Month: May 2010

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Herbs & Plants

Alpine Bistort(Polygonum viviparum)

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Botanical Name : Polygonum viviparum
Family : Polygonaceae
Genus : Polygonum
Synonyms : Bistorta vivipara – (L.)S.F.Gray. Polygonum viviparum, Persicaria vivipara.
Comon Name ;     Alpine Bistort,
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Caryophyllales
Species: P. viviparum

Habitat : It is common all over the high Arctic and northern regions of Europe, including Britain, Asia and America.It stretches further south in high mountainous areas like the Alps, Carpathians, Pyrenees, Caucasus and the Tibetan Plateau. Mountain grassland and wet rocks.Meadow; Cultivated Beds;

Description:
It is Perennial  and grows to 5-15 cm tall with a thick rootstock. The basal leaves are longish-elliptical with long stalks; upper ones are linear and stalkless. The flowers are white or pink in the upper part of the spike; lower ones are replaced by bulbils. Flowers rarely produce viable seeds and reproduction is normally by the bulbils. Very often a small leaf develops when the bulbil is still attached to the mother plant. The bulbils are rich in starch and are a preferred food for Ptarmigan and Reindeer; they are also occasionally used by Arctic people.
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Alpine Bistort grows in many different plant communities, very often in abundance.

As with many other alpine plants, Alpine Bistort is slow growing, with an individual leaf or inflorescence taking 3-4 years to reach maturity from the time it is formed

It is hardy to zone 3. It is in flower from June to August. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It can grow in semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Cultivation
Succeeds in an ordinary garden soil but prefers a moisture retentive not too fertile soil in sun or part shade. Repays generous treatment. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits. Plants do not often produce viable seed, reproducing by means of bulbils formed on the lower portion of the flowering stem.

Propagation
Seed – sow spring in a cold frame. Germination is usually free and easy. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer if they have reached sufficient size. If not, overwinter them in a cold frame and plant them out the following spring after the last expected frosts. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root; Seed.

Leaves – raw or cooked. They have a pleasant tart taste when cooked. Seed – raw or cooked. The seed is not often produced and even when it is, it is rather small and fiddly to utilize. It is rich in starch. It is pickled in Nepal. Root – raw or cooked. Starchy and pleasant but rather small. Sweet, nutty and wholesome. They taste best when roasted. Bulbils from lower part of flowering stem – raw.

Medicinal Actions & Uses
Astringent; Styptic.

The root is astringent and styptic. It is used in the treatment of abscesses, as a gargle to treat sore throats and spongy gums, and as a lotion for ulcers.

Known Hazards: Although no specific mention has been made for this species, there have been reports that some members of this genus can cause photosensitivity in susceptible people. Many species also contain oxalic acid (the distinctive lemony flavour of sorrel) – whilst not toxic this substance can bind up other minerals making them unavailable to the body and leading to mineral deficiency. Having said that, a number of common foods such as sorrel and rhubarb contain oxalic acid and the leaves of most members of this genus are nutritious and beneficial to eat in moderate quantities. Cooking the leaves will reduce their content of oxalic acid. People with a tendency to rheumatism, arthritis, gout, kidney stones or hyperacidity should take especial caution if including this plant in their diet since it can aggravate their condition.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider


Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Polygonum+viviparum
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polygonum_viviparum
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Polygonum_viviparum.jpg

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Link Between Vitamin D Insufficiency and Asthma Severity

In a study of more than 600 Costa Rican children, serum levels of vitamin D were inversely linked to several indicators of allergy and asthma severity, including hospitalizations for asthma, use of inhaled steroids and total IgE levels, providing evidence for a link between vitamin D insufficiency and asthma severity.

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While previous in vitro studies have suggested that vitamin D may affect how airway cells respond to treatment with inhaled steroids, this is the first in vivo study of vitamin D and disease severity in children with asthma.

