Sexual Hormones and Reproductive Imbalances Materia Medica

Men’s and women’s reproductive health issues are an important part of
herbal and medical health care in modern societies. Herbal remedies have
been used throughout history to help ease symptoms and balance hormones.
For instance, the Mediteranean herb Vitex agnus-castus, or chaste
tree, was recommended around 455 B.C. by Hippocrates for the undesirable
symptoms that can occur during a woman’s menstrual cycle, and the herb is
still used for this today.



The following chart lists some of the most important herbs for men and women
imbalances, giving their actions, uses, energetics, and includes a therapeutic
index.



Beth root Trillium sp.



Uses: uterine hemorrhage, menorrhagia



Energy: acrid, warm, saponaceous



Black cohosh Cimicifuga racemosa



Uses: sedative, slows pulse; hysteria, muscular aches, arthritis, dysmenorrhea,
amenorrhea, relieves irregular pains and uterine distress during pregnancy
(small doses), prepares for parturition (small doses), partus accelerator,
postpartem bleeding.



Energy: acrid, cool



Black haw Viburnum prunifolium



Threatened miscarriage, pains after birth, post-partum bleeding, morning
sickness (with Zingiber, Gentian), uterine prolapse, sterility, irregular
sudden menstrual flow; has tonic action



Energy: spicy warm, aromatic



Blue cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides



Uses: uterine pain, amenorrhea*, prolongs gestation, relaxes uterus just
before birth, controlls abortion (with viburnum to enhance), ovarian irritation,
cramp-like pains during menstruation.



Energy: acrid, cool



Castor oil Ricinus communis



Uses: use the oil topically for cysts, tumors of the breas, uterus, etc.




Energy: oily, neutral



Cramp bark Viburnum opulus



Uses: uterine colic, menstrual cramps, pain in the uterus and ovaries, bladder
colic–erratic pains in pelvis



Energy: spicy warm, aromatic



False solomon seal Smilacina sp.



Uses: similar to Polygonatum.



Energy: spicy warm, slightly acrid



False unicorn root Aletris farinosa



Uses: uterine weakness, frequent child birth, deficient menses, sterility,
reduced flow, amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea (with Viburnum opulus or V. prun.),
prolapse of uterus, sterility, habitual abortion, component of “female
restoratives.”



Energy: bitter, warm, acrid



Nettle root, herb Urtica sp.



Uses: prostatitis, prostate hyperplasia, nutritive tonic.



Energy: sl. warm



Pennyroyal Mentha pulegium



Uses: tea of herb only, dysmenorrhea, amenorrhea with other herbs.



Energy: spicy cool



Poke root Phytolacca americana



Uses: immune stimulant (topically), cancers, cysts, etc. (Caution!)



Energy: spicy, hot, acrid, nauseant, poisonous



Pygeum (similar to Prunus)



Uses: prostate hyperplasia, sedative.



Energy: spicy, cool, aromatic



Red raspberry Rubus idaeus



Uses: all during pregnancy as a tea as a mild uterine tonic.



Energy: sl. bitter, cool, astringent



Saw palmetto Sabal serrulata



Uses: general nutritive tonic and soother to the male and female sexual
organs, prostate, etc.



Energy: nutritive, warm, sweet, oily



Squaw vine Mitchella repens Rubiaceae



Uses: partus preparator, smooths labor, (use 1-2x daily for the 8th and
9th month), larger doses last week; painful menstruation, regulates bleeding,
relieves congestion in pelvic organs, soothes general irritation of the
nervous system.



Energy: sl. bitter, cool



Tiger lily bulb Lillium sp.



Uses: ovarian pain, uterine pain, tonic.



Energy: neutral, sweet, mucilaginous



Vitex Vitex agnus-castus



Uses: progesteronic, regulates menses, increases milk flow, stabilize fetus
(1st 2 weeks), menopause



Energy: spicy warm.



Willow-herb Epilobium sp.



Uses: prostatitis, diarrhea, intestinal cramps due to chronic heat.



