Plant Archives: Medicine

Subject: Matrimony Vine Scientific Name: Lycium Chinense

Chinese matrimony is a really old Chinese life force tonic. When the fire of life was burning out, due to age or disease, this tonic medicine was used to fire it back up. A classic from the Chinese stay well arsenal, this is a plant worth knowing about.

Subject: Mayapple Scientific Name: Podophyllum Peltatum

Another, not for the lay person herb, mayapple surfaced as one of the rising stars of stay well medicine in my PhD work. It worth reading about because it has such potential, and is such an interesting herb, but not one to be used!

Subject: Mayflower Scientific Name: Epigea Repens

This was a plant popular with the Native Americans and a plant lightly used by the Eclectic physicians. Being related to uva-ursi, a classic urinary tonic, it comes as no surprise it was used in urinary tract infections. But, not much is known about this woodland plant, and someone should look into it more completly.

Subject: Megusurinoki Japanese Maple Scientific Name: Acer nikoense

Megusurinoki is a broadleaf Maple tree found growing exclusively in Japan around mountains. Completly unknown in the West, in Japan it is used to treat eye conditions, both acute and chronic. Someone should look into it as chronic eye conditions are a real pain and this remedy may offer a cure.

Subject: Mezereon Scientific Name: Daphne Mezerum

Daphne is a herbal medicine that has dropped off the rader screen, and, you would be hard pressed to find any even if you wanted some. But, it was used to treat chronic infectious disease and was reported to be effective. As such, someone may want to do some research on this forgotten plant.

Subject: Milk Thistle Scientific Name: Silybum Marianum

Milk thistle was a traditional treatment for mushroom poisoning. Mushrooms often kill by killing your liver. Thats a bit hint as to what this plant does.....it protects the liver from damage. Contemporary research confirms this use!

Subject: Mountain Arnica Scientific Name: Arnica Montana

Arnica is an ancient European treatment for bruises, sprains and muscle aches. Arnica users swear by it for all those occasions when bruising and muscular-skeletal damage occurs or the problem is chronic.

Subject: Mountain Laurel Scientific Name: Kalmia Latifolia

Poison. On the practical front, thats about all you need to know about it. But, the Eclectic Physicians used this herb in their practice of medicine and its historic uses are of interest.

Subject: Mullein Scientific Name: Verbascum Thapsus

Mullein is a European plant that is used for coughs and colds, and especially when the ears were involved.

Subject: Myrrh Scientific Name: Commiphora Molmol

Myrrh is not actually a plant but rather a plant product, one of the oldest plant products still in active use. Its the sap of a desert dwelling tree, one of the gifts given to the baby Jesus by the wise men, and, a substance that heals just about whatever it touches.