The researchers recruited 616 children with asthma living in the Central Valley of Costa Rica, a country known to have a high prevalence of asthma. Each child was assessed for allergic markers, including both allergen-specific and general sensitivity tests, and assessed for lung function and circulating vitamin D levels. Children whose forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) exceeded 65 percent of the predicted value were also tested for airway reactivity.

They found that children with lower vitamin D levels were significantly more likely to have been hospitalized for asthma in the previous year, tended to have airways with increased hyperactivity and were likely to have used more inhaled corticosteroids, all signifying higher asthma severity. These children were also significantly more likely to have several markers of allergy, including dust-mite sensitivity.

“To our knowledge this is the first study to demonstrate an inverse association between circulating levels of vitamin D and markers of asthma severity and allergy,” wrote Juan Celedón and Augusto Litonjua, study authors. “While it is difficult to establish causation in a cross-sectional study such as this, the results were robust even after controlling for markers of baseline asthma severity.”

“This study suggests that there may be added health benefits to vitamin D supplementation” said Dr. Celedón. Current recommendations for optimal vitamin D levels geared toward preserving bone health, such as preventing rickets in children and osteoporosis in adults.

“This study also provides epidemiological support for a growing body of in vitro evidence that vitamin D insufficiency may worsen asthma severity, and we suspect that giving vitamin D supplements to asthma patients who are deficient may help with their asthma control” wrote Drs. Celedón and Litonjua, noting that a clinical trial should be the next step in this research. “Whether vitamin D supplementation can prevent the development of asthma in very young children is a separate question, which will be answered by clinical trials that are getting under way,” he said.

A complication is that vitamin D, unlike most other nutrients, is primarily synthesized in the body rather than consumed. Because about 90 percent of circulating vitamin D is produced by the body in response to sun exposure, deficiency is often related to behavioral issues rather than an inadequate dietary intake. Increased time spent indoors, increased use of sunscreen and sun-protective clothing all lead to decreased levels of vitamin D.

Obtaining sufficient vitamin D from natural food sources alone can be difficult. In some people, dietary supplements might be required to meet the daily need for vitamin D.

“Ultimately, it is only by investigating the effects of vitamin D in doses at, and above, those currently recommended that decisions can be made on the optimal intake of vitamin D and the possible prevention and treatment of asthma,” wrote Graham Devereux, M.D., of the Department of Environmental and Occupational Medicine at the University of Aberdeen.

Source:Elements4Health

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Herbs & Plants

Hard Fern (Blechnum spicant)

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Botanical Name :Blechnum spicant
Family : Blechnaceae
Genus : Blechnum
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Pteridophyta
Class: Pteridopsida
Order: Athyriales
Species: B. spicant

Synonyms :        Lomaria spicant – (L.)Desv.
Common Names:   Deer fern or Hard fern

Habitat : It is native to Europe and western North America.  Grows most of Europe, including Britain, N. Africa, Japan, Western N. America.  Woods, heaths, moors, mountain grassland and on rocks, to 1200 metres.  Woodland Garden; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; Deep Shade; Ground Cover;

Description:
An evergreen Fern growing to 0.3m by 0.3m at a slow rate.  Like some other Blechnum it has two types of leaves. The sterile leaves have flat, wavy-margined leaflets 5 to 8 millimeters wide, while the fertile leaves have much narrower leaflets, each with two thick rows of sori on the underside.
It is hardy to zone 5. It is in leaf all year, and the seeds ripen from June to August.

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Deer fern fronds are dimorphic.  Sterile leaves are evergreen and are  spreading or appressed to the ground.  They are usually 4 to 16 inches (10-40 cm) long.  Fertile leaves are fewer in number, deciduous, and  much longer than the sterile leaves.  Sporangia are confluent and  parallel to the midrib.  Deer fern has woody rhizomes

The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils, requires well-drained soil and can grow in heavy clay soil. The plant prefers acid and neutral soils and can grow in very acid soil. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It requires moist soil.

