- Calmative
- A sedative.
- Calyx
- the sepals or outer layer of floral leaves.
- Cambium
- the layer of formative cells beneath the bark of a tree.
- Camphors
- substances that are both physically and chemically related to volatile oils.
They constitute one of the elements of many of the oils and may be separated from them by subjecting the oils to a cooling process, as in menthol from peppermint oil. Camphors, at ordinary temperatures, are usually solid bodies, but may be easily melted or sublimed. They dissolve in alcohol, but not water.
- Caprylic Acid
- a fatty acid found in breast milk, currently used in the treatment of candidiasis.
- Capsule
- a dry fruit, opening when ripe, and composed of more than one carpel; the gelatinous tablet that holds dried, powdered herbal preparations.
- Cardiac Glycosides
- substances found in many plants, the most well-known being foxglove.
Such cardiac glycosides as digitoxin, digoxin, and gitoxin have a strong, direct action on the heart, helping to support its strength and rate of contraction when it is failing. Cardiac glycosides are also significantly diuretic; and they help transfer fluids from the tissues and circulatory system to the urinary tract, thereby lowering blood pressure.
- Cardiac Remedies
- Herbal preparations that have a beneficial action on the heart.
Some of the remedies in this group are such powerful cardio-active agents as foxglove, whereas others are such gentler and safer herbs as hawthorn and motherwort.
- Cardiotonic
- A compound which tones and strengthens the heart.
- Carminative
- Expels gas from the stomach and intestines to relieve flatulence, digestive colic, and gastric discomfort.
Such plants are rich in aromatic oils that stimulate the digestive system to work properly and with ease, soothing the gut wall, reducing any inflammation that may be present, easing griping pains, and helping to remove gas from the digestive tract.
- Castile Soap
- A pure white soap with no added colour or perfume, making a useful base for homemade soaps.
- Castor Oil
- An unpleasant-tasting, irritant laxative or cathartic.
- Cataplasm
- A poultice or soft external application.
- Catarrah
- Inflammation of the mucous membranes, especially those of the nose, throat, or lungs.
- Cathartic
- A purgative or powerful laxative that promotes an extremely rapid bowel evacuation.
- Catkin
- A cattail-like spike of flowers.
- Cephalic
- A substance used to treat diseases of the head; referring or directed towards the head.
- Cerate
- A medicated substance used like an ointment, but stiffer and nonmelting at room temperature; often made with lard, wax, or resin.
- Chelating Agents
- Organic compounds capable of binding metals.
- Chemotype
- The same botanical species occurring in other forms because of such conditions of growth, as climate, soil, or altitude.
- Chilblain
- A recurrent, localized, subcutaneous swelling caused by exposure to cold associated with dampness and characterized by redness and itchiness.
- Chlorophyll
- The green pigment found in the chloroplast (the membrane-bound organelle), needed for photosynthesis of plants.
Chlorophyll fights bacteria, helps in the healing of burns and wounds, and fights cancer. It is also an excellent source of vitamin K, necessary for blood clotting in wound healing.
- Cholagogue
- A substance that stimulates the flow of bile from the gallbladder to the liver to the duodenum.
- Choleretic
- A substance that stimulates the liver to increase the production of bile.
- Chronic
- Long-term or frequently recurring; opposite of acute.
- Cicatrizant
- An agent which promotes healing by forming scar tissue.
- Cicatrix
- A scar.
- Claudication
- A cramping pain from inadequate blood supply to a muscle.
- Club Moss
- Any of various small, nonseed-bearing vascular plants with conelike, spore-bearing structures on top of the stems.
- Cocoa Butter
- A thick fat from the cocoa bean which makes a rich emollient in creams.
- Colic
- Severe abdominal pain in the bowel or colon, and often used in reference to infants.
- Colitis
- Any inflammation of the colon, causing diarrhea and lower abdominal pain.
- Collodion
- A solution of nitrocellulose in alcohol or ether, and applied to the skin for protection of minor wounds.
- Collyrium
- A medicated solution used to bathe the eyes.
- Composite
- One of a large family of herbaceous plants with flower heads of dense clusters of small florets surrounded by a ring of small leaves or bracts; also known as Asteraceae.
- Compress
- A moistened pad of folded cloth, often medicated, and applied with heat, cold, or pressure to soothe a body part.
It is used for topical applications and made by soaking cloth strips in an herbal solution and then placing the cloth directly on the affected area of the body. It is very effective in treating muscle strains and ligament sprains.
