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
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 1002
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.
CautionAsia · Food · № 42
Syzygium aromaticum
A spice. Clove oil containing eugenol may help with toothache; other claims are unproven.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 168
Zanthoxylum americanum
Bark and berries give a tingling, numbing feeling in the mouth; they were traditionally used for toothache, poor circulation and rheumatism. Clinical research is lacking.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 628
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.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 997
Diospyros virginiana
A tree of the ebony family, related to the kaki. Unripe, the orange fruits are so astringent that they pucker the mouth, but after the first frost they are sweet and soft. They are rich in vitamin C. Bark and unripe fruits contain many tannins.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 496
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 431
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 293
Angelica pubescens
Traditionally attributed effects: antirheumatic, pain-relieving, anti-inflammatory.
CautionAfrica · Herb · № 413
Anacyclus pyrethrum
Traditionally attributed effects: promotes salivation, strengthens the nerves; for toothache and caries, sore throat, tonsillitis, epilepsy, rheumatism.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 354
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.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 176
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.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 663
Asarum sieboldii (en A. heterotropoides)
Traditionally attributed effects: warms in wind-cold, relieves pain from cold and loosens cold phlegm in the lungs.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 660
Ligusticum sinense
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold and relieves above all headache at the crown, toothache and rheumatic pain.
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 183
Erythroxylum coca
The leaf contains a small amount of cocaine and other alkaloids. Chewing it or drinking it as tea is used in the Andes against hunger, fatigue and altitude sickness; evidence for the latter is limited. Cocaine, the first local anaesthetic and today mainly an addictive drug, was isolated from the leaf.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 659
Angelica dahurica
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-cold, opens the nose and relieves headache and toothache; helps drain pus.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 243
Artemisia dracunculus
A culinary herb with an aniseed-like taste. The fresh leaf slightly numbs the tongue and was formerly chewed for toothache and used to stimulate the appetite. It contains estragole; large amounts are not recommended.
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.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 14
Echinacea purpurea
Studied for colds and respiratory infections. It may slightly reduce the chance of catching a cold; effects on duration and other conditions are uncertain.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 1
Zingiber officinale
Traditionally used for nausea and digestive discomfort; it has a warming flavor.
CautionAsia · Mineral · № 668
Gypsum fibrosum (calciumsulfaat)
Traditionally attributed effects: strongly cooling in high fever with thirst and sweating, lung heat and stomach fire.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 564
Thalictrum foliolosum
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, mildly laxative, laxative, diuretic, fever-reducing; for chronic indigestion, recovery after illness, eye inflammation, jaundice, flatulence, colds (snuff), toothache, conjunctivitis and keratitis.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 77
Humulus lupulus
The cones are traditionally used for restlessness and sleep problems, often with valerian. There are hints of a mild sedative effect, but evidence is limited.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 543
Pterocarpus marsupium
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, cleansing, lowers blood sugar; kino for diarrhoea and toothache; bark for diarrhoea and diabetes; leaves on boils, ulcers and skin diseases.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 402
Acorus calamus
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, tonic, stimulating; restores throat and voice (singers), improves concentration/clear thinking, for flatulence and heartburn.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 555
Solanum surattense
Traditionally attributed effects: carminative, strongly diuretic, expectorant, fever-reducing, aids digestion, astringent; for fever, cough, asthma, toothache, sore throat, gonorrhoea, rheumatism; promotes conception.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 7
Piper methysticum
The drink slightly numbs the mouth and tongue and is relaxing. Research points to a modest effect on anxiety, but results vary and the safety of supplements is disputed.
CautionOceania · Herb · № 23
Piper excelsum
In rongoā Māori the leaf is used for toothache, skin complaints, wounds and bladder and kidney complaints. It contains myristicin among other compounds; clinical evidence for these uses is lacking.
CautionAsia · Food · № 357
Cocos nucifera
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, diuretic, antiseptic, laxative; root for uterine diseases, bronchitis, liver complaints, dysentery, sore throat (gargle); coconut water for thirst, fever, urinary complaints and vomiting; ash for scabies and toothache.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 102
Verbascum thapsus
Leaves and flowers contain mucilage and are traditionally used for irritating coughs and bronchitis; the flower oil for earache. Clinical evidence is limited.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 231
Coriandrum sativum
Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, stimulating, carminative, stomachic, cooling, tonic, diuretic; for flatulence, colic, rheumatism, nerve pain, sore throat, indigestion, vomiting, colds, bile complaints.
CautionEurope · Herb · № 96
Tanacetum parthenium
Best known for preventing migraine. NCCIH notes the evidence is conflicting: some studies find a small effect, others do not.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 482
Delphinium denudatum
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, cleansing, stomachic, tonic, pain-relieving; for syphilis and rheumatism, recovery after fever, toothache, antidote for snake bites and aconite poisoning.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 129
Myristica fragrans
A spice used in small amounts in Ayurveda and Arabic medicine for diarrhoea, nausea and insomnia. There is no good clinical evidence.
CautionAsia · Herb · № 488
Elephantopus scaber
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart, astringent, cleansing, fever-reducing, antibiotic; for painful urination, urethral discharge, diarrhoea, dysentery, vomiting, snake bites, ulcers, eczema.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 153
Ligusticum porteri, L. sinense en L. wallichii
The root is traditionally used for sore throats, coughs and early colds. There is virtually no clinical research.
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 154
Passiflora incarnata
Used for anxiety and sleep problems. NCCIH notes some indications of an effect on anxiety but limited evidence.
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.
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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.