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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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701 results

  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 768

    Polygala root (yuan zhi)

    Polygala tenuifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: calms the mind and clears phlegm from 'the openings of the heart' and from the lungs.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 703

    Gold coin grass (jin qian cao)

    Lysimachia christinae (ook Desmodium styracifolium)

    Traditionally attributed effects: helps pass kidney and gallstones and drains damp heat from the liver.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 741

    Chinese bugleweed (ze lan)

    Lycopus lucidus

    Traditionally attributed effects: moves the blood and regulates menstruation; diuretic.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 635

    Chinese yam (shan yao)

    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.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 665

    Chinese black cohosh (sheng ma)

    Actaea cimicifuga (syn. Cimicifuga foetida)

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat, helps rashes come out and lifts the energy in prolapse.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 124

    Chrysanthemum (ju hua)

    Chrysanthemum × morifolium

    The flowers (ju hua) are used in Chinese medicine as a 'cooling' remedy for colds with fever, headaches and tired, red eyes. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 755

    Cibotium (gou ji)

    Cibotium barometz

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, bones and tendons in a stiff, painful lower back and knees.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 797

    Cinnabar (zhu sha)

    Cinnabaris (kwiksulfide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used to calm the mind and stop convulsions; contains mercury.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 760

    Cistanche (rou cong rong)

    Cistanche deserticola

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, moistens the bowel and warms the uterus.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 85

    Lemon balm

    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.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+7Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 777

    Cnidium seed (she chuang zi)

    Cnidium monnieri

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally for itching and fungus around the genitals; internally a kidney yang tonic.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 720

    Arisaema rhizome (tian nan xing)

    Arisaema heterophyllum (en A. erubescens)

    Traditionally attributed effects: dries phlegm and expels wind and phlegm from the meridians in convulsions and paralysis.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 639

    Codonopsis (dang shen)

    Codonopsis pilosula

    Traditionally attributed effects: reduces fatigue, supports the production of blood cells and strengthens spleen, stomach and lungs.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Mushroom · № 147

    Caterpillar fungus (cordyceps)

    Ophiocordyceps sinensis (syn. Cordyceps sinensis)

    A fungus that parasitises caterpillars. Used in Tibetan and Chinese medicine for fatigue, lung complaints and low libido. Studies are small and there is no convincing evidence.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • 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 · № 779

    Cremastra (shan ci gu)

    Cremastra appendiculata (ook Pleione en Tulipa edulis)

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally for swollen glands, lumps, sores and abscesses.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 474

    Purging croton

    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.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 759

    Cynomorium (suo yang)

    Cynomorium songaricum

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, nourishes the blood and moistens the bowel.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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

    North America · Herb · № 189

    Pine

    Pinus spp.

    The scent of needles and resin is experienced as fresh and cleansing. Pine buds and needles contain essential oil and vitamin C; a medicinal effect has hardly been studied.

    Haudenosaunee medicine+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 761

    Dendrobium (shi hu)

    Dendrobium nobile (en verwante soorten)

    Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes the yin of lung and stomach, replenishes body fluids and cools heat from deficiency.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 756

    Drynaria (gu sui bu)

    Drynaria roosii (syn. D. fortunei)

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, lets the blood flow and helps fractures and tendon injuries heal.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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

    North America · Herb · № 14

    Echinacea

    Echinacea purpurea

    Studied for colds and respiratory infections. It may slightly reduce the chance of catching a cold; effects on duration and other conditions are uncertain.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+5Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Mushroom · № 701

    Umbrella polypore (zhu ling)

    Polyporus umbellatus

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains fluid via the urine in oedema and difficult urination.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 585

    Horny goat weed

    Epimedium grandiflorum

    Traditionally attributed effects: aphrodisiac, diuretic, tonic; increases libido, helps with erectile problems and fertility, strengthens the bladder sphincter and kidney function.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 662

    Elsholtzia (xiang ru)

    Elsholtzia splendens

    Traditionally attributed effects: for summer colds from cold and dampness, and for oedema.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 675

    Swallow-wort root (bai wei)

    Cynanchum atratum

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood in fever from deficiency, including after childbirth, and in painful urination.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 751

    Eucommia bark (du zhong)

    Eucommia ulmoides

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, tendons and bones; calms rising liver yang and a restless foetus.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • 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

    Africa · Herb · № 118

    Fenugreek

    Trigonella foenum-graecum

    The seed has been studied for blood sugar and for increasing breast milk. NCCIH reports there is not enough strong evidence for these uses.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+5Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 778

    Gac seed (mu bie zi)

    Momordica cochinchinensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally for inflamed sores, breast abscesses and bruises.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 119

    Galangal

    Alpinia galanga

    A relative of ginger traditionally used for nausea, wind and sluggish digestion. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Ayurveda+6
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 200

    Gardenia (zhi zi)

    Gardenia jasminoides

    Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, calming, lowers blood pressure, antibacterial, promotes bile.

    Chinese medical traditions+3Folklore
  • 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
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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