ateria Medica is a Latin term for the body of knowledge about the therapeutic properties of healing substances (drugs in modern conventional medicine). In the 6th century B.C., an Indian Ayurvedic text described 700 medicinal plants, 64 preparations from mineral sources, and 57 preparations from animal sources. Many of these materia medica, healing herbs, have a long history treating women’s medical issues. As Traditional Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic practices gain wider acceptance, awareness of these most popular and widely used herbs will increase. Many herbs are being supported by recent human studies, so you’ll be hearing much more about their healing ways.

Here are few of the most popular herbs used to address common women’s health issues around pregnancy, menstruation, stress, and menopause.

	Motherwort can also be helpful in reducing anxiety about childbirth or during postpartum depression and menopause.

1. Black Cohosh

Black cohosh was a common uterine tonic at the turn of the 20th century used to lessen false labor pains, as well as regulate and increase true labor. It also was used to help calm the nervous system after labor. Today, black cohosh is making a strong comeback as European doctors prescribe it to relieve hot flashes and depression during menopause. Black cohosh must be taken over a period of time to be effective and high doses should be avoided. Other uses include reducing inflammation of arthritis and muscle pain, relaxing the central nervous system, and reducing ringing in the ears.

2. Cramp Bark

Cramp Bark has long been used as a strong antispasmodic. It helps relieve cramping, irregular bleeding during menstruation, and cramping during pregnancy and postpartum. Other indications include leg cramping during pregnancy and lower back and bearing down pains.

3. Dong Quai

Dong Quai is a root said to be one of the most widely used herbs. It helps relieve insufficient, painful, and irregular menstruation as well as symptoms of PMS, menopause, and uterine fibroids. In some cases, it can help promote fertility. It can also be used during menopause for fatigue and vaginal dryness. Chinese practitioners almost always combine Dong Quai with many other herbs.

4. Evening Primrose

The seed oil of evening primrose contains unsaturated fatty acids thought to relieve PMS, breast cysts, menstrual cramps, and endometriosis, if used regularly. It can help guard against coronary artery disease, assist in lowering high blood pressure and high cholesterol for some regular users, although long-term outcomes have little scientific evidence. Evening primrose encourages regeneration of liver cells damaged by alcohol. It has shown benefit in treating schizophrenia, hyperactivity in children, and problems resulting from nutritional deficits. It is often a useful treatment for skin conditions.

5. Ginseng

Ginseng is best known for increasing mental and physical stamina, and some types support healthy libido. Ginseng also has been used for immune system and digestive system problems. American ginseng helps the body adapt to a diverse set of stressors and stressful circumstances. This type of ginseng works on the entire hormonal systems, often bringing it back into balance.

6. Motherwort

Motherwort has long been used for irregular or painful menstruation and to calm the nervous system. In combination with other herbs, it may support fertility. It seems to help shrink fibroids, but can increase menstrual flow. Motherwort can also be helpful in reducing anxiety about childbirth or during postpartum depression and menopause.

7. Nettles

Nettles is traditionally known to be a blood-building tonic herb that can help reduce excessive bleeding during menstruation and uterine hemorrhaging. It is thought to help with iron absorption and for reversing anemia. Nettles is high in calcium, so it makes an excellent mineral tonic for the bones, skin, and hair, especially in combination with horsetail dried extracts or teas. Nettles encourage production of mother’s milk. It can be used as a mild laxative and diuretic, to promote hair growth, and to improve poor blood circulation.

8. Red Clover

Research suggests that extract of red clover can help relieve hot flashes, help support bone strength after menopause, and help prevent certain kinds of cancers. More high-quality research is needed to confirm these findings, but commercial products contain genestein, the same estrogen-like compound as soy that is thought to help regulate estrogen in the body. It also helps build blood and can assist with removing toxic waste products from the body and has traditionally been used in expectorant formulas for coughs and colds.

9. Red Raspberry

Red raspberry is best known for toning the uterus during pregnancy and to help during labor when used regularly as a tea. A red raspberry tea can be frozen into ice cubes for a woman in labor to suck on and strengthen contractions. It also can reduce pain and uterine swelling and minimize bleeding after childbirth. Red raspberry is an important remedy for a variety of uterine conditions and to correct uterine prolapse.

10. Vitex

Vitex is a popular herbal remedy for PMS, especially for relieving breast tenderness and menopausal symptoms. It is often combined with black cohosh. When used regularly, modern research shows that vitex may help moderate mood swings, relieve depression, and ease food cravings. In Europe, women use vitex to help normalize menstruation and ovulation when they stop taking birth control pills. It also is used to increase milk in nursing mothers and it may help prevent miscarriage. Clinical research shows it may begin working after only 10 days, but to see full benefits, take it for at least six months.

11. Wild Yam

Wild yam decreases muscle cramping and inflammation, especially in the pelvic region. It also is used to ease menstrual and other types of uterine pain and to help prevent miscarriage. It helps alleviate pain of gallstones and some types of intestinal discomfort. Wild yam does not contain progesterone and does not act like this human hormone in the body, as is sometimes thought.

12. Yarrow

Yarrow is easy to grow and the fresh or dried flowers can be made into tea. It has been used to treat menstrual pain, heavy periods, postpartum bleeding, and both incontinence and suppression of urine. It also tones the urinary system if the uterus is weak or excessive bleeding occurs with menopause, after childbirth, or after miscarriage.