Cultivation
A calcifuge plant, it prefers a moist shady nook in the rock garden or a position in open woodland in a moist soil. Succeeds in quite dense tree shade if the soil is moist. Prefers a moist position and a northerly aspect but succeeds in sun and in clay soils. A polymorphic and very ornamental species, there are several named varieties. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer.

Propagation
Spores – best sown as soon as they are ripe on the surface of a humus-rich sterilized soil. Keep the compost moist, preferably by putting a plastic bag over the pot. Pot on small clumps of plantlets as soon as they are large enough to handle and keep humid until they are well established. Overwinter for the first year in a greenhouse and plant outside in late spring or early summer. Division in spring or autumn. Larger divisions can be planted straight into their permanent positions whilst smaller clumps are best potted up and kept in a cold frame until they are growing away well.

Cultivars
There are some named forms for this species, but these have been developed for their ornamental value and not for their other uses. Unless you particularly require the special characteristics of any of these cultivars, we would generally recommend that you grow the natural species for its useful properties. We have, therefore, not listed the cultivars in this database.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root.

Root – cooked. An emergency food, used when all else fails. Young shoots (often called croziers) – cooked. The young tender stems can be peeled and the centre portion eaten. An emergency food, it is only used when all else fails. It is also chewed to alleviate thirst on long journeys.

Medicinal Actions &  Uses
Astringent; Cancer; Skin; Stomachic.

The leaflets have been chewed in the treatment of internal cancer, lung disorders and stomach problems. The fronds are used externally as a medicine for skin sores. A decoction of the root has been used in the treatment of diarrhoea.

Other Uses
Ground cover.
A good ground cover plant. Relatively slow growing but succeeding in the dense shade of trees.


Known Hazards :  Although it is  found that no reports of toxicity for this species, a number of ferns contain carcinogens so some caution is advisable. Many ferns also contain thiaminase, an enzyme that robs the body of its vitamin B complex. In small quantities this enzyme will do no harm to people eating an adequate diet that is rich in vitamin B, though large quantities can cause severe health problems. The enzyme is destroyed by heat or thorough drying, so cooking the plant will remove the thiaminase.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider


Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Blechnum+spicant
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blechnum_spicant
http://www.fs.fed.us/database/feis/plants/fern/blespi/all.html

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Herbs & Plants

Agaricus blazei mushroom

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Botanical Name :Agaricus blazei
Family: Agaricaceae
Genus: Agaricus
Kingdom: Fungi
Subkingdom: Dikarya
Phylum: Basidiomycota
Subphylum: Agaricomycotina
Class: Agaricomycetes
Order: Agaricales
Species: A. subrufescens
Common  Names: Agaricus Blazei Murill Mushroom, Almond mushroom, or Himematsutake, (Japan) Cogumelo do Sol (Brazil)

Habitat :Agaricus subrufescens forms fruitbodies singly or in clusters in leaf litter in rich soil, often in domestic habitats. It was originally described from the northeastern United States, but has been found growing in California, Hawaii, Great Britain, the Netherlands, Israel, Taiwan, and Brazil.

Agaricus subrufescens Peck was cultivated first in the late 1800s in eastern North America. The type consists partly of cultivated material and partly of field-collected specimens. Once a popular market mushroom, the species faded from commerce in the early 20th century. More recently, a mushroom species growing wild in Brazil has been introduced into cultivation in Brazil, Japan and elsewhere. This Brazilian mushroom has been referred to by various names, most commonly as A. blazei Murrill (sensu Heinemann) and most recently as A. brasiliensis Wasser et al.

