Our Ingredients

 ALMOND OIL
Almond Oil

Sweet almond oil is obtained from the dried kernels of the almond tree and is an excellent emollient. It softens and soothes the skin.

It has a rich concentration of oleic and linoleic essential fatty acids. It also contains the vitamins A and E.

Ointments: Pile it On.
ALOE
Aloe Vera

The number one application for burns, excellent for sunburn.

Rehydrates the skin. Aloe contains active compounds that stop pain and inflammation, and stimulates skin growth and repair.

Some evidence also suggests that Aloe can improve certain skin conditions such as Psoriasis.

Excellent for nappy rash.

Ointments: Everyday Ointment, Pile it On, Baby Bottom Balm.
ARNICA (Arnica Montanna)
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Traditionally used for years all over the world in mountainous areas.

Works chiefly on blood vessels and the soft tissue of the body.

Helps reduce pain and speeds absorption of blood under the skin.

Excellent trauma remedy.

Not to be applied to broken skin - may cause irritation.

Ointments: Aches and Pains.
BEESWAX
Beeswax

Beeswax is a biologically active product containing high bactericidal properties which are retained even after processing.

Vitamin A, an antioxidant, with skin regenerative properties, helps the skin stay soft, smooth and firm, increases elasticity.

It has an extremely high amount of carotin, which is a precursor to vitamin A.

Ointments: Aches and Pains, The Wound Warrior, Everyday Ointment, Pile it On, Baby Bottom Balm, Solar-X, Herp-Ease.
BLACK WALNUT (Juglans Nigra)
Black Walnut

The bark, leaves and fruit of the walnut are used medicinally by herbalists.

The bark and leaves have alterative, laxative, astringent and detergent properties and are traditionally used in the treatment of a variety of skin troubles.

They are of the highest value in treating scrofulous diseases and healing indolent ulcers.

The walnut is bursting with chemical activities: anti-oxidant, antiseptic, anti-mutagenic, anti-carcinogenic, anti-fungal and anti-parasitic.

Ointments: Solar-X.
BURDOCK ROOT (Arctium Lappa)
Burdock Root

During the middle ages, burdock was valued for treating a host of ailments, internal and external. It was used for purifying the blood for it acts on sweat glands and clears the skin, a tincture or fluid extract of the seeds being used for the treatment of chronic skin complaints. Burdock has played an important role (along with red clover) in Native American medicine.

It is not fully understood which chemicals in Burdock are responsible for its healing properties, but the plant has anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory, disinfectant and anti-carinogenic activities.

Ointments: Solar-X.
CALENDULA (Calendula Officinalis)
Calendula

Useful for open wounds, parts that will not heal, ulcers. It promotes healthy granulation, helps make acrid discharges healthy and free.

Useful for open, torn, cut, lacerated, ragged or suppurating wounds. Helps abort or mature boils and abscesses.

During the American Civil war Calendula was used to stop the blood flow from battle wounds.

The flowers have anti-spasmodic, anti-microbial and anti-viral properties.

Ointments: The Wound Warrior, Everyday Ointment, Baby Bottom Balm, Herp-Ease.
CLIVERS (Gallium Aparine)
Clivers

The whole plant is used when just coming into flower.

In the old herbals, clivers is extolled for its powers as a purifier of the blood.

A wash from the plant is said to be useful for sunburn and freckles.

The herb has a special curative reputation with reference to cancerous growth and allied tumours, an ointment made from the plant to dress the ulcerated parts.

Ointments: Solar-X.
COMFREY (Symphytum Officinalis - commonly known as knitbone or boneset)
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The root contains a crystalline solid that stimulates the growth of epithelium (cell tissue) on ulcerated surfaces.

Useful as a dressing for sores or ulcers and Pruritis Ani (itchy anus).

It's more common usage is for injuries to tendons and periosteum (the surface layer of bones), joints and cartilage.

Ointments: Aches and Pains, The Wound Warrior.
COMMON DAISY (Bellis Perennis)
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Often trampled underfoot. Used to be known as bruisewort.

Works on muscular fibres of the blood vessels and areas rich in glandular tissue like the neck, breasts and testicles.

Can be used for the treatment of injuries that have a lot of soreness, swelling, or a bruised feeling. Soothes varicose veins.

Ointments: Aches and Pains, Pile it On.
HARAKEKE, New Zealand Flax (Phormium Tenax)

Parts used: roots.

