An exception to every rule, naturally.

Start your journey with Astrid today.

Nature
Science
Medicine

Astrid is Australia’s first female-led dispensary and specialty clinic; a boutique pharmacy and clinic pioneering natural therapies from the heart of South Yarra, Melbourne VIC and Byron Bay, Northern Rivers NSW.

Founded by pharmacist Lisa Nguyen, Astrid Dispensary supports people across Australia on their health journey through an elevated patient telehealth and dispensary experience. Dr Shu Ng leads the Astrid Clinic team to support patients across Australia and provides the most up-to-date expert medical advice around natural medicines.

Sophisticated, modern and transformative – Astrid is not only an ecosystem for access, advocacy and education of natural therapies, but it is a destination for premium skincare brands, evidence-based gut health solutions and plant-based body care products.

Contact the friendly Astrid team today.

Visit
Australia’s
first female-led
dispensary

LOCATIONS

MELBOURNE

575 Chapel St
South Yarra, VIC 3141
Australia

hello@astrid.health

BYRON BAY

57-58, 1 Porter St
Byron Bay, NSW 2481
Australia

byron@astrid.health

OPENING HOURS

SOUTH YARRA

Monday to Friday
9am – 6pm

Saturday
10am – 3pm

Closed on public holidays

BYRON BAY

Monday to Friday
9am – 5pm

Saturday and Sunday
Closed

Closed on public holidays

As seen in

Blog

Cannabis Enters the Menopause Conversation

Cannabis Enters the Menopause Conversation

Menopause can be a wild ride: hot flushes, sleepless nights, mood swings.

