BLACKTHORN TREE AND SLOES - HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES: HOW TO MAKE SLOE GIN AND SLOE CHOCOLATE LIQUEURS

BLACKTHORN TREE, PRUNUS SPINOSA

The blackthorn tree is native to Europe and the British Isles, Scandinavia and parts of western Asia and extends its range into Iran and Siberia. It is a pioneer tree and can spread into fields and help woodlands regenerate. It has a special place in Celtic mythology and is, according to Irish legends, the home of the “little people” or faeries, the Lunantishees who live in its branches and protect it especially between November 11^th and May 11^th from being cut for its branches.

  There are many superstitions surrounding the Blackthorn tree, with some saying that it formed Christ’s crown of thorns, as if pricked by these, the wound is likely to become septic. When it grows together with the hawthorn, or May tree, the place where they grow is magical. It was believed that if someone pointed a blackthorn staff at a pregnant woman or animal they would miscarry. In Wales we believe that bringing a branch of blackthorn into the house is unlucky and foretells the death not just of a household member, but of a relative. (It is called Draenon ddu in Welsh and in Scots Gaelic it is Draighiann, while in Irish Gaelic it is Draighean.) However, it brings good fortune if entwined with mistletoe in December. Crowns and garlands were made from it and thrown into the May Day fires at Beltane, and the ashes were scattered over the fields to ensure that crops were good.

   It was thought to be one of the trees which crossed the barriers between this world and the spirit world, and if you meditate under it you can communicate with spirits, but you should have an amulet of it so that you can return.

  The Irish use it to make shillelaghs, walking sticks or cudgels and it is valued because of its knotty wood. There are many other legends associated with this tree, but too numerous to mention here.

   The fruit of this tree are called sloes, and these are picked after the first autumn frosts in October to make sloe gin, jellies and jams. They can be made into conserves and are good with apples. They can also be pickled and preserved, like olives. These berries contain stones, which should not be eaten as they contain amygdalin and prunasin which, when broken down in water form hydrocyanic acid (prussic and cyanide). If taken in small doses however, they can stimulate the digestive system, promote a feeling of well-being and the respiratory system.

  Prunus spinosa is a member of the Rosaceae or rose family of plants and is a very close relative of the plum, as well as the apricot, damson, greengage and almond. The fruit, a sloe, is rich in vitamin C and anthocyanins, like the bilberry (whinberry or wimberry), blueberry, blackcurrant, blackberry and black grapes. It can help prevent prostate enlargement, as can the other black fruits, and it has potent antioxidant properties, so can help fight the free-radicals that cause damage to healthy cells and are cancer-causing. The skin is astringent and can be used on irritated skin and skin problems.

  Sloes were eaten by our Neolithic ancestors as archaeologists have found pits that used to be lined with straw to put sloes in for a few months, so that they would ripen and become sweeter.

  The white flowers appear before the leaves and it is their stark contrast with the black bark of the tree that led people to believe that the tree was a symbol of both life and death. These flowers are edible and are the most used part of the tree in herbal medicine.

Sloe syrup is used to relieve the pain of rheumatism, and to help when people have flu. The fruit is used for dysentery and diarrhoea, sometimes in combination with the dried flowers, as the fruit has astringent properties. The bark of the tree contains tannin and so can also be useful in a decoction for these problems. The berries have been used for stomach disorders and to purify the blood, and the dried juice has been made into gum acacia. The sloes can also be made into a paste to whiten teeth and the juice is used for mouth irritations and ulcers as well as gum problems, In the Middle Ages it was used to make teeth firm in the gums.

  You can dry the flowers and leaves and make a tisane with them for stomach cramps, while a tisane of the flowers is made to break up stones in the kidneys and gall bladder. It is purgative and can stimulate a jaded appetite. This is also used as a blood purifier and for catarrh. A decoction of the bark is used in fevers as it is said to promote sweating. The skin of the sloe has antibacterial properties so can be applied to the skin if there is an infection.

  A friend of mine went up a tree to harvest sloes one autumn and disturbed a squirrel which clearly didn’t want to share the harvest. It sat close to my feet and chattered angrily up at the person in the tree, not noticing, or caring about my presence. We used the fruit to make sloe gin, and then sloe gin-soaked chocolates for Christmas.