The value placed on the flax by the old-time Maori can perhaps be assessed by the astonishment expressed by some chiefs in the early days of contact when apprised of the fact that the plant did not then grow in England. They asked "how is it possible to live there without it?".

The flax root and leaf are used by the Maori to treat cutaneous diseases such as ringworm and venereal disease.

The root and rhizome were used to treat measles, small-pox and other eruptions, severe bayonet and gunshot wounds. In the small-pox epidemic of 1862 the native doctors used a "new" treatment which was said to be very successful. They boiled the root of the flax and then smeared it on as an ointment.

Ointment: Herp-Ease.
HORSE CHESTNUT (Aesculus Hippocastanum)
Koromiko

Parts used: Seeds, leaves and bark.

Horse chestnut seed extract (HCSF) is used in Europe as a treatment for chronic venous insufficiency. The seeds have been used as an analgesic and vasoconstrictor.

Today horse chestnut seed extract is the most widely prescribed medication in Germany for chronic venous insufficiency and oedema.

Homoeopathically it is used for engorged haemorrhoidal veins. Venous stasis in general, purple varicose veins. The anus is raw and sore, haemorrhoids with sharp shooting pains up the back, blind or bleeding.

Ointments: Pile it On.
KOROMIKO, Veronica (Hebe sticta)
Koromiko

Parts used: Flowering tops.

Amongst the Maori this plant has always played an important part in ritual ceremonies, as well as being widely known for the curative properties of its leaves to heal skin diseases as well as various internal ailments, especially diarrhoea and dysentery.

Poultices of koromiko were used for many skin disorders, but, in particular, was useful for venereal diseases, ulcerated parts and crusted sores.

Ointment: Herp-Ease.
NETTLE (Urtica Dioica)
Stinging Nettle

Parts used: Whole flowering tops.

Stinging nettle is widely used to treat rheumatism and poor circulation, neuralgia, gout and joint aches and pains.

Main properties are analgesic, anti-arthritic and anti-inflammatory.

According to tradition, Caesars troops introduced The Roman Nettle into Britain because they thought they would need to flail themselves with nettles to keep warm and until recently "ûrtication" or beating with nettles was a standard folk remedy for arthritis and rheumatism.

Ointments: Aches and Pains.
OLIVE OIL
Olives

Olive oil contains many substances essential for healthy skin.

Vitamin A, an antioxidant, with skin regenerative properties, helps the skin stay soft, smooth and firm, increases elasticity.

Vitamin E, an antioxidant with skin moisturising systems, that prevents skin irritation and has anti-inflammatory properties.

Beta Carotene, an antioxidant with photo protection properties.

Squalene, an excellent moisturiser and helps reduce skin irritation.

Ointments: Aches and Pains, The Wound Warrior, Everyday Ointment, Baby Bottom Balm, Solar-X, Herp-Ease.
PLAINTAIN Plantago Major
Plantain

Parts used: The leaves.

There are many recorded usages in New Zealand by maori and pakeha from 1830 onwards, for treating scalds, burns, ulcers, malignant ulcers, suppurating sores, abscesses and boils, cuts and wounds and for drawing poison.

The Broad leaf plantain seems to have followed the migration of colonists to every part of the world. In both America and New Zealand it has been called "the Englishman's foot" or "the White Man's foot".

The Saxons esteemed it highly and in the old "Lacnunga" it is mentioned as one of the nine sacred herbs. In this most ancient source of Anglo-Saxon medicine, we find this "Salve for flying venom".

Ointments: The Wound Warrior.
RED CLOVER (Trifolium Pratense)
Red Clover

Helps to relieve the itch of conditions like, Eczema, Psoriasis, dry crusty skin, cradle cap. Used by the American Indians for skin diseases, particularly chronic skin conditions.

Fomentations and poultices of the herb have been used as local applications to cancerous growths.

The isoflavones isolated from red clover have been studied for their effectiveness in treating some forms of cancers. It is thought that the isoflavones prevent the proliferation of cancer cells and that they may even destroy cancer cells.

Ointments: Everyday Ointment, Solar-X.
ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus Officinalis)
Rosemary

Parts used: Leaves and flowers.

A powerful herbal healer which is often passed over and used only as a culinary plant. Rosemary was a favoured herb in early apothecary gardens.

Oil of rosemary has potent anti-fungal, anti-herpetic, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant activities.

Ointment: Herp-Ease.
ST JOHN'S WORT (Hypericum Perforatum)
Hypericum

An excellent remedy for injuries to nerves, fingers, toes, nails and whitlows. Relieves pain!!

