Kela - Vazhai

Botanical Name: Musa paradisiacal and Musa sapientum

Sanskrit: Kadhali, Kadali

Hindi: Kela

Tamil: Vaazhai, Vazhai

Bengali: Kela, Kala

Oriya: Kadali, Kadila

Assamese: Kal, Talha

Gujarati: Kela

Kannada: Bale

Malayalam: Vazha

Marathi: Kela

Punjabi: Khela

Telugu: Ariti

Urdu: Kelaa

Description:

Banana is a tropical tree-like herb, with large leaves of which the overlapping bases form the so-called false trunk. Fully grown, the stem reaches a height of 10 - to 30 feet. From the center of the crown spring the flowers. Only female flowers develop into a banana fruit that vary in length from about 4 - 12 inches. The average weight of a bunch is about 25 lbs. Each banana plant bears fruit only once. The propagation is through shoots from the rhizomes, since most of the seeds species are sterile. In India, almost every part of the banana plant is used, either for food, or for wrapping food. The unripe fruit of banana, rich in starch, is commonly dried and fried as chips in south India. The banana stem is also eaten after cooking. The ripe fruit is commonly eaten.

Banana Health Benefits and Medicinal Uses

Banana Fruit:

Banana offers numerous health benefits. It regulates bowel, makes blood alkaline, reduces stress and increases brain power. Its intake is beneficial in heart diseases, depression, menstrual pains and anemia. Banana shows beneficial effects in constipation, thirst, hemorrhoids, hypertension, and intoxication. They are rich in potassium. Potassium is an essential mineral required for maintaining normal blood pressure and heart function. Study show mixture of banana and milk significantly reduces the acid secretion. Banana is effective against aspirin-induced damage of gastric mucosa.

Bananas are a highly nutritious fruit, but do they have any medicinal properties beyond their nutritive value. While it may come as a surprise to those of us accustomed to using bananas for baking and banana splits and little else, Perdue University boldly states that every part of the banana plant has medicinal properties.

Flowers:

Consuming one cooked banana flower with one cup of curd or yogurt is one of the most efficient way of treating excessive bleeding during menstruation, says the website Himalayan Home remedies. The cooked banana flower and curd combination increases the level of progesterone in the body and thereby reduces bleeding associated with menorrhagia. It is also used to treat dysentery, ulcers, and bronchitis. Cooked, flowers are considered a good food for diabetics.

Sap:

Banana sap has astringent qualities. In traditional medicine, the sap is used to treat a wide variety of ailments, including leprosy, hysteria, fever, digestive disorders, hemorrhage, epilepsy, hemorrhoids, and insect bites.

Roots and Seeds:

Treat digestive disorders

Peel and Pulp:

Scientifically shown to have both antifungal and antibiotic components. These structures have also been identified as containing the neurotransmitters norepinephrine, serotonin and dopamine.

Information source and read more at :

http://www.phytojournal.com/vol1Issue3/Issue_sept_2012/9.1.pdf

Sonth - Sukku

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale Rosc.

Family: Zingiberaceae

Vernacular names of Fresh ginger:

Common Name: Ginger

Sanskrit: Aardraka, Aadrika

Hindi: Adarakha

Tamil: Injee, Inji

Bengali: Ada

Gujarati: Adu

Kannada: Alla,Hasishunti

Malayalam: Inchi

Marathi: Ardrak, Ale

Punjabi: Adi, Adrak

Telugu: Allamu, Allam

Urdu: Adrak

Vernacular names of Dried ginger:

Sanskrit: Shunthi, Vishvaushadh

Hindi: Sonth

Tamil: Sukku, Chukku

Assamese: Adasuth, Aadar Shuth

Bengali: Suntha, Sunthi

Gujarati: Sunth, Sundh, Suntha

Kannada: Shunthi

Kashmiri: Shonth

Malayalam: Chukku

Marathi: Sunth

Oriya: Sunthi

Punjabi: Sund

Telugu: Sonthi, Sunti

Urdu: Sonth, Zanjabeel

Description:

Ginger is a flowering plant whose rhizome, ginger root or simply ginger, is widely used as a spice or a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual stems about a meter tall bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers.