  To make sloe gin you have to have a bottle of gin, an empty bottle and a couple of pounds of sloes. Pour half the gin into the empty bottle and after washing the fruit, pile it into the bottles, cover tightly and leave for 6-8 weeks, turning it twice a day at first, then once a day. Leave the bottles in a cool dark place. Strain, pour the gin into one bottle and use the sloes in the recipe below.

SLOE CHOCOLATE LIQUEURS

Ingredients

Sloes that have been macerated in gin

  (as described above)

dark chocolate

Method

Melt the chocolate in a pan and throw in the sloes.

Remove from the heat and stir well to mix.

Take a dessert spoon and put a circle of chocolate and sloes on greased paper on a tray.

Take care to keep the chocolate separate.

Refrigerate until the chocolate is set, store in a tin and eat them whenever you fell like it.

These have Taste and are a Treat.

WOOD APPLE - UNIQUE CITRUS FRUIT: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF WOOD APPLE

WOOD APPLE, ELEPHANT APPLE, FERONIA LIMONIA (SWINGLE)

This is a very curious-looking citrus fruit, and has many names both in English and Latin. Whatever you choose to call it this citrus fruit is unique in that it is the only one in its genus. It is like the lemon, grapefruit, meethay, kinnow, and pommelo a member of the Rutaceae family, and was previously known by the Latin name Limonia acidissima L., although according to the agro Forestry database it is now called Feronia limonia. It is also known as Feronia elephantum CORREA and Sehinus limonia L. In English it is also called the Indian Wood Apple, Monkey fruit, Curd fruit, and kath bel and a variety of other names in Indian dialects and languages. In French it is called pomme d’elephant pomme de bois or citron des mois. It looks a little like the Bael fruit (Aegle marmelos) when on the tree, but it is a totally different fruit.

  The tree this fruit grows on is a slow-growing one which is erect with sharp spines on its bark. The flowers are a greeny colour or dull red. The fruit has a very hard rind which has to be cracked open with a hammer or other tool, and the sticky pulp, with its small, numerous white seeds can then be scooped out and eaten raw. This pulp is brown, with a mealy texture, and has an astringent taste. It can be bitter or a little sweet, and can be made into jam, jelly or chutney. The jelly made from the pulp looks like blackcurrant jelly when it is made as it goes a dark purple colour. The leaves smell a little of aniseed.

  It was known to the ancient Greeks and Romans and has been used in Ayurvedic medicine for hundreds, if not thousands of years. In this system of medicine it is used to protect the liver, and clinical studies have recently shown that it can protect the liver and kidneys of rats in the lab, although studies have not yet been carried out on humans. It is also used as a cardiac tonic, and given the antioxidant properties of this fruit it should be of benefit to the cardio-vascular system. It contains iron, phosphorous, calcium, tannins and pectin, and its astringent qualities mean that the unripe fruit is a good treatment for chronic diarrhoea and dysentery. It is prescribed for hiccoughs, sore throats and gum diseases. In a poultice the pulp is used to help with venomous insect bites and stings, as is the dried, powdered rind.

  The pulp is blended with coconut milk and palm sugar syrup as a refreshing drink, and it can be frozen and made into ice cream.

  Juice from the young leaves is mixed with milk and gur (jaggery) and given to children to stop vomiting and other gastric problems. Powdered leaves are also mixed with honey and given to children with diarrhoea or dysentery. Again children are given a decoction of the leaves to aid digestion, and oil from the leaves is said to stop itching.

  The leaves, bark, roots and fruit pulp of this tree are, when combined used as an antidote to snake bites. An extract of the bark of the tree is used in cosmetics to help prevent sun burn and to protect from UV rays.

  The leaves contain flavonoids, polyphenols, coumarin and glycosides, but their properties and constituents are still being studied. In one study it was shown that extracts of the leaves could inhibit nitric oxide production in the body, and in another the extract was found to have antifungal properties.  In rats it also helped reduce gastric ulcers.

  When the monsoon and rainy season is over the tree produces a gum which can be used as a substitute for or an adulterant of gum Arabic, and is used in artist’s watercolours as well as in inks and varnishes. The wood from the tree is hard and durable, a yellow-grey colour which is used for construction, making agricultural implements and many other items as well as being used for fuel. The rind can be made into decorative items such as small boxes too, if it is not dried and powdered for medicinal use.

  This tree and its fruit may have as yet unknown medicinal benefits, and the traditional uses of it may be proved scientifically.

