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 · № 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 · № 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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 119
Alpinia galanga
A relative of ginger traditionally used for nausea, wind and sluggish digestion. Clinical evidence is limited.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 1000
Galax urceolata
A low evergreen herb of the Diapensia family with glossy, round, toothed leaves that turn bronze to wine red in winter, and in spring a slender spike of tiny white flowers. Plants in flower smell sharp, almost like a skunk. Its effect has not been studied.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 881
Gentianella alborosea (en G. nitida)
A small, very bitter herb of the gentian family. It is sold for liver, gallbladder and cholesterol complaints and for weight loss; good research is lacking.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 806
Combretum micranthum
The leaves are drunk as an everyday tea; traditionally also for fever and digestive complaints. Little studied scientifically.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 832
Alpinia officinarum
An aromatic rhizome traditionally used for digestive complaints.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 418
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 57
Agrimonia eupatoria
An astringent, tannin-rich herb traditionally used for diarrhoea, sore throats and minor wounds. Good human research is lacking.
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.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 158
Scutellaria lateriflora (en S. baicalensis)
Used in Western herbalism for nervousness, tension and sleep problems. A few small studies suggest a mild calming effect.
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.
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 · № 414
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 562
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.
CautionEurope · Food · № 296
Cynara cardunculus var. scolymus
Traditionally attributed effects: liver tonic and restorative, promotes bile.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 542
Psoralea corylifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms, diuretic, induces sweating, antibacterial; for leprosy and leucoderma (vitiligo) internally and externally, bile complaints.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 465
Clerodendrum infortunatum
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter tonic, antipyretic, expels worms, laxative, promotes bile; externally for tumours and skin diseases, root for sluggish bowels.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 281
Iris versicolor
Traditionally attributed effects: anti-inflammatory, diuretic, stimulating, laxative.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 151
Eupatorium perfoliatum
Traditionally used for fever and flu with aching muscles; the name refers to 'break-bone fever'. There is hardly any modern clinical research.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 34
Hydrastis canadensis
There is not enough evidence to determine whether goldenseal helps any health condition.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 582
Solidago canadensis
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing; heals the bladder wall (incontinence, irritation), for allergies and stuck mucus after a cold, eyewash for hay fever.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 290
Bupleurum chinense
Traditionally attributed effects: energy tonic, stimulates the liver, cooling, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, promotes bile, lowers cholesterol.
Asia · Herb · № 304
Coptis chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, antibacterial, pain-relieving, calming, anti-inflammatory.
CautionAsia · Food · № 572
Zizyphus vulgaris
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, lowers blood sugar, soothing, soothing to the chest.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 225
Cichorium intybus
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, laxative, tonic.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 720
Arisaema heterophyllum (en A. erubescens)
Traditionally attributed effects: dries phlegm and expels wind and phlegm from the meridians in convulsions and paralysis.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 473
Croton oblongifolius
Traditionally attributed effects: bark and root cleansing and promote bile; seeds laxative; bark for sprains and liver diseases, poultices on swellings, for snake bites.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 289
Centaurium erythraea
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, stimulates the liver.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 118
Trigonella foenum-graecum
The seed has been studied for blood sugar and for increasing breast milk. NCCIH reports there is not enough strong evidence for these uses.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 503
Gmelina arborea
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, stomachic, bitter tonic, cooling, laxative, promotes milk flow; fruit in cooling decoctions for fever and bile complaints, headache, fever and indigestion; to prevent miscarriage.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 200
Gardenia jasminoides
Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, calming, lowers blood pressure, antibacterial, promotes bile.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 899
Sonchus asper
An annual or biennial plant with spiny, blue-green leaves, yellow dandelion-like flowers and milky sap in the stem. The leaves are edible and nutritious.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 300
Cnicus benedictus
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter digestive stimulant, expectorant, antiseptic, wound-healing.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 472
Crinum defixum
Traditionally attributed effects: emetic, induces sweating, laxative; leaves for whitlow, inflamed toes and fingers, joints and sprains; leaf juice for ear complaints; bulb for bile complaints, urinary complaints and rheumatism.
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.
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.