CautionAsia · Herb · № 677
Baikal skullcap (huang qin)
Scutellaria baicalensis
Traditionally attributed effects: cools and dries damp heat, especially in the lungs and upper body; calms a restless foetus from heat.
Chinese medical traditions+2
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.
GrapeFolk magic and herbal magic
BuchuLocal African healing traditions
Indian tobaccoCherokee medicine
Lignum vitaeHerbal knowledge of the Caribbean
Yerba mateKallawaya healing knowledge
- Caution
CautionAsia · Herb · № 684
Chinese violet (zi hua di ding)
Viola yedoensis (syn. V. philippica)
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat and 'toxin' in abscesses, boils, sore throat and inflamed eyes.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 641
Chinese dodder (tu si zi)
Cuscuta chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: a remedy for male infertility and urinary complaints; a tonic that strengthens bones and tendons, soothes lower back pain and balances the female reproductive system.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 683
Chinese pulsatilla (bai tou weng)
Pulsatilla chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: for hot, bloody dysentery, amoebae and vaginal trichomonas.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · Food · № 636
Jujube (red date)
Ziziphus jujuba
Traditionally attributed effects: sweet and strengthening in fatigue, anaemia and low energy; builds strength and blood and softens herbal dishes.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 125
Chinese ephedra (ma huang)
Ephedra sinica
Contains ephedrine, which widens the airways and stimulates the nervous system and heart. It is the origin of modern ephedrine and pseudoephedrine medicines. As a supplement it has proved dangerous.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 120
Dong quai (dang gui)
Angelica sinensis
In Chinese medicine one of the most important herbs to 'nourish the blood', especially for menstrual complaints. Western studies found no clear effect on menopausal symptoms.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 681
Korean ash bark (qin pi)
Fraxinus chinensis subsp. rhynchophylla
Traditionally attributed effects: for diarrhoea and dysentery from damp heat, red eyes and cough with heat.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 643
Chinese raspberry (fu pen zi)
Rubus chingii
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidneys and liver; for poor vision, frequent urination and impotence.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 679
Chinese gentian (long dan cao)
Gentiana scabra
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat and fire from liver and gallbladder.
Chinese medical traditions+1- 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 
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · Herb · № 729
Chinese cardamom (sha ren)
Amomum villosum (en A. kravanh)
Traditionally attributed effects: warms the spleen, transforms dampness, calms a restless foetus and prevents tonics from lying heavy on the stomach.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Food · № 802
Chinese chestnut
Castanea mollissima
Traditionally attributed effects: dried, peeled chestnuts give sweet soups such as the eight-treasure soup their sweetness; in Chinese food therapy they strengthen spleen and kidneys.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · Herb · № 708
Chinese lobelia (ban bian lian)
Lobelia chinensis
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic and detoxifying in oedema, inflamed ulcers and snakebites.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 137
Chinese rhubarb
Rheum palmatum
The root (da huang) contains anthraquinones, making it a strong laxative. In small amounts its tannins have the opposite, binding effect. Its mechanism is well understood.
Chinese medical traditions+4
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · Herb · № 703
Gold coin grass (jin qian cao)
Lysimachia christinae (ook Desmodium styracifolium)
Traditionally attributed effects: helps pass kidney and gallstones and drains damp heat from the liver.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 741
Chinese bugleweed (ze lan)
Lycopus lucidus
Traditionally attributed effects: moves the blood and regulates menstruation; diuretic.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Food · № 635
Chinese yam (shan yao)
Dioscorea polystachya (syn. D. opposita)
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens spleen, stomach and lungs, helps regulate the hormone system in women and is said to lower blood sugar.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 665
Chinese black cohosh (sheng ma)
Actaea cimicifuga (syn. Cimicifuga foetida)
Traditionally attributed effects: expels wind-heat, helps rashes come out and lifts the energy in prolapse.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Food · № 637
Goji (Chinese wolfberry)
Lycium barbarum, L. chinense
Traditionally attributed effects: sweet tonic that according to tradition strengthens the yang energy, strength and stamina and supports the hormone system.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 715
Chinese quince (mu gua)
Chaenomeles speciosa
Traditionally attributed effects: relaxes tendons and muscles in cramps and rheumatic pain and drives dampness from the stomach.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Food · № 758
Garlic chives (jiu zi)
Allium tuberosum
Traditionally attributed effects: the seed strengthens kidney yang and warms stomach and spleen.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 132
Chinese peony (bai shao)
Paeonia lactiflora en P. suffruticosa
The peeled root (bai shao, white peony) is used in Chinese medicine for cramps, period pain and muscle pain. There are studies of combination formulas but few of peony alone.
Chinese medical traditions+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 673
Rehmannia
Rehmannia glutinosa
Traditionally attributed effects: raw it cools the blood and nourishes yin; prepared (steamed with wine) it nourishes the blood and the kidney yin.
Chinese medical traditions+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 776
Chinese nutmeg yew (fei zi)
Torreya grandis
Traditionally attributed effects: was used against intestinal worms and moistens the lungs.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 718
Trichosanthes fruit (gua lou)
Trichosanthes kirilowii
Traditionally attributed effects: fruit and seed dissolve hot phlegm and open the chest; the root (tian hua fen) cools and moistens.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionAsia · 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
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 moreFrom plant to use
Ways to prepare herbs
Discover more
Traditions, kitchen and classical formulas
43 traditions
Cultures & traditions
How communities built up and passed on their knowledge of plants, region by region.
113 recipes
Recipes
Soups, teas and dishes in which herbs play a leading role.
146 formulas
Chinese formulas
The classical Chinese formulas, also listed by condition.