Month: July 2009

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Herbs & Plants

Digitalis Lanata

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Botanical Name:Grecian Foxglove
Family: Plantaginaceae
Genus: Digitalis
Species: D. lanata
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales
 Kingdom: Plantae

Synonym:Digitalis lamarckii auct. balcan.
Common Name:Woolly Foxglove, Grecian Foxglove
Other Common Names:Ari Quwani [E], Degitalis [E], Grecian Foxglove [H,P,B], Ke-Zigitarisu [E], Sahr Al Kishteban [E],

Habitat:Woodland, Dappled Shade, Shady Edge. Native to Eastern Europe.One of the biggest populations can be found near Bácsalmás in Hungary.
It grows on woods and scrub

Description:
An evergreen biennial/Perennial growing to 0.6m by 0.3m or about 13 to 26 inches. . It is in leaf all year, in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.
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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 dry or moist soil.

Digitalus lanata, like some other foxglove species, is highly toxic in all parts of the plant.

Grecian Foxglove produces spikes of white flowers each of which has purple veins. The flower spikes give the plant its height. Flowering occurs in early  summer. Volunteer plants will grow if the plant is allowed to form seed.

Cultivation:
An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil, especially if it is rich in organic matter. It prefers a neutral to acid soil and also succeeds in dry soils and, once established, is drought tolerant. It prefers semi-shade but succeeds in full sun if the soil is moist.

The Grecian foxglove is cultivated for the medicinally active glycosides that are contained in the leaves. This species is preferred over D. purpurea as a source of glycosides for the pharmaceutical industry.

Plants are either biennial or short-lived perennials.

Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer or rabbits.

This species can develop crown rot and root rot when growing in damp conditions.

Propagation: Grow new plants from seed.

Medicinal Uses:
The Grecian foxglove is a widely used herbal medicine with a recognised stimulatory effect upon the heart. It is also used in allopathic medicine as the main source of the cardiac glycosides that are used in the treatment of heart complaints. It has a profound tonic effect upon a diseased heart, enabling the heart to beat more slowly, powerfully and regularly without requiring more oxygen. At the same time it stimulates the flow of urine which lowers the volume of the blood and lessens the load on the heart. The plant contains cardiac glycosides (including digoxin, digitoxin and lanatosides). Digitoxin rapidly strengthens the heartbeat but is excreted very slowly. Digoxin is therefore preferred as a long-term medication.

The leaves are cardiac, diuretic, stimulant and tonic. The leaves should only be harvested from plants in their second year of growth, picked when the flowering spike has grown and about two thirds of the flowers have opened. Harvested at other times, there is less of the medically active alkaloid present. The seed has also been used in the past. The leaves also have a very beneficial effect on the kidneys, they are strongly diuretic and are used with benefit in the treatment of dropsy. Great care should be exercised in the use of this plant, the therapeutic dose is very close to the lethal dose. Their use should always be supervised by a qualified practitioner since in excess they cause nausea, vomiting, slow pulse, visual disturbance, anorexia and fainting.

A homeopathic remedy is made from the leaves[9]. It is used in the treatment of cardiac disorders

In 1775 Dr. William Withering, an English physician, discovered the efficacy of Digitalis purpurea in the treatment of severe congestive heart failure. He attributed its efficacy to a diuretic effect and published his findings based on clinical observations in 1785. The pharmacological properties of regulating the heart rate and rhythm and strengthening of the heart muscle were discovered later.
The German ophthalmologist and botanist Ernst Fuchs is responsible for giving foxglove its Latin name in the Linneal binomial system of the naming of plants. To him and others before him, each blossom resembled a thimble, so he arrived at digitalis from the Latin digitus, finger and alis, suffix meaning pertaining to the qualities or characteristics of a finger.
The thimble resemblance of the blossoms is also responsible for the English common name foxglove: “gloves for little folks”, and the common German name der Fingerhut which translates as the finger hat (a thimble).
Digitalis lamarckii auct. balcan. is a, it is still used by some for plants available in horticulture.

Commercial uses:
Digoxin, a drug which is used to treat some heart conditions, is extracted from the leaves of Digitalis lanata.

Known Hazards : All parts of the plant are poisonous.  Unsafe for self-medication. Monitoring by a physician to determine correct dose recommended. For overdose give activated charcoal. Can be fatal especially to children.

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/Digitalis_lanata
http://web1.msue.msu.edu/imp/modzz/00002107.html
http://www.piam.com/mms_garden/plants.html
http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Digitalis+lanata

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Healthy Tips News on Health & Science

Milk Reduces Calorie Intake

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Skim milk helps people feel full, thanks to its high protein content, lactose sugar and its thickness.