ROCK SAMPHIRE - ONCE HIGHLY PRIZED FOOD:HEALTH BENEFITS AND HOW TO COOK ROCK SAMPHIRE

ROCK SAMPHIRE, CRITHMUM MARITIMUM

Rock samphire is the only plant in its genus, Crithmum, just as the Wood Apple is in its. However, rock samphire belongs to the Umbelliferae or Apiceae family of plants which includes fennel, carrots and lovage. It is native to coastal Europe including the British Isles and southern parts of Ireland as well as the Mediterranean and the Black Sea coasts.

  The Celts of France, Wales and Cornwall ate this plant and it was popular in 16^th century Britain as a pickle mainly. In the 19^th century it was the victim of over-harvesting and so fell out of use in the UK. As its name suggests it grows in rocky places where it can be touched by the salty sea spray and it is now making a comeback both in terms of its abundance and popularity. In Britain it is a protected species so you are not actually supposed to harvest it from the wild.

  In the past it was harvested in the Isle of Wight off the south coast of Britain and transported to London to be sold in the street markets in casks of salt water. The street cry for this herb was “Crest Marine.” It is mentioned in Samuel Pepys diary and Shakespeare clearly saw it being harvested on his journey to Dover, where one of the famous White Cliffs in the region is named after him: Shakespeare Cliff. At the time a rope was tied to a child’s ankles and he was dangled over the cliff to pick the rock samphire that grew in crevices and clefts in the rocks. Shakespeare gives Edgar in “King Lear” (Act IV scene VI) these lines: -

  “There is a cliff whose high and bending head looks fearfully in the confined

      deep.......The crows and choughs that wing the midway air scarce so gross as beetles;

      halfway down hangs one that gathers samphire, dreadful trade!”  

  Today samphire grows again near the White Cliffs of Dover on reclaimed land, which was formed after the building of the Channel Tunnel, it is aptly called Samphire Hoe (a Hoe is a promontory, or piece of land that juts out into the sea).

  The seed pods which can be found from August to October can be pickled and used as a substitute for capers. Rock samphire flowers from June to August, but the young leaves are best for cooking and should be gathered in May. These can be sprinkled with salt, after they have been removed from the stems, boiled and then put in a jar and covered with spices and vinegar. They are best cooked simply as you would asparagus as in the recipe below.

Seed pods

   William Coles (1626-1662) writes that “there is such great plenty [of rock samphire] that it is gathered (yet not without danger) for some have fallen down and broken their necks…” He goes on to say that rock samphire is good for digestion and the “breaking of the stone and voiding of Gravell in the Reines [kidneys] and Bladder.” John Gerard writing in the 16^th century and Coles’ contemporary Nicolas Culpeper agree with this use of rock samphire. However Culpeper writes (50 years after Gerard) that it had gone out of fashion in his day and deplores this, describing it as “very pleasant to taste and stomach.”

  It got the name samphire from a corruption of Saint Pierre (French), the patron saint of fishermen (Saint Peter) and this is reflected in its Italian name, Herba di San Pietro (Herb of Saint Peter) or Sanpetra. It is also called Sea Fennel (Meerfenchal in German), Sea asparagus, Sea bean (It resembles a green bean when cooked) and Sea pickle.

  It reduces flatulence, purifies the blood and removes toxins from the body. In fact rock samphire has similar properties to karella and has a similar, but not quite as strong, bitter flavour. It is currently thought that it may be good for a weight loss diet and obesity, just as chong (Caralluma fimbriata) is and the taste of rock samphire is a little reminiscent of this plant too.

  This simple recipe is very good but if you wish you can serve it with melted butter instead of olive oil. It goes well with meat and fish, especially sea bream and bass.

BOILED ROCK SAMPHIRE

Ingredients

½ kilo rock samphire use leaves only

olive oil

lemon juice

freshly ground black pepper

Method

Clean the samphire, and strip the leaves from the stems. Discard any flowers. There is no need to add salt.

Bring a pan of water to the boil, throw in the samphire and cook for about 7 minutes at simmering point.

Drain and serve with a dressing of olive oil and lemon juice and black pepper.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

BLUEBERRIES - TASTY AND GOOD FOR HEALTH: INDIVIDUAL BLUEBERRY-CINNAMON CHEESECAKES RECIPE

BLUEBERRIES, VACCINIUM GENUS

Blueberries are in the same genus of plants as the British bilberry (also known as whinberry and wimberry) and the cranberry, both of which have amazing health benefits. The blueberry, like all black fruit, blackberries, black grapes and blackcurrants among them, contain anthocyanins which give these berries their blue-black colour.

