Month: January 2011

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Herbs & Plants

Headache tree

Botanical Name:Premna integrifolia Blanco
Family: Lamiaceae
Genus: Premna
Species: P. serratifolia
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Lamiales

Other scientific names:Premna nauseosa Blanco,Premna latifolia Roxb.  ,Premna leucostoma Naves ,Premna mucronata Schaue,Premna timoriana Hallier ,Premna serratifolia L.

Common names  : Agrau (Ilk.),Areu (Sbl.0),Alagau-gubat (Tag.), Malamulauin (Tag.),Ananghit (Tag.),Mulauin-aso (Tag.), Anghit (Tag.) Headache tree (Engl.), Angsuan (Bik.), Ansuan (Bik.)

Local Names :Alagaw-dagat, Alagaw-baybay, Alagaw

Sanskrit : Angnimantha,Marathi: Arani,Tagalog: Alagaw

Habitat :Indigenous to East Africa, India, Bangladesh, coasts/islands of the Indian ocean, Japan, China, Taiwan, coasts of Southeast Asia (including the Philippines), Papua New Guinea, Australia, Polynesia and Melanesia.  Coastal environment / Coastal thickets

Description :
A shrub or small tree reaching a height of 10 meters; slightly hairy to smooth. Leaves are elliptic-ovate to oblong-ovate, 6 to 10 cm long, 3 to 6 cm wide, pointed at the tip and pointed or rounded at the base. The flowers are small, greenish or greenish white, numerous, borne on terminal inflorescences (cymes), and up to 5 cm long and 6 cm wide. Calyx is green, equally 4-toothed and 1 to 1.5 cm long. Corolla is 4 mm long and hairy inside. Stamens are white. Fruid is rounded, fleshy, dark purple, 4 to 5 mm long.

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Trunk :  Usually bent, much-branched

Leaves :  Opposite; Ovate, margin entire (reports of serration in some literatures), firm, glossy rich green

Fruit :  Drupe; Small, clustered at the terminal ends of the branch, rounded, green to deep purple to nearly black

Fruiting season :  Immature fruits seen on October

Traits :  Drought tolerant; Evergreen; Salt spray tolerant; Large shrub or Small tree; Tolerant of infertile soil; Wind hardy

Edible Uses:Leaves are eaten as vegetable.

 

Constituents:
*Stem bark contains three alkaloids: premnine, ganiarine, ganikarine.
*Premnine and ganiarine have sympathomimetic actions.

Medicinal Uses:
Parts used:Leaves, bark.

Properties and Constituents:
* Leaves have a rank odor when crushed.
* Used as cardiotonic, antibiotic, anticoagulant, stomachic, carminative, hepatoprotective, galactagogue, laxative.

Various parts of the plant are used in traditional and in Indian Ayurvedic medicine:

Folkloric
*Leaves sometimes used as a “nganga” component, substitute for Piper betle with seeds of Areca catechu.
*Leaves used for variety of stomach ailments.
*Leaves are Lactating women eat the leaves for breastmilk production;
*Root bark used for fevers, liver complaints, rheumatism, neuralgia.
*In Myanmar, roots and stem bark used as laxative, carminative and stomachic. Decoction of whole plant used for fevers, rheumatism and neuralgia. source
*In Ayurveda, roots are incorporated in many formulations.

