COLTSFOOT (TUSSILAGO FARFARA): MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF COLTSFOOT: HOW TO MAKE COLTSFOOT SYRUP

COLTSFOOT, TUSSILAGO FARFARA

Coltsfoot looks a little like a dandelion to which it is related, but it has a smaller flower head. The flower comes before the leaves as does that of the butterbur, and this gave it the name “Filius ante patrem” in Mediaeval Latin, which means Son before father. In fact the herbalist Gerard calls the plant by two names in his illustrations of the late 16^th century, Tussilago flores and Tussilago sans flores or with and without flowers. Pliny made the mistake of thinking that the flower and leaves were of two separate plants, although the young sprouts of leaves appear as the flower dies back.

  Coltsfoot is native to Britain and Europe and has become naturalized in North America and grows in temperate regions of Asia.

  Tussis in Latin means cough, so the name gives the usual use of coltsfoot. In Britain it was also known as Coughwort or cough plant. It was used for centuries to cure coughs, and was approved by the German Commission E for coughs and catarrh, although it was subsequently banned because of the presence of pyrrolizidine alkaloids which include senkirkine and senecionine which can damage the liver and cause cancer. Rats fed on coltsfoot in the lab developed cancerous tumours of the live and this was cause by those alkaloids which are also present in comfrey root which is why both herbs have been banned for use in Canada. However it is thought that only prolonged use of coltsfoot is dangerous, but it is better to be safe than sorry as the old adage goes.

  Coltsfoot syrup was traditionally given for coughs and bronchial ailments, and the herb was mixed with liquorice root, thyme and black cherry in some syrups. The leaves and stems have been used in these syrups although in China traditional herbalists more commonly used the flowers.

  Apart from the toxic alkaloids the plant also contains bioflavonoids, vitamin C, zinc and tannins. It was used in British Herbal Tobacco along with lavender, chamomile flowers, rosemary, thyme Buckbean, Eye Bright and betony, and used to stop asthma spasms and those caused by bronchial problems that linger.

Coltsfoot leaves

  Culpeper recommended the juice from the leaves for coughs and also wrote,” The distilled water hereof, simply, or mixed with elder flowers or nightshade is a singularly good remedy against all agues (fevers), to drink 2 Oz at a time and apply cloths wet therein to the head and stomach, which also does much good.”

  The tisane was made with 1½ tsps of the chopped leaves to a cup of boiling water then allowed to steep for 10-20 minutes, strained and drunk. Coltsfoot wine was also made with the flowers but it has an unusual fragrance and is not as delicate as primrose wine.

  Although coltsfoot has been used for centuries, as there are other herbs to use instead of it for coughs and bronchial problems, it is best to avoid it. You could probably smoke it and not suffer any ill effects, but catnip might be a better bet for asthma sufferers. Elder flowers would be better for respiratory disorders too.

COLTSFOOT SYRUP

Ingredients

30 gr coltsfoot leaves

10 gr marshmallow root

25 gr balsam shoots

25 gr ground ivy

10 gr liquorice root

1 lt water

1 kg natural honey

Method

Put all the ingredients in a pan and boil for 15 minutes. Strain and add the honey. Gently melt, simmering over a low heat for 20 minutes. Cool before bottling. Store in refrigerator. Use within 3 months.
This has Taste and is a Treat(ment) but beware!

CAT'S WHISKERS- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS OF CAT'S WHISKERS: HOW TO MAKE DECOCTION OF CAT'S WHISKERS AND TISANE RECIPE

CAT’S WHISKERS, KIDNEY PLANT, ORTHOSIPHON ARISTATUS

Cat’s Whisker’s clearly gets its name from the hairs that protrude from the flowers, which look like cat’s whiskers. It is a beautiful plant that is native to South-East Asia and Australia. It has been introduced to Fiji and Samoa and is now classed as an invasive species there, as so often happens with non-native plants. It’s a member of the mint family of plants, and has long been used in South-East Asia for its medicinal properties. As the name Kidney plant might suggest it is predominantly used for kidney diseases, and the tisane made from the leaves of the plant (Java Tea) can effectively disperse kidney stones of up to 5 centimetres, research has shown. It also has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions and research suggests that it also useful for reducing high blood pressure and has antimicrobial and anti-fungal properties, although more research needs to be done to ascertain what it is effective against.

  The tisane reduces the amounts of uric acid in the body by flushing them out with its diuretic action, and this makes it useful for gout and arthritis sufferers. It contains bioflavonoids and methylripariochromene A in the leaves which is believed to be the substances that acts to reduce blood pressure. It also contains ursolic acid and oleanolic acid among other constituents. It is also rich in the mineral potassium.

