List of plants used in herbalism
Scientific name Name Description
Tanacetum parthenium Feverfew The plant has been used for centuries for fevers , headaches , stomach aches , toothaches , insect bites and other conditions
Taraxacum officinale Dandelion It was most commonly used historically to treat liver diseases , kidney diseases , and spleen problems
Teucrium scordium Water germander It has been used for asthma , diarrhea , fever , intestinal parasites , hemorrhoids , and wounds
Thymus vulgaris Thyme The plant is used to treat bronchitis and cough . It serves as an antispasmodic and expectorant in this role . It has also been used in many other medicinal roles in Asian and Ayurvedic medicine , although it has not been shown to be effective in non-respiratory medicinal roles
Tilia cordata Small-leaved linden In the countries of Central , Southern and Western Europe , linden flowers are a traditional herbal remedy made into an herbal tea called tisane
Tradescantia zebrina Inchplant It is used in southeast Mexico in the region of Tabasco as a cold herbal tea , which is named Matali . Skin irritation may result from repeated contact with or prolonged handling of the plant , particularly from the clear , watery sap ( a characteristic unique to T. zebrina as compared with other types )
Trema orientalis Charcoal-tree The leaves and the bark are used to treat coughs , sore throats , asthma , bronchitis , gonorrhea , yellow fever , toothache , and as an antidote to general poisoning
Trifolium pratense Red clover The plant is an ingredient in some recipes for essiac tea . Research has found no benefit for any human health conditions
Trigonella foenum-graecum Fenugreek It has long been used to treat symptoms of menopause , and digestive ailments . More recently , it has been used to treat diabetes , loss of appetite and other conditions
Triticum aestivum Wheatgrass It may contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory compounds
Turnera subulata White buttercup It is used for skin , gastrointestinal , and respiratory ailments . Laboratory tests showed it has some inhibitory activity against various fungi , such as Candida glabrata , Aspergillus flavus , A. niger , A. fumigatus , Penicillium chrysogenum , and Candida albicans
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This is an alphabetical list of plants used in herbalism. The ability to synthesize a wide variety of chemical compounds that are used to perform important biological functions, and to defend against attack from predators such as insects, fungi and herbivorous mammals is called herbal medicine. Many of these phytochemicals have beneficial effects on long-term health when consumed by humans, and can be used to effectively treat human diseases. At least 12,000 such compounds have been isolated so far; a number estimated to be less than 10% of the total. These phytochemicals are divided into (1) primary metabolites such as sugars and fats, which are found in all plants; and (2) secondary metabolites - compounds which are found in a smaller range of plants, serving a more specific function. For example, some secondary metabolites are toxins used to deter predation and others are pheromones used to attract insects for pollination. It is these secondary metabolites and pigments that can have therapeutic actions in humans and which can be refined to produce drugs - examples are inulin from the roots of dahlias, quinine from the cinchona, morphine and codeine from the poppy, and digoxin from the foxglove. Chemical compounds in plants mediate their effects on the human body through processes identical to those already well understood for the chemical compounds in conventional drugs; thus herbal medicines do not differ greatly from conventional drugs in terms of how they work. This enables herbal medicines to be as effective as conventional medicines, but also gives them the same potential to cause harmful side effects. In Europe, apothecaries stocked herbal ingredients for their medicines. In the Latin names for plants created by Linnaeus, the word officinalis indicates that a plant was used in this way. For example, the marsh mallow has the classification Althaea officinalis, as it was traditionally used as an emollient to soothe ulcers.