Herbs astringent in taste exert a firming, condensing and compacting
action upon the tissues and organs of the body. They stop excessive discharges and secretions. Although rying, they are also moisture preserving. In addition, they have a healing action upon skin and mucous membranes. Astringent taste may be differentiated from astringent action in the following way: astringent tasting herbs have astringent action while herbs of other tastes may also have astringent effects upon the body. Astringent tasting herbs are mainly used symptomaticaUy, as in stopping bleeding or stopping diarrhea. Yet they often do not correct the condition from which the problem arises. Other herbs of different tastes may, in correcting conditions, alleviate these symptoms also. Diarrhea, for example, may be due to poor absorption in the small intestine. An astringent taste herb like alum or raspberry may suppress the symptom, but will not improve absorption (astringent taste is heavy and difficult to digest). In this regard, an herb like nutmeg, which is pungent and astringent, and which contains heating and digestion promoting action along with astringent action, is more the herb of choice. It may not always be good to suppress discharges. Diarrhea caused by Atria may be the bodys way of naturally cleansing itself. To suppress such diarrhea with astringent taste herbs would be to hold the toxins in the body and cause further complications. The correct treatment in this case would be to promote the diarrhea with laxatives until the Atna is dispelled. Astringents would only be employed if the diarrhea continued beyond the point of cleansing. It is important, therefore, that we do not abuse astringent herbs by using them symptomatically like drugs, without understanding the deeper causes of the disorders they may superficially treat. Ayurveda distinguishes between three different kinds of astringent action: those which stop bleeding, hemostatic herbs (rakta statnbhana; those which stop excessive discharge of waste materials {mala stambhana) and could be called antidiarrhea herbs; and the third group vulnerary herbs (ropana), which promote healing of tissues, particularly for external usage. Not all of these herbs are astringent in taste. Hemostatic herbs stop bleeding, usually by cooling the blood. They are related to alterative herbs, blood-purifiers. Since they are mainly anti- Pitta in action, t_hey can aggravate Vata. Their taste is usually astringent or bitter. Typical hemostatic herbs include agrimony bistort, cattail, golden seal, hibiscus, manjishta, marshmallow, mullein, nettle, plantain, red raspberry, saffron, self-heal, shepherds purse, turmeric, white oak and yarrow. Some hot pungent herbs have a hemostatic action, particularly where bleeding is caused by cold, as in some Vata or Kapha conditions. Such herbs include black pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and ginger. These stop bleeding in short term usage but in longer usage may promote bleeding by heating the blood. Bitter tonics and alterative herbs, which generally cool blood and Pitta, may help stop bleeding by their cooling action even without any more specific hemostatic properties Astringent action herbs that stop diarrhea may also help eliminate excessive sweating, urination and spontaneous seminal emission. They are usually cooling in energy and astringent to bitter in taste. Typical antidiarrhea herbs include blackberry comfrey cranesbill, gen- tian, lotus seeds, plantain, red raspberry sumach, white pond lily white oak bark and yellow dock. Some warming herbs also stop diarrhea and other excessive discharges and are usually better for digestion. Such herbs are healthful to Vata. They include black pepper, ginger, haritaki, nutmeg and poppy seeds. Such substances as buttermilk (takra), and yogurt also work on this level. Vulnerary herbs promote healing of damaged tissue from cuts, wounds, burns, hemorrhaging, etc. They are often used externally in poultices and plasters. Mainly astringent or sweet in taste and cooling in energy, they reduce Pitta and Kapha. Yet they are not so much for deep-seated injuries where there is much tissue damage, because this requires more tonification (what is usually a more Vata condition). Many are demulcent and emollient; softening and soothing to the skin and mucous membranes. Some may contain mucilage. Typical vulnerary herbs include aloe vera, chickweed, comfrey honey, marshmallow, plantain, self-heal, shepherds purse, slippery elm and turmeric. Some herbs possess all three of these astringent actions and have thereby become famous as heal-all herbs. Such herbs include comfrey, marshmallow, plantain, self-heal and yarrow. The healing action of astringent herbs is not usually of a nutritive nature. Astringent herbs promote the healing of tissues, but do not actually promote the increase of tissue. This drying action can have not only a healing, but also a wasting effect. Wrong or excessive use of astringent herbs may aggravate Vata. This can cause constipation, gas pain, muscle spasms and nervousness. For this reason, astringent herbs are often used synergistically with nutritive or tonic herbs. The nutritive herbs build up the tissue and the astringents give it firmness and help hold it in the body. Herbs that combine astringent and tonic action are thereby powerful rejuvenatives like amalaki, bibhitaki and haritaki, three of Ayurvedas most powerful regenerative herbs.
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