Herbal knowledge and the cultures that passed it on

Asia · Herb · № 535

Screwpine

Pandanus tectorius

Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, laxative, aromatic; leaves for leprosy, smallpox, scabies, syphilis, leucoderma; anthers for earache, headache and blood diseases; oil for headache and rheumatism.

Asia · Herb · № 470

Sebesten plum

Cordia myxa

Traditionally attributed effects: fruit soothing, expectorant, diuretic, mildly laxative; bark mildly astringent and tonic; for cough and chest diseases, bile complaints, abdominal cramps, indigestion, fever, ulcers, snake bites.

Africa · Herb · № 117

Senna

Senna alexandrina

Leaves and pods contain sennosides, a stimulant laxative that works for short-term constipation. It is used in modern over-the-counter laxatives.

Asia · Food · № 519

Sponge gourd

Luffa cylindrica

Traditionally attributed effects: seeds emetic, laxative, diuretic; fruit cooling, soothing, stimulates appetite, diuretic, promotes milk flow; oil for skin conditions.

Europe · Herb · № 577

Alder buckthorn

Frangula alnus

Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, laxative, antiparasitic, bitter; mild laxative without cramps, stops bleeding and helps with warts, mouthwash for gum problems, hair rinse for scalp irritation.

Asia · Herb · № 538

Bhumyamalaki

Phyllanthus fraternus

Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, astringent, cooling, laxative, bitter tonic; for oedema, gonorrhoea, urogenital diseases, jaundice, constipation, stomach ache, indigestion, dysentery, mild intermittent fever, heavy menstruation.

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.

Europe · Herb · № 298

Greater celandine

Chelidonium majus

Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, cleansing, stimulates the liver, anti-inflammatory.

Africa · Food · № 560

Tamarind

Tamarindus indica

Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit sour, cooling, carminative, laxative, antiscorbutic, promotes bile; for inflamed swellings, bilious vomiting, conjunctivitis (flowers), bleeding haemorrhoids, throat complaints, ulcers, paralysis (bark), gonorrhoea (ash).

Africa · Herb · № 467

Ivy gourd

Coccinia indica

Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, laxative (bark), antispasmodic and expectorant (leaf and stem), lowers blood sugar; for incipient diabetes, swollen glands, skin diseases, smallpox rash, gonorrhoea, bronchitis.

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.

North America · Herb · № 581

Culver's root

Veronicastrum virginicum

Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, stimulating, supports the liver, promotes bile; decongests liver and gallbladder, for gallbladder pain and jaundice.

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.

Asia · Herb · № 479

Dodder

Cuscuta reflexa

Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, expels worms, cleansing, antispasmodic; for stomach ache, constipation, flatulence, liver complaints, bile complaints; externally for itching and skin diseases.

Asia · 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.

North America · Herb · № 332

Wild indigo

Baptisia tinctoria

Traditionally attributed effects: antiseptic, antibacterial, fever-reducing, laxative.

Europe · Herb · № 330

White bryony

Bryonia alba

Traditionally attributed effects: antirheumatic, laxative.

Africa · Herb · № 429

Desert date

Balanites aegyptiaca

Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms; seeds for cough and colic, oil on burns and freckles, seed extract lowers blood pressure.

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.

Asia · Herb · № 424

Wormseed

Artemisia maritima

Traditionally attributed effects: antipyretic, mildly laxative, stomachic, tonic, expels worms, stimulates the heart; against worms, compress for inflammation, tumours and foul ulcers.

North America · Herb · № 576

Black walnut

Juglans nigra

Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, laxative, astringent, antibacterial, antiparasitic, antifungal; cleanses and strengthens the large intestine, for skin problems, traveller's diarrhoea, sinusitis, underactive thyroid.

Africa · Herb · № 4

Aloe vera

Aloe vera

The gel from the leaf is used externally to soothe the skin and for minor burns. Research on wound healing gives mixed results; the gel is no substitute for wound care.

North America · Herb · № 826

Mayapple

Podophyllum peltatum

A poisonous plant whose resin, podophyllin, was once used as a laxative. Now only used in the form of medicines against warts.

Asia · Herb · № 349

Amla

Phyllanthus emblica

Traditionally attributed effects: fresh fruit cooling, diuretic, laxative, stomachic; bark astringent; for lung and eye inflammation, hair growth, asthma, bronchitis, bile complaints, bleeding, diarrhoea, dysentery, anaemia, jaundice.

Europe · Food · № 84

Apple

Malus domestica

A fruit rich in fibre such as pectin; grated apple is an old home remedy for mild diarrhoea. No specific medicinal effect has been proven.

Africa · Herb · № 450

Apple of Sodom

Calotropis procera

Traditionally attributed effects: root bark for dysentery and elephantiasis; leaves for intermittent fever; milky sap irritant and laxative; flowers for colds, cough, asthma and indigestion.

Europe · Food · № 65

Asparagus

Asparagus officinalis en A. racemosus

A nutritious vegetable; root and shoots were traditionally used as a diuretic. There is no good evidence for a medicinal effect.

Asia · Herb · № 404

Bael fruit

Aegle marmelos

Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit cooling, nourishing, mildly laxative; unripe fruit astringent and aids digestion; for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, asthma (leaves), intermittent fever, melancholy and palpitations.

Europe · Mineral · № 9

Epsom salt

Magnesium sulphate. In sufficient amounts it acts as a laxative because it holds water in the bowel. In a bath it is used to relax muscles; that magnesium is absorbed through the skin has not been shown.

North America · Herb · № 151

Boneset

Eupatorium perfoliatum

Traditionally used for fever and flu with aching muscles; the name refers to 'break-bone fever'. There is hardly any modern clinical research.

Europe · Food · № 73

Wild strawberry

Fragaria vesca

The tannin-rich leaf was traditionally used for mild diarrhoea; the fruit is a treat rich in vitamin C. Medical evidence is lacking.

Asia · Mineral · № 798

Calomel (qing fen)

Calomelas (kwikchloride)

Traditionally attributed effects: was used externally against scabies and sores; contains mercury.

North America · Herb · № 34

Goldenseal

Hydrastis canadensis

There is not enough evidence to determine whether goldenseal helps any health condition.

Asia · Herb · № 525

Champak

Michelia champaca

Traditionally attributed effects: decongestant, cleansing, stomachic, tonic, laxative, carminative; for gastritis, chronic rheumatism, abscesses, fever, indigestion, nausea, kidney diseases, gonorrhoea; flower oil for headache, eye inflammation and gout.

Asia · Herb · № 558

Chiretta

Swertia chirata

Traditionally attributed effects: bitter tonic, stomachic, expels worms, laxative, cleansing, antidiarrhoeal, antipyretic; for intermittent fever, skin diseases, intestinal worms, asthma, hiccups and vomiting, gout; scorpion stings.

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.