   Traditionally it has been used to reduce cellulite, and as an antispasmodic, as well as for the internal organs. It can reduce blood sugar levels and there is hope that it will be useful for diabetics who do not depend on insulin.

 The plant grows to between 1 and 3 feet tall and the flowers are mostly white, although they can be light blue, light purple, violet and ivory. Below are two recipes which are considered beneficial; the first is a decoction for kidney problems while the second is a tisane for coughs.

DECOCTION OF CAT’S WHISKERS

Ingredients

1 lt water

15-20 fresh cat’s whisker leaves

2 inch fresh turmeric root, finely sliced

7 cloves garlic chopped

Method

Bring to the boil then simmer for 15-20 minutes until the water has reduced by half.

Strain and drink a cupful morning and night.

CAT’S WHISKER TISANE

Ingredients

15-20 fresh leaves

2 cups boiling water

Method

Pour the boiling water over the leaves and allow them to steep for 20 minutes.

Strain and drink a cupful in the morning and at night. (For coughs.)

These have Taste and are a Treat(ment).

COMMON OR ENGLISH PRIMROSE- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: HOW TO MAKE PRIMROSE TISANE AND PRIMROSE ROOT DECOCTION

COMMON OR ENGLISH PRIMROSE, PRIMULA VULGARIS, BASANTI GULAB IN URDU

The primrose is native to Britain and grows in woods and hedgerows. World wide there are around 350 species of this little flowering plant and it is well-loved in the UK, along with snowdrops and bluebells as it is a harbinger of spring. The name primrose cones from Mediaeval Latin, primerosa, meaning “first rose.” It has five petals and can be a creamy-yellow through to a deeper shade of yellow. It is closely related to the cowslip and has similar medicinal properties to it, and another close relation is the Oxlip (Primula elatior). The Evening Primrose however belongs to a different plant family, Oenothera.

   It has figured in English literature through the centuries, with Shakespeare giving us the well-known image of the primrose path in Ophelia’s speech to Hamlet in the play of that name in 1602.

    “…..But my good brother,

     Do not, as some ungracious pastors do,

     Show me the steep and thorny way to heaven,

     Whiles, like a puff’d and reckless libertine,

     Himself the primrose path of dalliance treads,

     A reeks not his own rede.”

The “primrose path” is a life of ease and pleasure, but if you follow it calamity will ensue. Shakespeare later writes of the “primrose way” in the Scottish play, “Macbeth” but this phrase is not alliterative and the former has found its way into the English language.

  “Macbeth” Act 2 scene 3:

   “This place is too cold for hell. I’ll devil-porter it no further: I had thought to have let in some of all professions, that go the primrose way to the everlasting bonfire.”

  Later in the 17^th century, the metaphysical poet, John Donne wrote a poem called “The primrose which likens it to a woman. Here are the first lines from it: -

  

 “Upon this primrose hill,

   Where, if heaven should distil

   A shower of rain, each several drops might go

   To his own primrose, and grow manna so;

   And where their form and their infinity

   Make a terrestrial galaxy,

   As the small stars do in the sky;

   I walk to find a true love….”

He goes on: -

   “Live primrose, then, and thrive

    With thy true number five;

    And, woman, whom this flower doth represent,

    With this mysterious number be content…”

Much later in 1922 D.H. Lawrence wrote a short story which he called “The Primrose Path.”

  The little primrose is native to most of Europe, but there are some varieties in the British Isles which are unique, such as the Scottish Primrose, Primula scotia and the Bird’s Eye Primrose (Primula farinosa) which grows in Northern England. In the language of flowers it symbolizes the feeling of “I can’t live without you”, unlike the Evening primrose which stands for inconstancy.

   The primrose flowers in April and lasts through May, and the whole plant is best gathered while it is in flower, although please note that it is illegal to harvest the wild plants in the UK. You may be lucky enough to have them in your garden if your house was built on old woodland. (I was.) The roots of a plant that is two or three years old are the ones that should be used for medicinal purposes, and these should be cleaned thoroughly in cold water, using a nail brush to get rid of all the earth that will be attached. You also have to remove the hair-like growths from them. If the tubers are large (which is rare) you can split them in half lengthways so that they dry more quickly. The flowers and root yield a fragrant oil which can be used to calm hysterics and used to be made into a delicately fragranced wine.

  The whole plant has sedative properties and a tisane can be given to hyperactive children. Gerard the 16^th century herbalist wrote that “Primrose tea drunk in the month of May is famous for curing the phrenzies.” The tisane recipe is given below.

