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| Bilberries and Cranberries (Vaccinium Spp.) |
| Medicinal interest in bilberries (V. myrtillus) and their close relatives, cowberries (V. vitis-idaea) and cranberries (V. macrocarpon), has revived in recent years with work focusing on the use of cranberry juice as a cleansing diuretic in cystitis (Siciliano 1996). These culinary berries are also closely related to bearberry (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), an important urinary antiseptic. Cranberries, a North American fruit, were used by Native Americans in wound dressings. |
| Part used: Leaves, berries. |
| Actions: Antibacterial, antiseptic, anti-emetic, astringent, hypoglycemic, tonic, high vitamin C content. |
| Uses: Elizabethan apothecaries made a syrup of bilberries with honey, called rob, that was used as a remedy for diarrhea. In large quantities, however, the berries are laxative and make a palatable treatment for constipation. |
| Externally, bilberries and cranberries can be used in creams and ointments for hemorrhoids, burns, minor wounds, and skin complaints. Recent research has shown that the leaves will reduce blood sugar levels so they can be helpful in adult-onset diabetes that is under dietary control. The berries can be eaten stewed or fresh for digestive problems. Cranberry juice is ideal as a preventive for urinary infections for those prone to recurrent cystitis. Take 1/2 cup of the unsweetened juice three times a day. |
| Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea) |
| Jean Valnet, a notable French herbalist, has described cabbage as "the medicine of the poor," and it is probably one of the most widely used household remedies in folk tradition. The plant has been cultivated in the West since at least 400 B.C. and, in the second century A.D., the Greek herbalist Dioscorides considered it a digestive remedy, joint tonic, and cooling preparation for skin problems and fevers. In Germany, sauerkraut, a fermented cabbage mixture, |
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