves the pain and eases associated tension. Peppermint leaves contain a volatile oil that is composed of 5078% free menthol and 520% menthol combined with other constituents. It is this oil that has been clinically shown to ease intestinal cramping, tone the digestive system, treat gas and indigestion. It may also increase the flow of bile from the gallbladder. A study of topical peppermint oil applied to the temples of healthy volunteers found that peppermint oil had a muscle-relaxing action and it decreased tension. This may explain its usefulness in treating tension headaches.

Traditionally used as a digestive remedy. Protects and soothe the mucous membranes of the digestive tract, reduces excess acidity and eases nausea. It is used in the treatment of heartburn, hyperacidity, gastritis and peptic ulceration. The presence of aspirin-like chemicals explains Meadowsweet's action in reducing fever and relieving the pain of rheumatism in muscles and joints. It was from this hardy perennial that salicylic acid was first isolated in 1838. This substance was later synthesised as aspirin, a name derived from the plants older title Spirea ulmaria. While the flowers are high in flavonoids, the primary constituents in meadowsweet are the salicylates, including salicin, salicylaldehyde, and methyl salicylate. In the digestive tract, these compounds are oxidized into salicylic acid, a substance that is closely related to aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid). While not as potent as white willow, which has a higher salicin content, the salicylates in meadowsweet do give it a mild anti-inflammatory effect and ability to reduce fevers during a cold or flu. The German Commission E monograph recommends daily doses of 2.53.5 grams of the flower or 45 grams of the herboften in a tea or infusion. Unfortunately, to achieve an aspirin-like effect, one would realistically need to consume about 5060 grams of meadowsweet daily. This means that white willow bark, richer in salicin, is a far more practical herbal substitute for aspirin.

Hyssop's herbal uses are largely attributable to the anti-spasmodic action of the volatile oil. It is used in coughs, bronchitis and chronic catarrh. Its diaphoretic properties makes it useful for its use in the common cold. As a nervine it may be used in anxiety states. Grieve: It admirably promotes expectoration, and in chronic catarrh its diaphoretic and stimulant properties combine to render it of especial value. It is usually given as a warm infusion, taken frequently and mixed with Horehound. Hyssop Tea is also a grateful drink, well adapted to improve the tone of a feeble stomach, being brewed with the green tops of the herb, which are sometimes boiled in soup to be given for asthma.

Only mugworts antimicrobial action has so far been verified in the laboratory. Mugwort is the herb used in the Chinese treatment called moxibustion. In this variation of acupuncture, small cones of smoldering Mugwort are placed on the trigger points said to govern the flow of life force throughout the body. It is by redirecting and balancing this flow that moxibustion is thought to promote healing. Grieve: It has stimulant and slightly tonic properties, and is of value as a nervine and emmenagogue, having also diuretic and diaphoretic action. Its chief employment is as an emmenagogue, often in combination with Pennyroyal and Southernwood. It is also useful as a diaphoretic in the commencement of cold. Culpepper says that The infusion drank morning and evening for some time helps hysterics, obstruction of the spleen and weakness of the stomach.

The leaves of the borage plant have a cool, cucumber-like aroma and taste, and they are rich in calcium and potassium. Leaves and flowers are used in salads, and in Europe the leaves are cooked as a vegetable. Dried or fresh leaves are used to season stews and soups and to flavour wine cups and other drinks. Borage is also grown for bee feeding. Clinical studies with the gamma linolenic acid (GLA) in Borage confirm its usefulness in rheumatoid arthritis, eczema and dermatitis. Grieve: Diuretic, demulcent, emollient. Borage is much used in France for fevers and pulmonary complaints. By virtue of its saline constituents, it promotes the activity of the kidneys and for this reason is employed to carry off feverish catarrhs. Its demulcent qualities are due to the mucilage contained in the whole plant. For internal use, an infusion is made of 1 OZ of leaves to 1 pint of boiling water, taken in wineglassful doses. Externally, it is employed as a poultice for inflammatory swellings.

Grieve: Tansy is largely used for expelling worms in children, the infusion of 1 OZ. to a pint of boiling water being taken in teacupful doses, night and morning, fasting. It is also valuable in hysteria and in kidney weaknesses, the same infusion being taken in wineglassful doses, repeated frequently. It forms an excellent and safe emmenagogue, and is of good service in low forms of fever, in ague and hysterical and nervous affections. As a diaphoretic nervine it is also useful. In moderate doses, the plant and its essential oil are stomachic and cordial, being anti-flatulent and serving to allay spasms. In large doses, it becomes a violent irritant.