  Culpeper wrote “Of the leaves of Primrose is made as fine a salve to heal wound as any I know.” This is a good recommendation; use pulped primrose leaves for any wound.

   The roots like those of the cowslip are good for bronchial problems, and used as an expectorant to get rid of mucus, and they were also used for rheumatism. The leaves and flowers can produce sweat during a fever, relieve pain, and act as an expectorant and diuretic. The plant has antispasmodic properties and has been used to rid the body of intestinal worms, as an emetic (to produce vomiting) and as an astringent (wound healing). When the whole plant (and flowers) is boiled then the primrose acts as a sedative.

 The ancient physicians of Myddfai had their own use for primrose:-

“Whosoever shall have lost his reason or his speech, let him drink the juice of primrose, within two months afterward, and he shall recover.”

However, perhaps these tisanes are more effective remedies.

 

PRIMROSE TISANE

Ingredients

2-3 tsps fresh plant top including flowers

or

1-2 tsps dried whole herb

1 cup boiling water

Method

Pour the water over the herb and leave to steep for 10 mins.

Strain and drink in slow sips.

This tisane is to relieve pain, act as a sedative, expectorant and diuretic.

PRIMROSE ROOT DECOCTION

Ingredients

½ oz dried chopped roots

1 pint water

 

Method

Put the chopped roots and water in a pan and bring to the boil.

Boil for about 20 mins or until the water is reduced by half.

Use this for bronchial problems and coughs.

These have Taste and are Treat(ment)s.

YAM ( DIOSCOREA BATATAS): MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF YAM

YAM, DIOSCOREA BATATAS

A yam is not, contrary to belief in the US and UK, a sweet potato. The two tubers are in fact unrelated species, with the yam tasting more like the common potato than the sweet potato, Ipomoea batatas. The yam is more closely related to Dioscorea deltoides. It is also known as the cinnamon vine and the Chinese yam, but there are more than 200 varieties grown. Dioscorea esculenta is the one that grows in India (a sweet yam) and the wild yam is Dioscorea villosa. They are related to the common black bryony in Britain, but the root of this plant is reputed to be poisonous.

   Yams may have flesh which is white, ivory, yellow or purple, (but not orange) and have skin which is white, pink or browny-black. It is starchy and could be either creamy or firm when cooked depending on which variety you buy. They can weigh anywhere between 4 and 10 lbs, so are hefty types of tuber.

   The name yam comes from African words such as “nyami” which is what the tuber is called by some who live in that continent. Both yams and sweet potatoes contain vitamin B6 which breaks down homocystine which damages blood vessel walls. Some people have heart attacks because they have high levels of this in their bodies, and as it is known that vitamin B6 reduces the risk of heart disease, a yam could be the preventative you have been looking for. They have white flesh (on the whole) and taste earthy, although there are some sweeter varieties. The tuber is also rich in potassium which lowers blood pressure too. Yams contain dioscorin, a storage protein which may also reduce blood pressure. They also contain steroidal saponins one group of which is disogenin which may help to reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Chinese researchers in 2001 concluded that dioscorin “may play a role as antioxidant in tubers and may be beneficial for health when people take it as a food additive or consume yam tubers.” Later research in 2009 showed that it had immunomodulatory effects and can boost the workings of the immune system.

  In traditional Chinese herbal medicine it is believed that yams can affect the body’s organs and support their functions. They are also given to promote lactation in breast-feeding mothers.

  Research is currently being carried out into the B-complex vitamins and their properties and it is thought that vitamin B6 may help with PMS/PMT as well as in the menopause. Yams could be a natural alternative to hormone replacement therapy (HRT).

  Yams contain many minerals including calcium, chloride, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, selenium and zinc. They are rich in dietary fibre so good to prevent piles and to cleanse the bowels. Apart from the B-complex vitamins they also contain vitamins C, E and K, and 18 amino acids.

  Yams are best baked or roasted and can be used as the common potato.

BUTTERBUR ( PETASITES HYBRIDUS): BENEFITS AND USES OF BUTTERBUR

BUTTERBUR, PETASITES HYBRIDUS

Butterbur is the plant with the largest leaves in Britain as they can grow to 3 feet in diameter. They grow after the flowers have bloomed in April, which makes butterbur quite an unusual plant. Although it is huge it is related to coltsfoot, dandelions and yarrow. Its roots or rhizomes have been used for centuries to treat various ailments, but they are toxic and can damage the liver so it is not advisable to prepare the plant for any home remedies.

