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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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266 results

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Recipes
Cooling sun teaWatercress and spare rib soup with dried figsHelba, Egyptian fenugreek teaCacao drink with chilli and vanillaToner for sensitive skinCustom herbal shampooNourishing hair treatment
Chinese formulas
Xing su sanWen dan tangJi chuan jianSi ni sanMa zi ren wanDang gui long hui wanChai hu shu gan sanYi guan jianWu yao shun qi sanDa chai hu tangDa cheng qi tangXiao chai hu tangXiao cheng qi tangJiu wei qiang huo tangGe xia zhu yu tangXue fu zhu yu tangJing jie lian qiao tangJing fang bai du sanHuai hua san
Treatment by condition
Uterine prolapse
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 785

    Bush cherry pit (yu li ren)

    Prunus japonica

    Traditionally attributed effects: moistens the bowel in constipation with stagnation and promotes urination in oedema.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 514

    Japanese morning glory

    Ipomoea nil

    Traditionally attributed effects: strongly laxative, expels worms; for constipation, substitute for jalap root.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 126

    Jasmine

    Jasminum officinale / J. grandiflorum

    Best known as a fragrance and in jasmine tea; jasmine aromatherapy is used for relaxation. Medical claims are unproven.

    Ayurveda+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 130

    Spikenard (jatamansi)

    Nardostachys jatamansi

    Used in Ayurveda as a calming remedy for insomnia and restlessness. There is mostly animal research; clinical evidence is lacking.

    Ayurveda+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 752

    Teasel root (xu duan)

    Dipsacus asper

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, helps fractures heal and calms the foetus.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 733

    Persimmon calyx (shi di)

    Diospyros kaki

    Traditionally attributed effects: the calyx makes the stomach energy descend in hiccups and belching.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 402

    Sweet flag

    Acorus calamus

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, tonic, stimulating; restores throat and voice (singers), improves concentration/clear thinking, for flatulence and heartburn.

    Ayurveda+4
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 19

    Chamomile

    Matricaria chamomilla (Duitse kamille)

    Flowers are used in teas and topical or oral products. Reliable evidence is insufficient for most claimed conditions.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+7Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 699

    Kansui root (gan sui)

    Euphorbia kansui

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used as a very strong fluid-draining purgative for fluid in chest and abdomen.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 647

    Fritillaria bulb (bei mu)

    Fritillaria cirrhosa

    Traditionally attributed effects: dissolves phlegm and clears congested lungs; together with pear for dry airways and a heated chest.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 31

    Cinchona bark

    Cinchona spp. (o.a. C. officinalis, C. pubescens)

    The bark contains quinine and other alkaloids. Quinine became an important antimalarial, but using the bark yourself is unsafe and is not malaria treatment.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 832

    Lesser galangal

    Alpinia officinarum

    An aromatic rhizome traditionally used for digestive complaints.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 565

    Puncture vine

    Tribulus terrestris

    Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, soothing, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 337

    Nut grass

    Cyperus rotundus

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, pain-relieving, antispasmodic for the uterus, promotes the flow of qi.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+4
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 92

    Figwort

    Scrophularia nodosa (en S. ningpoensis)

    Used in Western herbalism for skin conditions such as eczema and psoriasis and for swollen glands. There is no good clinical evidence.

    Monastic and folk knowledge+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 746

    Vaccaria seed (wang bu liu xing)

    Gypsophila vaccaria (syn. Vaccaria segetalis)

    Traditionally attributed effects: lets the blood flow, promotes menstruation and milk flow and reduces painful swellings.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 920

    Kratom

    Mitragyna speciosa

    A tree of the coffee family up to twenty-five metres tall with large, glossy leaves. The leaves contain mitragynine and, in smaller amounts, 7-hydroxymitragynine, which act on the opioid receptors. For many people a little leaf is stimulating, more leaf sedating and pain-relieving.

  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 510

    Kurchi

    Holarrhena antidysenterica

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, stomachic, astringent, strongly antidysenteric, fever-reducing, expels worms; for acute and chronic (amoebic) dysentery and diarrhoea, bile complaints, fever, haemorrhoids, roundworms and threadworms.

    Ayurveda+1
  • 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

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 319

    Quassia

    Picrasma excelsa

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, bitter.

    Herbal knowledge of the Caribbean+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 205

    Lily

    Lilium spp.

    The bulb scales of some lilies (bai he) are used in Chinese medicine for dry cough, restlessness and sleeplessness after fever. Lilies are deadly poisonous to cats.

    Chinese medical traditions+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Mushroom · № 41

    Lingzhi (reishi)

    Ganoderma lucidum

    A bracket fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine; evidence for treatment effects in people is limited.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 653

    Longan

    Dimocarpus longan

    Traditionally attributed effects: a sweet, warming tonic for heart and blood; good for digestion and calming.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 131

    Sacred lotus

    Nelumbo nucifera

    Almost every part is used: seeds for diarrhoea and restlessness, rhizome as food, leaf for 'summer heat'. Scientific evidence is mostly laboratory research.

    Ayurveda+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 485

    Air potato

    Dioscorea bulbifera

    Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, pungent, appetite-suppressing; for syphilis, haemorrhoids, dysentery, ulcers.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 693

    Blackberry lily (she gan)

    Iris domestica (syn. Belamcanda chinensis)

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat and detoxifies in severe sore throat and cough with much hot phlegm.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 727

    Magnolia bark (hou po)

    Magnolia officinalis

    Traditionally attributed effects: makes qi descend, dries dampness and resolves food stagnation and phlegm.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 730

    Tangerine peel (chen pi)

    Citrus reticulata

    Traditionally attributed effects: the ripe peel (chen pi) moves the qi of spleen and lung and dissolves phlegm; the green peel (qing pi) moves liver qi.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 476

    Mango ginger

    Curcuma amada

    Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, cooling, aromatic, bitter, stomachic, astringent, lowers cholesterol; externally for bruises, sprains and skin diseases; purifies the blood.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 46

    Milk thistle

    Silybum marianum

    Promoted for liver disorders, but there is not enough high-quality evidence of effects in people.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Africa · Other · № 28

    Myrrh

    Commiphora myrrha

    A gum resin with a long history in medicine, ritual, perfume, and incense. Modern treatment claims are not established.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+6Folklore
  • 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 · № 71

    Meadowsweet

    Filipendula ulmaria

    Contains salicylates. Traditionally used for heartburn, an irritated stomach and joint pain. Clinical research is scarce.

    Western herbal medicine+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 762

    Mulberry mistletoe (sang ji sheng)

    Taxillus chinensis (syn. Loranthus parasiticus)

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, expels wind and dampness, nourishes the blood and calms the foetus.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 629

    Mormon tea

    Ephedra viridis, E. nevadensis, E. californica

    Traditionally attributed effects: opens the surface in wind-cold with sneezing and a watery nose, mildly eases wheezing and promotes urination.

    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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