Ginger is a wonder herb that is used as an aromatic spice and medicine for hundreds of year. This spice is the underground rhizomes stem of a creeping perennial plant Zingiber officinale. It is native to Southeast Asia and now commercially cultivated in nearly every tropical and subtropical country in the world. In India, ginger is mainly cultivated in Kerala, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra.

Ginger is used both in dried and fresh form. Dried ginger is known as Sunthi or sonth in Hindi. Many Ayurvedic medicines contain it as an ingredient. One such famous and well known medicine is Trikatu.

Benefits of Ginger

Ginger is a useful remedy to treat many common digestive and respiratory ailments. Ginger tea is an excellent remedy for common cold, cough and flu. It has inflammation reducing and pain relieving property due to which it gives relief in joint pain, arthritis, rheumatism and similar condition. It is a handy remedy to treat nausea, vomiting, motion sickness and morning sickness. Ginger stimulates blood circulation and aids in detoxification. Chewing a piece of ginger, sprinkled with black salt, after meals solves many digestion related complaints (indigestion, gas, digestive weakness etc).

Medicinal uses of Ginger

Ginger works as medicine due to presence of various phytochemicals. Due to presence of such active compounds in ginger stimulates digestion, assimilation, relieves gas, increases muscular activity in the digestive tract and gives relief in respiratory ailments. It also significantly reduces nausea and vomiting. Ginger is an antioxidant that protects body cells and improves body immunity to fight infections.

Ginger Health Benefits and Medicinal Uses

Ginger is a useful remedy to treat many common digestive and respiratory ailments. Ginger tea is an excellent remedy for common cold, cough and flu. Learn how to use ginger to cure everyday health problems.

Ginger is available in fresh and dried form. Dried form is more warming compared to fresh form. In treatment of nausea, vomiting, digestive complaints dried form should be used. Fresh form is more suitable for respiratory ailments such as cold, cough and flu.

Cold, cough and flu:

Ginger is very good remedy for cold, cough and flu condition. It acts as expectorant, relieves phlegm and infections. Drinking ginger tea gives relief in cold and cough.

Ginger juice (5 ml) with honey (5 ml) is a useful remedy for cough and cold. It should be taken 2-3 times a day. This can also be taken as preventive measure for fever, cold cough, and flu.

For sore throats, hoarseness, and laryngitis

Chew a piece of fresh ginger. This stimulates saliva flow and gives relief in these conditions.

Prepare ginger tea and take 2-3 times a day.

Bronchial Asthma, cold, cough

Extract ginger juice (1 teaspoon). Mix this with garlic and honey, each one teaspoon. Take this twice or thrice a day.

Or, take two grams of trikatu churna with honey, 2-3 times a day.

Take ginger juice (1 teaspoon) with tulsi (ocimum sanctum) leaves juice and honey.

Influenza

Mix ginger juice (1/2 teaspoon), Pippali powder (1/2 teaspoon) and honey (2 teaspoon). Take this three times a day. Prepare a tea by boiling dry ginger powder (3 gm), kali mirch (5) and tulsi leaves in water, till volume reduces to half.

Whooping cough

Extract ginger juice (1 teaspoon). Mix this in fenugreek decoction. Add honey and take to get relief in cough.

Bronchitis

Boil 5 gram dry ginger powder in 1 glass water. Cook till volume reduces to half. Filter and drink.

Improving appetite

Ginger improves appetite. For this purpose, 2 gram dried powder of ginger or Sunthi should be taken with ghee or hot water in morning. Chewing piece of ginger or eating ginger pickle is also helpful.

Pharyngitis, loss of voice due to shouting, rhinitis, tonsillitis

In such cases, ginger piece should be chewed with clove and some salt.

