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| Veterinary Botanical
Medicine Association |
| Dedicated to Developing
Responsible Herbal Practice |
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Jasmine C. Lyon,
Executive Director |
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QUESTIONS?
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| Established in 2002 by
Susan Wynn, DVM, RH(AHG) |
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VBMA Herbal Wiki |
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| Mentha Viridis,
photo by
Simon, Wikipedia |
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Part of the Mentha Genus is Spearmint, Mentha
viridis; this is considered a mild herb.
Part used: the leaf
Energetics: Pungent, sweet, cool
and neutral
Meridians affected: Lu, St, Bl and
Kidney
Functions:
1. Promote sweating and dispels wind heat and
reduces fever: used for external wind Heat; colds
and flues
2. reduces infection and inflammation, Clears toxins
and relieves pain
3. Reduces live congestion, removes accumulation and
clears flatus, settles the stomach and stops
vomiting, promoted rest; Liver Qi stagnation.
This is a cooling herb, different from peppermint.
It does not have peppermints stimulant quality.
Spearmint gently opens the pores and cools the body.
It has excellent antiseptic and lymphatic stimulant
properties. Spearmint is much closer to the
Chinese Bo He than peppermint.
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| THOMSON |
| Samuel Thomson said that
spearmint" expels wind from the stomach, and promotes
perspiration. It is an excellent article to settle the
stomach, and stop vomiting." |
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| BEACH |
| Wooster Beach said it was
useful for the suppression of urine and gravely
affections. |
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| MOORE |
| Michael Moore said of
Spearmint; "The main value of spearmint is its almost
complete lack of toxicity, allowing even the sickest
person to tolerate the tea. It is this feebleness that
makes it so useful. Soothing to the stomach , and a
mild diuretic and diaphoretic, it has mild vasodilating
characteristics, imparting a pleasant, warm flow to the
drinker." |
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| GRAF |
| Eva Graf says, that "you would
be better able to use spearmint right after eating than
peppermint. Spearmint seems to help stimulate digestive
enzymes and work with digestion of protein in a really
positive way." |
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| COOK |
| Cook says, "Spearmint is
largely relaxant, of the distinctly antispasmodic order;
and though usually supposed to be identical with
peppermint, is widely different from that article,and
much more soothing and acceptable to the stomach. It is
admirable for allaying nausea and vomiting and relieving
the colics of children; but not so strongly carminative
as peppermint or of so much use in spasmodic troubles.
Its action is quickly diffused throughout the nervous
system, while it at the same time promotes a free
discharge of the watery portions of the urine. These
qualities make it an agent of much service in sudden
cases of nervousness, and hysteria of a mild form; and
it may be used as a common drink in nervous forms of
fever, and in recent suppressions of urine. Its whole
influence is soothing. The oil possesses the pleasant
relaxing virtues of the her and is used for the same
general purposes, though not always so agreeable as the
infusion. It makes an excellent external application in
the form of liniments; and will be found of much service
over painful and neurologic parts, especially over the
spine and the large nerves when irritated. |
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| CULPEPER |
| Culpeper, " It is an herb of
Venus, it stayeth the hiccough, vomiting, and allayeth
the choler. It is good to repress the milk in women's
breast, and for such as have swollen, flagging, or great
breast...it is very profitable to the stomach...it is
also profitable against the poison of venomous
creatures. ..it strengtheneth the belly, causeth
digestion, stayeth vomits and the hiccough. It is good
against the gnawing of the heart, provoketh appetite,
taketh away obstruction of the liver..the powder of it
being dried and taken after meat, helpeth digestion and
those that are splenetick. It is good against the
gravel and stone in the kidneys, and the stranguary.
Being smelled unto. it is comfortable for the head and
memory. The decoction hereof gargled in the mouth
cureth the gums and mouth that are sore, and mendeth an
ill-favoured breath. I have frequently cured and healed
many young ladies of weak delicate relaxed and
consumption habits." |
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