This salve was one of the first complicated medicinal compounds we created in our studies. My esteemed teacher, JoAnn Sanchez, is owed all the credit in the world for this wonderful healing balm.

This salve can be used as a emollient, as sun protection before and after exposure, for cuts, rashes, as an anti-fungal and to gently promote the healing of skin.

You will need:

• 3 cups olive oil
  
• 1/2 cups Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba) oil
  
• 2 cups dried Calendula officinalis flowers (calyx removed, please)
  
• 2 cups fresh Larrea tridentata (Creosote bush) leaves (and flowers, if available)
  
• 20 drops Hypericum perforatum (St. John's Wort) oil
  
• 1 cup (better get extra) grated beeswax

Return the strained oil into the cooking pan and add the S. chinensis oil and the Hypericum oil. Turn your burner on a very low setting and slowly add the beeswax. Make sure it's melted completely and well stirred.

To test the consistency, pour a small amount of the oil in to the lid of your container. Blow on the oil to cause it to set firm. If it's too runny, add more beeswax and retest until it reaches the desired consistency. Fill and cap your containers, keeping them upright until they have hardened.

Copyright JoAnn Sanchez, 1999. Slight textual modifications by me, Evo Terra 2002.

Bob: "I'm an oncologist."
Sue: "Really? I've been avoiding dairy to lose weight. Is that a good idea?"

---

Jill: "I'm a graphics artist."
Jack: "Oh? I have cousin in agriculture. Do you know him?"

---

And when Evo says "I'm an herbalist" to friends, family and others who ask his occupation, he receives equally as ludicrous responses.

My 76 year old Grandfather replied with "You know... back in the Navy, we used hydrogen peroxide to fix dang near everything. We used to gargle it and drink it..."

Some friends replied with "Really? Well we take colloidal silver every day, and it's just the best thing!"

{Sigh} That's OK. Education is part of being an herbalist. And from the looks of things on the radio, TV and the Internet, a great deal of good and bad education in the form of advertising is going on out there about "alternative medicine".

Today I discovered an article written for the Star Tribune in Minnesota. If you've read me before, you'll know I'm no fan of conventional media and how they knee-jerk react to traditional medicine. However, I think this article is about as fair as you can get, even though it is critical of some alternative practices.

Specifically, they have this to say about colloidal silver:

Silver does have antibacterial properties, Kingston (a dietary supplement expert who is vice president and senior toxicologist at the PROSAR International Poison Center in St. Paul) said. That's why it once was used as a disinfectant for the skin and eyes, he said. Mercury, another heavy metal, also can kill disease-causing bugs and was once used similarly.

Chances are most folks are aware that mercury is an environmental toxin. What they may not be aware of is how often mercury was used for hundreds of years by the conventional medical community to treat a host of illnesses. Often times it worked... if you managed to survive the treatment or the round of iatrogenic illnesses that followed for the rest of your life.

Note: I'm not trained in nor have I studied the effects of colloidal silver on or in the human body. Keep in mind that I'm an herbalist... you know, plants? Metals aren't plants.

It's worth a read, but keep it in context. Just like you should keep all those "get well/skinny/larger breasts/sleepy/high/erotic/non-bald" ads that are flooding the airwaves right now. These companies don't put this stuff out to make you look/feel better... they do it to make money. Do they work? Some of their claims aren't outrageous... but many are. My advice: remember it's advertising. Things that sound too good to be true often are just that.

I'm back to work on my book-in-progress, Medicine in Your Own Back Alley. My latest subject (there are at least 15 botanicals) is the puzzling Aloe vera.

I've been using Aloe vera since before I was even remotely interested in herbalism. It's a first rate burn-healer... and since I burn my self more often than most people blow their noses, this plant and I have gotten very close over the last 20+ years. But that's not what makes it puzzling.

I'm puzzled about how the indigenous peoples of Africa harvest the plant compared to how we (read: I) do it today. Rather than the squishing and squeezing we do to cause more of the gooey gel to come out, they simply slice the leaves transversely and let the juice exudate from the leaf with no coaxing other than the gentle pull of the earth. Why? Dunno. But surely these people have a good reason. No one had to tell me to squeeze to get more out, it just made sense. So why don't they do it? As I said before, dunno.

