- Ebenus cretica
- Echinacea purpurea
- Echinops ritro
- Echinops sphaerocephalus
- Echium creticum
- Echium italicum
- Echium vulgare
- Eclipta prostrata
- Eggplant
- Einkorn wheat
- Elaeagnus angustifolia
- Elatine alsinastrum
- Elecampane
- Emilia sonchifolia
- Empetrum nigrum
- Endive
- Ephedra distachya
- Epigaea repens
- Epilobium hirsutum
- Epilobium montanum
- Epilobium palustre
- Epipactis helleborine
- Equisetum arvense
- Equisetum fluviatile
- Equisetum hyemale
- Equisetum palustre
- Equisetum sylvaticum
- Erechtites hieraciifolius
- Erica abietina
- Erica arborea
- Erica carnea
- Erica cinerea
- Erica multiflora
- Erica scoparia
- Erica tetralix
- Erigeron acer
- Erigeron alpinus
- Erigeron annuus
- Erigeron bonariensis
- Erigeron philadelphicus
- Erigeron uniflorus
- Erigeron vernus
- Erinus alpinus
- Eriocaulon decangulare
- Eriocephalus africanus
- Eriophorum vaginatum
- Erodium cicutarium
- Eryngium alpinum
- Eryngium amethystinum
- Eryngium aquaticum
- Eryngium foetidum
- Eryngium maritimum
- Eryngium planum
- Erysimum cheiranthoides
- Erysimum cheiri
- Erythrina herbacea
- Erythronium dens-canis
- Eugenia uniflora
- Euonymus americanus
- Euonymus europaeus
- Eupatorium altissimum
- Eupatorium cannabinum
- Eupatorium chinense
- Eupatorium hyssopifolium
- Eupatorium perfoliatum
- Eupatorium rotundifolium
- Eupatorium sessilifolium
- Euphorbia amygdaloides
- Euphorbia antiquorum
- Euphorbia caput-medusae
- Euphorbia chamaesyce
- Euphorbia characias
- Euphorbia corollata
- Euphorbia cotinifolia
- Euphorbia cyparissias
- Euphorbia dendroides
- Euphorbia esula
- Euphorbia helioscopia
- Euphorbia hirta
- Euphorbia lathyris
- Euphorbia maculata
- Euphorbia mammillaris
- Euphorbia myrsinites
- Euphorbia origanoides
- Euphorbia palustris
- Euphorbia paralias
- Euphorbia peplis
- Euphorbia peplus
- Euphorbia serrata
- Euphorbia tirucalli
- Euphorbia tithymaloides
- Eurybia divaricata
- Eurybia sibirica
- Euthamia graminifolia
- Eutrochium purpureum
Echinacea purpurea
- Echinacea (Echinacea spp.)
- Usage: Claimed to be effective for supporting the immune system and preventing and treating colds and flus. It isn't.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-ech-87">
- E. angustifolia is used as an antispetic, blood cleanser, and to help digestion.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-theherbbook-7">
- Harmful effects: Side effects may include headache, dizziness, nausea, constipation, abdominal pain, and rash.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-ech-87">
Eleutherococcus senticosus
- Eleuthero (Eleutherococcus senticosus)
- Usage: Like many other herbs, eleuthero is promoted for a wide variety of unrelated conditions. There is no evidence to support its effectiveness in treating anything.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-sg-88">
- Harmful effects: Side effects may include headache, diarrhea, nervousness, trouble sleeping, raised blood pressure and increased heart rate.
- Beneficial effects: It may also lower blood sugar levels. "Eleuthero may alter the amount of time it takes for bleeding to stop."<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-sg-88">
Ephedra sinica
- Ephedra (Ephedra spp.)
- Also called: Ephedra sinica is used in traditional Chinese medicine and is known as má huáng (麻黃). Other species of Ephedra, known as "desert tea" or "Mormon tea", have been used by Native Americans and Mormons in the western United States.