  Dioscorides writing in the first century AD said that the leaves when pounded were good to apply to ulcers on the skin. Much later in the 16^th century, Gerard wrote: -

  “The root dried and beaten to a powder and drunk in wine is a soveraigne medicine against the plague and pestilent fevers, because it provoketh sweat and driveth from the heart all venom and evil heat; it killeth worms. The powder of the roots cureth all naughty, filthy ulcers if it be strewed therein.”

  In the 17^th century the herbalist Nicholas Culpeper says: -

   “It is a great strengthener of the heart and cheerer of the vital spirits… the decoction of the root in wine is singularly good for those that wheeze much or are shortwinded…The powder of the root taketh away all spots and blemishes of the skin.”

This has subsequently been vindicated as modern medical researchers believe that butterbur can help those with asthma and hay fever. It has also been shown to be effective in preventing migraines and tension headaches. Research is also underway to verify other traditional uses for the plant which are to dispel kidney stones, to ease spasms of the urinary-genital tracts, the gastro-intestinal tract and the bile duct. The two most active ingredients so far identified are petasin and isopetasin, which have anti-inflammatory properties as well as anti-spasmodic ones. These may help in treating menstrual cramps and urinary problems. It is believed that petasin can lower the amounts of calcium that gather around the joints causing inflammation is diseases such as arthritis. So Gerard may have got it wrong but Culpeper was on the mark.

Butterbur leaves

  Because of the size of its leaves, they have been used to protect from the rain, and are like the hats with wide brims, worn by Greek shepherds in ancient times to keep off the sun and rain; such hats were called petasos. Butterbur is also called Lagwort in the UK perhaps because the leaves are delayed from appearing. It is also called bog rhubarb, referring to its likeness to that plant as the leaves are similar. It is also called by a variety of other names and was formerly called Petasites vulgaris. It is called butterbur because the huge leaves were used to wrap butter in to keep it cool in the summer months.

  There is an old superstition from the British Isles which says that if a young woman wants to see the man she will marry, she should get up before dawn and scatter butterbur seeds on grass slowly while reciting this verse.

    “I sow, I sow!

     Then, my own dear,

     Come here, come here

     And mow, and mow!”

Then a little way off she will see her future husband carrying a scythe but if she is frightened and asks for protection, he will vanish and she won’t marry him. If you think about this it is quite sexual and could be that as a virgin she is afraid of the sexual act, in which case, she won’t marry. Mowing and sowing were used as sexual terms in Shakespeare’s time.

Butterbur seeds

    In the UK butterbur has been traditionally used as a heart tonic and stimulant and as a diuretic and was used against the bubonic plague and other types of fever in the Middle Ages. While it is unlikely that these particular uses will be vindicated by modern medical science, the other more modern traditional uses might be.

ORIENTAL CASHEW NUT TREE- BALADUR IN URDU: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF ORIENTAL CASHEW NUT TREE

ORIENTAL CASHEW NUT TREE, BHALLATAKA, BALADUR, SEMECARPUS ANACARDIUM

In Hindi this Oriental Cashew Nut Tree is called Bhallataka while in Urdu it is known as Baladur, Bhilavan or Billar. Interestingly, “baladur” in Urdu means “evil go away.” On the Indian subcontinent it has been a staple household remedy for centuries, said to cure cancer, leprosy and other diseases as well as used to dye the hair black and to promote hair growth. It has also been used to increase male sexual potency and to cure erectile dysfunction which is why it has a reputation of being an aphrodisiac.

   It is a relative of the Australian cashew nut tree and has the same properties, although perhaps it is not as potent in causing skin rashes. The juice from the fruit (which is yellow as opposed to the orange of the Australian variety) is highly valued and the fruit is heated over a flame and the oil which comes out of it is collected and stored for use. The tree doesn’t look like its Australian relative having broader leaves. It has greeny-white flowers which are closely followed by the fruit; its leaves are broad, and the oil and seeds contain bioflavonoidsand an alkaloid called Bhilawanol has been identified in them. The nut shell has a black resinous substance in it which can blister the skin but which is used to dye cotton cloth, the tree is also called the Indian Marking Tree because of this substance.

  The nuts or seeds are not eaten like cashew nuts are but only useful for their medicinal properties and in comparison to the Australian variety quite a lot of research has been done to ascertain how the tree can help us. The oil from the fruit and seeds is used together with sesame or coconut oil and applied to wounds or sores to heal them. This mixture is also applied to feet with cracked skin. It may also be mixed with onion and garlic paste with ajwain and sesame oil for wound healing in the Indian subcontinent. The oil from the fruit and seeds of the Oriental Cashew Nut Tree is also rubbed into swollen joints to relieve pain. Some people are allergic to the oil and this may show in a rash or itching or swelling, in which case the antidotes are ghee, coconut oil and pulped coriander leaves.

