#ThaiCulture

For centuries, Borapet (Tinospora crispa)—also known in different Thai regions as khruea khao ho, chong ching, or jetamoon yam—has twined its bitter stems through local gardens, folk medicine chests, and herbal lore across Thailand and Southeast Asia. Praised by elders for its invigorating and cooling qualities, Borapet has long been a household staple for treating a perplexing range of ailments: from fevers and diabetes to wound healing and indigestion. Today, as modern science turns its gaze toward ancient remedies, Borapet’s reputation as a local panacea is receiving fresh scrutiny—and, in some cases, careful scientific validation.

For centuries, Tūmka—the modest seed from the Strychnos nux-blanda tree—has held a mysterious place in Thai folk medicine. Known under a constellation of regional names, including “Kotkakling”, “Khimka”, “Makting”, and “Sa Laeng Jai”, the seed’s reputation oscillates between being a powerful remedy and a perilous poison. With its origins woven through the rural and traditional communities of Thailand, Tūmka continues to intrigue both cultural custodians and biomedical scientists alike. But how much of its legacy stands up to modern science—and what should health-conscious readers know if they encounter this potent botanical?

In the forests and farmlands of Southern Thailand, the aromatic bark of chaluud (Alyxia reinwardtii), a vine entwined with the region’s folklore, continues to waft through herbal markets, rural kitchens, and spiritual ceremonies. Revered for generations, chaluud is prized in traditional medicine as both a fragrant offering and a versatile herbal remedy. Yet only now is its rich legacy being scientifically decoded, shedding new light on its time-honoured role as a “natural protector” for body, spirit, and environment alike.

Across Thailand’s fields and paddy dykes, the bright yellow flowers and curved pods of chùm hèt thai (ชุมเห็ดไทย) are as familiar as rainfall. Known by a host of regional names—chùm hèt khaw kwai, prom dan, lep muean noi—this modest herb, scientifically called Cassia tora L., is one of Thailand’s most enduring and cross-cultural medicinal plants. For centuries it has been woven into Thai traditional medicine and culinary life, its seeds valued not only for gentle healing properties but for their adaptability in times of need. Today, ancient wisdom is meeting global science, as Cassia tora emerges as a focus of modern pharmacology, promising remedies for ailments once treated only with resourceful folk knowledge. The story of Cassia tora is one of both change and continuity—a botanical bridge between tradition and discovery.

Within the sunlit grasslands and forests of Thailand, a spectacularly beautiful plant sprouts at the edges of tradition and modern caution. Known by many Thai names—ดองดึง, คมขวาน, ว่านก้ามปู, ก้ามปู, ดาวดึงส์, มะขาโก้ง—Gloriosa superba, or the “flame lily,” stands out with fiery flowers and trailing green tendrils that once inspired legends and herbal remedies throughout Southeast Asia. For centuries, Thai and regional folk healers have entrusted parts of this plant as powerful medicines—a remedy of reputation, but also risk. Today’s surge in herbal health interest asks: Just what does the science say about this celebrated, and sometimes feared, botanical?

In the heart of Thai herbal tradition, Jun-Daeng—known scientifically as Dracaena loureiroi—stands as a fragrant emblem of healing, blending centuries of local knowledge with a new wave of scientific curiosity. Long cherished for its deep red heartwood and storied applications in folk medicine, this enigmatic plant, also called Chandan Daeng, Lakchun or Chan-Pha, is now drawing the attention of medical researchers interested in harnessing its potential for 21st-century health challenges, including cancer. Recent laboratory studies are beginning to validate the wisdom embedded in its historical use, shining new light on the intersection between practical folk therapy and targeted pharmacological action.

