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Page 43
| per day) because large quantities can cause side effects. It is often combined with other relaxing herbs in a reduced dosage that does not interfere with its effectiveness. |
| Black cohosh is often called a female tonic because it has so many beneficial effects on menstruation, menopause and childbirth, but it is appropriate in heart tonics for men as well. This herb should not be taken during the early months of pregnancy. |
| Burdock Root (Arctium Lappa) |
| Called gobo in Japan, where it is a common vegetable sold in markets and sushi bars, burdock root is a blood-cleansing herb and general tonic that promotes kidney function and helps clear the blood of harmful acids. In France, fresh burdock root is used to lower blood sugar and is prescribed for diabetics. Erroneous reports of toxicity in burdock stem from a single instance in which burdock root was contaminated with belladonna, which contains the poisonous compound atropine. The incident was never repeated, but some medical authorities still refer to the atropine content of burdock root. |
| Burdock root should be brewed as a decoction (simmer 1 Tbsp. dried root in 2 cups water for 10 to 15 minutes), and it is often combined with dandelion root, which has similar properties, and other herbs. |
| Butcher's Broom Rhizome (Ruscus Aculeatus) |
| A Mediterranean evergreen that resembles its close relative, the asparagus, butcher's broom has leathery-looking leaves that terminate in a sharp spine. Its |
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