From Ayurveda to Rongoā Māori
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
CautionAsia · Herb · № 290
Bupleurum chinense
Traditionally attributed effects: energy tonic, stimulates the liver, cooling, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, promotes bile, lowers cholesterol.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 148
Forsythia suspensa
The fruits (lian qiao) are a 'cooling' herb in Chinese medicine for early colds with sore throat and fever, and for skin inflammation. There is little clinical research on lian qiao alone.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 726
Eupatorium fortunei
Traditionally attributed effects: transforms dampness in the middle and relieves summer heat.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 683
Pulsatilla chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: for hot, bloody dysentery, amoebae and vaginal trichomonas.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 642
Asparagus cochinchinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: moistening; for recovery after illness or surgery, chronically dry skin and for the production of sex hormones.
CautionAsia · Food · № 636
Ziziphus jujuba
Traditionally attributed effects: sweet and strengthening in fatigue, anaemia and low energy; builds strength and blood and softens herbal dishes.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 681
Fraxinus chinensis subsp. rhynchophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: for diarrhoea and dysentery from damp heat, red eyes and cough with heat.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 679
Gentiana scabra
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat and fire from liver and gallbladder.
Asia · Herb · № 304
Coptis chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, antibacterial, pain-relieving, calming, anti-inflammatory.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 740
Corydalis yanhusuo
Traditionally attributed effects: moves blood and qi and is an important pain-relieving herb.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 729
Amomum villosum (en A. kravanh)
Traditionally attributed effects: warms the spleen, transforms dampness, calms a restless foetus and prevents tonics from lying heavy on the stomach.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 137
Rheum palmatum
The root (da huang) contains anthraquinones, making it a strong laxative. In small amounts its tannins have the opposite, binding effect. Its mechanism is well understood.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 768
Polygala tenuifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: calms the mind and clears phlegm from 'the openings of the heart' and from the lungs.
CautionAsia · Food · № 635
Dioscorea polystachya (syn. D. opposita)
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens spleen, stomach and lungs, helps regulate the hormone system in women and is said to lower blood sugar.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 665
Actaea cimicifuga (syn. Cimicifuga foetida)
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat, helps rashes come out and lifts the energy in prolapse.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 558
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 225
Cichorium intybus
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, laxative, tonic.
Caution
CautionEurope · Herb · № 85
Melissa officinalis
Traditionally used for restlessness, sleep problems and a nervous stomach; externally for cold sores. Small studies suggest a mild calming effect, but evidence is limited.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 378
Aloysia citrodora
Traditionally attributed effects: relaxing, helps you fall asleep.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 183
Erythroxylum coca
The leaf contains a small amount of cocaine and other alkaloids. Chewing it or drinking it as tea is used in the Andes against hunger, fatigue and altitude sickness; evidence for the latter is limited. Cocaine, the first local anaesthetic and today mainly an addictive drug, was isolated from the leaf.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 639
Codonopsis pilosula
Traditionally attributed effects: reduces fatigue, supports the production of blood cells and strengthens spleen, stomach and lungs.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 855
Copaifera officinalis en verwante soorten
A tree whose oleoresin is rich in beta-caryophyllene. Used on the skin for inflammation and small wounds; the evidence comes mainly from animal and laboratory studies.
South America · Herb · № 913
Gentianella bicolor
A small, very bitter herb of the gentian family, related to hercampuri. Gentians contain bitter compounds that stimulate digestion. Clinical studies are lacking.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 731
Dolomiaea costus (syn. Saussurea lappa, Aucklandia lappa)
Traditionally attributed effects: moves the qi in spleen, stomach, intestine, liver and gallbladder; helps digest tonics.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 779
Cremastra appendiculata (ook Pleione en Tulipa edulis)
Traditionally attributed effects: externally for swollen glands, lumps, sores and abscesses.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 474
Croton tiglium
Traditionally attributed effects: drastically laxative, irritant, skin-irritant; for stroke, insanity, convulsions, stubborn constipation, worms, ascites, oedema, colic, gout; wood in small doses induces sweating.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 856
Grimolobium glandulosum (syn. Otholobium glandulosum, Psoralea glandulosa)
A shrub of the pea family with glandular, fragrant leaves. Traditionally used for digestive complaints, diarrhoea and on wounds; good research is lacking.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 659
Angelica dahurica
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold, opens the nose and relieves headache and toothache; helps drain pus.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 928
Turnera diffusa
A small, woody shrub with small, strongly scented leaves and yellow flowers. Contains flavonoids such as apigenin and acacetin, terpenes and a small amount of cyanogenic glycosides. Considered mildly calming and uplifting; which substances cause this is not known.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 761
Dendrobium nobile (en verwante soorten)
Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes the yin of lung and stomach, replenishes body fluids and cools heat from deficiency.
CautionCautionEurope · Food · № 245
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.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 24
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 56
Achillea millefolium
Traditionally used to stop bleeding from minor wounds, for fevers and colds, and as a digestive bitter. Clinical evidence is limited.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 662
Elsholtzia splendens
Traditionally attributed effects: for summer colds from cold and dampness, and for oedema.
Featured · Central America and the Caribbean · Curanderismo
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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43 traditions
How communities built up and passed on their knowledge of plants, region by region.
113 recipes
Soups, teas and dishes in which herbs play a leading role.
146 formulas
The classical Chinese formulas, also listed by condition.