Researchers found that drinking fat free milk in the morning helped increase satiety and led to decreased calorie intake at the next meal, compared to a fruit drink. Those who drank milk ate about 50 fewer calories (or nearly nine percent less food) at lunch.

In the study, 34 overweight but otherwise healthy men and women participated in two testing sessions, one in which they were served about 20 ounces of fat free milk, and one in which they were served the same quantity of a fruit drink (each contributing 250 calories to their breakfast).

During the four hours between breakfast and lunch, the men and women gauged their feelings of fullness and were allowed to eat until they were comfortably full at lunch.

The researchers found that the milk-drinking adults reported feeling fuller and more satisfied and therefore ate fewer calories at lunch.

The researchers suspect that milk’s protein content (providing 16 percent of the daily value per cup), the lactose (the natural sugar in milk) or simply the thickness of the beverage may play a role in the satiety benefits.

And, research suggests choosing foods that can help enhance satiety is an important success factor in any weight management plan, according to a Eurekalert release.

These results are slated for publication in the July issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Source: The TimersOf India

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Very Little Sleep is Bad for Woman’s Heart but not Man’s

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Around a third of British adults regularly get less than five hours a night and previous studies have found that such lifestyles can raise the risk of diabetes and stroke, while more sleep reduces the chance of catching a cold.

But the imbalance between the sexes is a newer phenomenon.

Michelle Miller, professor of biochemical medicine at Warwick Medical School, who conducted the latest research, said everyone should aim for seven to eight hours’ shut-eye a night, but that it was particularly important for women.

‘These results support the idea that short sleep is associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk and that the association between sleep duration and cardiovascular risk factors is markedly different in men and women.’

The research, conducted jointly by Warwick University and University College London, found that the levels of two chemicals linked to heart problems vary significantly with sleep duration in women, but not men.

Levels of Interleukin-6, a marker related to coronary heart disease, were significantly lower in women who slept for eight hours rather than seven.

And levels of High-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), which can indicate a future risk of cardiovascular disease, were significantly higher in women who slept for five hours or less.

But among men, the differences were far less marked. Professor Miller said more study was needed to work out why this was, although she said differences in hormone levels may be to blame.

The study, published in the American journal Sleep, involved more than 4,600 civil servants from London, aged between 35 and 55. Some 73 per cent were men.

They were asked about length of sleep and their health was assessed by a screening examination, during which blood tests were taken.

June Davison, cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: ‘This study found that women – but not men – who sleep less tend to have indicators of increased inflammation.

It is thought that inflammation in our body is related to heart and circulatory disease.

‘Previous research suggests that a good night’s sleep may help to keep our heart and circulation healthy, and this study could point to an underlying reason behind that finding.’

Source: Mail Online . July 1st.’09

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Orange Juice May Damage Teeth Enamel

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Some juice is so acidic, it can take part of your teeth with it.

New warning: A U.S. expert says orange juice is so strong it can ‘literally wash away your teeth’

Fruit beverages can cut enamel hardness by 84 per cent causing teeth to erode more than previously thought, according to one U.S. expert.

Dr Yan-Fang Ren, of the Eastman Institute for Oral Health, at the University of Rochester Medical Centre in New York, said the acid in orange juice ‘is so strong that the tooth is literally washed away’.

Dr Ren and his team made the discovery after studying the effects of over-the-counter teeth whitening products.

He found the effect of six per cent hydrogen peroxide, the common ingredient used for teeth whitening, was ‘insignificant’ compared with acidic fruit juices.

The orange juice markedly cut hardness and increased roughness of tooth enamel.

The researchers used a revolutionary vertical scanning microscope for the first time to see the extensive surface detail on teeth.

It has long been known that fruit juice and carbonated drinks have high acid content and can reduce the strength of enamel.

Dentists have advised some of these drinks should only be consumed with a straw or at the same time as eating food.

But the damaging effects of drinks could be worse than previously thought, according to the article in the Journal of Dentistry.

Weakened and eroded enamel may speed up the wear of the tooth and increase the risk of tooth decay developing and spreading.

Dr Ren said: ‘Most soft drinks, including sodas and fruit juices, are acidic in nature.

‘Our studies demonstrated that the orange juice, as an example, can potentially cause significant erosion of teeth. It’s potentially a very serisevereous problem for people who drink sodas and fruit juices daily.

‘We do not yet have an effective tool to avert the erosive effects, although there are early indications that higher levels of fluoride may help slow down the erosion.’

Dr Ren advises consumers to be aware of the acidic nature of beverages, including sodas, fruit juices, sports and energy drinks.

