Skip to content
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

Search by concern or tag

3 results

  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Mushroom · № 904

    Teonanácatl (sacred mushrooms)

    Psilocybe mexicana (en andere Psilocybe-soorten)

    Small mushrooms containing psilocybin and psilocin. After half an hour to an hour they bring visions and an altered sense of time and space that last several hours.

    Curanderismo
  • Caution

    Europe · Mushroom · № 910

    Fly agaric

    Amanita muscaria

    The well-known red mushroom with white spots. Contains ibotenic acid and muscimol, which act on the brain. Causes nausea, muscle twitching, confusion, a dreamlike state and sometimes deep sleep. Drying partly converts ibotenic acid into the stronger muscimol.

    Folk magic and herbal magic
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 984

    Cojamba

    Helosis cayennensis

    A plant without chlorophyll that parasitises the roots of trees and shrubs (family Balanophoraceae). It looks like a young mushroom, until the 'cap' turns out to be a reddish-brown spike full of tiny flowers. Its action has hardly been studied.

    Tukano medicine
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.

Read more

From plant to use

Ways to prepare herbs

All preparations →

Discover more

Traditions, kitchen and classical formulas