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
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 1009
Ephedra americana
A leafless shrub with green, jointed stems, related to the Chinese ma huang. Ephedra species contain ephedrine, which widens the airways but also raises heart rate and blood pressure; how much this species contains has been little studied.
CautionSouth America · Food · № 262
Solanum tuberosum
A starchy tuber and one of the most important food crops in the world. In folk use raw slices or grated potato are laid on burns, swollen eyes and for headaches; this has not been studied.
CautionSouth America · Food · № 916
Neltuma pallida (syn. Prosopis pallida)
A thorny tree of the pea family, related to mesquite, with sweet pods full of sugars. With its deep roots the tree holds the dry forest together.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 896
Ambrosia peruviana
An aromatic, hairy ragweed. In its native range it is used as a painkilling, anti-inflammatory, deworming and antiseptic remedy; good research is lacking.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 992
Liquidambar styraciflua
A tall tree with star-shaped leaves, splendid autumn colours and spiky round seed balls. When the bark is wounded a fragrant resin, American storax, seeps out; for centuries it has gone into ointments, perfume and incense. The resin is mildly antiseptic.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 997
Diospyros virginiana
A tree of the ebony family, related to the kaki. Unripe, the orange fruits are so astringent that they pucker the mouth, but after the first frost they are sweet and soft. They are rich in vitamin C. Bark and unripe fruits contain many tannins.
CautionSouth America · Food · № 250
Ananas comosus
Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, cleansing, bitter tonic; ripe fruit diuretic, induces sweating, cooling, digests protein; leaf laxative and expels worms; unripe fruit strongly diuretic, promotes menstruation and abortifacient.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 866
Araucaria araucana
An ancient conifer that lives for more than a thousand years. The large, starchy seeds are a nourishing food; the resin was used on wounds.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 873
Luma apiculata
The Chilean myrtle, with cinnamon-coloured bark, fragrant leaves and edible black berries. Traditionally an astringent; research is lacking.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Food · № 166
Persea americana
A fruit rich in monounsaturated fats, fibre and potassium; it fits a diet that is favourable for cholesterol. Avocado oil is used in skin care.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 901
Banisteriopsis caapi
A giant liana up to thirty metres long. The stem contains harmine, harmaline and tetrahydroharmine, which inhibit the enzyme MAO. This makes the DMT from plants such as chacruna active by mouth. The drink brings visions, and usually vomiting and diarrhoea, which the tradition regards as cleansing.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 492
Eupatorium triplinerve
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, tonic, stimulates the heart, induces sweating, stops bleeding; bitter tonic for indigestion, cough and fever, against scurvy; cleanses foul ulcers.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 869
Haplopappus baylahuen
A resinous shrub of the daisy family. A well-known Chilean tea for liver and bowel complaints; an effect has not been proven.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 889
Grimolobium pubescens (syn. Otholobium pubescens, Psoralea pubescens)
A shrub of the pea family with leaves in threes. It contains bakuchiol, among other compounds; extracts lowered blood sugar in experiments with mice. Studies in people are lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 282
Peumus boldus
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulates the liver, diuretic.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 886
Cascabela thevetia (syn. Thevetia peruviana)
A shrub with yellow trumpet flowers, related to oleander. All parts, especially the seeds, contain cardiac glycosides that act on the heart.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 857
Centaurium cachanlahuen
A small bitter herb with pink flowers, related to the European common centaury. Traditionally for fever and digestion; clinical research is lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 1003
Campyloneurum angustifolium (en verwante varens, o.a. Polypodium)
A narrow-leaved fern that grows on trees and rocks. The rhizome has been traded as a medicine for centuries; good research on its effect in people is lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 911
Schkuhria pinnata
A small, finely branched annual herb of the daisy family with tiny yellow flowers. It tastes bitter. There is laboratory research on compounds that act on blood sugar, but studies in people are lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 852
Drimys winteri
A tree with a peppery, bitter bark. As Winter's bark it was a remedy for scurvy for centuries; otherwise its effects are little studied.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 891
Baccharis genistelloides (en B. trimera)
A perennial with flat, winged stems and hardly any leaves. One of the best-studied Baccharis species; it contains flavonoids that may be anti-inflammatory. Clinical evidence is lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 162
Anemopaegma arvense / Erythroxylum catuaba
Sold in Brazil as a stimulant and aphrodisiac. There is no good clinical research; products vary because several different trees are called 'catuaba'.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 985
Cayaponia ophthalmica
A climber of the gourd family, described by Schultes; the species name means 'for the eye'. Its chemistry is unknown; plants of the gourd family often contain bitter, irritating cucurbitacins.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 161
Capsicum frutescens
Capsaicin from chilli peppers is used externally for nerve pain and joint pain; high-dose capsaicin patches are an approved medicine. Internally it is mainly a warming spice.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 924
Anadenanthera colubrina
A thorny tree of the pea family, related to yopo. The seeds contain much bufotenine, up to over twelve per cent, as well as some DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. As a snuff they cause violent physical effects and short visions.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 1002
Escallonia resinosa (en verwante soorten, o.a. E. micrantha)
A shrub or tree of 2 to 10 metres with reddish, papery bark and small, finely toothed leaves full of resin and essential oil. Almost nothing has been studied about its effect in people.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 902
Psychotria viridis
A shrub of the coffee family up to five metres tall. The leaves contain DMT, a short-acting, powerfully mind-altering substance that only works by mouth together with an MAO inhibitor such as ayahuasca.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 919
Phyllanthus niruri (en P. stipulatus, P. urinaria)
A small herb with rows of fine leaflets and tiny fruits beneath them. In experiments it inhibited the formation of kidney stone crystals and acted as a diuretic; small studies in people do not yet give clear evidence.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 890
Baccharis latifolia (en verwante soorten, o.a. B. pentlandii)
A fast-growing, densely branched shrub with glossy, sticky leaves. Little is known from research about its effect in people.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 862
Fuchsia magellanica
The wild fuchsia, with drooping red and purple flowers. Traditionally as a diuretic and for fever; research is lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 867
Fragaria chiloensis
A wild strawberry with large, fragrant fruits, one of the parents of the garden strawberry. The leaf contains tannins.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 861
Laurelia sempervirens
A tall evergreen tree with strongly scented leaves and wood. Traditionally for headache and as a diuretic; research is lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 894
Mutisia acuminata
A climbing shrub with tendrils and striking orange-red flowers. Quercetin and arbutin are among the compounds found in it; its effect in people has not been studied.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 926
Brunfelsia grandiflora
A shrub of the nightshade family up to three metres tall, with fragrant flowers that fade from purple to white. Contains scopoletin, among others, and compounds that cause convulsions in animals. Gives a feeling of cold and tingling, and in larger amounts dizziness and paralysis.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 917
Maytenus macrocarpa (syn. Monteverdia macrocarpa); in Noord-Peru ook Heisteria acuminata
A large tree with thick, reddish-brown bark. The bark contains triterpenes and sesquiterpenes, among other compounds; extracts were anti-inflammatory in experiments. Studies in people are lacking.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 378
Aloysia citrodora
Traditionally attributed effects: relaxing, helps you fall asleep.
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.