ASTRINGENT HERBS (Stambhana karma)

Herbs astringent in taste exert a firming, condensing and compacting

action upon the tissues and organs of the body. They stop excessive
discharges and secretions. Although
rying, they are also moisture preserving. In addition, they have a healing
action upon skin and mucous membranes.
Astringent taste may be differentiated from astringent action in the
following way: astringent tasting herbs have astringent action while
herbs of other tastes may also have astringent effects upon the body.
Astringent tasting herbs are mainly used symptomaticaUy, as in
stopping bleeding or stopping diarrhea. Yet they often do not correct the
condition from which the problem arises. Other herbs of different tastes
may, in correcting conditions, alleviate these symptoms also. Diarrhea,
for example, may be due to poor absorption in the small intestine. An
astringent taste herb like alum or raspberry may suppress the symptom,
but will not improve absorption (astringent taste is heavy and difficult to
digest). In this regard, an herb like nutmeg, which is pungent and
astringent, and which contains heating and digestion promoting action
along with astringent action, is more the herb of choice.
It may not always be good to suppress discharges. Diarrhea caused by
Atria may be the bodys way of naturally cleansing itself. To suppress
such diarrhea with astringent taste herbs would be to hold the toxins in
the body and cause further complications. The correct treatment in this
case would be to promote the diarrhea with laxatives until the Atna is
dispelled. Astringents would only be employed if the diarrhea continued
beyond the point of cleansing.
It is important, therefore, that we do not abuse astringent herbs by using
them symptomatically like drugs, without
understanding the deeper causes of the disorders they may superficially
treat.
Ayurveda distinguishes between three different kinds of astringent
action: those which stop bleeding, hemostatic herbs (rakta statnbhana;
those which stop excessive discharge of waste materials {mala
stambhana) and could be called antidiarrhea herbs; and the third group
vulnerary herbs (ropana), which promote healing of tissues, particularly
for external usage. Not all of these herbs are astringent in taste.
Hemostatic herbs stop bleeding, usually by cooling the blood. They are
related to alterative herbs, blood-purifiers. Since they are mainly anti-
Pitta in action, t_hey can aggravate Vata. Their taste is usually astringent
or bitter.
Typical hemostatic herbs include agrimony bistort, cattail, golden seal,
hibiscus, manjishta, marshmallow, mullein, nettle, plantain, red
raspberry, saffron, self-heal, shepherds purse, turmeric, white oak and
yarrow.
Some hot pungent herbs have a hemostatic action, particularly where
bleeding is caused by cold, as in some Vata or Kapha conditions. Such
herbs include black pepper, cayenne, cinnamon and ginger. These stop
bleeding in short term usage but in longer usage may promote bleeding
by heating the blood.
Bitter tonics and alterative herbs, which generally cool blood and Pitta,
may help stop bleeding by their cooling action even without any more
specific hemostatic properties
Astringent action herbs that stop diarrhea may also help eliminate
excessive sweating, urination and spontaneous seminal emission. They
are usually cooling in energy and astringent to bitter in taste.
Typical antidiarrhea herbs include blackberry comfrey cranesbill, gen-
tian, lotus seeds, plantain, red raspberry sumach, white pond lily white
oak bark and yellow dock.
Some warming herbs also stop diarrhea and other excessive discharges
and are usually better for digestion. Such herbs are healthful to Vata.
They include black pepper, ginger, haritaki, nutmeg and poppy seeds.
Such substances as buttermilk (takra), and yogurt also work on this
level.
Vulnerary herbs promote healing of damaged tissue from cuts, wounds,
burns, hemorrhaging, etc. They are often used externally in poultices and
plasters. Mainly astringent or sweet in taste and cooling in energy, they
reduce Pitta and Kapha. Yet they are not so much for deep-seated
injuries where there is much tissue damage, because this requires more
tonification (what is usually a more Vata condition). Many are
demulcent and emollient; softening and soothing to the skin and mucous
membranes. Some may contain mucilage.
Typical vulnerary herbs include aloe vera, chickweed, comfrey honey,
marshmallow, plantain, self-heal, shepherds purse, slippery elm and
turmeric.
Some herbs possess all three of these astringent actions and have thereby
become famous as heal-all herbs. Such herbs
include comfrey, marshmallow, plantain, self-heal and yarrow.
The healing action of astringent herbs is not usually of a nutritive nature.
Astringent herbs promote the healing of tissues, but do not actually
promote the increase of tissue. This drying action can have not only a
healing, but also a wasting effect. Wrong or excessive use of astringent
herbs may aggravate Vata. This can cause constipation, gas pain, muscle
spasms and nervousness.
For this reason, astringent herbs are often used synergistically with
nutritive or tonic herbs. The nutritive herbs build up the tissue and the
astringents give it firmness and help hold it in the body. Herbs that
combine astringent and tonic action are thereby powerful rejuvenatives
like amalaki, bibhitaki and haritaki, three of Ayurvedas most powerful
regenerative herbs.