HERB - documenting herbs for treating epilepsy?

Keith E. Brandt, M.D. wd9get at amsat.org
Thu Apr 30 19:51:00 PDT 1998


><< I immediately found a problem if the index was by plant to identify
> which were epilepsy treatments -- so I drew a blank on Gerard's Herbal,
> and Culpeper--because they are indexed by plants. Reading in those
> herbals about likely plants might document it.
>  >>
>
>This problem was one reason why I placed my question on the list; also, not
>many herbals seem to list epilepsy or seizures in the index even when they
>list by medical condition! I appreciate everyone's help with my research.
>Thanks.
>
>--Alysoun 

The Culpeper's Color Herbal as sold by the SCA Stockclerk indeed has an
index by disease state. Epilepsy is listed under 'falling-sickness' and
lists betony (wood), bryony, cinquefoil, cowslip, dittany(white),
fennel(sow or hogs), garlic, heart's ease, hellebore(black), hyssop,
juniper tree, lavender, lily of the valley, lime tree, masterwort,
mistletoe, mustard(black), paeony, pellitory of Spain, plantain,
poplar(black), rosemary, sage(common garden), thorn-apple, and violet. I
did not check this extensive list with the text to pull primary plants. My
modern natural med reference does not cover seizure disorders at all. 
Another source is  Hippocrates' "The Sacred Disease" as it deals with
epilepsy. It is available on the web at
http://classics.mit.edu/Hippocrates/sacred.html. I did a quick scan of it
and it talks a lot about the signs and pathophysiology (from a humoral
standpoint, of course), but I did not see any mention of treatment, but I
did not read it in depth. 
Sorry for not answering earlier, but I finished up classes this week, and
everybody had papers and presentations due. Needless to say, it has been
quite hectic. Now all I have to do is finish a thesis. 


In Service to Physick and Chirurgy,
Galen

Friar Galen of Ockham
chirurgeon at altavista.net
CyberCIC Chirurgeon Mailing List
Chirurgeon Web Page: http://members.xoom.com/Chirurgeon

Need a Chirurgeon? Call IX I I!
============================================================================
Go to http://www.ansteorra.org/lists.html to perform mailing list tasks.



More information about the Herbalist mailing list