Materia Medica

Yucca (Yucca schidigera) — Mojave Yucca, Soapweed

September 28, 2026

Mojave yucca (Yucca schidigera) is a desert shrub-tree traditionally used for food, fiber, washing and regional medicine. This guide covers correct identification, steroidal saponins and yuccaols, food-use regulation, the limited human evidence behind arthritis and cholesterol claims, cultivation, sustainability and safety.

September 28, 2026

Globe artichoke is a Mediterranean food plant now treated botanically within Cynara cardunculus; Cynara scolymus remains a familiar synonym in older herbal and clinical literature. This guide distinguishes the edible flower bud from medicinal leaf preparations, reviews dyspepsia and cholesterol research, explains cynarin and caffeoylquinic acids, and covers biliary and allergy cautions.

Editorial illustration labeled Soybean and Glycine max, showing trifoliate leaves, flowers, pods and seeds

Soybean (Glycine max): Whole-Plant Guide to Food, History, Research & Safety

September 28, 2026

Soybean (Glycine max) is an East Asian food legume used for tofu, miso, tempeh and edamame. Explore parts used and avoided, three recipes, nutrition research, allergy safety, history and symbolism.

September 28, 2026

Hairy agrimony (Agrimonia pilosa), known in Chinese herbal tradition as Xian He Cao, is a Rosaceae perennial distinct from the European agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria already covered elsewhere in this guide. This article reviews its traditional astringent and hemostatic reputation, tannins, flavonoids and agrimonolide, mostly preclinical anti-inflammatory and antiviral research, the shortage of rigorous human trials, and an important contradiction: an older animal study prolonged bleeding and coagulation times rather than supporting simple home use to stop bleeding.

September 28, 2026

Hollyhock (Alcea rosea) is an old cottage-garden mallow with edible flowers and a long tradition of soothing respiratory, digestive and urinary preparations. This guide distinguishes the accepted name Alcea rosea from the older synonym Althaea rosea, reviews its unusually abundant flower mucilage, anthocyanins and flavonoids, summarizes preclinical airway, kidney-stone, glucose, inflammatory and anticancer research, and explains the major evidence gap: convincing controlled human therapeutic trials are still lacking.

Alnus rubra red alder catkins and foliage

Alder, Red — Alnus rubra

September 28, 2026

Red alder (Alnus rubra) is the dominant native alder of the Pacific Northwest and a major nitrogen-fixing pioneer tree. Its bark has a documented history in Coast Salish and other...

September 28, 2026

Speckled alder (Alnus incana subsp. rugosa; syn. Alnus rugosa) is a native wetland shrub of northeastern and north-central North America, including Illinois. Its bark and roots have documented Mi’kmaq and Ojibwe uses, while James Bay Cree knowledge has guided modern metabolic research. This guide covers oregonin-rich diarylheptanoids, betulin and related triterpenes, preclinical antimycobacterial and metabolic studies, Frankia nitrogen fixation, pollen allergy, sourcing and safety.

September 28, 2026

Oriental or Asian water-plantain (Alisma plantago-aquatica subsp. orientale; syn. Alisma orientale), known in Chinese medicine as Ze Xie / Alismatis Rhizoma, is an aquatic East Asian herb whose dried subterranean medicinal material has a long fluid-balance tradition. This guide covers current taxonomy, traditional processing, alisol triterpenoids, diuretic and metabolic research, limited human evidence, and dose- and preparation-dependent kidney and electrolyte safety.