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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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112 results

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Headache tea
Chinese formulas
Huo xiang zheng qi sanXing su sanChai hu gui zhi tangXiao yao sanGui zhi tangEr xian tangQing wei sanChuan xiong cha tiao sanDang gui long hui wanDing chuan tangMa huang tangQing zao jiu fei tangWu zhu yu tangTian ma gou teng yinShi gao tangYin qiao sanCi zhu wanJiu wei qiang huo tangJuan bi tangWu ling sanCang er zi san
Treatment by condition
Flu and pneumoniaHeadache and migraine
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 93

    Betony

    Betonica officinalis (syn. Stachys officinalis)

    Traditionally used for tension headaches and nervousness. Modern clinical research is lacking.

    Greco-Roman medicine+3
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 861

    Chilean laurel (triwe)

    Laurelia sempervirens

    A tall evergreen tree with strongly scented leaves and wood. Traditionally for headache and as a diuretic; research is lacking.

    Mapuche medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 660

    Chinese lovage root (gao ben)

    Ligusticum sinense

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold and relieves above all headache at the crown, toothache and rheumatic pain.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 659

    Dahurian angelica (bai zhi)

    Angelica dahurica

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold, opens the nose and relieves headache and toothache; helps drain pus.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 774

    Gastrodia (tian ma)

    Gastrodia elata

    Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and relieves headache, dizziness and cramps.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 970

    Barestem lomatium

    Lomatium nudicaule (in Boas: Peucedanum)

    An umbellifer with blue-green leaves and yellow umbels. The seeds are strongly aromatic; related lomatiums are being studied for antiviral effects.

    Kwakwaka'wakw medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 655

    Magnolia flower bud (xin yi hua)

    Magnolia biondii (syn. M. liliflora)

    Traditionally attributed effects: warms and opens the nose in blocked sinuses and headache from wind-cold.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • 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 · № 956

    Fringed sage

    Artemisia frigida

    A low, silver-grey, strongly scented wormwood shrub. Contains a volatile oil with camphor and cineole and, like other wormwoods, thujone.

    Lakota medicine+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 345

    Saffron

    Crocus sativus

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, aphrodisiac, stomachic, pain-relieving, antispasmodic, calming, promotes menstruation; for absent menstruation, fever, hysteria, melancholy, leucorrhoea, haemorrhoids; paste for bruises, nerve and rheumatic pain.

    Ayurveda+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 535

    Screwpine

    Pandanus tectorius

    Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, laxative, aromatic; leaves for leprosy, smallpox, scabies, syphilis, leucoderma; anthers for earache, headache and blood diseases; oil for headache and rheumatism.

    Ayurveda+1
  • 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 · № 773

    Gambir hook vine (gou teng)

    Uncaria rhynchophylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: calms liver wind and rising liver yang in headache, dizziness and high blood pressure.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 466

    Butterfly pea

    Clitoria ternatea

    Traditionally attributed effects: root mildly laxative, diuretic, expels worms; seeds strongly laxative; for ascites, enlarged abdominal organs, migraine (flower juice), gonorrhoea, bladder irritation, ulcers, swollen joints.

    Ayurveda+1
  • Caution

    South America · Food · № 262

    Potato

    Solanum tuberosum

    A starchy tuber and one of the most important food crops in the world. In folk use raw slices or grated potato are laid on burns, swollen eyes and for headaches; this has not been studied.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Food · № 818

    Annatto (achiote)

    Bixa orellana

    The red seeds are used as a colouring and spice; traditionally also as a remedy.

    Maya healing knowledge+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 303

    Achyranthes root (huai niu xi)

    Achyranthes bidentata

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes circulation, liver tonic, pain-relieving.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 418

    Agarwood

    Aquilaria agallocha

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, strengthens the heart, tonic, carminative, promotes bile; for skin diseases, gout and rheumatism, vomiting, snake bites, pain from wounds, bronchitis in children, headache, dizziness.

    Ayurveda+3
  • 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

    Africa · Herb · № 4

    Aloe vera

    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.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge+6Folklore
  • 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

    North America · Herb · № 160

    American ginseng

    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.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 628

    North American wild ginger

    Asarum caudatum, A. canadense en verwante soorten

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold, opens a blocked nose, warms the lung in cough with clear phlegm and expels cold and dampness in menstrual pain and other pain.

    Haudenosaunee medicine+4
  • 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 · № 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 · № 293

    Pubescent angelica (du huo)

    Angelica pubescens

    Traditionally attributed effects: antirheumatic, pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 224

    Bee balm

    Monarda didyma

    The fragrant leaf contains thymol and is drunk as tea. Indigenous peoples used it for colds, fever and headache; studies in humans are lacking.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 354

    Bhringraj

    Eclipta prostrata

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the liver, decongestant, tonic, cleansing, antiviral; for enlarged liver and spleen, skin diseases, fever, oedema, rheumatism; hair oil for black and full hair; for swollen glands, elephantiasis, headache and toothache.

    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

    North America · Herb · № 631

    Brewer's angelica

    Angelica breweri, A. arguta, A. hendersonii

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind, dampness and cold in stiff, painful joints, opens the surface in wind-cold and moves qi and blood in pain.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Oceania · Herb · № 176

    Cajeput and niaouli

    Melaleuca cajuputi, M. viridiflora, M. leucadendra e.a.

    Both relatives of tea tree yield an essential oil used externally for muscle pain and in inhalations for colds. Clinical evidence is limited.

    Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander knowledge+2
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 627

    California spikenard

    Aralia californica

    Traditionally attributed effects: opens the surface in wind-cold and fever without sweating, warms the lung and stops cough with abundant white or clear phlegm, and (roasted with honey) strengthens the energy of lung and spleen.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 978

    California bay laurel

    Umbellularia californica

    An evergreen tree of the laurel family with strongly scented leaves. The leaf contains umbellulone, which causes headache when inhaled and is poisonous in large amounts.

    Hupa medicine
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 290

    Bupleurum (chai hu)

    Bupleurum chinense

    Traditionally attributed effects: energy tonic, stimulates the liver, cooling, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, pain-relieving, promotes bile, lowers cholesterol.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • 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
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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