WHAT IS ALBIZIA LEBBECK? SIRIS TREE OR RATTLE POD OR WOMEN'S TONGUE: MEDICINAL USES OF ALBIZIA LEBBECK

ALBIZIA LEBBECK, SIRIS TREE, RATTLE POD, WOMEN’S TONGUE

Albizia lebbeck or the Siris tree grows profusely in the Punjab province of Pakistan and I have been particularly impressed with its leaves, flowers, and later the seed pods. Locally it is known as the Sharee trees and is used in traditional medicine in the subcontinent. There are a lot of these trees growing in Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, and they are very eye-catching when they have their huge ripe pods hanging from the foliage.

    The flowers, fruit, bark, leaves and roots are all used in medicine. The seeds contain crude protein, calcium, phosphorous, iron, niacin and ascorbic acid (vitamin C) and most of the essential amino acids. There are saponins in the seeds, but no harmful effects have been reported when the seeds have been eaten, as long as they are eaten in moderation; too many will induce vomiting.

    A paste of the leaves is used to treat skin problems and to improve skin texture, making it smoother. Paste preparations from parts of the plant are applied to insect stings, wounds and bites, and it is also said to be good to promote healthy gums and teeth. It is used to treat inflammation too, and a powder from the different parts of the tree is said to purify the blood and be good for the respiratory system, and to treat allergies. The ethanol extract of the pod is effective against some forms of cancer. Parts of the tree are also used to treat eye problems, impotence and as a diuretic. However it is also thought that the seeds can cause infertility.

   Saponins from the tree are used to make soap and the tannin from the bark is used in the tanning process. Bees love the nectar from the flowers, and the tree itself is a host to lac insects which leave a residue on the tree which can be collected and used in the paint and varnish industry. In this it is similar to the banyan tree.

   Modern medical trials have shown that Albizia lebbeck has “remarkable anti-inflammatory activity supporting the folkloric usage of this plant to treat various inflammatory diseases” (Babu N.P. et al).

   This tree is native to the Indian subcontinent, the Andaman Islands and Myanmar, and various other trees of the Albizia family also grow in other parts of the world, The Albizia chinensis tree grows in these areas and in other countries. In rainforests it can grow to heights of 100 feet, and it usually has seed pods which are 8 to 12 inches long. When the wind blows the seeds rattle in the dry pods, and this has given rise to the name, Rattle pod tree.

HOW TO MAKE SPICY SCRAMBLED EGGS: EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

SPICY SCRAMBLED EGGS

Ingredients

6 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup grated cheese

2 onions, finely chopped

6 green chillies, finely chopped

2 tsps ginger paste

2 tsps garlic paste

1 tomato, grated

1 cucumber (5-6 inches long), grated

1 potato, thinly sliced

½ handful of fresh mint leaves, shredded

½ handful fresh coriander leaves, shredded

1 tbsp cumin seeds

1 tbsp ajwain or thyme

½ tbsp coriander seeds

1 tsp turmeric

1 tbsp garam masala

1 tsp chilli powder

salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1½ cups oil

Method 

Beat the eggs in a bowl and mix with the milk, spices, cheese, herbs, chillies, grated tomato and salt.

Heat the oil in a pan, and fry the potato slices until they are brown. Add the garlic and ginger paste and fry for 1 min. Now put the onion and cucumber in the pan and cook for 4 mins stirring well.

Add the contents of the bowl to the pan; stir well so that the mixture does not stick to the pan and burn.

When it gets thicker, turn down the heat to very low, cover and cook for 10 mins.

Remove the lid and cook until the mixture is the right consistency.

Remove from the heat and serve.

This is my own simple dish that everyone who has tasted it has enjoyed.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

YELLOW SAGE, SPANISH FLAG, LANTANA CAMARA: BENEFITS OF YELLOW SAGE AND USES

SPANISH FLAG, YELLOW SAGE, LANTANA CAMARA

Lantana camara is native to parts of Africa, the West Indies and Central and South America. It has been grown for its ornamental value and has escaped into the wild, so that now it is an invasive species in many countries including Australia, and some in East Africa. There are many different varieties and some of the berries in different countries are highly toxic, for example children have died from ingesting them in Canada. However a recent study (published in November 2010) states that the berries “are not associated with significant toxicity, either ripe or unripe”. Certainly adults in Pakistan tell stories about loving to eat them when they were children. They look and smell a little like blackcurrants, or juniper berries. However, they should be treated with caution.

   Animals which eat too much of the plant can be poisoned and die within 3 to 5 days, and this is thought to be due to the lantadene in the plant which is a polycyclic triterpenoid.

   In Pakistan they grow profusely on waste ground and in other countries they take over complete habitats and destroy other vegetation. They are shrubs and can grow up to 6 feet tall although they are normally around 3-4 feet.

   Although they are weed, they have many uses, as the stems can be made into pulp for paper-making which is a suitable quality for writing and printing, but it is not yet commercially viable to harvest the stems. Similarly the roots yield a latex which could possibly be used to manufacture rubber, but again, this has to be studied to see if it is financially viable.

