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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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619 results

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Flatulence
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 36

    Asian ginseng

    Panax ginseng (ook P. quinquefolius)

    Research consists mostly of small, short studies; there is little evidence of health effects.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 322

    Asiatic dogwood fruit (shan zhu yu)

    Cornus officinalis

    Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, diuretic, lowers blood pressure, antimicrobial.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 348

    Gotu kola

    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.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 272

    Apricot

    Prunus armeniaca

    Traditionally attributed effects: cough-suppressing, astringent, antibacterial, pain-relieving, diuretic, anti-inflammatory; wild cherry suppresses cough.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 303

    Achyranthes root (huai niu xi)

    Achyranthes bidentata

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes circulation, liver tonic, pain-relieving.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 793

    Actinolite (yang qi shi)

    Actinolitum

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used to strengthen kidney yang; actinolite is a form of asbestos.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 418

    Agarwood

    Aquilaria agallocha

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, strengthens the heart, tonic, carminative, promotes bile; for skin diseases, gout and rheumatism, vomiting, snake bites, pain from wounds, bronchitis in children, headache, dizziness.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 540

    Agnimantha

    Premna obtusifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart, stomachic, carminative, cleansing, tonic, anti-inflammatory, lowers blood sugar; for swellings, pain and diabetes; part of 'dashamula'.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 340

    Ajwain

    Trachyspermum ammi

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, carminative, tonic, aromatic, antispasmodic, antiseptic; for flatulence, indigestion, colic, diarrhoea, cholera, intestinal cramps; source of thymol; against worms.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 705

    Akebia stem (mu tong)

    Akebia trifoliata (en A. quinata)

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains heat via the urine in painful urination, mouth ulcers and restlessness; promotes milk flow.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 739

    Cogon grass root (bai mao gen)

    Imperata cylindrica

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding; promotes urination and cools lung and stomach.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 405

    Sage-leaved alangium

    Alangium salviifolium

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, laxative, emetic, diuretic; antidote in poisoning, for diarrhoea, leprosy and skin diseases, dog bites, worms, acute rheumatism.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 79

    Elecampane

    Inula helenium

    The root is traditionally used for productive coughs and bronchitis; it is rich in inulin. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Greco-Roman medicine+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 376

    Alfalfa

    Medicago sativa

    Traditionally attributed effects: calming and moisture-restoring for dry skin.

    Chinese medical traditions+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 754

    Sharp-leaf galangal fruit (yi zhi ren)

    Alpinia oxyphylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang and holds in urine and semen; warms the spleen in diarrhoea and drooling.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 780

    Alum (ming fan)

    Alumen (kaliumaluminiumsulfaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally astringent and anti-itch; stanches bleeding.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 223

    Almond

    Prunus dulcis

    Traditionally attributed effects: sweet almond soothing, stimulating, nourishing, strengthens the nerves; bitter almond soothing, laxative, calming in cough.

    Ayurveda+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 743

    Sweetgum fruit (lu lu tong)

    Liquidambar formosana

    Traditionally attributed effects: lets qi and blood flow and opens the meridians.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 349

    Amla

    Phyllanthus emblica

    Traditionally attributed effects: fresh fruit cooling, diuretic, laxative, stomachic; bark astringent; for lung and eye inflammation, hair growth, asthma, bronchitis, bile complaints, bleeding, diarrhoea, dysentery, anaemia, jaundice.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 678

    Amur cork tree bark (huang bai)

    Phellodendron amurense

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat from the lower body and cools heat from kidney yin deficiency.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 414

    King of bitters

    Andrographis paniculata

    Traditionally attributed effects: stomachic, tonic, fever-reducing, cleansing, expels worms, promotes bile; for flatulence, lack of appetite, intestinal complaints in children, diarrhoea, dysentery, sluggish liver, nerve pain, recovery after fever.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 670

    Anemarrhena (zhi mu)

    Anemarrhena asphodeloides

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in lungs and stomach and nourishes yin in fever, thirst and night sweats.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 228

    Anise

    Pimpinella anisum

    Traditionally attributed effects: gives a natural lip-plumping effect.

    Unani medicine+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 84

    Apple

    Malus domestica

    A fruit rich in fibre such as pectin; grated apple is an old home remedy for mild diarrhoea. No specific medicinal effect has been proven.

    Western herbal medicine+2Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 562

    Arjuna

    Terminalia arjuna

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart, astringent, dissolves stones, diuretic; for heart disease (angina, heart failure, pericarditis), high blood pressure, bleeding, diarrhoea, dysentery, sprue, bile complaints, oedema, cirrhosis of the liver; antidote.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 569

    Little ironweed

    Vernonia cinerea

    Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, induces sweating, cleansing; decoction promotes sweating in fever; seeds antidote, expel worms, for leprosy and chronic skin diseases; plant for bladder cramps, difficult urination, haemorrhoids; flowers for conjunctivitis.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 550

    Ashoka tree

    Saraca indica

    Traditionally attributed effects: strongly astringent, calms the uterus; for uterine disorders, especially heavy menstruation, internal bleeding, haemorrhoids, bloody dysentery; root aphrodisiac and tonic, for cough, asthma, rheumatism, skin diseases, indigestion.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 17

    Ashwagandha

    Withania somnifera

    An Ayurvedic medicinal plant. Some preparations have been studied for stress and sleep, but evidence is limited and products vary.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 65

    Asparagus

    Asparagus officinalis en A. racemosus

    A nutritious vegetable; root and shoots were traditionally used as a diuretic. There is no good evidence for a medicinal effect.

    Greco-Roman medicine+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 149

    Astragalus (huang qi)

    Astragalus membranaceus

    In Chinese medicine an important strengthening herb ('qi tonic') for fatigue, catching colds easily and sweating. NCCIH notes there is little reliable human research.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 757

    Flattened milkvetch seed (sha yuan zi)

    Astragalus complanatus

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, holds in the essence and strengthens the eyesight.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 401

    Indian atees

    Aconitum heterophyllum

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter tonic, astringent, fever-reducing, stomachic, aphrodisiac; for weakness after fever, diarrhoea, dysentery, cough, indigestion; in children against cough, colds, fever and vomiting.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 542

    Babchi

    Psoralea corylifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms, diuretic, induces sweating, antibacterial; for leprosy and leucoderma (vitiligo) internally and externally, bile complaints.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 404

    Bael fruit

    Aegle marmelos

    Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit cooling, nourishing, mildly laxative; unripe fruit astringent and aids digestion; for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, asthma (leaves), intermittent fever, melancholy and palpitations.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 677

    Baikal skullcap (huang qin)

    Scutellaria baicalensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools and dries damp heat, especially in the lungs and upper body; calms a restless foetus from heat.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 526

    Spanish cherry

    Mimusops elengi

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, antihistamine, astringent, aromatic, strengthens the heart, tonic, fever-reducing; for catarrh of the bladder and urethra, fever, gum and tooth diseases, leucoderma, heart disease, snake bites, chronic dysentery.

    Ayurveda
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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