An intriguing plant which currently is getting a lot of attention. Indicated in diabetes, immunomodulating for HIV patients, containing 7 or the 8 essential amino acids, and having antimicrobial properties. Oh, and don't forget wound healing, especially in burns.

To quote Dr Peter Atherto;

In the meantime, one can feel confident, when using aloe vera clinically, that one is following the advice of Hippocrates: ...and above all, do no harm.

Note: Aloe vera is also contraindicated for several conditions, including pregnancy and some GI disorders. While it can help significantly in many cases, it's not a benign herb for all.

My friend Zuly has a great piece on the origins of modern winter holiday traditions, including holly wreaths and mistletoe. For those who choose not to follow the above link, I have excerpted the following:

So the next time you’re looking at a wreath, or a decorated tree, or placing some icicles on the tree, know that you are connecting with traditions that go back thousands of years, and by doing so, are connecting with your ancestors. This is a time of rebirth, as the long night gives way to the new dawn, and as such, let the magic of the season imbue you with an inner warmth to help you in the coming days against the long, cold winter.

Namaste my friends. Warmest wishes to you this Winter Solstice Day!

We gave up on the "conventional" holidays a few years back in an effort do get back to the original celebrations which were bastardized by organized religion centuries ago.

This time of year is often referred to as "the season of giving"... though many folks take this to an extreme. Sitting here writing this today, I'm reminded of a recent blog find that has made it's way to my blogroll. The site is The Homeless Guy, and it is definitely worth your time to read. Consider this as you continue with your holiday plans, and ask you self what difference you can make this year?

Warmest wishes again, my friends.

Namaste,

Evo

For all of you who have had great luck with Echinacea in the past, a few morons at the University of Wisconsin would like to tell you you were imagining things. (In Ramblings)

You know, you'd think I'd have grown calloused to this kind of crap by now. Yet it still gets my goat all the way up when shit like this gets plastered all over the news.

From the AP Wire: Echinacea in doubt
"Echinacea, a popular but largely untested herbal remedy for the common cold, showed no benefit when given to a small group of college students with sore throats and stuffy noses, researchers say."

1. Medicago sativa (Alfalfa) was the "placebo". Yes. That's right. Alfalfa. Another medicinal plant specifically indicated for viral infections like the common cold. Loaded with chlorophyll and minerals (like zinc), Alfalfa can lessen the duration of a viral attack, providing the body with nutrients depleted during the battle with the invading virus. Some placebo.
   
2. The Echinacea pills were provided by a multi-level marketing company. Oh boy. Nothing like getting the cream of the crop, fellas. We are keenly aware of the shoddiness of some companies schlepping their "herbal" products, who are more concerned with profits than the quality of their products. Shame on you...

But that immunomodulation isn't a magic bullet. For my clients, I recommend they does themselves (with the tincture, not the bulk herb) every 90 minutes while the infection of virus is acute. That's 2 ml taken about 10 times a day... and sometimes for several days. Don't forget that the common cold is a royal pain in the but to shake off, which is why modern allopaths have so far been completely unsuccessful at a "cure", resulting in symptom masking.

And that's another thing that has be pissed off about this study. The specific reports from the participants judged how they felt. But Echinacea does nothing for symptom masking! There are plenty of other herbs that will help with the labored breathing like Osha (Ligusticum porteri), bring down the fevers like Yarrow (Achillea millefolium) or deal with the aches and pains like Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum). You know... symptom relief. No, Echinacea doesn't do much for symptoms, working at a much deeper level.

OK. I'll put the soap box away for the moment. Until someone else comes along and publishes this kind of rubbish. Then I'll dust it off and pound the pulpit some more...

A reader asks a question about the uses of St. John's Wort he's growing in his garden. (In Materia Medica)

A few days ago on another website, I was asked the following question:

"Hey, Evo...

As you know, when it is warmer, I grow my own herbs... But here's my question: St. John's Wort. What are the possibilities with this plant? I got some of this from a friend of mine who knows I'm into herbs, but I know you can't cook with this. I can't find a lot about SJW in any of my book apart from what I know -- that it is a "cure" or "good for relieving" depression...but that's about it.

