WHAT IS PONGAM TREE? INDIAN BEECH TREE: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF PONGAM TREE

PONGAM TREE, INDIAN BEECH, PONGAM PINNATA

The Pongam tree or Indian Beech is known by many names in the Indian subcontinent, including, Honge tree, Kalanj, Panigrahi papar and kanji. It has a few different “English” names too which include Poonga Oil Tree, and Karum Tree. The name Pongam comes from a Tamil word and pinnata refers to the pinnate leaves of the tree. It’s a member of the Leguminosae species of plants and is distantly related to the Pueraria or kudzu root, although it is more closely related to members of the Fabaceae family or pea family. It is native to the Indian subcontinent and perhaps to Myanmar. However it has been naturalized in Australia, Fiji, Japan and Malaysia and has been introduced to Egypt Florida and Hawaii. It is a fast-growing shade tree which can grow to heights of 40 metres and its thick taproots are nitrogen fixers, so it is valuable to farmers. Like jatropha (Croton tiglium, or jamalgota) it is being investigated for its potential use as biodiesel.

Pongam flower

   For centuries it has been used in the traditional medicine of the Indian subcontinent and all parts of the tree are utilized. The fruits are woody pods which contain oil-bearing seeds which mature just before the tree produces new leaves. The flowers grow like wisteria flowers and can be white, pink or purple. When they fall they make excellent fertilizer as they are nutrient-rich. The leaves and branches are used as cattle fodder and the oil from the seeds is used for lamps. The timber is also used in cabinet-making and for cartwheels and to make poles and posts. Locals also use the wood for fuel. The tree is also host to lac insects as is the banyan tree.

Pongan fruit

  It is said that the leaves when fed to cattle help them to produce more milk of a richer quality so they are useful in arid areas. In the Philippines the bark of the tree is used to make string and rope. A black gum is obtained from the bark and this is used to treat wounds inflicted by poisonous fish. The seeds are said to stupefy or poison fish.

  A red-brown oil is obtained from the seeds which has been used in the tanning industry, to make soap and is also employed to cure skin diseases. Juice extracted from the roots is antiseptic and is used to clean the teeth, as are twigs from the pongam tree.

  In India the fruit and sprouts of the tree are used for abdominal tumours and a powder made from parts of the tree is employed for the same purpose in Vietnam. The seeds are used in traditional medicines in Asia to cure scabies, herpes and as an ointment for rheumatic pains. Juice extracted from the leaves is used for clod, coughs, indigestion and heartburn, flatulence, diarrhoea, gonorrhea and leprosy. A decoction made from the bark of the Pongam tree is used for piles and taken internally. Powdered seeds are considered good for reducing fevers, for helping with bronchitis and whooping cough and the flowers are used to treat some of the symptoms of diabetes. They are also used to stop bilious attacks and nausea.

  In the Ayurvedic system of medicine, parts of the tree are used to get rid of internal parasite, for lice, and for reducing the effects of poison and contagious diseases. The leaves promote digestion and have anti-inflammatory properties so are used to dress wounds. The fruit and seeds are used for piles, urinary discharges problems affecting the brain, eyes, head and skin. The oil is also used to stop biliousness to remove intestinal worms, to help with eye problems, and is put on wounds. It is also given in cases of leucoderma (white patches on dark skin) and applied to rheumatic joints which are inflamed.

  Medical studies have been carried out on the leaves, roots and flowers of the Indian Beech tree, and it has been found to contain various bioflavonoids and amino acids and fatty acids such as linoleic, palmitic and oleic acids among others. It would seem that the leaves may help to protect the liver and improve its functioning, as well as having antibacterial and antimicrobial properties. The roots may also help to protect the liver and the leaves and oil have potent antioxidant properties, as do the flowers. However research into the Indian beech tree is still ongoing and the traditional uses have yet to be confirmed as efficacious at the present time.

CHICKWEED-A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND HOW TO USE CHICKWEED

CHICKWEED, STELLARIA MEDIA

Chickweed is known by a variety of other names including Starweed, Passerina, and Winterweed. In Welsh it is A Gwylydd y Dom (the sentinel or watchman). It grows almost everywhere in temperate regions, in the North Arctic, and the Indian subcontinent. It has star-like white flowers which droop their heads in heavy rain, and whose leaves move closer to each other at night to protect the new leaf buds and shoots. It isn’t sensitive to the touch however as is Tickle Me.