Studies:
• Antibacterial: The alcoholic extract of the root bark showed good antibacterial activity against gram-positive organisms in a preliminary screening.
• Immunomodulatory Activity: The roots of both plants of C. phlomidis and Premna integrifolia are incorporated in many valued Ayurvedic formulations. In a study evaluating the roots for immunomodulatory potential, both roots showed immunoprophylactic effect with C phlomidis showing higher response to specific immune activity. In no specific immune activity, both roots showed equal response.
• The effect of Premna integrifolia Linn. (Verbenaceae) on blood glucose in streptozotocin induced type 1 and type 2 diabetic rats.
• Hypoglycemic activity: In a study of 30 hypoglycemic plants from indigenous folk medicines, Preman integrifolia wsas one of 24 samples that showed significant blood glucose lowering activity.
• Premnazole / Anti-Inflammatory Activity: Premnazole, an isoxazole alkaloid from Premna integrifolia and Gmelina arborea exhibited signnificant anti-inflammatory activity in rats, comparable to that of phenylbutazone.
• Cardiac Stimulant Activity: PS contains alkaloids and iridoid glycoside. Study suggests that the ethanol extract produced a cardiotonic effect and the aqueous extract produced a ß-adrenergic effect.
• Hepatoprotective / Cytotoxic Activity: Study showed the alcoholic extract with significant hepatoprotective activity evidenced by decrease of serum enzymes, bilirubin and lipid peroxidation, comparable to drug silymarin. It also exhibited significant in-vitro cytotoxic activity. Results showed the alcoholic extract not only as an effective hepatoprotective agent, but with also significant antitumor activity.
• Antiparasitic Activity: In a study of 18 medicinal plants in New Caledonia evaluated in vitro against several parasites, Scaevola balansae and Premna serratifolia were the most active against Leishmania donovani.

Other Uses: Wood for simple implements like boat paddles; Bark used as rope or cordage  ; Firewood

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.stuartxchange.com/Alagau-gubat.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Premna_serratifolia

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Herbs & Plants

Water pennywort

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Botanical Name :Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides
Family :       :Apiaceae/ Umbelliferae
Synonyms:Hydrocotyle sibthorpioides Lam.

Other scientific names : Hydrocotyle rotundifolia Roxb. ,Hydrocotyle nitidula A. Rich.  ,Hydrocotyle hirsuta Sw. ,Hydrocotyle puncticulata Miq.  Water pennywort (Engl.) ,Hydrocotyle latisecta Zoll.

Common names :lawn pennywort,lawn marshpennywort, Kanapa (Ig.), Tomtomon (Bon.), Man-t’ien-hsing (Chin.),Water pennywort (Engl.),

Habitat : Native to Asia and Africa, but introduced elsewhere where it has escaped to become a serious weed that may become invasive in wet areas or along stream banks.

Description:
Water pennywort is a creeping perennial, smooth herb with the stems rooting at the nodes. Leaves are orbicular or subreniform, thin, about 1 cm in diameter with heart-shaped base and margins somewhat lobed, the lobes being short and having 2 or 3 teeth. Umbels are very small, with few flowers. Flowers are small, white, sessile, axillary, sepals lacking, petals and stamens 5. Fruits are few, sometimes only 2 or 3 on a peduncle and less than 1 mm long, ellipsoid, usually with red colored spots.
click to see the pictures.>    …(01).....(1)..….....(2)…....(3)..……….
plant often found as a weed of gardens, pathways and lawns, but occasionally planted for its attractive, glossy foliage.This plant is a prostrate creeping herb 1 to 2 cm tall with an unlimited spread via the wiry, hollow, green stems that root freely at the nodes.

 

Constituents:
*Roots contain vellarin and vitamin C.
*Plant yielded 7 new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins, hydrocotylosides I-VII and one known saponin, udosaponin B.

Ediable Uses:
• Leaves are edible.
• Whole plant can be used as a potherb with its parsley-like aroma.

Medicinal Uses:
Parts used
· Entire plant.
· Gathered throughout the year.
· Rinse after collection, sun-dry before use or use in fresh state.

Properties:
Sweet tasting, slightly minty.
Juice is emetic.
Considered depurative, febrifuge, expectorant, antitussive; antifebrile, diuretic.

