Safflower

Safflower is an annual shrub. It grows from 2 to 3 feet high, with its glabrous branching stem, bearing oblong, lanceolate leaves with small spiny teeth. The flowers are orange-yellow, in a flower head. The seeds are white, shining, in little shell-form. The seeds yield oil for culinary purposes.

Herbal use:

1. Safflower is promotes flow of urine.
2. It is used as a laxative.
3. It is used for measles, fever and eruptive skin diseases.
4. Sometimes used to soothe hysteria.
5. It used for colds and coughs.

Instructions:

1. In home treatment, the flowers are used for children’s complaints like measles, fever and eruptive skin diseases.
2. Taken hot, the tea made from flower petals is recommended for colds, coughs and similar ailments. It is also beneficial in restoring menstrual problems and sometimes used to soothe hysteria.

Major parts used: The flowers.

Cajanus

Cajanus cajans which is synonymous to Cajanus indicus is given different names like: Red gram, Pigeon Pea, Congo Pea, and “Tur” by the local people in India. The plant is usually cultivated and the gram, a rich source of protein is widely used in India for the preparation of the popular “Dal curry”. The plant is an erect shrub which grows to a height of 1.5 to 3 meters with many branches. The yellow flowers are typical members of the family Papilionaceae. The green pods which may be 5 to 7.5 cm. long have fine hairs and reddish purple streaks. The seeds are about the size of a small pea. The powder of the seeds is mixed with water, made into a paste and applied on to the face to improve complexion.

Herbal use:

1. Cajanus cajan is useful for expelling worms from the body.
2. Cajanus helps in restoring lost taste.
3. It helps in the cure of the early stages of leprosy.
4. It is useful in the cure of the ulcers of the mouth.
5. Useful for the cure of tumors.
6. Helps in the cure of bronchitis and vomiting.
7. Helps in heart diseases, piles, cough and biliousness or congestion of the liver.
8. Cures flatulence or gas in stomach and intestines.
9. Used for obesity, poisoning and rheumatism.

Instructions:

To take care of the total list above, a decoction of the green or dry pod with the seeds are prepared and consumed.

Major Parts used: The pods with the seeds

Chilli

Chilli is a perennial plant of tropical countries. The fruit is green or red and various in sizes. It is a many-seeded pod, the more tropical the climate, the more pungent the fruit. Most of the Indian curries have at least a pinch of the powdered Chilli to give it the ‘right’ taste. Foreigners who taste the pungent Indian curries state that “they have had a foretaste of hell!”

Herbal use:

1. Chilli helps in digestion if used in very small quantities.
2. Chilli stimulates appetite.
3. It purifies the blood.
4. Alters the process of nutrition and excretion and restores the normal function of the body.
5. It reduces or eliminates fever.
6. Strengthens and gives tone to the stomach.
7. Gives tone and vitality to the body.
8. Externally used to give relief from rheumatism, arthritis, chest pain and inflammation of the pericardium.
9. For relief from toothaches, inflamed tonsils and early stages of throat diseases in children.

Instructions:

1. Taken in infusion it helps stomach and bowel cramps.
2. Consumption of small quantities of fresh fruit will stimulate appetite.
3. Externally used, it can be applied as a plaster to afflicted areas for treating rheumatism, arthritis, chest pain and inflamed pericardium i.e., the lining of the heart.
4. The decoction of the leaves is good for gargling.
5. For toothache, extract the juice from the fruit, dip a cotton ball in it, and after cleaning the cavity introduce the juice.
6. In early stages of certain throat diseases and inflamed tonsils the application of around the neck. At the same time a small amount of infusion can be taken internally.
7. Powdered fruit may be used in pill form or capsules.

Major Parts used: The leaves and fruit

Forest Flame

The flame of the Forest commonly called “Palas” by the local people in Maharashtra, India is a small tree which grows to a height of 12 to 15 meters. In the summer months, when most of the other trees and shrubs are dry due to the scorching heat of the sun, Butea frondosa synonymous to Butea monosperma truly stands out like a flame in the forest with its clusters of orange colored flowers. Very often, it has a crooked trunk and irregular branches. The trifoliate oval leaves are more prominent in all other seasons except the summer months when it is time for the floral buds to be activated. The leaves of this tree are collected by the local people and a few of them are woven together with small twigs to make circular disposable biodegradable leaf plates to serve food. These plates are then used by small large groups of people during special occasions like marriages, picnics etc.

Herbal use:

1. It is used for the cure of night blindness and other defects of the eyes.
2. Helps to check elephantiasis.
3. Used as a laxative and for the expelling of worms from the body.
4. Useful in fractures of the bones.
5. Useful in dysentery, piles, hydrocele, ulcers, tumours and menstrual disorders.
6. Useful for checking cough and stomatitis or inflammation in the innerside of the mouth.
7. Useful for curing leprosy in the early stages, gout and skin diseases.
8. Very useful for the cure of Herpes or “Dhobie’s itch”

Instructions:

1. The decoction of the root is used to take care of Numbers 1 and 2 above.
2. The decoction of the leaves too may be used to take care of Number1 above.
3. The decoction of the bark is widely used to take care of Numbers 3, 4 and 5 above.
4. The gum of the tree is useful to take care of Number 6 above.
5. The decoction of the flowers is used to take care of Number 7 above.
6. When the seeds are pounded with lemon juice, they act as a powerful rubefacient and have been successfully used as a cure for Herpes or “Dhobie’s itch”.

Major Parts used: The root, bark, gum, leaves, flowers and seeds.

Sesbania grandiflora

Sesbania grandiflora is called thus since it produces grand, showy, large, white colored flowers with a tinge of pink in the bud stage. This soft wooded, sparingly- branched; slender tree grows to a height of about 10 meters. The calyx is bell-shaped and the fruits are about 30 to 50 cm, long with kidney shaped brown seeds. The most important advantage is that the tender leaves, pods and flowers are eaten as a vegetable.

Herbal use:

1. Grandiflora is useful in curing inflammations.
2. It is useful in expelling worms from the body, itching, leprosy, night blindness, epilepsy, gout, used as tonic and for ophthalmia.
3. Sesbania is used as a laxative, checks fevers, pains, anemia, tumours and improves memory.
4. Sesbania is very useful in curing bruises.

Instructions:

The juice of the roots given with pure honey is a good expectorant to check cough and for the ulceration of tongue.

Major parts used: The roots, nark, leaves, flowers and fruits.