Hops goes by the botanical name Humulus lupulus, and is a nervine, which means it calms and soothes the nerves.

I am going to share a story that I’m pulling up from way back in the memory source of my mind, so it is not detailed, but I recall learning that there was a place that hops was being farmed.  The calming, soothing nervine affect was first noted when the people harvesting the hops were affected by handling the plants, the actives traveling through their skin into the bloodstream.

One source I have says that 10 American Indian tribes used hops for nervine purposes.

The German Commission E recommends using this herb for health disorders such as restlessness, anxiety states and insomnia. It can be found in some herbal formulas for insomnia and nervous tension. It is high in calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, Vitamin C and selenium.

If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!

The parts used medicinally are the roots and rhizome.

James Cook first described the plant in an account of his voyage in the South Seas in 1768. Polynesian Natives consume kava steeped in milk or water, it is used by them in religious rights, as they believe it relaxes the body and mind, eases pain, and aids in a restful sleep. It has been credited with helping many things, including inflammations of the uterus, headaches, colds, rheumatism, VD, and is used as a sedative, aphrodisiac, anesthetic and more. Now lets see what Science has to say.

Scientific Information:

The flavanoids, ketones, amino acids and lactones are the actives in this herb, the lactones. A comprehensive study of kava lactone was conducted at Frieburg University Institute of Pharmacology in Germany during the 1950′s and 1960′s. Over the years they discovered that kava lactones operate by many nontraditional mechanisms. Most sedative drugs, like Valium and other benzodiazepines work by binding GABA (gamma-aminochemical acid) receptors in the brain. This leads to neurochemical changes that promote sedation. Kava lactones modify receptor domains rather than binding to receptors. They may promote sleep by changing the way the limbic system (the main seat of emotion) modulates emotional processes.

Interested in knowing about how it works on pain?

Kava doesn’t work like morphine, aspirin, ibuprofen or other pharmaceuticals, it does not lose it’s effectiveness over time. The lactones we mentioned in part 1 work with other compounds of found in the rhizome to produce a great pharmacological activity. Studies find that kava lactones are absorbed more rapidly when given orally as an extract. Scientist have found that kava acts as a sedative, analgesic, anticonvulsant, and muscle relaxant on laboratory animals. (Remember, you can contact me for references to these studies by email, too much to type on this blog, ask for specific study you are interested in and I’ll provide the reference.)

Another double-blind study with over eighty patients, some on placebo, and some on kavin, some on a compound from Kava, and the rest on a drug like Valium called oxazepan found that kavin and oxazepan both calmed anxiety…the advantage of the kavin being that it is has no complications, which oxazepan is both addictive and has side affects. Kava does not act as a depressant, either.

If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!

Cautionary Note: Kava kava should not be used by pregnant of lactating women. It should not be taken in conjunction with alcohol or used when driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery.

Lobelia is used by some to open up breathing when the lungs are congested, but if too much is taken, it has emetic properties (will cause vomiting).  Unless you know just what you are doing, it is one of those herbs that you are better off getting prepared, with instructions, from a very reliable source.

If you would like a fact sheet about any of the items marked in red, please send me an email. Thanks!

As you can see from the picture, it’s also a pretty weed/plant that can be appreciated whether you use it medicinally or not.

The day came to go home, and when we got to the airport, and went through customs, I was asked if I had any plants or animals, so I showed them the Noni fruit, only to find that I could not take it home with me. How disappointing. So this picture is the next best thing to being able to show you my noni fruit.

If you know much about supplement companies at all, you will know that there is one that is completely devoted to one type of Noni. I am not involved with that company, but do have available to me, and to my clients, Noni, or Morinda citrifolia fruit juce.

The medicinal properties in the juice made from the fruit are said to benefit the Immune, Structural, Nervous, Digestive, Intestinal, and Respiratory system…wow, that is a lot! It contains many phyto-nutrients which nourish the cells, organs and tissues, and antioxidants that battle against free-radical damage. This is beneficial to the skin and joints, and to the body as a whole.

This source of Noni Juice is sold as 2 32 oz. bottles (likely not from the company you may be thinking of) and lasts a long time, as you don’t consume a lot each day.

Please contact me with a comment if you would like a fact sheet about Noni, I moderate posts and will not publish the post if you prefer.

Scientific Information – It was listed in the National Formulary from 1916-1936. Though thorough study has been done on the actives in the herb, at the time the publication I am gathering my information from was written, the exact component that caused the primary action had not been isolated.

Studies in rats report it significantly prolonged sleep time and affected loco motor activity. It Italy, it is given to hyperactive children. Folklore claims the herb is a motor nerve depressant, that it aids with insomnia, and restlessness, neuralgia, convulsions, epilepsy, nervous tension, fatigue, and muscle spasms. Perhaps these claims are proven true by the studies on rats.

Personally, I have used Passion Flower in combination with other herbs for insomnia.

Some sources for Passion Flower:

• Herbal Sleep
• Nutri-Calm
• Nerve Control
• Passion Flower