Lemon balm is used in herbal teas, both for its flavor and its mild sedative properties. The tea is recommended to induce perspiration and relieve fever due to cold and flu, and to ease menstrual cramps, insomnia, headaches and nervousness. It is a key ingredient in certain perfumes and cosmetics. It is useful for all sorts of nervous problems. The balm also relieves cramps, dyspepsia, fratulence, colic, chronic bronchial catarrh, and some forms of asthma. The terpenes, part of the pleasant smelling essential oil from lemon balm, produce this herbs relaxing and gas-relieving effects. Flavonoids, polyphenolics, and other compounds appear to be responsible for lemon balms anti-herpes and thyroid-regulating actions. The German Commission E monograph suggests a simple tea made from 2 tablespoons of the herb steeped for ten to fifteen minutes in boiling water three times daily.

The tiny leaves of this certified organic herb impart a soft, lemony fragrance to meat, fish and poultry dishes. It is especially good in Mexican dishes. For a refreshing cup of herb tea, brew it in combination with mint.

Or sweet marjoram, Old World perennial aromatic herb of the mint family, cultivated in gardens for flavoring of various kinds of recipes. The closely related European pot, or wild, marjoram (Origanum vulgare) has similar uses and is the spice usually sold as oregano, although other species may be called oregano. The generic names Marjorana and Origanum are frequently interchanged. Infuse as a tea for colds and headaches. Add a decoction to bath water as a relaxant. Use in potpourri and scented pillows. The tops yield origanum oil, once used medicinally but more recently for perfuming soaps.

Also called LAUREL LEAF, leaf of the sweet bay tree, Laurus nobilis, an evergreen of the family Lauraceae, indigenous to countries bordering the Mediterranean. A popular spice used in pickling and marinating and to flavour stews, stuffings, and fish, bay leaves are delicately fragrant but have a bitter taste. They contain approximately 2 percent essential oil, the principal component of which is cineole. The smooth and lustrous dried bay leaves are usually used whole and then removed from the dish after cooking; they are sometimes marketed in powdered form. Bay has been cultivated from ancient times; its leaves constituted the wreaths of laurel that crowned victorious athletes in ancient Greece. During the European Middle Ages bay leaves were used medicinally. Grieve: Leaves, berries and oil have excitant and narcotic properties. The leaves are also regarded as a diaphoretic and in large doses as an emetic.

This oil is one of the most important perfumery oils and is an important ingredient in all types of fragrances. It has a powerful, leafy-rose aroma with fruity, mint undertones. It is used in skin care products for both its fragrance and its toning, cleansing properties. Aromatherapy benefits: soothing, mood-lifting, balancing. Essential, absolute and resin oils are volatile, fragrant materials extracted from the root, bark, wood, seed, fruit, leaf or flower of a single plant. The plants used to produce these oils are grown on certified organic fields and are third-party certified by Quality Assurance International; no synthetic chemicals are used in growing or processing them. Steam distillation and cold pressing are used to extract the essential oil from the plant. Essential oils and absolutes are very potent and should always be used sparingly and in conjunction with a reliable reference. Essential oils contain the odor, taste and medicinal properties of the plant itself, but in very concentrated form, with no base oil, alcohol, water or dilutants added.

A very widely employed aromatherapy oil, try peppermint in a cooling compress across the forehead or over the back of the neck. Peppermint has a powerful, sweet, menthol aroma which, when inhaled undiluted, can make the eyes water and the sinuses tingle. Aromatherapy benefits: vitalizing, refreshing, cooling. Essential, absolute and resin oils are volatile, fragrant materials extracted from the root, bark, wood, seed, fruit, leaf or flower of a single plant. The plants used to produce these oils are grown on certified organic fields and are third-party certified by Quality Assurance International; no synthetic chemicals are used in growing or processing them. Steam distillation and cold pressing are used to extract the essential oil from the plant. Essential oils and absolutes are very potent and should always be used sparingly and in conjunction with a reliable reference. Essential oils contain the odor, taste and medicinal properties of the plant itself, but in very concentrated form, with no base oil, alcohol, water or dilutants added.

Historically, hyssop herb was regarded as a sacred plant and was used as a strewing herb and incense to purify holy places. The scent of the oil is reminiscent of the herb; spicy, sweet, woody and strong. It blends well with clove, lavender, rosemary, myrtle, sage, clary sage and citrus oils. Aromatherapy benefits: refreshing, purifying. Essential, absolute and resin oils are volatile, fragrant materials extracted from the root, bark, wood, seed, fruit, leaf or flower of a single plant. The plants used to produce these oils are grown on certified organic fields and are third-party certified by Quality Assurance International; no synthetic chemicals are used in growing or processing them. Steam distillation and cold pressing are used to extract the essential oil from the plant. Essential oils and absolutes are very potent and should always be used sparingly and in conjunction with a reliable reference. Essential oils contain the odor, taste and medicinal properties of the plant itself, but in very concentrated form, with no base oil, alcohol, water or dilutants added.