#Herbalmedicine

In Thailand’s tranquil waterways and on the altars of temples across South Asia, the blue blossoms of Nymphaea stellata—known locally as บัวเผื่อน and sometimes as บัวแบ้—have long drawn fascination. This water lily is more than an ornament; it is a thread in Southeast Asian culture, spirituality, and traditional healing. Today, modern science is examining the plant’s traditional uses, offering a clearer picture of how ancient knowledge may align with contemporary medicine.

Plantago ovata husk, known locally as เทียนเกล็ดหอย, sits at a unique crossroads between ancient wisdom and contemporary science. Revered across South Asia and now popular in Thai households, its seeds’ husk offers gentle relief for digestion and a growing body of clinical evidence supports its widespread use. For health-conscious Thais, this story illustrates how tradition and evidence can work together to promote well-being.

In Thailand and much of Asia, เทียนเกล็ดหอย has long sat in home medicine chests. Traditionally, its dry husk is soaked in water, juice, or light broth to ease constipation, soothe the digestive tract, and calm stomach discomfort. Thai traditional medicine views it as cooling and moistening, valued for its gentle effect on bowels and its suitability for the elderly and children. This reputation as a safe, first-line remedy is a key reason why many families keep it on hand.

In the landscape of traditional herbal medicine, few remedies bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and contemporary scientific endorsement as seamlessly as เทียนเกล็ดหอย, known internationally as Plantago ovata or Ispaghula seed. Revered from the arid plains of South Asia to bustling Thai communities, the husk of its tiny seeds has been a natural healer for centuries—a gentle laxative, a digestive soother, and, recently, a subject of rigorous clinical research. As health-conscious Thais increasingly seek remedies that respect both tradition and modern evidence, the story of เทียนเกล็ดหอย offers a blueprint for harmonizing old and new approaches to well-being.

Chùm hèt thét, scientifically Cassia alata L., is a familiar sight in Thai villages and along rural roads. Its bright yellow, candle-like flowers accompany a long-standing home remedy for skin conditions and constipation. Today, it sits at the intersection of traditional wisdom and evidence-based medicine, offering Thai readers a clear example of how culture and science can guide health decisions.

In Thailand, Cassia alata is part of everyday healing. It appears on the Thai Household Herbal Drug List and the List of National Herbal Drugs for its laxative and antifungal properties. Beyond Thailand, communities have long used the plant for generations. The Tikuna people of the Amazon rely on it for digestive health, while communities in Africa apply its leaves topically for fungal infections. Traditional methods include chewing, boiling, or pounding leaves into a paste for topical use, explaining why the plant is widely cited in folk medicine.

Chaluud, a fragrant bark used in Thai traditional medicine, is mainly harvested from Alyxia reinwardtii. Locally known as luud, chanud, or nood, it has perfumed homes, herbal shops, and ceremonies for centuries. Today, researchers are examining its biology, scent compounds, and potential health effects, highlighting a bridge between age-old knowledge and modern science.

In Thai markets and households, chaluud’s aroma evokes memory and comfort. Across southern Thailand and neighboring Southeast Asian communities, its bark is valued not only for remedies but also for scenting clothing, spirits, and sacred spaces. Its place in the Thai pharmacopeia underscores its cultural significance as a link between health, tradition, and community. Studies by leading institutions underscore the bark’s central role in a regional tapestry of use and meaning.

In the world of Thai traditional medicine, few herbal remedies are as multi-faceted, aromatic, and steeped in history as chaluud (ชะลูด). Harvested mainly from the bark of Alyxia reinwardtii—also known locally as “luud,” “chanud,” or “nood” depending on region—chaluud has perfumed Thai homes and pharmacies for centuries. Today, as interest in natural medicines grows worldwide, this “white cinnamon” is drawing modern scientific scrutiny, revealing an intriguing intersection between age-old folk wisdom and contemporary pharmacological research.

Few herbal medicines echo across as many generations and regions as chùm hèt thét (ชุมเห็ดเทศ), known to scientists as Cassia alata L. or Senna alata. Recognized in Thai as ขุมเห็ดเทศ, and by names such as chùm hèt yài, lúp mạn lûang, chî khàak, màak kà-líng thét, and sôm hèt, this striking “candle bush” is both common roadside greenery and a staple of traditional household pharmacies. Its yellow, candle-like flowers catch the eye, but it is the fresh and dried leaves—harvested in villages throughout the Kingdom—that have solidified its central role in herbal practice. Today, chùm hèt thét’s journey from ancient remedy for skin diseases and constipation to evidence-based pharmaceutical candidate reveals a fascinating intersection of culture, folk wisdom, and modern science—one vital to Thai readers seeking a bridge between old and new approaches to health.

Long pepper, known locally as Dipli, has long flavored Thai kitchens and traditional remedies. Today, regional research is validating some uses while flagging safety considerations. Harvested just before ripening from the Piper retrofractum vine, Dipli sits at the crossroads of heritage and science, inviting readers to explore its evolving story.

In Thai culture, health often centers on age-old plants and spices. Dipli holds a special place. The green fruit becomes a reddish spice when dried and carries many regional names that reflect its significance across the country. Dipli appears in Buddhist ceremonial mixtures and remains a common ingredient in northern and central folk remedies, as well as in certain curries and healing teas. Local knowledge has long credited Dipli with aiding digestion, soothing coughs, reducing fevers, easing asthma symptoms, and supporting conditions such as hypertension, rheumatism, and vitality. Contemporary references point to Dipli’s traditional uses in herbal preparations found in community clinics and markets.

