Women's Health
Plants whose traditional record touches on women's health. 39 plants.
- Anise (Anis vèt)
Pimpinella anisum
Traditionally turned to for flatulence and intestinal spasms.
- Black cohosh (Akté nwa)
Actaea racemosa
Traditionally turned to for menopausal symptoms (hot flashes and night sweats.
- Canadian fleabane
Erigeron canadensis
Traditionally turned to for digestion and women's health.
- Cape aloe
Aloe ferox
⚠ A strong stimulant laxative — the bitter leaf latex, not the gel.
- Chaste tree / Vitex (Gatiye)
Vitex agnus-castus
Traditionally turned to for premenstrual syndrome and irritability.
- Clary sage (Muškatna kadulja)
Salvia sclarea
Traditionally turned to for aches, spiritual work and women's health.
- Fennel (Fenouy)
Foeniculum vulgare
Traditionally turned to for flatulence and intestinal spasms.
- Fenugreek (Fenogrèk)
Trigonella foenum-graecum
Traditionally turned to for digestion, energy and cleansing.
- Feverfew (Kamomiy mawon)
Tanacetum parthenium
Traditionally turned to for immunity, the skin and aches.
- Goldenseal
Hydrastis canadensis
⚠ A strong drug, not a household tea.
- Guelder rose / Cramp bark (Udika / Broćika)
Viburnum opulus
⚠ Do not eat raw fruit.
- Hibiscus (choublak)
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Traditionally turned to for hair care, menstrual disorders and fever.
- Hops (Oublon)
Humulus lupulus
Traditionally turned to for the nerves, energy and women's health.
- Lady's mantle (Manto dam)
Alchemilla vulgaris
Traditionally turned to for digestion, the skin and women's health.
- Marjoram (majolènn)
Origanum majorana
Traditionally turned to for digestion, gas and bloating.
- Motherwort (Kè manman)
Leonurus cardiaca
Traditionally turned to for the nerves, women's health and the heart.
- Pasqueflower
Pulsatilla vulgaris
⚠ Toxic when fresh — the fresh plant carries protoanemonin, a caustic that blisters skin and, taken internally, can cause severe digestive injury, seizures, and kidney damage; large doses are fatal.
- Passionflower (Pasiflo)
Passiflora incarnata
Traditionally turned to for the nerves and women's health.
- Pennyroyal (Poulyò)
Mentha pulegium
Traditionally turned to for digestion and women's health.
- Raspberry (Malina)
Rubus idaeus
Traditionally turned to for the skin, energy and aches.
- Red vine / Grape vine leaf (Viy wouj)
Vitis vinifera
Traditionally turned to for women's health and the heart.
- Rue (wou)
Ruta chalepensis
Traditionally turned to for menstrual regulation, evil eye protection and digestive issues.
- Saffron
Crocus sativus
⚠ Safe as a pinch of culinary spice, but never as a dosed medicine.
- Sage (Saj)
Salvia officinalis
Traditionally turned to for digestion and women's health.
- Scotch Broom
Cytisus scoparius
⚠ Broom's principal alkaloid, sparteine, acts on the heart — it slows conduction, steadies rhythm, and dilates the coronary vessels — and it stirs the smooth muscle of gut and womb.
- Sesame (wowoli)
Sesamum indicum
Traditionally turned to for skin conditions, wound healing and hair growth.
- Shepherd's purse (Bous paste)
Capsella bursa-pastoris
Traditionally turned to for the skin and women's health.
- Silverweed
Potentilla anserina
Traditionally turned to for digestion, the nerves and aches.
- Spiny amaranth (zepina pikan)
Amaranthus spinosus
Traditionally turned to for diarrhea, wounds and skin infections.
- Tansy (Tanezi)
Tanacetum vulgare
Traditionally turned to for digestion and women's health.
- Velvet bean (Pwa grate)
Mucuna pruriens
⚠ The pod hairs are intensely irritant and the seeds are rich in L-dopa — potent, unsafe to self-dose, especially with Parkinson's medication or in pregnancy.
- Velvet leaf (fèy kè)
Cissampelos pariera
Traditionally turned to for kidney stones, urinary infections and fever.
- Velvetleaf (Pat chwal)
Cissampelos pareira
Traditionally turned to for menstrual complaints and colic.
- Vervain
Verbena officinalis
Traditionally turned to for the skin, aches and coughs.
- Water Pepper
Persicaria hydropiper
Traditionally turned to for the skin, aches and women's health.
- White Dead-nettle
Lamium album
Traditionally turned to for the nerves, coughs and cleansing.
- Wild yam · Yanm sovaj (Dioskorea)
Dioscorea villosa
Traditionally turned to for aches and women's health.
- Wormseed (semen kontra)
Chenopodium ambrosioides
Traditionally turned to for intestinal worms, parasites and digestive issues.
- Yarrow (Milfèy)
Achillea millefolium
Traditionally turned to for immunity, digestion and the skin.