Table 1 Plants used in Mexican traditional medicine with emmenagogue and abortive properties, or used to treat menstrual cycle disorders.

From: Mexican traditional medicines for women’s reproductive health

Scientific name	Family	Common name	Emmenagogue and abortive properties	Menstrual cycle regulation	References
Adiantum tricholepis Fée	Pteridaceae	Fuzzy maidenhair	E, A		⁵³
Allium sativum L.	Amaryllidaceae	Garlic	A		^23,33,72
Ananas comosus (L.) Merr	Bromeliaceae	Pineable	A		^23,33,72
Anoda cristata (L.) Schltdl	Malvaceae	Crested anoda		D M MH	³³
Aphelandra aurantiaca (Scheidw.) Lindl	Acanthaceae	Fiery spike (espiga ardiente) Orange scarlet		D M MH	^23,33
Artemisia ludoviciana Nutt	Compositae	White sagebrush		D	⁵⁰
Baccharis salicina Torr. & A. Gray	Compositae	Sleep willow	E	D M MH	²³
Bignonia sp.	Bignoniaceae	Begonia		M MH	^23,33
Bignonia potosina (K.Schum. & Loes.) L.G.Lohmann	Bignoniaceae	–	A		⁴²
Brickellia secundiflora (Lag.) A.Gray	Compositae	Jara Blanca		D M MH	^23,33
Cedrela odorata L.	Meliaceae	Cedro	A		^34,42,73
Cestrum noctutnum L.	Solanaceae	Huele de noche	A		^42,73
Cinnamomum verum J.Presl	Lauraceae	Cinnamon	A	D, MH	^{23,32,33,34,74}
Citrus aurantiifolia (Christm.) Swingle	Rutaceae	Key lime	E A	D	³³
Citrus × aurantium L.	Rutaceae	Bitter orange	A	D	^12,23
Citrus limon (L.) Osbeck	Rutaceae	Lemon	E A	D	²³
Columnea schiedeana Schltdl	Gesneriaceae	Mazorquita		M	^23,33
Coriandrum sativum L.	Lauraceae	Coriander	A		²³
Cymbopogon citratus (DC.) Stapf	Poaceae	Lemongrass	E		⁴²
Desmodium incanum DC.	Fabaceae	Zarzabacoa comun	A		²²
Dodonaea viscosa (L.) Jacq	Sapindaceae	Native hop bush		M MH	^23,33
Dysphania ambrosioides (L.) Mosyakin & Clemants	Amaranthaceae	Epazote	E A		^23,33,73
Epiphyllum crenatum (Lindl.) Don	Cactaceae	Climbing orchid cactus	A		²²
Foeniculum vulgare Mill.	Apiaceae	Fern		D, MH	^42,73
Galium mexicanum Kunth.	Rubiaceae	Pegarropa	A	M MH PM	^23,33,42,74
Gaultheria acuminata Schltdl. & Cham	Ericaceae	Wintergreen		D M MH	^23,33
Gossypium barbadense L.	Malvaceae	Cotton	E, A		⁴²
Hamelia patens Jacq.	Rubiaceae	Scarlet bush	A	MH	^22,34,70,72
Hybanthus brevis (Dowell) Standl	Violaceae	Green violet		M MH	²³
Hydrocotyle mexicana Schltdl. & Cham	Araliaceae	Native pennywort		MH	^23,33
Indigofera miniata Ortega	Leguminosae	Scarlet pea		D	^23,33
Justicia spicigera Schltdl.	Acanthaceae	Mohintli	E		^42,73
Lippia umbellata Cav.	Verbenaceae	Hierba dulce	E		⁵³
Manilkara zapota (L.) P.Royen	Sapotaceae	Sapodilla		MH	⁷⁰
Matricaria chamomilla L.	Compositae	Chamomille		D, MH	^12,22,23,50
Melia azedarach L.	Meliaceae	Chinaberry	E		^42,50
Mentha × piperita L.	Lamiaceae	Peppermint		D M MH	^23,33
Mentha spicata L.	Lamiaceae	Spearmint		D	^23,33
Origanum vulgare L.	Lamiaceae	Oregano	A	D	^23,33
Phyla scaberrima (Juss. ex Pers.) Moldenke	Verbenaceae	Aztec sweet herb	E	IP AM	^42,73
Plumeria rubra L.	Apocynaceae	Frangipani alhelí	A		⁷²
Pinus sp.	Pinaceae	Pinus		M MH	²³
Persea americana Mill.	Lauraceae	Avocado	E	D M MH	^{23,33,34,50,52,70}
Piper auritum Kunth.	Piperaceae	Hoja santa	E		^23,33
Pleopeltis polypodioides (L.) E.G. Andrews & Windham	Polypodiaceae	Resurrection fern	E		⁵³
Pluchea odorata (L.) Cass	Compositae	Marsh fleabane		D	^23,33,52
Psittacanthus calyculatus (DC.) G.Don	Loranthaceae	Injerto de huizache		M MH	²³
Psidium guajava L.	Myrtaceae	Guava		D	^50,51
Rosmarinus officinalis L.	Lamiaceae	Rosemary	E	D	^22,50,52,53
Ruta graveolens L.	Rutaceae	Salab	E A	NS	^22,34
Rudbeckia laciniata L.	Compositae	Dormilón	E		^42,73
Salvia microphylla Kunth	Lamiaceae	Baby sage		D	⁷⁵
Sambucus canadensis L.	Adoxaceae	American elder, elderberry		MH	²³
Selaginella pallescens (C. Presl) Spring	Selaginellaceae	Moss fern		MH	²³
Solanum nudum Dunal	Solanaceae	Forest nightshade		MH	⁷⁰
Struthanthus quercicola (Schltdl. & Cham.) D.Don	Loranthaceae	Seca palo		MH	²³
Styrax argenteus C.Presl.	Styracaceae	Styrax	E A		^23,33
Tagetes lucida Cav.	Compositae	Day flower	E		^23,33
Tagetes micrantha Cav.	Compositae	Licorice marigold		D	⁵⁰
Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Sch.Bip	Compositae	Feverfew, Santamaría	E, A	D	^33,50,72,74
Tillandsia recurvata (L.) L.	Bromeliaceae	Small ballmoss		MH	⁷⁰
Turnera diffusa Willd ex Schultz	Passifloraceae	Damania, oreganillo		MD	⁷⁶
Zaluzania triloba (Ortega) Pers.	Compositae	Hierba amarga	A		^42,73,74
Zea mays L.	Poaceae	Corn		MH	^23,33

A abortifacient, E Emenagogue, MH Menstrual hemmorage, D dysmenorrhea, NS. Non specified, M menorrhagia, IP induces menstrual period, MD Menstrual disorders unspecified.

Back to article page

Table 1 Plants used in Mexican traditional medicine with emmenagogue and abortive properties, or used to treat menstrual cycle disorders.

Search

Quick links