ALUM - HISTORY OF USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF ALUM

ALUM, SHABBA, SHABB 

Alum is used for a variety of purposes and has been used medicinally for centuries. It comes in several forms including potash alum, soda alum and aluminium potassium sulfate. We get it from bauxite ore, and in Australia there is an above ground source at Bulahdelah (the Alum Mountain) the only known above-ground source n the world. It can occur naturally on rocks, and in sulphur containing volcanic sediment. It is one of those substances, like shilajit or mineral pitch which is not a plant but which is a naturally occurring substance that has health benefits, which is why it is included here.                                                                                                      

  We know that it was used by the ancient Babylonians as a mouthwash, styptic ( which heals skin tissue), a pessary for women who had irregular menstruation, as a nasal douche and as a treatment for STDs and itchy and irritated skin. The Greeks and Arabs continued using it in the same ways and also used it to treat leprosy, ear problems and gum diseases.

  It has been used in the leather industry for tanning, and in baking powder and toothpaste and toothpowder. It was employed in ancient Egypt to purify water for drinking. In Ayurveda it was used for this purpose too.

Alum mountain, Australia

  The ancient Welsh physicians of Myddfai used it in this way- for “proud flesh” which is the sort which is swollen around a healing wound, or flesh that stands higher on the body than normal.

“The following is useful when proud flesh forms in a wound, namely, white alum, reduced to powder, the same powder being applied thereon.

Another for the same purpose. Take a toad that can scarcely creep, beat it with a rod, till irritated, it smells, and dies. Then put it in an earthen pot, closing the same so that no smoke can come out, or air enter in. Then burn it till it is reduced to ashes, and apply the same to the part.”

alum crystal

The alum method seems preferable to the second one!                                        

  If you use it on an open wound it will burn- although it has been used in this way.

  It was discovered in the 1920s that alum could be used as an adjuvant, in other words if it is used in a vaccine preparation the vaccine becomes more effective. It has been widely used since for this medicinal purpose, although it was first used with diphtheria vaccine.  

   You can also use alum as a deodorant as it has been used in crystal form since at east the time of the ancient Egyptians. It prevents the bacteria forming under the armpits which cause body odour. You can grow your own alum crystals too if you want to help your children in their science lessons- alum crystals are easy to grow.

MILK VETCH, HUANG QI, OGI: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS

MILK VETCH, HUANG QI, OGI, ASTRAGALUS MEMBRANACEUS 

This Astragalus herb has been used in traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, sometimes alone and sometimes mixed with other herbs. It is a member of the Fabaceae or Leguminoseae family of plants, or the pea or bean family. Its relatives include carob, the butterfly pea, broom. amaltas, laburnum, and a whole host of other plants. It is also closely related to the plant that produces gum Tragacanth or gond katira.

  It is native to north and eastern China, Mongolia and Korea. However you can plant it indoors or in your garden too. The root is used mainly for medicine, and this is usually harvested from a four-year-old plant and dried for later use. It grows to between 16 and 36 inches high.

  In China it is one of the Fifty Fundamental Herbs as is Marlberry, (Ardisia japonica), cinnamon, the tea plant Camellia sinensis, and jamalgota (Croton tiglium), among others. It is claimed that it can aid longevity as it is beneficial to the immune system. In the Journal of Immunology 2008 a study showed that it can protect against cancer and has anti-ageing and antiviral effects. Other studies have shown that it may be protective of the kidneys, and the Chinese believe that it is especially protective of these if it is combined with angelica. It may combat the onset of senility as it has shown to stimulate nerve growth both in vitro and in vivo.

  It seems that it may be effective against atherosclerosis, hypertension, hyperthyroidism, insomnia, diabetes, chronic hepatitis, genital herpes, AIDS and chemotherapy side effects.  However studies are in their preliminary stages and more needs to be done before there is conclusive evidence of the roots’ benefits.

The sliced root may be added to soups and stews, you can slice 2 to 4 roots and add them to a soup as they will enhance the flavor and add their health benefits, which include relieving stress, whether emotional, physical or mental. However you should fish them out before serving the soup.          

  Astragalus membranaceus is also called A. propinquus, and is beneficial for helping to prevent colds and respiratory diseases such as bronchitis, as it boosts the immune system. It has antioxidant properties so can help combat the free-radical scavengers which can damage healthy cells and cause cancer. Because of its antioxidant properties it may also help to prevent heart disease. Its main use may be to help restore the immune system’s natural functioning in cancer patients who have undergone or are undergoing chemotherapy or radiation therapy, as taking this herb over a prolonger period has helped cancer patients’ longevity.

  So far the results of its use in HIV patients has been mixed, and it is not absolutely certain that it helps with diabetes, although it does have the ability to lower blood sugar levels.

It has been found to have anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties and it also helps athletes combat fatigue.

