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H e r ba l F o r m u la r i e s , Vo lu m e 1
Formulas for Dyspepsia
Dyspepsia is the diagnosis for digestive symptoms unas-
Dyspepsia
sociated with underlying digestive lesions or pathology.
As many as one-third, or even more, of all people referred
to gastroenterologists are not found to have detectable
pathologies. Patients may complain of epigastric pain, gas,
bloating, and flatulence. There may be loss of appetite,
rapid nausea following meals, or fat intolerance. Patients
may experience sensitivity to spices, coffee, orange juice,
or other foods and drinks previously tolerated, or they
may have an unusual taste in the mouth. Food allergy can
be the cause of many dyspeptic and vague GI complaints
and is especially likely in people with a strong family
history of the same as well as in people who are suffering
from other allergies, eczema, asthma, or chemical sen-
sitivity. Liver congestion, intestinal dysbiosis, and poor
circulation to the digestive organs are other possible
contributors to general dyspeptic states. Those who
experience dyspepsia due to anxiety and stress symp-
toms, on the other hand, might be most improved by the
use of nervine herbs and various relaxation therapies.
Tea for Gas and Bloating
This formula can be quickly comforting to nausea,
cramps, and bloating when 2 or 3 cups are consumed
over the course of an hour. Both Matricaria and Mentha
can work immediately and can be a useful starting ther-
apy for quick symptomatic relief.
Matricaria chamomilla 4 ounces (120 g)
Mentha piperita 4 ounces (120 g)
Steep 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture per cup in hot
water and strain. Drink freely, 3 or more cups per day.
Tea for Dyspepsia Due to Anxiety
Since Matricaria is a nervine as well as a digestive anti-
spasmodic and anti-inflammatory, it is a perfect choice
for dyspepsia due to emotional causes. Scutellaria offers
additional calming effects and is easy on the digestive
system. A tea will be faster acting, but repeated doses of
tincture will also be beneficial.
Matricaria chamomilla 4 ounces (120 g)
Scutellaria lateriflora 4 ounces (120 g)
Steep 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture per cup of hot
water. Strain after 10 to 15 minutes. Drink freely, at least 2
cups in fairly rapid succession when symptoms are acute.
Tea for Stomach Pain
with Extreme Distension
In folklore, Dioscorea is specific for twisting, boring,
and spastic pain in smooth muscle. Modern studies
show Dioscorea to reduce stomach acid while enhancing
motility as well as supporting healthy intestinal flora.4
Lobelia and Mentha are also smooth muscle relaxants,
and Mentha can prevent any tendency for Lobelia to
be nauseating. A tea will be faster acting, but repeated
doses of tincture will also have a beneficial effect.
Mentha piperita 4 ounces (120 g)
Dioscorea villosa 2 ounces (60 g)
Lobelia inflata  2 ounces (60 g)
Steep 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture per cup of hot
water. Strain after 10 to 15 minutes. Drink freely, at least
2 cups in fairly rapid succession.
Tincture for Dyspepsia Due to
Low Stomach Acid or Digestive Enzymes
When food is not digested properly, fermentation ensues,
which produces gas and, in many cases, digestive upset.
This formula features bitter agents known to promote
production of hydrochloric acid (HCL) and may be used
as a stand-alone therapy or with digestive enzymes and
HCL and/or bile supplements. Gentian promotes gastrin
and somatostatin secretion.5
Taraxacum officinale 10 ml
Humulus lupulus 10 ml
Rumex crispus 8 ml
Gentiana lutea 2 ml
Place 3 drops of the combined tincture in a cup of warm
water and sip slowly. Repeat 3 or more times daily, espe-
cially half an hour before meals.
Gentian and Wormwood Capsules
for Hypochlorhydria
Gentiana (gentian) and Artemisia (wormwood) are a
traditional combination used to stimulate digestive
secretions and peristalsis. Research suggests that Genti-
ana promotes gastric emptying and intestinal propelling,6
and that the duo increases vascular tone via sympathetic
reflexes involving the vagus nerve within 5 minutes of
ingestion. Digestion is supported due to hemodynamic
 G a s t r o i n t e s t i n a l a n d B i l i a ry C o n d i t i o n s ||
effects7 as well as possible secretory effects in the stom-
ach. Gentiopicroside in Gentiana is one bitter compound
credited with digestion-enhancing effects.
