The Mexican people have a very long history concerning their use of medicinal herbs. The Aztec were the first people in the Americas to record the use of herbal medicines in codices (catalogs) which contained vivid illustrations of each plant with descriptions of their use.
In 1552, a codice was published in Latin and in Nahuatl (the language of the Aztecs). The codice, known as De La Cruz Badiano Codex was the first bilingual book to be published in the New World.
As Spain tightened its grip on New Spain as Mexico was then called, the Catholic Church prohibited the use of medicinal herbs. Under the Spanish Inquisition, the use of medicinal plants was considered the practice of magic. Many went to their deaths as a result of their herbal usage.
The Huichol are an indigenous Indian tribe who reside in northwestern Mexico. They are known for their use of the medicinal plant peyote, which is also known as the “Divine Plant”. The psychoactive properties of the peyote have made it useful for both medicinal and ceremonial rituals. Spanish Jesuit missionaries reported on the use of peyote as early as 1591.
Today the use of thousands of medicinal herbs is still very much a normal, routine part of life in Mexico where medicinal herbs are commonly sold in grocery stores and markets. In fact, it is estimated that more than 5000 medicinal herbs are still in use today.
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