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
CautionAsia · Herb · № 540
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'.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 160
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 310
Platycodon grandiflorus
Traditionally attributed effects: expectorant, antifungal, antibacterial, lowers blood sugar.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 496
Ficus benghalensis
Traditionally attributed effects: antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cooling, stops bleeding, lowers blood sugar; leaves for diarrhoea and dysentery; milky sap externally for pain, bruises, ulcers, rheumatism, lumbago; bark for diabetes, gonorrhoea.
CautionEurope · Mushroom · № 578
Inonotus obliquus
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, adaptogen, antioxidant; regulates the immune system (also in autoimmune diseases), lowers cholesterol, balances blood sugar, anti-inflammatory.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 320
Allium ursinum
Traditionally attributed effects: antimicrobial, lowers blood sugar, lowers cholesterol.
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 297
Galega officinalis
Traditionally attributed effects: lowers blood sugar, stimulates insulin, promotes milk flow, diuretic.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 333
Lactuca virosa
Traditionally attributed effects: calming, lowers blood sugar, sleep-inducing, suppresses libido.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 596
Rhus glabra
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, cleansing, tonic, wound-healing, antiseptic; strengthens the digestive tract (ulcers, diarrhoea), curbs excessive secretions (urine leakage, night sweats, bleeding), may lower blood sugar, for prolapse.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 506
Gymnema sylvestre
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, stomachic, tonic, cooling, diuretic, lowers blood sugar (suppresses sweet taste); for diabetes and sugar in the urine, snake bites, fever, cough, swollen glands.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 498
Ficus religiosa
Traditionally attributed effects: bark cooling, astringent, lowers blood sugar; for gonorrhoea, ulcers, skin diseases, scabies, hiccups, nausea; milky sap with milk aphrodisiac; oil for eczema, leprosy, rheumatism; fruit laxative.
CautionAsia · Food · № 518
Luffa acutangula
Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, diuretic, bitter tonic, nourishing, expectorant, lowers blood sugar; seeds emetic and laxative; for enlarged spleen, dysentery; leaves on ulcers, ringworm, haemorrhoids, leprosy, insect and snake bites.
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 · № 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 · № 491
Eugenia jambolana
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, stomachic, diuretic, lowers blood sugar; seeds for diabetes, bark for chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, heavy menstruation, spongy gums, stomatitis; diarrhoea in children.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 136
Pueraria montana var. lobata
The root (ge gen) is used in Chinese medicine for fever, stiff neck and thirst. Small studies have looked at kudzu for reducing alcohol use, with mixed results.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 580
Elymus repens
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, soothing, astringent; for kidney and bladder complaints (kidney stones, interstitial cystitis), helps regulate blood sugar.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 443
Borassus flabellifer
Traditionally attributed effects: root cooling and restorative; sap diuretic, cooling, stimulating, anti-inflammatory; for hiccups, gastric catarrh, syphilis, gonorrhoea, bile and liver complaints, enlarged spleen, diabetes, tuberculosis.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 673
Rehmannia glutinosa
Traditionally attributed effects: raw it cools the blood and nourishes yin; prepared (steamed with wine) it nourishes the blood and the kidney yin.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 366
Rhodiola rosea
Roseroot is sold as an adaptogen for tiredness and stress. Some studies find a small effect on stress-related fatigue, but they are small and of varying quality. There is no evidence that it prevents colds.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 507
Helicteres isora
Traditionally attributed effects: expectorant, soothing, mildly astringent, stomachic; for colic, flatulence, diarrhoea, chronic dysentery, diabetes, ear infection, snake bites.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 313
Ophiopogon japonicus
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes the secretion of body fluids, tonic, calming, cough-suppressing, lowers blood sugar, antibacterial.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 849
Momordica charantia
A bitter climbing plant whose fruit, leaves and vines are used. In folk medicine mainly taken to lower blood sugar; research shows a small effect at most.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 467
Coccinia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, laxative (bark), antispasmodic and expectorant (leaf and stem), lowers blood sugar; for incipient diabetes, swollen glands, skin diseases, smallpox rash, gonorrhoea, bronchitis.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 497
Ficus racemosa
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, carminative, stomachic, kills worms, lowers blood sugar; wound rinse, for dysentery, bile complaints, haemorrhoids, diarrhoea, mouth ulcers, heavy menstruation, coughing up blood, sore throat, diabetes.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 446
Butea monosperma
Traditionally attributed effects: leaves astringent, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac; seeds expel worms and laxative; flowers tonic; for diarrhoea, heartburn, diabetes (lowers blood sugar), flatulence, haemorrhoids, worms, leucorrhoea, inflamed throat.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 128
Morus alba en M. nigra
The leaf (sang ye) is being studied for post-meal blood sugar and is used in Chinese medicine for coughs and fevers; bark, twigs and berries each have their own use too. Evidence is preliminary.
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.
CautionEurope · Food · № 101
Vaccinium myrtillus en V. vitis-idaea
Rich in anthocyanins. Dried berries are an old remedy for diarrhoea. NCCIH reports there is not enough evidence for eye, blood-vessel or other claims.
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.
CautionAfrica · Food · № 12
Allium sativum
A food with a long history of use. Supplement research suggests only limited effects and does not establish a treatment.
CautionAfrica · Food · № 25
Hibiscus sabdariffa
The red calyces make a tart drink. Folk medicine links it to blood pressure; it is not a substitute for treatment.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 930
Lagochilus inebrians
A small, globular shrub of the mint family with white or pale pink flowers. Contains lagochilin, a diterpene that reduces bleeding and has a calming effect. Gives a mild intoxication.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 18
Glycyrrhiza glabra
A root with long use in several traditions; high-quality evidence does not support most health claims.
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.
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.