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.