From Ayurveda to Rongoā Māori
Communities around the world learned how plants nourish, care and heal. Here their traditions stand beside present-day use, with respect for every culture.
GrapeFolk magic and herbal magic
BuchuLocal African healing traditions
Indian tobaccoCherokee medicine
Lignum vitaeHerbal knowledge of the Caribbean
Yerba mateKallawaya healing knowledge
CautionAsia · Food · № 518
Luffa acutangula
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, diuretic, bitter tonic, nourishing, expectorant, lowers blood sugar; seeds emetic and laxative; for enlarged spleen, dysentery; leaves on ulcers, ringworm, haemorrhoids, leprosy, insect and snake bites.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 499
Fumaria indica
Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, mildly laxative, cooling, induces sweating and urination, fever-reducing, lowers blood pressure; for syphilis, scrofula, leprosy, constipation, indigestion from a sluggish liver, fever, jaundice, skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 501
Garcinia morella
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms, wound-healing; for oedema, absent menstruation, stubborn constipation, worms.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 532
Operculina turpethum
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, anti-inflammatory; mild fluid-expelling laxative for chronic constipation, ascites, enlarged spleen; for rheumatism, paralysis, oedema, melancholy, gout, leprosy.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 504
Gossypium herbaceum
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, laxative, expectorant, aphrodisiac, promotes milk flow, promotes menstruation; seeds for intermittent fever and dysentery; oil for rheumatism, freckles, herpes, scabies, wounds, nerve pain; compress on bruises and burns.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 533
Oroxylum indicum
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, bitter tonic, stomachic, pain-relieving, induces sweating; for diarrhoea, dysentery, acute rheumatism, oedema, ear infection; young fruit carminative, seeds laxative.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 444
Boswellia serrata
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, diuretic, aromatic, soothing, mildly laxative, cleansing, promotes menstruation; for chronic lung diseases, diarrhoea, dysentery, menstrual complaints, gonorrhoea, haemorrhoids, liver disorders.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 566
Urginea indica
Traditionally attributed effects: in small doses expectorant, stimulates the heart, diuretic, decongestant, promotes menstruation; in large doses emetic and laxative.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 454
Cassia fistula
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, tonic, fever-reducing; fruit pulp mildly laxative (safe for children and pregnant women); leaf for ringworm, chilblains, rheumatism, facial paralysis; root for fever and heart disease.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 983
Iochroma fuchsioides
A shrub of the nightshade family with clusters of tubular orange-red flowers. Withanolides, substances also found in ashwagandha, have been isolated from it. Why the plant acts as an intoxicant has not been explained.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 302
Styphnolobium japonicum (syn. Sophora japonica)
Traditionally attributed effects: stops bleeding, laxative.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 785
Prunus japonica
Traditionally attributed effects: moistens the bowel in constipation with stagnation and promotes urination in oedema.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 514
Ipomoea nil
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly laxative, expels worms; for constipation, substitute for jalap root.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 521
Mallotus philippensis
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms (specifically tapeworm), astringent; ointment for ringworm, scabies, herpes and parasitic skin diseases, leprosy rash, syphilitic ulcers.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 407
Alhagi pseudalhagi
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, diuretic, expectorant; for urinary retention, corneal clouding; manna tonic, promotes bile, purifies the blood.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Food · № 416
Annona squamosa
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, tonic, expels worms, laxative, diuretic, insecticidal; unripe fruit for diarrhoea and dysentery, leaves for non-healing ulcers and fainting, seed powder against lice.
Asia · Herb · № 699
Euphorbia kansui
Traditionally attributed effects: was used as a very strong fluid-draining purgative for fluid in chest and abdomen.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 455
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.
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.
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 711
Malva verticillata (ook Abutilon theophrasti)
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing and diuretic in painful urination and stones; promotes milk flow.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 338
Rumex crispus
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly laxative, promotes bile, cleansing.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 206
Convallaria majalis
Traditionally attributed effects: heart tonic, diuretic, laxative, emetic.
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 493
Euphorbia neriifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: milky sap drastically laxative and expectorant, externally skin-irritant; root antispasmodic; for enlarged liver and spleen, oedema, leprosy; externally on warts, for earache, ulcers and scabies; root for scorpion and snake bites.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 420
Argemone mexicana
Traditionally attributed effects: root diuretic, cleansing, pain-relieving, sleep-inducing; seeds laxative, emetic, expectorant; for oedema, jaundice, skin diseases, warts, scabies, gonorrhoea, tapeworm, cough and asthma.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 530
Nyctanthes arbor-tristis
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, expels worms, laxative, fever-reducing, anti-inflammatory.
CautionAsia · Food · № 425
Artocarpus integrifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit soothing, nourishing, laxative; unripe fruit astringent; milky sap for swollen glands, abscesses and snake bites; root for diarrhoea; leaf and root for skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Food · № 484
Dillenia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, laxative; cooling drink in fever, cough remedy; bark and leaves astringent.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 434
Bauhinia variegata
Traditionally attributed effects: bark cleansing, tonic, astringent; root carminative; flowers laxative; for sore throat, cough, bleeding haemorrhoids, heavy menstruation, swollen neck glands, ulcers, diarrhoea, worms, overweight.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 502
Gloriosa superba
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, antipyretic, promotes bile, expels worms, cleansing, laxative; against lice, for gonorrhoea, leprosy, colic, worms; promotes contractions; compress for rheumatism and nerve pain.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 133
Plantago ovata
The seed husks form a mucilaginous gel: an established bulk-forming fibre for constipation and mild diarrhoea that can also modestly lower LDL cholesterol.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 441
Boerhaavia diffusa
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, stomachic, laxative, diuretic, expectorant, induces sweating, anti-inflammatory; for asthma, jaundice, oedema, anaemia, internal inflammation, snake bites.
CautionAsia · Food · № 545
Raphanus sativus
Traditionally attributed effects: seeds and leaves diuretic, laxative, dissolve stones; juice against scurvy; for painful and difficult urination, stones, urinary diseases, haemorrhoids, stomach ache; syrup for hoarseness, whooping cough and chest complaints.
CautionAsia · Food · № 408
Alocasia macrorrhiza
Traditionally attributed effects: aids digestion, laxative, diuretic, promotes milk flow; for colic, constipation, haemorrhoids, oedema, worms, mouth ulcers, scorpion stings.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 321
Carthamus tinctorius
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, diuretic, anti-inflammatory.
Featured · Central America and the Caribbean · Curanderismo
Salvia divinorum
A sage with large leaves containing salvinorin A, a very potent substance acting on the kappa opioid receptor. Brings short-lived, often intense changes in perception and the feeling of leaving the body.
Read moreFrom plant to use
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43 traditions
How communities built up and passed on their knowledge of plants, region by region.
113 recipes
Soups, teas and dishes in which herbs play a leading role.
146 formulas
The classical Chinese formulas, also listed by condition.