  It has been used in traditional medicine for centuries, and there is an old wives tale that says that it controls obesity. It does have mildly laxative effects and is a diuretic, so stops water retention, but somehow it seems a little over-optimistic to claim that it can control obesity.

   Like chamomile and marigolds it is useful for skin problems when applied to the affected areas in a poultice and it has a cooling effect and stops itching. The bruised leaves can be applied directly to the skin to relieve inflammation etc. It can be found in skin care products and the tisane is also useful for applying to irritated skin. To make this you need 2 tbsps of the fresh plant to 1 cup of boiling water, and pour this over the herb. Leave the herb to steep for 15-20 minutes then strain and drink. If you drink this regularly for a period of 6 weeks you should notice an improvement in your general health as it clears the body of toxins. It is rich in vitamin C so helps if you are susceptible to colds and coughs. Don’t drink too much though as it has a mild laxative effect and could cause diarrhoea.

  It might have got its name, chickweed because birds love it as Gerard notes writing in the 16^th century. “Little birds in cadges (especially Linnets*) are refreshed with the lesser Chickweed when they loath their meat whereupon it was called by some ‘Passerine’”

*Linnets are song birds that were often kept in cages during the Renaissance.

 All birds love to eat its seeds and the young tops and leaves. It is good for people too being full of minerals such as zinc, iron, manganese, calcium, potassium, phosphorous, selenium silica, magnesium and sodium. Chickweed is a good source of Gamma-Linoleic Acid (GLA) which is an Omega-6 fatty acid derivative. GLA is recommended for skin problems and hormone imbalance such as occurs during PMT/PMS and for arthritis. It is also responsible for clearing congested lungs and it has anti-inflammatory actions. Apart from being helpful for these things, GLA also reduces the negative effects of drinking too much alcohol, and is good to stop water retention.

  Chickweed also contains the flavonoid rutin the B-complex vitamins and beta-carotene which is converted to vitamin A.

  The tisane will clam the stomach, and in the Indian subcontinent it is used for indigestion. When applied externally it will relieve pain very quickly and is good for rheumatic pains in the joints. It is best collected from May-July and can be laid out flat to dry in the sun, or hung in a warm sunny place. It can be boiled and used with young dandelion leaves in a salad or even made into pesto (see pine nuts). It flowers from March through to autumn when the seeds form in a capsule. These are shaken out of their pod by the wind and scatter so that the plant reseeds itself.

   Gerard says “the leaves of Chickweed boyled in water very soft, adding thereto some hog’s grease, the powder of Fenugreek and Linseed and a few roots of Marsh Mallow …” and made into a poultice, “ taketh away the swelling of the legs or any other part, in a word it comforteth, digesteth and suppurateth very notably.”

   The chopped plant may be boiled in ghee or lard to make an ointment for cooling piles and sores and other skin problems, used externally.

Chickweed seeds

    Culpeper writing in his Herbal in the 17^th century says that Chickweed is a “fine, soft, pleasing herb.” And recommends the juice or distilled water “for all heat and redness of the eyes…as also into the ears…It helpeth the sinews when they are shrunk by cramps or otherwise…” he also recommends the juice for “wheals, itch or scabs” and suggests that the bruised leaves made into a poultice should be placed on the liver region to “temper the heat of the liver.”

    Little research has been done into Chickweed’s properties yet, but it seems as though this is another common weed that we could use to our benefit.

 

MILK THISTLE- A USEFUL HERB FOR HEALTH: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF MILK THISTLE

MILK THISTLE, SILYBUM MARIANUM/ CARDUUS MARIANUM

Milk thistles are a common weed in the British Isles, although they are probably not native as they would appear to come from the Mediterranean region. They have been used for more than 2000 years in traditional medicine in Europe and are thought to be good for treating the effects of alcoholism as combined with dandelion they seem to reduce the craving for alcohol and also help regenerate liver cells and help build new ones, so reducing the cirrhosis of the liver which is caused by alcohol.

  The ancient Greeks used milk thistle for liver complaints and for a number of other ailments.  Pliny (23 AD-79 AD) believed that milk thistle could purify the blood and clear it of toxins. Also in the first century AD Dioscorides believed that it would help infants who had palsied limbs as Gerard, writing his Herball in 1597, tells us:-

   “Dioscorides affirmed that the seeds being drunke are a remedy for infants that have their sinews drawn together; and for those bitten by serpents.”

