Panacea was a minor goddess in Greek mythology but her name survives today (with a lowercase p) as a term used for a cure-all or remedy for all ills or diseases.

Panacea means "heal-all" and the goddess personified healing through herbs. In some versions of her story, she is the daughter of Asclepius, the god of medicine, and others she is his sister or his wife. Her sister is Hygieia.

In the Middle Ages, the name was applied to a mythical herb supposed to possess a cure-all quality. Some herbs that have been considered panaceas include mistletoe, yarrow, and valerian.