Folkloric
*Plant juice used for fevers.
*Poultice used for wounds and boils.
*Decoction of plant used for abscesses, colds, coughs, hepatities, infuenza, pruritus, sore throat.
*Used for headaches and urinary problems.
*In Malaya, mixed with sugar and cassia bark for coughs.
*Leaves pounded with alum for poulticing scrotal skin ailments.
*In China, used for hepatoma. Also, an ingredient in Chinese herbal concoctions used for muscular dystrophy.
*In the Arunachal Pradesh district of India, juice of the plant mixed with honey, used for typhoid fever. In the district of India, fresh plants are crushed and the *juice extracted and three tablespoons are taken twice daily for five days.

Studies
• Antitumor / Immunomodulatory: Ethanolic extract of HS showed anti-tumor activity with significantly enhanced activitiy on murine hepatic carcinoma, sarcoma 180 crocker, and uterine cervical carcinoma clones. Activity was comparable to that of antitumor agent 5-fluorouracil. The extract also mediate immunomodulatory effects as shown by promotion of thymus and spleen indices and humoral immunity in mice.
• Antioxidant / Antriproliferative: H sibthorpioides was one of four Hydrocotyle species studied. The results demonstrated that the phytochemicals might have a significant effect on antioxidant and anticancer activities related to the amount of polyphenols and flavonoids. The four species present a potential source of natural antioxidants. Of the four hydrocotyle specie, HS and H batrachium had the lowest antiproliferative activity and H nepalensis, the highest activity.
• Phytochemicals / Saponins: Study of methanolic extract yielded seven new oleanane-type triterpenoid saponins, hydrocotylosides I-VII and one known saponin, udosaponin B.
• Phytochemicals / Saponins: Study of methanolic

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.stuartxchange.com/Kanapa.html
http://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Horticulture/Hydrocotyle_sibthorpioides
http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=HYSI

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News on Health & Science

Acidity Could Be The Root Cause Of All Your Sickness

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More than 38 million people continue to suffer from allergies, heart problems, digestive issues and weight problems associated with acid overload. However, most of you don’t know that the imbalance is the root cause of your health issues.

CLICK & SEE THE PICTURES

Your body works at its best when you’re in alkaline and acid balance. The pH, or “potential of hydrogen”, is a measure of the relative acidity or alkalinity of a solution. A pH of 7 is a perfectly neutral pH; from 0 to 7 indicates acidity; and from 7 to 14 indicates alkalinity. You want to fall somewhere in the middle around 7 or 7.5.

If you suffer from a pH imbalance, it can:

*Thicken your blood and increase your risk of heart problems.
*Block vitamin absorption and starve your body of essential nutrients.
*Create toxic buildup in clogged cells.
*Slow down organ function and make you feel sluggish and weak.
*Prevent proper digestion and create excess gas and bloating.
*Cause unhealthy weight gain.
*Speed the aging process and make you look and feel older.
In order to reduce your acidity, you need to avoid acid-forming foods like animal meats, processed foods, fried foods, refined sugars, pasteurized dairy products and white flour products.

.click to see

Instead try to add more nutritious alkaline foods like fruits, veggies, whole grains, beans and other foods high in fiber. If you follow the 80/20 rule, where you consume 80 percent alkaline foods and only 20 percent acid-forming foods, you should see a difference in your pH balance.

So don’t worry—your pH level is not permanent. You can make smarter choices with food and learn to balance acidic foods with alkaline ones to get your whole body in tip-top shape.

You may click to see :
*Non-Acid Foods

*Acid-Alkaline Diet – Another Misleading Weight-Loss Theory?

*Cause & Effect of pH Imbalance

*EASY ALKALINE DIET RECIPES


Source : Better Health Research

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Herbs & Plants

Pavetta indica

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Botanical Name :Pavetta indica Linn.
Family : Rubiaceae

Other  Scientific Names: Pavetta indica Linn. ,Pavetta barnesii Elm. ,Pavetta crassicaulis  ,Pavetta tomentosa Roxb. ex Smith  ,Ixora indica (L.) Kuntze

Common Names : Bohunan-ug-puso (C. Bis.), Pangapatolen (Ilk),Galauan (Buk.),Pitak (Ig.),Gesges (Neg.), Tamayan (C. Bis.),Gusokan (C. Bis.) Tandaluli (Bag.),Kaiut-karaban (Bag.) Bride’s bush (Engl.), Kotbu (Ig.) White pavetta (Engl.) , Lankuilan (P. Bis.)

