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Colchicum Luteum

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Botanical Name: Colchicum luteum
Family: Colchicaceae
Tribes: Colchiceae
Genus: Colchicum
Species: Colchicum luteum

Common names: hirantutiya (India), sunanjan-e-talkh (Pakistan), suranjan (India), virkum (India), Gelbe Zeitlose

Habitat:Colchicum luteum is native to E. Asia – China to the Himalayas.  It grows on stony or earthy hillsides and alpine meadows at higher altitudes.

 Description
Colchicum is an annual herb growing to 0.1 m (0ft 4in) by 0.1 m (0ft 4in). with narrow leaves and yellow flowers and fruits with recurved tips..It is almost conical in shape,flattened on one side and round on the other.It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from Apr to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees, flies, self.The plant is self-fertile.
Suitable for: medium (loamy) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It prefers moist soil…..CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Cultivation:
Prefers a rich well-drained loam that does not dry out rapidly in summer. Requires a very sunny position. This species is hardy to at least -15°c. Plants can take 4 – 5 years to flower when grown from seed. Plants seem to be immune to the predations of rabbits.

Propagation:
Seed – best sown as soon as it is ripe in early summer in a seed bed or a cold frame. Germination can be very slow, taking up to 18 months at 15°c. It is best to sow the seed thinly so that it is not necessary to transplant the seedlings for their first year of growth. Apply a liquid fertilizer during their first summer, however, to ensure they get sufficient nourishment. Prick out the seedlings once they are dormant, putting perhaps 2 plants per pot, and grow them on in a greenhouse or frame for at least a couple of years. Plant them out into their permanent positions when they are dormant. The seedlings take 4 – 5 years to reach flowering size. Division of the bulbs in June/July when the leaves have died down. Larger bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up the smaller bulbs and grow them on in a cold frame for a year before planting them out. The plant can be divided every other year if a quick increase is required.

 

Constituents:  The chief constituent of colchicum is an alkaloid known as colchicines.

The chief constituent of colchicum is alkaloid ,colchicine, which occurs in the form of yellow flakes ,crystals or as whitish yellow amorphous powder.This alkaloid is also used in conventional medicines in the treatment of acute gout.

Parts used : Seed, corm, flower

The seeds are analgesic, antirheumatic, cathartic and emetic. They are used mainly in the treatment of gouty and rheumatic complaints, usually accompanied with an alkaline diuretic

Medicinal uses:

The corms are alterative, aphrodisiac, carminative and laxative. They are used in India to treat gout, rheumatism and diseases of the liver and spleen. They contain the toxic alkaloid ‘colchicine’ which is used externally to relieve pain. The dried corms contain around 0.25% colchicine and the seed about 0.4%.

Colchicum is a medicine of great repute.It is mostly used in Afghanistan and northern India.Its medical properties were well known even amongst the Arabs.As an effective Allopathic medicine colchicum is used beneficially in Gout.

Actions : Aperient, alternative, aphrodisiac, carminative, and laxative.

Gouts:Colchicum is useful in relieving pain and inflamation of gout.Clinical experiments with colchicum in small dose over a long period have shown effective results. The seeds, chiefly the rind, also contaning colchicine may be used in the treatment of gout.

Rheumatism:The drug is very beneficial in the treatment of rheumatic swelling.A paste made with saffron and egg can be applied beneficially to rheumatic and other form of swellings.

Wounds:Dried and powdered roots of the plant is very useful in healing the wounds.It should be sprinkled on the affected areas.

Therapeutic uses :In Arthritis and related disorders

Modern science has established that colchicines relieves pain and inflammation of gout. The corms and seeds are used in the treatment of Arthritis. It is considered one of the best remedies for acute gout. Its paste is also used as an external applicant in pain and inflammations..
It is used in spleen and liver problems . It is also useful in prostate enlargement and dropsy.

Mode of Administration and Dosage

For an acute attack of gout, an initial oral dose equivalent to 1 milligram of Colchicum, followed by 0.5 to 1.5 milligrams every 1 to 2 hours until the pain subsides, can be taken. But the total dose should not exceed 8 milligrams of Colchicum per day.

Precautions: It has very bitter taste.It has an action similar to that of colchicine,but the latter is active and toxin.When taken in large dose, it may cause intestinal pain,diarrhoea and vomiting.The regular use of drug can cause severe irritation in the intestines. To counteract this, it is advisable to use the drugwith belladonna.
It is contraindicated during pregnancy and lactation. Long-term use of Colchicum can cause kidney and liver damage. For adults, a dose of only 5 grams of Colchicum seeds can prove fatal. For a child , the lethal dose is 1 to 1.5 grams. A mere 200 milligrams of the active ingredient Colchicum is sufficient to cause death.

Other Uses:
The following notes are for C. autumnale. Since this plant also contains colchicine it can be assumed that it has the same uses. The poisonous alkaloid ‘colchicine’ is extracted from this plant and used to alter the genetic make-up of plants in an attempt to find new, improved varieties. It works by doubling the chromosome number
Known Hazards: All parts of the plant, but especially the bulb, are poisonous. They cause vomiting, violent purging, serious inflammation of the stomach and bowels, and death. Handling the corms can cause skin allergies in some people.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein by 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:
Miracles of Herbs,
http://www.aboutayurveda.info/HerbsUsedInArthritis/ColchicumLeteum.html

https://species.wikimedia.org/wiki/Colchicum_luteum

http://www.pfaf.org/user/Plant.aspx?LatinName=Colchicum+luteum

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.If you didn’t grow up with an altar in your home, having an altar now may seem like an exotic and unattainable idea. Yet having an altar does not have to be complicated or difficult, nor does it need to be based on a religion or a set of ideas that don’t seem to relate to you. An altar can be a simple, personal expression of what you want to focus on right now. You do not have to build anything or take up a lot of space. You do not have to buy anything new or follow a complex set of instructions to create your altar. All you have to do is have a general understanding of what an altar is and the willingness to allow yourself access to this wonderful, ancient tool of transformation.

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At its most essential, an altar is simply a raised structure that serves as a resting place for meaningful objects. It focuses the eye and provides a place for contemplation and, if so desired, ritual. All of these elements can be quite simple. One idea for a simple altar is a pot with a bulb planted in it, set on a box. This altar to growth can act as a reminder to you that all living things bloom in their time. A simple ritual might be to write down dreams you would like to see come to fruition on scraps of paper. You might place these scraps of paper in the box, or under the flowerpot, or in an envelope you prop against the pot. As the flower grows, so will your dreams.

CLICK & SEE :  : The ancient Altar of Pergamon, reconstructed at the Pergamon museum, Berlin

If you look around your home, you may find that you have already created altarlike arrangements without even really thinking about it; this is something we humans do quite naturally. A candle, a decorative box, and a vase of flowers are just a few of the common household objects that lend themselves naturally to the creation of an altar. Simply add intention and intuition, and you have created your first altar. Remember that it isn’t necessarily about the objects you place at your altar-it is the time you spend with it daily, taking the time to be with it for your sacred time.

Source:Daily Om

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