So what can I really do with St. John's Wort?

-Tee"

I'm so glad you asked! St. John's Wort, or Hypericum perforatum, is a great name to drop, as it seems nearly everyone has heard of this botanical.

True to the legends, St. John's Wort is specifically indicated in mild to moderate depression. Let me repeat the italicized part, as it seems to get dropped in most conversations. Mild to moderate depression sufferers tend to respond well to H. perforatum. Those suffering from severe depression however will not reap any benefits from this plant as a form of treatment.

(Some words of caution. Don't take this if you're on MAO inhibitors or you're pregnant.)

St. John's Wort is also an incredibly powerful anti-viral remedy, which works quite nicely when combined with Mullein, Garlic and Olive Oil as a treatment for ear infections for kids of all ages. I keep a bottle of "ear oil" around the house and treat myself at the first sign of colds.

Combined with Peppermint Oil it make a nice post-surgery ointment to relieve pain.

A nifty little plant. Kinda tricky to harvest and process properly, as the flavanoid content of the plant drops quickly after it comes into flower.

One more thing about the anti-depressive action... it doesn't happen overnight. While the herb works well, it's not a magic pill by any means. Four weeks is the minimum to affect any change in mild to moderate depression cases. And obviously, see your doctor if you haven't had a formal diagnosis. Then go see a trained and qualified herbalist!

A great article from Newsweek on Integrative Medicine. It inspired me to write some of my own thoughts on this new branch of healthcare... the one that got me into herbalism all those years ago! (In Ramblings)

Recently, Newsweek ran an in-depth analysis/report on what is becoming quite a trend in the western medical community, Integrative Care. Considering that integrative medicine is why I got into herbalism in the first place, it gives me great joy to see this topic so prevalent in the media today.

Integrative medicine gets back to the heart of what healing arts should be. I almost said, "what they were", but that would be an untrue statement for Western medicine. A general lack of respect and trust has been expressed on all sides of the table towards other practitioners and professionals for the past thousand years or so. No, integrative medicine doesn't put us back on good terms with one another; we were never there. But it does provide us with a good roadmap of how we can help clients and patients make the best personal healthcare choices.

I think everyone would agree with me when I say that sick people want nothing more than to feel better. As a health care professional and a compassionate fellow human, I naturally want to help them in any way that I can. But am I the best choice? As an herbalist, am I equipped or qualified to deal with every case the comes before me? Of course not. If the next knock on my door were a gunshot victim, I'd do him better service by calling 911 as opposed to trying to staunch the flow of blood with Yarrow or offering some pain relieving tincture. Conversely, doctors shouldn't be treating winter colds and flu bugs with antibiotics, they should be referring most of them to a qualified herbalist. An acupuncturist might better serve asthmatic patients, and tai chi might be just the thing for the poor soul suffering from fibromyalgia.

But how is the patient or client to know? At the moment, they have pain, the sniffles, labored breathing, abdominal pains, copious sweating… and they just want it (or them) to stop. Should we provide some type of Quick Reference Guide to direct them to the proper practitioner? Maybe set up a 1-800 hotline to point them in the right direction. Surely I jest. Well yes, as a matter of fact I do. With integrative medicine, they do what they would normally do; call or go see the person who they think can make them feel better. But it's quite possible the person they call or chose to visit may suggest alternate pathways in the best interest of the client, allowing them to make their own decisions.

In this newfound world of respect, all health professionals are completely comfortable with the arenas they are most qualified to help, while simultaneously being keenly aware of the other affiliated practitioners and their areas of expertise. Even the insurance companies have pulled their collective heads out of their neither regions, understanding that it's more cost effective (not to mention the right thing to do) to cover the referral to a holistic professional rather than pay for ineffective office visits and unnecessary medication.

Gone is the infighting, jealously and near-constant finger pointing. In it's place we find mutual understanding, respect and a commonality that seems to have been forgotten somewhere along the way-- the well being of the client/patient. It's the reason we got into this field in the first place, isn't it?