  There are three basic types of blueberry, all native to the North American continent, mainly distributed in the eastern states.

There is the High-Bush blueberry, Vaccinium corymbosum L., which has astringent qualities so is good for diarrhoea and other digestive disorders, and may also be used for respiratory diseases such as bronchitis and asthma. The Low Sweet Blueberry V. angustiflorum - Aiton, is used in traditional medicine to hasten uterine contractions during childbirth and as a blood tonic and purifier. The third variety is V. constablael – A. Gray which is native to the eastern parts of North America.

   Blueberries have a high vitamin C content and also contain some of the B-complex vitamins, notably B1, B2, B3, B5 and B6. Vitamins E and A are also present and these protects the retina in the eye from damage by oxygen and sunlight. As for minerals these berries contain calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorous, potassium, selenium, sodium and zinc. Omega-3 and -6 fatty acids are also present as are 18 amino acids, and the flavonoids kaempferol, quercetin along with others. Apart from these other phytonutrients are also present such as resveratol.

  In two separate studies on the elderly, with the average age of 76, drinking between 2 and 2 ½ cups of blueberry juice a day increased memory and cognitive powers. It is believed that this is because of the antioxidant properties of blueberries, although Dr. Jeremy Spencer, a molecular nutritionist at the University of Reading UK, believes that the flavonoid rich blueberries and other foods such as chocolate, spinach and some other fruit juices can increase the blood flow to the brain and can restructure it so warding off the loss of memory associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

  Blueberries can help prevent cardio-vascular disease because they lower bad cholesterol but increase the good variety and they can also help to regulate blood sugar levels, making them good for people suffering from Type-2 diabetes. They can also help to regulate blood pressure and maintain normal blood pressure.

  Just as bilberries do, they can help prevent macular degeneration, an eye disease which affects many people as they grow older, and can help with night vision. In fact bilberries do much the same as blueberries and the reason they have become so popular in Britain is because of the health news which hails them as a superfood. In fact in 2010 they overtook sales of one of Britain’s favourite fruits, the red raspberry, and in the US they are the second most popular berry after the ubiquitous strawberry.

  It should perhaps be pointed out that any food which is hailed as a superfood has to be eaten in a well-balanced healthy, nutritious diet to have real health benefits.

 Eating a lot of one fruit or vegetable but still eating a lot of unhealthy trans-fats and fast food will not have any lasting health benefits.

  You can use the recipe below for bilberries too and the bilberry recipe for blueberries.

INDIVIDUAL BLUEBERRY – CINNAMON CHEESECAKES

Ingredients

150 gr blueberries

1 tbsp caster sugar

1 tsp freshly ground cinnamon

6 digestive biscuits, crumbled

25 gr melted butter

250 gr thick natural yoghurt

2 tbsps honey

1 lemon, zest removed and juiced

Method

Cook the blueberries with the caster sugar and cinnamon for 2-3 minutes. You can add more sugar if you have a sweet tooth.

Combine the crumbled biscuits and melted butter and press this crumble mixture into the bottom of 4 glasses.

Mix the natural yoghurt (Greek yoghurt is good) with the honey and lemon zest and juice. Combine well, blend in a food processor if you have one.

Now put a layer of the yoghurt mixture on top of the biscuits, then a layer of blueberries and repeat until all are used.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

MEETHAY FRUIT - TYPE OF PERSIAN LIME: HEALTH BENEFITS AND HOW TO USE MEETHAY FRUIT

MEETHAY, PERSIAN LIME VARIETY, CITRUS LATIFOLIA

In Urdu this fruit is called meethay, but this is a misnomer as meethay means sweet and this citrus fruit is far from being that. The nearest I could get to an English name for this is Persian Lime of which it might be a variant that is commonly grown in Pakistan and the rest of the subcontinent. It is ripe in monsoon season, which is now, and is used as a medicine or at least a health tonic, rather than for eating for pleasure.

  It looks like an under-ripe orange as it has a thin green skin, and segments like an orange or other citrus fruit, but the juice is pale orange while the flesh might be yellow-orange tinged with green. The traditional medicine practitioners or hakims as they are called recommend that you have as much of this fruit as you can when it is in season so that you will be healthy for the rest of the year. It is good to detoxify the whole system, and is said to have a quinine-like effect so that if you eat this you are protected from malaria, just as you would be if you took quinine.