For generations, the vine known across Thailand as โคคลาน or “Koh Khlan” has been a wellspring of traditional healing. Behind this name are other local monikers—มะกายเครือ, มะปอบเครือ, กระเปี้ยะ, โพคาน, แนวน้ำ, เยี่ยวแมว, เยี่ยวแมวเถา—reflecting its widespread recognition in rural and forested communities from the northern hills to the heart of Isan. Scientifically catalogued as Mallotus repandus (Willd.) Müll. Arg., this robust member of the Euphorbiaceae family is best known in Thai traditional medicine for alleviating muscle, bone, and joint pains, often earning its place in time-honoured herbal mixtures for ailments that sap vitality and disrupt daily life.

For generations, lemongrass—locally known as ตะไคร้แกง or ตะไคร้บ้าน—has enjoyed a treasured status in kitchens and clinics across Thailand. Its unmistakable citrus fragrance infuses classic Thai curries, soups, and teas, while ancient healers and modern folk alike have praised its medicinal powers. Today, scientific studies are beginning to unlock the reasons behind the enduring reverence for this remarkable plant, illuminating the complex chemistry underpinning its traditional uses and raising fresh questions about its future role in natural health.

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.

In the heart of Thailand’s forests stands an unassuming tree called งิ้วป่า, or Bombax anceps. For generations, it has woven itself into the daily life and healing practices of Thai communities, quietly serving as medicine, spiritual symbol, and cultural mainstay. Today, this ancient remedy is stepping into the spotlight as scientists seek to validate and decode the secrets of its bark and wood, exploring the bridge between old-world healing and modern evidence-based medicine.

Safflower, known in Thai as “คำฝอย” (pronounced “kam-foy”), has been a staple in traditional medicine for generations across Asia, including the Kingdom of Thailand. Revered for its vibrant yellow-orange petals and multifaceted benefits, this ancient remedy is enjoying renewed interest as modern research uncovers its scientific underpinnings. But where does the wisdom of Thai healers intersect with today’s lab-based evidence, and what should health-conscious readers know before embracing this herbal staple?

Nestled in the heart of Thai forests and markets under local names such as “จอง,” “สำรอง,” and “พุงทะลาย,” the brown, almond-like dried fruit of the Scaphium scaphigerum tree has long held a revered place in Thailand’s herbal medicine chest. For generations, this indigenous botanical—found in everything from refreshing summer drinks to traditional remedies for coughs and constipation—has provided both sustenance and hope for wellness. Now, with a resurgence of scientific inquiry into Southeast Asian folk medicine, Scaphium scaphigerum is gaining new attention at the dynamic crossroads of ancient healing and modern pharmacology.

Sesame seeds—known in Thailand as “nga” (งา), whether in their white (nga khao) or black (nga dam) varieties—hold an enduring place at the crossroads of culture, cuisine, and traditional medicine. Revered for millennia across Asia and especially prominent in Thai culinary heritage, sesame seeds have recently stepped into the spotlight of scientific scrutiny. As Thailand and global communities seek healthful, natural remedies, sesame’s rich tradition and mounting scientific evidence offer both inspiration and practical pathways for modern wellness.

Across Thailand’s diverse natural landscapes, the climbing lily known as ดองดึง (Gloriosa superba L.) has captured the imagination of traditional healers and villagers for generations. With its striking flame-like petals and many regional nicknames—such as คมขวาน, ว่านก้ามปู, and มะขาโก้ง—ดองดึง holds a storied place in the country’s folk medicine repertoire. Yet, as with many powerful natural remedies, this plant’s story is one of both healing and hazard: a tale where ancient wisdom intersects with contemporary science, underscoring the need for respect, caution, and deeper understanding.

Nestled in the lush landscapes of Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam, a distinctive hardwood known locally as “จันทน์ขาว” (chandan khao, or white sandalwood) has quietly served generations as a cornerstone of traditional healing. The botanical hero of this story, Tarenna hoaensis Pit., holds a place not only in herbal lore but also on the threshold of contemporary scientific curiosity. While ancient practitioners revered its aromatic wood and heartwood extracts as cooling agents, fever reducers, and components of ceremonial offerings, today’s researchers are beginning to unlock its deeper biochemical secrets, exploring the very real possibility that chandan khao holds pharmacological promise fit for modern times.