This is why I've chosen to establish my clinic in Cottonwood, Arizona. It's a small enough town to get to know the majority of the medical doctors, chiropractors, specialists and naturopaths, yet big enough to draw on a sizeable population. Holistic healthcare is enjoying a sort of renaissance here in Northern Arizona, having everything to do with the proximity to Sedona. People here (and other places) want this, of that I'm absolutely certain. I hope to be the catalyst that provides it for them. I'll let you know how it goes…

Perusing my referer log this morning, I noticed a new site on the list called Path to Freedom. Upon further examination, it's worth your time to take a look. Organic gardening, sustainable living... and all in the middle of the LA Metroplex. I lived in LA for five years and never knew anything like this could be done.

A quick excerpt from the site:

Nothing less than a revolution is required in order for man to achieve the realization of his human potential. The future will be one of tremendous struggle because the world has been held captive. It is time to rise up to break out of this bondage. VICTORY can only be won by those armed with "plowshares." When the land is liberated, the people will be; when the people are liberated the nation will be. And, one nation--truly, fully liberated will lead the world to real freedom!

We will use our hands as weapons of mass creation. With this natural choice the gates will be opened to return to the GARDEN. And, so this is a call to begin to go back to the old ways and continue until nature has been restored to its original state. Nothing less will do!

Goodness. I simply cannot be away for this long again. The Humorous Herbalist (aka Laurel Dewey), a regular columnist for the Glenwood Springs Post Independent (Colorado,) answers a question about sedative herbs and their relative "strengths" as well as personality types that are best benefited by each herb.

The following herbs are covered:

• Matricaria chamomilla - Chamomile
  
• Passiflora incarnata - Passion Flower
  
• Valeriana officinalis - Valerian Root
  
• Eschscholzia californica - California Poppy
  
• Scutellaria laterifolia - Skullcap
  
• Avena sativa - Wild Oats
  
• Piper mythesticum - Kava Kava

Article published November 29, 2002. Copyright Glenwood Springs Post Independent.

Sleepless nights banished by calming herbs
Humorous Herbalist

By Laurel Dewey

Dear Humorous Herbalist,
I enjoyed reading last week’s article on valerian. I’m one of that percentage group that you mentioned who have the opposite reaction to this herb. I found it interesting when you gave a personality profile of the kind of people who benefit from valerian (i.e., more passive, easy going folks.) Are there similar personality profiles for other sedative herbs? I’m mostly interested in kava kava and passionflower?
Jim, Glenwood Springs
Dear Jim,
There are similar profiles for other calming plant remedies. Daniel Gagnon, an herbalist, provided me with an excellent scale to rate seven popular sedative herbs. His scale starts at one (a mild sedative) to 10 (a real calmer).
1. Chamomile — This is a 1 on the scale. Chamomile brings you down one notch. This is an excellent herb for children and toddlers who are fussy, especially about going to bed. Chamomile is renowned for its quieting effect on babies when they are teething. A tea is the best way to take chamomile.
2. Passionflower — Rates about 2 on the scale. Passionflower has a multitude of wonderful uses to calm the mind. It does not interfere with daytime concentration and can be safely used on a daily basis.
This is the herb for people who suffer from “The Busy Brain” syndrome, especially at night. If you lie in bed awake at night making lists of what you need to do tomorrow and can’t turn off your head, passionflower could be your ticket to dreamland.
Gagnon says that it is good for lawyers, accountants, teachers — anyone who works with their head. It’s also great for those who suffer from high blood pressure that can lead to stress. In addition, people with asthma brought on by nervous agitation may also benefit.
To aid in sleep, take at bedtime. Within 45 minutes to one hour, one should be happily asleep. The liquid extract made from the fresh plant is your best bet. The adult dose is 30 to 60 drops in warm water. Do not give passionflower to children under the age of 1 since it may cause vomiting.
3. Valerian — A 3 on the sedative scale. Valerian has been clinically shown to reduce the time it takes to get to sleep if your problem is falling asleep (not waking up during the night). It is also very good for soothing indigestion in the very young and the very old.
However, the personality profile for valerian states that if you are a high strung, “Type A” personality, the herb may have the opposite effect (i.e., keep you awake and anxious.) The extract made from the fresh root is preferred, although the tea is also viable. Valerian can make some people wake up with a “cotton in the head” feeling. If this happens to you, reduce your dose or discontinue the herb.
4. California Poppy — A 4 on the scale. California poppy is known as the herb to take for those who wake up in the middle of the night (usually between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m.) or at the same time every night and cannot get back to sleep. According to Gagnon, this herb is a “sleep modulator.” It can also be effective for people who sleep so deeply that they cannot wake up (bed wetters would fall into this category.)
California poppy is also good for children who cannot settle down during the day. It tends to work best after two or three consecutive nights of taking it. Do not drive a car or operate heavy machinery if you take California poppy during the day. Do not take if you are pregnant, due to the alkaloids in the flower. Once again, the extract made from the fresh flower and root is preferred.
5. Scullcap (also spelled “skullcap”) — This is about a 5 on the scale. Great for those who are hyper and experience constant muscular twitching during the day and in bed. Gagnon recommends skullcap for people who are “overly sensitive to their surroundings.” If you are someone who reacts with irritation at loud noises, repetitive sounds, strong aromas or even bright colors, skullcap could be your herb. This is an herb that needs to be taken in extract form, specifically one made from the fresh whole plant.
6. Wild oats — A 6 or 7 on the scale. Oats are a tonic and therefore must be taken consistently over at least one month. They are great for people who are weaning off cigarettes, amphetamines and drugs. Wild oats have been used successfully for those recuperating from a nervous breakdown. Take only the liquid extract that is made from the fresh oat seed in its milky stage. The dose is 30 to 60 drops, two times a day for at least one month.
7. Kava kava — An 8 or 9 on the scale. Kava is for people who wake up in the morning already tired. Their jaw tightens up immediately. As they go about their day, a knot begins to form in their belly. Kava works very well for those who try to control their environment and may even be obsessive/compulsive about it. If you push them and make demands, they become tighter and tighter. By bedtime, their head aches and they cannot relax. Kava is a muscle and brain relaxant. While it soothes the nerves, it improves concentration and task management. For sleep, take one hour before bedtime. The extract or capsules work well.