- Concrete
- A concentrated, waxy, solid or semi-solid perfume material prepared from previously live plant matter, usually using a hydrocarbon type of solvent.
- Cone
- A reproductive structure found on certain non-flowering plants and having overlapping scales or bracts containing pollen, ovules, or spores.
- Congestion
- An accumulation of blood within an organ; the clogging of the upper respiratory system with mucus.
- Conifer
- A cone-bearing gymnosperm, usually with narrow, needle-like or small scale-like leaves.
- Conjunctivitis
- An inflammation of the mucous membranes that line the inner surface of the eyelid and exposed surface of the eyeball.
- Coprolite
- Preserved or fossilized feces.
- Corm
- An underground stem base that acts as a reproductive structure, and differs from a root or a rhizome.
- Corolla
- The petals of a flower considered as a whole.
- Corticosteroids
- A group of drugs similar to natural corticosteroid hormones used predominantly in the treatment of inflammation and to suppress the immune system.
- Corymb
- The flat-topped or convex cluster of flowers in which the outer flowers open first.
- Coumarins
- Active glycoside plant compounds that usually affect blood clotting.
There are different kinds found in many plant species, having widely divergent actions. The coumarins in melilot, for example, thins the blood. Bergapten, found in celery, is used as a sunscreen; while khellin, found in visnaga, is a powerful smooth muscle relaxant. Coumarins are often responsible for the “new-mown hay” smell of many grasses and used as blood thinner medications.
- Counter-irritant
- Any substance applied to the skin which relieves deep-seated pain, usually applied in the form of heat; a rubefacient.
- Cyanogenic Glycosides
- Substances based on cyanide, a very potent poison.
In small doses, they also have a helpful sedative and relaxant effect on the heart and muscles. Wild cherry bark and elder both contain cyanogenic glycosides which contributes to both the plants’ ability to suppress and to soothe irritant dry coughs.
- Cycad
- Any of the order of gymnosperms intermediate between ferns and palms, often with thick, columnar trunks crowned by large, tough, leaves.
- Cytochromes
- A family of iron-containing proteins that function in oxidation reactions of cellular chemistry or metabolism.
Cytochromes possess a helper compound called heme, a red oxidation-reduction pigment containing iron. Cytochromes play a key role in cellular respiration in which fat and carbohydrates are burned (oxidized). They belong to a group of electron-carriers called the Electron Transport Chain, which functions in the mitochondria, the energy-producing particles of the cells. Electrons pass sequentially from one cytochrome to another; and simultaneously energy released from burning metabolic fuels is harnessed as ATP, the energy currency of cells. Other cytochromes are key constitutents of the liver s battery of drug-destroying enzymes. These enzymes attack drugs, pesticides, pollutants, and other foreign chemicals to inactivate them and to make them water-soluble so they can be excreted.
- Cytochrome P450
- A family of iron-containing enzymes, primarily responsible for the ability of the liver to modify potentially dangerous chemicals and to neutralize normal products of metabolism.
Unlike cytochromes found in mitochondria, cytochrome P450 occurs as part of the membranous system (endoplasmic reticulum) of liver cells as well as intestinal and kidney cells which help detoxify chemicals. Repeated exposure to pollutants and drugs stimulates the liver to form high levels of cytochrome P450. While the increased activity allows the liver to dispose of a greater toxin load, it also increases the likelihood that the liver will produce highly reactive by-products and free radicals that are potential mutagens and carcinogens. Thus, pollutants can increase the oxidative damage associated with ageing, cancer, and degenerative diseases.
The levels of cytochrome P450 enzymes in the liver vary greatly among individuals. Low levels or high levels of certain amounts can reflect the inherited ability of the body to synthesize certain of these enzymes. A person with high levels of these detoxifying enzymes may process toxins quickly creating free radicals and potentially damaging compounds in the process and creating a drain on antioxidant defenses. Alternatively, those who produce very low levels may be very sensitive to environmental toxins due to their limited ability to clear them from the body.
“Rapid detoxifiers” may need a higher dosage of drugs or anesthetic; “slow detoxifiers” may need less. Diagnostic tests are being developed to distinguish these situations. Riboflavin, niacin, B6, phospholipids like lecithin, as well as flavonoids, support the function of the cyctochrome P450 detoxification.
- Cytokinin
- A plant hormone that promotes cell division.
- Cytotoxic
- Toxic to cells.
