Pungents Botanical Medicine 1 Brandy Webb, ND Week 5

Pungents Zingiber officinalis Armoracia rusticana Brassica nigra Capsicum frutescens Piper nigra

General Information Digestive and circulatory stimulants Hot energetically; increase internal heat Strengthen metabolism Stimulate nervous system Expectorant and/or mucolytic; expel excess mucous Rubefacient (cause blood to migrate to skin surface; can cause blistering)

Medicinal Actions of Pungents Improve digestion and assimilation of food Increase stomach secretions, increase appetite Often have additional bitter and carminative actions –Blood cleansing –Stimulate peristalsis Antimicrobial

Zingiber officinalis

Ginger Zingiberaceae family Constituents –Volatile oils (including sesquiterpenes, such as zingiberene) –Pungent principles (gingerols and shogaols) Actions –Antioxidant –Anti-inflammatory –Antimicrobial –Bitter –Diaphoretic –Carminative –Expectorant

Amoracia rusticana

Horse radish Brassicaceae family Constituents –Glucosinolates (including sinigrin) –Volatile oils Actions –Diaphoretic –Carminative –Diuretic –Antimicrobial –Bitter –Rubefacient –Sialagogue

Brassica nigra

Black mustard Brassicaceae family Constituents –Glucosinolates (including sinigrin) –Volatile oils (including sinapine) Actions –Rubefacient –Circulatory stimulant –Bitter

Piper nigra

Black pepper Piperaceae family Constituents –Volatile oils (including  -bisabolene and camphene) –Alkaloids (including piperine) Actions –Carminative –Bitter

Capsicum frutescens

Cayenne, red pepper Solanaceae family Constituents –Capsaicin compounds –Carotenoids –Ascorbic acid –Tocopherols Actions –Circulatory stimulant –Carminative –Spasmolytic –Diaphoretic –Antimicrobial –Rubefacient –Bitter

Professor Cayenne’s Tonic 1/2 cup each: chopped garlic, onions, ginger, horseradish, parsley 1/8 cup fresh or powdered cayenne pepper Raw apple cider vinegar Finely chop the vegetables, pack into jar and fill with vinegar. Agitate daily for 14 days. Strain and bottle. Sig: 1 tsp 2-4 times daily as needed for a warming digestive, decongestant, or for flu symptoms