  It is said to have antibiotic qualities and to protect against cholera and to be useful for all fevers. It is rich in vitamin C and the B-complex vitamin B6, and the minerals potassium and iron, and also contains many other health-promoting nutrients. It will help stave off colds and flu and generally boosts the immune system. Its astringency means that it is a good remedy for diarrhoea and dysentery.

  It also contains flavonoids with potent antioxidant properties which may inhibit the growth of cancerous cells in the body, by combating the free radicals which damage healthy cells.

  It doesn’t seem to be the exact same thing as a Tahiti lime which is used as a synonym for a Persian lime in the US as this fruit has seeds. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine for all the above-mentioned ailments and also used to stimulate the secretion of gastric juices in the digestive tract, and to help if you have been exposed to the sun for too long. It also has antiseptic qualities.

  When you cut this fruit you have to eat or drink the juice quickly, so, for example only one fruit is cut into quarters and shared at a time, then it is rubbed with salt and eaten as prolonged exposure to the air makes it even sourer than it already is naturally. When one meethay is finished you cut another and share it. When you use the juice, instead of cutting all the fruit at one time and then juicing it, the traditional way is to cut one fruit at a time and extract the juice and make enough for one glass, then it is drunk with salt. After that you make another glass of juice and so on.

  It tastes rather like an especially tart grapefruit with lemon juice added, although this doesn’t quite describe the tart, astringent taste quite accurately. It isn’t used in cooking here to the best of my knowledge, although it might be a useful addition to a pickle, and if you have never tried one, then don’t get anxious about the fact!

ASARABACCA - ONCE FAMOUS MEDICINAL HERB: HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF ASARABACCA

ASARABACCA, ASARUM EUROPAEUM LINN.

Asarabacca is a member of the Aristolochiaceae family and is native to Europe being naturalized in the British Isles. It has also been called ‘wild nard’; Pliny wrote about it as nardum rusticum or country nard. (This is not to be confused with Indian spikenard or jatamansi.) The name asarabacca comes from the Greek ασαρον and βακχάρις, (spicy) and the root was a source of perfume βακάρις although as it has a camphor smell it would seem that tastes in perfume have changed since those times. (Who would want to smell of mothballs and ginger?)The plant has a mildly peppery and ginger smell, and was also used in medicinal drinks in ancient Greece.

  Today it is mainly used in homeopathy to treat anxiety and excitability. However at one time it was widely used, especially in the Middle Ages. Hildegard of Bingen (1098 – 1179) sometimes described as the German Mother of Botany, mentions it in her two medical books (“Physica” and “Causea et Curae”), which she wrote between 1151 and 1161, and judging by the number of copies of these manuscripts still in existence, they were widely read.

She recommended asarabacca to be used in a bathing regime for skin eruptions due to lust or (sexual) incontinence with agrimony Agrimonia eupatoria, hyssop Hyssopus officinalis, asarum Asarum europaeum and menstrual blood added to a bath.

  The Physicians of Myddfai used it in combination with other herbs for pneumonia: -

    “There are three kinds of lung disease; — simple pneumonia, white pneumonia (bronchitis) and black  pneumonia, (phthysis) which is marked by pain below the mamma, under the armpit, and in the top of the

shoulders, with (hectic) redness of the cheeks. And thus are they treated. Let (the patient) take, for three successive days, of the following herbs; hemlock, agrimony, herb Robert, and asarabacca, then let him

undergo a three day's course of aperients. When the disease is thus removed from the bronchial tubes, an emetic should be given him (daily) to the end of nine days.”

 Actually asarabacca is a purgative and a fairly violent one at that, and as it contains toxins, should not be used. The information here is for interest’s sake only. It has also been used for bronchitis, but gained a lot of attention as it was used in snuff to provoke sneezing and to clear the nasal passages. It has been used for silicosis and as an expectorant as well as to promote sweating during fevers.

  The British herbalist Culpeper writing in the 17^th century says that it is a purgative and if boiled in whey will remove “obstructions of the liver and spleen,” and suggested that it was good for jaundice and other liver complaints. If steeped in urine he believed it was good for fever and said that its volatile oil obtained from the roots when mixed with laudanum (opium) was an antidote to snake bites. 

