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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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115 results

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Recipes
Comfrey salve for joints and bruisesBath for joints and muscles
Chinese formulas
Gui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangShu jing huo xue tangYi yi ren tangDu huo ji sheng tangYou gui wan
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 664

    Beach vitex fruit (man jing zi)

    Vitex rotundifolia (syn. V. trifolia)

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat in headache and eye pain, and relieves cramps and heaviness in the limbs.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 549

    Toothbrush tree

    Salvadora persica

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, diuretic, decongestant; leaves for rheumatism, scurvy, painful tumours, haemorrhoids, asthma and cough; flower oil for flatulence, mucus, worms, leprosy, gonorrhoea, headache and rheumatic pain.

    Local African healing traditions+2
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 334

    Wood sage

    Teucrium scorodonia

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, induces sweating, antirheumatic, carminative, wound-healing, promotes bile.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 466

    Butterfly pea

    Clitoria ternatea

    Traditionally attributed effects: root mildly laxative, diuretic, expels worms; seeds strongly laxative; for ascites, enlarged abdominal organs, migraine (flower juice), gonorrhoea, bladder irritation, ulcers, swollen joints.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 106

    Bogbean

    Menyanthes trifoliata

    A strong bitter traditionally used to stimulate appetite and digestion and for rheumatic complaints. Clinical evidence is lacking.

    Western herbal medicine+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 634

    Wintergreen

    Gaultheria procumbens

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness and cools heat in hot, swollen joints and muscle pain, drains damp heat in the urinary tract and moves stagnant qi and blood in pain.

    Haudenosaunee medicine+3
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 330

    White bryony

    Bryonia alba

    Traditionally attributed effects: antirheumatic, laxative.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 539

    White leadwort

    Plumbago zeylanica

    Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, stimulates the stomach, stimulates appetite; externally skin-irritant for rheumatism, paralysis, enlarged glands, leucoderma and skin diseases; tincture antipyretic.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 547

    Castor oil plant

    Ricinus communis

    Traditionally attributed effects: oil mildly laxative; leaf juice emetic in poisoning, leaf decoction laxative, promotes milk and menstruation; compress on boils and swellings, for flatulence in children; root decoction for lumbago, rheumatism and sciatica.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+4
  • Caution

    Asia · 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
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 632

    Yerba mansa

    Anemopsis californica

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness in joint pain that worsens in cold, wet weather, opens blocked sinuses and dries dampness in slow-healing wounds and swellings.

    Curanderismo+2
  • 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
  • Caution

    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.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    South America · Food · № 916

    Algarrobo (Peruvian mesquite)

    Neltuma pallida (syn. Prosopis pallida)

    A thorny tree of the pea family, related to mesquite, with sweet pods full of sugars. With its deep roots the tree holds the dry forest together.

    Curanderismo of northern Peru
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 743

    Sweetgum fruit (lu lu tong)

    Liquidambar formosana

    Traditionally attributed effects: lets qi and blood flow and opens the meridians.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    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.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    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.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Other · № 74

    Bladderwrack

    Fucus vesiculosus

    A brown seaweed rich in iodine; formerly used for an underactive thyroid and for weight loss. Weight-loss claims are unproven.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 48

    Stinging nettle

    Urtica dioica

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

    Monastic and folk knowledge+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 681

    Korean ash bark (qin pi)

    Fraxinus chinensis subsp. rhynchophylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: for diarrhoea and dysentery from damp heat, red eyes and cough with heat.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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

    Europe · Herb · № 56

    Yarrow

    Achillea millefolium

    Traditionally used to stop bleeding from minor wounds, for fevers and colds, and as a digestive bitter. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Greco-Roman medicine+6Folklore
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 876

    Floripondio (angel's trumpet)

    Brugmansia spp. (o.a. B. arborea, B. sanguinea)

    A shrub or small tree with large hanging trumpet flowers. All parts contain tropane alkaloids such as scopolamine and atropine, which cause confusion and hallucinations.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge+2
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 60

    Garden angelica

    Angelica archangelica

    An aromatic bitter traditionally used for bloating, poor appetite and colds. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 87

    Cowslip

    Primula veris

    The root contains saponins and is traditionally used to loosen phlegm in coughs; the flowers as a calming tea. There is some research on combination cough preparations.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+1
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 918

    Ishpingo

    Nectandra spp. (en verwante laurierachtigen, o.a. Ocotea en Aiouea)

    Trees of the laurel family with fragrant seeds and bark. Little is known about the substances in the seeds and their effect in people.

    Curanderismo of northern Peru
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 127

    Japanese honeysuckle

    Lonicera japonica en L. periclymenum

    The flower buds (jin yin hua) are an important 'cooling' herb in Chinese medicine for fever, sore throats and colds. There is plenty of laboratory research but few good clinical studies.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • 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

    North America · Herb · № 155

    Pokeweed

    Phytolacca americana

    Formerly used for swollen glands, tonsillitis and rheumatism. Because of its toxicity it is not a safe herb; there is no evidence of benefits that outweigh the risks.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+5
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 5

    Turmeric

    Curcuma longa

    A traditional culinary spice containing curcumin; laboratory findings do not establish a cure for disease.

    Ayurveda+5Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 96

    Feverfew

    Tanacetum parthenium

    Best known for preventing migraine. NCCIH notes the evidence is conflicting: some studies find a small effect, others do not.

    Western herbal medicine+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 3

    Mint

    Mentha × piperita

    Peppermint oil has been studied in irritable bowel syndrome and may reduce abdominal pain. The tea is used for a full stomach and nausea. With heartburn peppermint can make complaints worse.

    Greco-Roman medicine+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 737

    Oriental arborvitae (ce bai ye)

    Platycladus orientalis (syn. Biota orientalis)

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding; dissolves phlegm and helps with burns.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 786

    Aristolochia root (guang fang ji)

    Aristolochia fangchi

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used for hot, painful joints and oedema; banned because of kidney damage.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 45

    Sage

    Salvia officinalis

    A culinary herb. A few small studies suggest possible effects on memory and blood lipids, but evidence is limited.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+4Folklore
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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