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
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 4
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 349
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 401
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 552
Sida cordifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, astringent, stomachic, tonic, fever-reducing, soothing, diuretic; contains an ephedrine-like substance.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 64
Artemisia vulgaris
Traditionally used as a digestive bitter and to bring on delayed periods. Clinical evidence is largely lacking.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 556
Sphaeranthus indicus
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, tonic, stomachic, stimulating, cleansing; for bile complaints, tumours, worms, skin diseases (purifies the blood), bleeding haemorrhoids, syphilis, urethral discharge, conjunctivitis.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 307
Lobelia inflata
Traditionally attributed effects: relaxing, expectorant, induces sweating, emetic, antispasmodic, anti-asthmatic.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 461
Cinnamomum tamala
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, stimulating, diuretic and sudorific, decongestant, promotes milk flow; for lack of appetite, bladder complaints, dry mouth, colds, diarrhoea, nausea, indigestion, flatulence, vomiting.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 994
Gillenia trifoliata (syn. Porteranthus trifoliatus)
A perennial of the rose family with three-parted leaves and loose sprays of white or pale pink flowers with five narrow petals. The root is emetic and purgative; it was listed in the United States Pharmacopeia as American ipecac.
Asia · Herb · № 427
Atropa acuminata
Traditionally attributed effects: narcotic, calming, diuretic, antispasmodic, dilates the pupils, pain-relieving; antidote in opium and mushroom poisoning, smoked for cramps, externally for rheumatism, nerve pain and lumbago.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 436
Berberis aristata
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, stomachic, astringent, antipyretic, induces sweating, cleansing; for malaria and intermittent fever (comparable to quinine), washing ulcers, eye diseases, haemorrhoids, swollen glands; laxative for children.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 537
Peucedanum graveolens
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, antispasmodic; for flatulence, hiccups, colic and stomach ache, reduces cramps from laxatives and dysentery; drink for women after childbirth; leaves on boils and abscesses.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 499
Fumaria indica
Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, mildly laxative, cooling, induces sweating and urination, fever-reducing, lowers blood pressure; for syphilis, scrofula, leprosy, constipation, indigestion from a sluggish liver, fever, jaundice, skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 432
Barringtonia acutangula
Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, carminative, emetic; for nasal and respiratory catarrh, chest pain, headache (snuff), diarrhoea and dysentery, bitter tonic; root cooling and antipyretic.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 469
Coptis teeta
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter tonic, fever-reducing; stimulates appetite, restores digestion, against flatulence, for jaundice, weakness, recovery after fever; eye ointment for conjunctivitis; in China against diabetes.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 501
Garcinia morella
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms, wound-healing; for oedema, absent menstruation, stubborn constipation, worms.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 451
Cannabis indica
Traditionally attributed effects: intoxicating, stomachic, antispasmodic, pain-relieving, stimulating, aphrodisiac, calming; sleep-inducing, for painful menstruation, itchy skin diseases, headache, mania, whooping cough, asthma, nervous vomiting.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 532
Operculina turpethum
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, anti-inflammatory; mild fluid-expelling laxative for chronic constipation, ascites, enlarged spleen; for rheumatism, paralysis, oedema, melancholy, gout, leprosy.
CautionAsia · Food · № 571
Zizyphus martiana
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, stomachic; leaves for gonorrhoea, conjunctivitis, boils and abscesses, painful urination; bark for diarrhoea, dysentery, colic and gum inflammation.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 504
Gossypium herbaceum
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, laxative, expectorant, aphrodisiac, promotes milk flow, promotes menstruation; seeds for intermittent fever and dysentery; oil for rheumatism, freckles, herpes, scabies, wounds, nerve pain; compress on bruises and burns.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 543
Pterocarpus marsupium
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, cleansing, lowers blood sugar; kino for diarrhoea and toothache; bark for diarrhoea and diabetes; leaves on boils, ulcers and skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 490
Erythrina variegata
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, expectorant, fever-reducing, expels worms; for dysentery, worms, eye inflammation, rheumatic joints, liver complaints, diabetes, painful menstruation and infertility, promotes milk flow.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 548
Rubia cordifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes menstruation, astringent, diuretic, cleansing, decongestant, tonic; for paralysis, jaundice, urinary tract obstruction, menstrual disorders, mastitis, too little lochia.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 400
Aconitum ferox
Traditionally attributed effects: in very small doses induces sweating, diuretic, pain-relieving, fever-reducing; for nerve pain, muscular rheumatism, gout, sore throat, colds, paralysis; highly poisonous in larger doses.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 553
Solanum indicum
Traditionally attributed effects: aphrodisiac, astringent, carminative, strengthens the heart, diuretic, expectorant; for asthma, dry cough, difficult childbirth, chronic fever, colic, worms, painful urination, oedema, catarrh, vomiting, itching.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 423
Aristolochia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, stimulating, promotes menstruation, antidote, anti-arthritic; against snake, insect and scorpion bites, intestinal complaints in children, cholera, diarrhoea, intermittent fever.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 508
Hemidesmus indicus
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, tonic, soothing, induces sweating and urination, purifies the blood; for lack of appetite, indigestion, fever, skin diseases, syphilis, leucorrhoea, urogenital diseases, chronic cough, rheumatic joints.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 533
Oroxylum indicum
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, bitter tonic, stomachic, pain-relieving, induces sweating; for diarrhoea, dysentery, acute rheumatism, oedema, ear infection; young fruit carminative, seeds laxative.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 567
Valeriana jatamansi
Traditionally attributed effects: stomachic, stimulating, carminative, calming; for nervous weakness, insomnia, chorea, stomach cramps, hysteria, epilepsy, shell shock and neurosis.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 444
Boswellia serrata
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, diuretic, aromatic, soothing, mildly laxative, cleansing, promotes menstruation; for chronic lung diseases, diarrhoea, dysentery, menstrual complaints, gonorrhoea, haemorrhoids, liver disorders.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 566
Urginea indica
Traditionally attributed effects: in small doses expectorant, stimulates the heart, diuretic, decongestant, promotes menstruation; in large doses emetic and laxative.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 454
Cassia fistula
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, tonic, fever-reducing; fruit pulp mildly laxative (safe for children and pregnant women); leaf for ringworm, chilblains, rheumatism, facial paralysis; root for fever and heart disease.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 130
Nardostachys jatamansi
Used in Ayurveda as a calming remedy for insomnia and restlessness. There is mostly animal research; clinical evidence is lacking.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 842
Aleurites moluccanus
A tree whose oil cares for the skin; the nuts are laxative.
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 · № 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.
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.