  The herb is taken in a decoction and is made by taking 4 tablespoons of the dried root chopped, to 4 cups of water and bringing the liquid to the boil and then allowing it to simmer gently for at least forty minutes, before straining it and drinking it.

  The root is an adaptagen which means that it is believed to be able to reduce stress levels, whether they are emotional, physical or mental.

  

ALDER BUCKTHORN - MILDER TO USE THAN ITS RELATIVE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF ALDER BUCKTHORN

ALDER BUCKTHORN, FRANGULA ALNUS

The alder buckthorn is a relative of the common buckthorn and can be distinguished from it because of the narrower leaves of the former and the colour of its berries, which start red and then turn purple-black. The alder buckthorn’s leaves are similar to those of the alder, hence its name. It is a member of the Rhamnnaceae family as is the common buckthorn and ber fruit. In fact it is also known as Rhamnus frangula. This tree is widespread in the British Isles, although not all that common. It is native to Europe and parts of North Africa.

  The tree grows to heights of 4 to 5 metres, and is a straggly tree, preferring to live in wet or damp woodland, moors and heaths and along the banks of rivers. It can be coppiced and trimmed so makes a good hedge. It flowers between May and June, with the berries ripening between September and November. These are toxic and the sap of the tree is a skin irritant. In Britain it is also known as Black Dogwood.                        

   It has a milder laxative action than its relative, and can safely be used by children and pregnant women; although care must be taken as it should not be taken for long periods. Two weeks is the maximum period recommended for its use. Also the bark should not be used when fresh; rather it should be harvested in June, and can be stripped from branches and trunks in quills. The bark should be dried and stored for at least a year, so that it is free of the anthrones and anthranols which can cause vomiting.

  Its main traditional use has been of a mild laxative with a similar action to that of senna. It has been used at least since the Middle Ages for this purpose, so has been approved as safe for use by the German Commission E, although this safety ruling has been questioned.

  The wood is bright yellow and was prized in the past for the production of gunpowder. The inner bark is a violent purgative but has been used to get rid of intestinal worms, and as a tonic, as well as for stomach bloating, hepatitis, cirrhosis, jaundice and liver and gall bladder problems. However such uses are not recommended unless it is used under the careful supervision of a medical practitioner. The fruit juice was also once used as a laxative.

  Typically the bark is used as a decoction – one ounce of dried bark to two pints of water, boiled down to one pint, may be taken one tablespoonful at a time, three to four times a day. This may also be used externally for gum diseases, and on irritated skin. It was also employed to get rid of head lice.

  A word of caution, if you have any other stomach problems (other than constipation) or abdominal pains, do not use alder buckthorn as the problems will be exacerbated.

  The bark produces a yellow dye, and the berries blue and grey dyes of various shades. The wood makes good charcoal which was used by artists.

COMMON BUCKTHORN - NOW ONLY USED FOR ANIMALS: HISTORY OF USES AND HEALTH BENEFITS OF COMMON BUCKTHORN

COMMON BUCKTHORN, RHAMNUS CATHARTICA 

Common buckthorn is a tree or shrub, which can grow up to 25 feet, although as it is commonly used as a hedge it is usually much shorter. Recently it has been planted in Britain as a hedge plant or ornamental,(although it is a native species) because the common and alder buckthorn are the only food of the Brimstone butterfly, which travels for miles to lay its eggs on this plant.

  The genus name of this tree indicates its medicinal uses: rhamnos means “branch” in ancient Greek, and cathartica shows that it was used as a not too drastic purgative. It is a member of the Rhamnaceae family of plants and as such is related to the alder buckthorn and ber fruit (Zizyphus vulgare) though not to sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides) which belongs to the Eleagnaceae family.

  The tree is native to Europe including the British Isles, North Africa and West Asia. It has been introduced into North America, where it is classed as invasive in some states. It has been used as a hedge on both sides of the Atlantic. It was known in Anglo-Saxon times as Highway Thorn and Way thorn, but in Gerard’s time in the 16^th century he was calling it Ram’s Thorn and Hart’s Thorn.

  The bark and fruit of this tree have a purgative action and have been used as a laxative in the same way as senna and cascara, although it has been discovered that the action is caused by slight damage to the cells lining the walls of the colon, and there was a fear that this could cause permanent damage. The damage causes the colon to contract, so having the laxative effect. The German Commission E still approve the use of buckthorn as a laxative.

 It was used as a purgative for children, although this was stopped due to the drastic nature of the herb.  For this treatment the juice of the berries was boiled with ginger and pimento with added sugar to make the medicine more palatable.

  It made its first appearance in the London Pharmacopoeia in 1650 and was still listed in the British Pharmacopoeia of 1867, but at the turn of that century, it was mainly being used by vets for treating animals. For human consumption the juice of the berries was boiled with aniseed, cardamom, mastica and nutmeg to disguise the taste.

  The ripe berries of this plant yield a yellow dye which has been used for colouring paper, while the bark produces a black dye. The berries have a also been used to make a green pigment for water colours.