Energy: cool, mucilaginous, sl. astringent



Therapeutic Index



Abortion, threatened: Caulophyllum, Eupatorium, Helonias, Viburnum*



Abortion, with bleeding: Erigeron



Acne (during menses): Berberis, Vitex, Juglans



Amenorrhea: Achillea, Aletris, Anthemis, Aralia, Asarum, Avena, Corydalis,
Damiana, Cimicifuga*, Myrrh, Polygonum*, Solidago, Lilium



Amenorrhea (with coldness): Leonurus, Cimicifuga, Zingiber, Zanthoxylum




Amenorrhea (with anemia): Urtica + Zingiber



Anemia: Cactus, Urtica, greens, spirulina, meat, yellow dock



Anemia (with no menses): Aletris



Bladder, atonic: kava



Bladder, mucus: myrrh



Breast soreness: black cohosh, arnica (topically), Phytolacca (topically)




Breast cancer: echinacea, golden seal, poke (externally)



Breast cysts: Phytolacca (externally), Scrophularia, castor oil packs



Childbirth: aletris, arnica, hamamelis, Helonias, black cohosh, Mitchella,
Viburnum



Cramps, menstrual: Dioscorea, Lobelia, Viburnum, Passiflora



Cystitis: Althea, Erigeron, Hydrangea, Juniper, Kava kava, Zea, Parsley,
Thuja, pipsissewa, uva ursi, Xanthium (chronic)



Depression associated with menses: rosemary, lavendar



Displacement of the uterus: Aletris, Helonias, black cohosh, Lilium, Viburnum
prun.



Dysmenorrhea: Aletris, Aralia, Anthemis, Cannabis, Caulophyllum, Corydalis,
Damiana, Heracleum, Jamaica dogwood, Leonurus, Lobelia, Cimicifuga, Passiflora,
Saw palmetto, Scrophularia, Viburnum, ginger



Dysmenorrhea, congestive: Cimicifuga



Dysmenorrhea, due to deficiency: Cactus, Caulophyllum, Urtica, Cimicifuga




Dysmenorrhea, neuralgic: Cannabis, Dioscorea, Lobelia



Dysmenorrhea, persistent: Asarum, Viburnum prun.



Emmenagogues: Asarum, Damiana, Gossypium, Sanguinaria (caution)



Epididymitis: Achillea, Kava, Saw palmetto



Menstrual irregularities: Caulophyllum, Helonias, Populus, Viburnum



Milk flow, to stop: Fomes officinalis, Salvia officinalis

Milk flow, to start: Vitex, Foeniculum, alfalfa, Urtica



Gestation, to prolong: blue cohosh



Gestation, normalize: Aletris, Helonias, Cimicifuga, Mitchella, Viburnum




Headache at menopause: Cactus



Headache during menses: Avena, Damiana



Hemorrhage during menses: Viburnum prun., Capsella, Achillea, Aralia



Hemorrhage postpartum: Capsella, cinnamon, Erigeron, Urtica, Viburnum



Impotence: Avena, Cactus, Cannabis, Capsicum, Damiana, Humulus, Saw Palmetto,
Yohimbe



Labor: Caulophyllum, Cimicifuga, Viscum, Mitchella



Labor, pain: Cabbabis, Piscidia



Labor pains, deficient: Caulophyllum



Labor, recovery after: Lilium



Leucorrhea: Abies, Achillea, Agrimony, Aralia, Caulophyllum, Corydalis,
Erigeron, Hamamelis, Helonias, Hydrastis, Salix nigra



Lochia (vaginal discharge after birth): Aralia, Erigeron, Leonurus



Mastitis: Baptisia, Echinacea, Cimicifuga, Phytolacca



Menopause: Vitex, Cimicifuga, Cactus, Nuphar, Viburnum



Menorrhagia (excessive menstrual bleeding): Achillea, Apocynum, Asarum,
Cactus, Cannabis, Capsella, Cinamon, Erigeron, Geranium, Trillium, Urtica,
Viburnum



