From September 29 to October 3, 2016, almost 400 attendees
gathered in Seven Springs, Pennsylvania, for the 27th annual symposium of the
American Herbalists Guild (AHG). AHG offered pre- and post-symposium intensives,
an “Infectious Disease and Herbal Therapy” course track, classes led by
presenters from around the US, and multiple herb walks highlighting the diverse
plant life of the region, which is located between the upper Appalachian chain
and lower Allegheny mountains. These classes displayed the many facets of
herbalism, from the spiritual aspect of plant energetics to the use of
plant-based medicines for antiviral, therapeutic, and other clinical
applications. The theme of the symposium, “Connecting to Our Roots,” included a
vital and timely message concerning the conservation of the plants that many
people around the world rely on for their livelihoods and health.
The first night featured the Sugar Maple Shindig, with Glen
Nagel, ND, lead naturopathic physician for Herb Pharm and adjunct botanical
faculty for the National University of Natural Medicine, behind the bar
concocting several different herbal cocktails. Selections included the Wise
Elder, with elder (Sambucus nigra,
Adoxaceae) berry syrup, sparkling wine, and elderflower/aquafaba foam (the
liquid in a can of chickpeas [Cicer
arietinum, Fabaceae], whipped into a marshmallow-fluff-like state); a
whiskey sour with maca (Lepidium meyenii,
Brassicaceae) powder; and a non-alcoholic beverage with kava (Piper methysticum, Piperaceae), turmeric
(Curcuma longa, Zingiberaceae), and
coconut (Cocos nucifera, Arecaceae)
milk. The evening included a welcome from AHG President Bevin Clare, MS, RH,
CNS.
Clare presented at a class session the next morning titled
“Novel Influenza and Herbal Medicine.” After describing the distinct challenges
of treating viral diseases such as influenza, especially regarding their
mutation and spread, Clare posited that plants, which are constantly adapting
to changing environmental factors, are uniquely suited to supporting health and
wellness in these disease states. She also reviewed some preliminary research
that suggests that certain herbs may serve as vaccine adjuvants and increase
the vaccine’s efficacy.
“Kratom: Fears, Facts, and Effective Usages” was a timely
session from Bob Linde, RH, of Traditions School of Herbal Studies in St.
Petersburg, Florida. Kratom (Mitragyna
speciosa, Rubiaceae) is a controversial Southeast Asian plant, and two of
the alkaloids found in the plant were originally slated to be placed in
Schedule I of the Controlled Substances Act by the US Drug Enforcement
Administration (DEA) due to fears of the plant’s addictive, opiate-like
properties. At the time of the writing of this article, the DEA has withdrawn
its original notice of intent to temporarily schedule the kratom alkaloids and
will allow for a public comment period through December 1. This was due to an
organized protest effort from the public, and it means that kratom is still
legal to possess and consume in the United States, at least for now.
The herb is popular for its analgesic actions and often is
used by opioid addicts to recover from their dependence. From a practitioner’s
perspective, Linde was immensely concerned about the possible action from the DEA.
He shared some grim statistics with the class regarding opioid addiction in the
US: in 2014, there were almost 19,000 opioid-related deaths; in 2012, 259
million prescriptions were written for opioids, which is nearly enough for every
American adult to receive one bottle.1 He explained how kratom could
help addicts step down and cope with withdrawal symptoms as part of a
therapeutic process. He also added that, in his experience, he believes that
the plant works best in its whole form rather than as isolated alkaloids in
extract or pill form.
Nagel used song and folklore to lead an appreciative
audience through the energetic theory of several common herbs, including
hawthorn (Crataegus spp., Rosaceae),
nettle (Urtica dioica, Urticaceae),
and milk thistle (Silybum marianum,
Asteraceae), in his Friday session on herbal vitalism and plant personalities.
This lighthearted session played on storytelling, folklore, and the traditional
notion of doctrine of signatures.
On the second night of the symposium, Phyllis Hogan gave the
keynote speech: “Ethnobotanical Journeys in the Land of the Midnight Sun.” She
described the story of her herb shop, Winter Sun Trading Company, and her
experiences working with the Native American tribes throughout Arizona, including
the Yaqui in the southwest and the Navajos near Flagstaff. Throughout her
career, Hogan has made a careful study of the ethnobotany of the region,
learning from the tribal healers and working directly with their communities.
She also provides opportunities for economic advancement by selling handmade tribal
artwork in her store. Hogan now runs Winter Sun with the help of her two
daughters.
During the Saturday sessions, Jerry Angelini, MS, LRC, LMT,
of Host Defense Organic Mushrooms, filled an unexpected vacancy in the schedule
with a presentation on “Novel Mushroom Compounds as Anti-Microbial,
Neuro-Regenerative, and Immune Modulating.” After giving an overview on the
life cycle of fungi, including the difference between a mycelium and a fruiting
body, Angelini took participants through an in-depth discussion about the
chemical structure of beta-glucans, alpha-glucans, arabinoxylane, and other
notable mushroom constituents. Profiles of fungi used by Host Defense in their
formulations, including for turkey tail (Trametes
veriscolor, Polyporaceae), reishi (Ganoderma
lucidum, Ganodermataceae), cordyceps (Cordyceps
sinensis, Cordycipitaceae), and agarikon (Laricifomes officinalis, Fomitopsidaceae), were followed by their
mechanisms in the human body and their potential beneficial impact on various
aspects of health, including reducing pathogenic microorganism load, increasing
neurological regenerative activity, and modulating multiple aspects of immune
response. At the end of the session, he described other potential uses for the
immune-modulating properties of fungi, including a pending patent for an extract
that he hopes will stem the rising tide of a variety of different afflictions
in bees. The extract was formulated by Paul Stamets, mycological expert and
owner of Host Defense through the parent company Fungi Perfecti, and is
currently being tested on live colonies.
