Quiz Prescription Writing Answers

Case 1: You are prescribing a tea for a patient who has a history of heartburn. Your tea prescription includes 1 ounce of Peppermint leaf, 1 ounce of Chamomile flowers and ½ ounce of Yarrow flowering tops. This should last the patient about 3 weeks. You tell your patient to take 1 Tbsp. of the mix in one cup of hot water and to let it steep for 15 minutes and then strain and drink 1 cup with each meal. You would like her to have 4 refills.

Quiz Prescription Writing Answers

Rx and Qty: Disp. 1 oz. Mentha x piperita, 1 oz.

Matricaria recutita, ½ oz. Achillea millefolium

Sig: 1 Tbsp. per cup hot aq, steep 15 min., strain and drink 1 cup cc

Refills 1 2 3 4 prn x____months

Quiz Prescription Writing Answers

Case 2: You see a female patient who is experiencing gas and bloating almost daily within an hour after every meal. Her vitals and physical exam are all within normal limits. You investigate her dietary intake and begin looking for possible dietary allergens. In the meantime, you prescribe a 1 oz. tincture with Matricaria recutita and Foeniculum vulgare equal parts. You would like her to take 15 drops of this tincture 15 minutes before each meal daily for the next 2 weeks with 3 refills.

Quiz Prescription Writing Answers

Rx: Matricaria recutita tinc. And Foeniculum vulgare tinc. aa (or ss)

Sig: 15 gtts 15 min ac qd x 2 weeks Qty: 1 oz. Refills 1 2 3 4 prn x ____months

Bitters

Botanical Medicine 1

Brandy Webb, ND

Western Herbal Perspective

The energy of bitter is cooling and drying

Bitters move us out of a sympathetic-dominated state into parasympathetic-dominated state

Bitter herbs stimulate the bitter taste buds causing secretion of gastric fluids, which aids digestion

Ayurvedic Perspective

Ayurvedic medicine is a form of holistic medicine that started in India thousands of years ago and focuses on treating people constitutionally rather than based on their symptoms

Bitter is the coldest, most drying, and most depleting of the 6 tastes (others are sweet, sour, salty, pungent, and astringent)

Helpful for reducing fever, promoting digestion, relieving burning and itch

Promote elimination of toxins, detoxification, and proper circulation

Ayurvedic Perspective

Other uses for bitters: Liver conditions (including jaundice and liver

congestion) As an antibacterial, antiviral, or antiparasitic To promote proper sugar metabolism To reduce body fat For anti-tumor properties

Bitter herbs can deplete overall vitality and depress sexual energy

Use of Bitters According to Western Herbalism

Stimulate digestion Enhance absorption of nutrients Used as tonics/strengthen the body Tonify muscles, tissues and organs Promote elimination of toxins and

metabolic waste products Purify the blood/eradicate infection

Additional Considerations for Use of Bitter Herbs

Stimulate digestion when dosed in small amounts at appropriate time; however, in higher doses can actually suppress digestion

Think of bitters with patients with heat conditions and high Pitta constitution Pitta is the dosha characterized as hot

and eruptive, having high metabolism and strong appetite

Additional Considerations for Use of Bitter Herbs

Treatment of fever: Best reserved for fevers in the core of the body

or in the blood, or when the liver is hot For more “surface” fevers, meaning those

associated with colds and flus, use diaphoretics Bitters can be helpful for lingering and recurrent

fevers Commonly given with carminative herbs Best therapeutic effects achieved when

used over an extended period of time

Achillea millefolium

Achillea millefolium

Yarrow Asteraceae family Constituents

Volatile oils Sesquiterpine lactones (bitter) Tannins Flavonoids Alkaloids Phenolic acids Coumarins

Achillea millefolium

Actions Bitter Astringent Antispasmodic Diaphoretic Diuretic Antimicrobial Hypotensive Anti-inflammatory Hepatic

Gentian lutea

Gentian lutea

Gentian Gentianaceae family Constituents

Iridoids (bitter) Amarogentian Gentamarin

Xanthones Alkaloids Phenolic acids Sugars Volatile oils (trace)

Gentian lutea

Actions Bitter Sialagogue Cholagogue Hepatic Antimicrobial Antihelminthic Emmenagogue

Iris versicolor

Iris versicolor

Blue flag Iridaceae family Constituents

Volatile oils Glycoside iridin Acids Triterpenoids Gum Resins Sterols

Iris versicolor

Actions Cholagogue Hepatic Alterative Laxative Diuretic Anti-inflammatory

Menyanthes trifoliata

Menyanthes trifoliata

Bog bean Menyanthaceae family Constituents

Iridoids (bitter) Flavanoid glycosides Anthraquinones Coumarins Alkaloids Tannins

Menyanthes trifoliata

Actions Bitter Cholagogue Diuretic Antirheumatic

Matricaria recutita

Matricaria recutita

Chamomile Asteraceae family Constituents

Sesquiterpenes (bitter) Sesquiterpene lactones (bitter) Flavanoid glycosides

Matricaria recutita

Actions Bitter Carminative Antispasmodic Anti-inflammatory Antimicrobial Nervine Vulnerary