Liver Tonic

The Liver Tonic is useful for passive liver "heaviness", with periodic light stools and/or frontal headaches brought about by eating or overeating rich foods when one is tired. Symptoms of this includes greasy hair and acne on cheeks and/or mouth. This should be tried along those who drink regularly or those who work with solvents. 

Ingredients and Benefits

Barberry or Oregon Grape......................2 parts

Barberry has been used in Indian folk medicine to treat diarrhea, reduce fever, improve appetite, relieve upset stomach, and promote vigor as well as a sense of well being. Today, it is widely used for medicinal purposes including biliary disorders (such as gallbladder disease) and heartburn.

Oregon grape and its cousin goldenseal act very similarly. But since Oregon grape is easy to grow and is not threatened with extinction, more and more herbal practitioners are switching from goldenseal to Oregon grape to treat a range of conditions. Oregon grape root has a distinctly bitter taste due to the presence of alkaloids, including berberine, the most notable. They stimulate the flow of bile, which loosens the stools and helps prevent and sometimes relieves constipation, diverticulosis, gallbladder disease, and hemorrhoids. They may also help people with constipation-predominant irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Studies in China show that an alkaloid it contains, called berbamine, helps protect the bone marrow and promotes its recovery from chemotherapy and radiation therapy for cancer. 

Milk Thistle Seed.............................2 parts

Milk thistle seed (Silybum marianum) has a history dating back over two thousand years as a favorite among herbalists for its positive effects on the liver and gallbladder. The ancient philosophers Pliny and Galen both praised the herb for liver cleansing. Now, milk thistle is one of the most well-researched plants for liver support applications.

Chaparral (Larrea)...........................1 part

One of my favorite first aid plants for infections is Chaparral (Larrea tridentata, Zygophyllaceae). It has a number of other common names, but in the world of herbal medicine, Chaparral seems to be the most common, common name. This is distinct from the southern California plant community which is also called ‘chaparral’. Larrea tridentata is a medium-sized branchy shrub with evergreen dark green leaves. The resinous leaves are compound and opposite, with two leaflets attached to each other at the base. The flowers are shiny yellow with five petals. The fruit is a capsule densely covered in white hairs.

Toadflax (Linaria)............................1 part

Despite its reputation as a weed, like the dandelion, this plant has also been used in folk medicine for a variety of ailments. A tea made from the leaves was taken as a laxative and strong diuretic as well as for jaundice, dropsy, and enteritis with drowsiness. For skin diseases and piles, either a leaf tea or an ointment made from the flowers was used. In addition, a tea made in milk instead of water has been used as an insecticide. It is confirmed to have diuretic and fever-reducing properties.

Echinacea..........................................1 part

For this reason, professional herbalists may recommend echinacea to treat urinary tract infections, vaginal yeast (candida) infections, ear infections (also known as otitis media), athlete's foot, sinusitis, hay fever (also called allergic rhinitis), as well as slow-healing wounds.

Burdock Rt or Seed..........................1 part

Folk herbalists considered dried burdock to be a diuretic, diaphoretic, and a blood purifying agent. Burdock is a traditional medicinal herb that is used for many ailments. Burdock root oil extract, also called Bur oil, is currently used in Europe in the belief that it is a useful scalp treatment. Modern studies indicate that burdock root oil extract is rich in phytosterols and essential fatty acids (including rare long-chain EFAs). Note that the green, above-ground portions may cause contact dermatitis in individual with allergies, due to the lactones the plant produces.

Yellow Dock.....................................1 part

Traditionally, yellow dock root has been thought to be a blood purifier and general detoxifier, especially for the liver. The herb, properly known as Rumex crispus, supports detoxification from a few angles. First off, yellow dock root stimulates bile production, which helps digestion, particularly of fats. Yellow dock root can stimulate a bowel movement to help remove lingering waste from your intestinal tract; it also increases the frequency of urination to assist in toxin elimination. Maintaining an efficient rate of waste elimination can help prevent toxins from accumulating in the liver, gallbladder, and bloodstream and circumvent the associated problems.

Leptandra or Blue Flag Rt....................1 part

Blue Flag root is used to treat diseases of the liver due to its rich source of iridin. It not only treats illnesses of the liver but also improves liver action and the secretions of bile. Blue Flag root taken as tea can be an effective laxative, diuretic and as an emetic. The Blue Flag root is also effective as a topical medicine; it can reduce inflammation of the skin and may decrease the symptoms of skin infections. It is also great in treating burns, bruises and wounds.

Preparation

1. Grind ingredients well.
2. Encapsulate.

Note that Echinacea is the only one of the herbs listed that deteriorates in a powdered form so keep in mind that the best compromised would be to keep the herb as a coarse grind and let the rest as a fine powder as desired when preparing.

Instructions

• For those with pronounced liver dysfunctions but without pathology: 2 caps 3x a day.
• For those with no overt symptoms, but have many of the risks mentioned: 1 capsule, 3x a day.

Resource

• Moore, Michael. Herb Formulas for Clinic and Home: 75 Formulas for Making Herbal Preparations ... Albuquerque, NM: Southwest School of Botanical Medicine, 1995. Print.
• Ehrlich, Steven D. "Barberry." University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland Medical Center, 30 Apr. 2013. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• Hornick, Betsy, and Eric Yarnell. "Oregon Grape: A Profile of an Alternative Medicine." HowStuffWorks. InfoSpace LLC, n.d. Web. 14 Aug. 2015.
• Group, Edward F., III. "What Are the Benefits of Milk Thistle Seed?" Dr Groups Natural Health Organic Living Blog. Globalhealingcenter.com, 13 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• "Plant Medicine Notes-Chaparral (Larrea Tridentata) « Blog – Northeast School of Botanical Medicine." Blog Northeast School of Botanical Medicine. Northeast School of Botanical Medicine, 28 Dec. 2013. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• "Linaria Vulgaris." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• Ehrlich, Steven D. "Echinacea." University of Maryland Medical Center. University of Maryland Medical Center, 21 Jan. 2014. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• "Arctium." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• Group, Edward F., III. "What Are the Benefits of Yellow Dock Root?" Dr Groups Natural Health Organic Living Blog. Globalhealingcenter.com, 17 Dec. 2012. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.
• "Blue Flag Root." Natural WellBeing. Naturalwellbeing.com, n.d. Web. 16 Aug. 2015.

• PDF Link to Herbal Formula Manual: Click Here