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Scientific name Name Description Picture Ilex paraguariensis Yerba mate It has been claimed to have various effects on human health and these effects have been attributed to the high quantity of polyphenols found in mate tea. Mate contains compounds that act as an appetite suppressant, increases mental energy and focus, and improves mood. Yerba mate also contains elements such as potassium, magnesium, and manganese. Illicium verum Star anise It is the major source of the chemical compound shikimic acid, a primary precursor in the pharmaceutical synthesis of anti-influenza drug oseltamivir (Tamiflu). Inula helenium Elecampane It is used in herbal medicine as an expectorant and for water retention.

Scientific name Name Description Picture Jasminum officinale Jasmine It is used in dermatology as either an antiseptic or anti-inflammatory agent.

Scientific name Name Description Picture Knautia arvensis Field scabious The whole plant is astringent and mildly diuretic. An infusion is used internally as a blood purifier and externally for treating cuts, burns and bruises.

Scientific name Name Description Picture Larrea tridentata Chaparral The leaves and twigs are used by Native Americans to make a herbal tea used for a variety of conditions, including arthritis, cancer and a number of others. Subsequent studies have been extremely variable, at best. Chaparral has also been shown to have high liver toxicity, and has led to kidney failure, and is not recommended for any use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or American Cancer Society. Laurus nobilis Bay laurel Aqueous extracts of bay laurel can be used as astringents and even as a reasonable salve for open wounds. In massage therapy, the essential oil of bay laurel is reputed to alleviate arthritis and rheumatism, while in aromatherapy it is used to treat earaches and high blood pressure. Lavandula angustifolia Lavender It was traditionally used as an antiseptic and for mental health purposes. It was also used in ancient Egypt in mummifying bodies. There is little sci...

Scientific name Name Description Picture Magnolia officinalis Magnolia-bark The bark contains magnolol and honokiol, two polyphenolic compounds. Preclinical studies have evaluated their various potential applications including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antitumor, and antimicrobial properties. Malva sylvestris Mallow The seeds are used internally in a decoction or herbal tea as a demulcent and diuretic, and the leaves made into poultices as an emollient for external applications. Matricaria recutita and Anthemis nobilis Chamomile It has been used over thousands of years for a variety of conditions, including sleeplessness, anxiety, and gastrointestinal conditions such as upset stomach, gas, and diarrhea. Medicago sativa Alfalfa The leaves are used to lower cholesterol, as well as forum kidney and urinary tract ailments, although there is insufficient scientific evidence for its efficacy. Melaleuca alternifolia Tea tree oil It has been used me...

Scientific name Name Description Picture Nasturtium officinale Watercress It may be diuretic and antibacterial. Nelumbo nucifera Lotus Sacred lotus has been the subject of a number of in-vitro and animal studies, exploring its pharmacologic effects, including antioxidant, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory, anti-infective, hyperlipidemic, and psychopharmacologic activity although clinical trials are lacking. Nigella sativa Nigella, black-caraway, black-cumin, and kalonji It has efficacy as a therapy, mainly using the seed oil extract, volatile oil, and isolated constituent thymoquinone. One meta-analysis of clinical trials concluded that N. sativa has a short-term benefit on lowering systolic and diastolic blood pressure.

Scientific name Name Description Picture Ocimum tenuiflorum Tulsi or holy basil It is used for a variety of purposes in traditional medicine; tulsi is taken in many forms: as herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf or mixed with ghee. Essential oil extracted from Karpoora tulasi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics. Oenothera Evening primrose Its oil has been used since the 1930s for eczema, and more recently as an anti-inflammatory. Origanum vulgare Oregano Used as an abortifacient in folk medicine in some parts of Bolivia and other northwestern South American countries, though no evidence of efficacy exists in Western medicine. Hippocrates used oregano as an antiseptic, as well as a cure for stomach and respiratory ailments. A Cretan oregano ( O. dictamnus ) is still used today in Greece as a palliative for sore throat. Evidence of efficacy in this matter is lacking.