   Internally the oil is used for piles, colitis, diarrhoea, indigestion, flatulence and to get rid of intestinal worms. The fruit oil can be collected on a betel leaf and 10 drops with a little sugar is the dosage given to children for any of these complaints. For an adult the dosage is 15-20 drops of oil. The drops may also be given in hot milk. This is believed to improve the appetite as well as for use against worms and flatulence etc. The milk mixture can be applied onto the skin to treat any skin problems and can also help as a tonic for the nerves in cases of palsy, facial paralysis etc. It is also used for menstrual problems including cramps, and for urinary tract problems. It is an immune system booster and taken in winter to prevent the usual maladies of coughs, colds and flu.

It contains bioflavonoids, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and phenolic compounds and is used for its anti-artherogenic, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti microbial and contraceptive properties. It stimulates the central nervous system and reduces blood sugar levels. It has also been found to have anti-cancer properties it has been described as “readily accessible, promising and novel cancer chemo-preventive agent” although more research is needed into it.

  It can reduce the male sperm count and that is why it is used in the Indian subcontinent for its contraceptive properties. The roots of the tree are cooked in sour rice water to cure female sterility and the roots taken internally are used to treat eczema in some parts of India. It has been a stalwart of traditional medicine in the Indian subcontinent for many centuries and hopefully many of the traditional uses of this plant can be vindicated by further medical research.

 

AUSTRALIAN CASHEW NUT TREE OR TAR TREE- FACTS

TAR TREE, AUSTRALIAN CASHEW NUT TREE, SEMECARPUS AUSTRALIENSIS

The Tar Tree or Australian Cashew Nut Tree is so named because of its ‘fruits’ and seeds or nuts. And the fact that the bark when cut exudes a black tar-like substance. Tourists are warned to stay clear of this tree as touching any part of it can cause severe allergic reactions on the skin and if you rub your eyes after handling the fruit, seeds or black sticky sap then you could go blind. The aboriginal people of Australia protect their hands with clay before touching the fruit and nuts.

   The Australian Cashew Nut tree is native to Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands. It grows in open forest or rainforests and looks rather like a mango tree. In this it is very different from Semecarpus anarcadium a close relative which grows in India, Pakistan and Nepal mainly in the Himalayan regions of those countries. It is also different in that the Indian subcontinent’s tree has been the subject of many medical tests, whereas few have been done of the Australian cashew nut tree. However the enterprising Australians have been looking at ways to remove the toxins in the nuts so that they can be sold commercially.

  The nuts if eaten can prove fatal although the fleshy orange stem which is the “fruit” to which the nuts are attached may be eaten by some individuals it seems, without any ill effects. However, the aboriginal peoples of Australia bake the bright orange fruits before eating them, and it is reported that they are sweet.

   The nuts can be eaten if they are leached of their toxins, so these are traditionally soaked in several changes of water for between 2 and 7 days before being heated in bark and eaten like a cashew nut, which they allegedly taste like. If you eat the nut raw then be prepared to have mouth ulcers.

   The toxins are believed to be urushiols which are similar components to those found in poison ivy (Toxiodendron radicana), which is why the tree is best avoided.

MUSK MALLOW- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF MUSK MALLOW

MUSK MALLOW, ANNUAL HIBISCUS, MUSHKDANA, AMBRETTE, KASTURI BINDI, ABELMOSCHUS MOSCHATUS

The Musk Mallow is known by many names, but as it is known mainly for its seeds which contain a musky smelling oil in their covering, we’ll call it this. It used to be classed as a hibiscus and was formerly called Hibiscus abelmoschus, but it has now been classed separately along with okra and several other species formerly called Hibiscus. The name abelmoschus comes from the Arabic, abu-l-mosk which means father of musk.

    This trailing plant can grow to a height of 4 metres although it may only be ½ a metre tall, and it is distinguished by its yellow flowers which have a crimson centre, but the flowers can also be white. It is native to the Indian subcontinent where it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries. It is naturalized in Puerto Rico and parts of Australia; although it grows in many other countries too. It is part of the folk medicine of Trinidad and Tobago where the seeds are used in childbirth, to cure infertility and to ease menstrual cramps and other “female” complaints.

  In the Indian subcontinent it is used for a multitude of ailments and is said to be a cure for snake bites. Apart from curing such bites the seeds are used as an aphrodisiac there and in Egypt, and the seeds are chewed to aid digestion and sweeten the breath. They are made into a paste with milk and used to stop itching and as a poultice are applied to the skin for any skin problems including psoriasis.

