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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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35 results

  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 662

    Elsholtzia (xiang ru)

    Elsholtzia splendens

    Traditionally attributed effects: for summer colds from cold and dampness, and for oedema.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 967

    Red alder

    Alnus rubra

    A fast-growing alder with smooth grey bark that turns red after cutting. The bark is rich in tannins and astringent.

    Kwakwaka'wakw medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 793

    Actinolite (yang qi shi)

    Actinolitum

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used to strengthen kidney yang; actinolite is a form of asbestos.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 739

    Cogon grass root (bai mao gen)

    Imperata cylindrica

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding; promotes urination and cools lung and stomach.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    South America · Food · № 916

    Algarrobo (Peruvian mesquite)

    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.

    Curanderismo of northern Peru
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 780

    Alum (ming fan)

    Alumen (kaliumaluminiumsulfaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally astringent and anti-itch; stanches bleeding.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 781

    Borax (peng sha)

    Borax (natriumtetraboraat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally for small ulcers in mouth, throat and vagina and for athlete's foot.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 783

    Calcite (han shui shi)

    Calcitum (calciumcarbonaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in fever with thirst and summer heat; externally on hot small ulcers and burns.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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

    South America · Herb · № 919

    Chanca piedra (stonebreaker)

    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.

    Curanderismo of northern Peru
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 797

    Cinnabar (zhu sha)

    Cinnabaris (kwiksulfide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used to calm the mind and stop convulsions; contains mercury.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 183

    Coca

    Erythroxylum coca

    The leaf contains a small amount of cocaine and other alkaloids. Chewing it or drinking it as tea is used in the Andes against hunger, fatigue and altitude sickness; evidence for the latter is limited. Cocaine, the first local anaesthetic and today mainly an addictive drug, was isolated from the leaf.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 668

    Gypsum (shi gao)

    Gypsum fibrosum (calciumsulfaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: strongly cooling in high fever with thirst and sweating, lung heat and stomach fire.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 698

    Glauber's salt (mang xiao)

    Mirabilitum (natriumsulfaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: softens the stool in constipation from heat and dryness.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 62

    Greater burdock

    Arctium lappa

    In Europe the root was considered a 'blood-cleansing' herb for skin problems such as eczema and acne; the seed is used in Chinese medicine for sore throats. Clinical evidence is weak.

    Western herbal medicine+5
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 796

    Hematite (dai zhe shi)

    Haematitum (ijzeroxide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: anchors rising liver yang, makes rebellious qi descend and cools the blood in bleeding.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 480

    Bermuda grass

    Cynodon dactylon

    Traditionally attributed effects: soothing, astringent, diuretic, stops bleeding, mildly laxative; for oedema, blood in the urine, vomiting, chronic diarrhoea, hysteria, bleeding haemorrhoids, bladder irritation, bladder stones, gout and rheumatism.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 38

    Cinnamon

    Cinnamomum verum

    A spice made from inner bark. Research on health effects is preliminary; cinnamon is not a treatment.

    Ayurveda+8Folklore
  • Caution

    Africa · Food · № 27

    Kola nut

    Cola nitida en Cola acuminata

    Contains about 2–4% caffeine plus theobromine and acts as a stimulant. It is chewed both privately and in social and ceremonial settings.

    Local African healing traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 795

    Magnetite (ci shi)

    Magnetitum (ijzeroxide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: calms the mind and rising liver yang and helps the kidneys hold the lung energy.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 800

    Minium (qian dan)

    Minium (loodoxide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used externally to draw out pus and heal wounds; contains lead.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 906

    Ololiuqui

    Ipomoea corymbosa (syn. Turbina corymbosa, Rivea corymbosa)

    A woody morning glory with white flowers. The small, round seeds contain ergine (LSA) and related ergoline alkaloids, chemically related to LSD. They bring an intoxication with visions, often with nausea and lethargy.

    Curanderismo
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 868

    Palqui (green cestrum)

    Cestrum parqui

    A fast-growing, foul-smelling shrub of the nightshade family. All parts are poisonous because of alkaloids.

    Mapuche medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 784

    Pumice (fu hai shi)

    Pumex

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools hot phlegm in the lungs, softens lumps and promotes urination.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 791

    Pyrite (zi ran tong)

    Pyritum (ijzersulfide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: resolves blood stagnation and helps fractures and ligaments recover.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 799

    Realgar (xiong huang)

    Realgar (arseensulfide)

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used externally against parasites, itching and sores; contains arsenic.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 875

    San Pedro cactus

    Echinopsis pachanoi (syn. Trichocereus pachanoi)

    A fast-growing columnar cactus containing mescaline, a powerful mind-altering substance.

    Curanderismo of northern Peru
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 794

    Stalactite (e guan shi)

    Stalactitum (calciumcarbonaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: makes lung energy descend in asthma and chronic bronchitis and promotes milk flow.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 702

    Talc (hua shi)

    Talcum (hydromagnesiumsilicaat)

    Traditionally attributed effects: cooling and soothing in painful urination and summer heat; externally drying on weeping skin.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 968

    Western dock

    Rumex occidentalis (syn. R. aquaticus var. fenestratus)

    A large dock with broad leaves and a yellow root. The root contains tannins and anthraquinones, which are mildly laxative.

    Kwakwaka'wakw medicine
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 921

    Wild dagga

    Leonotis leonurus

    A shrub of the mint family, two to three metres tall, with orange, tubular flowers in whorls around the square stems. Contains marrubiin and leonurine, as well as labdane compounds. Considered mildly calming; which substance causes the effect is not yet clear.

    Khoi and San knowledge of rooibos+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 957

    Wild four-o'clock

    Mirabilis nyctaginea (syn. Allionia nyctaginea)

    Related to the marvel of Peru (Mirabilis jalapa), with a thick taproot and small pink flowers that open in the afternoon. Taken internally the root is strongly laxative.

    Lakota medicine
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 952

    Wild sarsaparilla

    Aralia nudicaulis

    A low plant of the ivy family with a long, creeping, aromatic root; related to ginseng and no relative of true sarsaparilla (Smilax).

    Haudenosaunee medicine
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 907

    Yopo

    Anadenanthera peregrina

    A tree of the pea family with flat pods. The seeds contain a lot of bufotenine and also DMT and 5-MeO-DMT. As snuff they cause almost immediate muscle twitching, nausea and short visions in which things often seem very large.

    Herbal knowledge of the Amazon+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Mineral · № 782

    Sulfur (liu huang)

    Sulfur

    Traditionally attributed effects: externally for scabies and fungal infections.

    Chinese medical traditions
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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