Month: October 2010

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News on Health & Science

Black Rice May Help Soothe Asthma and Allergy Inflammation

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Scientists are reporting evidence that black rice — a little-known variety of the grain that is the staple food for one-third of the world population — may help soothe the inflammation involved in allergies, asthma, and other diseases.

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Mendel Friedman and colleagues point out that their previous research showed several potential health benefits of eating black rice bran. Bran is the outer husk of the grain, which is removed during the processing of brown rice to produce the familiar white rice. Those experiments, which were done in cell cultures, hinted that black rice bran suppressed the release of histamine, which causes inflammation.

In the new study, they tested the effects of black rice bran extract on skin inflammation in laboratory mice. When they injected the extract into the mice, it reduced skin inflammation by about 32 percent compared to control animals and also decreased production of certain substances known to promote inflammation. Brown rice bran extract did not have these effects, they say. When the scientists fed the mice a diet containing 10 percent black rice bran, it reduced swelling associated with allergic contact dermatitis, a common type of skin irritation. The findings “further demonstrate the potential value of black rice bran as an anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic food ingredient and possibly also as a therapeutic agent for the treatment and prevention of diseases associated with chronic inflammation,” the article notes.

You may click to see :

What is Black Rice exactly?

Black rice is the new cancer-fighting superfood

More antioxidants found in black rice than blueberries

Source: Elements4Health  :

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New Norms to Ease Back Pain

An association of doctors has pencilled India’s first formal guidelines for pain diagnosis and treatment amid concern that Indian patients are either under-treated or over-treated for acute and chronic pain.

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The Indian Society for the Study of Pain (ISSP) will release its pain management protocols for low back pain next week, to be followed later by protocols for other conditions, from headaches and neck and joint pain to pain related to cancer or trauma.

Limited surveys suggest that one in five patients in India with chronic pain do not find relief despite being under medical treatment, specialists in the ISSP said.

“We believe there is under-treatment, over-treatment, direct over-the-counter purchase of medicines by patients, and erratic treatment,” said Parmanand Jain, ISSP president and professor of anaesthesia at the Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai. “We’re hoping these pain management algorithms will improve this situation.”

The protocols, developed primarily for the medical community, will provide a well- defined sequence of diagnostic investigations and the line of treatment for specific conditions associated with acute or chronic pain.

Pain specialists are hoping the protocols will also help keep patients away from diagnostic procedures such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, and even surgery, when they are not required.

Patients with low back pain are usually given mild painkillers and advised rest. If the pain doesn’t go away or gets worse and MRI scans show degenerative changes in the vertebral discs, it doesn’t mean surgery is required.

“Three out of four persons without any back pain may also show changes in MRI scans. So, the changes (in those with pain) may not be causing the pain at all,” said K. Jawahar Choudhury, senior pain management consultant at Apollo Hospital, Delhi.

As for over-treatment, many pain specialists believe the long-term abuse of painkillers is contributing significantly to the country’s burden of kidney disease.

But ISSP members concede that doctors in India are sometimes compelled to prescribe inappropriate treatment to cancer patients because morphine, a key pain-killer, isn’t easily available. The drug is distributed only through licensed clinics.

“We’ve been telling the narcotics control bureau to expand the distribution of morphine,” said Geeta Joshi, anaesthesiology professor at the Regional Cancer Centre, Ahmedabad. India’s per head consumption of morphine is 0.6mg, whereas the world and US figures are 5.93mg and 76mg, respectively.


Source : The Telegraph ( Kolkata, India)

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Herbs & Plants

Murrya exotica (Kaminy)

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Botanical Name : Murrya exotica/Murraya paniculata
Family: Rutaceae
Genus: Murraya
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Sapindales
Species: M. paniculata

Synonyms and Common & Local Names:
Taxonomical synonyms for M. paniculata are: Chalcas exotica (L.) Millsp, Chalcas paniculata L. (basionym),Murraya exotica L.

Common names:Orange Jessamine, Chinese box, “mock orange”, Mock lime, Satinwood , or Lakeview Jasmine (mainly in Florida)
Burmese: jyzana (from Pali yojana)
Bengali: Kamini
Hindi: Kamini
Kannada: Kadu karibevu
Malay: Kemuning
Manipuri: Kamini kusum
Marathi: Kunti
Mandarin Chinese:(Pinyin: yué jú “moon tangerine”)
Tagalog: Kamuning
Telugu: Nagagolungu
Tamil: Kattu Kariyilai or Vengarai
Vietnamese: Nguyet que.

