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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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271 results

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Recipes
Sweating tea with elder, yarrow and mintHeadache tea
Chinese formulas
Ma huang fu zi xi xin tangHuo xiang zheng qi sanLing yang gou teng tangAn gong niu huang wanChai hu gui zhi tangXiao yao sanJia wei xiao yao sanChai hu gui zhi gan jiang tangYi gan sanGui zhi tangQing ying tangChuan xiong cha tiao sanHuang lian jie du tangGe gen huang qin huang lian tangWen jing tangDing chuan tangMa xing shi gan tangMa huang tangQing zao jiu fei tangLiang ge sanZhi zi dou chi tangBu zhong yi qi tangShi gao tangYin qiao san+15
Treatment by condition
Ulcerative colitisLupus (SLE)Thrombocytopenic purpuraFlu and pneumoniaTuberculosisAllergies of the upper airways
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 96

    Feverfew

    Tanacetum parthenium

    Best known for preventing migraine. NCCIH notes the evidence is conflicting: some studies find a small effect, others do not.

    Western herbal medicine+2Folklore
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 996

    American dittany

    Cunila origanoides

    A low, woody plant of the mint family with small purple flowers in late summer that smells of oregano and mint. The leaf contains essential oil. On the first frosty nights the stems split and ice ribbons grow out of them, which gave it the name frost mint.

    Cherokee medicine
  • Caution

    South America · Food · № 250

    Pineapple

    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.

    Ayurveda+1Folklore
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 670

    Anemarrhena (zhi mu)

    Anemarrhena asphodeloides

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in lungs and stomach and nourishes yin in fever, thirst and night sweats.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • 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

    Africa · Herb · № 422

    Worm killer

    Aristolochia bracteata

    Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, promotes menstruation, cleansing, antipyretic, expels worms; strengthens contractions, for colic, absent or painful menstruation, intermittent fever, worms, skin diseases.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 569

    Little ironweed

    Vernonia cinerea

    Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, induces sweating, cleansing; decoction promotes sweating in fever; seeds antidote, expel worms, for leprosy and chronic skin diseases; plant for bladder cramps, difficult urination, haemorrhoids; flowers for conjunctivitis.

    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

    South America · Herb · № 492

    Ayapana

    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.

    Herbal knowledge of the Amazon+1
  • 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 · № 677

    Baikal skullcap (huang qin)

    Scutellaria baicalensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools and dries damp heat, especially in the lungs and upper body; calms a restless foetus from heat.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • 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 · № 431

    Porcupine flower

    Barleria prionitis

    Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, diuretic, tonic, fever-reducing; catarrh in children, prevents cracked feet, bleeding gums, toothache, ear infection, oedema, whooping cough, snake bites.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 465

    Bhant

    Clerodendrum infortunatum

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter tonic, antipyretic, expels worms, laxative, promotes bile; externally for tumours and skin diseases, root for sluggish bowels.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 563

    Bibhitaki

    Terminalia bellerica

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, tonic, expectorant, laxative (unripe fruit), cleansing.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 439

    Blepharis

    Blepharis edulis

    Traditionally attributed effects: resolvent, diuretic, aphrodisiac, expectorant; for impotence, blood, chest, lung and liver diseases; leaves for fever, urinary discharge, leucoderma; root regulates menstruation.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 991

    Flowering dogwood

    Cornus florida

    A small tree with large white bracts around a knot of tiny flowers in spring, red berries and red autumn leaves. The bark is astringent and bitter; in the American Civil War it served as a substitute for quinine, and in the laboratory compounds from the bark moderately inhibited the malaria parasite. The berries are poisonous to people.

    Cherokee medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 447

    Bonduc nut

    Caesalpinia crista

    Traditionally attributed effects: antipyretic, antispasmodic, bitter tonic, expels worms, fever-reducing; for fever, intermittent fever, asthma, colic, swellings, bleeding, liver disorders, convulsions and nervous complaints.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 151

    Boneset

    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.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+4
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 857

    Cachanlagua

    Centaurium cachanlahuen

    A small bitter herb with pink flowers, related to the European common centaury. Traditionally for fever and digestion; clinical research is lacking.

    Mapuche medicine
  • 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 · Herb · № 448

    Priyangu

    Callicarpa macrophylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, tonic, purifies the blood; for stomach complaints, rheumatic joint pain, skin diseases.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 582

    Canadian goldenrod

    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.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+2
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 852

    Canelo (Winter's bark)

    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.

    Mapuche medicine
  • 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 · № 525

    Champak

    Michelia champaca

    Traditionally attributed effects: decongestant, cleansing, stomachic, tonic, laxative, carminative; for gastritis, chronic rheumatism, abscesses, fever, indigestion, nausea, kidney diseases, gonorrhoea; flower oil for headache, eye inflammation and gout.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 862

    Chilco

    Fuchsia magellanica

    The wild fuchsia, with drooping red and purple flowers. Traditionally as a diuretic and for fever; research is lacking.

    Mapuche medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 148

    Weeping forsythia (lian qiao)

    Forsythia suspensa

    The fruits (lian qiao) are a 'cooling' herb in Chinese medicine for early colds with sore throat and fever, and for skin inflammation. There is little clinical research on lian qiao alone.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 572

    Chinese jujube

    Zizyphus vulgaris

    Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, lowers blood sugar, soothing, soothing to the chest.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 665

    Chinese black cohosh (sheng ma)

    Actaea cimicifuga (syn. Cimicifuga foetida)

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat, helps rashes come out and lifts the energy in prolapse.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 558

    Chiretta

    Swertia chirata

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter tonic, stomachic, expels worms, laxative, cleansing, antidiarrhoeal, antipyretic; for intermittent fever, skin diseases, intestinal worms, asthma, hiccups and vomiting, gout; scorpion stings.

    Ayurveda+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 471

    Crepe ginger

    Costus speciosus

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, astringent, stimulating, aids digestion, expels worms, cleansing, aphrodisiac, anti-inflammatory; for fever with catarrh, cough, indigestion, worms, skin diseases, snake bites.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 409

    Dita bark

    Alstonia scholaris

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, bitter tonic, astringent, expectorant, fever-reducing, antipyretic; quinine substitute for intermittent fever, for indigestion, weakness, skin diseases, liver complaints, chronic diarrhoea; promotes milk flow, expels worms.

    Ayurveda
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 56

    Yarrow

    Achillea millefolium

    Traditionally used to stop bleeding from minor wounds, for fevers and colds, and as a digestive bitter. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Greco-Roman medicine+6Folklore
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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