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AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS RESEARCH STATION, ODAKKALI
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KERALA AGRICULTURAL UNIVERSITY
AROMATIC AND MEDICINAL PLANTS RESEARCH STATION, ODAKKALI
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Medicinal plants for home remedies Ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine, is the sum total of the knowledge, skills and practices gained through generations and developed as a health system. It is the oldest medical systems of the world. It stresses the importance of maintaining complete harmony with all the living and non-living components of earth. Man is indispensable part of nature where he is living and his requirements has to be fulfilled from the materials available around him. The animal kingdom is fully depended upon plants for their food requirements. Moreover, herbs and locally available materials are the major source of medicine used for the treatment of various ailments from the earliest. The earliest description regarding plants can be traced in Vedas, the first documented knowledge in the world. The importance given to the plants in ancient times may be seen from the references in the Vedas, which is said to be equal to the position to that of mother. In Rig-Veda 107 and in Atharvaveda 287 types of plants are mentioned. The classical books of Ayurveda, Caraka samhitha and Susruta samhitha have given the reference of 1900 plants. The oushadha nighantus described 15000 to 20000 plants and its various aspects. About 45000 plant species have been identified so far and majority of them are available in our country. In Kerala the authentic study on medicinal plants have been made by the Dutch governor of Kochi Hendrick Wan reed in 1678.He has collected the details of 794 plants and documented. The book was published in Amsterdam, named “Horthus malabaricus”. The Ayurvedic physician, Itty achuthan was the person behind to this work. However, certain plants of medicinal importance are utilized for relief of certain ailments, people generally are not aware of the uses of large number of other such plants growing in the surroundings. In our household cooking, we use lot of spices and other items having medicinal properties. The medicinal plants and other items available in our home and premises may be used very effectively for relief of many ailments as a first line management. .The knowledge of using such home remedies is very much useful in many occasions where expert medical help is not readily available. The medicaments that are being used as home remedies will be easily available for immediate administration. Moreover, it will not be expensive and no sophisticated instruments are required for the preparation. Since, the home remedies are administered as a symptomatic treatment especially in acute stage of the disease, further investigation and proper diagnosis will be required if the complaints are not subsided within a short period. Some times the symptoms produced may be the first manifestation of certain underlying serious pathological conditions. So specific treatment is to be carried out after expert medical consultation and other investigations. As such home remedies cannot be considered alternative to medical expertise. It is only for symptomatic relief until proper medical help is available. The following are the medicinal plants selected and their uses as home remedies in certain ailments.
GINGER (Inchi) Botanical name--Zingber officinale Rosc Sanskrit name-- Sringivera Properties (Ayurveda) —Alleviates Vatha& kapha, Carminative, digestive Parts used-fresh &dried rhizome
Therapeutic uses Indigestion & } a) ginger and lemon juice (10 ml) mixed with rock salt internally abdominal problems}b) powdered dry ginger 5 gm mixed with jaggery 10gm twice daily Swelling – ginger juice 12 ml mixed with jaggerry 24 gms twice daily internally. Vomiting- take ginger juice (12 ml) and equal quantity of small onion juice. Cough and cold- a)ginger juice (5 ml)and honey frequently. b)powdered dry ginger 1gm mixed with honey twice daily c).dry ginger 25gm+jaggery 50gm+roasted sesame 100 gm crushed well and take 8 gms twice daily Acute fever- Juice of ginger+ juice of tulsi leaves 10 ml thrice daily Rheumatic pain, swelling- Apply paste of powdered ginger and asafetida in caster oil (Thrikatu churna) – powder of dry ginger +black pepper+ long pepper
Black Pepper (Kurumulaku) Botanical name- Piper nigrum Sanskrit. Name- Maricham Properties - Alleviates vatha kapha diseases, carminative, digestive, antipyretic Parts used- fruit, root. Therapeutic uses Fever, cold, cough- a) Kashaya prepared with pepper, dry ginger and pippali- equal parts b) Coffee prepared with pepper, dry ginger and thulsi leaves Hoarseness of voice-1gm powdered pepper mixed with honey, sugar and ghee twice daily Sinusitis— Pepper powder in buttermilk intrnally Indigestion } Powder of- pepper, dry ginger, long pepper, ajowan abdominal pain} and rock salt 5 gms with hot water thrice daily. Diarrohea- Powder of pepper and rock salt in buttermilk or warm water. Tooth ache- Pepper powder mixed with clove applied over the affected part. (Thrikatu churna) – Powder of dry ginger +black pepper+ long pepper
Turmeric (Manjal) Botanical name- Curcuma longa Sanskrit name- Haridra. Parts used- rhizome Properties (Ayurveda)-Aromatic, vermicide, antiseptic, blood purifier and tonic Chronic ulcers- Apply paste of turmeric and neem leaves after cleaning the wound. Skin eruptions – coconut oil prepared by adding turmeric paste Apply turmeric powder mixed in cows urine. For complexion- turmeric powder, sandalwood, coconut oil- paste apply over face or the body Swelling due to sprain- Apply paste of lemon juice, turmeric powder and rock salt. Diabetes mellitus- turmeric powder 10gm mixed with juice of amalaki internally Earache and pus- Oil prepared with one part of fresh juice of turmeric and 4 parts of mustard oil for instillation in ear Sinusitis Nasal inhalation of fumes from a burned wicks prepared by & spreading turmeric powder in a piece of cloth and soaked in ghee nasal congestion-. Poisonous bites- Apply paste of turmericprepaere in thulsi juice.
