50 Mexican medicinal plants and what they are for

The flora of Mexico is one of the most abundant there is, in fact it is a country considered to be a megadiverse country , since it has unique flora that is not found in other places on the planet and in general a huge biodiversity and variety of ecosystems. In fact, it is estimated that it has more than 100,000 described animal and plant species. Therefore, it is not surprising that in a place like this, different plants have always been used to improve health and not just for food.

Thus, Mexican Herbalism is a pre-Hispanic tradition , since the doctors of the different civilizations of that time dominated the different plants and their properties and uses in medicine, both to maintain good health and to treat diseases. Some of these cultures and civilizations were the Nahuas (such as Mexicas and Anahuac), Tarascos, Mayas, Zapotecs, among many others. According to various studies of these civilizations, doctors could master between 50 and 200 Mexican medicinal plants.

However, today there are many more and it is estimated that in Mexico there are about 5,000 medicinal plants , including those originating or native to Mexico and those that came from the Old World.

Still don’t know what jicama , pelenga or Mexican turnip is? Well, it is a Mexican medicinal plant and in fact it is used in various dishes in different parts of Latin America, such as ceviche, tortillas and jicama water is also taken. Its nutritional composition includes vitamin A, vitamin B-9, vitamin C, calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus and sodium, among other components. Jicama root and seeds are often used.

Among the properties and medicinal uses of the medicinal plant Pachyrhizus erosus we find that it is:

Properties of jicama

• Painkiller
• Pain relieving.
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Febrifuge.

Medicinal uses of jicama

• Kidneys pain.
• Gout.
• Fever.
• Muscle inflammation.
• Relieve the symptoms of scabies.

Científicamente es conocida con más nombres además de Dysphania ambrosioides, por ejemplo como Teloxys ambrosioides. Sus nombres más comunes son, aparte de epazote y paico, hierba olorosa, epazote de zorrillo, epazote blanco, epazote morado, epazote verde, chimi, yepazotli, kuatsitasi, alskini y tijson, entre muchos otros.

It is used to flavor a wide variety of Mexican dishes such as pot beans, chicken broths, tlalpeño soup, green mole and pot mole, tortillas, it is also taken in tea. In fact, to use epazote as a Mexican medicinal plant, it is usually taken in infusion, tea or decoction of its branches and roots, but it should not be taken in case of pregnancy or lactation. Among the properties and medicinal uses of epazote are:

Medicinal properties of epazote

• Digestive
• Carminative.
• Pain relieving.
• Painkiller
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Vermifuge.

Medicinal uses of epazote

• Parasitosis
• Stomach pains
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Retention of menstruation or shortage.
• Menstrual cramps.

The penguin is also called Mexican bearberry, pindicua, manzanita or tepesquite and is scientifically known as Arctostaphylos pungens . It is a creeping shrub that contains essential oil, arbutoside, methyl arbutoside, gallic tannins, arbutin and allantoin.

Both the root and the leaf are used and even the whole plant sometimes for certain treatments. The infusion of penguin, tincture and extract is taken and baths are made with the decoction of its leaves, although it can be used in more ways. It should not be consumed during pregnancy and lactation.

These are the main properties and medicinal uses of penguin :

Properties of the penguin

• Antiseptic
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Painkiller
• Febrifuge.
• Diuretic
• Astringent.
• Antidiarrheal
• Hemostasis.

Medicinal uses of penguin

• Fever.
• Diarrhea
• Indigestion.
• Stomach ache.
• Cough.
• Renal problems.
• Kidneys pain.
• Rheumatism.
• Inflammations.
• Dropsy.
• Prostatitis or swollen prostate .
• Urinary infection.
• Leucorrhea.
• Vaginitis
• Urethritis

To continue explaining aspects of the medicinal plants of Mexico and their use, we will now talk about the stafiate. Estafiate is a gray Mexican medicinal wild plant that receives many more common names such as wormwood from the country, mugwort, skunk tail, altamiza, Puebla azumate, stomiate, espazote de Castilla, master herb, green incense, essence of green plant and istafiate, while its scientific name is Artemisia ludoviciana . It contains active principles such as essential oil with camphor, thujone and cineole and flavonoids such as lactins and quercetoside. It takes the cooking or the infusion of the branches of the stafiate and also the tincture, the extract, the essential oil and in syrup. In case of being pregnant it should not be taken.