Habitat :M. paniculata is a native of South and Southeast Asia, China and Australasia. It is naturalised in southern USA.
Grows in China, India, Sri Lanka, the AndamanIslands, Myanmar, Thailand, Kampuchea, Viet Nam, Malaysia, northeastern Australia, NewCaledonia, and Taiwan (Parrotta 2001). Inaddition, the shrub has been planted throughout the Tropics and has naturalized in many locations including Puerto Rico (author’s observation).

Description:
Orange Jessamine is a small, tropical, evergreen tree or shrub growing up to 7 m tall. The plant flowers throughout the year. Its leaves are glabrous and glossy, occurring in 3-7 oddly pinnate leaflets which are elliptic to cuneate-obovate to rhombic. Flowers are terminal, corymbose, few-flowered, dense and fragrant. Petals are 12–18 mm long, recurved and white (or fading cream). The fruit of Murraya paniculata is fleshy, oblong-ovoid, coloured red to orange, and grows up to 1 inch in length.

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Kamini is a large, multi-trunked shrub, but can grow to become a small tree. It can be pruned and also grown as garden hedge! The evergreen leaflets are dark green and pinnately compound with three to nine leaflets arranged alternately along the spine. The dark green leaves make a dramatic backdrop for the highly fragrant cream colored flowers. The shrub blooms most of the year. The flowers are followed by small oval red fruits with one or two seeds.

Cultivation:
Follow a regular watering schedule during the first growing season to establish a deep, extensive root system. Feed with a general purpose fertilizer before new growth begins in spring. For a tidy, neat appearance, shear annually to shape. Pruning time: winter.

Propagation:
The Orange Jessamine is sexually propagated by its seeds. The fruits are eaten by birds, who then pass the seeds out in their stool. It may also be artificially propagated by softwood cuttings.

Medicinal Uses
Traditionally, Murraya paniculata is used both in traditional medicine as an analgesic and for wood (for tool handles).

In the West, Murraya paniculata is cultured as an ornamental tree or hedge because of its hardiness, wide range of soil tolerance (M. paniculata may grow in alkaline, clayey, sandy, acidic and loamy soils), and is suitable for larger hedges. The plant flowers throughout the years and produces small, fragrant flower clusters which attract bees, while the fruits attract small frugivorous birds.

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/Murraya_paniculata
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Kamini.html

http://www.monrovia.com/plant-catalog/plants/1867/orange-jessamine.php

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Herbs & Plants

Kaashful(Saccharum spontaneum)

Botanical  Name: Saccharum spontaneum L.

Family: Poaceae
Kingdom: Plantae/ Poaceae
Genus: Saccharum
Order: Poales
Species: S. spontaneum
Common Name :Kans grass
Hindi Name: Kans, Kansi, Kas.
Bengali Name :Kaasful
Parts Used:Whole herb, Roots.

Habitat :Kans grass (Saccharum spontaneum) is a grass native to south Asia. It grows as wasteland weed.
Mountain slopes , gravelly river beds , low grassy places, forming colonies; below 2000 m. Anhui, Fujian, Guangdong, Guangxi, Guizhou, Hainan, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangsu, Jiangxi, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Taiwan, Xinjiang, Xizang, Yunnan, Zhejiang [Afghanistan, Bhutan, Cambodia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Myanmar, New Guinea, Pakistan, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Thailand, Turkmenistan, Vietnam; Africa, SW Asia, Australia, Pacific Islands

Description:

It is a perennial grass, growing up to three meters in height, with spreading rhizomatous roots. Culms 1-4 m tall, 0.4-1 cm in diam., 5-10-noded, often hollow in center, nodes bearded , softly pilose below inflorescence. Leaf sheaths pilose at mouth and margin , sometimes tuberculate-pilose throughout; leaf blades 60-180 × 0.2-0.8 cm, glaucous, glabrous , margins serrate, tapering to midrib at base , apex long attentuate; ligule brown, 2-8 mm. Panicle 20-40 cm, axis silky pilose; racemes 4-17 cm; rachis internodes 1.5-5 mm, pilose with long silky hairs. Spikelets 3-4 mm; callus hairs 3-4 times length of spikelet; lower glume papery and dark brown below middle at maturity, membranous and pallid above, back glabrous, margins ciliate above, apex acuminate; lower lemma ovate-lanceolate, equal to glumes; upper lemma linear or linear-oblong, awnless. Lodicules ciliate. Anthers 3, 1.5-2 mm. Fl. and fr. Jul-Sep. 2n = 40-128.

click to see the pictures…...…(1)..….(2)....………………………..

There are numerous local strains comprising a complex series of chromosome numbers. This species hybridizes readily with cultivated sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) and is used in sugarcane breeding programs. The name S. spontaneum var. juncifolium Hackel (S. juncifo-lium (Hackel) Janaki-Ammal) has been applied to extreme forms with the leaf blades narrowed to the midrib along their whole length.

