Materia Medica

Justicia adhatoda Vasaka shrub with white purple-marked flowers and opposite lanceolate leaves
Adhatoda / Vasaka / Malabar Nut (Justicia adhatoda) — Vasa / Adulsa
Adhatoda / Vasaka / Malabar Nut (Justicia adhatoda; syn. Adhatoda vasica) materia medica covering Ayurvedic energetics, respiratory uses, classical and historical preparations and doses, vasicine and related alkaloids, human research,... Read more...
Ocimum basilicum (Sweet Basil), realistic botanical photo
Basil (Ocimum basilicum) — Sweet Basil, Common Basil
Sweet Basil Ocimum basilicum Materia Medica: botanical identification and tulsi distinctions, six precise culinary/herbal recipes, tincture extraction method, constituent chemotypes and estragole context, cultivation, harvest and detailed Greek, Italian and... Read more...
Adonis vernalis Spring Pheasant's Eye with bright yellow flowers and fine divided foliage in natural habitat
Adonis / Spring Pheasant’s Eye (Adonis vernalis) — Spring Adonis / Oxeye
Adonis / Spring Pheasant’s Eye (Adonis vernalis) materia medica covering botanical identity, historical cardiotonic and diuretic use, documented historical preparations and doses, cardenolide chemistry, toxicology, reproductive record, cultivation, propagation, harvesting,... Read more...
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) — original labeled botanical image of a living full potted bay tree
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) — Bay Leaf, Sweet Bay, True Laurel
Bay Laurel (Laurus nobilis) Materia Medica: true culinary bay identification and toxic laurel look-alikes, six household recipes, tincture method, aromatic constituents, research, protected cold-climate cultivation, harvesting, Apollo and Daphne, wreath... Read more...
Natural yellow Tagetes erecta African marigold flower close-up in garden light
Marigold, African (Aztec) — Tagetes erecta
African Marigold / Aztec Marigold (Tagetes erecta) materia medica covering Mesoamerican and regional traditional uses, documented preparations and amounts, lutein and zeaxanthin chemistry, human marigold-lutein research, skin and gastrointestinal adverse... Read more...
Juglans nigra (Black Walnut), realistic botanical photo
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) — American Walnut, Eastern Black Walnut
Black Walnut (Juglans nigra) complete Materia Medica retaining original findings on edible nuts, juglone, green hull and tree-nut allergy; adding five measured nut food, natural dye, ink and historic wash... Read more...
Agar-producing red algae in one natural tidepool scene showing Gelidium-like fine branching and Gracilaria-like fleshy branching
Agar / Agar-Agar (Gelidium & Gracilaria spp.) — Kanten / Japanese Isinglass
Agar / Agar-Agar (Gelidium & Gracilaria spp.) materia medica covering red-algae sources, historical jelly and constipation doses, modern human study amounts, agarose and agaropectin chemistry, cultivation and processing, documented adverse... Read more...
Aquilaria malaccensis branch with narrow glossy leaves and small yellow-green flowers
Agarwood / Aloeswood / Oud (Aquilaria malaccensis) — Agaru / Gaharu / Eaglewood
Agarwood / Aloeswood / Oud (Aquilaria malaccensis) materia medica covering botanical identity, Ayurvedic and Chinese energetic traditions, resin formation, species confusion, traditional indications, preparations and dose context, pediatric limits, classical... Read more...
Agave americana century plant mature blue-gray rosette with marginal teeth and dark terminal spines
Agave / Century Plant (Agave americana) — American Agave / Maguey
Agave / Century Plant (Agave americana) covering botanical identity, traditional food and fiber use, preparations and dose limits, pediatric safety, constituents, agave fructans, modern research, severe sap dermatitis, pregnancy cautions,... Read more...
Ageratum houstonianum flossflower with blue-purple clustered flower heads and toothed leaves
Ageratum / Flossflower (Ageratum houstonianum) — Blue Mink / Mexican Ageratum
Ageratum / Flossflower (Ageratum houstonianum) covering botanical identity, species confusion with A. conyzoides, precocene I and II, documented pyrrolizidine alkaloids, insecticidal research, livestock toxicosis, internal-use limitations, cultivation, propagation and safety. Read more...
Caulophyllum thalictroides (Blue Cohosh), realistic botanical photo
Blue Cohosh (Caulophyllum thalictroides) — Squaw Root, Papoose Root
Blue Cohosh Caulophyllum thalictroides Materia Medica: botanical identification and poisonous seed structures, historic Eclectic root preparation formulas, modern neonatal cardiovascular safety findings, woodland cultivation and propagation, folklore, and strict species... Read more...
Agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria with yellow flower spikes, hairy stems and compound toothed foliage
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) — Common Agrimony, Church Steeples
Agrimony (Agrimonia eupatoria) materia medica covering botanical identity, flowering aerial herb, traditional European uses, EMA preparation amounts, constituents, human and preclinical research, safety, pregnancy, cultivation, harvesting and folklore. Read more...