Description:
Mushroom is generally described as having small to large fruit bodies with white, yellow or brown pileus; free lamellae that are pallid or pinkish when young, later becoming chocolate-brown; and also dark-brown, smooth basidiospores.

click to see the pictures…..>....(01)……......(1).…...(2).….(3)…...(4).
The cap is initially hemispherical, later becoming convex, with a diameter of 5 to 18 centimetres (2.0 to 7.1 in). The cap surface is covered with silk-like fibers, although in maturity it develops small scales (squamulose). The color of the cap may range from white to grayish or dull reddish-brown; the cap margin typically splits with age. The flesh of A. subrufescens is white, and has the taste of “green nuts”, with the odor of almonds.The gills are not attached to the stalk (free), narrow, and crowded closely together. They start out whitish in color, then later pinkish and finally black-brown as the spores mature. Spores are ellipsoid, smooth, dark-purplish brown when viewed microscopically, with dimensions of 6–7.5 by 4–5 µm. The stipe is 6 to 15 centimetres (2.4 to 5.9 in) by 1 to 1.5 centimetres (0.39 to 0.59 in) thick, and bulbous at the base. Initially solid, the stipe becomes hollow with age; it is cottony (floccose) to scaly towards the base. The annulus is abundant and double-layered; it is bent downwards towards the stem, smooth and whitish on the upper side, and covered with cottony scales on the lower side.


Cultivation:….   click for picture
First, the correct compost must be prepared. Then the compost is  pasteurize and sterilize  to make sure that the compost is not contaminated with other fungi, insects and bacteria. Once the compost has been prepared correctly,  then inoculate the compost with agaricus blazei murill mushroom hyphae. Then the compost material with the fully developed agaricus blazei murill mushroom mycelia is placed on open land that has ample sunlight. A layer of sterilized and treated soil is used to cover the mushroom bed. Once in place, the agaricus blazei murill mushroom receives plenty of water to keep the soil and compost layers moist. Without sufficient moisture, ABM (agaricus blazei murill mushroom) will not fruit. Once the agaricus blazei murill mushroom is ready to harvest,  harvest the ABM (agaricus blazei murill mushroom) as quick as possible since agaricus blazei murill mushroom starts to spoil very rapidly. The ABM (agaricus blazei murill mushroom) is rinsed and cut into halves and readied for drying. Drying is done through a slow drying process at temperatures of 40º Celsius to about 43º Celsius. It is very important to dry the agaricus blazei murill mushroom slowly so that the ABM does not cook or become shocked.

Edible uses:
Agaricus subrufescens is a choice edible, with a somewhat sweet taste and fragrance of almonds. The almond smell of the mushroom is mostly due to the presence of benzaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, benzonitrile, and methyl benzoate.
You may click to see ->Agaricus Blazei Murill Mushroom Recipes

Commercial uses:
Due to the fact Agaricus subrufescens contains a high level of beta glucans, compounds known for stimulating the immune system, the fungus is used in oncological therapy in Japan and Brazil. In addition to beta-glucans, the mushroom’s effect on the immune system is believed to be due to other polysaccharides such as alpha-glucans. In Japan, Agaricus subrufescens is sold under the brand names Sen-Sei-Ro Gold, and ABMK, and is used by an estimated 500,000 people In Japan, Agaricus subrufescens is also the most popular complementary and alternative medicine used by cancer patients. Although Agaricus subrufescens is cultivated in the United States, the largest exporters are China and Brazil. It has been noted in a scientific review of A. subrufescens research, that the range of quality in A. subrufescens cultivation can affect the mushroom’s ability to impact cells of the immune system.

Recently, Watanabe et al. published a report in the Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin on a novel hybrid of A. subrufescens called Basidiomycetes-X (BDM-X) and a US patent  was issued on a novel hybrid of the A. subrufescens edible mushroom which was cross-bred (hybridized) with another medicinal mushroom resulting in a new hybrid claimed to possess 10 to 3000 times the potency of similar but unpatented mushrooms.

