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
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 · № 430
Baliospermum montanum
Traditionally attributed effects: seeds strongly laxative, externally stimulating and skin-irritant; root for oedema and jaundice, leaves for asthma, oil for rheumatism, antiseptic, for snake bites.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 189
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.
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.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 481
Datura metel
Traditionally attributed effects: narcotic, pain-relieving, antispasmodic (like belladonna); compress for rheumatic swellings, lumbago, sciatica, nerve pain, painful tumours; leaves and seeds for asthma and whooping cough; liniment for painful menstruation.
CautionEurope · 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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 756
Drynaria roosii (syn. D. fortunei)
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, lets the blood flow and helps fractures and tendon injuries heal.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 409
Alstonia scholaris
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, bitter tonic, astringent, expectorant, fever-reducing, antipyretic; quinine substitute for intermittent fever, for indigestion, weakness, skin diseases, liver complaints, chronic diarrhoea; promotes milk flow, expels worms.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 495
Ferula foetida
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, carminative, antispasmodic, expectorant, mildly laxative, expels worms, promotes menstruation, stimulates nerves and lungs.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 394
Abroma augusta
Traditionally attributed effects: leaves and stem soothing, root bark promotes menstruation; for painful menstruation, regulates menstruation, uterine tonic, for gonorrhoea; can cause skin irritation.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 966
Oplopanax horridus
An ivy-like shrub with large, hand-shaped leaves and spines over the whole stem and the leaf veins. Research into a blood-sugar-lowering effect is at an early stage.
CautionEurope · Other · № 377
Palmaria palmata
A red seaweed with protein, iodine and minerals. It is eaten as food and worked into scrubs; a medicinal effect has not been shown.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 14
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 111
Solidago virgaurea
In Europe it is used to flush the urinary tract in mild complaints and is listed in European herbal monographs as a traditional remedy. Clinical evidence is limited.
CautionAsia · Mushroom · № 701
Polyporus umbellatus
Traditionally attributed effects: drains fluid via the urine in oedema and difficult urination.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 662
Elsholtzia splendens
Traditionally attributed effects: for summer colds from cold and dampness, and for oedema.
CautionOceania · Food · № 177
Grewia retusifolia
The small fruits are edible; the name dysentery bush refers to its traditional use for diarrhoea. There is no clinical research.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 675
Cynanchum atratum
Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood in fever from deficiency, including after childbirth, and in painful urination.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 460
Dysphania ambrosioides (syn. Chenopodium ambrosioides)
A strong-smelling culinary herb traditionally used against intestinal worms and wind. The essential oil contains ascaridole, which kills worms but is also toxic to humans.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 908
Virola theiodora (en verwante Virola-soorten)
A tree of the nutmeg family with blood-red resin in its bark. The resin contains a lot of 5-MeO-DMT and DMT, and also beta-carbolines. As snuff it brings excitement, numb limbs, nausea and visions within minutes.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 193
Fraxinus excelsior
The leaf was used as a mild diuretic and laxative and for gout. There is little research; a medicinal effect has not been shown.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 188
Acer spp.
Maple syrup is the boiled-down sap of the sugar maple. It consists mainly of sugar and some minerals, such as manganese; it is a sweetener, not a medicine.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 172
Eucalyptus globulus
Eucalyptus oil is used for coughs and blocked noses with colds and externally for muscle pain; the European Medicines Agency recognises these as traditional uses. Strong clinical evidence is limited.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 462
Cissampelos pareira
Traditionally attributed effects: mildly stomachic, bitter tonic, diuretic, dissolves stones, astringent; for intestinal complaints, indigestion, diarrhoea, prolapsed uterus, internal inflammation, urinary tract diseases, purifies the blood in skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 528
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.
CautionEurope · Food · № 90
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 778
Momordica cochinchinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: externally for inflamed sores, breast abscesses and bruises.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 503
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 774
Gastrodia elata
Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and relieves headache, dizziness and cramps.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 692
Scutellaria barbata
Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood, moves blood stagnation and reduces swellings; for hepatitis.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 104
Viburnum opulus en V. prunifolium
The bark is traditionally used for muscle cramps and period pain; its English name is cramp bark. Clinical evidence is lacking.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 433
Bauhinia tomentosa
Traditionally attributed effects: against dysentery, expels worms; fruit diuretic; seeds tonic and aphrodisiac; for hepatitis, dysentery, tumours and wounds, snake bites.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 468
Colchicum luteum
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, carminative, laxative, aphrodisiac; for gout, rheumatism, liver and spleen diseases; externally against inflammation and pain.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 1
Zingiber officinale
Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 88
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 472
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.
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.