Liver – tonics and alteratives

Botanical Medicine 2 – Fall 2009

Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH (AHG)

Arctium lappa

Arctium lappa

Essiac tea

Arctium lappa Rumex sp. Rheum palmatum Ulmus sp.

Detoxification, cancer, chronic fatigue, and many other chronic conditions

Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium

Mahonia (Berberis) aquifolium

Berberis vulgaris

Rumex crispus

Rumex crispus

Blood builder

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras albidum

Sassafras albidum

Taraxacum officinale

Taraxacum officinale

Case 1 A 28 year old female comes to see you for eczema.

She has suffered from severe acne and eczema for most of her life. It has been at its worst for the past 4 years. She has been using hydrocortisone cream for the last year but it doesn’t seem to work well anymore, though it does minimize the itching. Her diet is rich in carbohydrates and refined foods. She drinks 2-4 cups of coffee a day with milk. She has a beer or glass of wine maybe once a week. She works in a chemical supply lab 40-50 hours a week. She wears gloves and masks at work.

What herbs might you recommend for her? What preparations? Other recommendations?

Case 2 You have a 48 year old female coming in for chronic fatigue

syndrome. She suffers from chronic lack of energy and diffuse pain. She cannot work or even help around the house anymore. She is depressed and does not have the motivation to even do paintings for fun like she used to. She is undergoing counseling but hasn’t yet found the counselor that she works well with. Her diet is rich in refined sugars and carbohydrates and she rarely eats adequate protein or fruits and vegetables. She is overweight and has not exercised in years. She tends to be sensitive to medications and has had a history of pronounced detoxification reactions – such as skin exacerbations, kidney problems, palpitations.

What herbs would you consider for her? What preparations? What dose are you thinking?

Other recommendations?