Lesson 2.3
Materia Medica
The term Materia medica is Latin and literally means “healing materials.” It is a body of knowledge that describes how plants have been used therapeutically throughout the ages. These published works span from ancient times to modern day. For example, the oldest surviving Chinese Materia medica, the Shen Nong Ben Cao Jing (Divine Farmer’s Classic of Materia medica), consisted of 365 herbs. A Materia medica consists of multiple herbal monographs, or detailed descriptions of plants, that will serve as one of the foundational resources for you as an herbalist. It will include information from both historical and modern resources, from books and articles to scientific journals and personal experiences.
Your Materia medica can take on a few different looks. Some herbalists choose to use a 3-ring binder, so they can easily add to their collection, while others prefer a bound notebook. Some prefer to keep it all digital. I love the idea of being hands-on and being able to flip through pages for a more tactile experience. This makes herbalism feel more tangible and accessible when I’m on the go or just don’t want to be on the computer. You can also illustrate or tape a photo of the plant to its monograph. Your Materia medica is the place where you will keep all the notes you acquire over the years. If you’re like me and have dozens of notebooks floating around at home, dedicate one to this! When you want to quickly know something about an herb you use regularly or need to reference it when doing work for a client, you’ll be glad you have a dedicated home just for herbal research. It truly is like building your own encyclopedia. You could also think of it as part of the herbalist’s desk reference.
Again, the profile of each herb in your Materia medica is called an herbal monograph. It will include basic information like common & Latin names and active constituents (responsible for herbal actions) as well as space to list the Ayurvedic or Chinese name (if applicable) and how to prepare the herb. Perhaps one of the most important parts of the monograph is the space to draw or insert a photo of the herb. It is important to know what an herb looks like, even if you do not know them by heart, as their appearance can even vary from one season to another. The herbal monograph is usually 1-2 pages. It’s a handy resource to assist you in learning herbal facts, many of which you will one day be able to recall on your own.
Family Materia Medica
Some herbalists may want to specialize in family or community herbalism and may choose to create a notebook dedicated to this. It could include herbs typically used in a first aid kit as well as medical information for each family member, including herbs frequently used to address their individual health needs or conditions. As you can see, there is a variety of ways in which to create and use your Materia medica! How will you use yours?