Gentiana lutea
Artemisia absinthinum
Blend equal parts of the powders and encapsulate the
mixture. Take 2 capsules 15 minutes prior to eating.
Tincture for Dyspepsia
Due to Sluggish Digestion
Similar in concept to the Gentian and Wormwood
Capsules for Hypochlorhydria, this formula adds “hot”
herbs Capsicum and Zingiber to enhance circulation,
open up blood vessels to enhance absorption, and offer
carminative and blood-moving effects.
Artemisia absinthium 15 ml
Hydrastis canadensis 4 ml
Picrasma excelsa 4 ml
Zingiber officinale 4 ml
Capsicum annuum 3 ml
Place 3 drops of the combined tincture in a cup of warm
water and sip slowly. Repeat 3 or more times daily, espe-
cially a half hour before meals.
Formula for Dyspepsia
Due to Low Stomach Acid
Bitter herbs generally stimulate stomach acid produc-
tion. Taking bitters in the form of a tincture or tea, rather
than capsules, allows patients to benefit fully from the
bitter taste. See also the Fire Cider recipe on page 37.
Taraxacum officinale 14 ml
Rumex crispus 12 ml
Gentiana lutea 4 ml
Take bitters straight or prepare an aperitif using 1 tea-
spoon of the combined tincture in ½ cup of lemon water
or ½ cup of diluted medical vinegar or shrub. Take half an
hour before a meal with a second ½ cup right at mealtime.
Formula for Dyspepsia
Due to Excessive Stomach Acid
High stomach acid is associated with ulcers, stress, and
burning pain in the epigastric area. Any underlying
stress should be treated directly, but this formula will
help allay acute pain. Some people make excessive
stomach acid when pancreatic enzymes or bile are insuf-
ficient. Consider liver support and/or digestive enzymes
29
to try to normalize stomach acid production. (See also
“Formulas for Ulcers” on page 62.)
Conventional antacids reduce stomach acid produc-
tion, but this herbal formula supports the protective barrier
Dyspepsia
of the stomach lining and leaves stomach acid intact,
eliminating the rebound effect seen with pharmaceutical
acid-blocking drugs and thus avoiding negative long-term
consequences. This formula can be prepared as a tincture
or a tea, with the latter likely being more effective.
Glycyrrhiza glabra
Ulmus fulva
For a tincture, combine equal parts of the two individual
tinctures and take 1 or 2 dropperfuls at a time, as often as
every 10 minutes for acute pain, reducing frequency as
symptoms subside.
For a tea, first prepare Glycyrrhiza tea by steeping
1 tablespoon of the herb in 3 cups of hot water. Allow
to cool to room temperature, then strain. Place 1 heap-
ing tablespoon of Ulmus powder in a blender or large
glass, and pour in the 3 cups of cooled tea. Blend or stir
vigorously. For acute pain, it is helpful to sip such a tea
constantly throughout the day so that the liquid is con-
stantly soothing the lesion.
Daikenshuto—
A Traditional Dyspepsia Remedy
This traditional Japanese formula is shown to improve
constipation and relieve associated gas and bloating.8
Zanthoxylum fruits are sometimes called Szechuan
peppercorns due to their hot spicy flavor. Prickly ash,
Zanthoxylum clava-herculis, is a possible substitute if the
Asian species is not available.
Zingiber officinale  5 ounces (150 g)
Panax ginseng  3 ounces (90 g)
Zanthoxylum piperitum  2 ounces (60 g)
Decoct 1 teaspoon of the herb mixture per cup of water
by simmering gently for 10 minutes and then letting
stand in a covered pan, 20 minutes more. Strain the
decoction. Drink 3 or more cups per day.
Angelica “Candies”
for Dyspepsia and Constipation
Angelica archangelica is a traditional digestive tonic
herb of old European herbals. Modern studies indicate
that Angelica may promote ion flow in intestinal epi-
thelial cells, enhancing chloride secretion in the colon,9
improving peristalsis and intestinal dryness. This
 30 || H e r ba l F o r m u la r i e s , Vo lu m e 1
remedy can be prepared in any quantity you wish; I’ve
given instructions here for a modest amount.
