WHAT IS SAFEDA TREE? EUCALYPTUS TREE - MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES: HOW TO MAKE EUCALYPTUS LEAVES TISANE

EUCALYPTUS TREES, SAFEDA IN URDU

There are around seven hundred species of eucalyptus trees, which have their origins in Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. They are a fast-growing species that can withstand drought because their deep roots can take up underground water. This hardy species of the myrtle family (Myrtaceae) have now spread around the world to the Mediterranean region, North Africa, the Indian subcontinent and to the US among other places. As members of the myrtle family they are related to cloves, allspice and guava (amrood).

  The tree that predominates in Greece and Pakistan is Eucalyptus camaldulensis and this is the one featured in this post. The medicinal oil comes from E. globulus or the Blue Gum, which gets its Latin name because it resembles a globe-shaped button that was popular in France towards the end of the 19^th century when the tree was given its botanical name. Flowers on different species may be single ones or bloom in clusters which are on the whole without stalks, or which have tiny ones. Be careful as the bark of some species of eucalyptus can cause dermatitis.

  In Australia koalas like to eat leaves from these trees, and can consume between 2½ to 3 pounds a day. Eucalyptus honey is prized as is the oil which is obtained from the leaves and tops of branches. The tree also yields timber which is durable and strong and can be used as fuel. However care should be taken not to burn freshly cut branches as the wood and seeds emit sparks that can easily start a fire and burn you if you are too close.

  Some species are on the threatened list in their native Australia and are under threat in Pakistan where they are believed to be destroying native plants by depleting the ground of water. Originally trees were imported and planted to help reduce flood waters, and because they are fast-growing and give plenty of shade; also they are able to withstand adverse weather conditions. In the province of Punjab they line the roads and fields, but they are being cut down to be replaced by native trees such as the kikar (Acacia nilotica), neem (Azadirachta indica), and kachnar (Bauhinia variegata) trees. 

The planting of eucalyptus tree in Pakistan began in the 1960s and gathered pace in the early 1990s when aid was received for reforestation from USAID. Now they are being blamed for consuming “underground water unnecessarily” by a Pakistani spokesman for the IUCN, the world conservation union. They were also described as “environmentally unfriendly” in 2006 by a spokesman from the Environmental Protection Department of Punjab province.

  However they are useful in the match-stick making industry and in the process of tobacco curing, as 200,000 are felled annually for those industries.

  In some countries where planting began earlier, the trees deep roots were welcomed as they could dry marshy land which was a breeding ground for malaria bearing mosquitoes, so the trees had their uses. In Pakistan the leaves are gathered and hung close to a baby or young child to protect him/her from diseases and to keep insects away.

  Most people have resorted to menthol and eucalyptus lozenges when they have blocked sinuses, a cold, cough or sore throat, and the tisane made from the chopped leaves given below can be used for the same purposes. However if you have asthma don’t touch eucalyptus as it can bring on an attack. The tisane can also help to reduce fevers.

  The oil from eucalyptus is traditionally used to treat diabetes, and medical research is proving that this may be a correct treatment, although more research needs to be done before it is proved conclusively. Eucalyptus oil can be used for arthritis, to get rid of boils and sores, heal and clean wounds and to repel insects. It is rich in cineole which is a powerful antiseptic that kills the bacteria that cause bad breath (halitosis). It is also effectively used as smelling salts if someone faints.

  The leaves contain tannins which have astringent qualities, and which can reduce inflammation, and flavonoids such as quercetin, which has strong antioxidant properties.

  In 19^th century British hospitals, eucalyptus oil was used to thoroughly clean some medical items, as it has anti-bacterial qualities.

  The Aborigines, the native Australians, used the eucalyptus trees to make boats, boomerangs and spears. They also used it medicinally, using ointments made from it to heal wounds and to cure fungal infections such as ringworm.

  Eucalyptus has many uses, but is often not a good imported species as is so often the case.

TISANE OF EUCALYPTUS LEAVES

Ingredients

½ tsp chopped fresh eucalyptus leaves

1 cup boiling water

a few sprigs of mint

Method

Pour the boiling water over the leaves and leave to steep for 10-15 minutes before straining and drinking.

Drink a cup three times a day for colds, sinus obstructions, coughs, sore throats (also a gargle and wash for skin problems), fevers and flu.

This has Taste and is a Treat(ment). 

MANGOSTEEN FRUIT - INFORMATION: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF MANGOSTEEN FRUIT

MANGOSTEEN, GARCINIA MANGOSTANA

Despite the similarities in their names, mangosteens and mangoes are not related. The mangosteen belongs to the Clusiaceae family of plants, although formerly it was in the Guttiferae one; this means that this fruit is related to st john's wort. It gets its name from a Malay word, manggusta, the name for this fruit. The slow-growing fruit tree with a pyramid shaped crown, which grows to between 20 and 82 feet, was named in honour of the French explorer of the 18^th century, Laurent Garcin.