In the heart of Thai herbal tradition, few remedies are as evocative, symbolic, or deeply interwoven with spiritual and physical wellness as ดีบัว (dee bua), or lotus seed embryo—the delicate green shoot nestled inside the seed pod of the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera). Once valued by royalty and rural healers alike, dee bua bridges centuries of Thai culture, connecting Buddhist rituals, culinary delights, and age-old remedies with a growing body of scientific research. Today, as health-conscious Thais and global audiences alike seek natural ways to manage stress, sleep, and chronic diseases, dee bua is enjoying renewed attention—not only for its spiritual and culinary significance, but for intriguing scientific findings that support many traditional claims about its healing potential.

Nestled under a canopy of vivid yellow blossoms, Cassia fistula — known in Thailand as Khun, Chaiyaphruek, or the “golden shower tree” — graces streets and temple grounds, capturing the nation’s reverence as both regal symbol and herbal remedy. Throughout history, the flesh of its ripe pods has woven itself into folk medicine traditions, yet only recently has science begun to illuminate the truths behind the beliefs. Today, Cassia fistula stands at a vibrant crossroad: a living testament to Thailand’s healing heritage and an emerging field of pharmacological promise.

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.

For generations, the people of Thailand and other Asian cultures have cherished “Dibua”—the tiny, jade-green sprouts hidden inside the seeds of the sacred lotus (Nelumbo nucifera)—for their healing power, symbolic value, and distinctive place in folk remedies. Now, as modern science shines new light on this ancient botanical treasure, health enthusiasts and researchers alike are rediscovering its vital intersection of tradition and research. What story do these delicate sprouts tell, and how do their uses today connect with the wisdom of the past? Join us as we trace the journey of Dibua from temple ponds and herbalist shelves to international journals and cutting-edge laboratories.

For centuries, the fiery red lace surrounding the nutmeg seed—known to Thais as “dok chan” or “dok chan thet”—has played a quiet but profound role in the region’s kitchens and clinics. Known widely as mace (the aril of Myristica fragrans), this delicate, aromatic spice is at once a culinary gem and a time-honored remedy. Recent scientific investigations are now confirming what Thai traditional healers have long believed: the health benefits of mace extend far beyond its enticing flavor and fragrance.

Across the winding hills and sacred forests of Thailand, few plants carry a legacy as rich as จันทน์แดง (Chandan Daeng), known botanically as Dracaena loureiroi. The deep red core of its wood, prized for generations, has not only painted the color palette of Buddhist altars and traditional handicrafts, but also infused traditional Thai medicine (TTM) with a symbol of vitality, healing, and spiritual protection. As global interest in herbal medicine surges, Chandan Daeng stands at the powerful intersection of cultural reverence and science-backed discovery, inviting both renewed appreciation and critical questions about its role in modern wellness.

Across Thailand’s bustling markets and the aromatic kitchens of many Thai homes, there is a slender, fiery-red flower hugging a dark seed—the “dok jan” or “dok jan thet,” known in English as mace. Harvested from the seed’s aril of Myristica fragrans (nutmeg), this fragrant botanical has not only delighted generations with its sweet aroma but also played a storied role in Thai traditional medicine. Today, as the global wellness movement looks east for ancient remedies, dok jan stands poised at the intersection of centuries-old practice and 21st-century science.

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.

Few plants bridge the worlds of tradition and science as elegantly as sesame (Sesamum indicum L.), known in Thai as “งา” and cherished for centuries across cultures as both food and medicine. From the noisy markets of Bangkok, where both white and black sesame seeds adorn everything from desserts to savory dishes, to ancient scripts referencing its powers to “nourish the five internal organs,” sesame has held a special place in Thai and global heritage. But what does modern research tell us about the health claims surrounding this tiny seed, and how do its age-old applications stand up to scientific scrutiny?