   Milk thistle was used to prevent snake bites by the Anglo Saxons, who believed that if the plant was worn around the neck they would be protected, “the wort if hung about a man’s neck it setteth snakes to flight.” This may have been because of a tradition which has it that the milk of the Virgin Mary dropped onto the leaves of the Milk Thistle, giving them their white veins. This is why the plant’s Latin name is marianum and why it is sometimes called Our Lady’s Thistle, although the Holy Thistle is also called by the same name, which tends to confuse the issue.

  Milk Thistles are related to Globe artichokes and can be eaten like them if boiled with all the spines removed. The stalk can be stripped of its spines, boiled and eaten as a salad vegetable, as can the stem of the globe artichoke and the closely related cardoon. They are also related to burdock.                                                             

    Gerard also believed as did others of his time that the liver was the seat of melancholy and wrote “the root if borne about one doth expel melancholy and remove all diseases connected therewith…my opinion is that this is the best remedy that grows against all melancholy diseases” which would have included those of the liver and spleen.

  John Evelyn (1620-1706) believed, as did the Physicians of Myddfai, from whom he may have got his information, that milk thistle promoted the milk supply of breast-feeding mothers. However it is recommended that pregnant and breast-feeding women avoid milk thistle today.

  In 1694, William Westmacott wrote this in his “sive historica vegetablium sacra or a scripture herbal” bemoaning the fact that much of the old ways were being lost, overtaken by modern imports. It sounds a lot like the things people say today regarding those “Good Old Days.”

   “It (the milk thistle) is a Friend to the Liver and Blood, the prickles cut off, they were formerly used to be boiled in the Spring and eaten with other herbs; but as the World decays, so doth the Use of the good old things and others more delicate and less virtuous brought in.”

  Culpeper believed that the milk thistle could cure fevers and guard against the plague, as well as removing obstructions from the liver and spleen. He recommended an infusion made from the seeds and fresh root for jaundice and to disperse gravel and stones from the kidneys and other organs. He also recommended that the young milk thistle plant be boiled when young and tender in spring and used to purify the blood from toxins. Today a tisane is made from the herb to clear congested lungs. However this is made from the seeds and is better if mint is added to the tisane as the seeds are not too palatable alone.

  The milk thistle is arguably the most important medicinal thistle growing in Britain, and it can grow to heights of between 4 and 10 feet. It is loved by donkeys and the seeds are delicacies for charms of goldfinches. People now cultivate it as it makes a pretty ornamental plant. It now grows throughout Europe and in California and Australia. The flower heads may be gathered when in full bloom but the seeds, which are brown, spotted and glossy, are best gathered in late summer.

Milk thistle seeds

   Modern medical research has found that the milk thistle is indeed good for the liver and also the kidneys and pancreas. It contains bioflavonoids such as quercetin and kaempferol among others and the most important discovery as regards medical science is of silymarin which has strong antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This is actually a group of flavonoids, namely, silibinin, silidianin and silicristin. Silymarin is the active ingredient which in vitro and animal studies have shown to protect against certain damage to the kidneys, liver and pancreas. It is currently being investigated for its possible anti-cancer properties, particularly against prostate, breast, skin, colon, tongue and bladder cancers.

   Milk Thistle is also a known antidote to the poisonous effects of eating “death cap” mushrooms or Amanita phalloides.

  Please note that people with a history of hormone related cancers (e.g. breast, uterine and prostate) should not take any milk thistle or products containing it and neither should breast-feeding and pregnant women.

  

PUERARIA OR KUDZU ROOT: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF PUERARIA ROOT

Pueraria root

PUERARIA OR KUDZU ROOT, PUERARIA LOBATA OR RADIX PUERARIA

The pueraria root has been used since at least the 6^th century BC in China to relieve various ailments. It is a vine and a member of the bean and pea family, Leguminosae, and is native to China, Japan and Fiji. In China the flowers are used as a tisane to prevent inebriation from alcohol, but although there was one study in 1993 on rats which showed that kudzu root could reduce the cravings for alcohol and so might help alcoholics, subsequent studies in humans have so far shown that it does not have this effect. A better natural treatment for alcoholism would be dandelions combined with milk thistle (Silybum marianum), a remedy which has been used for liver-related problems for centuries could be more effective in stopping cravings for alcohol.

Pueraria root field

  Analyses of kudzu root have shown that it contains many amino acids including lysine and methionine and isoflavones and bioflavonoids such as genisten and daidzein which have been shown to have various benefits to the human body. It also contains minerals including zinc, manganese and selenium.

