A
Achene - small, dry, indehiscent 1-seeded fruit in which the ovary
wall is free from the seed.
Acuminate - tapering to a point.
Ade - fruit drink.
Squeeze out the juice of the fruit, adding water and sugar to taste.
Aglycone - The non-sugar component, together
with a sugar, formed upon hydrolysis of a glycoside.
Alterative - Producing healthful changes without
perceptible evacuation.
Anthelminthic - An agent which expels worms.
Anodyne - Relieves pain.
Anther - top of the stamen, which holds the
pollen.
Antibilous - acts
on the bile, relieving biliousness.
Antiemetic - Stops
vomiting.
Antihilitic - Prevents
the formation of calculi in the urinary tract.
Antiperiodic - Arrests
morbid periodical movements.
Antipileptic - Relieves
fits.
Antirheumatic - Relieves
or cures rheumatism.
Antiscorbutic - Relieves
or cures scurvy.
Antiseptic - Opposed
to putrefaction.
Antispasmodic - Relieves
or prevents spasms.
Antisyphilitic - Prevents
or cures venereal disease.
Aperient - Gently
laxative, without purging.
Aromatic - emits a fragrant odo; aromatic,
spicy.
Astringent - causing soft body parts to contract,
reducing blood flow.
Axil - angle between a branch or a leaf and
the axis from which it arises.
Axillary - growing from the axil.
B
Biotype - group of organisms with similar hereditary characteristics.
Bipinnate - double pinnate leaf.
Blanch - dip the
plant in either hot or boiling water once or twice.
Bract- leaf from the axil of which a flower
arises.
Bruise - lamug;
to reduce the plant part to a pulpy mass by either pounding with a blunt
instrument or by crushing between the fingers.
Bulbil - aerial deciduous bulb produced in
a leaf axil.
C
Calyx - outermost envelope of the flower, consisting
of a number of sepals.
Campanulate - bell-shaped.
Capsule - dry fruit of two or more carpels,
dehiscent bivalves.
Carminative - expels gas from the alimentary
tract.
Carpel - unit structure of a compound pistil.
Cataplasm - plaster or poultice.
Cephalic - Used in diseases of the head.
Cholagogue - Increases the flow of bile.
Condiment - Improves the flavor of food.
Connivent - coming into contact; converging
but not fused together.
Coppice - grove of shrubs originating from
sprouts or root suckers.
Corm - A bulb-like underground structure of
the enlarged fleshy base of the stem.
Corolla - petals of a flower.
Corymb -a flat-top raceme in which the pedicels
of the lower flower are longer than those of the upper ones.
Cyme - a flat or convex, open, compound flower
cluster, the inner flowers opening first.
Cytolides - Naturalized cyclized proteins with
potent cytotoxic activity.
Cytotoxic - Toxic to cells, cell-killing, i.e,
radiotherapy or chemotherapy.
D
Deciduous - falling off; applied to trees that
shed all their leaves at a particular season.
Decoction - solution representing the water-soluble
constituents of a plant drug, prepared by boiling the plant drug in water
for 15 minutes. The usual decoction is 5 percent. Observe the same precautions
as infusion preparation.
Deflexed - bend outward or backward.
Demulcent - Soothing; relieves inflammation.
Deobstruent - Removes obstructions.
Depurative - Purifies the blood.
Diaphoreticd - Produces perspiration.
Digestive - Pertaining to digestion; digestant.
Discoid - disc-shaped.
Discutient - Dissolves and removes tumors.
Diuretic - Increases the secretion and flow
of urine.
Dysentery - inflammation of the large intestine
with evacuation of liquid, bloody stool, and the urge to evacuate without
result.
E
Elliptic - oval with narrowed to rounded ends.
Embryotoxic - Harmful to an embryo.
Emetic -Produces vomiting.
Emmenagogue - Produces menstruation.
Emollient - Softening and soothing to inflammed
parts.
Endocarp - inner layer of the flesh of a fruit
when it consists of two or more layers of different texture or consistency.
Enfleurage - a process of making perfumes in
which fats are made to absorb the fragrance of fresh flowers.