Medicinal Actions & Uses:
This mushroom is also well known as a medicinal mushroom, for its purported medicinal properties, due to research which indicates it may stimulate the immune system. A. blazei has been used in complementary and alternative medicine to treat many immune disorders and is being studied as a treatment for cancer. It was traditionally used to treat many common diseases like cardiovascular disease, hepatitis, high blood cholesterol, diabetes, and skin .

Many researchers have studied Agaricus subrufescens, as well as other medicinal mushrooms for close to 50 years, due to laboratory tests which show they may stimulate immune system cells and the production of immune system cytokines. This research  is often based on animal or cellular models. Research conducted on the mushroom’s ability to impact the human immune system or human diseases is “beneficial”.

Immune system
Cellular and animal research has shown that Agaricus subrufescens may stimulate immune system cells and the production cytokines, like interferons and interleukins (reviewed by G. Hetland).

Direct anti-viral properties
Agaricus subrufescens mushrooms are known to have anti-viral properties in cell culture. The ability of Agaricus subrufescens to inhibit viruses in the human body has not been studied. Other mushrooms are also known to have anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal activity in cell culture.

Other possible effects:
Besides evidence Agaricus subrufescens may up-regulate the immune system, additional research suggests the mushroom has a beneficial effect on cholesterol, inhibiting pathogenic factors, and inhibiting angiogenesis.

ABM has been shown to have a beneficial effect on various ailments:

Cancer: Studies on the agaricus blazei murill mushrooms have shown that the mushroom may be helpful in various types of cancer. As with other therapies, this is a natural therapy and you should consult a doctor or seek medical advise.

Diabetes: Studies have shown that agaricus blazei mushrooms may help to reduce blood glucose levels .
Hepatitis: Studies have shown that ABM may be helpful in certain cases of Hepatitis
Studies have shown that ABM may also help to reduce high blood pressure and cholesterol.

Limited clinical and animal research suggests, Agaricus subrufescens consumption may lower blood glucose levels and improve insulin resistance.

You may click to see:-
Beta-glucan
List of Agaricus species
Medicinal mushrooms

Taxonomy
Agaricus subrufescens was first described by the American botanist Charles Horton Peck in 1893. During the late 19th and early 20th century, it was cultivated for the table in the eastern United States. It was discovered again in Brazil during the 1970s, and misidentified as Agaricus blazei Murrill, a species originally described from Florida. It was soon marketed for its purported medicinal properties under various names, including ABM (for Agaricus blazei Murill), Cogumelo do Sol (mushroom of the sun), Cogumelo de Deus (mushroom of God), Cogumelo de Vida (mushroom of life), Himematsutake, Royal Sun Agaricus, Mandelpilz, and Almond Mushroom.

In 2002, Didukh and Wasser correctly rejected the name A. blazei for this species, but unfortunately called the Brazilian fungus A. brasiliensis,[3] a name that had already been used for a different species, Agaricus brasiliensis Fr. (1830). Richard Kerrigan undertook genetic and interfertility testing on several fungal strains   and showed that samples of the Brazilian strains called A. blazei and A. brasiliensis were genetically similar to, and interfertile with, North American populations of Agaricus subrufescens. These tests also found European samples called A. rufotegulis to be of the same species. Because A. subrufescens is the oldest name, it has taxonomical priority.

Note that Agaricus blazei Murrill is a perfectly valid name, but for a completely different mushroom. Agaricus silvaticus Schaeff. is also a perfectly valid name for a common, north temperate, woodland mushroom. Neither is a synonym of Agaricus subrufescens.