Sanskrit Synonyms: Papata, Tiyakphala
Hindi Name : Papari
Malayalam  Name: Pavatta, Malayamotti

Habitat : Pavetta indica is found from the Batan Island and northern Luzon to Mindanao, in most or all island and provinces often common in primary forest, at low and medium altitudes. It is also reported from India to China and through Malaya to tropical Australia.

Description;
The plant is an erect, nearly smooth or somewhat hairy shrub 2 to 4 meters or more in height. The leaves are elliptic-oblong to elliptic-lanceolate, 6 to 15 centimeters long, and pointed at both ends. The flowers are white, rather fragrant, and borne in considerable numbers in hairy terminal panicles which are 6 to 10 centimeters long. The calyx segments are very small, and toothed. The corolla-tube is slender and about 1.5 centimeters long, with obtuse lobes about half the length of the tube. The fruit is black when dry, somewhat rounded, and about 6 millimeters in diameter.

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Constituents:
• Roots contain a green resin, starch, an organic acid, a bitter glucoside resembling salicin.
• Stems contain essential oil, resin, alkaloid, tannin and a pectic principle.
• Petroleum ether and methanol extracts have yielded glycosides, phytosterols, saponins, flavonoids and akaloids

Properties: Bitter roots considered aperient.


Medicinal Uses:
Folkloric
• Bark, pulverized or in decoction, is used for visceral obstructions.
• Decoction of leaves used externally for hemorrhoidal pains.
• Bitter roots used for constipation.
• Roots, pulverized and mixed with ginger and rice water, used for dropsy.
• A local fomentation of leaves used for hemorrhoidal pains.
• Roots used for urinary complaints.
• Decoction of stem used as febrifuge.
• Bark decoction used for arthritis.

Ayurvedic Properities:
Rasa    : Tikta, Kashaya
Guna   : Lakhu, Rooksha, Teekshna
Virya   : Seeta
Vipaka : Katu

Plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, constipation, urinary retention, and edema, and skin diseases.
Useful part : Roots, Leaves.

Studies:
• Anti-Inflammatory: Study of the anti-inflammatory potential of the methanol extract of Pavetta indica on several models of inflammation showed activity in the proliferative phase of the inflammatory process in an effect comparable to the standard non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug indomethacin.
• Analgesic: Study of the ethanolic leaf extract of P indica showed significant dose-dependent inhibition of pain response induced by thermal and mechanical stimuli. Results showed promising potential use of the crude extract in the treatment of pain.
• Antipyretic: Study of the methanol extracxt of P indica reduced the pyrexia induced by yeast, found statistically significant, and indicates a potential for the extract’s use as an agent against pyrexia.
• Diuretic: Study of petroleum and ether extracts of leaves of Pavetta indica exhibited significant diuretic activity. Effect was attributed to the presence of flavonoids. Results support its use as a diuretic agent.
• Essential Oil: Study yielded 24 compounds. The major constituents of the oil were ß-pinene (25.45%), ß-eudesmol (7.06%) and tricyclene (5.74%). Oxygenated monoterpenes and sesquiterpene hydrocarbons were minor components.

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.stuartxchange.com/Gusokan.html
http://ayurvedicmedicinalplants.com/plants/3463.html

Click to access gusokan.pdf

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Herbs & Plants

Sugar Cane

Botanical Name :Saccharum officinarum Linn.
Family: Poaceae
Subfamily: Panicoideae
Tribe: Andropogoneae
Genus: Saccharum
Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Poales

Other Scientfic Names :Saccharum violaceum F.-Vill. ,Saccharum officinarum Linn.,Saccharum chinense Roxb. ,Saccharum officinale Salisb.