Veteran herbalist David Winston took participants back to
the human element of herbalism in his session “Medicine of the Soul: The Ritual
Use of Plants.” Winston started the class with a traditional Native American chant,
then explained the connection between cultures worldwide and their reliance on
native plants for use in ritual. “Ritual” is a broad term, encompassing the
burning of incense to purify a room, to the use of psychoactive plants to purge
the mind and body. Winston took examples from Native American rituals,
Christian rituals, and more general rituals, such as those performed during
planting and harvesting. Some of the common ritual plants (and fungi) he
discussed included rose (Rosa spp.,
Rosaceae), betony (Stachys spp.,
Lamiaceae), white sage (Salvia apiana,
Lamiaceae), sweet grass (Hierochloe
odorata, Poaceae), frankincense (Boswellia
spp., Burseraceae), and yaupon (Ilex
vomitoria, Aquifoliaceae). The psychoactive plants he mentioned included
peyote (Lophophora williamsii,
Cactaceae), the psilocybin-containing Psilocybe
cubensis (Hymenogastraceae) mushroom, tobacco
(Nicotiana spp., Solanaceae), and
ayahuasca (an Amazonian admixture that typically contains the ayahuasca vine [Banisteriopsis caapi, Malpighiaceae] and
other psychoactive plants such as Psychotria
viridis [Rubiaceae]).
Eric Burkhart, PhD, led a plant walk, “Northern Appalachian
Forest Botanicals: A Guided Forest Walk,” at nearby Laurel Hill State Park.
What started out as a 1.5-hour session stretched into three hours total for
those who opted to stay through the next session as Burkhart, who is the Plant
Science Program Director for Shaver’s Creek and a member of the faculty at the
Ecosystem Science and Management Department at Penn State University, showed
the amazing diversity of plant life along the trail. Burkhart pointed out herbs
of commerce like Actaea (the genus
that includes black cohosh [Actaea
racemosa, Ranunculaceae], but he could not accurately identify the particular
species due to its lack of flower), sassafras (Sassafras albidum, Lauraceae), wild yam (Dioscorea villosa, Dioscoreaceae), and bloodroot (Sanguinaria canadensis, Papaveraceae),
as well as less commonly-used local herbs. He also described the challenges
facing the ecosystem of the Appalachians, including the virus that crippled the
chestnut (Castanea spp., Fagaceae)
tree, the ash borer, and the dwindling wild supply of forest commerce
botanicals, which are nearly always wild-harvested (i.e., American ginseng [Panax quinquefolius, Araliaceae], black
cohosh, goldenseal [Hydrastis canadensis,
Ranunculaceae], etc.) due to over-harvesting and loss of habitat.
Saturday afternoon also included the annual general meeting
of AHG. The annual AHG Community Service Award and the Victoria G. Fortner
Award in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion were also given out at this time, to
Leslie Chaison of the People’s Medicine Project in Conway, Massachusetts, and
Shabina Lafleur-Gangji, an herbal medicine educator in southern Ontario,
respectively.
On Sunday, Burkhart continued to expand upon the issues he
raised during his herb walk regarding the unsustainable and reckless harvesting
practices by wildcrafters during a session called “Roots of Appalachia:
Sourcing Medicinal Forest Plants.” He showed screenshots of root digger
Facebook groups that showed collectors harvesting before the plant had a chance
to set flower, which could destroy the wild population if done repeatedly, or
wrongly identifying plants of commerce (e.g., a group member posted a picture
captioned, “Is this beth root [Trillium
erectum, Liliaceae]?” Commenters replied “Sure is!” The plant in the
picture was a different species of Trillium.).
All of these practices can lead to intentional or accidental adulteration and a
decimation of wild populations.
Burkhart introduced participants to the grant-funded program
called the Forest-Grown Initiative, which puts its “conservation through
cultivation” ethos into action: in conjunction with Pennsylvania Certified
Organic, the program has created a label similar to that of Fair Trade
initiatives, certifying that a plant is “Forest-Grown,” either wild-harvested
or cultivated. The program aims to encourage landowners to turn their
forestland into a haven for ginseng, goldenseal, and black cohosh, with an aim
to shore up local populations and turn a profit for the landowner. This effort
is also supported by the United Plant Savers and Mountain Rose Herbs, the
latter of which has agreed to stock botanicals produced under this effort.
—Hannah Bauman
Reference
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Opioid Painkiller Prescribing: Where You Live Makes a Difference. July 2014.
Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Available at:
www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/opioid-prescribing/. Accessed October 12, 2016.
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