Seed pod

   It is said to stop vomiting, and stomach spasms and to cure STDs and is believed to be good for the eyes, heart, diarrhoea, and is used as a deodorant and diuretic. It is one of those plants that seem to be a cure-all.

   In Malaysia the oil from the seeds is mixed into cosmetics and used to perfume the hair. It was and is much-prized in perfumery, although it can cause photosensitivity (abnormal sensitivity to sunlight) and was used instead of animal musk. However synthetic musk is generally used these days, but the musk seeds are still used at the upper end of the perfumery industry.

  The flowers are sometimes used to flavour tobacco, and the seeds hare used in some alcoholic drinks, such as vermouths and herbal liqueurs. The pods and leaves are used as vegetables along with the young shoots, as they are similar to okra. The sees have also been used traditionally as insecticide.

  In Ayurvedic medicine it is regarded as having cooling properties as well as being a stimulant and it is touted as being good for erectile dysfunction (hence its reputation as an aphrodisiac). The seeds are also used as an anti-spasmodic as they are in Trinidad.

Seeds

 As far as modern medical research goes, the phenolic flavonoids contained in the plant have been found to be “potentially useful adjuvant therapy for patients with insulin resistance and/or the subjects wishing to increase insulin sensitivity.” (24^th Feb 2010, Liu I.M et al in “Abelmoschus moschata (Malvaceae), an aromatic plant, suitable for medical and food uses to improve insulin sensitivity”)

  It also contains the bioflavonoid myricetin which is also found in grapes, walnuts, fruit, vegetables and herbs and which is believed to have antioxidant and cholesterol lowering properties and to help reduce the risk of prostate cancer.

  Once again it seems that the ancients knew perhaps more than we sophisticated mortals do about the efficacy of herbs in the treatment of ailments.

WHAT IS PONGAM TREE? INDIAN BEECH TREE: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF PONGAM TREE

PONGAM TREE, INDIAN BEECH, PONGAM PINNATA

The Pongam tree or Indian Beech is known by many names in the Indian subcontinent, including, Honge tree, Kalanj, Panigrahi papar and kanji. It has a few different “English” names too which include Poonga Oil Tree, and Karum Tree. The name Pongam comes from a Tamil word and pinnata refers to the pinnate leaves of the tree. It’s a member of the Leguminosae species of plants and is distantly related to the Pueraria or kudzu root, although it is more closely related to members of the Fabaceae family or pea family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and perhaps to Myanmar. However it has been naturalized in Australia, Fiji, Japan and Malaysia and has been introduced to Egypt Florida and Hawaii. It is a fast-growing shade tree which can grow to heights of 40 metres and its thick taproots are nitrogen fixers, so it is valuable to farmers. Like jatropha (Croton tiglium, or jamalgota) it is being investigated for its potential use as biodiesel.

Pongam flower

   For centuries it has been used in the traditional medicine of the Indian subcontinent and all parts of the tree are utilized. The fruits are woody pods which contain oil-bearing seeds which mature just before the tree produces new leaves. The flowers grow like wisteria flowers and can be white, pink or purple. When they fall they make excellent fertilizer as they are nutrient-rich. The leaves and branches are used as cattle fodder and the oil from the seeds is used for lamps. The timber is also used in cabinet-making and for cartwheels and to make poles and posts. Locals also use the wood for fuel. The tree is also host to lac insects as is the banyan tree.

Pongan fruit

  It is said that the leaves when fed to cattle help them to produce more milk of a richer quality so they are useful in arid areas. In the Philippines the bark of the tree is used to make string and rope. A black gum is obtained from the bark and this is used to treat wounds inflicted by poisonous fish. The seeds are said to stupefy or poison fish.

  A red-brown oil is obtained from the seeds which has been used in the tanning industry, to make soap and is also employed to cure skin diseases. Juice extracted from the roots is antiseptic and is used to clean the teeth, as are twigs from the pongam tree.

  In India the fruit and sprouts of the tree are used for abdominal tumours and a powder made from parts of the tree is employed for the same purpose in Vietnam. The seeds are used in traditional medicines in Asia to cure scabies, herpes and as an ointment for rheumatic pains. Juice extracted from the leaves is used for clod, coughs, indigestion and heartburn, flatulence, diarrhoea, gonorrhea and leprosy. A decoction made from the bark of the Pongam tree is used for piles and taken internally. Powdered seeds are considered good for reducing fevers, for helping with bronchitis and whooping cough and the flowers are used to treat some of the symptoms of diabetes. They are also used to stop bilious attacks and nausea.

