Month: May 2010

Categories
Herbs & Plants

Baphicacanthus cusia

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Botanical Name :Baphicacanthus cusia
Family : Acanthaceae
Genus: Baphicacanthus
Synonyms: Strobilanthes cusia – (Nees.)Kuntze.,Strobilanthes flaccidifolius – Nees.


Other Names: Natural Indigo , Indigo Naturalis, Baphicacanthus cusia (Nees) Bremek. Polygonum tinctorium Ait. ,Isatis indigotica Fort. Extract

Habitat: E. Asia – China, Japan and India. . Hilly areas. Usually found in wet places .

Description:
Perennial growing to 0.6m.
It is hardy to zone 0. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs)

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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 moist soil.

Cultivation :
This plant was formerly cultivated on quite a large scale as a dye plant in China and India, but has now been superseded by artificial dyes and is only grown on a small scale . A monocarpic plant, living for a number of years without flowering but then dying after flowering.

Propagation:
Through Seeds

Medicinal Uses:
Depurative; Febrifuge.
The roots and leaves are depurative and febrifuge. A decoction is used in the treatment of epidemic mumps, sore throat, erysipelas and fever-caused rashes.

Natural Indigo is the dried powder or mass prepared from the leaf or the stem and leaf of Baphicacanthus cusia (Ness) Bremek. (Fam. Acanthaceae),polygonum thinctorium Ait. (Fam. polygonaceae) or Isatis indigotica Fort. (Fam. Cruciferae).

Action: To remove toxic heat, to reduce heat in blood , and to relieve convulsions.


Indications: Eruptive epidemic diseases; spitting of blood and epistaxis due to heat in the blood chest pain and hemoptysis; ulcers in the mouth; mumps; pharyngitis, karyngitis; infantile convulsion.

Usage: Used for making pills or powder, appropriate quantity for external use.
Other Uses:-.….>.
Dye.
An indigo blue dye is obtained from the leaves.....CLICK & SEE.

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?Baphicacanthus+cusia
http://www.fzrm.com/plantextracts/Natural_Indigo_extract.htm

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Exercise

Line It Up for Upper-body Strength

This move helps develop strong muscles in the core and upper body. For maximum benefit, make sure that your knees, hips and shoulders are in a straight line before you try to lift yourself.
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Bend your knees and lie on your left side. Place your left elbow directly below your left shoulder, palm flat on the floor. Stack your knees and ankles on a round 36-inch foam roller, letting your outer left hip rest on the floor. Reach your right arm out to the side. Check that your hips are forward, in line with your knees.

On an inhale, press down against your left outer thigh and your left hand/forearm as you raise your hips off the floor. Contract your abdominals and keep your body in a straight line as you straighten your left leg. Balance in this position for six to 10 seconds. Focus on keeping your left shoulder pressed down away from your left ear. Slowly lower your hips, then repeat two more times on this side. Switch sides and repeat with your right forearm and hand on the floor.

Source: Los Angeles Times

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Healthy Tips

Green Tea Extract May be More Effective

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Green tea could raise your energy expenditure, and possibly even help battle obesity, according to a new study.

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Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), a compound found in green tea, was shown to increase fat oxidation by 33 percent.

This result comes from one of many studies that have looked at green tea’s potential in weight loss. EGCG has been shown to be a key component in many of these studies.

There are a number of ways the EGCG could help aid weight loss:

•It could increase metabolism and fat oxidation
•It could inhibit fat cell development
•It could increase fat excretion

You may click to see->Green tea extract may prevent fatty liver :

Reources:
NutraIngredients April 9, 2010
European Journal of Clinical Nutrition April 7, 2010 [Epub ahead of print]

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Categories
Herbs & Plants

Deltoid Balsamroot(Balsamorhiza deltoidea)

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Botanical Name : Balsamorhiza deltoidea
Family : Compositae / Asteraceae
Genus : Balsamorhiza
Common Name :  deltoid balsamroot.
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Asterales
Tribe: Heliantheae
Species: B. deltoidea

Habitat : Western N. America – British Columbia to California.Open places but not on thin soils.


Description:
This is a taprooted perennial herb growing erect to a maximum height near 90 centimeters. The stems are hairy and glandular. The large leaves are up to 25 centimeters long and 20 wide, and are roughly triangular in shape, hairy and glandular, and often toothed along the edges. The inflorescence bears usually one or sometimes a few large flower heads, each lined with hairy, pointed phyllaries up to 4 centimeters long. The head has a center of yellowish disc florets and a fringe of pointed yellow ray florets each up to 4 or 5 centimeters long. The fruit is an achene 7 to 8 millimeters in length.

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It is hardy to zone 5. It is in flower from May to June. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by Insects.

The plant prefers light (sandy) and medium (loamy) soils and requires well-drained soil. The plant prefers acid, neutral and basic (alkaline) soils. It cannot grow in the shade. It requires dry or moist soil.

Cultivation:
Requires a deep fertile well-drained loam in full sun. Plants strongly resent winter wet. Hardy to at least -25°c. Plants are intolerant of root disturbance and should be planted into their permanent positions whilst still small.

Propagation:
Seed – sow early spring in a greenhouse and only just cover the seed. Germination usually takes place within 2 – 6 days at 18°c. Either sow the seed in individual pots or pot up the seedlings as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in spring. Very difficult since the plant strongly resents root disturbance. It is probably best to take quite small divisions, or basal cuttings, without disturbing the main clump. Pot these up into individual pots and keep them in light shade in the greenhouse until they are growing away well. Plant them out in the summer if they have grown sufficiently, otherwise over-winter them in the greenhouse and plant out in late spring.

Edible Uses
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root; Seed.

Edible Uses: Coffee.

Root – raw or cooked. A sweet taste when cooked[161]. Young shoots – raw. Seed – raw or cooked. It can be ground into a powder and made into a bread. The ground seeds can be formed into cakes and eaten raw. The roasted root is a coffee substitute.

Medicinal Uses:
Miscellany.
A decoction of the split roots has been used in the treatment of coughs and colds.

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?Balsamorhiza+deltoidea
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=BADE2
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balsamorhiza_deltoidea
http://www.ubcbotanicalgarden.org/potd/2007/04/balsamorhiza_deltoidea.php
http://www.pbase.com/rodg/image/78822814

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