 So herbal actions. Herbal actions describe the physiological effects of herbs on different systems, on different tissues, on different organs. This language of herbal medicine, particularly western herbal medicine. A lot of the action names that we use are also used by modern medicine. They came from herbal medicine first. A lot of them will be based on the theories that we've talked about before. So we might talk about an astringent action. An astringent action is this action to tone and tighten mucous membranes, to stop excess discharges from the system, to heal and seal the skin, to heal and seal the gut. That's called the astringent action. So an example of that will be witch hazel. Don't take witch hazel externally, but a fantastic external astringent herb for stopping oozing and bleeding of the skin. So this drying and toning effect due to tannins. A carminative effect. We've talked a lot in the previous lecture about the effect of aromatic herbs. Those volatile oils that they contain which have a smooth muscle, relaxing effect within the gut and also in the lungs. So that action of volatile components, relieving gas and bloating and spasm, it's called a carminative action. A dimulsant action. Again in the last lecture we talked about slimy herbs, mucilaginous herbs. You can feel them in your mouth. That slimy type of polysaccharide that you can't digest, that travels all the way through the digestive system lubricating and soothing and protecting and healing the gut. It's called a dimulsant action. So linseeds, marshmallows, slippery elm, some of these herbs that hopefully you're becoming familiar with their names. The action name is dimulsant. Most herbs have primary actions and it's important that we get to know these primary actions of herbs. But of course herbs are very, very complex organisms and they contain many, many different chemical substances. Many different energetic effects which means that herbs often have multiple actions. I referred to this in the last lecture that we kind of have to get to know our herbs as characters. This holistic effect they have on the body. They don't really have one effect, maybe a primary effect, but they'll also be doing other things in the system. If we can get to know herbs, the different chemicals they contain, the different actions they possess, we can start to fit our herbal medicines to our patients in very precise ways. A good example of this is chamomile. Chamomile contains a range of different chemicals. It contains anti-inflammatory volatile oils, so it gives it an anti-inflammatory effect. It also has a central nervous system relaxing effect. That's called a nirvine property, nirvine relaxant. It also contains volatile oils. That means it relaxes the smooth muscles. Therefore it's also a carminative. You'll find that if you make a longing fusion, a very good quality chamomile, there's also a little bit of bitterness in there. So it also has a bitter action. So we have one herb chamomile which is nirvine, which is anti-spasmodic and carminative, which is bitter and also nirvine. So we can think about our patients, what our patients need, and we can try and match herbs to them based on these actions. So on this basis, chamomile becomes an amazing herb for patients who are a little bit anxious or nervy, who have weak digestion, gas and spasm, maybe IBS related to stress. Sometimes just using chamomile on its own, remember really high quality chamomile at a therapeutic dose, which is two teaspoons per cup, infused three times daily. That might be enough for a patient. Such a complex chemistry within this herb. So many different actions within this herb that one herb might be plenty for the patient.