I pay my respects to First Nations elders, past, present and emerging, and as a healthcare professional dedicated to justice and fair access for all, I acknowledge that sovereignty has never been ceded, treaties have never been signed and I am honoured to work on what was, and always will be, Aboriginal land. With NAIDOC Week celebrations being held across Australia, we discussed how our dispensary could get involved in recognising the history, culture and achievements of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. Since NAIDOC Week is an opportunity for all Australians to learn about First Nations cultures and histories, we, as a natural therapies clinic and dispensary have decided to dig into the history and tradition of Aboriginal plant use in what is often called ‘bush medicine’. Bush medicine refers to ancient and traditional medicines used by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Australian First Nations people have been using various components of native Australian flora and some fauna as medicine for millenia, and some still turn to healers in their communities for these natural medicines aimed at providing both physical and spiritual healing. While the use of bush medicine has declined, partly due to the loss of information, this can primarily be attributed to the ongoing effects of colonisation, and policies made to eradicate Aboriginal peoples and their culture such as the Stolen Generation. In Aboriginal culture information is not passed on through writing, but through oral traditions which means records do not last without a living culture. Without traditional ceremonies, this millennia of knowledge that Aboriginal elders hold could be lost. Despite this, Professor Joanne Jamie, a medicinal chemist from Macquarie University, in Sydney, has managed to compile a database on Aboriginal plants and we have listed the most common Indigenous bush medicines as first summarised by Australian Geographic: Tea tree oil (Melaleuca alternifolia) The Bundjalung people from the New South Wales coast crushed tea-tree (or paper bark) leaves and applied the paste to wounds as well as brewing it as a tea for throat ailments. In the 1920s, scientific experiments showed that the antiseptic potency of tea-tree oil was actually stronger than commonly used antiseptics of the time. Since then, the oil has been used to treat everything from acne to fungal infections. Eucalyptus oil (Eucalyptus sp.) Eucalyptus oil is perhaps one of the, if not the most commonly used of the traditional Bush medicines. Eucalyptus leaves were often infused and used as treatment for body aches and fevers. These days, Eucalyptus oil is commercially available in mouthwash, cough medicine and throat lozenges. Kakadu plum/Billy goat plum (Terminalia ferdinandiana) This native fruit from the woodlands of the Northern Territory and Western Australia is one of the world’s richest sources of Vitamin C. The plum has 50 times the Vitamin C of oranges, and was a major source of food for tribes in the areas where it grows. The kakadu plum tree was also of great value as the inside of the bark was used for treating various skin ailments and infections. Currently, kakadu plums are being used as a food, preservative and even a cosmetic ingredient. Desert mushrooms (Pycnoporus sp.) This genus of mushrooms is distinguished from most others because of its bright red-orange color. One would suck on the desert mushroom to cure a sore mouth or lips. It has been known to be a kind of natural teething ring, and was used for teething babies and babies with oral thrush. Emu bush (Eremophila sp.) Northern Territory tribes used preparations of emu bush leaves to wash sores and cuts and occasionally it was even used as a mouth gargle. In the last 10 years or so, leaves from the plant were found to have similar strengths as some commonly used antibiotics. Scientists in South Australia have expressed interest in experimenting with the plant for sterilising implants (e.g. artificial hips). Witchetty (Witjuti) grub (Endoxyla leucomochla) Witchetty (Witjuti) grubs are the larva of a species of cossid moth that are endemic to Australia. Traditionally a source of bush tucker, some communities in Central Australia also crushed witchetty grubs to make a paste and placed it on burns. The burn is then bandaged up to seal and soothe the skin. Snake vine (Tinospora smilacina) Tinospora smilacina is a woody vine, called Wararrkaji in Walmajarri. Central Australian communities used to crush sections of the vine to treat headaches, arthritis and other inflammatory conditions. The sap derived from the leaves were also used as a wound treatment. Sandpaper fig (Ficus opposita) and stinking passion flower (Passiflora foetida) Sandpaper figs are species of fig native to the Northern Territory and Queensland. Interestingly enough, the stinking passion flower is not endemic to Australia and was introduced to parts of Northern Australia in 1880. Despite it being an invasive species, northern coastal communities used stinking passion flower in combination with sandpaper figs to relieve itching. Rough leaves of the sandpaper fig are crushed and soaked in water, then rubbed on the place of itching until it bleeds. The pulped fruit of the stinking passion flower is then spread on to the affected area. The leaves, and sometimes the sap, of the sandpaper fig have also been used to treat fungal infections of the skin such as tinea. Kangaroo apple (Solanum laciniatum and Solanum aviculare) Kangaroo apple, also known as New Zealand nightshade, is a flowering plant species native to the East Coast of Australia and New Zealand. First Nations communities in Australia used the fruit as a dressing for swollen joints as the plant contains a steroid which helps in the production of cortisone. The unripe fruit was also traditionally boiled by some communities and used as an oral contraceptive for women. The unripe fruit, and leaves of the kangaroo apple contain an alkaloid called solasodine. S. aviculare is now cultivated in Russia and Hungary for the solasidine which is extracted and used in the production of steroid based contraceptives. Goat’s foot (Ipomoea pes-caprae) Goat’s foot is common on the sand dunes of the upper north coast of New South Wales, and can also be found along the entire Queensland coastline. Communities from northern Australia and parts of New South Wales crushed and heated the leaves, then applied them directly to the skin for pain relief from sting ray and stone fish stings. As we continue our work in health that celebrates the power of plants, it's vital we acknowledge the deep well of knowledge held by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Bush medicine is not just a practice of the past. It’s a living, breathing tradition that deserves recognition, respect, and protection. This NAIDOC Week, may we listen more deeply, learn more openly, and honour the custodians of the oldest continuing culture on Earth.

The Legacy and Living Knowledge of First Nations Bush Medicine

I would like to acknowledge that this piece is written on the traditional lands of the Bunurong Boon Wurrung and Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung peoples of the Kulin Nation.

Why Representation and Cultural Diversity Matter in Holistic Health

Health isn’t one-size-fits-all. Our experiences of illness, healing, and wellbeing are shaped by culture, community, and identity, yet many healthcare systems still treat diversity as an afterthought.

Start your journey

We’re here to help you navigate your holistic health journey. Chat to us about your medical condition.