The longer teeth are in contact with the acidic drinks, the more the erosion will be.

Those who sip their drinks slowly over 20 minutes are more likely to have tooth erosion than those who finish a drink quickly.

Dr Ren said it is important to keep good oral hygiene by brushing teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste.

The research comes after a recent study revealed that drinking fruit juice dramatically reduces the effectiveness of drugs used to treat cancer, heart conditions and high blood pressure.

Research has shown that orange, apple and grapefruit juice can also wipe out the benefits of some antibiotics and hay-fever pills.

It is thought the drinks stop drugs from entering the bloodstream and getting to work in the body – possibly rendering them useless.

The potential effects are so serious, researchers warned, that if in doubt patients should swap fruit juices for water when on medication.

Source: Mail Online. 2nd. July. ’09

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Digitalis ambigua(Perennial Foxglove)

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Botanical Name: Digitalis grandiflora
Family:Scrophulariaceae
Synonyms: Digitalis orientalis, Digitalis ambigua
Common Name: Yellow Foxglove
Genus:Digitalis

Habitat:Originating in mountainous woodland and stony habitats from Europe to western Asia, yellow foxglove is tolerant of dry shade but flourishes with moisture.


Description:
A short-lived perennial or biennial. Digitalis ‘Ambigua’ is a lovely shade of buttery yellow that blooms in June and July. Flower throats are speckled with mahogany-brown spots and are born are 24 – 30 inch arching stems. Foliage is very neat and a crisp dark green that looks great even when the plant is not in bloom. Plant this perennial Digitalis in partial shade in a soil that has been amended with plenty of organic matter. Plants will appreciate a deep watering during hot dry spells and benefit from a good layer of mulch. Mix Ambigua with ferns and blue hostas for a natural woodland look.
click to see the pictures……...(.1)..……..(2).…….…(3).……...(4).…….
It is an evergreen perennial growing to 0.9m by 0.3m . . It is in leaf all year, in flower from July to August, and the seeds ripen in September. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Bees.

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 dry or moist soil and can tolerate drought.

Arising in midsummer from neat clumps of fine-toothed foliage, a mass of soft yellow open bells, speckled brown inside, blooms along one side of a 3-foot-tall stem. Usually described as a perennial, it is more accurate to call it a biennial or short-lived perennial. If the flowering stalk is cut down after blooms have faded, it may rebloom in the fall. When a few flower stalks are left, the plant self-seeds.

Because of the shorter height of Yellow Foxglove, it can ramble along the edge of a path or nestle into the rock garden with ease. The pubescent, slightly gray leaves form tight rosettes that bear 2′ spikes with numerous soft, butter-yellow flowers splashed with tawny freckles inside. Plant standing above blue Spiderworts for a delicate and quietly charming combination. Not native.

Bloom color: Yellow
Bloom period: 26
Height: 2′
Spread: 2′
Zones: 3-8

Noteworthy characteristics: These low-maintenance plants bloom with colorful, vertical drama. Yellow foxglove, like all species in this genus, contains poisonous properties and should never be eaten. Deer will avoid it.

Cultivation details
An easily grown plant, succeeding in ordinary garden soil, especially if it is rich in organic matter[1]. It also succeeds in dry soils and, once established, is drought tolerant. It prefers semi-shade but succeeds in full sun if the soil is moist. Plants are hardy to about -20°c. Members of this genus are rarely if ever troubled by browsing deer and rabbits.

Propagation
Seed – surface sow early spring in a cold frame. The seed usually germinates in 2 – 4 weeks at 20°c[175]. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in the summer.

Medicinal Uses
Cardiac; Stimulant; Tonic.
The leaves are cardiac, stimulant and tonic. They are often used in the treatment of certain heart complaints. All species of the genus Digitalis contain cardiac glycosides in their roots, stems, leaves and blossoms. Cardiac glycosides are a group of chemical compounds that taken by mouth slow the rate and regulate the rhythm of the heart beat as well as strengthen the heart muscle. These chemical compounds are very complex. They are difficult and very expensive to synthesize in the laboratory. All sources of the digitalis cardiac glycosides are, therefore, plant materials grown in cultivation specifically for medicinal purposes. Preparations made of the dried ground leaves are no longer prescibed. Extracted compounds are prescribed instead.

Known Hazards: All parts of the plant are poisonous

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.gorgetopgardens.com/perennials/digitalis-ambigua.html
http://www.finegardening.com/plantguide/digitalis-grandiflora-foxglove.aspx
http://www.piam.com/mms_garden/plants.html
http://www.nichegardens.com/catalog/item.php?id=1293
http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Digitalis+grandiflora

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