COMMON SAND SPURRY - EDIBLE PLANT : HEALTH BENEFITS OF COMMON SAND SPURRY

COMMON SAND SPURRY, ARENARIA RUBRA

As its name suggest, common sand spurry like to grow in sandy soils. There are two types, one which grows inland and one which grows near the coast. It is also known as Spergularia rubra, while the sea-loving one is Spergularia marina. Another common name for the plant is sandwort.

  It is common in Europe and North America, and has pink or sometimes white flowers. Its seeds are edible and in times of famine can be roasted or boiled then ground into meal and mixed with wheat flour.

  It is a member of the Carophyllaceae family of plants, making it a relation of carnations cloves, soapwort and reetha or soapnut.

  It is in this website because it has a reputation for being a lithotropic, meaning that it has been used in traditional medicine for centuries to disperse stones in the kidneys and bladder. It is thought that the infusion of the whole plant, or at least, the aerial parts, relaxes the muscle walls in the urinary tract and increases urine production so that stones are more easily flushed out of the bladder.

  It is common in Malta, Sicily, Algeria and most of Europe, and is related to the sea-marsh sand spurry which is native to North America and which has been used medicinally for the same purposes.

  

AGAR-AGAR - THE VEGETARIAN GELLING AGENT: PRODUCTION, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF AGAR-AGAR

AGAR-AGAR, GELIDIUM AMANSII

Agar-agar is vegetarian gelatine, made from a red seaweed. The best is thought to come from Gelidium amansii, although it can also be extracted from other algae such as those in the genus Gracilaria lichenoides which is found off the west cost of the USA and parts of the Asian coast. Other red algae used for agar-agar are those of the Pteroladia genus. Gelidium amansii is notable for the spiky projections which come from the main branches of the plant.

  A jelly made from agar-agar flavoured with lemon used to be food fit for invalids in the 19^th and early 20^th centuries, although now it is usually not used in medicine. It does have use as a mild laxative however, as it plumps up in water and in the gut, so can help to remove toxins, fats and sugars from it. You can mix it with fruit juice or milk for this purpose, and shreds of it are better than powder. It will work similarly to isphagol or plantain.

  Agar-agar can retain moisture, and so is used in the laboratory as a solidifying component of bacteriological culture. It is used in the food industry and like annatto and gum Tragacanth has an E number, E406. It is used in the food industry and can be found in canned meat products, as well as in medicines and cosmetics. It is also used in dentistry and in the brewing industry where it is used to clarify beer and wines. You can also find it in ice cream and in salad dressings, as it is used as a thickening agent.

  It is believed that the Dutch brought it to the attention of other European nations, after they had taken it from Japan to their colonies in Indonesia, as they had “open ports” in Japan in the 17^th century. The Japanese and Chinese are believed to have been the first people to develop agar-agar from red seaweed.

  Now it is made in Australia, the US, Japan, New Zealand and Russia. After the BSE (mad cow disease) it became more widely used as it is a safe alternative to jelly or gelatine made with parts of the cow.

  As you would expect from an algae, it is rich in iodine and trace minerals, as are laver bread and bladderwrack. You can buy it in transparent strips or powder and use it for aspic jelly. 

DRAGON TREE -ONE OF SEVERAL PRODUCERS OF "DRAGON'S BLOOD": HISTORY, USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF THE DRAGON TREE

DRAGON TREE, DAEMONOROPS DRACO

This tree is native to Sumatra, Borneo and Malaya, and is a palm, a member of the Arecaeae family along with the toddy palm and others. Its main claim to fame is that it provides us with Dragon’s blood which is a resinous substances exuded from its fruit. This tree has catkin-like flowers which are followed by fruit which are pointed cherry-sized berries, with a coating of a reddish resin when ripe. It is this that produces Dragon’s blood. We have few pictures for this tree as other trees bearing dragon’s blood are more popular it would seem, some form the Canary Islands, one from Yemen but this one is of Asian origin.

  The resin is steamed from the fruit or the fruit are boiled, but the resin made in this way is deemed inferior. It used to be used in medicine for its astringent properties and was used against diarrhoea and syphilis.

