From Ayurveda to Rongoā Māori
Communities around the world learned how plants nourish, care and heal. Here their traditions stand beside present-day use, with respect for every culture.
GrapeFolk magic and herbal magic
BuchuLocal African healing traditions
Indian tobaccoCherokee medicine
Lignum vitaeHerbal knowledge of the Caribbean
Yerba mateKallawaya healing knowledge
CautionAsia · Herb · № 418
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.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 523
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.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 896
Ambrosia peruviana
An aromatic, hairy ragweed. In its native range it is used as a painkilling, anti-inflammatory, deworming and antiseptic remedy; good research is lacking.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 593
Lysichiton americanus
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the nerves, stimulating, antispasmodic, induces sweating, expectorant; opens the lungs and reduces cough and bronchial spasms (acute asthma), ointment against ringworm, relieves muscle and joint pain.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 574
Populus balsamifera
Traditionally attributed effects: buds: stimulating, tonic, diuretic, soothing, expectorant; bark: expectorant, laxative; for skin problems (eczema, psoriasis), dry cough, constipation, kidney/bladder support, rheumatism and gout.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 293
Angelica pubescens
Traditionally attributed effects: antirheumatic, pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 186
Betula pendula
Traditionally attributed effects: bitter, astringent, antirheumatic.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 413
Anacyclus pyrethrum
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes salivation, strengthens the nerves; for toothache and caries, sore throat, tonsillitis, epilepsy, rheumatism.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 278
Iberis amara
Traditionally attributed effects: antispasmodic, relaxing, strengthens the digestive tract, carminative; traditionally for gout and rheumatism.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 280
Caulophyllum thalictroides
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, stimulates the uterus, diuretic, antirheumatic.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 372
Sanguinaria canadensis
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, emetic, expectorant, restorative; part of escharotic treatment for cervical dysplasia, warms lungs/stomach/uterus, promotes coughing up.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 557
Strychnos nux-vomica
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the nerves, stomachic, tonic, aphrodisiac, stimulates the spinal cord, breathing and heart.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 631
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 448
Callicarpa macrophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, tonic, purifies the blood; for stomach complaints, rheumatic joint pain, skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 525
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.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 890
Baccharis latifolia (en verwante soorten, o.a. B. pentlandii)
A fast-growing, densely branched shrub with glossy, sticky leaves. Little is known from research about its effect in people.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 714
Clematis chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness and moves the qi in pain anywhere in the body.
CautionAsia · Food · № 572
Zizyphus vulgaris
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, lowers blood sugar, soothing, soothing to the chest.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 660
Ligusticum sinense
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold and relieves above all headache at the crown, toothache and rheumatic pain.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 755
Cibotium barometz
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, bones and tendons in a stiff, painful lower back and knees.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 233
Cupressus sempervirens
Traditionally attributed effects: antiseptic, antispasmodic, calming, diuretic.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 474
Croton tiglium
Traditionally attributed effects: drastically laxative, irritant, skin-irritant; for stroke, insanity, convulsions, stubborn constipation, worms, ascites, oedema, colic, gout; wood in small doses induces sweating.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 430
Baliospermum montanum
Traditionally attributed effects: seeds strongly laxative, externally stimulating and skin-irritant; root for oedema and jaundice, leaves for asthma, oil for rheumatism, antiseptic, for snake bites.
CautionCentral America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 481
Datura metel
Traditionally attributed effects: narcotic, pain-relieving, antispasmodic (like belladonna); compress for rheumatic swellings, lumbago, sciatica, nerve pain, painful tumours; leaves and seeds for asthma and whooping cough; liniment for painful menstruation.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 756
Drynaria roosii (syn. D. fortunei)
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, lets the blood flow and helps fractures and tendon injuries heal.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 751
Eucommia ulmoides
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, tendons and bones; calms rising liver yang and a restless foetus.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 468
Colchicum luteum
Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, carminative, laxative, aphrodisiac; for gout, rheumatism, liver and spleen diseases; externally against inflammation and pain.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 472
Crinum defixum
Traditionally attributed effects: emetic, induces sweating, laxative; leaves for whitlow, inflamed toes and fingers, joints and sprains; leaf juice for ear complaints; bulb for bile complaints, urinary complaints and rheumatism.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 713
Gentiana macrophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness in cold and hot joint pain and cools heat from yin deficiency.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 142
Commiphora wightii (syn. C. mukul)
The resin is used in Ayurveda for joint complaints, overweight and high cholesterol. A US study found no reduction in cholesterol; LDL even rose slightly.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 480
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.
Asia · Herb · № 427
Atropa acuminata
Traditionally attributed effects: narcotic, calming, diuretic, antispasmodic, dilates the pupils, pain-relieving; antidote in opium and mushroom poisoning, smoked for cramps, externally for rheumatism, nerve pain and lumbago.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 532
Operculina turpethum
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, anti-inflammatory; mild fluid-expelling laxative for chronic constipation, ascites, enlarged spleen; for rheumatism, paralysis, oedema, melancholy, gout, leprosy.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 490
Erythrina variegata
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, expectorant, fever-reducing, expels worms; for dysentery, worms, eye inflammation, rheumatic joints, liver complaints, diabetes, painful menstruation and infertility, promotes milk flow.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 400
Aconitum ferox
Traditionally attributed effects: in very small doses induces sweating, diuretic, pain-relieving, fever-reducing; for nerve pain, muscular rheumatism, gout, sore throat, colds, paralysis; highly poisonous in larger doses.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 423
Aristolochia indica
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, stimulating, promotes menstruation, antidote, anti-arthritic; against snake, insect and scorpion bites, intestinal complaints in children, cholera, diarrhoea, intermittent fever.
Featured · Central America and the Caribbean · Curanderismo
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.
Read moreFrom plant to use
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43 traditions
How communities built up and passed on their knowledge of plants, region by region.
113 recipes
Soups, teas and dishes in which herbs play a leading role.
146 formulas
The classical Chinese formulas, also listed by condition.