Krishna tulasi( Krishna tulasi)
Botanical name —Ocimum sanctum Sanskrit name - Vishnu priya. Properties (Ayurveda) –Vathakapha diseases,Breathlessness, cough,visha Parts used- Leaves, seeds and root.
Therapeutic uses
Viral infection-Juice of thulsi 10ml and equal quantity of honey internally thrice daily, Cough , fever -a)Take decoction of tulsi with thrikatu. b)Juice of thulsi, ginger and small onion with honey thrice daily c)Chew and swallow fresh thulsi leavesd Poisonus bites- Apply paste of thulsi juice and turmeric Thulsi juice with turmeric internally
Sinusitis- powder of dried leaves as nasal snuff. Abdominal problems- thulsi juice 10 ml twice daily Ear ache – instill juice of leaves 2 ml in the ear Mosquito & bedbug repellant-keep of thulsi plant around the house and inside the room that drives away the mosquitos Immuno modulator – 5ml of thulsi leaves juice twice daily
Curry leaves (Kariveppu)
Botanical name - Murraya koeingii Sanskrit name – surabhinimba, kaidarya Properties (Ayurveda) - Digestive, carminative, anti diarroheal, Parts used- leaves and bark Therapeutic uses Indigestion- paste of curry leaves mixed in buttermilk internally Diarrhea &} - paste of curry leaves well mixed with egg and prepare omelet with it dysentery-} internally Allergy – apply paste of leaves mixed with turmeric powder externally and take internally also
Betel LEAVES (Vettila)
Botanical name - Piper betel Sanskrit name - Thamboolam Properties – Alleviates vatha kapha,aromatic,stimulant,aphrodisiac,carminative Parts used- Leaves, root. Therapeutic uses Abdominal distress - betel leaves juice, mixed with rock salt thrice daily. Filariasis- in take of the paste of betel leaves 1gm in hot water daily Cough & } betel & thulsi leaves juice mixed with honey, 1 teaspoon in empty breathing difficulty }- stomach for three days
neem. (Veppu)
Botanical name- Azadirecta indica Sanskrit name- Nimbam Properties (Ayurveda) –Alleviates kapha pitha, anti bacterial, blood purification. Parts used – stem bark, Leaves, oil Therapeutic uses Skin diseases } a) paste prepared with neem leaves and turmeric externally Chronic ulcers} b) stem bark and leaves boiled in water for washing the affected part. Poisonous bite} Jaundice- 12-24ml juice of leaves with honey internally twice daily Shoulder Pain &} 7-14ml juices of leaves internally twice daily Weakness of upper limb}- Allergy- 1-3 gm powdered leaves mixed with honey internally Mouth cleaning— piece of small stem using as toothbrush Mosquito repellant- apply 2-4drops of 5% solution prepared with alcohol and neem oil In a mosquito mat and use in a machine apply over the body combination of 2ml neem oil mixed with 100ml coconut oil Spermicidal— apply neem oil locally before the intercourse
GARLIC (Vluthulli) Botanical name-. Allium sativam. Sanskrit name- Lasuna Properties (Ayurveda) –Alleviates vathakapha,stimulant carminative,anti rheumatic Parts used-- Bulb of garlic Therapeutic uses Hypertension, &} - take paste prepared with bulb of garlic1 gm mixed with 5 ml tila thaila twice daily. epilepsy } take cleaned and crushed garlic 10gm cooked in 250 ml of milk Ear ache-- 2-4 drops fresh juice warmed for instillation in ear twice daily Abdominal problems- fresh juice 5-6ml with 5-10 gm honey twice daily. Anti cholesterol- 5ml of juice with honey twice daily Tonsillitis- apply garlic juice mixed with honey inside the throat Lock jaw-- paste of garlic and rock salt 1gm internally, apply externally also.
