Herbal Medicine Base Terminology (A-B)

Front 1

Abortifacient

Back 1

An agent that causes the expulsion of a foetus from the uterus

Front 2

Adaptogen

Back 2

An agent that enables the body to adapt to physiological stress

Front 3

Adrenocorticol

Back 3

Arising from the cortex of the adrenal gland

Front 4

Agalactica

Back 4

Absence or failure to produce breast milk

Front 5

Alterative

Back 5

An agent that alters metabolic processes that brings about detoxification of the body and more recent times an agent that has become classified as a "blood purifier"

Front 6

Analgesic

Back 6

An agent that relieves pain without causing loss of consciousness

Front 7

Anaphrodisiac

Back 7

An agent that represses sexual desire

Front 8

Anaphylaxis

Back 8

Hypersensitive reaction to a foreign protein or substance

Front 9

Anaesthetic

Back 9

Produces a loss of sensation especially loss of pain

Front 10

Aneurysm

Back 10

Localised dilation of an artery or vein leading to the formation of a sac

Front 11

Androgen

Back 11

Any substance eg testosterone or androsterone that stimulates male characteristics

Front 12

Angina

Back 12

Spasmodic choking or suffocating pain

Front 13

Angioma

Back 13

A tumour made up from lymphatic or blood vessels

Front 14

Anthelmintic

Back 14

An agent destructive to worms

Front 15

Antibiotic

Back 15

A chemical substance that has the ability to inhibit or kill micro-organisms and is effective against a variety of bacteria

Front 16

Antibody

Back 16

An immunoglobulin (lge) that interacts with an antigen

Front 17

Anticatarrhal

Back 17

Alleviates or reduces excessive secretion of mucous

Front 18

Antifungal

Back 18

Suppresses the reproduction or proliferation of fungi

Front 19

Anti-arrhythmic

Back 19

Alleviates or prevents abnormal rhythm of the heart

Front 20

Anti-emetic

Back 20

An agent that reduces or prevents nausea and vomiting

Front 21

Antigalactic

Back 21

An agent that suppresses breast milk production

Front 22

Antigen

Back 22

Any substance capable of inducing antibody formation

Front 23

Anti-hidrotic

Back 23

An agent that prevents perspiration

Front 24

Anti-inflammatory

Back 24

An agent that suppresses inflammation

Front 25

Antihistamine

Back 25

Reduces the effect of histamine

Front 26

Antilithic

Back 26

Prevents the formation of calculus

Front 27

Antimicrobial

Back 27

Inhibits or prevents the proliferation of pathogenic bacteria

Front 28

Antineoplastic

Back 28

Inhibits or prevents the development of neoplasms (benign or malignant tumour)

Front 29

Antiphlogistic

Back 29

An anti-inflammatory agent

Front 30

Antipuritic

Back 30

Relieves itching

Front 31

Antipyretic

Back 31

An agent that has the ability to reduce fever

Front 32

Antireheumatic

Back 32

Reduces pain, inflammatuon and degeneration of joints and/or of connective tissue

Front 33

Antiseptic

Back 33

Prevents sepsis be inhibiting the proliferation of micro-organisms but does not destroy them

Front 34

Antispasmodic

Back 34

Prevents or alleviates spasm

Front 35

Antitussive

Back 35

Suppresses the coughing mechanism where the cough is irritable in nature

Front 36

Aperient

Back 36

Mild laxative

Front 37

Aphonia

Back 37

Loss of voice

Front 38

Apnea

Back 38

Cessation of breathing

Front 39

Appetiser

Back 39

To increase the desire for food

Front 40

Aromatic

Back 40

A spicy odour of a compound that has a benzene ring

Front 41

Arteriolitis

Back 41

Inflammation of an arteriole

Front 42

Arteritis

Back 42

Inflammation of an artery

Front 43

Arteriosclerosis

Back 43

Thickening of the arteriole walls

Front 44

Arthritis

Back 44

Joint inflammatIon characterised by swelling, heat, redness and pain

Front 45

Ascaris

Back 45

Large intestinal nematode parasites(Lumbricoides causing diarrhoea and colic)

Front 46

Asthma

Back 46

Wheezing due to spasmodic contraction of the bronchi often an allergic reaction

Front 47

Astringent

Back 47

An agent causing contraction of external or internal epithelium

Front 48

Atheroma

Back 48

A mass of thickened and degenerated arterial intima associated with artherosclerosis

Front 49

Atherosclerosis

Back 49

A type of arteriosclerosis characterised by the presence of lipoid material and cholesterol within the intima and inner media of the medium and large sized arteries

Front 50

Bacillus

Back 50

A rod shaped bacterium including gram-positive and spore forming bacteria

Front 51

Bactericidal

Back 51

Destroys bacteria

Front 52

Bacteriostat

Back 52

An agent that inhibits the proliferation of bacteria

Front 53

Balsam

Back 53

A resinous vegetable juice that is fragrant

Front 54

Bechic

Back 54

Cough remedy

Front 55

Bile

Back 55

A fluid that is secreted from the liver, concentrated in the gallbladder and then released into the small intestine via the bile ducts

Front 56

Bilirubin

Back 56

A bile pigment produced by the breakdown of heme and reductionof biliverdin and normally circulates in plasma and is taken up by the liver cells and conjugated to form bilirubin diglucuronide

Front 57

Biluria

Back 57

Presence of bile acids in the urine

Front 58

Biliverdin

Back 58

Green bile pigment

Front 59

Bitter

Back 59

Bitter tonic, a substance that stimulates gastric secretions

Front 60

Bladder

Back 60

A sack or receptable for urine

Front 61

Blepharitis

Back 61

Inflammation of the eye lids where the edge is covered with small or grey scales

Front 62

Bolus

Back 62

A round mass of food ready to swallow. Or another term for suppository

Front 63

Bradycardia

Back 63

Slowness of the heart where the pulse rate is to less than 60

Front 64

Bronchi

Back 64

Plural of bronchus

Front 65

Bronchus

Back 65

One of the larger passages that conveys air to both lungs and within the lungs

Front 66

Bronchiectasis

Back 66

Chronic dilation of one or more bronchi

Front 67

Bronchiole

Back 67

One of the finer subdivisions of the branched bronchial tree

Front 68

Bronchiolectasis

Back 68

Dilation of the bronchioles

Front 69

Bronchitis

Back 69

Inflammation of one or more bronchi with or without mucous secretion

Front 70

Bronchoconstriction

Back 70

Bronchostenosis

Front 71

Bronchoconstrictor

Back 71

Narrowing of the lumina of the lung's air passages

Front 72

Bronchodilation

Back 72

Dilation of the bronchus

Front 73

Bronchodilator

Back 73

An agent that causes dilation of the bronchi

Front 74

Bronchospasm

Back 74

Spasmodic contraction of the smooth muscle coating of the bronchus

Front 75

Bronchostenosis

Back 75

Reduction in the calibre of a bronchial tube

Front 76

Bruise

Back 76

A contusion caused by impact without breakage to the skin where there is haemorrhage into tissue from ruptured blood vessels

Front 77

Bubo

Back 77

Inflamed lymph node

Front 78

Bursitis

Back 78

Inflammation of the bursa (a fluid filled sac or sack like cavity which usually prevents friction of tissues