Botanical Medicine 2 Sheila Kingsbury, ND, RH (AHG) Fall 2009 Week 1 – Review & Purgatives

Review case # 1 An 8 year old boy is brought in to see you by his mother. The boy experiences abdominal pain usually at night around bedtime. His mother reports that he sometimes has stools that are difficult to pass but other times they are loose. He has some gas, usually before a bowel movement and it is foul smelling. He occasionally has undigested food in his stools but no blood or mucus. He is an active child and has a good appetite unless he is ill or has a stomach ache. A stool culture was negative for parasites or bacterial infection. What information would you like to have for this case? What herbs that you have learned about so far would be helpful to this patient? How would you prescribe them (i.e., what preparation, what dose)?

Review case #2 A 30 year old female complains of stomach aches. She feels nauseous and bloated after she eats. Her abdomen becomes distended. She has difficulty passing gas, but feels better after she does so. She has one bowel movement every day which is bulky and requires straining to pass. She notices no blood or mucus in her stool. Occasionally, she notices some undigested food in her stool. She has a very stressful job and a difficult relationship with her family and is slightly overweight. She gets colds and flus frequently in the winter. She is currently experiencing a congested URI. What is your assessment of her case – what underlying issues might she have and what would you consider as a diagnosis for her? Which herbs that you have learned so far would prescribe for her? What preparations, what dosage?

Review Case #3 A 50 year old woman comes to see you regarding her diarrhea. She has loose stools with undigested food in them 1-2 times daily for several months. She has tried over the counter medications and bulking agents but nothing has worked. Her stools are not watery and do not contain any mucus or blood. She drinks plenty of water and eats well. Her appetite has been fine and a stool culture was negative for parasites or bacterial infection. What do you think is the cause of her condition? What herbs that you have learned about might you consider prescribing for her and in what form and dose?

Purgatives

Aperient/Laxative/Cathartic/Purgative Plantago afra/ovatum/psyillium Linum usitatissimum Senna alexandrina Frangula purshiana Rheum palmatum Juglans nigra Aloe spp. Ricinus (Castor oil)

Senna alexandrina AKA: Cassia senna Cassia angustifolia

Frangula purshiana AKA Rhamnus purshiana or Cascara sagrada

Frangula purshiana

Rheum palmatum

Cephaelis ipecacuahna