Materia Medica

Verbena hastata (Blue Vervain), realistic botanical photo
Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) — Swamp Verbena, Wild Hyssop
Blue Vervain Verbena hastata Materia Medica preserving original species-specific folk-herbal research and cautions; adding accurate wetland plant identification, five measured preparations, growing and propagating, ecological value and clarification of European... Read more...
Gentianella quinquefolia stiff gentian with violet-blue flowers in a native streamside meadow
Agueweed / Stiff Gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia) — Five-Flowered Gentian / Gall-Weed
Agueweed / Stiff Gentian (Gentianella quinquefolia) materia medica covering botanical identity, name confusion with boneset, historical bitter-tonic use, preparations and historical dose context, evidence gaps, safety, native habitat, cultivation and... Read more...
Ajuga reptans common bugle spreading groundcover with blue-violet flower spikes
Ajuga / Common Bugle (Ajuga reptans) — Creeping Bugle / Carpet Bugle
Ajuga / Common Bugle (Ajuga reptans) materia medica covering botanical identity, traditional wound use, preparations and dose limits, iridoids, phenylpropanoid glycosides, phytoecdysteroids, wound-healing and hemostatic research, safety, cultivation and name... Read more...
Trachyspermum ammi ajwain plant with finely divided leaves and white compound umbels
Ajwain / Carom (Trachyspermum ammi) — Yavani / Ajowan
Ajwain / Carom (Trachyspermum ammi) materia medica covering Ayurvedic energetics, botanical identity, culinary and digestive traditions, preparations and dose context, thymol-rich essential-oil chemistry, human combination trials, safety, pregnancy cautions, cultivation... Read more...
Borago officinalis (Borage), realistic botanical photo
Borage (Borago officinalis) — Starflower, Bee Bread
Borage (Borago officinalis) Materia Medica: retained original culinary and toxicology research, precise identity, PA-containing herb versus certified PA-free GLA seed oil, five household seed-oil and botanical craft recipes, cultivation, conservation... Read more...
Akebia quinata chocolate vine with five-part leaves and purple-brown flowers
Akebia / Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata) — Five-Leaf Akebia / Mu Tong
Akebia / Chocolate Vine (Akebia quinata) materia medica covering botanical identity, edible fruit, Akebiae Caulis / Mu Tong, 2025 Chinese Pharmacopoeia dose context, triterpenoid saponins, modern research, aristolochic-acid substitution risk,... Read more...
Alangium salviifolium flowering branch with cream recurved flowers, simple leaves and short spines
Alangium / Ankol (Alangium salviifolium) — Ankola / Sage-Leaved Alangium
Alangium / Ankol (Alangium salviifolium) materia medica covering botanical identity, traditional part-specific uses, alkaloids including cephaeline, preparations and dose limitations, preclinical anti-inflammatory and other research, reproductive and alkaloid safety, cultivation,... Read more...
Albizia julibrissin silk tree with bipinnate leaves, pink silky flower heads and flat pods
Albizia / Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) — He Huan Pi / He Huan Hua
Albizia / Silk Tree (Albizia julibrissin) materia medica covering He Huan Pi bark and He Huan Hua flowers, 2025 Chinese Pharmacopoeia dose ranges, traditional calming and mood use, julibroside saponins,... Read more...
Frangula alnus glossy buckthorn with alternate glossy leaves and red to black fruits
Alder Buckthorn / Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula alnus) — Frangula Bark
Alder Buckthorn / Glossy Buckthorn (Frangula alnus; syn. Rhamnus frangula) materia medica covering dried frangula bark, EMA hydroxyanthracene dosing, glucofrangulins, stimulant-laxative safety, contraindications, pregnancy and pediatric restrictions, invasive ecology, and... Read more...
Original full-color botanical visualization of Burdock Arctium lappa purple flower heads and hooked green burs
Burdock (Arctium lappa) — Burdock Root, Beggar's Buttons, Clotbur
Burdock (Arctium lappa) Materia Medica: botanical identity, species distinctions, root and fruit traditions, exact root infusion, decoction, powder, tincture, extract, oil and gobo recipes, evidence-specific adult doses, cultivation, harvesting, safety... Read more...
Tanacetum balsamita costmary with gray-green crenate leaves and yellow button flower heads
Alecost / Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita) — Bible Leaf / Sweet Mary
Alecost / Costmary (Tanacetum balsamita) materia medica covering botanical identity, Bible Leaf and culinary history, traditional digestive use, polyphenols, variable carvone/camphor/thujone essential-oil chemotypes, research limits, pregnancy and essential-oil safety, cultivation... Read more...
Aletris farinosa true unicorn root with narrow basal leaves and white mealy flower spikes
Aletris / True Unicorn Root (Aletris farinosa) — White Colic-Root / Star Grass
Aletris / True Unicorn Root (Aletris farinosa) materia medica covering botanical identity, Indigenous and later American traditions, true-vs-false-unicorn confusion, unusual root sesterterpenes, dose and human-evidence gaps, gastrointestinal safety, pregnancy caution,... Read more...