  I think on the whole I prefer rambutan, and don’t see what the hype surrounding mangosteens is all about. They are not related, but taste a little like each other. Mangosteen has segments surrounding the long flat seeds, and these look like fleshy garlic cloves. They are easy to peel although people seem to need a knife on other web sites; maybe they haven’t had really fresh fruit. You have to be careful though as the purple juice stains your fingers. However, you can eat them as you wander around if you are thirsty. They are sold alongside rambutans in Thai markets and on stalls that line the road when they are in season, in May through June. To me they taste like a cross between a strawberry and a lychee, with a hint of vanilla.

  The flowers of the rambutan tree are hermaphrodites, in other words they have both male and female parts, so it’s easy for them to pollinate. This is partly why they have been moved to the Clusiaceae family. They like humidity and rainfall and although they have been introduced to various countries since their “discovery” by Europeans, they have been difficult to grow on a large scale, and thrive best in hothouses.

  It is believed that they have their origins in the Sunda Islands and the Maluccas, although it can be found wild in the forests of Kemaman, Malaya. Perhaps it was first domesticated in Thailand, but the experts are not sure. They were first planted in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) in 1800 and then in India in 1881, and some trees still grow there. They were also introduced to Queensland, Australia, where largely unsuccessful attempts have been made to cultivate them since 1884. There are some plantations in the West Indies, and in Guatemala, Honduras and Colombia. The fruits have to be harvested by hand when they are fully ripe, and any that fall are not taken to market.

  In Thailand the non-fruiting trees are felled and used for timber in the construction industry and furniture making. In the past they were used to make spear handles and pounders for rice.

  The fruit contains the minerals potassium, phosphorous, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese and zinc, along with some others. It also has vitamins A, C and E as well as some of the B-complex ones. The rind of the fruit contains tannins and xanthones, and is used dried in traditional medicine systems in South-East Asia for dysentery and diarrhoea. A decoction of the dried fruits is used for skin problems such as eczema and psoriasis and is drunk as a remedy for cystitis and gonorrhoea.

  In the Philippines, a decoction of the leaves and bark is used to reduce fevers, for urinary tract problems, dysentery and diarrhoea, and candida (thrush). In Malaysia a decoction of the roots of the tree is used to regulate menstruation, and an infusion of the leaves mixed with a little benzoin and an unripe banana is used to stop infection after circumcision of male babies.

  A bark extract from the tree has been found to contain derivatives of mangostin; mangostin-e, 6-di-O-glycoside which depresses the functions of the central nervous system, and can cause a rise in blood pressure in lab-tested animals. There is some evidence to suggest that the mangosteen tree may kill cancer cells, and it has antioxidant properties, but a lot of research is still needed as none of the studies so far carried out have been on people.

  In the 19^th century as well as in the 21^st there was a lot of hype surrounding this fruit which is regarded as the “Queen of Fruit” in South-East Asia, with Durian being the King. Indian and Pakistanis would dispute this saying that mango is the king, while shareefa is the fruit of kings.

  The mangosteen was first grown in Britain in the mid 19^th century on the estate of the Dukes of Northumberland by their gardener, John Ivison, and won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Gold Banksian Medal which was the first time it had been awarded to a single fruit; this was in 1855. Queen Victoria, the reigning monarch at that time, seems to have eaten her first mangosteen in 1891 which she received from Trinidad. Her personal secretary wrote in thanks to Sir Frederick Broome, who had been instrumental in supplying the fruit, that the Queen thought her gift “quite excellent.” However, this may be a case of damning with faint praise, as a thing is either excellent or not.

KITCHARI OR KETCHEREE, THE ORIGINAL KEDGEREE: TASTY EASY VEGETARIAN RECIPE

KITCHARI OR KETCHEREE

Kitchari or ketcheree is the original dish which the British changed into kedgeree, with the addition of smoked cod or herring instead of, or as well as, moong beans. This is a traditional dish in the Punjab, Pakistan and is prescribed for those who are recovering from illnesses as it is very nutritious. It is popular with children, and made in different ways in Pakistani homes. It is a light dish that can be eaten for lunch, perhaps with pickles.

  Kitchari means mixture and this refers to the mix of pulse and grain, rice and green moong beans. Red lentils can also be added to the dish, or, if you can’t find moong beans they may be substituted with red lentils.

  This is a very healthy dish, and excellent for a vegetarian meal.

