CautionAfrica · Herb · № 26
Buchu
Agathosma betulina
Fragrant leaves used as a flavoring and in folk medicine; clinical evidence for treatment is lacking.
Local African healing traditions+3
Registry
All herbs
Herbs, spices and other natural ingredients from around the world, with their uses, preparation, and origins.
- Caution
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 886
Cabalonga (yellow oleander)
Cascabela thevetia (syn. Thevetia peruviana)
A shrub with yellow trumpet flowers, related to oleander. All parts, especially the seeds, contain cardiac glycosides that act on the heart.
Curanderismo of northern Peru
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Food · № 30
Cacao
Theobroma cacao
The seeds are the basis of cocoa and chocolate and contain theobromine and some caffeine. Health claims do not make cacao a treatment.
Maya healing knowledge+2
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 857
Cachanlagua
Centaurium cachanlahuen
A small bitter herb with pink flowers, related to the European common centaury. Traditionally for fever and digestion; clinical research is lacking.
Mapuche medicine
CautionOceania · Herb · № 176
Cajeput and niaouli
Melaleuca cajuputi, M. viridiflora, M. leucadendra e.a.
Both relatives of tea tree yield an essential oil used externally for muscle pain and in inhalations for colds. Clinical evidence is limited.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge+2
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 1003
Calaguala
Campyloneurum angustifolium (en verwante varens, o.a. Polypodium)
A narrow-leaved fern that grows on trees and rocks. The rhizome has been traded as a medicine for centuries; good research on its effect in people is lacking.
Kallawaya healing knowledge
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 783
Calcite (han shui shi)
Calcitum (calciumcarbonaat)
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in fever with thirst and summer heat; externally on hot small ulcers and burns.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 630
California figwort
Scrophularia californica, S. lanceolata
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in the blood and nourishes yin, drains damp heat and disperses swellings.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 627
California spikenard
Aralia californica
Traditionally attributed effects: opens the surface in wind-cold and fever without sweating, warms the lung and stops cough with abundant white or clear phlegm, and (roasted with honey) strengthens the energy of lung and spleen.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 978
California bay laurel
Umbellularia californica
An evergreen tree of the laurel family with strongly scented leaves. The leaf contains umbellulone, which causes headache when inhaled and is poisonous in large amounts.
Hupa medicine
CautionAsia · Herb · № 448
Priyangu
Callicarpa macrophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, tonic, purifies the blood; for stomach complaints, rheumatic joint pain, skin diseases.
Ayurveda
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 798
Calomel (qing fen)
Calomelas (kwikchloride)
Traditionally attributed effects: was used externally against scabies and sores; contains mercury.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 287
Calumba
Jateorhiza palmata
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter digestive tonic, carminative, lowers blood pressure.
Local African healing traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 379
Camellia
Camellia japonica / C. oleifera
Traditionally attributed effects: nourishing oil that does not feel greasy.
Chinese medical traditions+1Folklore
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 959
Horseweed
Erigeron canadensis (syn. Conyza canadensis)
An annual of the daisy family with an upright, hairy stem and countless small white flower heads. Contains volatile oil, tannins and flavonoids; the oil was once used as 'oil of erigeron' for bleeding and diarrhoea.
Lakota medicine+1
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 34
Goldenseal
Hydrastis canadensis
There is not enough evidence to determine whether goldenseal helps any health condition.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+6Folklore
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 582
Canadian goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing; heals the bladder wall (incontinence, irritation), for allergies and stuck mucus after a cold, eyewash for hay fever.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+2
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 931
Eastern hemlock
Tsuga canadensis
An evergreen conifer with short, flat needles. The bark is rich in tannins and was once used to tan leather. Medicinal effects have not been studied.
Haudenosaunee medicine+1
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 911
Canchalagua
Schkuhria pinnata
A small, finely branched annual herb of the daisy family with tiny yellow flowers. It tastes bitter. There is laboratory research on compounds that act on blood sugar, but studies in people are lacking.