He also wrote that the “leaves and root being boiled in lye and the head often washed therewith whilst it is warm, comforteth the head and brain that is ill affected by taking a cold and helpeth the memory.”

  The American cousin of asarabacca is Asarum canadensis which is known as wild ginger. It has different properties to the European plant, so don’t confuse it. The European asarabacca is a small plant rather like the Lesser celandine in height, but it has browny-purple flowers, which remind me of the Water Avens, (Geum rivale) which is also known as Indian Chocolate. It is a protected species in Europe and lives in shady woodlands, although now it is a popular garden ornamental planted because its kidney-shaped evergreen leaves make good ground cover. It has one single drooping flower on its stems, and this blooms in May. Later come the red berries and the seed capsules, which contain numerous boat-shaped seeds.

   In traditional medicine systems in Europe and other parts of the world this little plant has been used as a remedy for asthma, angina, coughs, migraines, dehydration and to induce vomiting, as well as the ailments already mentioned above.

  It contains toxins which are neutralized by the drying process, although β-asarone, one of its constituents is thought to be carcinogenic. The volatile oil from the roots is made up of 50% of toxic phenyl-propane asarone with mono and sesquiterpenoids. The old herbalists were aware of the dangers in plants and warned of them as well as extolling a plant’s virtues.

  This plant has gone out of fashion in herbal remedies, perhaps because there are so many others we know are safer to use, and because it is an endangered species.

BLACK COHOSH - A WOMAN'S HERB: USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF BLACK COHOSH

BLACK COHOSH, ACTEAE RACEMOSA / CIMICIFUGA RACEMOSA

Black Cohosh is native to North America and was used by Native Americans who used the plant for gynaecological problems, kidney problems, malaria, sore throats and to induce lactation in breast-feeding mothers, for colds, coughs, hives and backache. In the 19^th century it was a common home remedy in the US for rheumatism, fever, to promote menstruation and as a diuretic. It fell out of use with the advent of pharmaceuticals.

  It has a number of other names which refer to its properties or alleged properties, some of theses being black snakeroot, rattle root, rattle top and rattle wood, all referring to the belief that a tincture of the roots is an antidote for rattlesnake venom. Its other names are bugbane and bugwort as insects tend not to go near it; it is a natural insect repellent.

  It has been used in Europe for 40 years and is approved by the German Commission E for premenstrual discomfort, painful menstruation and to treat menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes/flashes. However some doubt has been cast on this use, as clinical trials of Black Cohosh have rarely been conducted for more than a six month period. The parts used in herbal remedies are the roots and rhizomes.

  Scientific studies are still underway on Black Cohosh and as it contains plant-based estrogens, it is believed that these may inhibit bone loss which leads to osteoporosis. It is possible that it may help reduce inflammation, especially that which is associated with osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis; preparations for these complaints typically do not use Black Cohosh alone. It is usually combined with willow bark, sarsaparilla (Smilax), poplar bark (Populus tremuloides), and guaiacum (Guaiacum officinale) resin. This combination is said to relieve inflammation but there is not enough evidence to show that Black Cohosh can do this on its own.

  It is a tall flowering plant that grows in shady woods in the eastern regions of the North American continent. It is a member of the Ranunculaceae, or buttercup family of plants so is also related to the Lesser celandine. The fresh or dried stems and / or roots of the plant can be used in infusions, (tisanes); 1 ounce of fresh root and stems, chopped, to 1 pint of boiling water steeped for 15 minutes before straining and drinking.

  People with liver complaints are advised not to take Black Cohosh preparations, as it has very occasionally caused some problems. However these were very few in number but pregnant and lactating mothers are also advised not to use it as well as women with a hormone-related condition such as breast cancer. Most of the reported side effects of Black Cohosh are minor however.

WEST HIMALAYAN FIR - HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES

WEST HIMALAYAN FIR, ABIES PINDROW ROYLE

The Himalayan firs, both Abies pindrow Royle, also known as Abies webbiana pindrow, the West Himalayan fir and the East Himalayan fir, Abies spectabilis can hybridize, which is both good and bad for their survival.  These are members of the Pinaceae family of plants so they are related to the chilgoza producing pine and the European pine which produces pignoli or the smaller pine nuts used in the cuisine of the Mediterranean regions. Theses firs are under threat because of unsustainable harvesting practices, as they are used by local people for fuel. In Pakistan where the logs and branches of this tree are used for cooking, hakims, (traditional medicine practitioners) say that it will cure bronchial problems and respiratory ones.