Entire margin - continuous leaf margin, smooth
leaf edge.
Epipetalous - stamens attached to the corolla.
Esculent - Edible; eatable as food.
Exanthematous - Remedy for skin eruptions and
diseases.
Expectorant - Facilitates expectoration.
Express - squeeze out.
Extract - concentrated preparation made buy
macerating or percolating with solvent.
F
Febrifuge - Remedy for fever; reduces fever.
Fetotoxic - Toxic to the fetus.
Filament - threadlike part of stamen that bears
the anther.
Filiform - Thread-like.
Follicle - fruit developed from a single carpel,
opening when mature by natural sutures.
G
Genotype -fundamental constitution in terms of hereditary factors.
Glabrous - smooth in the sense of having no
hairs.
Glaucous - Covered with a whitish or bluish
powdery bloom.
Globose - spherical, having the shape of a
globe.
Glycoside - A compound that contains sugar,
so named for the sugar contained: glucoside (glucose), pentoside (pentose),
fructoside (fructose).
H
Hemostatic - Agent that arrests the flow of
blood.
Hepatic - Remedy for diseases of the liver.
Hydroalcoholic - mixture of water and alcohol, usually of a solvent
for extraction.
Indehiscent - seed-bearing plant part (fruit)
that does not open by valves or along regular lines upon maturity.
I
Inflorescence - flower head of a plant, cluster
of flowers growing together on a stalk.
Infusion - aequous preparation of plant parts
in either cold or boilig water, the amount of the plant part differing with
each plant. The usual infusion is 5 percent. To prepare the infusion, break
the plant parts into small pieces before soaking them in either cold or
boiling water in an eartheware container (palayok). Do not use metal of
plastic containers. Allow to soak for 30 minutes, then strain.
Insecticide - Any substance poisonous to insects.
Insectifuge - A preparation which repels insects..
L
Lanceolate - lance-shaped.
Latex - milky juice produced by certain plants.
Laxative - Promotes bowel movements.
Lectins - Carbohydrate binding proteins or
glycoproteins capable of provoking agglutination of cells, esp RBCs.
Lenticel - A breathing pore in the stem and
bark of trees and shrubs.
Liniment - a solution of a drug for rubbing
on the skin as a counterirritant.
Lithotryptic - Dissolves calculi in the urinary
organs.
M
Macerate - to soften / extract by steeping
in a fluid such as oil or alcohol.
Marcotting - asexual method of reproduction
in plants: fibrous medium, e.g., coconut husk, is wrapped around a node
of woody stem to encourage roots to develop and produce a new / daughter
plant.
Maturating - Ripens or brings boils, tumors,
and ulcers to a head.
Mitogenic - Causing mitosis or transformation.
Monoecious - With stamens and pistils in separate
flowers; having both male and female reproductive organs.
Mucilage - Viscous secretion or bodily fluid.
Mucilaginous - Soothing to inflammed parts.
Mucronate - Ending abruptly in a sharp tip
or spine.
Mutagenic - Capable of causing mutation (xrays,
chemical pollution, drugs)
N
Nauseant - Produces vomiting.
Nervine - Acting on the nervous system; allays
nervous excitement.
O
Ointment - semisolid preparation in water-soluble
base.
Ophthalmicum -A remedy for disease of the eye.
P
Panicle - elongated inflorescence with a central
axis divided into several branches, each bearing several flowers.
Parenchyma - thin-walled living cells in which
plant secretions are stored.
Parturient - Induces and promotes labor at
childbirth.
Pectoral - Remedy for affections of the chest..
Pedicel - stalk of a solitary flower, or a
flower in a cluster.
Peduncle -stalk supporting an inflorescence.
Pendulous - hanging freely or loosely.
Perianth - The calyx and corolla of the outer
part of the flower.
Pericarp - body of the fruit developed from
the ovary and enclosing the seeds.
Periderm - outer layer of root or stem
Petiole - leaf stalk.
Phytophotodermatitis - PPD, a cutaneous phototoxic
inflammatory eruption from contact with light-sensitizing botanical substances
and UV radiation.