Curanderismo of northern Peru
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Other · № 392
Candelilla
Euphorbia antisyphilitica
Traditionally attributed effects: plant wax that makes the balm firm.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 852
Canelo (Winter's bark)
Drimys winteri
A tree with a peppery, bitter bark. As Winter's bark it was a remedy for scurvy for centuries; otherwise its effects are little studied.
Mapuche medicine
CautionAsia · Herb · № 710
Capillaris (yin chen hao)
Artemisia capillaris
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat from liver and gallbladder; main herb for jaundice.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Food · № 428
Star fruit
Averrhoa carambola
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, cooling, antiscorbutic, antidysenteric; cooling thirst-quencher in fever, ripe fruit for bleeding (internal) haemorrhoids.
Ayurveda+1
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 891
Carqueja
Baccharis genistelloides (en B. trimera)
A perennial with flat, winged stems and hardly any leaves. One of the best-studied Baccharis species; it contains flavonoids that may be anti-inflammatory. Clinical evidence is lacking.
Kallawaya healing knowledge+1
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 288
Cascara sagrada
Frangula purshiana (syn. Rhamnus purshiana)
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, digestive tonic.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 396
Catechu
Acacia catechu
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly astringent; for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, bleeding haemorrhoids, uterine bleeding, leucorrhoea; bleeding or inflamed gums, mouth ulcers, enlarged tonsils; bedsores; promotes milk flow.
Ayurveda+2
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 162
Catuaba
Anemopaegma arvense / Erythroxylum catuaba
Sold in Brazil as a stimulant and aphrodisiac. There is no good clinical research; products vary because several different trees are called 'catuaba'.
Herbal knowledge of the Amazon+1
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 985
Cayaponia ophthalmica
Cayaponia ophthalmica
A climber of the gourd family, described by Schultes; the species name means 'for the eye'. Its chemistry is unknown; plants of the gourd family often contain bitter, irritating cucurbitacins.
Tukano medicine
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 161
Cayenne pepper
Capsicum frutescens
Capsaicin from chilli peppers is used externally for nerve pain and joint pain; high-dose capsaicin patches are an approved medicine. Internally it is mainly a warming spice.
Maya healing knowledge+6Folklore
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 924
Cebil (vilca)
Anadenanthera colubrina
A thorny tree of the pea family, related to yopo. The seeds contain much bufotenine, up to over twelve per cent, as well as some DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. As a snuff they cause violent physical effects and short visions.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 1002
Chachacomo
Escallonia resinosa (en verwante soorten, o.a. E. micrantha)
A shrub or tree of 2 to 10 metres with reddish, papery bark and small, finely toothed leaves full of resin and essential oil. Almost nothing has been studied about its effect in people.
Kallawaya healing knowledge
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 902
Chacruna
Psychotria viridis
A shrub of the coffee family up to five metres tall. The leaves contain DMT, a short-acting, powerfully mind-altering substance that only works by mouth together with an MAO inhibitor such as ayahuasca.
Herbal knowledge of the Amazon
CautionEurope · Mushroom · № 578
Chaga
Inonotus obliquus
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, adaptogen, antioxidant; regulates the immune system (also in autoimmune diseases), lowers cholesterol, balances blood sugar, anti-inflammatory.
Western herbal medicine
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 453
Chaksu
Cassia absus
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, astringent, lowers blood pressure; leaves for cough; seeds for ringworm, skin diseases, conjunctivitis and eye inflammation.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 525
Champak
Michelia champaca
Traditionally attributed effects: decongestant, cleansing, stomachic, tonic, laxative, carminative; for gastritis, chronic rheumatism, abscesses, fever, indigestion, nausea, kidney diseases, gonorrhoea; flower oil for headache, eye inflammation and gout.
Ayurveda
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 919
Chanca piedra (stonebreaker)
Phyllanthus niruri (en P. stipulatus, P. urinaria)
A small herb with rows of fine leaflets and tiny fruits beneath them. In experiments it inhibited the formation of kidney stone crystals and acted as a diuretic; small studies in people do not yet give clear evidence.
Curanderismo of northern Peru