  In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, parts of the tree are used to get rid of internal parasite, for lice, and for reducing the effects of poison and contagious diseases. The leaves promote digestion and have anti-inflammatory properties so are used to dress wounds. The fruit and seeds are used for piles, urinary discharges problems affecting the brain, eyes, head and skin. The oil is also used to stop biliousness to remove intestinal worms, to help with eye problems, and is put on wounds. It is also given in cases of leucoderma (white patches on dark skin) and applied to rheumatic joints which are inflamed.

  Medical studies have been carried out on the leaves, roots and flowers of the Indian Beech tree, and it has been found to contain various bioflavonoids and amino acids and fatty acids such as linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids among others. It would seem that the leaves may help to protect the liver and improve its functioning, as well as having antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The roots may also help to protect the liver and the leaves and oil have potent antioxidant properties, as do the flowers. However research into the Indian beech tree is still ongoing and the traditional uses have yet to be confirmed as efficacious at the present time.

CHICKWEED-A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND HOW TO USE CHICKWEED

CHICKWEED, STELLARIA MEDIA

Chickweed is known by a variety of other names including Starweed, Passerina, and Winterweed. In Welsh it is A Gwylydd y Dom (the sentinel or watchman). It grows almost everywhere in temperate regions, in the North Arctic, and the Indian subcontinent. It has star-like white flowers which droop their heads in heavy rain, and whose leaves move closer to each other at night to protect the new leaf buds and shoots. It isn’t sensitive to the touch however as is Tickle Me.

  It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and there is an old wives tale that says that it controls obesity. It does have mildly laxative effects and is a diuretic, so stops water retention, but somehow it seems a little over-optimistic to claim that it can control obesity.

   Like chamomile and marigolds it is useful for skin problems when applied to the affected areas in a poultice and it has a cooling effect and stops itching. The bruised leaves can be applied directly to the skin to relieve inflammation etc. It can be found in skin care products and the tisane is also useful for applying to irritated skin. To make this you need 2 tbsps of the fresh plant to 1 cup of boiling water, and pour this over the herb. Leave the herb to steep for 15-20 minutes then strain and drink. If you drink this regularly for a period of 6 weeks you should notice an improvement in your general health as it clears the body of toxins. It is rich in vitamin C so helps if you are susceptible to colds and coughs. Don’t drink too much though as it has a mild laxative effect and could cause diarrhoea.

  It might have got its name, chickweed because birds love it as Gerard notes writing in the 16^th century. “Little birds in cadges (especially Linnets*) are refreshed with the lesser Chickweed when they loath their meat whereupon it was called by some ‘Passerine’”

*Linnets are song birds that were often kept in cages during the Renaissance.

 All birds love to eat its seeds and the young tops and leaves. It is good for people too being full of minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, selenium silica, magnesium and sodium. Chickweed is a good source of Gamma-Linoleic Acid (GLA) which is an Omega-6 fatty acid derivative. GLA is recommended for skin problems and hormone imbalance such as occurs during PMT/PMS and for arthritis. It is also responsible for clearing congested lungs and it has anti-inflammatory actions. Apart from being helpful for these things, GLA also reduces the negative effects of drinking too much alcohol, and is good to stop water retention.

  Chickweed also contains the flavonoid rutin the B-complex vitamins and beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A.

  The tisane will clam the stomach, and in the Indian subcontinent it is used for indigestion. When applied externally it will relieve pain very quickly and is good for rheumatic pains in the joints. It is best collected from May-July and can be laid out flat to dry in the sun, or hung in a warm sunny place. It can be boiled and used with young dandelion leaves in a salad or even made into pesto (see pine nuts). It flowers from March through to autumn when the seeds form in a capsule. These are shaken out of their pod by the wind and scatter so that the plant reseeds itself.

   Gerard says “the leaves of Chickweed boyled in water very soft, adding thereto some hog’s grease, the powder of Fenugreek and Linseed and a few roots of Marsh Mallow …” and made into a poultice, “ taketh away the swelling of the legs or any other part, in a word it comforteth, digesteth and suppurateth very notably.”

   The chopped plant may be boiled in ghee or lard to make an ointment for cooling piles and sores and other skin problems, used externally.

Chickweed seeds

    Culpeper writing in his Herbal in the 17^th century says that Chickweed is a “fine, soft, pleasing herb.” And recommends the juice or distilled water “for all heat and redness of the eyes…as also into the ears…It helpeth the sinews when they are shrunk by cramps or otherwise…” he also recommends the juice for “wheals, itch or scabs” and suggests that the bruised leaves made into a poultice should be placed on the liver region to “temper the heat of the liver.”

