CautionNorth America · Herb · № 286
California poppy
Eschscholzia californica
Traditionally attributed effects: pain-relieving, sleep-inducing, calming.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+1
Registry
All herbs
Herbs, spices and other natural ingredients from around the world, with their uses, preparation, and origins.
- Caution
CautionAsia · Herb · № 313
Dwarf lilyturf (mai men dong)
Ophiopogon japonicus
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes the secretion of body fluids, tonic, calming, cough-suppressing, lowers blood sugar, antibacterial.
Chinese medical traditions+3
CautionEurope · Herb · № 95
Comfrey
Symphytum officinale
Topical preparations have been studied for bruises, sprains and back pain and appear to reduce pain. It contains allantoin, which is thought to support tissue repair.
Monastic and folk knowledge+3Folklore
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 295
Fringe tree
Chionanthus virginicus
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, stimulates the liver, tonic, diuretic.
Eclectic medicine+1
CautionChinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 680
Sophora root (ku shen)
Sophora flavescens
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat in itchy skin, discharge and dysentery; externally as a wash.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 849
Bitter melon
Momordica charantia
A bitter climbing plant whose fruit, leaves and vines are used. In folk medicine mainly taken to lower blood sugar; research shows a small effect at most.
Herbal knowledge of the Caribbean
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 982
Souroubea
Souroubea guianensis
A low shrub or climber of the Marcgraviaceae family, with nectar cups that attract butterflies and moths. From two related Central American species (S. sympetala and S. gilgii) researchers isolated substances that reduce anxiety in animals: betulinic acid and amyrins. In people this has hardly been studied.
Tukano medicine
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 998
Sourwood
Oxydendrum arboreum
A tree of the heath family with drooping sprays of white, bell-shaped flowers in summer and fiery red autumn leaves. The leaves taste sour, hence the name. From the flowers bees make a light, much-prized honey.
Cherokee medicine
CautionAsia · Herb · № 742
Spatholobus stem (ji xue teng)
Spatholobus suberectus (syn. Millettia reticulata)
Traditionally attributed effects: both moves and nourishes the blood; for weakness, numbness and painful joints.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionEurope · Herb · № 318
Lesser celandine
Ficaria verna (syn. Ranunculus ficaria)
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, used for haemorrhoids.
Western herbal medicine
CautionEurope · Food · № 833
Spelt
Triticum spelta
A grain for bread and porridge; nutritionally similar to wheat.
Hildegard of Bingen
CautionAsia · Food · № 519
Sponge gourd
Luffa cylindrica
Traditionally attributed effects: seeds emetic, laxative, diuretic; fruit cooling, soothing, stimulates appetite, diuretic, promotes milk flow; oil for skin conditions.
Ayurveda+1
CautionEurope · Herb · № 577
Alder buckthorn
Frangula alnus
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, laxative, antiparasitic, bitter; mild laxative without cramps, stops bleeding and helps with warts, mouthwash for gum problems, hair rinse for scalp irritation.
Western herbal medicine
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 794
Stalactite (e guan shi)
Stalactitum (calciumcarbonaat)
Traditionally attributed effects: makes lung energy descend in asthma and chronic bronchitis and promotes milk flow.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 538
Bhumyamalaki
Phyllanthus fraternus
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, astringent, cooling, laxative, bitter tonic; for oedema, gonorrhoea, urogenital diseases, jaundice, constipation, stomach ache, indigestion, dysentery, mild intermittent fever, heavy menstruation.
Ayurveda
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 953
Stoneroot
Collinsonia canadensis
A perennial of the mint family with lemon-scented leaves and a very hard, knobbly root. Eclectic physicians used it for piles and varicose veins; research is lacking.