Among the properties of stafiate and its current medicinal uses, the following stand out:

Estafiate properties

• Digestive
• Appetizer.
• Carminative.
• Choleretic.
• Liver protector.
• Vermifuge.
• Antimicrobial.
• Estrogenic

Medicinal uses of stafiate

• Stomach ache.
• Sickness.
• Cramps.
• Colic.
• Diarrhea
• Lack of appetite or loss of appetite.
• Vesicular and liver problems.
• Intestinal parasites.
• Eliminate toxins.
• Regulate menstruation.
• Period pains.

If you want to continue learning more about medicinal plants and what they are for, mainly those used in Mexico, you cannot miss the cuachalalate. It is also scientifically called as Juliania adstringens and as Amphipterygium adstringens . It is commonly known by other names such as coachalalate, cuachalala, chalalate, cuachalalatl, cuachinala, pacueco, maceran and matixeran, among more. Among its active principles there are acids, such as elmasticadienonic, oleanolic and instipolinase, and it also has sterol and beta-sitosterol, among other components.

The decoction of the cuachalalate bark is usually taken , water made with the maceration of the bark, the powdered bark for cutaneous use, the resin is also used to treat skin conditions, such as pimples and sores. Thanks to its composition, among the properties of cuachalalate and its medicinal uses, the following stand out:

Medicinal properties of cuachalalate

• Anti-inflammatory.
• Antibiotic.
• Analgesic.
• Pain relieving.
• Febrifuge or antipyretic.

Medicinal uses of cuachalalate

• Toothache.
• Gastric ulcers
• Gastritis.
• Stomachache.
• Inflammation and intestinal infection.
• Relieve symptoms of stomach cancer.
• Skin injuries, such as bites, scrapes, and bumps.
• Sores
• Grain.
• Problems in the female reproductive system, such as a fallen uterus, inflammation of the uterus, or vaginal infection.
• Cough.
• Colds
• Anginas.
• Fever.
• Nerves.

This is another of the Mexican medicinal plants that we want to show you due to its widespread use and its great benefits for our health. Other popular names for the purple lemon balm plant or Mexican Agastache are white lemon balm, mount melissa, house melissa, red melissa, tama, toronji, toroji and pinkil, among many more, and scientifically it is also called Cedronella mexicana . Among the active ingredients of lemon balm are the essential oil with anethole, limonene, camphor and methylchavicol, it also has flavonoids, tannins and terpenes. It is usually taken as a decoction, tincture, pills or tablets and in fluid extract. It should not be taken during pregnancy and lactation.

These are the main properties of purple lemon balm and its medicinal uses .

Medicinal properties of purple lemon balm

• Digestive
• Anti-inflammatory.
• Antibiotics.
• Calorific.
• Sedatives
• Anti-diarrhea.

Medicinal uses of purple lemon balm

• Stomach pains
• Difficult or heavy digestions.
• Indigestion.
• Colic.
• Abdominal swelling
• Diarrhea
• Nausea and vomiting
• Fatigue.
• Dizziness
• Colds

To finish with this guide to Mexican medicinal plants and what are some of the most used plants used in this country for, we want to talk about basil . These is one of the plants introduced in Mexico by the Old World, since it is native to India but currently it can be found almost all over the world and in Mexico it is widely used.

This plant, also called alhábega , has active principles in its composition that are very beneficial. Some of these components are essential oils such as linalol, cienol, eugenol and estragole, it also contains flavonoids such as esculoside, quercetroside and kenferol, as well as caffeic acid, saponosides, linalyl acetate and also vitamin A, from group B, C, E and K .

The leaves of this medicinal plant are mainly used, but also the stem, roots, flowers and seeds. It is consumed in infusion, decoction or tea, as well as in hot and cold drinks and dishes, both cooked and fresh.

Among the main properties of basil and its medicinal uses are:

Medicinal properties of basil

• Antioxidants
• Antivirals.
• Antibacterial.
• Antifungal.
• Digestive
• Antiemetics.
• Painkillers
• Relaxing
• Antihistamines.
• Hypotensive.
• Glucose regulators.
• Hepatoprotective.
• Hypolipidemic.
• Stimulants of the respiratory system and expectorants.

Medicinal uses of basil

• Difficult digestions.
• Heartburn.
• Lack of appetite.
• Dizziness
• Sickness.
• Vomiting
• Fatigue.
• Anxiety.
• Asthma.
• Mucus in the respiratory tract.
• Infections by fungi, bacteria and viruses.
• Allergies
• Mild diabetes
• Hypertension.
• High bad cholesterol.

If you want to know more about this medicinal plant widely used in Mexico, do not hesitate to consult this other article on Basil: medicinal and culinary uses . Also, if you liked these Mexican medicinal plants, we suggest you read this other post about 60 medicinal plants of Peru and what they are for .