Common Names :Agbo (Ibn.),Unas (Ilk.), Caña dulce ,(Span.) Unat (It.) ,Tubo (Tag., Bik.), Noblecane (Engl.),Tubu (Sul.) Sugar cane (Engl.),Una (Ibn.), Hong gan zhe (Chin.)

Habitat :Native to warm temperate to tropical regions of Asia.Sugarcane indigenous to tropical South Asia and Southeast Asia. Different species likely originated in different locations with S. barberi originating in India and S. edule and S. officinarum coming from New Guinea. Crystallized sugar was reported 5,000 years ago in India.

Around the eighth century A.D., Indian traders introduced sugar to the Mediterranean, Mesopotamia, Egypt, North Africa, and Andalusia. By the tenth century, sources state, there was no village in Mesopotamia that did not grow sugar cane. It was among the early crops brought to the Americas by the Andalusians (from their fields in the Canary Islands), and the Portuguese.

Description:
Sugarcane refers to any of 6 to 37 species (depending on which taxonomic system is used) of tall perennial
coarse and erect grass, attaining a height of 1.5 to 4 meters, 2-5 cm thick, with long and short internodes. Stems are solid, polished, green, yellow or purplish. Leaves are large and broad, with blades 0.9 to 1.25 meters long and 4-5 cm wide. Panicles are very large, white, drooping and terminal, 40 to 80 cm long, branches up to 35 cm long. Spikelets are numerous, 1-flowered, about 3 mm long, with surrounding white villous hairs about twice as long as the spikelets.

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Cultivation:
Sugarcane cultivation requires a tropical or temperate climate, with a minimum of 60 centimetres (24 in) of annual moisture. It is one of the most efficient photosynthesizers in the plant kingdom. It is a C4 plant, able to convert up to 1 percent of incident solar energy into biomass [4]. In prime growing regions, such as India, Pakistan, Peru, Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, Australia, Ecuador, Cuba, the Philippines, El Salvador and Hawaii, sugarcane can produce 20 lb (9 kg) for each square meter exposed to the sun.

Although sugarcanes produce seeds, modern stem cutting has become the most common reproduction method. Each cutting must contain at least one bud and the cuttings are sometimes hand-planted. In more technologically advanced countries like the United States and Australia, billet planting is common. Billets harvested from a mechanical harvester are planted by a machine which opens and recloses the ground. Once planted, a stand can be harvested several times; after each harvest, the cane sends up new stalks, called ratoons. Successive harvests give decreasing yields, eventually justifying replanting. Two to ten harvests may be possible between plantings.

Harvesting :
Sugarcane is harvested by hand and mechanically. Hand harvesting accounts for more than half of production, and is dominant in the developing world. In hand harvesting the field is first set on fire. The fire burns dry leaves, and kills any lurking venomous snakes, without harming the stalks and roots. Harvesters then cut the cane just above ground-level using cane knives or machetes. A skilled harvester can cut 500 kilograms (1,100 lb) of sugarcane per hour.

Chemical constituents and properties:
Sucrose is the product of the sugar cane juice.
Considered antidote, antiseptic, antivinous, bacterical, cardiotonic, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, , cooling, laxative, stimulant.

.CLICK & SEE

Edible Uses:
Sugarcane as food:-
In most countries where sugarcane is cultivated, there are several foods and popular dishes derived directly from it, such as:

*Raw sugarcane: chewed to extract the juice

*Sugarcane juice: a combination of fresh juice, extracted by hand or small mills, with a touch of lemon and ice to make a popular drink, known variously as ganne ka rass, guarab, guarapa, guarapo, papelón, aseer asab, Ganna sharbat, mosto , caldo de cana’.

