Basic Phytochemistry

Discover the aspects of phytochemistry with the most practical relevance to the work of the herbalist.

Herbs are much more than just "weak drugs".

Their activity is not reducible to a single "active constituent".

Frequently, though, that is the unchallenged assumption about how they work. That conceptual model breaks down in a number of ways when you try and apply it to herbs, and it's important for herbalists to understand those. Fortunately, it's not too difficult, either!

Understanding a few basic ideas around things like synergy and variability within herbs and formulas, compatibility between different types of constituents and extraction media, and how to train your senses to become more phytochemically discerning, will allow you to formulate much more successfully and to better apply herbs to specific situations.

Start now

Course curriculum

1

Welcome! (01:55)
- Welcome to Phytochemistry!
  FREE PREVIEW
- How many hours is this course?
- How to use this platform
- How to use the Discussions feature
- Prior Phytochemistry Discussion
- How to use Closed-Captioning
- How to use the Notification Beamer
- Chatting in the Community Groups
- Meet our Friends!
- Every Body is Different
- Where's Katja?
- Where's Katja? [audio]
- Course Outline
2

Philosophy of Phytochemistry (76:38)
- Introduction to Phytochemistry
  FREE PREVIEW
- Introduction to Phytochemistry [audio]
- Taxonomy
- Taxonomy [audio]
- Phytochemical Taxonomy [printable]
- Phytochemistry from the Plant's Perspective
- Phytochemistry from the Plant's Perspective [audio]
- Phytochemistry on the Macro Scale
- Phytochemistry on the Macro Scale [audio]
- Mineral Content of Selected Nutritive Herbs [printable]
- Journal Prompt: Soil Quality
- Resource: The Metabolic Plant Feedback Hypothesis
- Related Resources
- Philosophy of Phytochem Quiz
3

Organoleptics: How the Senses Reveal Chemistry (146:46)
- Color and Chemistry
- Color and Chemistry [audio]
- Color & Phytochemistry [printable]
- Taste: An Overview
  FREE PREVIEW
- Taste: An Overview [audio]
- Tastes: Salty
- Tastes: Salty [audio]
- Tastes: Sweet
- Tastes: Sweet [audio]
- Tastes: Demulcent / Mucilaginous
- Tastes: Demulcent/Mucilaginous [audio]
- Mucilage & Demulcency reference chart [printable]
- Tastes (and Smell!): Aromatics
- Tastes (and Smell!): Aromatics [audio]
- Journal Prompt: Aromatics
- Tastes: Pungent
- Tastes: Pungent [audio]
- Journal Prompt: Pungent
- Tastes: Diffusive
- Tastes: Diffusive [audio]
- Tastes: Bitters
- Tastes: Bitters [audio]
- Tastes: Sour
- Tastes: Sour [audio]
- Journal Prompt: Sour
- Tastes: Astringency
- Tastes: Astringency [audio]
- Action Prompt: Organoleptic Experimentation
- Tastes: Acrid
- Tastes: Acrid [audio]
- Experiments in Organoleptics
- Experiments in Organoleptics [audio]
- Organoleptics Quiz
4

Characteristics of Constituents (160:26)
- Characteristics of Constituents
- Characteristics of Constituents [audio]
- Molecular Weight
- Molecular Weight [audio]
- Resource: Tisserand on Frankincense Essential Oil
- Solubility
- Solubility [audio]
- Solubility Notes [printable]
- Journal Prompt: Solubility
- Compatibility
- Compatibility [audio]
- Variability
- Variability [audio]
- Resource: Ginseng and Gut Flora
- Synergy
- Synergy [audio]
- Common Misconceptions
- Common Misconceptions [audio]
- Desirable Details About Constituents
- Desirable Details About Constituents [audio]
- Desirable Details About Constituents [printable]
  FREE PREVIEW
- Characteristics of Constituents Quiz
5

Major Constituent Groups (272:58)
- Constituent Groups Introduction
- Constituent Groups Introduction [audio]
- Diagrams Ahoy!
- Carbohydrates
- Carbohydrates [audio]
- Carbohydrates Quiz
- Lipids
- Lipids [audio]
- Lipids Quiz
- Amino Acids & Derivatives
- Amino Acids & Derivatives [audio]
- Amino Acids & Derivatives Quiz
- Phenolics 1
- Phenolics 1 [audio]
- Plant Coumarins: Myths and Realities by Eric Yarnell & Kathy Abascal
- Phenolics 2
- Phenolics 2 [audio]
- Phenolics 3
- Phenolics 3 [audio]
- Phenolics Quiz
- Terpenes
- Terpenes [audio]
- Terpenes Quiz
- Alkaloids
- Alkaloids [audio]
- Alkaloids Quiz
6

Phytochemical Monographs (62:07)
- Salicylates
- Salicylates [audio]
- Salicylates Monograph [printable]
- Salicylates Quiz

But wait, there's more! 🙂

In addition to the videos, we provide features to accommodate all the different ways people like to learn, so you can internalize the information easily!

Lifetime access - so you can review the content as many times as you like, forever!
Weekly live Q&A sessions with Katja and Ryn - to ask your questions directly, live and in person! (They're even archived, in case you miss one!) This course has 1 year live Q&A support
Ask questions anytime - we're always just a click away: you can ask any questions in the integrated discussion forum, and we're committed to personally answering your questions, usually within 24 hours
Printable PDF materials - if you like to follow the videos along on paper, or keep them handy for a quick reference
Downloadable MP3 files - so you can review the content while you commute, workout, garden, ... anytime!

Course Tuition

Tuition for this course is $120.
Your access never expires, and when we add new material to your course, you get it at no additional charge!
With our zero-risk return policy, you get 14 days to try it out after signing up. If at any point within those two weeks you decide it’s not right for you, just let us know and we’ll issue a refund, no questions asked.

Start now!

Your Teacher

Co-Founder

Ryn Midura

Ryn has been a practicing herbalist since 2010. He came to herbalism by way of martial arts, where his first experiences with herbs were focused on getting back into the game and becoming more flexible, adaptable, and resilient. Passing that experience on to others is what keeps him motivated every day.

Students are saying...

A better understanding of plants

Alison Bateman

Basic Phytochemistry will help you understand plants on a deeper level. Learning what the constituents do for us in our bodies and what they do for the plant...

Basic Phytochemistry will help you understand plants on a deeper level. Learning what the constituents do for us in our bodies and what they do for the plant made me appreciate the power of nature even more than I already did. After taking this course I feel more confident in choosing which plant to work with for different situations because I have a better understanding of the constituents and their effects. Ryn did a great job teaching this course in a way that makes it easy to understand.

Read Less

Basic Phytochemistry

OLGA Privina

Love this course. It taught me to understand how to extract the plant constituents I need and what those will do in my body.

Read Less

Gaining confidence with organoleptic practice

Barbara Patrizzi

This course is simply fascinating. No other way to put it. Herbalism really begins to make sense in a very palpable way now, as Ryn deftly explains the scie...

This course is simply fascinating. No other way to put it. Herbalism really begins to make sense in a very palpable way now, as Ryn deftly explains the science by way of its direct relation to the sensory.

Read Less

Zero-Risk Return Policy

Teaching isn't just about conveying information - there's also an aspect of being someone's "cup of tea".

So we want you to take the first 14 days to really decide if you love it or not. If for any reason you feel like this program isn’t right for you - if we're just not your cup of tea - we’ll give you a full refund. You don't even need a reason - just please let us know within 14 days of purchase.

Find out how understanding basic phytochemistry can help you be a better herbalist!

Get started now