A real trip: a modern look at Mexico’s traditional plant medicine

Published April 5, 2023

by Bethany Platanella

From time to time, I’m presented with a topic that transports me into a rabbit hole of investigation from which I emerge only days later. This is one of them.

Traditional plant medicine in Mexico is layered. To say I have even scratched the surface with the research for this article would be a gross understatement. But, I must pull myself out of the weeds (pun intended) to share my findings.

I’m not referring exclusively to psychedelics. This genre encompasses a much larger swath of the plant kingdom, nearly all of which can be traced back to the beginnings of Mesoamerican civilization.

Of the 23,314 vascular plant species native to Mexico, anywhere from 3,000–5,000 are thought to have medicinal benefits, according to the University of Texas at El Paso’s Herbal Safety website. Many, like the ones I’ve listed below, are still used today.

For the record: I am not a doctor, nor a scientist. Please find out more details on these herbs before deciding to use them at your own risk.

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