CautionEurope · Herb · № 312
Lesser periwinkle
Vinca minor
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, promotes circulation, improves blood flow to the brain.
Western herbal medicine
Registry
All herbs
Herbs, spices and other natural ingredients from around the world, with their uses, preparation, and origins.
- Caution
CautionAfrica · Food · № 12
Garlic
Allium sativum
A food with a long history of use. Supplement research suggests only limited effects and does not establish a treatment.
Ancient Egyptian medicine+7Folklore
CautionAsia · Food · № 758
Garlic chives (jiu zi)
Allium tuberosum
Traditionally attributed effects: the seed strengthens kidney yang and warms stomach and spleen.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 337
Nut grass
Cyperus rotundus
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, pain-relieving, antispasmodic for the uterus, promotes the flow of qi.
Ancient Egyptian medicine+4
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 990
Butterfly weed
Asclepias tuberosa
A milkweed with bright orange flower umbels that attract many butterflies, and a thick, tuberous root. For a milkweed it contains few cardiac glycosides, but it does contain steroids that in larger amounts can cause weakness, seizures and eye damage. The root was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia as pleurisy root, an expectorant.
Cherokee medicine
CautionEurope · Herb · № 92
Figwort
Scrophularia nodosa (en S. ningpoensis)
Used in Western herbalism for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis and for swollen glands. There is no good clinical evidence.
Monastic and folk knowledge+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 746
Vaccaria seed (wang bu liu xing)
Gypsophila vaccaria (syn. Vaccaria segetalis)
Traditionally attributed effects: lets the blood flow, promotes menstruation and milk flow and reduces painful swellings.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAfrica · Food · № 383
Coffee
Coffea arabica
The beans contain caffeine, which increases alertness. Ground coffee is used in scrubs to exfoliate the skin; that caffeine reduces cellulite has not been shown.
Local African healing traditions
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 455
Coffee senna
Cassia occidentalis
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, fever-reducing, diuretic, antipyretic; root as an antidote and for fever and nerve pain, cramps in hysteria, flatulence; seeds for cough and whooping cough.
Herbal knowledge of the Caribbean+1
CautionAsia · Food · № 357
Coconut
Cocos nucifera
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, diuretic, antiseptic, laxative; root for uterine diseases, bronchitis, liver complaints, dysentery, sore throat (gargle); coconut water for thirst, fever, urinary complaints and vomiting; ash for scabies and toothache.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Food · № 500
Kokum
Garcinia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit cooling, promotes bile, soothing, antiscorbutic; bark astringent; oil for dysentery, mucous diarrhoea, tuberculosis, skin diseases, chapped lips, ointment base; fruit for hives.
Ayurveda
CautionAfrica · Food · № 27
Kola nut
Cola nitida en Cola acuminata
Contains about 2–4% caffeine plus theobromine and acts as a stimulant. It is chewed both privately and in social and ceremonial settings.
Local African healing traditions+1
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 464
Colocynth
Citrullus colocynthis
Traditionally attributed effects: drastically laxative and diuretic; in large doses emetic and highly irritant; for ascites, jaundice, urinary diseases, rheumatism, bile complaints, intestinal parasites, constipation, oedema; seed oil for snake and scorpion bites.
Ayurveda+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 232
Cumin
Cuminum cyminum
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, aromatic, stomachic, stimulating, astringent, cooling; for gonorrhoea, chronic diarrhoea, indigestion, hoarseness; oil as a source of thymol against hookworms.
Ayurveda+3Folklore
CautionAsia · Food · № 261
Cucumber
Cucumis sativus
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit nourishing and soothing; seeds cooling, diuretic, tonic; for throat complaints, strongly diuretic with sugar, in fever.
Ayurveda+2Folklore
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 583
Queen of the night
Selenicereus grandiflorus
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, relaxing; strengthens the heart muscle and heart function (also in the elderly), relieves chest tightness and restricted breathing.
Western herbal medicine
CautionEurope · Herb · № 271
Hemp agrimony
Eupatorium cannabinum
Traditionally attributed effects: hemp agrimony fever-reducing, diuretic, laxative, promotes bile, expectorant, stimulates the immune system; boneset induces sweating, antispasmodic; gravel root soothing diuretic, antirheumatic, promotes menstruation.