 

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice

1 cup moong beans

1 onion, chopped

2 green chillies, finely chopped

1 tbsp finely chopped garlic

1 tbsp finely chopped ginger root

1 tbsp cumin seeds (zeera)

1 tsp coriander seeds

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp turmeric (haldi)

1 tsp garam masala

½ cup oil

fresh coriander leaves shredded (optional)

Method

Clean the rice and moong beans and then mix together and soak in water for two hours.

Heat the oil in a deep pan and fry the ginger, garlic, cumin seeds for 30 seconds, then add the onion, and fry until this is brown.

Pour 4 cups of water into the pan and add the freshly ground black pepper, coriander seeds, turmeric, moong beans and rice.

Stir well and bring to the boil.

Add the green chillies and garam masala, and boil for 2 mins.

Reduce the heat to low and cover, and cook for 10 mins.

Remove from the heat and add the fresh coriander leaves if using.

Remove the lid and allow the dish to cool for 5 minutes.

Serve alone or with pickles.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

DEODAR TREE ( CEDRUS DEODARA) - INFORMATION: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF DEODAR TREE

DEODAR TREE, CEDRUS DEODARA

The deodar is the national tree of Pakistan and is a member of the pine tree family in particular the cedars, making it a relative of the Biblical Cedar of Lebanon. As a member of the Pinaceae family of trees it is also related to the pine trees which bear pine nuts, including the chilgoza pine nuts. It is an evergreen coniferous tree that is native to Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and western Nepal. They can live for more than a thousand years, but up until now, they have not, as far as we know, beaten the Jurupa oakand the yew in the longevity stakes. The old trees can grow to heights of 250 feet and have girths of 14 feet. These trees are revered and can be found planted around temples.

  The name deodar comes from a Sanskrit word, davadaru which means the timber of God or divine timber. However the tree is prized for its medical properties, and not just for its fragrant wood, which is, admittedly, put to many uses.

  Walking through a forest of these trees is breathtaking as they emit the pine resin smell that scents the air. I see why it is used in aromatherapy to clear the mind. Because the wood is fragrant it is used like sandalwood for chests, and smaller items such as ornamental boxes and picture frames. Deodar wood repels insects and so chests and barrels are made to store grains such as rice in. The oil can also be diluted and sprayed on crops as a natural insecticide, and you can smear it over your arms to prevent them being bitten by mosquitoes.

  In former times in Pakistan, beggars pretending to be holy men would waft incense burners around shops for protection against evil and for good luck and inside the burners would be deodar charcoal or sandalwood. Now, however, they use any kind of charcoal and so their services are no longer welcomed. In fact they are not allowed in shops.

  Deodar oil and resins as well as the pine needles and bark of the tree have been used in traditional and Ayurvedic medicine for centuries, to cure illnesses ranging from STDs, cancer, rheumatoid arthritis to less serious coughs, colds and hiccups.

Deodar trees in winter

  Modern medical research has shown that extracts from the needles have a pain killing and antiseptic effect, and that the tree has antioxidant properties. It has been found to contain new lignan compounds (lignans are found in flax seeds, pumpkin seeds and broccoli and have antioxidant and anti-cancer properties). A new flavonoid has also been discovered, and the tree has also yielded two new types or sesquiterpenoids ά – and β-himachalines along with deodarone and deodardione.

  Ayurvedic practitioners use preparations from the deodar tree to treat urinary tract problems, diabetes, obesity, to relieve pain, for skin problems, to aid digestion and to strengthen the heart muscles and to improve blood circulation. The oil is used for headaches, coughs, colds, hiccups, arthritis and a number of other ailments including gout.

  Rudyard Kipling mentions deodar trees in three of his books, and they have been mentioned frequently in Indian and Pakistani writings. Here are the quotations from Kipling.

   “One of the young men of fashion - he who was found dead at the bottom of a well on the night of the earthquake had once given him a complete suit of Hindu kit, the costume of a low caste street boy, and Kim stored it in a secret place under some baulks in Nila Ram's timber-yard, beyond the Punjab High Court, where the fragrant deodar logs lie seasoning after they have driven down the Ravi.”  (From “Kim”) Note: the Ravi is a river.

  “The pass was crowned with dense, dark forest--deodar, walnut, wild cherry, wild olive, and wild pear, but mostly deodar, which is the Himalayan cedar; and under the shadow of the deodars stood a deserted shrine to Kali--who is Durga, who is Sitala, who is sometimes worshipped against the smallpox. “ (From “The Second Jungle Book”)

  “He further increased his revenues by selling timber to the railway companies, for he would cut the great deodar trees in his own forest arid they fell thundering into the Sutlej River and were swept down to the Plains, 300 miles away, and became railway ties.”

(From “Mine Own People”)