    Little research has been done into Chickweed’s properties yet, but it seems as though this is another common weed that we could use to our benefit.

 

MILK THISTLE- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF MILK THISTLE

MILK THISTLE, SILYBUM MARIANUM/ CARDUUS MARIANUM

Milk thistles are a common weed in the British Isles, although they are probably not native as they would appear to come from the Mediterranean region. They have been used for more than 2000 years in traditional medicine in Europe and are thought to be good for treating the effects of alcoholism as combined with dandelion they seem to reduce the craving for alcohol and also help regenerate liver cells and help build new ones, so reducing the cirrhosis of the liver which is caused by alcohol.

  The ancient Greeks used milk thistle for liver complaints and for a number of other ailments.  Pliny (23 AD-79 AD) believed that milk thistle could purify the blood and clear it of toxins. Also in the first century AD Dioscorides believed that it would help infants who had palsied limbs as Gerard, writing his Herball in 1597, tells us:-

   “Dioscorides affirmed that the seeds being drunke are a remedy for infants that have their sinews drawn together; and for those bitten by serpents.”

   Milk thistle was used to prevent snake bites by the Anglo Saxons, who believed that if the plant was worn around the neck they would be protected, “the wort if hung about a man’s neck it setteth snakes to flight.” This may have been because of a tradition which has it that the milk of the Virgin Mary dropped onto the leaves of the Milk Thistle, giving them their white veins. This is why the plant’s Latin name is marianum and why it is sometimes called Our Lady’s Thistle, although the Holy Thistle is also called by the same name, which tends to confuse the issue.

  Milk Thistles are related to Globe artichokes and can be eaten like them if boiled with all the spines removed. The stalk can be stripped of its spines, boiled and eaten as a salad vegetable, as can the stem of the globe artichoke and the closely related cardoon. They are also related to burdock.                                                             

    Gerard also believed as did others of his time that the liver was the seat of melancholy and wrote “the root if borne about one doth expel melancholy and remove all diseases connected therewith…my opinion is that this is the best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases” which would have included those of the liver and spleen.

  John Evelyn (1620-1706) believed, as did the Physicians of Myddfai, from whom he may have got his information, that milk thistle promoted the milk supply of breast-feeding mothers. However it is recommended that pregnant and breast-feeding women avoid milk thistle today.

  In 1694, William Westmacott wrote this in his “sive historica vegetablium sacra or a scripture herbal” bemoaning the fact that much of the old ways were being lost, overtaken by modern imports. It sounds a lot like the things people say today regarding those “Good Old Days.”

   “It (the milk thistle) is a Friend to the Liver and Blood, the prickles cut off, they were formerly used to be boiled in the Spring and eaten with other herbs; but as the World decays, so doth the Use of the good old things and others more delicate and less virtuous brought in.”

  Culpeper believed that the milk thistle could cure fevers and guard against the plague, as well as removing obstructions from the liver and spleen. He recommended an infusion made from the seeds and fresh root for jaundice and to disperse gravel and stones from the kidneys and other organs. He also recommended that the young milk thistle plant be boiled when young and tender in spring and used to purify the blood from toxins. Today a tisane is made from the herb to clear congested lungs. However this is made from the seeds and is better if mint is added to the tisane as the seeds are not too palatable alone.

  The milk thistle is arguably the most important medicinal thistle growing in Britain, and it can grow to heights of between 4 and 10 feet. It is loved by donkeys and the seeds are delicacies for charms of goldfinches. People now cultivate it as it makes a pretty ornamental plant. It now grows throughout Europe and in California and Australia. The flower heads may be gathered when in full bloom but the seeds, which are brown, spotted and glossy, are best gathered in late summer.

Milk thistle seeds

   Modern medical research has found that the milk thistle is indeed good for the liver and also the kidneys and pancreas. It contains bioflavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol among others and the most important discovery as regards medical science is of silymarin which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This is actually a group of flavonoids, namely, silibinin, silidianin and silicristin. Silymarin is the active ingredient which in vitro and animal studies have shown to protect against certain damage to the kidneys, liver and pancreas. It is currently being investigated for its possible anti-cancer properties, particularly against prostate, breast, skin, colon, tongue and bladder cancers.

   Milk Thistle is also a known antidote to the poisonous effects of eating “death cap” mushrooms or Amanita phalloides.

  Please note that people with a history of hormone related cancers (e.g. breast, uterine and prostate) should not take any milk thistle or products containing it and neither should breast-feeding and pregnant women.