Herbs for Cholesterol and Heart Health

7 Sri Lankan medicinal plants traditionally used for this purpose. Open a herb to see its Sinhala, English and botanical names, the parts used, how it is prepared, the research behind it and safety notes.

Use with care: Traditional use does not prove that a herb works or that it is safe for you. Talk to a doctor or a registered Ayurveda practitioner before using herbs to treat a condition, especially if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, taking medicines, or treating a child. Read our disclaimer

Bark & Wood

Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna): The Riverside Giant with Bark for the Heart

(Terminalia arjuna)

Kumbuk (Terminalia arjuna) is the great pale-trunked tree that leans over almost every river, canal

Leaves

Gotukola (Centella asiatica): The Brain Herb Sri Lankans Eat for Breakfast

(Centella asiatica)

Gotukola (Centella asiatica) is unusual among medicinal plants in that most Sri Lankans consume it w

Fruits & Seeds

Kaluduru (Nigella sativa): Black Seed and the 82-Trial Verdict

(Nigella sativa)

Kaluduru (Nigella sativa) arrived in Sri Lanka along the spice routes and settled into two places at

Fruits & Seeds

Suduru (Cuminum cyminum): Cumin, the Digestive Seed With Metabolic Trials

(Cuminum cyminum)

Suduru (Cuminum cyminum) is the warm, earthy backbone of Sri Lankan curry powder and of the digestiv

Fruits & Seeds

Uluhal (Trigonella foenum-graecum): Fenugreek for Blood Sugar — and the Breast Milk Question

(Trigonella foenum-graecum)

Uluhal (Trigonella foenum-graecum) is the small, amber, maple-scented seed that goes into the temper

Roots & Rhizomes

Sudu Lunu (Allium sativum): Garlic, the Kitchen Medicine With 80 Clinical Trials

(Allium sativum)

Sudu lunu (Allium sativum) is the rare traditional medicine that modern science has tested to exhaus

Fruits & Seeds

Siyambala (Tamarindus indica): Tamarind, the Sour Fruit With a Sweet Pharmacology

(Tamarindus indica)

Siyambala (Tamarindus indica) shades half the temple courtyards and village junctions of the dry zon

Other uses

Digestion (42) Coughs and Colds (22) Skin Conditions (22) Blood Sugar and Diabetes (18) Fever (16) Urinary and Kidney Health (16) Cooling the Body (14) Joint Pain and Arthritis (13) Wound Healing (12) Sleep and Stress (9) Immunity (8) Diarrhoea (8) Oral and Dental Health (8) Constipation (7) Hair Care (7) Liver Health (6) Asthma and Breathing (5) Women's Health (4) Inflammation and Swelling (4) Memory and Brain Health (4) Eye Health (4) Weight Management (3) Piles (Haemorrhoids) (3) Intestinal Worms (3)