- Saccharide
- A sugar molecule.
- Salicylates
- A group of chemicals found naturally in numerous plants.
- They have an anti-inflammatory action. The drug aspirin is a type of salicylate.
- Salin (or Salicin)
- A natural compound found in some plants, especially that of white willow bark. It helps reduce inflammation, relieves pain and fever, and fights the flu virus.
- Salve
- A medicinal ointment used to soothe or heal skin irritations, burns, or wounds; an ointment; an unguent.
- Saponins
- Naturally occurring plant compounds that are similar in chemistry to glycosides which produce a “lather” when irritated under water.
They can irritate the mucous membranes of the digestive tract which, by reflex, has an expectorant action. Saponins are comprised of two types: triterpenoids and steroidal saponins. The latter was named from their similarity to the human body’s own naturally occurring steroid hormones which seem to mimic the precursors of female sex hormones, while the tri-terpenoid saponins mimic the adrenal hormone, ACTH.
Triterpenoid saponins, for example, those in cowslip roots, are often strong expectorants and may also aid in the absorption of nutrients. However, many are extremely poisonous and will rapidly cause hemolysis or the breaking down of red blood cells in the circulatory system. Despite this, many common vegetables contain only small amounts, which are poorly absorbed by the human digestive system. Many saponins are known to fight cancer formation, enhance wound healing, and reduce cholesterol levels. They are also known to have anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and antifungal properties.
- Saprophyte
- A free-living organism that lives on dead or putrefying tissues.
- Scarify
- To cut or soften the wall of a hard seed to hasten germination; to make superficial cuts, as in surgery.
- Scleroderma
- A disease in which all layers of the skin become hardened and rigid.
- Scopolamine
- A belladonna derivative.
- Scorbutic
- Pertaining to or affected by scurvy.
- Scrofula
- Tuberculosis of the lymph nodes characterized chiefly by swelling and degeneration of the lymphatic glands.
- Scrofulous
- Having an ulcerous or diseased appearance on the surface.
- Scurfy
- Resembling or covered with scaly matter or encrustations.
- Seed
- A fertilized plant ovule containing the embryo and capable of germinating to produce a new plant.
- Sepal
- Leaflike; one of the segments, usually green, that form the outer protective covering of a flower.
- Sessile
- Lacking a stalk; a leaf or flower with no obvious stalk.
- Sialogogue
- A substance causing salivary flow.
Caraway is a popular sialogogue.
- SIDA
- Sindromoinmuno-deficiencia adquirido (Spanish) or syndrome immuno-deficitaire acquis (French); the common name for AIDS outside the US.
- Silique
- A term applied to the peculiar seedpod structure of plants in the mustard family.
- Silymarin
- The active component of milk thistle.
It is an antioxidant and protects the liver.
- Simple
- An herbal preparation made from one herb only.
- Soporific
- A substance that produces sleep.
- Spadix
- A thick, fleshy flower spike usually enveloped by a spathe.
- Spasmolytic
- Relating to or bringing relief from a muscle spasm.
- Spathe
- A modified, leaflike structure surrounding a spadix.
- Species
- The basic unit of biological classification, ranking below a genus, that include similar organisms capable of interbreeding.
- Spike
- The inflorescence in which flowers bloom along the entire length of a single stalk.
- Stamen
- The pollen-producing reproductive organ of a flower; the pollen-bearing anthers with attached filaments (sometimes without).
- Sternutatory
- Any substance that causes sneezing.
- Steroid
- Any of a large family of chemical compounds, including hormones produced by adrenal glands, ovaries, and testes; medication used for immunosuppression and hormone replacement.
- Stimulant
- Any substance that increases the flow of adrenalin or increases the body’s basal metabolism rate or that increases the production of gastric juices.
- Stipule
- Appendages resembling small leaves at the base of leaves of certain plants.
- Stolen
- Stem that takes root at intervals along the ground, forming new plants.
- Stomatic
- Any substance that promotes funtional activity of the stomach, improving appetite and digestion; any herb that relieves the symptoms of one or more gastric disorders.
- Strangury:
- Slow painful urination with spasms of the urethra and bladder.
- Stratification:
- The process of storing seeds in a cold, moist environment to promote germination.
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- Styptic
- An astringent agent which stops or reduces external bleeding; hemostatic.
- Succulent
- A plant with thick, fleshy tissues that store starch.
- Sudorific
- An agent that causes or increases sweat; diaphoretic.
- Surfactant
- A compound which reduces the surface tension in water, between water and another liquid, or between liquid and a solid.
- Sycosis
- The inflammation and itching of hair follicles.
- Syrup
- An herbal infusion or decoction combined with honey and boiled to thicken.
Syrups are particularly useful for sore throats or coughs as it will coat the area.
- Systolic
- The first number in a blood pressure reading that registers the pressure in the arteries during the contraction phase of the heart beat.
