Materia Medica Archives

Mugwort Materia Medica

A classic herb in both medicine and magic, mugwort has a long history of use in both herbal medicine as well as more esoteric practices. Mugwort is the herb that becomes Moxa, a traditional preparation used in TCM in very similar ways to acupuncture. The prepared herb is placed on acupuncture points and burned to […]

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Marshmallow Materia Medica

No we aren’t talking about the fluffy white things you add to hot chocolate, though that is a modern adaptation of what was once a traditionally prepared food. We’re talking about the Marshmallow plant Athaea officianlis. Marhsmallow is one of our go-to plants for all manner of health concerns, mainly for it’s ability to help […]

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St. John’s Wort

What comes to mind when you think about Saint John’s Wort? For many it’s “good for depression” but this isn’t quite accurate…or at least it’s very limiting. According to a meta-analysis of twenty nine “randomised, controlled, double blind trials of hypericum extracts versus placebo or versus standard antidepressants in people with major depression” concluded “Hypericum (St John’s […]

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Elderflower Matieria Medica

LONG REVERED FOR IT’S IMMUNE PROPERTIES, THIS AMAZING PLANT HAS SO MANY USES FOR THE COLD AND FLU SEASON THAT YOU SHOULD PROBABLY PLANT ONE IN YOUR BACK YARD. The elder tree is one of those plants you should probably have in your backyard. Not only are it’s flowers beautiful, but both the blossoms and […]

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Fenugreek Materia Medica

Written by apothecary intern Suzy R. The herb goddess of femininity Wise tales say it will make you curvaceous and voluminous. Belly dancers used to use it to accentuate their curves for dancing. In ancient Egypt they used fenugreek as a uterine stimulant and to ease the pain of childbirth (1) In the Middle East […]

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Calendula: Sunshine in Bloom

When the days feel heavy or your skin needs a little extra love, few herbs offer as much warmth and gentle healing as calendula. Bright as a summer afternoon and soft as velvet petals, calendula (Calendula officinalis) has long been cherished in herbal traditions across the world—for both its beauty and its profound healing gifts. […]

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Mullein Materia Medica

The family name of Mullen was derived from the word scrofula, which is now known to mean Tuberculosis. Mullen was often used in Ireland to treat tuberculosis. It is thought to have traveled to the Americas through the dirt on the ships that came over and is now spread throughout North America in about 5 […]

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Dandelion

The Dandelion plant is native to Eurasia, but is now widespread throughout the world (5). Known for being a weed, today it is often sprayed with pesticides to repress its growth; many people are unaware of its medicinal benefits. The Chinese use the entire Dandelion plant for a liver tonic and a diuretic. They call […]

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Chickweed Materia Medica

The name chickweed originated from its use as a feed to birds especially young chickens. It has been used for centuries as a feed, but also as a tonic to cleanse the liver and kidneys. It was introduced in Eurasia and is now wide spread throughout North America including the alpine strain of chickweed. The […]

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Chia Materia Medica

The first thing that may come to mind when you hear the word chia is “chia pet”, the 1970’s terracotta clay animal with sprouting green fur growing out the top. Today, from the same plant, chia seeds are consumed for their nutritional value. They are the tiny little black seeds that seem to be in […]

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