Owl of Minerva Herbal Advisory
Knowledge of the chemical/alchemical basis to herbal medicine is essential in safe healing as the interactions between the differing chemicals influence each other as well as targeting different body systems.
Alchemaic principles underlie the logic behind use of herbal medicines. Many principles are expressed using symbols. Firstly, there is spirit (plant alcohol or ethanol linked to sulpher properties ) which resides in all plants, whether grapes, grain or dandelion roots. Second, there is the essence (found in essential oils and is linked to mercury) and thirdly, there is body or salt which can be extracted from the body of the plant. Together, all three form the tria prima, a metaphorical construct designed to help cemement the knowledge together.
The Tria Prima.
Paracelsus' "elements". They are principles and not substances.
- Mercury: transformative agent, fluidity, volatility, prima materia- first matter of the matrix, mother of all things
- Sulpher: binding agent between substance and transformation, combustibility
- Salt: solidifying/substantiating agent
Example: When a piece of wood is burnt, the products reflect its constitution:
- Smoke: mercury (chaotic quality)
- Flame: sulphur (binding agent; combustibility)
- Ash: salt (coagulant)
The salt of plants acts as a bridge between vegetables and minerals, the entry point to mineral alchemy. It is the intercations of these tria prima which are important.
Ancient symbolism depicting mercury include the sun (e.g. egyptian royal alchemy- RA the sun god). Also depicted is the red lion (e.g. medieval and tudor royal alchemy - the the red lions on some of the English flags) and the stag (e.g. viking, medieval alchemy -on many carvings). When imperfected, the antagonism is reflected by the red man who quarrels with the white woman. When perfected, sulpher becomes the Red King. Alchemaic principles helped create the knowledge base to the books of knowledge which helped those in power stay and power and helped those without power, gain power. This explains the over use of symbols in royal domains. Superstitious royals feared loss of power if the symbols were not used as a prop to assist in their goals.
Ancient symbolism depicting mercury which is imperfect include the dragon (medieval symbolism), serpcnt (ancient Egyptian symbolism), white woman, green lion, which when perfected becomes the White Queen, White Lion, the unicorn or the moon (Luna or Diana).
The third principle, Salt, acts as a mediator between Sulpher and Mercury. It is the spark between them, that is the harmonising balancing point of their polarity. Salt unites the red man with the white woman to create a new entity or child of the union.
Sulpher and mercurial elements of plants can be deduced from herbs by their properties. We list several important chemical properties of herbs below:
Plant Acids: Citric acids, valeric acids (sedatives), carbon chain (aliphatic: like the sting we feel in a nettle) and ring carbons (aromatic (benzoic acids; balsum of Tolu, cranberries)). Ring carbons can be used for bronchial problems and are antiseptics, anti-pyretics & diuretics.
Alcohols: consituents of volatile oils or as sterols (menthol in peppermint oil). Waxes are combinations of alcohol and fatty acids found in plant leaf coatings. Alcohols are sulpher driven.
Volatile oils: These are often based on simple molecules like isoprene or isopentine which can combine to form turpenes combining the 5 - carbon molecules. Peppermint and thyme are examples. All aromatic oils are antiseptics (eucalyptus oil, garlic oil, thyme oil). These oils are easily transported and distributed around the body. They travel to the lungs, bronchials, urinary system, in sweat, saliva, tears etc. They stimulate the bodies white blood cells helping to trigger the bodies natural defense system. They aid in digestion, and in calming the central nervous system. Some will relax like chamomile and others will stimulate like peppermint. Volatile oils are mercurial.
Carboydrates: Sugars, glucose, fructose, starches or cellulose serve as a main energy store. The structure of the plants play a role. The lage polysaccharides, such as cellulose, can bond with other plants and produce molecules like pectin, found in apples, algin, agar or carragum (in Irish Moss). They are all viscous and demulcent and are used to produce gels in food and medicine.
Gums and mucilages, which are complex carbohydrates, are contained in many herbs. Coltsfoot, Plantain and Marshmallow are some. Their action relaxes the lining of the gut, triggering a reflex that runs through the spinal nerves to those areas that are related embryologically, such as the lungs and the urinary system.
In this way, mucilages reduce irritation and inflammation in the whole of the alimentary canal, reduce the sensitivity to gastric acid, prevent diarrhea and reduce peristalsis; they also work via a reflex on the respiritory system, reducing tension, and coughing and increasing the secretion of watery mucus.
Phenolic Compounds: Simple or complex with analgesic properties. Simple include salicylic acids often found with sugar, forming glycoside as in willow, cramp bark, wintergreen and meadowsweet. This chemical has antiseptic, pain-killing and anti-inflammatory properties and is used by allopathic medicine in the form of acetylsalicylic acid, better known as asprin.
Eugenol, the pain-killing oil found in cloves, and thymol from oil of thyme both have similar effects as salicylic acid. Part of the antiseptic action of bearberry on the urinary system can be explained by the presence of the phenol hydroquinone.
Tannins: Herbs with tannins have an astringent action. They act on proteins and form a protective layer on the skin and on the mucous membranes. They can bind the tissue of the gut and reduce diarrhea or internal bleeding. Externally, they can be used to treat burns, reduce inflammation and sealing wounds. Tannins can be used to treat eye infections (conjunctivitis) and mouth infections.
Coumarins: Grass and sweet woodruff contain coumarins. One of coumarins metabolites, di-coumarol is a powerful anti-clotting agent. Allopathic medicines have used the coumarins as a basis for warfarin, an anti- clotting drug used in large doses as rat poison and in small doses to guard against thrombosis.