Herbal knowledge and the cultures that passed it on

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.

Asia · Herb · № 336

Evodia fruit (wu zhu yu)

Tetradium ruticarpum (syn. Evodia rutaecarpa)

Traditionally attributed effects: pain-relieving, antibacterial, warming, stimulating.

Asia · Herb · № 528

Velvet bean

Mucuna pruriens

Traditionally attributed effects: seeds astringent, expel worms, strengthen the nerves, aphrodisiac; root tonic, stimulating, diuretic, laxative; for nervous diseases (paralysis), kidney diseases, oedema, elephantiasis, leucorrhoea, heavy menstruation, seminal loss.

Europe · Food · № 90

Raspberry

Rubus idaeus

The fruit is a nutritious berry. Raspberry leaf has been used in folk medicine in late pregnancy to ease labour; convincing evidence is lacking.

Asia · Herb · № 778

Gac seed (mu bie zi)

Momordica cochinchinensis

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

Asia · Herb · № 119

Galangal

Alpinia galanga

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

Asia · Herb · № 503

Gmelina

Gmelina arborea

Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, stomachic, bitter tonic, cooling, laxative, promotes milk flow; fruit in cooling decoctions for fever and bile complaints, headache, fever and indigestion; to prevent miscarriage.

Asia · Herb · № 200

Gardenia (zhi zi)

Gardenia jasminoides

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

Asia · Herb · № 774

Gastrodia (tian ma)

Gastrodia elata

Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and relieves headache, dizziness and cramps.

Asia · Herb · № 692

Barbat skullcap (ban zhi lian)

Scutellaria barbata

Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood, moves blood stagnation and reduces swellings; for hepatitis.

Asia · Other · № 789

Medicated leaven (shen qu)

Massa medicata fermentata

Traditionally attributed effects: helps with food stagnation and poor digestion.

Asia · Herb · № 468

Golden colchicum

Colchicum luteum

Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, carminative, laxative, aphrodisiac; for gout, rheumatism, liver and spleen diseases; externally against inflammation and pain.

Asia · Herb · № 1

Ginger

Zingiber officinale

Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.

Asia · Herb · № 700

Genkwa flower (yuan hua)

Daphne genkwa

Traditionally attributed effects: was used as a strong fluid-draining remedy in chronic fluid accumulation in chest and abdomen.

Asia · Food · № 269

Barley

Hordeum vulgare

Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, light; good for skin and hair.

Europe · Herb · № 88

Self-heal

Prunella vulgaris

In Europe an old wound herb and gargle for sore throats; in Chinese medicine used for 'heat' and swollen glands. Research is mostly laboratory work.

Asia · Food · № 827

Ghee

Clarified butter used in Ayurveda as food and as a carrier for herbs.

Asia · Herb · № 472

Poison bulb

Crinum defixum

Traditionally attributed effects: emetic, induces sweating, laxative; leaves for whitlow, inflamed toes and fingers, joints and sprains; leaf juice for ear complaints; bulb for bile complaints, urinary complaints and rheumatism.

Asia · Herb · № 37

Ginkgo

Ginkgo biloba

There is no conclusive evidence that ginkgo helps any health condition. A modest effect on dementia symptoms is possible, but results are inconsistent.

Asia · Mineral · № 668

Gypsum (shi gao)

Gypsum fibrosum (calciumsulfaat)

Traditionally attributed effects: strongly cooling in high fever with thirst and sweating, lung heat and stomach fire.

Asia · Herb · № 315

Glossy privet (nu zhen zi)

Ligustrum lucidum

Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, diuretic, stimulates the immune system.

Asia · Mineral · № 698

Glauber's salt (mang xiao)

Mirabilitum (natriumsulfaat)

Traditionally attributed effects: softens the stool in constipation from heat and dryness.

Asia · Herb · № 649

Glehnia root (sha shen)

Glehnia littoralis

Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes the lungs and is good for the stomach; for persistent dry cough and to dissolve phlegm.

Asia · Food · № 637

Goji (Chinese wolfberry)

Lycium barbarum, L. chinense

Traditionally attributed effects: sweet tonic that according to tradition strengthens the yang energy, strength and stamina and supports the hormone system.

Asia · Herb · № 556

East Indian globe thistle

Sphaeranthus indicus

Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, tonic, stomachic, stimulating, cleansing; for bile complaints, tumours, worms, skin diseases (purifies the blood), bleeding haemorrhoids, syphilis, urethral discharge, conjunctivitis.

Asia · Food · № 343

Pomegranate

Punica granatum

Traditionally attributed effects: root and stem bark astringent and strongly expel tapeworm; flowers and peel astringent and stomachic; juice cooling.

Asia · Herb · № 772

Grass-leaved sweet flag (shi chang pu)

Acorus tatarinowii (syn. A. gramineus)

Traditionally attributed effects: opens the sense orifices, clears the mind and expels dampness and phlegm.

Asia · Herb · № 344

Cardamom

Elettaria cardamomum

Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, pungent, strengthens the heart, stomachic, laxative, diuretic, carminative; for asthma, bronchitis, haemorrhoids, bladder complaints, flatulence, cramps from laxatives, dizziness, indigestion, vomiting.

Asia · Food · № 16

Green tea

Camellia sinensis

A brewed tea. Evidence does not establish most health claims; extracts differ from the ordinary beverage.

Asia · Herb · № 713

Large-leaf gentian (qin jiao)

Gentiana macrophylla

Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness in cold and hot joint pain and cools heat from yin deficiency.

Europe · Herb · № 62

Greater burdock

Arctium lappa

In Europe the root was considered a 'blood-cleansing' herb for skin problems such as eczema and acne; the seed is used in Chinese medicine for sore throats. Clinical evidence is weak.

Asia · Herb · № 736

Great burnet (di yu)

Sanguisorba officinalis

Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding in the lower abdomen; externally for burns.

Asia · Herb · № 144

Guduchi (giloy)

Tinospora cordifolia

In Ayurveda a rejuvenating remedy (rasayana) for fevers and the immune system. Studies are small; it has no proven effect against infections.

Asia · Herb · № 142

Guggul

Commiphora wightii (syn. C. mukul)

The resin is used in Ayurveda for joint complaints, overweight and high cholesterol. A US study found no reduction in cholesterol; LDL even rose slightly.

Asia · Herb · № 505

Gulsakri

Grewia hirsuta

Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, diuretic, expectorant, antiviral; fruit for diarrhoea and dysentery, wound healing, heart disease, seminal loss and leucorrhoea.

Asia · Herb · № 486

Gurjun balsam

Dipterocarpus indicus

Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, diuretic, cleansing; for chronic bronchitis, gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea, vaginal discharge, leprosy and skin diseases.