Indigestion

Ginger stimulates digestive enzymes secretion. It also relaxes and soothes the intestinal tract and helps in removal of toxins from body. Drinking ginger tea in condition of excessive gas, indigestion and flatulence is very helpful. Sunthi can be taken in dose of 2-4 grams a day to cure indigestion.

In case of indigestion due to heavy meal, mix ginger juice (1/2 tablespoon) with mint and lemon juice (both 1 tablespoon) and take. Or soak freshly cut thin pieces of ginger in lemon juice. Add some salt and chew few pieces after meal.

Digestive weakness

Ginger has stimulatory effect on digestion. In case of sluggish digestion mix, 5 ml ginger juice with 5 ml onion juice and drink.

Migraine

If taken regularly it helps to reduce the occurrence of migraine attacks.

Pain during Menstruation

Ginger reduces the pain during periods. For this ginger tea with brown sugar can be taken.

Diabetes

Ginger lowers lipid, cholesterol and blood glucose level. All these properties are even confirmed by modern science. The juice of ginger reduces serum glucose levels in experimental animals. For diabetic patient including ginger in daily diet reduces the chance of kidney damage. Ginger juice can also be taken in recommended dose.

Nausea and vomiting, motion sickness

Ginger has anti-vomiting action and is very effective in relieving the severity of nausea and vomiting. It should be taken in dose of one gram.

Constipation

When suffering from constipation mix ginger juice with ajwain and lemon juice and drink.

Premature ejaculation, impotency, spermatorrhoea

The common home remedy is to take ginger juice 5 ml, with one boiled egg and honey daily once a day, at night for one month.

Dose of ginger

The recommended dose of ginger is 3-9 g for fresh ginger; 2-5 g for dried powder, to be taken 1 to 3 times a day.

Cautions and Contraindications: 

There are few conditions in which ginger is contraindicated. Such conditions are gallstones, acidity, peptic ulcer, ulcers, and in persons with aggravated pitta.

Ginger may amplify blood-thinning drug activities. It may cause reaction when taken in combination with anticoagulant medicines such as aspirin.

Ginger has strong antiplatelet (decrease platelet aggregation and inhibit thrombus formation) activity, so experts recommend it should not be used by people with blood clotting disorders.

Ginger intake should be avoided in low platelet counts. During pregnancy, it should not be taken in excess. So use it cautiously.

Baheda - Thandrikkai

Botanical Name: Terminalia Belerica

Common Name: Beleric Myrobalan, Vibhitaki, Bibhitaki or Baheda

Sanskrit: Bibhitaka

Hindi: Baheda, Bahera

Tamil: Thandrikkai, Thanrikkai, Thandrikai

Kannada: Tarekai, Shantikayi

Malayalam: Tannikka

Telugu: Thanikkaya

Bengali: Bayada, Baheda

Gujarati: Bahedan

Marathi: Baheda

Oriya: Baheda

Punjabi: Bahera

Assamese: Bhomora, Bhomra, Bhaira

Kashmiri: Babelo, Balali

Urdu: Bahera

Description:

Vibhitaki, Bibhitaki or Baheda are common names of Terminalia bellirica. The literal meaning of Bibhitaka in Sanskrit is one that keeps away from the diseases. It belongs to family Combretaceae.

The other medicinal tree belonging to Combretaceae are Rangoon creeper or MadhuMalti, Arjuna, Haritaki etc. Bibhitaki tree is found throughout India and its fruits, leaves and bark are used in Traditional medicine system for treatment of diseases. The fruits are useful in treatment of many digestive disorders such as diarrhoea, dyspepsia, biliousness etc.

Baheda fruits are also useful in treatment of cough, bronchitis and upper respiratory tract infections, tropical pulmonary eosinophilia and allergic eruptions. It is one of the three fruits, in Ayurvedic preparation Triphala (Tri=Three, Phala=Fruits). For medicinal purpose the dried pericarp of fruit is used.

It is big and handsome tree about 60-80 feet. Erect, long trunk. 3-8 inch long, alternate square and oval leaves. Either white or yellowish flowers. Fruits are less than one inch in diameter, nearly five angled after drying, grayish, which contain one seed. New leaves appear in February-March, flowers appear in May. Fruits are ripened during January-February.