Pinnate - leaf resembling a feather.
Pinnatifid - pinnately divided into segments
nearly to the midrib.
Pistil - female element of a flower, consisting
of ovary, stigma, and often style.
Plant drug - medicinal plant part, as collected
from mother plant; may refer to both fresh or dried material; crude drug.
Pod - dry- usually dehiscent, few to may-seeded
fruit.
Poultice - soft, usually heated preparation
spread on cloth applied to a sore or swelling.
Probiotic - Live organisms which in adequate
amounts may confer a health benefit to the host.
Propagate - any plant part used in asexual
reproduction of lower plants.
Pulvinus - swollen place at leaf or leaflet
base.
Pungent - Sharp or biting; somewhat acrid.
Purgative - substance that causes evacuation
of the bowels.
R
Raceme - simple flower head in which the elongated
axis bears a number of flowers with short stems of nearly equal length.
Rachis - elongated axis of an inflorescence;
a grass bearing flower stalks at short intervals.
Refrigerant - Cooling.
Resolvent - Dissolves and removes tumors.
Retention enema - Administer one cupful (125
mL) of either infusion or decoction into the rectum as enema and retain
for 15 minutes before expelling.
Retuse - Having a blunt apex with a central
notch.
Revulsive - Effecting revulsion (drawing of
blood from one part to another, as in counter- irritation.
Rhizome - Underground stem.
Rubifacient - Increases circulation, produces
red skin.
Ruminated - appears as if chewed upon.
S
Samara - A one seeded winged nut or
achene.
Scape - leafless flower stalk growing directly from the ground.
Scarious - dry, membranous in texture.
Sedative - Tonic on nerves; quieting.
Sepal - segment of the calyx.
Serrate - leaf margin cut into sharp teeth
pointing forward.
Sessile - Stalkless.
Sialagogue - Increases the secretion of saliva.
SLK - acronym for cough syrup made of tamarind
leaves (sampaloc), ginger (luya) and lime juice (kalamansi).
Sessile - without stalk of any kind.
Smudge - burn plant part, extinguish the flame
to produce a thick smoke.
Sorus - Sori (pl)
- A cluster of spore-producing receptacles (sporangia) on the underside
of a fern frond.
Spadix - An inflorescence of many tiny flowers
arranged around a fleshy column enclosed in a spathe.
Spathe - A single large bract enclosing a flower
cluster.
Stamen - male element of a flower, consisting
usually of anther and filament.
Staminode - sterile stamen.
Stigma - part of pistil that receives the pollen
grains.
Stomachic - Agent that strengthens or stimulates
the stomach.
Style - elongated tube of the pistil through
which pollen grains enter from the stigma to the ovary.
Styptic - Arrests hemorrhage and bleeding.
Succulent - having juicy tissues.
Sudorific - Produces profuse perspiration.
Syrup - liquid preparation in concentrated
sugar solution.
T
Thicket - dense growth of shrubs or underbrush.
Tincture - alcoholic or hydroalcoholic preparation
of the plant part, usually 10 percent. Rubbing alcohol may be used for tincture
for external use.
Tocopherol - Fat soluble alcohols with antioxidant
properties, found in wheat germ oil, egg yolk and leafy vegetables, collectively
constituting Vitamin E. Most are destroyed during the refining of vegetable
oils.
Tonic - Troduces healthy muscular condition
and reaction; remedy that is invigoration and strengthening.
Turgid - swollen
Turgor - normal distention and resiliency of
cells.
U
Umbel - type of inflorescence in which the
various pedicels spring from the same point and reach almost the same height;
umbrella shaped.
V
Vermifuge - Expels worms.
Vermicide - Antihelminthic or medicine destructive
to intestinal animal parasites.
Vulnerary - Agent which heals wounds.
W
Waste place - uncultivated, ruined, or devastated
land / area.
Whorl - three or more structures at a node,
as leaves, branches, or floral parts.
X
Xanthones - Plant derived nutrients or phytonutrients
with antioxidant activity. |
