From plant to use
Hot water poured over leaves and flowers: the simplest and most widely used preparation.
For an infusion you pour hot water over soft plant parts such as leaves, flowers and fine herbs and let them steep, covered. Flavour and aroma pass into the water without long heating. Almost every tradition knows this form, from European herbal teas and South American mate to North African mint tea.
Registry
Herbs on this site whose description mentions this preparation. That does not mean every herb is safe to prepare yourself: read the safety information for each one.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 116
Ammi visnaga
Contains khellin, a muscle relaxant that widens the airways and blood vessels. Khellin was the basis for modern drugs such as cromoglicate (for asthma) and amiodarone (for heart rhythm disorders).
CautionEurope · Herb · № 75
Galium aparine
Used in Western herbalism as a 'lymphatic' herb for swollen glands and skin conditions. Scientific evidence is lacking.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 100
Tussilago farfara
One of the oldest cough herbs; the leaf contains soothing mucilage. Because of its toxic alkaloids it is now advised against.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 832
Alpinia officinarum
An aromatic rhizome traditionally used for digestive complaints.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 565
Tribulus terrestris
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, soothing, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 337
Cyperus rotundus
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, pain-relieving, antispasmodic for the uterus, promotes the flow of qi.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 92
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.
CautionAsia · Food · № 500
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.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 464
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.
CautionAsia · Food · № 261
Cucumis sativus
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit nourishing and soothing; seeds cooling, diuretic, tonic; for throat complaints, strongly diuretic with sugar, in fever.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 271
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 102
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 231
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 920
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
Syzygium aromaticum
A spice. Clove oil containing eugenol may help with toothache; other claims are unproven.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 52
Pomaderris kumeraho
A plant in traditional Māori medicine; there is little scientific confirmation of its benefits.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 510
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 5
Curcuma longa
A traditional culinary spice containing curcumin; laboratory findings do not establish a cure for disease.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 319
Picrasma excelsa
Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, bitter.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 580
Elymus repens
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, soothing, astringent; for kidney and bladder complaints (kidney stones, interstitial cystitis), helps regulate blood sugar.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 6
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 44
Lavandula angustifolia
A fragrant plant used in bath products, perfume, and aromatherapy. Evidence for medical effects is preliminary.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 949
Hepatica nobilis (incl. H. americana en H. acutiloba)
An early spring flower of the buttercup family with three-lobed leaves. Fresh, the plant contains irritating compounds.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 226
Tilia × europaea
Traditionally attributed effects: calming nerve remedy, induces sweating, vasodilating, restores the vessel walls, lowers blood pressure.
CautionAsia · Mushroom · № 41
Ganoderma lucidum
A bracket fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine; evidence for treatment effects in people is limited.
CautionEurope · Other · № 588
Lobaria pulmonaria
Traditionally attributed effects: antioxidant, expectorant; reduces inflammation in the airways and intestines, supports the lungs and helps with sinusitis.
CautionAsia · Food · № 131
Nelumbo nucifera
Almost every part is used: seeds for diarrhoea and restlessness, rhizome as food, leaf for 'summer heat'. Scientific evidence is mostly laboratory research.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 211
Viola odorata
Traditionally attributed effects: V. odorata anti-inflammatory, expectorant, diuretic, antitumour; V. tricolor expectorant, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antirheumatic, laxative, strengthens capillaries.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 370
Mahonia aquifolium
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, purifies the blood, tonic, stimulating, supports the liver; improves appetite and digestion, promotes liver and bile secretion, purifies the blood, helps with skin problems, sudden diarrhoea and chronic constipation.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Food · № 266
Zea mays
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, heals the urinary tract lining, tonic, soothing.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 859
Maytenus boaria
A graceful tree with drooping twigs and fine leaves that cattle love to eat. Traditionally for fever and skin rash; research is lacking.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 113
Marrubium vulgare
A bitter herb traditionally used for coughs with sticky phlegm and bronchitis. In Europe it is recognised as a traditional herbal medicine; clinical evidence is limited.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 844
Pipturus albidus
A native Hawaiian plant whose leaves are drunk as a tea.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 883
Desmodium molliculum
A low plant of the pea family. Traditionally used for inflammation and wounds; research is limited.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 348
Centella asiatica
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, tonic, diuretic, locally stimulating, calming; for chronic ulcers, eczema, psoriasis, leprosy, epilepsy, insanity, swollen glands, abscesses, chronic rheumatism, diarrhoea in children.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 273
Leptospermum scoparium en Kunzea ericoides
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, antimicrobial, antiseptic, expels worms (leptospermone); for ulcers, infections and fever.