- In traditional Chinese medicine: It is used for promoting sweating and the treatment of upper respiratory tract infections during winter. Studies done on the active chemicals of Ephedra/ma huang demonstrates that it speeds the metabolism, thus, the reason for its use and abuse as a performance-enhancing drug by athletes and for weight loss.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-ephedra-89">
- In Western herbal medicine: Mormon tea is used for increasing urination, reducing fever, for kidney and bladder problems, and for syphilis.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-theherbbook-7">
- Harmful effects: Side effects may include dizziness, restlessness, anxiety, irritability, heart pounding, headache, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, hypertension, insomnia, arrhythmia, nervousness, tremor, seizure, cerebrovascular event, myocardial infarction, kidney stones, high blood pressure, heart attacks, muscle disorders, seizures, strokes, irregular heartbeat, loss of consciousness, death, and others.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-ephedra-89"><wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-aafp-90">
- Dietary supplements containing ephedra are banned in the U.S. because they pose "an unreasonable risk to health".<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-91">
- European birthwort (Aristolochia clematitis): See birthwort
uphrasia alpina
- Eyebright (Euphrasia spp.)
- Usage: Used for eye problems.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-theherbbook-7">
- Harmful effects: Side effects may include confusion, headache, tearing, itching, redness, vision problems, sneezing, nausea, toothache, constipation, cough, trouble breathing, trouble sleeping (insomnia), sweating, and others.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-94">
Epimedium grandiflorum
- Horny goat weed (Epimedium spp.)
- Used for: erectile dysfunction in goats.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-126"><wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-127">
- Can prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-128">
- Has totally awesome name.
- Harmful effects: Evidence of side effects is largely anecdotal, and range from irregular heartbeat to mood changes.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-129">
Equisetum arvense
- Horsetail (Equisetum spp.)
- In TCM: A. arvense: wèn jīng (問荊); 'A. hyemale: mùzé (木賊)<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-read-12">
- Used for: vaginal steaming; E. arvense' is used for lung problems (including tuberculosis), anemia and stomach and skin ulcers, urinary tract problems, water retention, excessive menstruation and vaginal discharge.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-theherbbook-7">
- Insufficient research done on efficacy.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-horsetail-132">
- Side effects of long-term use may include low potassium levels and (in diabetics) low blood sugar.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-horsetail-132">
- Horsetail contains thiaminase, an enzyme which (if consumed), can cause thiamine (or vitamin B) deficiency (called beriberi ).<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-horsetail-132"><wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-NLMHorsetail-133"> Thiaminase can be removed if horsetail is prepared properly, usually involving cooking.
- Symptoms of beriberi may include difficulty walking, loss of feeling (sensation) in hands and feet, loss of muscle function or paralysis of the lower legs, mental confusion/speech difficulties, pain, strange eye movements (nystagmus), tingling, vomiting, awakening at night short of breath, increased heart rate, shortness of breath with activity, and swelling of the lower legs.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-bb-134"> Beriberi, if caught early enough, can usually be reversed, but possible complications of beriberi may include coma, congestive heart failure, psychosis, and death.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-bb-134"> Because of the possibility of thiamine deficiency, people consuming horsetail should take thiamine supplements.
- Horsetail contains chromium and may increase the risk of chromium poisoning if taken with chromium-containing herbs like bilberry, brewer's yeast, or cascara (Rhamnus purshiana).<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-NLMHorsetail-133">
Erythroxylon coca
- Coca leaves (Erythroxylon coca)
See the main article on this topic: Coca
- Usage: nasal congestion in powdered form pain relief and altitude sickness in the Andes. Coca regulates carbohydrate metabolism and normalizes body functions. Otherwise known as cocaine when refined, though the unrefined leaf isn't addictive.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-Weil-68"> Side effects include turning into a yuppie, or a celebrity.
- Endorsed by: Pope Leo XIII (coca-infused Vin Mariani)<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-69">, also enjoyed by Pope Pius X (Vin Mariani) and Pope John Paul II (coca tea)<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-70">. Pope Francis begged off the healthful coca and instead imbibed in the carcinogenic maté for his visit to the Andes.<wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-71"><wiki/List_of_medicinal_plants#cite_note-72">
- Not to be confused with cocoa or coconuts.