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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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315 results

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Recipes
Fish ball soup with spinach and niu xiSpare rib soup with lotus root and four herbsSweet soup with white fungus, lotus root and jujubesPatchouli cleanser for oily skinHealing facial tonerTea for a starting cold
Chinese formulas
Huo xiang zheng qi sanLing yang gou teng tangXing su sanWen dan tangDa ding feng zhuSi ni sanChai hu gui zhi tangXiao yao sanChai hu jia long gu mu li tangJia wei xiao yao sanShi wei bai du tangChai hu gui zhi gan jiang tangYi gan sanYin chen hao tangMa zi ren wanZhu sha an shen wanGui zhi long gu mu li tangGui zhi fu ling wanGui zhi tangGui zhi shao yao zhi mu tangQing ying tangShu jing huo xue tangChuan xiong cha tiao sanYi yi ren tang+71
  • 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

    North America · Herb · № 988

    Adam and Eve root

    Aplectrum hyemale

    An orchid with a single leaf, green with silvery-white stripes, that appears in late autumn and withers in spring. Underground lie two or more corms joined together, an old one and a new one. The crushed corms yield a sticky mucilage.

    Cherokee medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 739

    Cogon grass root (bai mao gen)

    Imperata cylindrica

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding; promotes urination and cools lung and stomach.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • 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

    Asia · Herb · № 642

    Chinese asparagus root (tian men dong)

    Asparagus cochinchinensis

    Traditionally attributed effects: moistening; for recovery after illness or surgery, chronically dry skin and for the production of sex hormones.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • 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 · № 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 · № 138

    Red sage root (dan shen)

    Salvia miltiorrhiza

    The red root is used in Chinese medicine to 'promote blood circulation', especially for heart and vascular complaints. There are many studies in China, often of limited quality.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 768

    Polygala root (yuan zhi)

    Polygala tenuifolia

    Traditionally attributed effects: calms the mind and clears phlegm from 'the openings of the heart' and from the lungs.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 731

    Costus root (mu xiang)

    Dolomiaea costus (syn. Saussurea lappa, Aucklandia lappa)

    Traditionally attributed effects: moves the qi in spleen, stomach, intestine, liver and gallbladder; helps digest tonics.

    Ayurveda+3
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 675

    Swallow-wort root (bai wei)

    Cynanchum atratum

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood in fever from deficiency, including after childbirth, and in painful urination.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 649

    Glehnia root (sha shen)

    Glehnia littoralis

    Traditionally attributed effects: nourishes the lungs and is good for the stomach; for persistent dry cough and to dissolve phlegm.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 736

    Great burnet (di yu)

    Sanguisorba officinalis

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools the blood and stops bleeding in the lower abdomen; externally for burns.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 59

    Marshmallow

    Althaea officinalis

    Root and leaf are rich in mucilage that forms a soothing layer; used for dry coughs, throat irritation and an irritated stomach. Evidence is modest.

    Greco-Roman medicine+3Folklore
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 203

    Orris root

    Iris florentina (I. germanica 'Florentina')

    The dried root (orris root) smells of violets and is a fixative in perfume and potpourri. Medicinally it was used for coughs and for teething children; it can cause allergies.

    Greco-Roman medicine+1Folklore
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 130

    Spikenard (jatamansi)

    Nardostachys jatamansi

    Used in Ayurveda as a calming remedy for insomnia and restlessness. There is mostly animal research; clinical evidence is lacking.

    Ayurveda+4
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 752

    Teasel root (xu duan)

    Dipsacus asper

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens liver and kidneys, helps fractures heal and calms the foetus.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 699

    Kansui root (gan sui)

    Euphorbia kansui

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used as a very strong fluid-draining purgative for fluid in chest and abdomen.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 271

    Hemp agrimony

    Eupatorium cannabinum

    Traditionally attributed effects: hemp agrimony fever-reducing, diuretic, laxative, promotes bile, expectorant, stimulates the immune system; boneset induces sweating, antispasmodic; gravel root soothing diuretic, antirheumatic, promotes menstruation.

    Western herbal medicine
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 732

    Lindera root (wu yao)

    Lindera aggregata (syn. L. strychnifolia)

    Traditionally attributed effects: warms and moves qi in pain from cold; warms the kidneys in frequent urination.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 370

    Oregon grape

    Mahonia aquifolium

    Traditionally attributed effects: cleansing, purifies the blood, tonic, stimulating, supports the liver; improves appetite and digestion, promotes liver and bile secretion, purifies the blood, helps with skin problems, sudden diarrhoea and chronic constipation.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 753

    Morinda root (ba ji tian)

    Morinda officinalis

    Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang and expels wind, cold and dampness from back and legs.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 658

    Notopterygium root (qiang huo)

    Notopterygium incisum

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind, cold and dampness in colds and rheumatic pain in head, neck and shoulders.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 786

    Aristolochia root (guang fang ji)

    Aristolochia fangchi

    Traditionally attributed effects: was used for hot, painful joints and oedema; banned because of kidney damage.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 748

    Pseudostellaria root (tai zi shen)

    Pseudostellaria heterophylla

    Traditionally attributed effects: a mild qi tonic that also replenishes body fluids.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 584

    Gravel root

    Eutrochium purpureum (syn. Eupatorium purpureum)

    Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, strengthens the nerves, astringent, stimulating, antiseptic; dissolves kidney and bladder stones, removes mineral deposits in joints, traditionally to prevent miscarriage and to prepare for childbirth.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 696

    Rhaponticum root (lou lu)

    Rhaponticum uniflorum

    Traditionally attributed effects: reduces hot swellings, especially in the breast, and promotes milk flow.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    North America · Herb · № 368

    Red root

    Ceanothus americanus

    Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, antispasmodic, expectorant, calming; for a swollen spleen (e.g. after glandular fever), cools and constricts blood vessels in bleeding and congestion of the uterus, liver and lymph.

    Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
  • Caution

    Europe · Herb · № 366

    Rhodiola

    Rhodiola rosea

    Roseroot is sold as an adaptogen for tiredness and stress. Some studies find a small effect on stress-related fatigue, but they are small and of varying quality. There is no evidence that it prevents colds.

    Western herbal medicine+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 650

    Saposhnikovia root (fang feng)

    Saposhnikovia divaricata

    Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind; for muscle pain, painful diarrhoea, rheumatic complaints and cramps.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 644

    Szechuan lovage (chuan xiong)

    Ligusticum chuanxiong (syn. L. striatum)

    Traditionally attributed effects: promotes circulation, helps with menstrual complaints and as a restorative tonic after childbirth, and is said to lower high blood pressure; warming.

    Chinese medical traditions+2
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 680

    Sophora root (ku shen)

    Sophora flavescens

    Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat in itchy skin, discharge and dysentery; externally as a wash.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 676

    Stellaria root (yin chai hu)

    Stellaria dichotoma var. lanceolata

    Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat from yin deficiency, fever after an illness and heat in malnourished children.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 724

    Stemona root (bai bu)

    Stemona sessilifolia (en S. japonica)

    Traditionally attributed effects: moistens the lungs in acute and chronic cough; externally against lice and fleas.

    Chinese medical traditions
  • Caution

    Asia · Herb · № 709

    Stephania root (han fang ji)

    Stephania tetrandra

    Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic in oedema (especially of the legs) and pain-relieving in hot, swollen joints.

    Chinese medical traditions+1
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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