BACK TO NATURE-SOUTHINDIAN HERBALS AND THEIR MEDICINAL USES
INTRODUCTION
Man has been using plants as medicine from time immemorial. All major civilization in the past had developed their own system of medicine, mainly based on herbs of all such system perhaps most comprehensive and scientific is that of ancient India, known as Ayurvedic development during the Vedic period by our sages and seers. They had identified hundreds and hundreds of plant species capable of functioning as medicine in the human body and curing its maladies.
Green medicine have been proved to be highly effective and a successful mode of therapy to cure various diseases caused by microorganisms. Present,300plants extracts and tinctures are utilized in modern medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that about 90 percent of people in the world rely on traditional medicine primary health needs chemical investigation and biological screening of about300wild tribal medicinal plants have been carried out by many researchers.
A survey indicates that393medicinal plant species are used in traditional formulations and are sold in commercial outlets of the393species distributed in103families;Leguminosaeemerges as the largest family of Pharmacological importance with a total of 41 medicinal Plants used in the traditional formulations.Asteraceaeis the second family with respect to ingredients of traditional formulations (19species).ZingiberaceaeandApiaceaehave13species each, followed byEuphorbiaceaewith12species that one used in various formulations.
Herbs form a major segment of medicinal plants used in traditional formulations with a total of158species. Trees and shrubs from the next dominant group with95and80species used in the formulation of drug respectively.
Based on the factual information, few medicinal Plants were selected for gain the knowledge of herbs which enrich your health under the followings.
Holy Plants
S.No
Botanical Name
Family
Common Name
Preparation Method of the Medicine, Uses
1.
Ocimum sanctum
Laminaceae
Tulasi
Take 10 fresh leaves daily which cures the cold and develop your immunity power.
2.
Aegle marmelos
Rutaceae
Vilvam
Shade dry the leaves and power. Powder + 5 peppers mixed and add. Take with milk in empty stomach. It will cure the Asthma.
3.
Ficus religiosa
Moraceae
Arasu
Shades dry the young leaves and power it. Take twice daily with Hot water. This cures the uterus related problems.
4.
Azadirachta indica
Meliaceae
Vembu
The leaf, seed oil is used as a medicine. Antiviral Tree.
5.
Cynodon datylon
Poaceae
Arugu
Take 150 gm of fresh leaves, make it juice and take it daily. Which purify the blood and cool your body temperature
6.
Leucas aspera
Laminaceae
Thumbai
Take 150 gm of these flowers Freshly and fry with ghee. Take weekly once which cures the cold.
7.
Tabernaemontana Coronaria
Apocynaceae
Nanthiyar- -vattam
The flower juice cures the eye problems. Particularly for the reddish eye
8.
Ficus bengalensis
Moraceae
Àlamaram
Shade dries the young leaves, powder it. Take twice daily, with hot water which cures the uterus related problems
9.
Santalum album
-
Santhanum
Anti heat agent which equalize your body temperature.
10.
Ealeocarpus tuberculatus
Elaecocarpaceae
Ruthratsam
Anti – Radiation Effect
Memory Plus
S.No
Botanical Name
Family and Common name
Uses
1.
Hydrocotyle asiatica
Apiaceae
vallarai
Memory generator
2.
Acthyranthus aspera
AmarantaceaeNaiyooruvi
Extra memory creator
Brain Growth and Development
S.No
Family
Botanical name
Common Name
Preparation method of medicine and uses
1.
Rutaceae
Aegle marmelos
Vilvum
Take the fruit twice in a month which will help to develop your brain.
2.
Perkankai
Dry the vegetable and powder it. Make it decoction and take it once in a week which provide stamina (or) power to the brain.
3.
Phyllanthus embilica
Nelli
Take one Nelli daily which helps the brain function.
4.
Coccus nueifera
Coconut
6-10 pieces of coconut in fresh form take daily. It will cure the wounds which present in the brain.
5
Amarantaceae
Achyranthus aspera
Naioruvi
Take leaves monthly ones in form of Juice which helps with Nervous system of the brain. It also cure the brine nervous disorder
For Health and Development
S.No
Diseases
Botanical name and common name
Paration of the medicine
1
Sugar
Gymnema sylvestre
Sarkaraikolli
The leaves were shade dried and powdered. The powder was taken half teaspoon daily morning in empty stomach, with milk or buttermilk.
2
Blood pressure
Rauwolfia sarpentina
Sarpaganthi
The leaves were shade dried and powdered. The powder was taken half teaspoon daily morning with butter milk after food
3
Heart
Nelumbium speciosum
thamarai
The flowers petals are shade dried and powdered and was used to make decoction and it was taken twice in a day.
Herbs for common diseases
S.NO
DISEASES
PLANTS
1
Cold
Ocimum santum
Solanum trilobatum
Leucas aspera
2
Cough
Adatoda vasica
Vitex negundo
Abies webbiana
Oldanlandia umbellate
3
Digestion
Zingiber officinalis
Cissus quadrangularis
Cuminum cyminum
4
Gas trouble
Cuminum cyminum
Ferula asafetida
Cissus quadrangularis
5
Wound healing
Tridax procubens
Acalypha indica
6
Teeth ache
Zingiber officinalis
Jussiaea suffruticosa
Pisidium gaujava
7
Rheumatism
Delonix regia
Dolichos biflorus
8
Reduce the body heat
Aloe vera
Euphorbia thymifolia
9
To burn the fat
Solanum malaginella
Dolichos biflorus
10
Head ache
Brassica nigra
Zingiber officinalis
Conclusion
Indian system of medicine particularly Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani have contributed to development of modern medicine and are still practiced
To treat and benefit a large number of patients. Even the world health organization in its meeting held in 1980 considered that for certain diseases like peptic ulcer, diabetes, high blood pressure, a stone in the kidney and infective jaundice, no satisfactory treatment is available in modern system of medicine and suggested deeper study of indigenous system of medicine.