Terminalia belerica or Vibhitaka is found throughout Indian subcontinent, Sri Lanka, and South East Asia, up to 900 m elevation.

Traditional Uses of of Bibhitaki

Bahera fruits are very useful in treatment of diseases due to kapha and pitta dosha. In excess it increases vata inside body. The Fruits are bitter, analgesic, astringent, brain tonic, expectorant and laxative.

In aggravation of Kapha in body, the oral intake of bahera helps to clear kapha due to the astringent and expectorant action. It is an excellent remedy for catarrhal condition, congestion, cough, bronchitis, asthma, and sore throats.

The laxative action of fresh fruits is more compared to dried fruits. The dried fruits are useful in treating piles, diarrhoea, dysentery, parasitic worms, as these are binding and astringent.

Vibhitaki fruits have liver protecting action and useful in jaundice and gall bladder stones.

The fruits are good for brain and heart. These have ability to lower cholesterol level.

The fruits are also used externally. These are antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial. The paste is applied on cuts, wounds, and skin diseases. The pulp of fresh fruit is applied on corneal ulcers.

For medicinal purpose, the powder of dried Bahera fruit is taken in dosage of 3-6 grams. For cough, cold and throat problems, it is taken with honey.

Karela - Pagarkkai

Botanical Name: Momordica Charantia

Common Name: Bitter Gourd

Sanskrit: Angarvelli, Karavella, Urdhvaasitah

Hindi: Karela, Kathilla

Tamil: Pagarkai, Pagakkai , Pagarkkai

Telugu: Kakara

Assamese: Karela

Bengali: Karala

Gujarati: Karelu

Kannada: Haagalakaay

Konkani: Kaaraate

Malayalam: Kaipakka, Pavaykka

Manipuri: Karon akhabi

Marathi: Ambalem,Karali, Kareti

Oriya: Changkha

Urdu: Karela

Description:

The Momordica Charantia is commonly known as Bitter Gourd, Bitter melon and Karela. This herbal plant has been used in folk medicine for centuries in parts of Africa, West Indies, India and China. The fruits of the tree are used as a relish when pickled and the seeds are a commonly used condiment. The fruit of the Momordica Charantia is very bitter and its bitterness can be reduced by soaking them in salt water. The dried fruits of the plant are sliced and used in many popular dishes made in India.

This crop grows in major tropical regions of India, Africa, China and even parts of America. This annual creeper has branched stems that are twining and slender. The leaf blades are usually 5 to 12 cms in diameter and are prominently nerved. The flowers are yellow in color and have a muricate ovary. The fruits are tuberculate, oblong and yellowish in color. They have numerous triangular spikes on the surface. The seeds of the plant are 1.3 cm long and are compressed with a sculptured facade.

The entire plant, its leaves and fruits are used in medicines across the globe.

Medicinal benefits:

The karela or bitter gourd has excellent medicinal qualities. It is an antipyretic tonic, appetizing, laxative and stomachic. It is used widely in medicinal science of Asia and Africa

The plant is recommended for relieving the problem of diabetes both in the normal diet and in the form of an herbal tea. It is also known for relieving asthma, skin infections, hypertension, and gastro intestinal ailments.

The bitter gourd pods contain minerals, vitamins, phosphorus, iron, carbohydrates, pantothenic acid, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and Vitamin B 6.

It also has hypoglycemic properties that help in normalizing blood sugar levels and is prescribed to diabetic patients.

Antilipolytic properties that is present in the herb because of the presence of amino acids in it.

Bitter Gourd is often recommended in Ayurveda as a general health tonic. Recent medical studies have indicated that the vegetable possesses a ‘plant-insulin’ which helps in lowering blood sugar levels.

The juice of the plant is also known to cure alcohol intoxication by cleansing and repairing the liver.

The high levels of beta-carotene and other beneficial compounds in Bitter Gourd make it one of the best vegetables for eye disorders.

