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
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
Also found
- Chinese formulas
- Zhi bai di huang wanEr xian tangDao chi sanDang gui shao yao sanBa zheng sanZhu ling tangLiu wei di huang wanLiu yi san
- Treatment by condition
- Urinary tract infection
- Caution
CautionAsia · Herb · № 705
Akebia stem (mu tong)
Akebia trifoliata (en A. quinata)
Traditionally attributed effects: drains heat via the urine in painful urination, mouth ulcers and restlessness; promotes milk flow.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionEurope · Herb · № 523
Corn mint
Mentha arvensis
Traditionally attributed effects: aromatic, carminative, stimulating, antispasmodic, promotes menstruation, antiseptic, stomachic, cooling, diuretic; leaf juice for diarrhoea and dysentery, tea for rheumatism and indigestion.
Ayurveda+2
CautionAsia · 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
CautionAsia · Herb · № 405
Sage-leaved alangium
Alangium salviifolium
Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, laxative, emetic, diuretic; antidote in poisoning, for diarrhoea, leprosy and skin diseases, dog bites, worms, acute rheumatism.
Ayurveda
CautionAsia · Herb · № 754
Sharp-leaf galangal fruit (yi zhi ren)
Alpinia oxyphylla
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang and holds in urine and semen; warms the spleen in diarrhoea and drooling.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 678
Amur cork tree bark (huang bai)
Phellodendron amurense
Traditionally attributed effects: drains damp heat from the lower body and cools heat from kidney yin deficiency.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionSouth America · Food · № 250
Pineapple
Ananas comosus
Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, cleansing, bitter tonic; ripe fruit diuretic, induces sweating, cooling, digests protein; leaf laxative and expels worms; unripe fruit strongly diuretic, promotes menstruation and abortifacient.
Ayurveda+1Folklore
CautionAsia · Herb · № 562
Arjuna
Terminalia arjuna
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart, astringent, dissolves stones, diuretic; for heart disease (angina, heart failure, pericarditis), high blood pressure, bleeding, diarrhoea, dysentery, sprue, bile complaints, oedema, cirrhosis of the liver; antidote.
Ayurveda
CautionAsia · Herb · № 569
Little ironweed
Vernonia cinerea
Traditionally attributed effects: fever-reducing, induces sweating, cleansing; decoction promotes sweating in fever; seeds antidote, expel worms, for leprosy and chronic skin diseases; plant for bladder cramps, difficult urination, haemorrhoids; flowers for conjunctivitis.
Ayurveda
CautionEurope · Food · № 65
Asparagus
Asparagus officinalis en A. racemosus
A nutritious vegetable; root and shoots were traditionally used as a diuretic. There is no good evidence for a medicinal effect.
Greco-Roman medicine+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 757
Flattened milkvetch seed (sha yuan zi)
Astragalus complanatus
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens kidney yang, holds in the essence and strengthens the eyesight.
Chinese medical traditions
CautionAsia · Herb · № 542
Babchi
Psoralea corylifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: laxative, expels worms, diuretic, induces sweating, antibacterial; for leprosy and leucoderma (vitiligo) internally and externally, bile complaints.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 526
Spanish cherry
Mimusops elengi
Traditionally attributed effects: expels worms, antihistamine, astringent, aromatic, strengthens the heart, tonic, fever-reducing; for catarrh of the bladder and urethra, fever, gum and tooth diseases, leucoderma, heart disease, snake bites, chronic dysentery.
Ayurveda
CautionAsia · Herb · № 552
Country mallow
Sida cordifolia
Traditionally attributed effects: cooling, astringent, stomachic, tonic, fever-reducing, soothing, diuretic; contains an ephedrine-like substance.
Ayurveda
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 574
Balsam poplar
Populus balsamifera
Traditionally attributed effects: buds: stimulating, tonic, diuretic, soothing, expectorant; bark: expectorant, laxative; for skin problems (eczema, psoriasis), dry cough, constipation, kidney/bladder support, rheumatism and gout.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
CautionAsia · 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
CautionEurope · Herb · № 276
Bearberry
Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Traditionally attributed effects: urinary antiseptic, astringent.
Western herbal medicine
CautionAsia · Herb · № 419
Areca nut
Areca catechu
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulating, astringent, expels tapeworm, laxative, carminative, aphrodisiac; against roundworms and tapeworms, strengthens the gums, for urinary complaints, heartburn during pregnancy, lumbago.
Ayurveda+2
CautionEurope · Herb · № 513
Henbane
Hyoscyamus niger
Traditionally attributed effects: intoxicating, narcotic, pain-relieving, calming, antispasmodic, dilates the pupils.
Greco-Roman medicine+3
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 281
Blue flag
Iris versicolor
Traditionally attributed effects: anti-inflammatory, diuretic, stimulating, laxative.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 280
Blue cohosh
Caulophyllum thalictroides
Traditionally attributed effects: tonic, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, stimulates the uterus, diuretic, antirheumatic.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+4
CautionAsia · Herb · № 439
Blepharis
Blepharis edulis
Traditionally attributed effects: resolvent, diuretic, aphrodisiac, expectorant; for impotence, blood, chest, lung and liver diseases; leaves for fever, urinary discharge, leucoderma; root regulates menstruation.
Ayurveda+1
CautionAsia · Herb · № 440
Blumea
Blumea lacera
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, stomachic, antispasmodic, promotes menstruation, diuretic; for purulent eye discharge, worms, catarrh.
Ayurveda
CautionSouth America · Herb · № 282
Boldo
Peumus boldus
Traditionally attributed effects: stimulates the liver, diuretic.
Kallawaya healing knowledge+2
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 306
Smooth hydrangea
Hydrangea arborescens
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, laxative, stimulates the kidneys.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+3
CautionAsia · Herb · № 353
Brahmi
Bacopa monnieri
Traditionally attributed effects: strengthens the heart and nerves, diuretic, mildly laxative, calming; for urinary retention with constipation, acute bronchitis and cough in children, exhaustion and nervous breakdown, hysteria, epilepsy, hoarseness.
Ayurveda
CautionEurope · Herb · № 283
Broom
Cytisus scoparius
Traditionally attributed effects: diuretic, laxative, raises blood pressure, stimulates the uterus.
Western herbal medicine- Caution
Africa · Herb · № 26
Buchu
Agathosma betulina
Fragrant leaves used as a flavoring and in folk medicine; clinical evidence for treatment is lacking.
Local African healing traditions+3 
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 630
California figwort
Scrophularia californica, S. lanceolata
Traditionally attributed effects: cools heat in the blood and nourishes yin, drains damp heat and disperses swellings.
Chinese medical traditions+1
CautionNorth America · Herb · № 582
Canadian goldenrod
Solidago canadensis
Traditionally attributed effects: astringent, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, wound-healing; heals the bladder wall (incontinence, irritation), for allergies and stuck mucus after a cold, eyewash for hay fever.
Indigenous healing traditions of North America+2
CautionAsia · Herb · № 766
Cherokee rose (jin ying zi)
Rosa laevigata
Traditionally attributed effects: holds in the essence and curbs diarrhoea and frequent urination.
Chinese medical traditions+1
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 · № 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
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
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
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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.