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 · Food · № 246
Actinidia deliciosa
A fruit rich in vitamin C and fibre. Small studies point to a slightly beneficial effect on constipation, and also on sleep; the enzyme actinidin tenderises meat.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 75
Galium aparine
Used in Western herbalism as a 'lymphatic' herb for swollen glands and skin conditions. Scientific evidence is lacking.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 832
Alpinia officinarum
An aromatic rhizome traditionally used for digestive complaints.
CautionAsia · Food · № 758
Allium tuberosum
Traditionally attributed effects: the seed strengthens kidney yang and warms stomach and spleen.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 746
Gypsophila vaccaria (syn. Vaccaria segetalis)
Traditionally attributed effects: lets the blood flow, promotes menstruation and milk flow and reduces painful swellings.
CautionAsia · Food · № 357
Cocos nucifera
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, diuretic, antiseptic, laxative; root for uterine diseases, bronchitis, liver complaints, dysentery, sore throat (gargle); coconut water for thirst, fever, urinary complaints and vomiting; ash for scabies and toothache.
CautionAsia · Food · № 500
Garcinia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit cooling, promotes bile, soothing, antiscorbutic; bark astringent; oil for dysentery, mucous diarrhoea, tuberculosis, skin diseases, chapped lips, ointment base; fruit for hives.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 232
Cuminum cyminum
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, aromatic, stomachic, stimulating, astringent, cooling; for gonorrhoea, chronic diarrhoea, indigestion, hoarseness; oil as a source of thymol against hookworms.
CautionAsia · Food · № 261
Cucumis sativus
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit nourishing and soothing; seeds cooling, diuretic, tonic; for throat complaints, strongly diuretic with sugar, in fever.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 725
Agastache rugosa (ook Pogostemon cablin)
Traditionally attributed effects: transforms dampness blocking spleen and stomach and curbs nausea, also in summer colds.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 711
Malva verticillata (ook Abutilon theophrasti)
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing and diuretic in painful urination and stones; promotes milk flow.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 920
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.
CautionAsia · Food · № 42
Syzygium aromaticum
A spice. Clove oil containing eugenol may help with toothache; other claims are unproven.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 136
Pueraria montana var. lobata
The root (ge gen) is used in Chinese medicine for fever, stiff neck and thirst. Small studies have looked at kudzu for reducing alcohol use, with mixed results.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 5
Curcuma longa
A traditional culinary spice containing curcumin; laboratory findings do not establish a cure for disease.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 205
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.
CautionAsia · Food · № 661
Allium fistulosum
Traditionally attributed effects: diaphoretic at the start of a cold from cold; externally on swellings.
CautionAsia · Food · № 238
Citrus aurantiifolia
A sour citrus fruit rich in vitamin C. The juice was given against scurvy and is used in Asia with honey or salt for coughs and sore throat.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 732
Lindera aggregata (syn. L. strychnifolia)
Traditionally attributed effects: warms and moves qi in pain from cold; warms the kidneys in frequent urination.
CautionAsia · Mushroom · № 41
Ganoderma lucidum
A bracket fungus used in traditional Chinese medicine; evidence for treatment effects in people is limited.
CautionAsia · Food · № 359
Lens culinaris
Traditionally attributed effects: easily digestible, beneficial in bleeding and fever; purifies the blood internally and externally; scrub improves circulation.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 734
Typha angustifolia (en T. orientalis)
Traditionally attributed effects: stops bleeding and resolves blood stagnation in pain.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 516
Litsea glutinosa
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, astringent, softens the skin, aphrodisiac, antispasmodic; for diarrhoea and dysentery; externally for bruises, sprains, rheumatic and gouty joints, scorpion stings, fractures.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 559
Symplocos racemosa
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, mildly astringent; for intestinal complaints, heavy menstruation, discharge from lax mucous membranes, oedema, liver complaints, fever, skin diseases, bleeding gums, eye diseases, ulcers, filariasis (chyluria, elephantiasis).
CautionAsia · Food · № 653
Dimocarpus longan
Traditionally attributed effects: a sweet, warming tonic for heart and blood; good for digestion and calming.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 671
Lophatherum gracile
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in heart and stomach in restlessness, thirst and mouth ulcers, and in painful urination.
CautionAsia · Food · № 131
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 485
Dioscorea bulbifera
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, pungent, appetite-suppressing; for syphilis, haemorrhoids, dysentery, ulcers.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 693
Iris domestica (syn. Belamcanda chinensis)
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat and detoxifies in severe sore throat and cough with much hot phlegm.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 544
Randia dumetorum
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit rind induces sweating and antispasmodic; bark calming and soothes the nerves; bark internally and externally for rheumatism, bruises and bone pain in fever, diarrhoea and dysentery; fruit emetic in acute bronchitis and asthma; scorpion stings.
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 795
Magnetitum (ijzeroxide)
Traditionally attributed effects: calms the mind and rising liver yang and helps the kidneys hold the lung energy.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 655
Magnolia biondii (syn. M. liliflora)
Traditionally attributed effects: warms and opens the nose in blocked sinuses and headache from wind-cold.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 727
Magnolia officinalis
Traditionally attributed effects: makes qi descend, dries dampness and resolves food stagnation and phlegm.
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.
CautionAsia · Mushroom · № 589
Grifola frondosa
Traditionally attributed effects: adaptogen; activates immune cells against cancer (macrophages, NK cells, T cells), reduces stress and strengthens resistance to colds and flu.
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.
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.