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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

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Chinese formulas
Zuo gui wanZhi bai di huang wanEr chen tangQing ying tangShu jin sanQing zao jiu fei tangYou gui wanXuan fu dai zhe tangYin qiao sanQi ju di huang wanWu mei wanBa wei di huang wan (jin gui shen qi wan)Liu wei di huang wanJing fang bai du sanHuai hua san
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 727

    Magnolia bark (hou po)

    Magnolia officinalis

    Traditionally attributed effects: makes qi descend, dries dampness and resolves food stagnation and phlegm.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Mushroom · № 589

    Maitake

    Grifola frondosa

    Traditionally attributed effects: adaptogen; activates immune cells against cancer (macrophages, NK cells, T cells), reduces stress and strengthens resistance to colds and flu.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 730

    Tangerine peel (chen pi)

    Citrus reticulata

    Traditionally attributed effects: the ripe peel (chen pi) moves the qi of spleen and lung and dissolves phlegm; the green peel (qing pi) moves liver qi.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 792

    Maltose (yi tang)

    Saccharum granorum (maltose)

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens qi and spleen, eases pain from cold in the middle and moistens the lungs.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 658

    Notopterygium root (qiang huo)

    Notopterygium incisum

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind, cold and dampness in colds and rheumatic pain in head, neck and shoulders.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 674

    Purple gromwell (zi cao)

    Lithospermum erythrorhizon (en Arnebia euchroma)

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools and moves the blood in dark rashes; externally for burns and eczema.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 656

    Perilla

    Perilla frutescens

    Traditionally attributed effects: warms in colds from cold, helps digestion and soothes cough with phlegm.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 249

    Peach

    Prunus persica

    A juicy summer fruit. In Chinese medicine the kernels (tao ren) are used to move the blood; raw they are poisonous because of amygdalin.

    Chinese medical traditions+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 787

    Birthwort fruit (ma dou ling)

    Aristolochia debilis

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used for cough with a lot of phlegm and high blood pressure; banned because of kidney damage.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 275

    Pinellia (ban xia)

    Pinellia ternata

    Traditionally attributed effects: cough-suppressing, expectorant, against vomiting, anticatarrhal.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 132

    Chinese peony (bai shao)

    Paeonia lactiflora en P. suffruticosa

    The peeled root (bai shao, white peony) is used in Chinese medicine for cramps, period pain and muscle pain. There are studies of combination formulas but few of peony alone.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 704

    Soft rush pith (deng xin cao)

    Juncus effusus

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the heart and promotes urination in cystitis and restlessness.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mushroom · № 146

    Poria (fu ling)

    Wolfiporia cocos

    One of the most widely used remedies in Chinese medicine, for fluid retention, poor digestion and restless sleep. Clinical research on fu ling alone is scarce.

    Chinese medical traditions+4
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 669

    Reed rhizome (lu gen)

    Phragmites australis (syn. P. communis)

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat and moistens in thirst, cough with yellow phlegm, vomiting from stomach heat and painful urination.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 321

    Safflower

    Carthamus tinctorius

    Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, diuretic, anti-inflammatory.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 719

    Sargassum (hai zao)

    Sargassum pallidum (en S. fusiforme)

    Traditionally attributed effects: softens hardenings from phlegm-fire such as goitre and swollen glands; drains fluid.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 367

    Siberian ginseng

    Eleutherococcus senticosus

    Traditionally attributed effects: adaptogen, increases interferon production; especially for herpes simplex, strengthens the immune system against colds and flu; further for high blood pressure, kidney disease, diabetes, insomnia, arthritis.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 644

    Szechuan lovage (chuan xiong)

    Ligusticum chuanxiong (syn. L. striatum)

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes circulation, helps with menstrual complaints and as a restorative tonic after childbirth, and is said to lower high blood pressure; warming.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 313

    Dwarf lilyturf (mai men dong)

    Ophiopogon japonicus

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes the secretion of body fluids, tonic, calming, cough-suppressing, lowers blood sugar, antibacterial.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 456

    Sickle senna

    Cassia tora

    Traditionally attributed effects: mildly laxative, cleansing; intestinal complaints and fever when teething, compress for gout, sciatica and joint pain; seeds for ringworm, scabies and eczema; root for snake bites.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 718

    Trichosanthes fruit (gua lou)

    Trichosanthes kirilowii

    Traditionally attributed effects: fruit and seed dissolve hot phlegm and open the chest; the root (tian hua fen) cools and moistens.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 767

    Sour jujube seed (suan zao ren)

    Ziziphus jujuba var. spinosa

    Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes heart yin and calms the mind in insomnia and restlessness; curbs night sweats.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 194

    European honeysuckle

    Lonicera caprifolium, L. periclymenum

    The sweet-scented flowers were used as tea or syrup for coughs. The berries are poisonous. In Chinese medicine the related Japanese honeysuckle (jin yin hua) is used for fever and sore throat.

    Folk magic and herbal magicFolklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 651

    White atractylodes (bai zhu)

    Atractylodes macrocephala

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the spleen and regulates the stomach; for diarrhoea and fluid retention, and traditionally to help prevent miscarriage.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 18

    Licorice root

    Glycyrrhiza glabra

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

    Ayurveda+9Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 706

    Kochia fruit (di fu zi)

    Bassia scoparia (syn. Kochia scoparia)

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat in cystitis and itchy, weeping skin.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
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.

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