Herbal knowledge and the cultures that passed it on

Europe · Herb · № 179

Foxglove

Digitalis purpurea

Contains cardiac glycosides that slow the heart rate and strengthen its contractions. They gave rise to the drugs digoxin and digitoxin, still prescribed for certain heart rhythm disorders and heart failure. The margin between an effective and a toxic amount is very small.

North America · Herb · № 285

Bugleweed

Lycopus virginicus

Traditionally attributed effects: calming, astringent, tonic, vasoconstricting, cough-suppressing, stops bleeding.

Asia · Herb · № 424

Wormseed

Artemisia maritima

Traditionally attributed effects: antipyretic, mildly laxative, stomachic, tonic, expels worms, stimulates the heart; against worms, compress for inflammation, tumours and foul ulcers.

Asia · Herb · № 18

Licorice root

Glycyrrhiza glabra

A root with long use in several traditions; high-quality evidence does not support most health claims.

Asia · Herb · № 411

Black cardamom

Amomum subulatum

Traditionally attributed effects: stomachic, carminative, stimulates the heart, expectorant; for digestive complaints, liver congestion, tooth and gum complaints, kidney stones (with melon seed), inflamed eyelids; flavouring.

South America · Food · № 262

Potato

Solanum tuberosum

A starchy tuber and one of the most important food crops in the world. In folk use raw slices or grated potato are laid on burns, swollen eyes and for headaches; this has not been studied.

Europe · Food · № 253

Strawberry

Fragaria × ananassa

The garden strawberry is a fruit rich in vitamin C. The leaf of the related wild strawberry was drunk as tea for mild diarrhoea; no medicinal effect is described for the garden strawberry itself.

Asia · Herb · № 418

Agarwood

Aquilaria agallocha

Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, strengthens the heart, tonic, carminative, promotes bile; for skin diseases, gout and rheumatism, vomiting, snake bites, pain from wounds, bronchitis in children, headache, dizziness.

Asia · Herb · № 705

Akebia stem (mu tong)

Akebia trifoliata (en A. quinata)

Traditionally attributed effects: drains heat via the urine in painful urination, mouth ulcers and restlessness; promotes milk flow.

Europe · Herb · № 835

Mandrake

Mandragora officinarum

A highly poisonous plant containing tropane alkaloids, used in antiquity as a painkiller and sleeping draught.

North America · Herb · № 955

American licorice

Glycyrrhiza lepidota

A legume with long, tough, sweet roots, related to true licorice. The root tastes of licorice; it contains less glycyrrhizin than Glycyrrhiza glabra.

North America · Herb · № 992

American sweetgum

Liquidambar styraciflua

A tall tree with star-shaped leaves, splendid autumn colours and spiky round seed balls. When the bark is wounded a fragrant resin, American storax, seeps out; for centuries it has gone into ointments, perfume and incense. The resin is mildly antiseptic.

North America · Herb · № 160

American ginseng

Panax quinquefolius

Chinese medicine regards it as more 'cooling' than Asian ginseng and uses it for fatigue and thirst. Some studies find a slight effect on post-meal blood sugar and colds; evidence is limited.

North America · Herb · № 932

American basswood

Tilia americana

A large broadleaf tree with heart-shaped leaves and fragrant flowers, related to the European lime. The flowers contain mucilage and flavonoids. The wood is soft and easy to carve; the inner bark gives strong fibre.

North America · Herb · № 997

American persimmon

Diospyros virginiana

A tree of the ebony family, related to the kaki. Unripe, the orange fruits are so astringent that they pucker the mouth, but after the first frost they are sweet and soft. They are rich in vitamin C. Bark and unripe fruits contain many tannins.

Europe · Herb · № 197

Carnation

Dianthus spp.

The clove pink has fragrant, edible petals. In Chinese medicine the related Dianthus superbus (qu mai) is used for bladder infections; no medicinal effect is described for the garden carnation.

South America · Herb · № 901

Ayahuasca

Banisteriopsis caapi

A giant liana up to thirty metres long. The stem contains harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine, which inhibit the enzyme MAO. This makes the DMT from plants such as chacruna active by mouth. The drink brings visions, and usually vomiting and diarrhoea, which the tradition regards as cleansing.

Asia · Herb · № 36

Asian ginseng

Panax ginseng (ook P. quinquefolius)

Research consists mostly of small, short studies; there is little evidence of health effects.

Asia · Herb · № 677

Baikal skullcap (huang qin)

Scutellaria baicalensis

Traditionally attributed effects: cools and dries damp heat, especially in the lungs and upper body; calms a restless foetus from heat.

Asia · Herb · № 134

Bamboo

Phyllostachys nigra

In Chinese medicine bamboo shavings (zhu ru) and bamboo sap are used for coughs with yellow phlegm, nausea and restlessness. Ayurveda uses silica-rich bamboo manna. Clinical research is scarce.

Africa · Herb · № 8

Basil

Ocimum basilicum

Traditionally used as an aromatic food plant and in herbal preparations.

Asia · Herb · № 229

Benzoin

Styrax benzoin

Traditionally attributed effects: expectorant, astringent, antispasmodic.

Asia · Herb · № 747

Prepared aconite (fu zi)

Aconitum carmichaelii (bereide zijwortel)

Traditionally attributed effects: the most strongly warming remedy in Chinese medicine, for collapse of yang and pain from cold.

Asia · Herb · № 419

Areca nut

Areca catechu

Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, astringent, expels tapeworm, laxative, carminative, aphrodisiac; against roundworms and tapeworms, strengthens the gums, for urinary complaints, heartburn during pregnancy, lumbago.

Europe · Herb · № 93

Betony

Betonica officinalis (syn. Stachys officinalis)

Traditionally used for tension headaches and nervousness. Modern clinical research is lacking.

Europe · Mineral · № 9

Epsom salt

Magnesium sulphate. In sufficient amounts it acts as a laxative because it holds water in the bowel. In a bath it is used to relax muscles; that magnesium is absorbed through the skin has not been shown.

North America · Herb · № 280

Blue cohosh

Caulophyllum thalictroides

Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, stimulates the uterus, diuretic, antirheumatic.

Asia · Other · № 770

Borneol (bing pian)

Dryobalanops aromatica (borneol)

Traditionally attributed effects: opens the sense orifices, cools heat and relieves pain; mainly external.

Asia · Herb · № 557

Nux vomica

Strychnos nux-vomica

Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the nerves, stomachic, tonic, aphrodisiac, stimulates the spinal cord, breathing and heart.

Asia · Herb · № 353

Brahmi

Bacopa monnieri

Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart and nerves, diuretic, mildly laxative, calming; for urinary retention with constipation, acute bronchitis and cough in children, exhaustion and nervous breakdown, hysteria, epilepsy, hoarseness.

Europe · Food · № 48

Stinging nettle

Urtica dioica

A food and fiber plant with a long tradition in folk medicine. Medical claims are not established.

Europe · Herb · № 283

Broom

Cytisus scoparius

Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, laxative, raises blood pressure, stimulates the uterus.

North America · Herb · № 631

Brewer's angelica

Angelica breweri, A. arguta, A. hendersonii

Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind, dampness and cold in stiff, painful joints, opens the surface in wind-cold and moves qi and blood in pain.

South 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.

Asia · 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.

North 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.