  Isoflavones are found in soybeans and are a family of Phytoestrogens currently under investigation for their preventive uses for heart disease, cancer, lowering cholesterol levels, relieving symptoms of the menopause and osteoporosis. Apart from being found in soybeans and pueraria root they are also found in red clover. They are known to have potent antioxidant properties and may help in the treatment of a number of diseases.

  Genisten and daidzein are rich in antioxidant properties and in estrogens and are being investigated for their efficacy as protective agents as it is believed that they may reduce the risk of heart diseases and prostate and breast cancer in particular.

Pueraria flowers

  The kudzu root can grow as big as the human body and in china it is harvested in spring and autumn, then sliced and dried in the sun. In traditional medicine a tisane of the flower is given to bring out the spots which are associated with the measles virus, as well as to stop diarrhoea, while the root is used for relief of migraines, as well as to relieve muscle pains, dizziness, to regulate high blood pressure. The root can also be eaten, raw or roasted. The Chinese also believe the root is beneficial to the stomach and spleen and tisanes of the flower are said to improve appetite and aid digestion.

  Studies have also shown that pueraria root could increase the flow of blood to the brain which is needed in cases of arteriosclerosis.

Pueraria vine

  It was introduced into the States in the 19^th century and planted to stop soil erosion. Since then it has become and invasive weed in southern parts of the US. However this is another weed which has potentially great benefits.

HOW TO MAKE GAJAR KA HALWA ( CARROT HALVA): EASY AND TASTY RECIPE

CARROT HALVA OR GAJAR KA HALWA

This is a delicious dessert which is very healthy too; it is good for the eyesight and to strengthen the body and immune system. Traditionally in Pakistan it is given to strengthen the heart and its functions. You should use tender young carrots though, not old woody ones.

CARROT HALVA

Ingredients

1 kg carrots, cleaned and grated

2 green cardamom seeds, crushed

2 tbsps butter

100 gr dried dates, stoned and cut into small pieces

50 gr sultanas

2 tbsps honey

1 glass sugar

2 tbsps rose water

1 litre milk

Method

Steep the dried date pieces and sultanas in hot water for ½ an hour.

Melt the butter in a pan and put in the cardamom seeds for a minute. Add the carrots and cook for 5 – 7 mins.

Now add the milk and stir well then when the milk begins to boil, add the sugar and honey. Stir well to mix, cover and cook for 10 mins.

Remove the lid and add the dried fruit and rose water, stirring well to mix.

Turn the heat down to low and stirring continually; cook until the carrots are tender (about 20 mins).

Remove from the heat and serve hot or cold.

You can garnish this with coconut and cut it into wedges if you like.

Desiccated coconut and chopped peanuts can also be added to this with the dried fruit for a more interesting flavour.

If you drink hot milk with this carrot halva it is very good for the stomach and the digestive system.

This has Taste and is a Treat.

WHAT IS KAMPILLAKA OR KAMALA? THE MONKEY FACE TREE: HEALTH BENEFITS AND USES OF MALLOTUS PHILIPPINENSIS

MALLOTUS PHILIPPINENSIS, KAMALA, MONKEY FACE TREE

Mallotus means ‘fleecy’ and this name was given this tree because of the hairs on its fruit. It is sometimes erroneously called the Monkey Puzzle tree, but this is the usual name of the genus Araucaria araucana, which is unrelated to Mallotus philippinensis. As its name suggests it is a native of the Philippines, and also of India, Pakistan, Myanmar, China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and Australia. In some parts of the world for example in India it grows to a height of 10 metres, but in other parts of the world, it grows to a height of 20 metres.  

   It has been used in traditional medicine since at least 1000 BC and is mentioned in the ancient Indian medical texts. Traditionally it is used to get rid of intestinal worms and is one of the best herbal remedies for this. This has been shown to be the case by modern medical research which has also vindicated other traditional uses of this tree. All parts are used and in recent years the stems and flowers, as well as the fruit have been tested for their medicinal properties.

  The leaves are pounded into a paste and applied to wounds and they have maturant properties, this means that they draw pus out of wounds. It would seem that the fruit is used most, in traditional medicine, although research has shown that the flowers and bark have useful properties too.