Drum stick tree.(muringa) Botanical name - Moringa olifera. Sanskrit name-. sigru Properties -- Alleviates vathkapha.Antispasmodic, stimulant, anti-rheumatic, diuretic, hypotensive Parts used- root, stem bark, leaves, seed, flower. Therapeutic uses Hypertension- Leaves juice 15 ml daily Ear ache- 2-4 drops of fresh warmed juice from seeds instill twice daily Head ache&} — powdered seeds use for nasal insufflation (nasya) Sinusitis} Rheumatic pain - apply externally the oil extracted from the seeds Swelling -- apply the paste prepared with the leaves and rock salt Menstrual pain- decoction prepared with the root bark 30 ml twice daily Premature ejaculation- the paste of seeds with milk internally Abdominal pain- 14- 28 ml decoction of stem bark with 1gm fried hingu and . 1gm yavakshara twice daily Liver enlargement} – decoction of root bark regularly &Urinary stone}
Indian gooseberry(Nellikka)
Botanical name – Emblica officinalis Sanskrit name - Amalaki Properties (Ayurveda) – Thridosha samana,aphrodisiac, rejuvenative, nervine tonic. Immunomodultor Parts used- fruit. Therapeutic uses
Diabetes- takes fresh juice of amalaki, amrita and turmeric 25ml regularly Eye diseases- thribhala powder 6gms with ghee at bed time Skin allergy- take powder of amalaki with ghee Skin complexion - wash the body with decoction of amalaki Constipation- thribhalachoorna 10gms with hot water at bedtime Mental diseases- apply paste prepared in buttermilk over the scalp Falling of hair-- oil prepared with fresh amalaki juice and bhringaraja juice.
Fenugreek SEEDs (Uluva)
Botanical name - Trigonella foenumgracium. Sanskrit name – Medhika Properties (Ayurveda) - Kapha vatha hara, diuretic, carminative, mucilaginous Parts used- seeds, leaves Therapeutic uses Dysentery - 5 gms seeds with 10 gms cumin seeds made into a paste , with buttermilk and take internally Hair fall- soak 10gm of fenugreek seeds in water for 12 hours and apply the the paste over the scalp as a shampoo. Buns and swelling- make a paste with fenugreek seeds in boiled water, after cooling apply over the affected area Diabetes mellitus- 15 gm of fenugreek seeds soaked in fresh water for12 hours and take internally.
vasaka(adalodakam)
Botanical name - Adathoda vasica Sanskrit name - Vasaka Properties - Pitha sleshma haram, Expectorant diuretic, antispasmodic, blood disorders Parts used- Leaves, root, flowers and bark Therapeutic uses
Cough and bleeding- Take1 table spoon juice of leaves with honey internally. Excessive menstruation- juice of leaves 15ml with 15 gm jaggery twice daily internally Bleeding piles— decoction of whole plant with sugar internally
Punarnava (Thamizhama) Botanical name – Boerhaavia diffusa Sanskrit name -Punarnava Properties (Ayurveda) - Kaphahara, diuretic, Parts used- herb and root
Therapeutic uses Swelling- a) decoction of the whole plant internally b)apply paste prepared with dry ginger externally Urinary stone& } decoction prepared with punarnava Kidney problems} Rat bite- powder of the root with honey internally Fever – take milk boiled with root Skin disease – apply paste prepared with root in buttermilk externally Rheumatic diseases- decoctionof punarnava root,kacholam and dry gingerinternally. Eye disease--- instill 3 dropsof juice of punarnava with breast milk Cough-- paste of punarnava root and vacha mixed with honey.
SESAME (ellu)
Botanical name— Sesamum indicum Sanskrit name Thilam Parts used-- Seeds Properties (Ayurveda- Vatha haram,emollient,demulcent,diuretic,lactagogue, Therapeutic uses Scanty & delayed}-a).Take roasted and powdered sesame 15 gms for 1 week menstruation } b).Intake of sesame crushed with jaggery. Bleeding piles&} a) Take paste of sesame 6gm mixed with butter 10 gm Dysentery } in empty stomach b)Take paste of sesame with goats milk Chronic ulcers— Apply paste made up of sesame, neem leaves and honey. Hair growth- Apply sesame oil prepared with juice of eclipta and emblica.
Coconut TREE (Thengu)
Botanical name— Cocos nucifera Sanskrit name -- Narikela Parts used --- fruit, flower Properties (Ayurveda)- Vatha pitha hara, refrigerent,diuretic,nutrient, Therapeutic uses Excessive menstrual} Fresh juice of coconut flowers with honey for three days Bleeding } White discharge— Take juice of fresh coconut flowers with milk. Retention of urine— Take tender coconut water with cardamom powder. For healthy hair- Apply coconut oil or coconut milk over the scalp regularly
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