Dragon' blood resin

  Dragon’s blood comes in tear shapes or in sticks, which were packed in leaves and strips of cane. Today however the tree is over-exploited and used to make rattan furniture and to make Dragon’s Blood ink which is used for witches seals and talismans. It is also used as a body oil and for incense.

  In traditional Chinese medicine it is used to control bleeding and pain, and to improve blood circulation as well as to promote wound healing and tissue regeneration.

  It is also used in varnishes (violin varnish) and was used in China to colour the surface of writing quality paper to make banners and posters for weddings and Chinese New Year.

  This tree is the main source of commercially harvested Dragon’s Blood.

  It gets a mention in this blog site because there has been research conducted into it, and it seems that it has exhibited antimicrobial and antiviral properties in vitro. It contains benzoic acid which has antiseptic properties and dracorhodin extracted from its fruits has been reported to induce human melanoma cell death, again in vitro. Research is still underway to reveal the secrets of the fruit and new flavonoids have been isolated from it, although their properties are still unreported. Although it is early days yet, scientists hope that it may have promising uses against cancer.

KIDNEYWORT ( PATHAR CHAT): HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF KIDNEYWORT PLANT

KIDNEYWORT, NAVELWORT, (WALL) PENNYWORT, UMBILICUS RUPESTRIS, PATHAR CHAT IN URDU

This plant is called Pennywort because of the shape of its leaves which are coin shaped with an indent which makes them look as though they have a navel. The names Navelwort and kidneywort also refer to the shape of the leaves, although, Culpeper the 17^th century English herbalist also says that they are good for the kidneys, hence the name.

  Formerly the Latin name for this plant was Cotyledon umbilicus-veneris, kotyle meaning cup in Greek, umbilicus, navel and veneris of Venus in Latin, so named because ancient herbalists believed that the plant came under the rule of Venus. It is also called Umbilicus pedulinis. It is a member of the Crassulaceae or stonecrop family of plants, which makes it a relative of the houseleek (Sempervivum tectorum) and orpine (Sedum telephium). The leaves look a little like those of the nasturtiums grown in so many gardens around the world. Despite the name Pennywort this plant is no relation to the Indian Pennywort, (Centella asiatica), although this plant is found in parts of Asia where it is used to heal callouses on the feet. The leaf juice is used for this purpose.

  Kidneywort is found in Europe and in western parts of Britain, in Wales, the Clyde Islands in Scotland, and western England, as well as Ireland. It extends through to North Africa from the Mediterranean. In strong sunlight, the flowering tops of the plant can turn red.

  The leaves are edible, but best eaten in early spring or winter, when they have a fairly pleasant mild flavour. They can be cooked or put raw in salads, but are best left alone at other times of the year as the taste is stronger and less pleasant.

  The leaves are used medicinally and have mild pain relieving properties and can be put on scratches too in order to stop the stinging pain and they are also used to put on minor burns and scalds. The juice of the leaves and an extract from the plant was used to treat epilepsy and this use was revived briefly in the 19^th century.

  Nicholas Culpeper has this to say about it in his “Complete Herbal” written in the 17^th century.

 “Government and virtues: Venus challenges the herb under Libra. The juice or the distilled water being drank, is very effectual for all inflammations and unnatural heats, to cool a fainting hot stomach, a hot liver, or the bowels: the herb, juice, or distilled water thereof, outwardly applied, heals pimples, St. Anthony's fire, and other outward heats. The said juice or water helps to heal sore kidneys, torn or fretted by the stone, or exulcerated within; it also provokes urine, is available for the dropsy, and helps to break the stone. Being used as a bath, or made into an ointment, it cools the painful piles or hæmorrhoidal veins.

 It is no less effectual to give ease to the pains of the gout, the sciatica, and helps the kernels or knots in the neck or throat, called the king's evil: healing kibes and chilblains if they be bathed with the juice, or anointed with ointment made thereof, and some of the skin of the leaf upon them: it is also used in green wounds to stay the blood, and to heal them quickly.”

  As it is a member of the stonecrop family it likes to grow in moist, rocky places, so have a look for it next time you are in such a place!