  The tree is an evergreen which flowers in February and March, and the white flowers die to turn into fruit covered with a layer of crimson hairs. One study conducted by K Moorthy et al and published in 2007 concluded “Test results would tend to corroborate the folk belief that the flowers of this plant are efficacious against respiratory infections and would justify its further investigation.” The same study also stated that the bark “may be used for treatment of several infectious diseases.” (“Phytochemical screening and antibacterial evaluation of the stem bark of M. philippinensis var.Tomentosus” 2007)

  The fruit has undergone numerous studies and it has been found to contain many acids which are listed below with their properties.

·        Gallic acid: this has anti-inflammatory properties as well as being antibacterial.

·        Caffeic acid: has the same properties as gallic acid and is also an anti-fungal agent.

·        Ferulic acid: this has anti-inflammatory and antifungal properties.

·        Cinnamic acid: is an antifungal and anthelmintic and also gives protection against infections by pathogenic micro-organisms.

·        Salicylic acid: this is an antipyretic and can be used externally as an antiseptic and antifungal for a variety of skin problems.

It also contains chlorogenic, vanillic and o-coumaric acids.

  In Ayurvedic medicine the leaves are used for their bitter, cooling properties and to increase the appetite. The fruit is used as a purgative (too much of it causes vomiting and nausea) for its wound healing qualities, as a maturant, a carminative (it gets rid of the problems of flatulence) an alexitic (a substance which resists poison and a preservative agent used against infectious and contagious diseases) and is used in cases of bronchitis and other respiratory diseases and for stomach problems which includes enlarged spleens. It is also believed that it gets rid of stones in the kidneys and other organs.  The powdered fruit is also used to cure eye diseases and to remove tapeworms from the intestines.

  The oil from the seeds and fruit is used as a hair-fixer and added to ointment, while the remains or seed cake after the oil has been extracted is used as fertilizer. As the roots can also yield a dye for wool and silk (orange-brown) no part of the tree is wasted. Even the trunk or stem can be made into paper and this is the required quality for writing and printing paper.

  The tree and its parts contain bioflavonoids, saponins which are glycosides that have anti-inflammatory properties, and all the parts especially the fruit have potent antioxidant properties, which might be why it is used as an aphrodisiac in some cultures.

  The Monkey Face Tree, Mallotus philippinensis, clearly has many health benefits for us as modern medical research has borne out.

YELLOW HIMALAYAN RASPBERRY: MEDICINAL BENEFITS AND USES OF YELLOW HIMALAYAN RASPBERRY

YELLOW HIMALAYAN RASPBERRY, RUBUS ELLIPTICUS

The Yellow Himalayan raspberry is a shrub which is native to the Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, Vietnam, China, Myanmar, Nepal, Thailand and the Philippines. It has become naturalized in Australia, Hawaii, the West Indies, tropical Africa and tropical South America. In Hawaii it is an invasive species. It grows in a straggly way to reach about 3 metres tall and has toothed, wide leaves with hairs on them and the stem has prickles. It is, as the name suggests, a yellow raspberry, and a close relative of the red raspberry and the blackberry or bramble (all of which are members of the rose family of plants), so it will come as no surprise to know that it tastes very like a red raspberry. It has white flowers which having been pollinated, produce yellow berries. In Pakistan it is used as a living hedge and goats feed from the leaves and fruit if they get to it before people do.

    The fruit has laxative properties, and is used in traditional medicine in Tibet for a number of purposes. The whole plant has astringent properties and has been used to reduce fevers, especially typhoid. The inner bark of the Yellow Himalayan Raspberry is used as a kidney tonic and an anti-diuretic. The juice extracted from the root has also been used for fevers, gastric problems (including infant colic when the young shoots are used too), diarrhoea and dysentery and the root paste, applied to wounds promotes healing. The fruit juice is also used to bring down the temperature of a fever and for colic, but is good for sore throats and colds too. The inner bark is said to help when the senses are weakening and when people have seminal or vaginal discharge. In summer it is used to promote sweating as a diaphoretic, and as a diuretic, and as the fruit is fibrous it aids the digestive processes.

  Modern scientific studies have found that an alcoholic extract of the root of the Yellow Himalayan Raspberry has antioxidant properties and antimicrobial ones. It was also shown to have anti-inflammatory properties when tested on rats in the lab. Ten new triterpenoid saponins have been found and research is continuing into this plant.

   Triterpenoids seem to decrease anxiety and improve the mental functions of mice when tested in a lab, and they help heal wounds by boosting the antioxidant activities in the wounded area.