  The West Himalayan fir is a slow-growing tree and likes shade, but doesn’t thrive in frosty conditions. Locals chop down rhododendrons for cooking and forage food for their livestock and this is often left on the forest floor. New trees fail to sprout because of this litter. Young trees are used for poles, and the older ones are felled for timber and fuel. The wood is light and not very durable, but is made into furniture and construction to make door and window frames.

   Unlike the Himalayan yew, Taxus wallichiana the trees are not under threat because of their medicinal qualities as the leaves of the tree are used primarily and not the bark and wood, which in the Himalayan yew is the source of an anti-cancer drug, taxol. Scientists and agriculturalists have been warning for more than a decade that these firs are threatened because of unsustainable forestry management and this seems not to have been addressed, their numbers are still in decline.

   In Ayurvedic medicine the leaves are used for heart problems, and the leaves are used for various purposes. A tincture or decoction of the leaves is used for asthma chronic bronchitis and lung infections, while the powdered leaves are used with the juice of Adhatoda vasica for coughs and colds. The juice from the leaves is added to mother’s milk or water and given to infants with a fever. For this 5 to 10 drops of juice are added to the liquid to be used.

   Clinical trials have found that extracts of the leaves of the West Himalayan fir are in many ways consistent with their uses in traditional medicine. They have anti-inflammatory properties and anti-depressant activity, with some sedative actions. They protect from ulcers, perhaps because of the steroids contained in them, but have yet to show antibacterial properties in the lab in vitro. They have some effect on insulin secretion and may have the potential for anti diabetic drugs. It is thought that the flavonoids and triterpenoids present may help to protect the lungs. They also have some pain-killing properties. A new alkaloid has been isolated from the leaves to and investigations are still underway to discover how the extracts can be used to benefit our health.

NUT GRASS: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF NUT GRASS

NUT GRASS, PURPLE NUT SEDGE, COCO GRASS, CYPERUS ROTUNDUS

Nut grass is a common weed in the Indian subcontinent and is found throughout the world. Its seeds are edible and can be used in extremis, but the rhizome is particularly valued for its oil and this is used in the perfume industry. The grass is a member of the sedge family or the Cyperaceae family of plants so is a close relative of Cyperus esculentus, the tiger nut or chufa. Nut grass has been used to cure a number of ailments in traditional medicine systems around the world. In Pakistan it is used for stomach problems, as a diuretic and stimulant as well as to improve the functioning of the nervous system.

   In other systems it has been used to assist in menstrual problems, to reduce the temperatures in fevers and to promote sweating, and has a number of other uses as well as being an alleged aphrodisiac. It can regulate blood pressure and clinical trials have shown that extracts of the plant have anti-microbial, anti-fungal and anti-inflammatory properties. It may also have sedative and hypnotic effects as well as being a muscle relaxant.

  It contains camphene so is rather like the camphor tree in its smell, and it is used as an insect repellent in clothes, but as I’ve mentioned before, sandalwood and patchouli are much better smelling than camphor based smells.

   A decoction of the rhizomes and roots is used in Ayurvedic medicine as an antidote to poison, while a paste of the rhizome can be applied to the breasts of a mother to promote the milk flow. Incidentally in folk medicine the same paste is used to increase the size of breasts. The roots and rhizomes are used to improve memory and the cognitive processes, and to “harmonize” the functions of the liver, spleen and pancreas.

  The above ground part of the plant is used to get rid of internal worms, and as an astringent to heal wounds, and this is the part believed to have aphrodisiac properties. It is used to treat rheumatism and fungal infections. It is used to cure indigestion, coughs, bronchitis, to stop vomiting and to quench thirst, and has many other uses.

   Here is a remedy for headaches: - pulverize the rhizome to a paste and plaster this on your forehead for almost instant relief (it is claimed). The same paste applied to irritated skin will also stop itching.

  A powder from the rhizome is used for epilepsy and psychosis as well as menstrual problems.

  In China the plant is used to treat cervical cancer. You will also see Cyperus rotundus in skin whitening creams and women are told specifically to look for this ingredient on the labels of such creams.

  The plant contains limonene, camphene, the minerals magnesium and manganese along with flavonoids, tannins, polyphenols and saponins. Clinical trials have at least borne out some of the traditional uses of this plant, and perhaps more will be verified as clinical trials progress.