You may click to see:-Agaricus Mushroom extract supplement health benefit and side effects, dosage and review

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider
Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agaricus_subrufescens
http://www.anniesremedy.com/herb_detail443.php
http://www.americannutrition.com/store/Agaricus_Blazei_Murill_Mushroom.html?gclid=CI7dpvWL8aECFV195Qod_l0Lmg

http://www.agaricusfarm.com/our-agaricus-blazei-murill-s/27.htm

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Herbs & Plants

Trumpet Creeper (Campsis grandiflora)

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Botanical Name : Campsis grandiflora
Family : Bignoniaceae
Genus : Campsis
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales
Species: C. grandiflora

Synonyms : Bignonia chinensis – Lam.,Bignonia grandiflora – Thunb.,Campsis adrepens – Lour.,Campsis chinensis – Voss.,Tecoma grandiflora – (Thunb.)Loisel.
Common Name : Chinese Trumpet Vine
Habitat :   A native of East Asia, China and Japan  . Climbs into trees and grows on rocks.
Woodland Garden; Ground Cover;

Description:
It is a fast growing, deciduous creeper with large, orange, trumpet-shaped flowers in summer. It can grow to a height of 9 meters. It is less hardy than its relative Campsis  radicans.The dark green leaves have serrated edges.Chinese trumpet  creeper is a showcase drop-dead,absolutely gorgeous vine, the perfectplant for that special full sun spot. Positioned so the backdrop is a dark  evergreen, the plant literally erupts  into a carpet of three-inch reddishorange  flowers tinged with yellow and salmon hues. On a post, this bright  petunia-on-a-stick will shock and awe  the most jaded of gardeners. At the  SFA Mast Arboretum, flowering rolls in  on a surge in early summer. The show lasts a month, and then the vine  casually throws a few flowers off and  on for the rest of the year, depending  on plant health.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES.

Leaves are decidious, 8-12 in (20-30 cm) long, serrated, green to dark-green, pinnate, with 7-9 lanceolate and oval leaflets.
Flowers appear in summer. They are trumpet shaped, orange or red and grouped in terminal clusters of 6-12 flowers. Each flower is about 4-6 in (10-15 cm) long.
Fruits are flattened pods that contain numerous winged seeds.

Campsis grandiflora prefers well drained sandy soil and a position with full sun and support to climb. The dark green leaves have serrated edges.

It is hardy to zone 7 and is frost tender. It is in leaf from June to October, in flower from August to September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)
The plant prefers light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires moist soil. The plant can tolerate maritime exposure.

Cultivation :
Succeeds in a good well-drained loam and a very sunny position  or light shade. Tolerates moderately alkaline or moderately acid soils.  Dormant plants are hardy to about -10°c, though they require a sunny sheltered wall or hot summers if they are to flower well. The fresh young growth in spring is often damaged by late frosts. Plants can take some years to settle down before they start to flower. They climb by means of aerial roots but need to be supported. Another report says that this species does not produce aerial roots. Plants can be pruned like grapes (Vitis spp.) and any pruning is best done in the spring.  The sub-species C. grandiflora thunbergii tolerates saline winds. Hybridizes freely with other members of this genus.

Propagation:
Seed – sow spring in a greenhouse at 10°c. Two months stratification at 5°c assists germination. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in a greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of almost ripe wood, 7 – 10cm long, July/August in a frame. Slow to root but a fair percentage. Root cuttings 5cm long in December. Fair to good percentage. Division of suckers in the dormant season. Layering in winter. Plants often self-layer

Medicinal  Actions & Uses
Blood tonic; Carminative; Diuretic; Febrifuge; Women’s complaints.

The flowers and the whole plant are blood tonic, carminative, depurative diuretic and febrifuge. They are used in the treatment of women’s complaints. A decoction of the flowers is used to correct menstrual disorders, rheumatoid pains, traumatic injuries, difficult urination, pruritis and oozing dermaphytoses.

Other Uses:
Ground cover.

Plants can be allowed to scramble on the ground and will form an effective ground cover, rooting at intervals along the branches. They should be planted about 2.5 metres apart each way.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.pfaf.org/database/plants.php?Campsis+grandiflora
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Campsis_grandiflora

Click to access Campsis%20grandiflora.pdf

http://coolexotics.com/plant-521-campsis-grandiflora.html
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Campsis_grandiflora

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