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

Also found

Recipes: Tea for a starting cold Tincture for the cold season
Chinese formulas: Yi guan jian
Treatment by condition: Cancer

Caution
Asia · Herb · № 684
Chinese violet (zi hua di ding)
Viola yedoensis (syn. V. philippica)
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat and 'toxin' in abscesses, boils, sore throat and inflamed eyes.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 641
Chinese dodder (tu si zi)
Cuscuta chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: a remedy for male infertility and urinary complaints; a tonic that strengthens bones and tendons, soothes lower back pain and balances the female reproductive system.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 683
Chinese pulsatilla (bai tou weng)
Pulsatilla chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: for hot, bloody dysentery, amoebae and vaginal trichomonas.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 738
Chinese mugwort (ai ye)
Artemisia argyi
Traditionally attributed effects: warms the meridians and uterus, stops bleeding from cold and relieves pain; the herb of moxa.
Chinese medical traditions+2
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 714
Chinese clematis root (wei ling xian)
Clematis chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness and moves the qi in pain anywhere in the body.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 125
Chinese ephedra (ma huang)
Ephedra sinica
Contains ephedrine, which widens the airways and stimulates the nervous system and heart. It is the origin of modern ephedrine and pseudoephedrine medicines. As a supplement it has proved dangerous.
Chinese medical traditions+2
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 120
Dong quai (dang gui)
Angelica sinensis
In Chinese medicine one of the most important herbs to 'nourish the blood', especially for menstrual complaints. Western studies found no clear effect on menopausal symptoms.
Chinese medical traditions+2
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 643
Chinese raspberry (fu pen zi)
Rubus chingii
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidneys and liver; for poor vision, frequent urination and impotence.
Chinese medical traditions+1
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 679
Chinese gentian (long dan cao)
Gentiana scabra
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat and fire from liver and gallbladder.
Chinese medical traditions+1
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 304
Chinese goldthread (huang lian)
Coptis chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, antibacterial, pain-relieving, calming, anti-inflammatory.
Chinese medical traditions+3
Caution
Asia · Food · № 802
Chinese chestnut
Castanea mollissima
Traditionally attributed effects: dried, peeled chestnuts give sweet soups such as the eight-treasure soup their sweetness; in Chinese food therapy they strengthen spleen and kidneys.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 708
Chinese lobelia (ban bian lian)
Lobelia chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic and detoxifying in oedema, inflamed ulcers and snakebites.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 138
Red sage root (dan shen)
Salvia miltiorrhiza
The red root is used in Chinese medicine to 'promote blood circulation', especially for heart and vascular complaints. There are many studies in China, often of limited quality.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 665
Chinese black cohosh (sheng ma)
Actaea cimicifuga (syn. Cimicifuga foetida)
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat, helps rashes come out and lifts the energy in prolapse.
Chinese medical traditions+1
Caution
North America · Herb · № 14
Echinacea
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.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+5Folklore
Caution
Asia · Food · № 637
Goji (Chinese wolfberry)
Lycium barbarum, L. chinense
Traditionally attributed effects: sweet tonic that according to tradition strengthens the yang energy, strength and stamina and supports the hormone system.
Chinese medical traditions+1
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 695
Glabrous greenbrier (tu fu ling)
Smilax glabra
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat, especially via the skin and in joint complaints.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
South America · Herb · № 227
Nasturtium
Tropaeolum majus
Leaves and flowers taste sharp because of mustard oil glycosides. In Germany a combination with horseradish is approved as a remedy for bladder and respiratory infections; there is little research on the plant alone.
Folk magic and herbal magicFolklore
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 522
Chinaberry
Melia azedarach
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, tonic, antipyretic, expels worms; fruit laxative; oil insecticidal and antiseptic.
Ayurveda+1
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 132
Chinese peony (bai shao)
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.
Chinese medical traditions+3
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 776
Chinese nutmeg yew (fei zi)
Torreya grandis
Traditionally attributed effects: was used against intestinal worms and moistens the lungs.
Chinese medical traditions
Caution
Asia · Herb · № 773
Gambir hook vine (gou teng)
Uncaria rhynchophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and rising liver yang in headache, dizziness and high blood pressure.
Chinese medical traditions+1
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
Europe · Herb · № 57
Agrimony
Agrimonia eupatoria
An astringent, tannin-rich herb traditionally used for diarrhoea, sore throats and minor wounds. Good human research is lacking.
Western herbal medicine+2
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
Europe · Herb · № 523
Corn mint
Mentha arvensis
Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, carminative, stimulating, antispasmodic, promotes menstruation, antiseptic, stomachic, cooling, diuretic; leaf juice for diarrhoea and dysentery, tea for rheumatism and indigestion.
Ayurveda+2
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
Africa · Herb · № 4
Aloe vera
Aloe vera
The gel from the leaf is used externally to soothe the skin and for minor burns. Research on wound healing gives mixed results; the gel is no substitute for wound care.
Kallawaya healing knowledge+6Folklore
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 · 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
North America · Herb · № 160
American ginseng
Panax quinquefolius
Chinese medicine regards it as more 'cooling' than Asian ginseng and uses it for fatigue and thirst. Some studies find a slight effect on post-meal blood sugar and colds; evidence is limited.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
Caution
North America · Herb · № 628
North American wild ginger
Asarum caudatum, A. canadense en verwante soorten
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold, opens a blocked nose, warms the lung in cough with clear phlegm and expels cold and dampness in menstrual pain and other pain.
Haudenosaunee medicine+4

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.

From plant to use

Ways to prepare herbs

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Discover more

Traditions, kitchen and classical formulas

43 traditions

Cultures & traditions

How communities built up and passed on their knowledge of plants, region by region.

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113 recipes

Recipes

Soups, teas and dishes in which herbs play a leading role.

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146 formulas

Chinese formulas

The classical Chinese formulas, also listed by condition.

Treatment by condition →All formulas →