Skip to content
Herbs & Cultures

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.

All 980 herbs from 43 traditions

Search by concern or tag

343 results

Also found

Chinese formulas
Si ni tangZuo gui wanMa huang fu zi xi xin tangJi chuan jianQing e wanQi li sanSi ni sanXiao yao sanJia wei xiao yao sanGui zhi long gu mu li tangGui zhi fu ling wanGui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangBao he wanQing wei sanShu jing huo xue tangChuan xiong cha tiao sanDang gui shao yao sanJiao ai tangDang gui si ni tangShu jin sanDang gui long hui wanBa zheng sanChai hu shu gan sanDu huo ji sheng tang+25
Treatment by condition
Stomach painStomach ulcer and gastritisHaemorrhoidsUlcerative colitisHepatitisLupus (SLE)Flu and pneumoniaPleurisyHeart disease (general)Angina pectorisUrinary tract infectionBlood in the urinePainful menstruationBack pain and sciaticaNeck pain and nerve pain
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 233

    Cypress

    Cupressus sempervirens

    Traditionally attributed effects: antiseptic, antispasmodic, calming, diuretic.

    Greco-Roman medicine+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 731

    Costus root (mu xiang)

    Dolomiaea costus (syn. Saussurea lappa, Aucklandia lappa)

    Traditionally attributed effects: moves the qi in spleen, stomach, intestine, liver and gallbladder; helps digest tonics.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 659

    Dahurian angelica (bai zhi)

    Angelica dahurica

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold, opens the nose and relieves headache and toothache; helps drain pus.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 481

    Thorn apple

    Datura metel

    Traditionally attributed effects: narcotic, pain-relieving, antispasmodic (like belladonna); compress for rheumatic swellings, lumbago, sciatica, nerve pain, painful tumours; leaves and seeds for asthma and whooping cough; liniment for painful menstruation.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Other · № 744

    Dragon's blood (xue jie)

    Daemonorops draco (ook Dracaena cochinchinensis)

    Traditionally attributed effects: stops bleeding, resolves blood stagnation and promotes wound healing.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 245

    Grape

    Vitis vinifera

    Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, laxative, cooling, stomachic, diuretic; for bilious indigestion, bleeding, painful urination, chronic bronchitis, heart disease, gout; juice for constipation in children.

    Folk magic and herbal magic+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 394

    Devil's cotton

    Abroma augusta

    Traditionally attributed effects: leaves and stem soothing, root bark promotes menstruation; for painful menstruation, regulates menstruation, uterine tonic, for gonorrhoea; can cause skin irritation.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 24

    Devil's claw

    Harpagophytum procumbens

    The tuberous roots are used in folk medicine for pain. Research suggests a possible limited effect on low back pain; the evidence is of moderate quality at best.

    Traditional healers of Southern Africa+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 972

    Single delight

    Moneses uniflora

    A small plant of the heath family with a single nodding, white, fragrant flower. The pounded plant irritates the skin and can raise blisters.

    Kwakwaka'wakw medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 336

    Evodia fruit (wu zhu yu)

    Tetradium ruticarpum (syn. Evodia rutaecarpa)

    Traditionally attributed effects: pain-relieving, antibacterial, warming, stimulating.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 774

    Gastrodia (tian ma)

    Gastrodia elata

    Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and relieves headache, dizziness and cramps.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 104

    Guelder rose

    Viburnum opulus en V. prunifolium

    The bark is traditionally used for muscle cramps and period pain; its English name is cramp bark. Clinical evidence is lacking.

    Western herbal medicine+2
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 76

    Great yellow gentian

    Gentiana lutea

    The root is one of the most bitter substances known and has long been used to stimulate appetite and digestion. Studies are small.

    Greco-Roman medicine+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 468

    Golden colchicum

    Colchicum luteum

    Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, carminative, laxative, aphrodisiac; for gout, rheumatism, liver and spleen diseases; externally against inflammation and pain.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 182

    Yellow jessamine (gelsemium)

    Gelsemium sempervirens

    Contains alkaloids such as gelsemine that act on the nervous system. In the 19th century it was used for nerve pain, migraine and fever, but its toxicity makes any use dangerous. Homeopathic gelsemium is so diluted that it contains no active substance.

