Materia Medica

Acanthus mollis / Bear’s Breeches flower spike showing white flowers and purple bracts
Acanthus (Acanthus mollis) — Bear's Breeches, Brank Ursine
Acanthus / Bear’s Breeches (Acanthus mollis) materia medica covering botanical identification, look-alikes, traditional poultices and washes, constituents, modern research, safety, cultivation, harvesting, and its classical architectural history. Read more...
Original botanical visualization of Myrtus communis common myrtle, glossy narrow evergreen leaves, white flowers with many stamens, dark berries
Common Myrtle (Myrtus communis) — True Myrtle, Greek Myrtle
A research-grounded guide to common myrtle (Myrtus communis), covering Mediterranean food and herbal traditions, phytochemistry, mouth-ulcer and reflux trials, preliminary 2026 cognitive research, essential-oil distinctions and safety. Read more...
Olive Leaf (Olea europaea) — Olive, Oleuropein
A research-grounded guide to olive leaf (Olea europaea), covering Mediterranean traditional use, oleuropein and other phenolics, human cardiometabolic research, newer meta-analysis findings, product differences and safety. Read more...
Globe Artichoke (Cynara cardunculus; syn. Cynara scolymus): Food, Artichoke Leaf Extract, Digestion, Cholesterol Research & Safety
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. Read more...