Western herbal medicine
CautionEurope · Herb · № 102
Great mullein
Verbascum thapsus
Leaves and flowers contain mucilage and are traditionally used for irritating coughs and bronchitis; the flower oil for earache. Clinical evidence is limited.
Greco-Roman medicine+4
CautionEurope · Food · № 68
Cabbage
Brassica oleracea
A vegetable rich in vitamin C and fibre. In folk medicine cold cabbage leaves are placed on engorged breasts or painful joints; small studies give mixed results.
Monastic and folk knowledge+2Folklore
CautionAsia · Herb · № 725
Korean mint (huo xiang)
Agastache rugosa (ook Pogostemon cablin)
Traditionally attributed effects: transforms dampness blocking spleen and stomach and curbs nausea, also in summer colds.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionEurope · Herb · № 292
Cornflower
Centaurea cyanus
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, stimulating, anti-inflammatory.
Western herbal medicine
CautionEurope · Herb · № 231
Coriander
Coriandrum sativum
Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, stimulating, carminative, stomachic, cooling, tonic, diuretic; for flatulence, colic, rheumatism, nerve pain, sore throat, indigestion, vomiting, colds, bile complaints.
Greco-Roman medicine+5Folklore
CautionOceania · Herb · № 846
Kōwhai
Sophora microphylla
A tree with yellow flowers, a national symbol of New Zealand. The bark was traditionally used on wounds and bruises.
Rongoā Māori
CautionAsia · Herb · № 711
Mallow seed (dong kui zi)
Malva verticillata (ook Abutilon theophrasti)
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing and diuretic in painful urination and stones; promotes milk flow.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 920
Kratom
Mitragyna speciosa
A tree of the coffee family up to twenty-five metres tall with large, glossy leaves. The leaves contain mitragynine and, in smaller amounts, 7-hydroxymitragynine, which act on the opioid receptors. For many people a little leaf is stimulating, more leaf sedating and pain-relieving.
CautionAsia · Food · № 42
Clove
Syzygium aromaticum
A spice. Clove oil containing eugenol may help with toothache; other claims are unproven.
Ayurveda+5Folklore
CautionEurope · Herb · № 338
Yellow dock
Rumex crispus
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly laxative, promotes bile, cleansing.
Western herbal medicine+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 136
Kudzu
Pueraria montana var. lobata
The root (ge gen) is used in Chinese medicine for fever, stiff neck and thirst. Small studies have looked at kudzu for reducing alcohol use, with mixed results.
Chinese medical traditions+3
CautionOceania · Herb · № 842
Kukui (candlenut)
Aleurites moluccanus
A tree whose oil cares for the skin; the nuts are laxative.
Lāʻau lapaʻau in Hawaiʻi+1
CautionOceania · Herb · № 52
Kūmarahou
Pomaderris kumeraho
A plant in traditional Māori medicine; there is little scientific confirmation of its benefits.
Rongoā Māori+1
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 510
Kurchi
Holarrhena antidysenterica
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, stomachic, astringent, strongly antidysenteric, fever-reducing, expels worms; for acute and chronic (amoebic) dysentery and diarrhoea, bile complaints, fever, haemorrhoids, roundworms and threadworms.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 5
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
A traditional culinary spice containing curcumin; laboratory findings do not establish a cure for disease.
Ayurveda+5Folklore
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 319
Quassia
Picrasma excelsa
Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, bitter.
Herbal knowledge of the Caribbean+1
CautionEurope · Herb · № 580
Couch grass
Elymus repens
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, soothing, astringent; for kidney and bladder complaints (kidney stones, interstitial cystitis), helps regulate blood sugar.
Western herbal medicine
CautionEurope · Herb · № 213
Bay laurel
Laurus nobilis
Bay leaf is a culinary herb containing cineole and eugenol. The oil of the berries was used externally for muscle pain; a medicinal effect has hardly been studied.
Greco-Roman medicine+1Folklore
CautionEurope · Herb · № 6
Lovage
Levisticum officinale
The leaf tastes of stock and celery. In folk medicine the root was used as a diuretic and for bloating; research is lacking.
Western herbal medicine