Materia Medica

Senna (Senna alexandrina) — Alexandrian Senna, Tinnevelly Senna

September 30, 2026

Senna is a well-established stimulant laxative herb, not a detox or weight-loss remedy. This guide explains modern taxonomy, leaf versus pod preparations, how sennosides work, what regulators recognize, short-term use, interactions, melanosis coli, and the risks of chronic or excessive use.

September 30, 2026

Shepherd’s purse is an edible mustard-family weed with a long traditional reputation for bleeding. This guide reviews modern taxonomy, identification, menstrual and postpartum clinical studies, the limits of hemostatic claims, pregnancy safety, and practical sourcing.

September 30, 2026

Shiso is a culinary variety of Perilla frutescens, not a completely separate species. This guide separates shiso leaves from perilla seed oil and concentrated extracts, reviews East Asian food and herbal traditions, human allergy research, omega-3-rich seed oil, and the often-misunderstood livestock toxicity issue.

Editorial soapwort botanical illustration labeled Soapwort and Saponaria officinalis at the top

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) — Bouncing Bet, Fuller's Herb

September 30, 2026

Soapwort (Saponaria officinalis) has a history in textile washing and herbal lore. Explore its botany, saponin chemistry, three non-ingestible cleaning recipes, safety and modern cleansing symbolism.

Editorial illustration labeled Common Sorrel and Rumex acetosa, showing arrow-shaped leaves and flowering stems

Common Sorrel (Rumex acetosa) — Garden Sorrel, Sour Grass

September 30, 2026

Common sorrel (Rumex acetosa) is a tart perennial green. Explore identification, parts used and avoided, oxalate safety, three culinary recipes, history and modern folklore.

September 30, 2026

Spearmint is a carvone-rich culinary and medicinal mint with a long digestive tradition and several human trials, including research on androgen levels in women with PCOS and standardized extracts for memory and attention. This guide separates ordinary tea from concentrated extracts and essential oil.

September 30, 2026

Spilanthes, now accepted botanically as Acmella oleracea, is the famous toothache plant or jambu whose flowers produce a tingling, numbing and mouth-watering sensation. This guide explains the modern taxonomy, spilanthol chemistry, culinary tradition, pain research and safety without turning a traditional toothache remedy into a substitute for dental care.

September 30, 2026

St. John’s Wort is one of the best-studied medicinal herbs for mild-to-moderate depression, but also one of the most interaction-prone. This guide reviews the human evidence, hyperforin and hypericin chemistry, CYP/P-glycoprotein drug interactions, photosensitivity, topical traditions, identification and sourcing.

September 29, 2026

Stevia rebaudiana is the South American sweetleaf behind modern steviol-glycoside sweeteners. This guide separates traditional whole-leaf use from high-purity steviol glycosides, explains U.S. regulatory distinctions, reviews human metabolic research, and covers cultivation and safety.

September 29, 2026

Sumac is not one single plant. Mediterranean culinary sumac comes mainly from Rhus coriaria, while North American smooth and staghorn sumacs have their own food and ethnobotanical traditions. This guide separates edible Rhus species from poison sumac, reviews modern human metabolic research, and covers identification, preparation and safety.

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

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.