The information in this column is not meant to take the place of your physician, nor is it intended to treat, diagnose or prescribe. Pregnant or nursing women should consult their doctor before using herbal therapy.

Wow. Looks like the rest of the herbalists were busy publishing to newspapers around the globe while I was trying to get moved and unpacked. I found this jewel posted on The Daily Yomiuri Online, a Japanese newspaper. It's written by Kevin Short (an odd-sounding name for someone who's title is Nature Columnist for a Japanese newspaper.) Capsella bursa-pastoris , also known as Shepard's Purse, grows everywhere... even in Japan it seems.

"In addition to edible leaves, the shepherd's purse has for centuries served people as a valuable medicinal herb. In Europe it has long been used to stanch bleeding, both internal and external. In World War I, when supplies of other medicines ran low, readily available shepherd's purse saw abundant battlefield duty. Today, herbal practitioners prescribe it as a gentle remedy for heavy menstrual bleeding. In Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine, poultices soaked in decocted shepherd's purse are applied to bloodshot and itchy eyes."

I tried to research other articles by Kevin on The Daily Yomiuri, but it doesn't look like the links stay active for long. So to save it for posterity, click the "MORE" link below...

(This article copied in it's entirety from The Daily Yomiuri. Copyright 2002 The Yomiuri Shimbun)

Shepherd's purse: a medicinal weed

Kevin Short / Special to The Daily Yomiuri

Catal Huyuk, in what is now south-central Turkey, was one of the world's first settled farming communities. The Neolithic people who built the substantial town nearly 9,000 years ago grew wheat, barley and peas, and probably herded goats and sheep. They lived in houses of mud brick, worshiped leopard goddesses, and traded with other communities throughout the Mesopotamian region.

Among the abundant remains found at Catal Huyuk were tiny seeds of a plant that botanists would later name Capsella bursa-pastoris. The plant itself probably thrived as a weed on the outskirts of the village. The people may have eaten its young leaves; they may even have been aware of the plant's medicinal value.