Angelica, about 3 or 4 fresh young stalks
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Baking soda
Zingiber, a 4-inch piece of fresh ginger root
Honey
Harvest Angelica archangelica when the succulent hollow
stalks are juicy and not yet pithy or stringy, usually no later
than May Day. Cut into pieces 5 to 10 inches long and place
them in a saucepan. Add measured quantities of water
until the stalks are covered, and then add ½ teaspoon bak-
ing soda per pint of added water to help prevent color loss.
Simmer gently until just starting to soften. Strain
and immerse in ice cold water. When the stalks are cool
enough to handle, peel as much of the outer rind as pos-
sible and then cut the stalks into ½-inch- to 1-inch-long
pieces and place them back in the saucepan.
Meanwhile, prepare a simple syrup of honey in a
strong ginger tea. The amount of syrup you will need
depends on the quantity of stalks, but you will likely need
at least 2 cups. To make the tea, boil freshly chopped
or grated ginger root in water for 10 minutes, and then
strain. Combine 3 parts honey to 1 part of the freshly
strained hot ginger tea.
Cover the drained Angelica roots with the Zingiber
honey syrup, while still hot or after cooled, as convenient,
and let stand for 24 hours, stirring 3 or 4 times over the
course of the day. Each day for 4 days, drain off the syrup
into a separate pan, boil it, and then pour it back over
the Angelica pieces and stir well. On the fifth day, remove
Formulas for Irritable Bowel Syndrome
Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is most common in
women, with the onset commonly occurring during their
twenties and thirties, but the condition may affect as much
as 20 percent of the Western population overall. IBS is
considered “functional,” rather than being associated with
any underlying pathology; however, research is emerging
that associates the condition with deranged brain-gut sig-
naling, hypersensitivity of visceral sensory afferent fibers,
bacterial gastroenteritis, small intestinal bacterial over-
growth (SIBO), genetic alterations, and food sensitivity.10
IBS is frequently associated with personalities prone
to nervousness, depression, and hysteria. Some people
suffering from IBS may be fearful that they have cancer
the Angelica pieces from the pan and transfer to a cookie
sheet or dehydrating tray lined with wax paper. Let air-
dry for 3 or 4 days, turning the pieces once or twice a day.
When the syrup has crystallized on the surface of the
stalks, sprinkle with powdered sugar or dried coconut
to help absorb all possible remaining moisture. Store in
small airtight containers. Eat several per day as part of a
treatment for constipation and dyspepsia.
General Carminative Tea
A carminative is an agent capable of dispelling gas and
bloating from the stomach and intestines. This category
includes various mints, chamomile, and the Apiaceae
family seeds, such as fennel, anise, and caraway. Whole
seeds can be used in herbal teas but they will make the
strongest medicine if crushed in a mortar and pestle
prior to infusing. In patients with gas and bloating due
to poor circulation or insufficient secretions, ginger and
some of the hot culinary spices can have a carminative
action, but can cause gas and bloating in those with
sensitive stomachs or IBS. Simply ask people how they
tolerate spicy food when considering if cinnamon or
ginger may make them better or worse. Any of these can
be effective as “a simple,” but several are combined here.
Foeniculum vulgare powder or freshly crushed seeds 
2 ounces (60 g)
Mentha piperita  2 ounces (60 g)
Matricaria chamomilla 2 ounces (60 g)
Steep 1 tablespoon of the herb mixture per cup of hot
water. Drink 3 cups in a row to treat uncomfortable gas.
or a serious life-threatening disease. People often experi-
ence alternating bouts of constipation and diarrhea, with
asymptomatic periods of various lengths in between flare-
ups. There is often accompanying flatulence, belching,
and stomach upset. On physical exam, the intestines may
feel full, tense, and firm and may be tender to the touch.
There is not typically blood or mucous, as there is with
inflammatory bowel conditions, but the pain may be every
bit as severe and bleeding may occasionally occur. When
stress and nervous issues underlie digestive upset, nervine
herbs including Matricaria, Melissa officinalis, Verbena,
Hypericum, and Passiflora incarnata will complement
herbs that act more directly on the digestive system.