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 · № 520
Madhuca longifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: flowers cooling, soothing, expectorant, tonic, nourishing; bark astringent and tonic; for diabetes and rheumatism, bleeding gums, tonsil and throat inflammation, itching, bronchitis, cough, haemorrhoids.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Food · № 266
Zea mays
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, heals the urinary tract lining, tonic, soothing.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 113
Marrubium vulgare
A bitter herb traditionally used for coughs with sticky phlegm and bronchitis. In Europe it is recognised as a traditional herbal medicine; clinical evidence is limited.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 844
Pipturus albidus
A native Hawaiian plant whose leaves are drunk as a tea.
CautionAsia · Food · № 730
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 348
Centella asiatica
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, tonic, diuretic, locally stimulating, calming; for chronic ulcers, eczema, psoriasis, leprosy, epilepsy, insanity, swollen glands, abscesses, chronic rheumatism, diarrhoea in children.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 239
Viscum album
Traditionally attributed effects: slows the heart rate, lowers blood pressure, antitumour.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 46
Silybum marianum
Promoted for liver disorders, but there is not enough high-quality evidence of effects in people.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 47
Crataegus monogyna, C. laevigata (en C. pinnatifida)
Studied for heart failure with conflicting results. For most conditions there is little or no good evidence.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 762
Taxillus chinensis (syn. Loranthus parasiticus)
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, expels wind and dampness, nourishes the blood and calms the foetus.
CautionAsia · Food · № 763
Siraitia grosvenorii (syn. Momordica grosvenori)
Traditionally attributed effects: moistens and cools the lungs in a dry cough and reduces swollen glands.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 753
Morinda officinalis
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang and expels wind, cold and dampness from back and legs.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 341
Brassica juncea
Traditionally attributed effects: plant bitter, mildly laxative, tonic; oil stimulating and skin-irritant, antiseptic; for chest complaints in children, muscular rheumatism, stiff neck, inflammation and nerve pain, abdominal cramps, persistent vomiting.
CautionAsia · Food · № 792
Saccharum granorum (maltose)
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens qi and spleen, eases pain from cold in the middle and moistens the lungs.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 3
Mentha × piperita
Peppermint oil has been studied in irritable bowel syndrome and may reduce abdominal pain. The tea is used for a full stomach and nausea. With heartburn peppermint can make complaints worse.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 509
Hibiscus abelmoschus
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, carminative, cooling, diuretic, soothing, stomachic, antispasmodic, tonic; for nervous weakness, hysteria, indigestion, gonorrhoea, catarrh of the bladder and airways, itching.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 39
Azadirachta indica
Used for centuries in traditional medicine in India, but there is insufficient clinical evidence of medical benefits.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 482
Delphinium denudatum
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, cleansing, stomachic, tonic, pain-relieving; for syphilis and rheumatism, recovery after fever, toothache, antidote for snake bites and aconite poisoning.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 529
Nerium indicum
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly diuretic and strengthens the heart (like digitalis), abortifacient.
CautionAsia · Food · № 484
Dillenia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, laxative; cooling drink in fever, cough remedy; bark and leaves astringent.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 421
Argyreia speciosa
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, tonic, soothing; for elephantiasis, arthritis, rheumatic swelling, overweight, skin diseases, boils, ear infection.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 488
Elephantopus scaber
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart, astringent, cleansing, fever-reducing, antibiotic; for painful urination, urethral discharge, diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting, snake bites, ulcers, eczema.
CautionAsia · Food · № 412
Amorphophallus campanulatus
Traditionally attributed effects: stomachic, carminative, tonic; for haemorrhoids, indigestion and weakness, boils, eye inflammation, acute rheumatism; promotes menstruation.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 737
Platycladus orientalis (syn. Biota orientalis)
Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding; dissolves phlegm and helps with burns.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 434
Bauhinia variegata
Traditionally attributed effects: bark cleansing, tonic, astringent; root carminative; flowers laxative; for sore throat, cough, bleeding haemorrhoids, heavy menstruation, swollen neck glands, ulcers, diarrhoea, worms, overweight.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 97
Taraxacum officinale
The leaf is mildly diuretic; the bitter root was used for the liver and digestion. NCCIH notes there is little human research.
CautionAsia · Food · № 487
Dolichos biflorus
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, diuretic, tonic, fever-reducing, expels worms, promotes menstruation, dissolves stones; for haemorrhoids, bronchitis, heart complaints, kidney stones, enlarged spleen, hiccups, asthma, leucoderma, leucorrhoea, menstrual cramps.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 437
Bergenia ligulata
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, soothing, astringent, tonic; known for dissolving kidney stones; for fever, diarrhoea, lung complaints, eye inflammation, teething in children.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 154
Passiflora incarnata
Used for anxiety and sleep problems. NCCIH notes some indications of an effect on anxiety but limited evidence.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 241
Pogostemon cablin
Traditionally attributed effects: inhibits sebum production, draws oil from the skin, fights acne bacteria; against dandruff.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 522
Melia azedarach
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, tonic, antipyretic, expels worms; fruit laxative; oil insecticidal and antiseptic.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 395
Abrus precatorius
Traditionally attributed effects: seeds purgative, emetic, tonic, anti-inflammatory, aphrodisiac; leaf juice for sore throat and dry cough, purifies the blood; leaf paste for swellings and rheumatism; seed paste for sciatica and paralysis; eyewash.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 326
Mitchella repens
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulates the uterus, tonic, restorative, astringent, diuretic.
CautionEurope · Food · № 259
Daucus carota
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, diuretic, tonic, carminative; expels kidney and bladder stones, relieves lower back pain from the kidneys, reduces oedema, restores the bladder, stimulates digestion; seed traditionally as a contraceptive.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 132
Paeonia lactiflora en P. suffruticosa
The peeled root (bai shao, white peony) is used in Chinese medicine for cramps, period pain and muscle pain. There are studies of combination formulas but few of peony alone.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 192
Populus tremuloides
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, fever-reducing, tonic, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving (salicylates); restores the sensitive bladder (incontinence), calms the bowels in stress diarrhoea, heals wounds, lowers fever, relieves headache.
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.