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Page 103
| L |
| Laxative Encourages bowel motions. |
| M |
| Mucilage Complex sugar molecules, found in plants, that are soft and slippery and provide protection for the mucous membranes and inflamed surfaces. |
| N |
| Nervine Herb that affects the nervous system, and which may be stimulating or sedating. |
| P |
| Peripheral circulation Blood supply to the limbs, skin, and muscles (including heart muscles). |
| Peristalsis Waves of involuntary contractions in the digestive tract that move food and waste products through the system. |
| Phlegm Catarrhal-like secretion or sputum. |
| Photosensitivity Sensitivity to light. |
| Physiomedicalism A system of medicine developed in 19th-century North America that focused on disease resulting from cold conditions. |
| Pituitary gland A major gland in the endocrine system that controls the production of many vital hormones. It is located at the base of the skull. |
| Purgative Drastic laxative. |
| Pyrrolizidine alkaloids Chemicals found in a number of plants, including comfrey, borage, (Borago officinalis), and coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara), that in excess can be associated with liver damage, although many regard the research evidence for this as inconclusive. |
| Q |
| Qi (ch'i) A term from Chinese medicine for the body's vital energy as defined in Chinese medicine. |
| R |
| Relaxant Relaxes tense and overactive nerves and tissues. |
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