As time passed, agriculture spread throughout the Mediterranean region and all over Europe and Africa. To the east, separate farming cultures developed in the Indus Valley, and along the Yellow River in China. From these centers, domesticated crops spread throughout the Eurasian continent.

Wherever people tilled the land and built villages and cities, Capsella bursa-pastoris followed. Today, this plant, commonly known in English as shepherd's purse, continues to thrive as a weed almost wherever people live. On my countryside walks, I find them on the dikes among the rice paddies, and in Tokyo I also spot them growing in parks and gardens, and sometimes even in small patches of inner city street greenery.

Capsella bursa-pastoris is a biennial plant. The seeds germinate in summer, growing into a flat cushion of basal leaves known as a rosette. The plant passes the winter months in the rosette stage, then sends up a flower stalk in early spring. The tiny white flowers are typical of the mustard family, with four petals arranged in a Maltese cross pattern. The fruits, responsible for the English and scientific names, are triangular capsules, which look like a type of shoulder bag carried by shepherds.

The sawtooth basal leaves are edible, and in Japan are one of the ingredients in haru no nanakusa gayu, or "rice gruel cooked with seven herbs of spring," which is traditionally eaten on Jan. 7. Legend holds that by eating this rice porridge one can enjoy long life and avoid misfortune.

The other six herbs are suzushiro (daikon radish greens), suzuna (kabu turnip greens), seri (water-dropwort or Oenanthe javanica), gogyo (cudweed or Gnaphalium affine), hakobera (chickweed or Stellaria neglecta) and hotokenoza (nipplewort or Lapsana apogonoides).

Today, Japanese people enjoy the dish as part of their appreciation of the changing seasons. In the past, however, this gruel played an important role in maintaining health during the harsh winter months. Under the old lunar calendar, the day for eating the rice porridge would have fallen much later, just about at the time when pickled vegetables stockpiled in autumn were running out, but before the first spring crops were available.

In addition to edible leaves, the shepherd's purse has for centuries served people as a valuable medicinal herb. In Europe it has long been used to stanch bleeding, both internal and external. In World War I, when supplies of other medicines ran low, readily available shepherd's purse saw abundant battlefield duty. Today, herbal practitioners prescribe it as a gentle remedy for heavy menstrual bleeding. In Chinese and Japanese herbal medicine, poultices soaked in decocted shepherd's purse are applied to bloodshot and itchy eyes.

The shepherd's purse is one of the most widely known wildflowers here in Japan. The official Japanese designation is nazuna, but a more common name is pen-pen gusa. Kusa or gusa is a generic term for herbaceous plants, and pen-pen represents the twangy sound made by plucking a shamisen. To the Japanese, the same seed capsules that remind Westerners of a shepherd's shoulder bag look like the pick used to play the shamisen. Children like to twirl the stalks rapidly between their fingers, enjoying the rattling sound made by the seed capsules knocking against each other.

In cool regions, the plants stay in their rosettes throughout the winter months. This low growth form protects them from the elements. They can survive a snow covering, and think nothing of getting stepped or walked on. In warmer areas, such as Tokyo, the plants may even send up a short flower stalk during a warm spell in winter.

Shepherd's purse spread across the Eurasian continent before the dawn of written history, and probably reached Japan thousands of years ago. Much later, Europeans carried it across the Atlantic Ocean, and it is now a common weed in the Americas as well.

Copyright 2002 The Yomiuri Shimbun

Joan Perry of Oregon Meadow Herb Company has a nice article written in everyday terms on Passion Flower (Passiflora incarnata) posted on OregonLive.com. A quick excerpt:

"The ancient Aztecs brewed the leaves of this perennial North American native in a tea. It was used as a mild sedative and to relieve anxiety. These are still the primary medicinal uses of this lovely vine today.

There are a number of chemical compounds found in the leaves, yet not one of them is responsible for the sedative effects. As with most herbs, it is the synergistic blend of all of the constituents that provide the medicinal benefits."

I really like using Passiflora for myself as well as clients. Very gentle relaxant and a great tasting tea. Thanks, Joan, for posting this for everyone!

(As these things tend to disappear from news sites after awhile, I'm keeping a copy on my server. All rights to the original author apply.)