Jetaphangki, known scientifically as Cladogynos orientalis, grows along forest trails in Thailand and neighboring regions. Locally it is called Jetaphangki, Chettaphangki, plao ngam, and tawng ta phran, reflecting deep cultural roots. For generations, its roots and leaves have been used in Thai traditional medicine to ease stomach issues, boost vitality, and support general wellness. Today, scientists are reexamining these claims with modern methods, while Thai communities remain curious about harmonizing heritage with evidence.

For centuries, the slender, finger-like fruit known as ดีปลี (Dipli)—or long pepper to the wider world—has been valued in Thai kitchens and medicine cabinets alike. Revered for its spicy-hot kick and its potent medicinal reputation, Dipli has traveled the journey from sacred ritual and home remedy to the laboratory bench, where new research is validating some ancestral claims while raising important questions about its safety and efficacy. Today, this unassuming fruit—harvested just before ripening from the Piper retrofractum vine—stands at a crossroads between tradition and science, inviting curious minds and health enthusiasts to discover its story.

Deep within the forests, along waterways, and atop rural fences across Thailand, a twisting green vine known as โคคลาน (kok lan), or Mallotus repandus, quietly weaves itself into the cultural and medical heritage of the nation. Revered by traditional healers and often passed down in recipes from older generations, this little-known botanical—alternately called มะกายเครือ, มะปอบเครือ, กระเปี้ยะ, among numerous other names—occupies a unique intersection of folk wisdom and contemporary science. Once sought to quiet burning aches, sooth itching skin, and fortify the liver, Mallotus repandus now finds itself the focus of global biomedical inquiry, testing the boundaries between enduring Thai tradition and modern clinical scrutiny.

Deep in the heart of Southeast Asia, along the forested trails of Thailand and neighboring countries, grows a humble shrub known by many names—Jetaphangki, Chettaphangki, and a host of local monikers such as “plao ngam” and “tawng ta phran.” For centuries, the roots and leaves of Cladogynos orientalis, or Jetaphangki, have been prized in traditional Thai medicine cabinets, used to soothe stomach troubles, restore harmony, and invigorate the body. Today, scientists and health seekers alike are rediscovering this botanical treasure, probing its traditional roots while putting its ancient claims to the test.

In Thai villages by forest streams, a resilient vine known as kok lan (Mallotus repandus) sits at the heart of local healing traditions. Various regional names—makay krew, makay krew, and kobieya—reflect its wide cultural footprint. Traditionally used for muscle and joint pain, skin irritations, and liver support, kok lan is now the subject of scientific inquiry exploring its therapeutic potential.

Mallotus repandus is a climbing plant in the Euphorbiaceae family. It has a broad native range from the Indian subcontinent through Southeast Asia to New Guinea and northern Australia. In Thailand, communities use its heartwood, leaves, or whole vine in topical applications, infusions, and multi-herb recipes. Northeastern villagers, including those in Kut Chum District, historically valued kok lan as an antibiotic and as a remedy for bone pain. Other communities linked it to venom neutralization and fever recovery, illustrating a healing philosophy that emphasizes balance between body and environment.

For centuries, Artemisia annua—known in Thailand as โกฐจุฬาลัมพา and in Chinese tradition as qinghao—has been revered as a multi-purpose remedy across Asia. Its journey from local herbal tea and folk medicine to the front lines of global pharmaceutical research stands as a compelling testament to the power of tradition meeting scientific innovation. In the current health landscape, where interest in natural remedies is surging among Thai consumers, Artemisia annua’s story offers a timely lesson in respecting ancient wisdom while demanding scientific rigor.

Artemisia annua, known in Thailand as โกฐจุฬาลัมพา and in Chinese tradition as qinghao, traces a path from local herbal tea to a centerpiece in global medicine. Its journey demonstrates how traditional knowledge can spark scientific breakthroughs, while underscoring the need for rigorous evaluation before widespread use. For Thai readers attentive to natural remedies, the plant offers a timely reminder to balance wisdom from the past with modern evidence.

In Thai traditional medicine, โกฐจุฬาลัมพา has long been used to ease fever, inflammation, and digestive issues. It appears in local pharmacopoeias alongside other cooling herbs and is often combined with multi-herb formulas. Ancient Chinese texts describe similar applications for fever, wounds, and conditions associated with heat, reinforcing a shared history of herbal practice across East and Southeast Asia. Archaeological findings from Han-era tombs indicate the plant’s medicinal role dating back more than two thousand years. Research from Thai and regional scholars situates Artemisia annua within a broader tradition of cooling, anti-inflammatory remedies used to support convalescence and general well-being.

Dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, known in Thai as กานพลู, have long drawn attention beyond their potent aroma. In northern Thailand, these tiny sun-dried buds—referred to as จันจี่ or ดอกจันทร์—are staples in cuisine and traditional healing. They are valued for warming properties and commonly used for toothache, digestion, and minor ailments. As global interest in natural remedies grows, clove stands as a compelling example of how ancient wisdom intersects with contemporary pharmacology—relevant to health-minded Thai readers.

The dried flower buds of Syzygium aromaticum, better known as clove or กานพลู, have long carried a reputation far beyond their potent aroma. In Thailand, these tiny, sun-dried buds—known in the North as จันจี่ or ดอกจันทร์—are a fixture not only in cuisine but in traditional herbal medicine, prized for their warming properties and used to address everything from toothache to digestive disturbances. As scientific interest in natural remedies surges globally, clove offers a compelling case study at the intersection of ancient healing traditions and modern pharmacological research—a story that continues to unfold with relevance for health-conscious Thai readers.