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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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153 results

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Recipes
Longan chicken soup with three seedsSumac lemonadeHaudenosaunee strawberry juiceStress teaAnti-cellulite scrubCustom herbal shampooNourishing hair treatment
Chinese formulas
Zuo gui wanZhi bai di huang wanYou gui wanXiang sheng po di wanYi guan jianQi ju di huang wanBa wei di huang wan (jin gui shen qi wan)Liu wei di huang wan
Treatment by condition
Flatulence
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 754

    Sharp-leaf galangal fruit (yi zhi ren)

    Alpinia oxyphylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang and holds in urine and semen; warms the spleen in diarrhoea and drooling.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 743

    Sweetgum fruit (lu lu tong)

    Liquidambar formosana

    Traditionally attributed effects: lets qi and blood flow and opens the meridians.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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 · № 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 · 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 · № 729

    Chinese cardamom (sha ren)

    Amomum villosum (en A. kravanh)

    Traditionally attributed effects: warms the spleen, transforms dampness, calms a restless foetus and prevents tonics from lying heavy on the stomach.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 336

    Evodia fruit (wu zhu yu)

    Tetradium ruticarpum (syn. Evodia rutaecarpa)

    Traditionally attributed effects: pain-relieving, antibacterial, warming, stimulating.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Food · № 257

    Grapefruit

    Citrus × paradisi

    A citrus fruit rich in vitamin C. Grapefruit and grapefruit juice inhibit enzymes that break down many medicines. The essential oil is used in skin and hair products, but effects on cellulite or hair growth have not been shown.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 571

    Indian jujube

    Zizyphus martiana

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, stomachic; leaves for gonorrhoea, conjunctivitis, boils and abscesses, painful urination; bark for diarrhoea, dysentery, colic and gum inflammation.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 322

    Asiatic dogwood fruit (shan zhu yu)

    Cornus officinalis

    Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, diuretic, lowers blood pressure, antimicrobial.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 246

    Kiwifruit

    Actinidia deliciosa

    A fruit rich in vitamin C and fibre. Small studies point to a slightly beneficial effect on constipation, and also on sleep; the enzyme actinidin tenderises meat.

    Chinese medical traditions+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 763

    Monk fruit (luo han guo)

    Siraitia grosvenorii (syn. Momordica grosvenori)

    Traditionally attributed effects: moistens and cools the lungs in a dry cough and reduces swollen glands.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 425

    Jackfruit

    Artocarpus integrifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: ripe fruit soothing, nourishing, laxative; unripe fruit astringent; milky sap for swollen glands, abscesses and snake bites; root for diarrhoea; leaf and root for skin diseases.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 787

    Birthwort fruit (ma dou ling)

    Aristolochia debilis

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used for cough with a lot of phlegm and high blood pressure; banned because of kidney damage.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 775

    Rangoon creeper (shi jun zi)

    Combretum indicum (syn. Quisqualis indica)

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used against roundworms and for poor digestion in children.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 716

    Cocklebur fruit (cang er zi)

    Xanthium strumarium (syn. X. sibiricum)

    Traditionally attributed effects: opens the nose in sinusitis and expels wind and dampness in pain and itching.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 664

    Beach vitex fruit (man jing zi)

    Vitex rotundifolia (syn. V. trifolia)

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat in headache and eye pain, and relieves cramps and heaviness in the limbs.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 718

    Trichosanthes fruit (gua lou)

    Trichosanthes kirilowii

    Traditionally attributed effects: fruit and seed dissolve hot phlegm and open the chest; the root (tian hua fen) cools and moistens.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 706

    Kochia fruit (di fu zi)

    Bassia scoparia (syn. Kochia scoparia)

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat in cystitis and itchy, weeping skin.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 997

    American persimmon

    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.

    Cherokee medicine
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 867

    Chilean strawberry (kelleñ)

    Fragaria chiloensis

    A wild strawberry with large, fragrant fruits, one of the parents of the garden strawberry. The leaf contains tannins.

    Mapuche medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 641

    Chinese dodder (tu si zi)

    Cuscuta chinensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: a remedy for male infertility and urinary complaints; a tonic that strengthens bones and tendons, soothes lower back pain and balances the female reproductive system.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 643

    Chinese raspberry (fu pen zi)

    Rubus chingii

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidneys and liver; for poor vision, frequent urination and impotence.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 914

    Huanarpo

    Corynaea crassa

    An unusual parasitic plant without chlorophyll that lives on the roots of trees and shrubs; only a club-shaped flower spike appears above ground. Little is known about its effect in people.

    Curanderismo of northern Peru
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 974

    Pacific crabapple

    Malus fusca

    A small apple tree with small, sour, oval apples and very tough wood. The bark contains tannins.

    Kwakwaka'wakw medicine
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 860

    Peumo

    Cryptocarya alba

    An evergreen tree of the laurel family with fragrant leaves and edible red fruits. Traditionally for liver and joint complaints; research is lacking.

    Mapuche medicine
  • Caution

    North America · Food · № 937

    Virginia strawberry

    Fragaria virginiana

    A wild strawberry with small, very tasty fruits. Its cross with the Chilean strawberry gave rise to the garden strawberry in eighteenth-century Europe.

    Haudenosaunee medicine+1
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 10

    Bergamot

    Citrus bergamia

    The peel yields bergamot oil, a fragrance in perfume and Earl Grey tea. The oil contains bergapten, which makes the skin sensitive to sunlight. Health claims are not well studied.

    Folk magic and herbal magicFolklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 253

    Strawberry

    Fragaria × ananassa

    The garden strawberry is a fruit rich in vitamin C. The leaf of the related wild strawberry was drunk as tea for mild diarrhoea; no medicinal effect is described for the garden strawberry itself.

    Folk magic and herbal magicFolklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 340

    Ajwain

    Trachyspermum ammi

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, carminative, tonic, aromatic, antispasmodic, antiseptic; for flatulence, indigestion, colic, diarrhoea, cholera, intestinal cramps; source of thymol; against worms.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 826

    Mayapple

    Podophyllum peltatum

    A poisonous plant whose resin, podophyllin, was once used as a laxative. Now only used in the form of medicines against warts.

    Eclectic medicine+2
  • Caution

    North America · Food · № 934

    American chestnut

    Castanea dentata

    Once one of the largest trees of the eastern forests, with sweet, edible nuts. Related to the sweet chestnut.

    Haudenosaunee medicine+1
  • 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

    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

    Europe · Food · № 84

    Apple

    Malus domestica

    A fruit rich in fibre such as pectin; grated apple is an old home remedy for mild diarrhoea. No specific medicinal effect has been proven.

    Western herbal medicine+2Folklore
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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