CautionAsia · Herb · № 1
Ginger
Zingiber officinale
Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.
Ayurveda+6Folklore
From Ayurveda to Rongoā Māori
Herbal knowledge and the cultures that passed it on
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
Also found
- Chinese formulas
- Ma huang fu zi xi xin tangBai tou weng tangZhi gan cao tangDa ding feng zhuMa zi ren wanGui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangEr xian tangQing ying tangQing wei sanShu jing huo xue tangYi yi ren tangGe gen huang qin huang lian tangXiao feng sanSan huang xie xin tangSi wu tangDang gui long hui wanBa zheng sanDing chuan tangMa xing shi gan tangMa huang tangLiang ge sanTian ma gou teng yinGui pi tangBu zhong yi qi tang+25
- Treatment by condition
- CancerImproving eyesight
- Caution
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 668
Gypsum (shi gao)
Gypsum fibrosum (calciumsulfaat)
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly cooling in high fever with thirst and sweating, lung heat and stomach fire.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 315
Glossy privet (nu zhen zi)
Ligustrum lucidum
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, diuretic, stimulates the immune system.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 772
Grass-leaved sweet flag (shi chang pu)
Acorus tatarinowii (syn. A. gramineus)
Traditionally attributed effects: opens the sense orifices, clears the mind and expels dampness and phlegm.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionEurope · Herb · № 339
Water plantain (ze xie)
Alisma plantago-aquatica (syn. A. orientale)
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, lowers blood pressure, antibacterial, cleanses the liver.
Western herbal medicine+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 139
Haritaki and triphala
Terminalia chebula
Haritaki is used in Ayurveda as a rejuvenating remedy and gentle laxative. Triphala, a blend of three fruits, is the best-known Ayurvedic formula for digestion. Clinical research is limited.
Ayurveda+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 765
Tree of heaven (chun pi)
Ailanthus altissima
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat, dries dampness and curbs diarrhoea, discharge and bleeding.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Food · № 764
Japanese apricot (wu mei)
Prunus mume
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent in chronic cough and diarrhoea, replenishes body fluids and was used against worms.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 322
Asiatic dogwood fruit (shan zhu yu)
Cornus officinalis
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, diuretic, lowers blood pressure, antimicrobial.
Chinese medical traditions+3
CautionAsia · Food · № 645
Job's tears (coix seed)
Coix lacryma-jobi
Traditionally attributed effects: nourishing grain that drives dampness from the body; for arthritis and rheumatism, diuretic, and to relieve a full chest and stomach ulcers.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Food · № 38
Cinnamon
Cinnamomum verum
A spice made from inner bark. Research on health effects is preliminary; cinnamon is not a treatment.
Ayurveda+8Folklore
CautionAsia · Herb · № 143
Kutki
Picrorhiza kurroa
A very bitter herb used in Ayurveda and Tibetan medicine for liver complaints, fever and digestive problems. Research is mainly in animals.
Ayurveda+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 647
Fritillaria bulb (bei mu)
Fritillaria cirrhosa
Traditionally attributed effects: dissolves phlegm and clears congested lungs; together with pear for dry airways and a heated chest.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 337
Nut grass
Cyperus rotundus
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, pain-relieving, antispasmodic for the uterus, promotes the flow of qi.
Ancient Egyptian medicine+4
CautionAsia · Herb · № 746
Vaccaria seed (wang bu liu xing)
Gypsophila vaccaria (syn. Vaccaria segetalis)
Traditionally attributed effects: lets the blood flow, promotes menstruation and milk flow and reduces painful swellings.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 136
Kudzu
Pueraria montana var. lobata
The root (ge gen) is used in Chinese medicine for fever, stiff neck and thirst. Small studies have looked at kudzu for reducing alcohol use, with mixed results.
Chinese medical traditions+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 5
Turmeric
Curcuma longa
A traditional culinary spice containing curcumin; laboratory findings do not establish a cure for disease.
Ayurveda+5Folklore
CautionAsia · Herb · № 732
Lindera root (wu yao)
Lindera aggregata (syn. L. strychnifolia)
Traditionally attributed effects: warms and moves qi in pain from cold; warms the kidneys in frequent urination.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Food · № 653
Longan
Dimocarpus longan
Traditionally attributed effects: a sweet, warming tonic for heart and blood; good for digestion and calming.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 485
Air potato
Dioscorea bulbifera
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, pungent, appetite-suppressing; for syphilis, haemorrhoids, dysentery, ulcers.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 685
Patrinia (bai jiang cao)
Patrinia scabiosifolia (en P. villosa)
Traditionally attributed effects: detoxifies, drains pus and moves the blood in pain with heat.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 656
Perilla
Perilla frutescens
Traditionally attributed effects: warms in colds from cold, helps digestion and soothes cough with phlegm.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 784
Pumice (fu hai shi)
Pumex
Traditionally attributed effects: cools hot phlegm in the lungs, softens lumps and promotes urination.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 673
Rehmannia
Rehmannia glutinosa
Traditionally attributed effects: raw it cools the blood and nourishes yin; prepared (steamed with wine) it nourishes the blood and the kidney yin.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 650
Saposhnikovia root (fang feng)
Saposhnikovia divaricata
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind; for muscle pain, painful diarrhoea, rheumatic complaints and cramps.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 592
Schisandra
Schisandra chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, astringent, stimulating, adaptogen; supports exhausted adrenals (fatigue), promotes sleep and well-being, protects the liver.
Chinese medical traditions+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 657
Schizonepeta (jing jie)
Schizonepeta tenuifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: opens the surface in colds (warm or cool, depending on the combination), helps rashes come out and, charred, stops bleeding.
Chinese 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
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
CautionAsia · Food · № 268
Wheat
Triticum aestivum
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens, rejuvenates, soothes ulcers, stimulates appetite, promotes healing of fractures, gives stability, healthy complexion; mildly aphrodisiac; anti-stress breakfast.
Ayurveda+2Folklore
CautionAsia · Herb · № 773
Gambir hook vine (gou teng)
Uncaria rhynchophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and rising liver yang in headache, dizziness and high blood pressure.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Food · № 435
Ash gourd
Benincasa hispida
Traditionally attributed effects: nourishing, tonic, laxative, diuretic; seeds expel worms; juice for coughing up blood and internal bleeding, for insanity, epilepsy and nervous diseases.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 640
Fragrant Solomon's seal (yu zhu)
Polygonatum odoratum
Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes the stomach and promotes the production of body fluids; for fatigue, poor appetite, weak digestion and exhaustion.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 712
Hypoglauca yam (bei xie)
Dioscorea hypoglauca (syn. D. collettii)
Traditionally attributed effects: clears cloudy urine and expels wind and dampness in rheumatism and skin complaints.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 728
Black atractylodes (cang zhu)
Atractylodes lancea
Traditionally attributed effects: dries dampness and strengthens the spleen; expels wind, cold and dampness.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 158
American skullcap
Scutellaria lateriflora (en S. baicalensis)
Used in Western herbalism for nervousness, tension and sleep problems. A few small studies suggest a mild calming effect.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+4
Featured · Central America and the Caribbean · Curanderismo
Salvia divinorum
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.
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Ways to prepare herbs
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Traditions, kitchen and classical formulas
43 traditions
Cultures & traditions
How communities built up and passed on their knowledge of plants, region by region.
113 recipes
Recipes
Soups, teas and dishes in which herbs play a leading role.
146 formulas
Chinese formulas
The classical Chinese formulas, also listed by condition.