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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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343 results

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Chinese formulas
Si ni tangZuo gui wanMa huang fu zi xi xin tangJi chuan jianQing e wanQi li sanSi ni sanXiao yao sanJia wei xiao yao sanGui zhi long gu mu li tangGui zhi fu ling wanGui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangBao he wanQing wei sanShu jing huo xue tangChuan xiong cha tiao sanDang gui shao yao sanJiao ai tangDang gui si ni tangShu jin sanDang gui long hui wanBa zheng sanChai hu shu gan sanDu huo ji sheng tang+25
Treatment by condition
Stomach painStomach ulcer and gastritisHaemorrhoidsUlcerative colitisHepatitisLupus (SLE)Flu and pneumoniaPleurisyHeart disease (general)Angina pectorisUrinary tract infectionBlood in the urinePainful menstruationBack pain and sciaticaNeck pain and nerve pain
  • Caution

    Asia · Food · № 272

    Apricot

    Prunus armeniaca

    Traditionally attributed effects: cough-suppressing, astringent, antibacterial, pain-relieving, diuretic, anti-inflammatory; wild cherry suppresses cough.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 540

    Agnimantha

    Premna obtusifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart, stomachic, carminative, cleansing, tonic, anti-inflammatory, lowers blood sugar; for swellings, pain and diabetes; part of 'dashamula'.

    Ayurveda
  • 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

    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

    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

    North America · Herb · № 593

    Skunk cabbage

    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.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+2
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 573

    Balsam fir

    Abies balsamea

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, antiseptic, pain-relieving; for respiratory infections, cough and sore throat, cystitis and enteritis, aid to quitting smoking; externally for burns, wounds, haemorrhoids, muscle pain.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 496

    Banyan

    Ficus benghalensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: antiseptic, aphrodisiac, astringent, cooling, stops bleeding, lowers blood sugar; leaves for diarrhoea and dysentery; milky sap externally for pain, bruises, ulcers, rheumatism, lumbago; bark for diabetes, gonorrhoea.

    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 · № 293

    Pubescent angelica (du huo)

    Angelica pubescens

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

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 747

    Prepared aconite (fu zi)

    Aconitum carmichaelii (bereide zijwortel)

    Traditionally attributed effects: the most strongly warming remedy in Chinese medicine, for collapse of yang and pain from cold.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Africa · Herb · № 413

    Pellitory root

    Anacyclus pyrethrum

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes salivation, strengthens the nerves; for toothache and caries, sore throat, tonsillitis, epilepsy, rheumatism.

    Ayurveda+3
  • 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

    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

    Europe · Herb · № 513

    Henbane

    Hyoscyamus niger

    Traditionally attributed effects: intoxicating, narcotic, pain-relieving, calming, antispasmodic, dilates the pupils.

    Greco-Roman medicine+3
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 372

    Bloodroot

    Sanguinaria canadensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, emetic, expectorant, restorative; part of escharotic treatment for cervical dysplasia, warms lungs/stomach/uterus, promotes coughing up.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Other · № 770

    Borneol (bing pian)

    Dryobalanops aromatica (borneol)

    Traditionally attributed effects: opens the sense orifices, cools heat and relieves pain; mainly external.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 306

    Smooth hydrangea

    Hydrangea arborescens

    Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, laxative, stimulates the kidneys.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
  • Caution

    Europe · Food · № 255

    Blackberry

    Rubus fruticosus

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent; for damp stomach and bowel complaints, diarrhoea, mucus; syrup or liqueur against sore throat.

    Western herbal medicine+1Folklore
  • 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

    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 · № 959

    Horseweed

    Erigeron canadensis (syn. Conyza canadensis)

    An annual of the daisy family with an upright, hairy stem and countless small white flower heads. Contains volatile oil, tannins and flavonoids; the oil was once used as 'oil of erigeron' for bleeding and diarrhoea.

    Lakota medicine+1
  • Caution

    Central America and the Caribbean · Herb · № 161

    Cayenne pepper

    Capsicum frutescens

    Capsaicin from chilli peppers is used externally for nerve pain and joint pain; high-dose capsaicin patches are an approved medicine. Internally it is mainly a warming spice.

    Maya healing knowledge+6Folklore
  • Caution

    South America · Herb · № 1002

    Chachacomo

    Escallonia resinosa (en verwante soorten, o.a. E. micrantha)

    A shrub or tree of 2 to 10 metres with reddish, papery bark and small, finely toothed leaves full of resin and essential oil. Almost nothing has been studied about its effect in people.

    Kallawaya healing knowledge
  • 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 · № 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 · № 790

    Diverse wormwood (liu ji nu)

    Artemisia anomala

    Traditionally attributed effects: lets the blood flow, promotes menstruation and relieves pain from injury.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 738

    Chinese mugwort (ai ye)

    Artemisia argyi

    Traditionally attributed effects: warms the meridians and uterus, stops bleeding from cold and relieves pain; the herb of moxa.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 714

    Chinese clematis root (wei ling xian)

    Clematis chinensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind and dampness and moves the qi in pain anywhere in the body.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 304

    Chinese goldthread (huang lian)

    Coptis chinensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes bile, antibacterial, pain-relieving, calming, anti-inflammatory.

    Chinese medical traditions+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 663

    Chinese wild ginger (xi xin)

    Asarum sieboldii (en A. heterotropoides)

    Traditionally attributed effects: warms in wind-cold, relieves pain from cold and loosens cold phlegm in the lungs.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 740

    Corydalis (yan hu suo)

    Corydalis yanhusuo

    Traditionally attributed effects: moves blood and qi and is an important pain-relieving herb.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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
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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