Materia Medica

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
A safety-focused whole-plant guide to blue cohosh covering identification, traditional women’s herbalism, alkaloids and saponins, pregnancy concerns, research, and safety. 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...
Nymphaea caerulea (Blue Lotus), realistic botanical photo
Blue Lotus (Nymphaea caerulea) — Egyptian Blue Lotus, Sacred Blue Lily
A guide to blue lotus covering botanical identity, ancient Egyptian symbolism, traditional use, psychoactive marketing claims, safety, and jurisdiction-specific legal restrictions. Read more...
Verbena hastata (Blue Vervain), realistic botanical photo
Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata) — Swamp Verbena, Wild Hyssop
A whole-plant guide to Blue Vervain (Verbena hastata), clearly distinguishing it from European vervain and lemon verbena, with traditional use, limited research, pregnancy and medication cautions, cultivation and folklore. 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...
Peumus boldus (Boldo), realistic botanical photo
Boldo (Peumus boldus) — Boldo Leaf
A whole-plant guide to boldo covering the Chilean tree, traditional leaf use, boldine research, essential-oil toxicity, interactions, and safety. 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...
Eupatorium perfoliatum (Boneset), realistic botanical photo
Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum) — Thoroughwort, Feverwort
A whole-plant guide to boneset covering identification, historical fever and respiratory use, research context, pyrrolizidine-alkaloid concerns, and safety. 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
A safety-forward whole-plant guide to Borage (Borago officinalis), distinguishing leaves and flowers from borage seed oil and explaining pyrrolizidine alkaloid concerns, food history, research, cultivation and folklore. 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...