Haudenosaunee medicine+1
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 168
Northern prickly ash
Zanthoxylum americanum
Bark and berries give a tingling, numbing feeling in the mouth; they were traditionally used for toothache, poor circulation and rheumatism. Clinical research is lacking.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+4
CautionAsia · Herb · № 716
Cocklebur fruit (cang er zi)
Xanthium strumarium (syn. X. sibiricum)
Traditionally attributed effects: opens the nose in sinusitis and expels wind and dampness in pain and itching.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 676
Stellaria root (yin chai hu)
Stellaria dichotoma var. lanceolata
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat from yin deficiency, fever after an illness and heat in malnourished children.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 724
Stemona root (bai bu)
Stemona sessilifolia (en S. japonica)
Traditionally attributed effects: moistens the lungs in acute and chronic cough; externally against lice and fleas.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 709
Stephania root (han fang ji)
Stephania tetrandra
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic in oedema (especially of the legs) and pain-relieving in hot, swollen joints.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionEurope · Herb · № 279
Black horehound
Ballota nigra
Traditionally attributed effects: against vomiting, stimulating, antispasmodic.
Western herbal medicine
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 456
Sickle senna
Cassia tora
Traditionally attributed effects: mildly laxative, cleansing; intestinal complaints and fever when teething, compress for gout, sciatica and joint pain; seeds for ringworm, scabies and eczema; root for snake bites.
Ayurveda+1
CautionEurope · Herb · № 298
Greater celandine
Chelidonium majus
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, cleansing, stimulates the liver, anti-inflammatory.
Greco-Roman medicine+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 534
Skunkvine
Paederia foetida
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, anti-inflammatory, antispasmodic; for urinary retention, bladder stones, haemorrhoids, inflamed spleen, diarrhoea in children, rheumatism and stiff joints, abdomen bloated by gas.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 664
Beach vitex fruit (man jing zi)
Vitex rotundifolia (syn. V. trifolia)
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat in headache and eye pain, and relieves cramps and heaviness in the limbs.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionEurope · Herb · № 236
Heather
Calluna vulgaris
The flowering herb was drunk as tea for bladder complaints and sleeplessness. Heather honey is a prized, jelly-like honey. A medicinal effect has not been studied.
Folk magic and herbal magicFolklore
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 164
Suma
Hebanthe eriantha (syn. Pfaffia paniculata)
Sold as 'Brazilian ginseng' and an adaptogen for fatigue. There is hardly any human research.
Herbal knowledge of the Amazon+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 531
Surangi
Ochrocarpus longifolius
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, aromatic, stimulating, carminative, stomachic; against thirst and stomach irritation, for dysentery, toothache, indigestion, haemorrhoids, scorpion stings.
Ayurveda
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 819
Tobacco
Nicotiana rustica
A ceremonial plant of many Indigenous peoples of the Americas. Tobacco is addictive and harmful to health.
Maya healing knowledge+10
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 702
Talc (hua shi)
Talcum (hydromagnesiumsilicaat)
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling and soothing in painful urination and summer heat; externally drying on weeping skin.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 512
Talmakhana
Hygrophila auriculata
Traditionally attributed effects: root cooling, bitter tonic, diuretic, soothing; seeds diuretic and aphrodisiac; for oedema, kidney stones and urogenital complaints, jaundice, impotence and weakness, asthma.
Ayurveda
CautionOceania · Other · № 55
Tamanu oil
Calophyllum inophyllum
An oil used mainly in skin care; medical claims are not established.
Lāʻau lapaʻau in Hawaiʻi+1
CautionAfrica · Food · № 560
Tamarind
Tamarindus indica
Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit sour, cooling, carminative, laxative, antiscorbutic, promotes bile; for inflamed swellings, bilious vomiting, conjunctivitis (flowers), bleeding haemorrhoids, throat complaints, ulcers, paralysis (bark), gonorrhoea (ash).
Local African healing traditions+3
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 549
Toothbrush tree
Salvadora persica
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, diuretic, decongestant; leaves for rheumatism, scurvy, painful tumours, haemorrhoids, asthma and cough; flower oil for flatulence, mucus, worms, leprosy, gonorrhoea, headache and rheumatic pain.
Local African healing traditions+2