Herb Library

Mansoa hirsuta

Brazilian caatinga vine with garlic-like odor used in northeastern Brazilian folk medicine for respiratory infections, flu, and inflammation. Contains alliin-like sulfur compounds despite being unrelated to garlic. For colds and infections.

Mentzelia multiflora

Native American medicinal plant used as diuretic, psychological aid, tuberculosis remedy, emetic. Documented among Keres, Western, Navajo.

Schkuhria multiflora

Native American medicinal plant used as oral aid. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Hydrocotyle umbellata

Native American medicinal plant used as cough medicine, respiratory aid, sedative. Documented among Seminole.

Hackelia floribunda

Native American medicinal plant used as poison, orthopedic aid. Documented among Isleta, Navajo, Ramah.

Arctostaphylos sp.

Native American medicinal plant used as urinary aid, kidney aid. Documented among Costanoan, Diegueno.

Equisetum sp.

Native American medicinal plant used as poison, abortifacient, contraceptive, urinary aid, cough medicine, kidney aid. Documented among Aleut, Costanoan, Modesse.

Ambrosia hispida

Traditional medicinal plant used for ache(stomach), anodyne, apertif, cathartic, cold, diaphoretic, fever, flu, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Margaritaria discoidea

West African tree used in Ghanaian and Nigerian traditional medicine for malaria, pain, and as purgative. Bark decoction for fever. Contains securinine alkaloids with CNS stimulant properties. Used in traditional veterinary medicine.

Markhamia tomentosa

West African tree used in Yoruba and Igbo traditional medicine for rheumatism, cough, and wound healing. Bark decoction for pain. Leaf preparations for skin conditions. Contains lapachol-type naphthoquinones with antimicrobial properties.

Viola cucullata

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, antidiarrheal, blood medicine, cold remedy, cough medicine, dermatological aid. Documented among Cherokee.

Stachys palustris

Native American medicinal plant used as gastrointestinal aid, venereal aid. Documented among Chippewa, Delaware, Delaware, Oklahoma.

Equisetum palustre

Native American medicinal plant used as gastrointestinal aid, laxative. Documented among Ojibwa.

Castilleja lineata

Native American medicinal plant used as gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Navajo.

Ledum palustre

Traditional medicinal plant used for abortifacient, bronchitis, cold, cough, diuretic, expectorant, lactogogue, narcotic, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Chrysopsis mariana

Native American medicinal plant used as pediatric aid, sedative, tonic. Documented among Delaware, Delaware, Oklahoma.

Senna marilandica

Native American medicinal plant used as analgesic, cathartic, dermatological aid, febrifuge, heart medicine, misc. disease remedy. Documented among Cherokee, Iroquois, Meskwaki.

Peucedanum ostruthium

Traditional medicinal plant used for bronchitis, cancer, catarrh, diuretic, liqueur, stomachic, tumor.

Lepidium didymum

South American folk remedy for fracture healing — crushed whole plant applied as poultice to broken bones. Also used for respiratory infections and intestinal parasites. Contains glucosinolates. Widely used in Brazilian and Andean traditional medicine.

Gliricidia sepium

Traditional medicinal plant used for ache(head), alopecia, boil, bruise, burn, cold, cough, debility, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Piper angustifolium

Traditional medicinal plant used for antiseptic, astringent, balsamic, bronchitis, cancer, cancer(stomach), decubitus, diuretic, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Muhlenbergia richardsonis

Native American medicinal plant used as veterinary aid. Documented among Blackfoot.

Tiquilia latior

Native American medicinal plant used as gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Navajo, Kayenta.

Bouteloua simplex

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid, throat aid. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Astragalus mollissimus

Native American medicinal plant used as ceremonial medicine, emetic. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Mayaca fluviatilis

South American aquatic plant used in Brazilian Amazonian folk medicine for earache and fever. Plant material warmed and applied as poultice to ear. Also used for toothache and headache in ribeirinho (river people) communities.

Trientalis borealis

Native American medicinal plant used as panacea, tuberculosis remedy. Documented among Montagnais.

Gymnosporia senegalensis

Pan-African savanna tree used in traditional medicine from Senegal to South Africa for dysentery, wound healing, snakebite, and toothache. Root bark chewed for dental pain. Contains maytansine-related compounds (ansamacrolides) with antitumor activity.

Polygonum bistorta

Native American medicinal plant used as tonic. Documented among Aleut.

Zigadenus venenosus

Native American medicinal plant used as emetic, poison, analgesic, antirheumatic (external), dermatological aid, orthopedic aid. Documented among Chehalis, Haisla and Hanaksiala, Klamath.

Chenopodium incanum

Native American medicinal plant used as antidote. Documented among Navajo, Ramah.

Coriaria myrtifolia

Traditional medicinal plant used for intoxicant, narcotic, poison.

Limonium vulgare

Native American medicinal plant used as tuberculosis remedy. Documented among Micmac.

Merremia tridentata

Tropical Asian and African vine used in Indonesian jamu, Ayurveda, and African medicine for skin diseases, inflammation, and fever. Contains flavonoids and sterols. Used in Tamil Siddha medicine for rheumatism and urinary complaints.

Juncus mertensianus

Native American medicinal plant used as witchcraft medicine. Documented among Okanagan-Colville.

Prosopis juliflora

Traditional medicinal plant used for ache(stomach), catarrh, cathartic, cold(head), cyanogenetic, diarrhea, discutient, dysentery, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Phoradendron californicum

Native American medicinal plant used as cathartic, dermatological aid, gastrointestinal aid. Documented among Pima.

Ageratum conyzoides

Traditional medicinal plant used for abdomen, abortifacient, ague, boil, burn, colic, collyrium, contraceptive, and other conditions. Known from ethnobotanical records across multiple cultures.

Plantago australis

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid. Documented among Tolowa, Yurok.

Conopholis alpina

Native American medicinal plant used as tuberculosis remedy. Documented among Keres, Western.

Chenopodium ambrosioides

Native American medicinal plant used as febrifuge, panacea, tonic, analgesic, anthelmintic, pediatric aid. Documented among Creek, Houma, Koasati.

Artemisia ludoviciana

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid, herbal steam, throat aid. Documented among Kiowa.

Diplazium meyenianum

Native American medicinal plant used as dermatological aid. Documented among Hawaiian.

Phacelia purshii

Native American medicinal plant used as antirheumatic (external). Documented among Cherokee.

Microcos paniculata

Southeast Asian tree used in Vietnamese, Bangladeshi, and Thai traditional medicine for diarrhea, dysentery, and fever. Contains microcosin flavanones. Bark decoction for stomach complaints. Young leaves eaten as vegetable.

Micromelum minutum

Southeast Asian and Pacific Island shrub used in Vietnamese, Filipino, and Samoan medicine for postpartum care, headache, and toothache. Contains coumarins (micromelone) and carbazole alkaloids. Leaf tea for fever across Pacific Islands.

Polygonum hydropiperoides

A medicinal plant (Polygonum hydropiperoides) from the Polygonaceae family used in traditional medicine.

Millettia brandisiana

Thai traditional medicine root used for vitality, muscle building, and male sexual health. Distinguished from Pueraria mirifica (female tonic). Contains pterocarpans and isoflavonoids. Used as rejuvenating tonic in northern Thai traditional medicine.