Bitter Gourd lowers blood sugar levels and purifies the blood.

Since the vegetable contains natural laxative properties, it can help relieve constipation if eaten regularly.

The vegetable can be used to treat skin diseases such as psoriasis.

Latakaranja - Kazharchikai

Botanical Name: Caesalpinia bonduc

Common Name: Bonduc Fruit, Fever Nut, Nicker Nut

Synonyms: Caesalpinia Crista

Sanskrit: Latakaranja, Putikaranja, Pootikaranja, Kantaki Karanja

Hindi: Karanja, Karanjuaa, Kaantaa Karanj

Tamil: Kazharchikkaai, Kazharchikai, Kalachikai, Kalarchikai

Bengali: Kaantaa Karanjaa, Naataa, Naataa Karanjaa

Gujarati: Kaanchakaa, Kaanka, Kachka

Kannada: Gajjike Kaayi, Gajkai

Malayalam: Kazhanji, Kainji, Kazhanjikkuru

Marathi: Saagar gotaa, Gajarghotaa, Gaajagaa

Oriya: Kotokolejaa

Telugu: Gachchakaay

Urdu: Akitmakit

Unani: Karanjwaa

Description:

Caesalpinia bonduc, commonly known as Gray Nicker, is a species of flowering plant in the senna family (Family: Fabaceae) is an important medicinal plant, which is widely distributed in the tropical and subtropical regions of Asia and the Caribbean. In Bangladesh, this plant is abundant in forests and village thickets of Dhaka and North Bengal. The plant is known as Nata in Bengali and fever nut or nicker nut in English. Different parts of the plant have extensive uses in folk medicines for the treatment of a variety of diseases. This plant is an extensive, shrubby, wild, perennial climber. It is distributed throughout tropical parts of India. For medicinal purpose, Seeds, nuts, root, bark, and leaves are used. The various part of plant exhibits antiperiodic, antispasmodic, anthelmintic and febrifuge properties.

In Ayurveda Latakaranja refers to plant Caesalpinia bonduc. In Ayurveda Latakaranj beej are used in treatment variety of diseases such as swelling, piles, cough, nausea, tumour, skin diseases, diabetes, gout, etc. The seeds are taken in dose of 1-3 grams for medicinal purpose.

Medicinal Benefits:

Caesalpinia bonducella is used in traditional medicine system for treatment of wide variety of ailments. The seeds of plant has anthelmintic, fever reducing, abortion stimulating, menstrual flow improving, urine stimulating, adaptogenic, antimicrobial, muscle contractile and abdominal pain relieving properties. They also checks nausea and vomiting when used in combination with clove or black pepper.

The seeds are stimulant to the uterus, improve the menstrual discharge in oligomenorrhea and reduce the pain in lower abdominal region. The skin of the seed is extremely beneficial in the treatment of leucorrhea.

For fever, the seed powder is mixed with equal part black pepper powder. The prepared mix powder is taken in dose of 15-30 grains by adults and 3-4 grains by children.

In liver disorders, seed powder is administered with goat milk.

In case of abdominal pain 2-3 seeds of plant are crushed to make powder and administered orally.

The seed powder reduces blood sugar level and taken with water for treatment of diabetes.

Seed and long pepper powders with honey has good expectorant effect and given in cold, cough and respiratory illness.

An oil prepared from seeds and castor oil is applied externally on hydrocele.

The seeds are stimulant to the uterus, improve the menstrual discharge in oligomenorrhea and reduce the pain in lower abdominal region.

Gachhakaya is the best medication for malarial fever.

The skin of the seed being astringent is beneficial as a medicament for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis.

The leaves fried in ghee, eliminate vata and relieve constipation, hence valuable in piles.

During postpartum period, the abdominal pain is eliminated with the roasted seed powder, asafetida, ghee and little amount of salt. The seeds powder, given with milk, controls the diarrhea.

The skin of the seed being astringent is beneficial as a medicament for diarrhea, dysentery and colitis.

