Plants have always been an attractive source of new molecular entities, many of which hold potential for therapeutic purposes. From an analytical point of view, they pose a challenge since their compounds act in a synergistic way. Hence, powerful analytical techniques and data processing tools are put in place to unravel the green mystery. The aim of this mini review is to revisit key topics in the field of herbal medicines, such as main concepts of the trade, strategies to analyze complex mixtures, cutting-edge technologies and data processing tools to serve this purpose.Citation: Lucangioli SE, Wagner ML, Dobrecky CB. Herbal medicines on the spot: back to the green essentials.Citation: Lucangioli SE, Wagner ML, Dobrecky CB. Herbal medicines on the spot: back to the green essentials.Citation: Lucangioli SE, Wagner ML, Dobrecky CB. Herbal medicines on the spot: back to the green essentials.