Cultivation:
Kans grass’ has ability to quickly colonize disturbed soil has allowed it to become an invasive species that takes over croplands and pasturelands.

Medicinal Uses:
It is considered as valuable medicinal herb in traditional systems of medicine in India. It is popular folk medicine.
According to Ayurveda, roots are sweet, astringent, emollient, refrigerant, diuretic, lithotriptic, purgative, tonic, aphrodisiac and useful in treatment of dyspepsia, burning sensation, piles, sexual weakness, gynecological troubles, respiratory troubles etc.

Other Uses:
Planted to check soil-erosion.
Culm suitable for pulp to prepare different grades of papers.
Leaves are used for thatching.
Leaves are employed for cordage and broom.
Possess strong Allelochemicals and Allelopathic properties.
Used as material for sugarcane breeding.
Having religious importance

Click to see : Use of Saccharum spontaneum (wild sugarcane) as biomaterial for cell immobilization and modulated ethanol production by thermotolerant Saccharomyces cerevisiae VS3  :

In Nepal, Kans grass is harvested to thatch roofs or fence vegetable gardens.

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/Saccharum_spontaneum
http://www.hort.purdue.edu/newcrop/CropFactSheets/kans.html
http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/S/Saccharum_spontaneum/

http://www.stuartxchange.org/Talahib.html
http://www.wildflowers.co.il/english/plant.asp?ID=410

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Jarul (Lagerstroemia speciosa)

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Botanical Name : Lagerstroemia speciosa
Family: Lythraceae
Genus: Lagerstroemia
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Myrtales
Species: L. speciosa
Synonym: Lagestroemia reginae.

Common Names:Giant Crape-myrtle, Queen’s Crape-myrtle,Queen’s flower, pride of India, queen’s crape myrtle,
Banabá Plant for Philippines and Jarul for India  Bengladesh.

Habitat : Native to tropical southern Asia.

Description:
It is a small to medium-sized tree growing to 20 m tall, with smooth, flaky bark. The leaves are deciduous, oval to elliptic, 8-15 cm long and 3-7 cm broad, with an acute apex. The flowers are produced in erect panicles 20-40 cm long, each flower with six white to purple petals 2-3.5 cm long.It has smooth rounded leaves.

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The red-orange leaves have higher levels of corosolic acid.The beautiful flowers are racemes and are pink, purple or purplish – pink.The fruit is oval, about one inch long and splits in six pieces when mature; the seeds are small and have winged flaps.


Cultivation:
It is grown in South East Asia, India and the Philippines.It is also widely cultivated as an ornamental plant in tropical and subtropical areas.This tree should be planted under full sun; can be planted on most soils but it has low salt tolerance. Plant in a frost free location or protect from frost.

Propagation :Seeds.
You may click to see :In Vitro Propagation of Lagerstroemia spp. from Nodal Explants and Gaseous Composition in the Culture Headspace.

Medicinal Uses:
Traditional medicinal applications :
The roots are used for stomach problems.
Tea of the leaves is used against diabetes mellitus and for weight loss.
Banaba leaves are able to lower blood sugar due to, among other phytochemicals; acid (triterpenoid glycoside). This is not the only active phyto-chemical, though.

The phytochemicals in the leaves of Banaba works at the molecular level by fine-tuning the damaged insulin receptor, which is the cause of insulin resistance.

Banaba also contains concentrations of dietary fiber and minerals such as magnesium and zinc.
It helps the body handling glucose and is as such also effective in weight loss and against obesity.
The hypoglycemic (blood sugar lowering) effect is similar to that of insulin (which induces glucose transport from the blood into body cells).

The tea is therapeutic against ailments such as diabetes, kidney- and urinary problems. The taste is pleasant and smooth; in Japan it is known as “slimming tea.”

Banaba can also be applied against gout (metabolic arthritis); the leaves contain Valoneic Acid Dilactone (VAD). This acts as as an inhibitor of xanthine oxidase to lower uric acid levels.

The effect of VAD is stronger than Allopurinol (brand names: Aloprim®, Zyloprim®) and is without the side effects commonly associated with this drug.

Click to learn more :banabaherb.com :
Antidiabetes and Anti-obesity Activity of Lagerstroemia speciosa :

Other Uses :
The reddish brown wood of Banaba is used for home building, furniture, boats, etc.The Queen’s flower will stand out in every garden and is a beautiful landscape tree.

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.tropilab.com/queen-flow.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lagerstroemia_speciosa

http://www.tropical-biology.org/research/dip/species/Lagerstroemia%20speciosa.htm

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