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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

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99 results

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Chinese formulas
Bai tou weng tangAn gong niu huang wanGe gen huang qin huang lian tangWu mei wanWen pi tang
Treatment by condition
Bacterial and amoebic dysentery
  • 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

    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

    North America · Herb · № 992

    American sweetgum

    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.

    Cherokee medicine
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 1001

    American sycamore

    Platanus occidentalis

    One of the largest broadleaf trees of eastern America, with a trunk that peels in patches of white, green and brown. The bark contains tannins and betulinic acid. It is a parent of the London plane of European streets.

    Cherokee medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 349

    Amla

    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.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 678

    Amur cork tree bark (huang bai)

    Phellodendron amurense

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat from the lower body and cools heat from kidney yin deficiency.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 414

    King of bitters

    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.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 450

    Apple of Sodom

    Calotropis procera

    Traditionally attributed effects: root bark for dysentery and elephantiasis; leaves for intermittent fever; milky sap irritant and laxative; flowers for colds, cough, asthma and indigestion.

    Local African healing traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 562

    Arjuna

    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.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 550

    Ashoka tree

    Saraca indica

    Traditionally attributed effects: strongly astringent, calms the uterus; for uterine disorders, especially heavy menstruation, internal bleeding, haemorrhoids, bloody dysentery; root aphrodisiac and tonic, for cough, asthma, rheumatism, skin diseases, indigestion.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 401

    Indian atees

    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.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 398

    Babul tree

    Acacia nilotica

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, soothing, aphrodisiac, nourishing, expectorant; for cough, diarrhoea and dysentery, sore throat and spongy gums, wounds and skin diseases, gonorrhoea, leucorrhoea, prolapse of anus and uterus.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 404

    Bael fruit

    Aegle marmelos

    Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit cooling, nourishing, mildly laxative; unripe fruit astringent and aids digestion; for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, asthma (leaves), intermittent fever, melancholy and palpitations.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 526

    Spanish cherry

    Mimusops elengi

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, antihistamine, astringent, aromatic, strengthens the heart, tonic, fever-reducing; for catarrh of the bladder and urethra, fever, gum and tooth diseases, leucoderma, heart disease, snake bites, chronic dysentery.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 552

    Country mallow

    Sida cordifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, astringent, stomachic, tonic, fever-reducing, soothing, diuretic; contains an ephedrine-like substance.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 496

    Banyan

    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.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 64

    Mugwort

    Artemisia vulgaris

    Traditionally used as a digestive bitter and to bring on delayed periods. Clinical evidence is largely lacking.

    Anglo-Saxon medicine+4Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 123

    Bitter orange

    Citrus × aurantium

    The dried unripe fruit (zhi shi) and peel are used in Chinese medicine for bloating and sluggish digestion. NCCIH warns that weight-loss products containing bitter orange (synephrine) pose risks to the heart and blood pressure.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 557

    Nux vomica

    Strychnos nux-vomica

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the nerves, stomachic, tonic, aphrodisiac, stimulates the spinal cord, breathing and heart.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 688

    Java brucea fruit (ya dan zi)

    Brucea javanica

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used for amoebic dysentery, malaria and externally for warts.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 798

    Calomel (qing fen)

    Calomelas (kwikchloride)

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used externally against scabies and sores; contains mercury.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 287

    Calumba

    Jateorhiza palmata

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter digestive tonic, carminative, lowers blood pressure.

    Local African healing traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 428

    Star fruit

    Averrhoa carambola

    Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, cooling, antiscorbutic, antidysenteric; cooling thirst-quencher in fever, ripe fruit for bleeding (internal) haemorrhoids.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 396

    Catechu

    Acacia catechu

    Traditionally attributed effects: strongly astringent; for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, bleeding haemorrhoids, uterine bleeding, leucorrhoea; bleeding or inflamed gums, mouth ulcers, enlarged tonsils; bedsores; promotes milk flow.

    Ayurveda+2
  • 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 · № 681

    Korean ash bark (qin pi)

    Fraxinus chinensis subsp. rhynchophylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: for diarrhoea and dysentery from damp heat, red eyes and cough with heat.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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 · 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

    South America · Herb · № 984

    Cojamba

    Helosis cayennensis

    A plant without chlorophyll that parasitises the roots of trees and shrubs (family Balanophoraceae). It looks like a young mushroom, until the 'cap' turns out to be a reddish-brown spike full of tiny flowers. Its action has hardly been studied.

    Tukano medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 731

    Costus root (mu xiang)

    Dolomiaea costus (syn. Saussurea lappa, Aucklandia lappa)

    Traditionally attributed effects: moves the qi in spleen, stomach, intestine, liver and gallbladder; helps digest tonics.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 460

    Mexican tea

    Dysphania ambrosioides (syn. Chenopodium ambrosioides)

    A strong-smelling culinary herb traditionally used against intestinal worms and wind. The essential oil contains ascaridole, which kills worms but is also toxic to humans.

    Curanderismo+3
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 118

    Fenugreek

    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.

    Ancient Egyptian medicine+5Folklore
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 433

    Yellow bauhinia

    Bauhinia tomentosa

    Traditionally attributed effects: against dysentery, expels worms; fruit diuretic; seeds tonic and aphrodisiac; for hepatitis, dysentery, tumours and wounds, snake bites.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 343

    Pomegranate

    Punica granatum

    Traditionally attributed effects: root and stem bark astringent and strongly expel tapeworm; flowers and peel astringent and stomachic; juice cooling.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 772

    Grass-leaved sweet flag (shi chang pu)

    Acorus tatarinowii (syn. A. gramineus)

    Traditionally attributed effects: opens the sense orifices, clears the mind and expels dampness and phlegm.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 591

    Purple loosestrife

    Lythrum salicaria

    Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, antibiotic, antispasmodic, diuretic, induces sweating, tonic, soothing; for dysentery and bacterial diarrhoea, inflammatory bowel disease (Crohn's), strengthens kidneys and bladder, for the eyes.

    Western herbal medicine
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.

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