Yanang: Thailand’s Herbal Healer Bridging Ancient Wisdom and Modern Science
Yanang, a deep-green climbing vine known as bai yanang in the Northeast, sits at the crossroads of Thai tradition and scientific inquiry. For generations, Thai kitchens and folk apothecaries have valued yanang for its cooling energy, fever relief, and cleansing properties. Today, researchers are interpreting these old beliefs through modern methods, confirming several health-promoting properties of yanang and its potential as a bridge between heritage and evidence-based medicine.
Yanang is native to mainland Southeast Asia and a staple in Isan and Lao cuisines. In Thailand, it goes by many regional names, such as Chiangs Mai’s chiang mai names and Central Thailand’s green vine, but its reputation as a cooling, detoxifying, fever-reducing remedy remains widely shared. The leaves are often boiled into a green juice that adds depth to dishes like Isan bamboo soup. Behind this everyday presence lies a history steeped in Southeast Asian healing traditions, where yanang was believed to draw out poisons, ease fevers, calm inflammation, and assist recovery after alcohol consumption.