    Eclectic medicine+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 1

    Ginger

    Zingiber officinale

    Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.

    Ayurveda+6Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 713

    Large-leaf gentian (qin jiao)

    Gentiana macrophylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness in cold and hot joint pain and cools heat from yin deficiency.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 307

    Indian tobacco

    Lobelia inflata

    Traditionally attributed effects: relaxing, expectorant, induces sweating, emetic, antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 427

    Indian belladonna

    Atropa acuminata

    Traditionally attributed effects: narcotic, calming, diuretic, antispasmodic, dilates the pupils, pain-relieving; antidote in opium and mushroom poisoning, smoked for cramps, externally for rheumatism, nerve pain and lumbago.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 537

    Indian dill

    Peucedanum graveolens

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, antispasmodic; for flatulence, hiccups, colic and stomach ache, reduces cramps from laxatives and dysentery; drink for women after childbirth; leaves on boils and abscesses.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 432

    Indian oak

    Barringtonia acutangula

    Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, carminative, emetic; for nasal and respiratory catarrh, chest pain, headache (snuff), diarrhoea and dysentery, bitter tonic; root cooling and antipyretic.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 451

    Indian hemp

    Cannabis indica

    Traditionally attributed effects: intoxicating, stomachic, antispasmodic, pain-relieving, stimulating, aphrodisiac, calming; sleep-inducing, for painful menstruation, itchy skin diseases, headache, mania, whooping cough, asthma, nervous vomiting.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 571

    Indian jujube

    Zizyphus martiana

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, stomachic; leaves for gonorrhoea, conjunctivitis, boils and abscesses, painful urination; bark for diarrhoea, dysentery, colic and gum inflammation.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 543

    Indian kino

    Pterocarpus marsupium

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, cleansing, lowers blood sugar; kino for diarrhoea and toothache; bark for diarrhoea and diabetes; leaves on boils, ulcers and skin diseases.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 400

    Indian aconite

    Aconitum ferox

    Traditionally attributed effects: in very small doses induces sweating, diuretic, pain-relieving, fever-reducing; for nerve pain, muscular rheumatism, gout, sore throat, colds, paralysis; highly poisonous in larger doses.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 533

    Indian trumpet tree

    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.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 309

    Jamaican dogwood

    Piscidia piscipula

    Traditionally attributed effects: calming, pain-relieving.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 752

    Teasel root (xu duan)

    Dipsacus asper

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, helps fractures heal and calms the foetus.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 970

    Barestem lomatium

    Lomatium nudicaule (in Boas: Peucedanum)

    An umbellifer with blue-green leaves and yellow umbels. The seeds are strongly aromatic; related lomatiums are being studied for antiviral effects.

    Kwakwaka'wakw medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Other · № 141

    Camphor

    Cinnamomum camphora

    Used externally in rubs for muscle pain, itching and blocked noses; it gives a cooling, numbing feeling. There is some evidence of short-term relief.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 555

    Yellow-berried nightshade

    Solanum surattense

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, strongly diuretic, expectorant, fever-reducing, aids digestion, astringent; for fever, cough, asthma, toothache, sore throat, gonorrhoea, rheumatism; promotes conception.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 565

    Puncture vine

    Tribulus terrestris

    Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, soothing, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 357

    Coconut

    Cocos nucifera

    Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, diuretic, antiseptic, laxative; root for uterine diseases, bronchitis, liver complaints, dysentery, sore throat (gargle); coconut water for thirst, fever, urinary complaints and vomiting; ash for scabies and toothache.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 232

    Cumin

    Cuminum cyminum

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, aromatic, stomachic, stimulating, astringent, cooling; for gonorrhoea, chronic diarrhoea, indigestion, hoarseness; oil as a source of thymol against hookworms.

    Ayurveda+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 102

    Great mullein

    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.

    Greco-Roman medicine+4
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 231

    Coriander

    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.

    Greco-Roman medicine+5Folklore
Image of Salvia divinorum

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.

Read more

From plant to use

Ways to prepare herbs

All preparations →

Discover more

Traditions, kitchen and classical formulas