Menses, suppressed: Damiana, Rosmarinus, Polygonum



Miscarriage, to prevent: Vitex, Cinnamon, Cannabis, Viburnum, Cimicifuga




Ovarian pain: Lilium, Anthemis, Dioscorea, Piscidia, Zingiber



Orchitis: Cimicifuga, Phytolacca (externally), Pulsatilla, saw palmetto,
Verbascum (topically)



Post-partum bleeding: Capsella, Cimicifuga



Pregnancy, difficult urination of: Hydrangea



Pregnancy, morning sickness: Viburnum, Zingiber, Gentian



Prolapsed uterus: Aletris, Aralia, Erigeron,



Prostatic hypertrophy: Galium, Kava, Saw palmetto, Thuja



Prostatitis: saw palmetto, Epilobium, Urtica, Equisetum, Gallium, Salix,
Thuja



Sexual desire, increased: Humulus, Scutellaria



Sexual desire, decreased: Damiana, Muira puama, Kola, Cacao, Panax



Spermatorrhea: Avena, Cannabis, Capsicum, Humulus, Cimicifuga, Salix, Thuja




Sterility: Avena, Aletris, Helonias, Saw Palmetto, Viburnum



Urinary irritation: Cannabis, Chimaphila, Hydrangea, onion, Thuja



Vaginitis: Hamamelis, probiotics, Juglans, tea tree



FORMULAS



APHRODISIAC FORMULA FOR MEN



Ingredients: Cacao seed, Muira Puama root, Damiana herb, Chinese Ginseng
root, Vanilla bean, Pine pollen, Dendrobium stem, Passion Flower herb, Turmeric
rhizome, Kola Nut Seed, Ginger rhizome, Frankincense oil



Indications: Impotence, lowered sex drive.



MENOPAUSE FORMULA



Ingredients: Vitex fruit, Black Cohosh rhizome and root, Date seed, Zizyphus
seed, Valerian rhizome and root, Fu Ling sclerotium, Dong Quai root, Peony
root, Aletris root, Tangerine oil, Lavender oil, Valerian oil



Indications: Helps relieve the symptoms of menopause–vaginal dryness, hot
flashes, sugar cravings, lowered sexual drive, emotional swings, such as
depression



PMS / HORMONAL FORMULA



Ingredients: Vitex fruit, Dandelion root, Black Cohosh rhizome and root,
Blue Cohosh rhizome and root, Cramp Bark, Prickly Ash bark, Lavender oil




Indications: For PMS-like symptoms, cramps, depression, excessive flow,
irregular cycles, fibroid cysts, increases milk flow after birth, adolescent
acne



WOMEN’S BLOODBUILDER FORMULA



Ingredients: Dong Quai, Rehmannia, Codonopsis, Fu ling, Peony, Atractylodes,
Ligusticum, Licorice, Yellow dock, Nettles



Indications: Anemia, fatigue, depression, pallor due to deficiency of blood




SUPPORTING FORMULAS







ADRENAL / STRESS FORMULA



Ingredients: Siberian Ginseng root, Schisandra fruit, Echinacea root, Wild
Oats herb, Bladderwrack, Gotu Kola



Indications: Weakened adrenal function, jet lag, or as a daily tonic to
help adjust to normal environmental changes and emotional stress



LIVER / DIGESTIVE FORMULA



Ingredients: Milk Thistle seed, Artichoke leaf, Dandelion root, Turmeric
rhizome, Skullcap herb, California Coast Sage herb



Indications: A digestive aid for poor or painful digestion, gas, and bloating,
poor assimilation of nutrients, hepatitis, cirrhosis, general toxicity of
the body; a general tonic to increase the smooth functioning of the liver




RELAXING FORMULA



Ingredients: Valerian rhizome and root, California poppy plant, Passion
flower herb, Hops strobiles, Hawthorn flower



Indications: Nervousness, sleeplessness, restlessness, anxiety, tight muscles
(or anytime a natural herbal relaxing preparation is needed)



SLEEP FORMULA



Ingredients: Valerian rhizome, Linden leaf,



Hops strobiles, Kava Kava root, Chamomile flower, Celery seed, Catnip herb,
Wild Lettuce herb, Orange oil, Tangerine oil, Valerian oil



Indications: Sleeplessness, irregular sleep patterns