What is Jiaogulan? Jiaogulan (Gynostemma pentaphyllum) is a climbing vine native to the mountainous regions of southern China, northern Vietnam, Japan, and Korea. A member of the cucumber and gourd family (Cucurbitaceae), it has been used for centuries in traditional Chinese medicine and is famously known as "the herb
What is Jatoba? Jatoba (Hymenaea courbaril L.) is a large tropical tree native to the Amazon rainforest and the broader regions of Central America, South America, and the Caribbean. A member of the Fabaceae (legume) family, it has been used for centuries by Indigenous tribes of the Amazon basin and
What is Huang Qi? Huang Qi (Astragalus membranaceus, also classified as Astragalus mongholicus) is one of the most important and widely used tonic herbs in Traditional Chinese Medicine. Known in Chinese as Huang Qi (黄芪), which translates roughly to "yellow leader" or "yellow emperor" in reference
What is Horehound? Horehound (Marrubium vulgare L.), also known as white horehound, is a perennial herb belonging to the mint family (Lamiaceae). Native to the Mediterranean region, it has naturalized across Europe, northern Africa, much of Asia, and the Americas. Recognizable by its square stems, wrinkled grey-green leaves with
What is Hoodia? Hoodia (Hoodia gordonii) is a cactus-like succulent plant native to the Kalahari Desert of southern Africa, primarily in South Africa, Namibia, and Botswana. Despite its cactus-like appearance, it actually belongs to the milkweed family (Apocynaceae). For thousands of years, the indigenous San (Khoi-San or
What is Hibiscus? Hibiscus (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), commonly known as roselle, sour tea, or Jamaica flower, is a bushy plant in the Malvaceae family native to tropical and subtropical regions of Africa, Asia, and the Americas. The medicinal and culinary part of the plant is the calyx, the fleshy, deep-
What is Hemp Seed/Oil? Hemp seeds and hemp seed oil come from the seeds of the industrial hemp plant (Cannabis sativa L.), a variety of cannabis legally defined as containing less than 0.3% THC (the psychoactive compound found in marijuana). Despite sharing a botanical family with marijuana, hemp
What is He Shou Wu? He Shou Wu (Polygonum multiflorum Thunb., also known as Fallopia multiflora) is a perennial climbing herb native to central and southern China, with traditional use also documented in Japan, Tibet, and Taiwan. Belonging to the Polygonaceae family, it is one of the most revered tonic
What is Haritaki? Haritaki (Terminalia chebula) is one of the most revered herbs in Ayurvedic medicine, often called the "King of Medicines" in ancient Sanskrit texts. The Sanskrit name "Haritaki" carries multiple meanings: that which originated from the abode of Lord Shiva (Hari), that which is
What is Guggul? Guggul (Commiphora mukul, also known as Commiphora wightii) is the oleo-gum resin obtained from incisions in the bark of the small, thorny guggul tree native to India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. This sticky, aromatic resin has been a cornerstone of Ayurvedic medicine for over 2,500 years,
What is Grindelia? Grindelia, commonly known as gumweed, is a resinous flowering herb belonging to the Asteraceae (daisy) family. Native to the dry prairies and arid regions of western and central North America, it has bright yellow flower heads covered with a sticky, whitish resin during the bud stage. This
What is Gravel Root? Gravel root is the medicinal root and rhizome of a tall North American wildflower known today as Joe-Pye weed. In older herbal literature it appears under the botanical name Eupatorium purpureum, while modern botany usually classifies it as Eutrochium purpureum. It belongs to the Asteraceae
