Glossary of Medicinal Terms

Terms:

Alterative

A medicinal substance that gradually restores health (f/d)

Antiscorbutic

An agent effective against scurvy (f/d)

Antiperiodic

Arrests morbid periodic movements (h)

Antispasmodic

Preventing or relieving spasms or cramps (f/d)

Aperient

Gently laxative without purging (h)

Cathartic

A powerful purgative or laxative, causing severe evacuation, with or without pain (f/d)

Demulcent

An agent that is locally soothing and softening (f/d)

Deobstruent

Removes obstruction (h)

Diaphoretic

An agent that induces sweating (f/d)

Diuretic

An agent that induces urination (f/d)

Emetic

An agent that induces vomiting (f/d)

Expectorant

An agent that induces the removal (coughing-up) of mucous secretions from the lungs (f/d)

Nervine

An agent that affects, strengthens, or calms the nerves (f/d)

Purgative

An agent that causes cleansing or watery evacuation of the bowels, usually with griping (painful cramps) (f/d)

Sialogogue

Increases the secretion of saliva (h)

Spasmolytic

Checking spasms or cramps (f/d)

Sudorific

Inducing sweating (c)

Stimulant

An agent that causes increased activity of another agent, cell, tissue, organ, or organism (f/d)

Tonic

An ambiguous term referring to a substance thought to have an overall positive medicinal effect of an unspecified nature (f/d)

Vulnerary

An agent used for healing wounds (f/d)

Treatments:

Clysters

Enema or injection (c)

Conditions:

Erysipelas

Inflammation and redness of skin

Gravel

Sand-like deposit in urine (c)

Scrofula

Constitutional condition with glandular swellings and tendency to tuberculosis (c)

Sources:

(f/d)

Peterson Field Guides, Eastern/Central Medicinal Plants,
Steven Foster / James A. Duke, Houghton Mifflin Co., Boston 1990

(h)

Indian Herbalogy of North America, Alma R. Hutchens,
Shambhala Publications Inc., Boston 1973

(c)

Culpepers Color Herbal, ed. David Potterson,
Sterling Publishing Co., New York 1983