*Cachaça: the most popular distilled alcoholic beverage in Brazil; a liquor made of the distillation of sugarcane

*Jaggery: a solidified molasses, known as Gur or Gud in India, traditionally produced by evaporating juice to make a thick sludge and then cooling and molding it in buckets. Modern production partially freeze dries the juice to reduce caramelization and lighten its color. It is used as sweetener in cooking traditional entrees, sweets and desserts.

*Panela: solid pieces of sucrose and fructose obtained from the boiling and evaporation of sugarcane juice; a food staple in Colombia and other countries in South and Central America

*Molasses: used as a sweetener and a syrup accompanying other foods, such as cheese or cookies

*Rapadura: a sweet flour which is one of the simplest refinings of sugarcane juice

*Rum: a liquor made of the distillation of sugarcane commonly produced in the Caribbean. Rum is more purified than the Brasilian Cachaça.

*Falernum: a sweet, and lightly alcoholic drink made from sugar cane juice.

*Syrup: a traditional sweetener in soft drinks, now largely supplanted in the US by high-fructose corn syrup, which is less expensive because of subsidies.

*Rock candy: crystallized cane juice

*Sayur Nganten : name of Indonesian soup made of trubuk stem (Saccharum edule).

* Cane Sugar :Cane sugar is the most popular sweetner arround the world.

Medicinal Uses:
Folkloric
*Refined sugar has been used for fevers, lack of secretion, dry coughs.
*Molasses is used as a laxative.
*Sugar is applied to wounds, ulcers, boils, and inflammed eyes.
*Pulped sugar used to dress wounds; the cane used for splinting broken bones.
*Malay women use it in childbirth.
*Decoction of root used for whooping cough.
*In India, plant juices used for abdominal tumors.
*In Cote-d’-Ivoire, leaf decoction used for hypertension.

Studies
• Immunostimulating Effect: The phagocytic activity of peripheral blood leucocytes in chickens increased significantly when orally administered sugar cane extracts, with higher antibody responses and delayed type hypersensitivity responses.
• Prokinetic Effect: S officinarum was one of seven known herbs in a polyherbal formulation. Study showed increased gastric emptying and suggests a potential for use as a gastrointestinal prokinetic to improve gastrointestinal motility.
• Hypoglycemic Effect: Study reports the hypoglycemic effect of juice from sugar cane stalks. The isolated constituent, saccharin, provided a transient reduction of blood glucose. The transient hypoglycemic effect of complex polysaccharides is suggested to be possibly from increased glucose utilization in the liver and peripheral tissues.
• Phytochemicals / Antioxidant: Study of sugarcane leaves yielded luteolin-8-C (rhamnosylglucoside), with radical scavenging activity. The juice yielded falvones diosmetin-8-C-glucoside, vitrexin, schaftoside, isoschaftoside and 4′,5′-dimethyl-luteolin-8-C glucoside. Its content of flavonoids suggest a potential for sugarcane as a dietary source of natural antioxidants.

click & see:    Ayurveda Medicinal Properties of Sugarcane Juice

Other Uses:
*Ethanol is generally available as a by-product of sugar production. It can be used as a biofuel alternative to gasoline, and is widely used in cars in Brazil. It is an alternative to gasoline, and may become the primary product of sugarcane processing, rather than sugar.

*The dry  waste after extraction of sweet cane juice is used as fuel to  boil the juice to make jaggery.

Known Hazards:
Sugarcane contains hydrocyanic. Sugar cane is a known teratogen. Molasses in excess amounts, alone or mixed with feeds, may cause diarrhea, colic, urticaria, kidney irritation, sweating and paralysis in domestic stock; horses seem more susceptible, and toxicity could prove fatal.

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.stuartxchange.com/Tubo.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugarcane

http://www.hbws.org/cssweb/print.cfm?sid=1991

http://iriejamaica.blogspot.com/2009/04/i-love-sugar-cane-mon.html

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