Passion Flower: A symbolic, relaxing beauty

12/3/02

By Joan Perry

For The Argus

Editor's note: Herbal remedies might not be for everyone. It's always advisable to consult your doctor first.

Several years ago I had a number of pet rabbits that ran loose in my back yard. I wanted to allow the rabbits to live a life of freedom, while at the same time indulge my love of plants.

Therefore, I had to find creative ways of keeping my plants from being devoured. One of the most successful ideas involved my Passion Flower vine, Passiflora incarnata.

Instead of planting the vine at the base of a trellis, I planted it in a hanging basket hooked onto a tall pole and let it cascade freely.

The rabbits 'pruned' as much of the vine as they could reach, thereby stimulating it to become bushy and lush. By flowering time in July, it was absolutely gorgeous, with plenty of leaves for medicinal purposes.

The ancient Aztecs brewed the leaves of this perennial North American native in a tea. It was used as a mild sedative and to relieve anxiety. These are still the primary medicinal uses of this lovely vine today.

There are a number of chemical compounds found in the leaves, yet not one of them is responsible for the sedative effects. As with most herbs, it is the synergistic blend of all of the constituents that provide the medicinal benefits.

The amount of harmine in passion flower is very small. To be honest, I haven't noticed any of my herbal friends becoming measurably more truthful after indulging in the tea.

To brew a tea, pour boiling water over one to two teaspoon of dried leaf, cover, and let steep for about 15 minutes.

When using fresh leaves, harvest when the vine is in flower and use one tablespoon per cup of boiling water. Strain the herb out and drink. Follow the manufacturer's directions on the bottle if using an alcohol or glycerin extract.

Passion flower is often blended with other relaxing herbs, such as skullcap, catnip, chamomile, or other more potent herbs such as kava kava and valerian root.

You may be wondering why such a mellow herb would be called 'passion' flower. Early Christian explorers in South America believed that the plant parts symbolized the crucifixion, or 'passion' of Jesus Christ.

The five petals and five sepals were thought to represent the 10 faithful apostles. The five stamens represent Christ's five wounds. The vine's curling tendrils represent the whips used by the persecutors.

The lobed leaves represent the hands of the tormentors. The three styles represent the three nails used and the corona represents the crown of thorns.

Whether or not passion flower is symbolic, it can certainly be appreciated for its beauty alone. It can be grown from cutting or seeds in full sun, with good drainage.

It grows rapidly to up to 30 feet high. Passion flower is hardy down to about 15 degrees Fahrenheit. Sweet, edible egg shaped fruits called granadilla are produced in the summer.

If ingesting passion flower, make sure you have the correct species 'Passiflora incarnata.' Another common passion flower species, 'Passiflora caerulea,' contains cyanide poison, and is obviously not safe.

To be safe, do not give passion flower to very small children. Do not ingest if pregnant.

Joan Perry owns Oregon Meadow Herb Company at 238 SE 2nd Ave., Hillsboro. Call her at 503-693-3540, or go to www.oregonmeadowherbs.com.

Copyright 2002 Oregon Live. All Rights Reserved.

One of the best rebuttals to erroneous information regarding our craft that I have ever written!

I wonder if [the original author] and her editor are aware of the tens of thousands of people who are killed each year by iatrogenic (look it up) illnesses, misuse of Tylenol and other preventable mistakes? Compare those statistics with how many deaths occur annually from herbs, not deaths from some specious "supplement" that may or may not contain the herbs listed on the ingredient label.

As a practicing clinical herbalist, I simply cannot let damaging misperceptions about herbs and herbalism go unrefuted. Every time another lie about herbs is printed, my job becomes that much more difficult.

I encourage all of you to read the entire rebuttal. The original offending article was posted on the Oregon Daily Hearald in October. Thanks, Lawrence, for standing up for all of us herbalists!

Wow. This is the longest I've been out of touch with the online world since 1994. It's nice in a way, but also somewhat unnerving. Like a junkie who needs his fix, I suppose.

Access should be installed on the 4th. Look for something grand on the 5th! While you're waiting, check some of the sites I've posted on the left side of the page. If you want to get even more of me, check out the Internet Radio Show website I do as well. It's called The Dragon Page...
Evo.