Insect bites are soothed, the itch relieved.

Lacerated injuries, abrasions, burns, anything where nerve endings are damaged or exposed.

Has anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties.

Ointments: The Wound Warrior, Everyday Ointment, Pile it On, Baby Bottom Balm, Herp-Ease.
TURMERIC (Curcuma Longa)
Turmeric

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and has been a traditional remedy in ayurvedic and Chinese medicine for thousands of years.

It is used externally for reducing inflammations, treating skin diseases and healing wounds.

Turmeric has extremely high anti-oxidant activities. In Asia, it is added to food to prevent oxidisation. It is also claimed to be anti-carcinogenic and used topically on the skin for cancerous affections.

In 1990, D.K. Shallini, in Biochemical Pharmacology, reported that turmeric provided DNA protection from oxidative damage by carcinogens.

In 1988, N.T. Huang reported that skin tumours in mice were inhibited at the rate of 98% by turmeric.

Ointments: Solar-X.
VIOLET (Viola Odorata)
Violet

Parts used: leaves and flowers.

The common garden sweet violet. Medicinally the whole plant is used, and has been for centuries, for a variety of disorders, internal and external.

Violets have antiseptic and anti-mutagenic properties and are rich in vitamins A and C.

The violet plant is haemostatic and has the ability to hasten healing, hence its use for gastric and duodenal ulcers, and to treat cancers, both externally and internally. The dried flowers have been used in Siberia for centuries to treat cancers and ulcers. Lucas 1977 says that the Chinese were making a poultice from the plant to treat surface cancers as long ago as 500BC. The list goes on.

Ointments: Solar-X.
WILLOW BARK (Salix Alba)
Willow Bark

Willow was one of the first herbs to be scientifically investigated. In the 19th century the French chemist Leroux extracted the active ingredient "Salicine". By 1852 it was being synthetically produced and by 1899 a less irritant and unpleasant-tasting variant of the substance (acetyl salicylic acid) was manufactured and marketed as aspirin.

The willow is traditionally used for treating feverish diseases, chills, agues, pain, inflammations, neuralgia, headache, gout and rheumatic ailments, and arthritic joints.

Ointments: Aches and Pains.
WITCHHAZEL (Hamamelis Virginiana)
Witch Hazel

Parts used: Bark and leaves.

Witchhazel is a valuable medicinal plant for checking internal and external haemorrhage, most efficacious in the treatment of piles. A good pain-killer for the same, useful for bruises and inflammatory swellings.

Witchhazel has been supposed to owe its utility to an action on the muscular fibre of veins. It is excellent applied to varicose veins, bleeding or otherwise.

Witchhazel contains tannins which are highly astringent. Properties are hemostatic and styptic (contracts blood vessels).

Ointments: Pile it On.
YARROW (Achillea Millefolium)
Yarrow

Tincture made from the whole plant is employed for bleeding piles.

Yarrow has been used as a medicine for centuries. It is said to have been used on battlefields to staunch bleeding wounds.

Externally yarrow stops bleeding, makes tissue contract, inhibits bacterial growth, helps tissue heal and reduces inflammation.

Activities are anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-herpetic and analgesic.

Ointments: Pile it On, Herp-Ease.
BIBLIOGRAPHY

A Modern Herbal. Mrs. Grieve, Revised edition published 1992 by Johnathon Cape Ltd, Great Britain.

Complete Guide Medicinal Herbal, The. Penelope Ody, Published 1993 by Dorling Kindersley, Australia.

Concordant Materia Medica. Frans Vermeulen, Published 1994 by Merlijn Publishers Haarlem, The Netherlands.

Homoeopathic Materia Medica, William Boericke, Published 1983 by B. Jain, India.

Maori Healing and Herbal. Murdoch Riley, Published 1994 by Viking Sevenseas NZ Ltd.

Oldfashioned and Unusual Herbs, Gillian Painter, Published 1982 by Hodder and Stoughton, New Zealand.

Dr Dukes Phytochemical & Ethnobotanical Databases agricultural research service, http://www.ars.grin.gov/duke.

Gale Encyclopedia of Alternative Medicine by David Helwig.

Integrative Medicine, http://www.healthandage.com.

http://www.mcpedu/herbal.

http://www.cloudnet.com.

The Arizona Centre for Phytomedicine research, http://www.herbsarespecial.com.