Materia Medica

Persicaria bistorta (Bistort), realistic botanical photo
Bistort (Persicaria bistorta) — Snakeweed, Patience Dock
Bistort (Persicaria bistorta): precise identification and look-alikes, historically astringent rhizome, measured rhizome decoction, mouth rinse, food and Easter Ledger pudding recipes, polyphenol research, cultivation and original snake-related folklore. Read more...
Acacia Catechu / Khadira (Senegalia catechu) with cream-white flower spikes, bipinnate leaves, hooked prickles and straight brown pods
Acacia Catechu (Senegalia catechu) — Khadira, Cutch Tree, Black Catechu
Acacia Catechu / Khadira (Senegalia catechu) materia medica covering Ayurvedic actions and energetics, heartwood and bark preparations, documented dosage ranges, catechu/cutch processing, classical formulations, constituents, oral-health research, cultivation, propagation, harvesting,... Read more...
Momordica charantia (Bitter Melon / Bitter Gourd), realistic plant photo
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) — Bitter Gourd, Karela, Balsam Pear
Bitter Melon (Momordica charantia) Materia Medica: the original retained clinical evidence and safety context, immature versus mature fruit identification, five detailed vegetable recipes, tropical trellis cultivation, extract distinctions, traditional cultural... Read more...
Acalypha indica / Indian Copperleaf with serrated ovate leaves and slender green axillary flower spikes
Acalypha (Acalypha indica) — Indian Copperleaf, Kuppaimeni
Acalypha / Indian Copperleaf (Acalypha indica) materia medica covering Ayurvedic and Siddha energetics, traditional respiratory and skin uses, pharmacopoeial and historical doses, the 2024 human pilot study, documented hemolysis and... Read more...
Actaea racemosa (Black Cohosh), realistic botanical photo
Black Cohosh (Actaea racemosa) — Black Snake Root, Bugbane
Black Cohosh Actaea racemosa Materia Medica retaining original research and safety text with Bacopa-order sections, rhizome identification, historical preparations, European standardized-extract studies, interactions, liver reports, cultivation, conservation and folklore. Read more...
Acerola / Barbados Cherry (Malpighia emarginata) with pink five-petaled flowers, glossy opposite leaves and three-lobed red fruits
Acerola (Malpighia emarginata) — Barbados Cherry, West Indian Cherry
Acerola (Malpighia emarginata) materia medica covering botanical identity, traditional fruit and leaf uses, documented human vitamin-C study amounts, constituents, modern research, cultivation, propagation, harvesting, food uses, and historical Caribbean and... Read more...
Viburnum prunifolium (Black Haw) in flower, realistic botanical photo
Black Haw (Viburnum prunifolium) — Stagbush, Sweet Viburnum
Black Haw Viburnum prunifolium Materia Medica: correct woody shrub identification, distinct edible berries and historical bark drug, WHO monograph quantities for bark preparations, measured recipes, cultivation, propagation, modern evidence limits,... Read more...
Açaí / Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea) clustering palm with ringed stems, pinnate fronds and hanging purple-black fruit clusters
Açaí / Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea) — Açaí Palm / Assai Palm / Naidí
Açaí / Acai Berry (Euterpe oleracea) materia medica covering botanical identity, Amazonian food and ethnomedicinal traditions, documented human study amounts, fruit constituents, modern research, food handling, cultivation, seed propagation, harvesting,... Read more...
Hyoscyamus niger (Black Henbane), realistic botanical photo
Black Henbane (Hyoscyamus niger) — Henbane, Stinking Nightshade
Black Henbane Hyoscyamus niger Materia Medica preserving all prior pharmacology and poisoning passages, with 18 Bacopa-ordered sections, five non-contact botanical documentation recipes, precise purple-veined floral ID, Roman finds and witchcraft... Read more...
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...
Justicia adhatoda Vasaka shrub with white purple-marked flowers and opposite lanceolate leaves
Adhatoda / Vasaka / Malabar Nut (Justicia adhatoda) — Vasa / Adulsa
Adhatoda / Vasaka / Malabar Nut (Justicia adhatoda; syn. Adhatoda vasica) materia medica covering Ayurvedic energetics, respiratory uses, classical and historical preparations and doses, vasicine and related alkaloids, human research,... Read more...
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum), original labeled full climbing tropical pepper vine and hanging fruiting spikes
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) — Peppercorn, Kali Mirch
Black Pepper (Piper nigrum) Materia Medica with correct plant identification, six measured cooking recipes, classical equal-part Trikatu formula, 1:5 historical extraction method, piperine research and preparation-specific interactions, tropical cultivation, historical... Read more...