Buckthorn, a shrub or small tree of the genus Rhamnus, bearing pea-sized blue-black berries, has been used as a folk medicine since the 14th century. Three species, R. frangula, R. cathartica and R. purshianus supply root, limb bark and berries...
Prostate-specific antigen is a protein produced by your prostate cells. Medical professionals commonly use this protein to screen for prostate cancer, to follow patients after prostate cancer treatment and to evaluate a prostate gland that does...
Elderberry, medically known as Sambucus nigra, is a fruit-bearing shrub native to Europe and North America. With a long history of use in folk medicine, elderberry has been researched in the past twenty years for its medicinal benefits, especially...
Vitamin E is an antioxidant agent in your body that prevents damage to your cellular growth and development from free radicals such as pollutants in the air. Vitamin E supports your immune system, tissue and red blood cells. According to Dr. J.D....
According to Science Daily, berries can indeed lower your low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. This type of cholesterol can cause heart disease, stroke and atherosclerosis if levels are too high. The article also states that black berries...
Ginseng, a plant extract, is found in skin care products that can tone and revitalize skin. Ginseng can help balance the oil gland production and can smooth fine lines and wrinkles in mature skin. There are three species of ginseng plants: the...
Fresh, raw elderberries taste bitter and tart and can make your mouth pucker, even when the dark-purple, almost black, berries are completely ripe. Cooked with sugar, though, elderberries become a tasty source of vitamins and antioxidants. While...
Elderberry is a tall shrub that is native to North America and Europe. The plant grows to about 12 feet tall and is referred to as common elder, sambucus, boor tree, bountry, black elder and sweet elder. The berries and the flowers of the...
Elderberry is a shrub-like tree that produces clusters of purplish-black berries. The unripe berries are slightly toxic because they contain cyanide compounds, which diminish when the fruits are fully ripe or cooked. Ripe berries are used to make...
Many poisonous plants sport very beautiful flowers, which may make them attractive to small children. The good news is that distinctive flowers can be easily spotted, telling you which plants should be avoided. Foxglove, for instance, features...
So you sit-up and crunch until you think you may never do another, and still your stubborn tummy shows no remorse. Perfecting the mid-section is a hard task for many people. The one key factor that many underestimate is the ability to transform...
Blackberries are deep-colored, purple-black berries in the rose family. Although blackberries grow wild in most temperate areas of North America, they are cultivated primarily in Washington, Oregon, and southern British Columbia. When it comes to...
The ripe berries of the Sambucus nigra plant are used to make herbal medicines for pain, infections and swelling. Herbalists believe that chemicals in the berries have anti-inflammatory, anticancer and antiviral properties. The University of...
Elderberry is a shrub of the honeysuckle tree. It grows to a height of no more than 13 feet and produces flowers and fruit. Some parts of the elderberry are toxic, such as the leaves and unripe fruit. The common species has flowers and mature...
A fatty liver is also termed steatosis and occurs when there is an accumulation of fat around the cells of the liver. This is commonly thought to occur due to a poor diet and excess alcohol intake. In some cases other hereditary factors and...
Black currant berries are a good source of antioxidants and vitamins and are used as a food and flavoring agent. Black currant has also traditionally been used in Chinese and European folk medicine for its medicinal properties and is used today...
Saw palmetto is a fan-shaped palm plant found in the southeastern United States and can grow as high as 10 feet. It is found in the southeastern United States. The plant contains sterols, fatty acids and flavonoids, and its blue and black berries...
Insulin resistance is a common health problem in contemporary American society. The National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse states that insulin resistance is a condition in which your pancreas produces insulin -- an important hormone -- but...
The most popular form of elderberries come from the common elderberry, or Sambucus nigra. Naturalized to America from Europe, the elderberry bush thrives in wet, marshy areas. The bark, leaves, flowers and berries of this shrub have been used for...
Hawthorn is a showy shrub bearing small, glossy red or black berries that thrive well into the cold days of winter. The hawthorn berry, as well as other parts of the tree, have been used medicinally since the first century, states the University...
Elderberry grows as a tall, umbrella-shaped plant crowned with flat-topped clusters of tiny white flowers and purple-black berries. At one time elderberries were very popular in the United States. Today, they are often overlooked and sometimes...
Vitiligo causes skin to lose pigment, and is therefore more noticeable on people with darker skin to start with. Skin first appears blotchy, and finally becomes light like an albino. Other symptoms include whitening of hair, loss of color inside...
Both pokeberry and elderberry have long folk histories as remedies for a variety of ailments. But there are dangers associated with each. Although some people still use the young leaves and well-cooked berries of the pokeberry plant, all parts of...
The barberry plant, or Berberis vulgaris, grows abundantly throughout North America and is valuable to herbalists for its potential medicinal benefits. A tall shrub, reaching 10 ft. in height, barberry thrives in sandy locations and produces...
High blood cholesterol can increase your risk for cardiovascular disease, heart attack and stroke. One approach to keeping cholesterol low is to take a prescription statin drug such as simvastatin. Hawthorn is a traditional remedy for...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more Americans die of lung cancer than any other form of cancer. Lung cancer is the result of cancerous cells that originate in your lungs and have the capability of spreading throughout...
Sinusitis is an infection of the sinus cavities that causes inflammation, nasal discharge and headache. It can be due to a virus, bacteria, fungi, allergies or nasal polyps, and often occurs after you've had a cold. Herbal tea may relieve the...
The flu starts with a cold or a runny nose, but other symptoms follow quickly, including fever, achiness, cough, headache, chills, congestion and weakness. The flu starts with a virus, so it doesn't respond to antibiotics. Elderberry, the fruit of...
Phytolacca americana, commonly known as pokeweed or American nightshade, produces berries that are poisonous unless prepared in specific ways. Phytolacca berry is available as a homeopathic remedy for weight loss and other purposes; only buy from...