General Usage:
Take 3gram powder after breakfast mixing with Pepper & drink after filtering or as advised by the Naturopaths

Note: Siddha treatment is based on complete physical examination of the patient, Naadi diagnosis, and other diagnostic criteria of the disease. The content given in this article is purely meant for information and education purpose only. Kindly consult a Siddha physician before any sort of self medication.

Kanghi - Thuthi

Botanical Name: Abutilon indicum

Common Name: Indian mallow, Country Mallow, Flowering Maples

Sanskrit: Atibala, Ghanta, Shita, Shitapushpa, Vikantaka, Vatyapushpika, Vrishyagandha

Tamil: Thuthi, Paniyarattuthi, Perunduthi

Hindi: Kanghi, Kakahi

Assamese: Jayavandha, Jayapateri

Bengali: পোটারী Potari ,Badela

Malayalam: Kurunthotti, Kurumthotti, Velluram, Pettaka

Marathi: Chakrabhendi, Petari, Mudra

Maharashtra: Peeli booti, karandi

Telugu: Tuturabenda , duvvena Kayalu

Oriya: Pedipidika

Punjabi: Kangi, Kangibooti

Rajasthan: Tara-Kanchi, Kanghi, Debi, Jhili, Itwari

Urdu: Kanghi, Kangahi, Kakahiya, Kakahi, Beejband surkh, siyah

Kannada: Shrimudrigida, Mudragida, Turube

Kashmiri: Kath

Description:

Indian mallow is a shrub with the circular-ovate or heart-shaped leaves with coarsely crenate-serrate margins. The plant can reach up to 1-2 m. The leaves are alternately arranged, and have long stalks and have velvety, soft, pale hairs on them. Seeds are kidney-shaped. The plant is a weed commonly found on disturbed land. Traditionally, all parts of this plant are used for medicinal purpose.

Atibala is used for medicinal purpose since ancient times. Atibala is aphrodisiac and nervine tonic. It is diuretic, anti-inflammatory and anti-hemorrhagic. Atibala is used in inflammation, piles, gonorrhea, impotence, low libido, infertility, sperm loss, debility and as an immune stimulant.

Acharya Charak gave extract of whole plant for fever, weakness and joint problems. It was used as Rasayan to promote health and keep diseases at distance. It treats wounds, ulcers and vaginal infections. Root and bark are used as aphrodisiac, anti-diabetic, nervine tonic, and diuretic. They have diuretic and anthelmintic properties. The roots reduces fever, nerves weakness and helps in urinary problems. They are given for neurological disorders (hemiplegia, facial paralysis, sciatica) and debility.

Leaves are astringent and stop Bleeding and are helpful in bleeding piles, diarrhea etc.

Seeds are very nutritive and strengthening. They are aphrodisiac, emollient and demulcent. They contain about 30 % protein of good quality. They are used for treating impotency, loss of semen (spermatorrhoea) and low libido. The seeds are also used in urinary disorders, as a laxative in piles and in the treatment of cough.

Important Formulations

Atibala is generally as used an ingredient in preparation of Ayurvedic medicated oil used externally for massaging in Vata diseases (diseases due to Vata dosha) such as gout, rheumatism, facial palsy, paraplegia etc.

Important Medicinal Benefits

Piles:

1. Root extract is taken orally twice a day for two weeks to cure piles.

2. Atibala Abutilon indicum leaves + Makoi (Solanum nigrum) leaves + kali mirch (Piper nigrum seeds), are ground and paste is taken in dose of 5 grams for 2 weeks.

3. Leaves paste of Atibala is taken in dose of 5 grams for one month.

Rheumatism:

Paste of leaves prepared with mustard oil applied externally.

Toothache and tender gums:

As mouthwash decoction of leaves is used.

Ulcers:

Juice of the leaves prepared into an ointment is applied.

Urinary problems, strangury and hematuria:

The roots of plant are used due to diuretic activities.

Vaginal infections, wounds and ulcers:

Decoction of leaves is used.