   In India and Pakistan they are used in folk medicine with the extracts from the plant being used for cancer, chickenpox, measles, asthma, ulcers, swellings, eczema, tumours, high blood pressure, bilious fever, catarrhal infections, tetanus, rheumatism, malaria, dysentery and diarrhoea. The roots are used in a decoction for colds, coughs and flu and gonorrhea. The pounded leaves are used in poultices for swellings and skin problems.

 The leaves have antiseptic properties and can be placed on wounds. The essential oil has triterpenes, such as lantic acid which can kill E.coli and Bacillus cereus, as it has potent antimicrobial qualities. The leaf extract is also fungicidal, nermaticidal and insecticidal, so may be a natural way to kill pests and keep them away from crops. The oil also contains verbasocide which is antimicrobial and has immunosuppressive and anti-tumour properties.

   The twigs and stems are used in still-developing countries as fuel for cooking, and the flowers attract butterflies and moths as they are a good source of nectar for them.

    The best advice is not to ingest any part of this plant, although it probably won’t do you any harm, although this may depend on where you live and the variety of Lantana camara.

  

JACKFRUIT, THE BIGGEST FRUIT THAT GROWS ON TREES: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF JACKFRUIT: JACKFRUIT SALAD

JACKFRUIT, KATHAL (URDU), ARTOCARPUS HETEROPHYLLUS

Jackfruit or Kathal in Urdu is a member of the mulberry family of trees and fruit. It is distantly related to figs and more closely to breadfruit. It is no relation to durian, although it looks a lot like it when it is growing. It is one of those fruits that you either love or hate, but once you get past the initial reaction to the smell of the whole fruit - similar to rotting onions, and eat the fleshy fruit, you will either love it as we do, or hate it and have an adverse reaction which may cause some discomfort in the back of the throat and tongue for 15 to 20 minutes.

   It is the biggest fruit that grows on trees and can be up to three feet long, and weigh up to 80 pounds. It looks a lot like the durian, but the outer skin is less spiky and the smell is different- durian smells like old socks. You have to slit the fruit open to get at the fleshy pieces which are probably best eaten fresh; although in India they are used in curries and stews and can be pickled.

   Jackfruit is indigenous to Sri Lanka, China and Malaysia, but has been cultivated in India for at least 3000 years. The Bangladeshis have taken it as their national fruit, but in Pakistan it is grown in the Karachi area for its novelty value. The fruit can be bought in two markets there however, in the Empress market and the new Subzi Mandi.

   Jackfruit trees can live for hundreds of years if cared for and take between 10 and 14 years to bear fruit.   There are two varieties of jackfruit, one which is hard and the other soft. The hard one is cooked as a vegetable or eaten raw as is the softer one, which is used in salads and desserts.

Ripe Jackfruit

  The Chinese have used it for centuries in traditional medicine as the unripe fruit has astringent properties, the bark contains tannin and the ripe fruit is used as a general tonic and a mild laxative when ripe. The latex from the tree is mixed with vinegar and used to heal abscesses snake bites and a paste made from the leaves, mixed with coconut juice is good for all skin problems. The seeds are given to stop vomiting, but care should be taken with these as they should be boiled or roasted or boiled and then roasted if you want to eat them. In India they are eaten as you would eat lentils.

   The bark is sometimes used in poultices to treat wounds and swellings, and the heated leaves are also put on wounds to stop bleeding. The wood when boiled has sedative properties, and the pith is said to induce abortion. An extract of the root is used for fevers and to treat diarrhoea and it is also used for skin problems and to treat asthma.

   The fruit rind contains pectin and makes a good jelly when used with citric acid. The leaves of the tree are used for animal fodder as well as food wrappings, and can be sewn together to make plates. The wood is resistant to termites and is prized in furniture- making in Sri Lanka, where they also use the roots of old trees to make picture frames and to carve decorative items from. The latex can be used as a cement or sealant to caulk boats, mend holes in buckets, and to stick pieces of crockery and earthenware together when they break.

Jackfruit Tree

   The fruit inside the Jackfruit has simple sugars, fructose and sucrose which give you an almost immediate energy boost, and it is rich in dietary fibres which means that it is a good bulk laxative and helps protect against colon cancer and piles. It is rich in vitamin A which is necessary to maintain good eyesight, and as it is a powerful antioxidant it helps fight free radicals. It also contains beta-carotene and lutein, antioxidants which protect against breast and prostate cancer as well as other types of cancer. The fruit is also rich in B-complex vitamins (niacin, thiamin, riboflavin and folic acid), B6 (pyridoxine) and vitamin C. The seeds contain protein and minerals. However medical trials have suggested that the seeds can lower libido and induce temporary erectile dysfunction, and it is not advisable for pregnancy or breast-feeding mothers to eat the seeds.

  There is insufficient medical evidence to support the traditional uses of the jackfruit, but the studies that have been carried out suggest that perhaps the leaves can treat high levels of blood sugar and glucose intolerance. Other studies suggest that the sees may have antimicrobial, anti-viral and immuno-stimulant properties, but more studies are needed to prove or disprove these initial findings, especially for the importance of the jackfruit in treating diabetes.

JACKFRUIT SALAD

Ingredients

1 jackfruit, inner fruits removed and sliced

250 gr freshly grated coconut

6-8 bananas, sliced

2 tbsps honey

Garnish- mint leaves

Method

Mix the ingredients together and serve.

Garnish with mint leaves.

This has Taste and is a Treat.