Agave

Agave is a fibre-bearing plant which grows in tropical countries. It produces leaves upward from the ground, forming a massive rosette. Both sides of the leaves are smooth, having prickly edges, and at the upper extremity, a thorny end. The plant produces a long and erect stem which bears bulbs that fall to the ground and grow into new plants.

Herbal use:

1. Agave purifies the blood.
2. Agave prevents the formation of pus.
3. Agave promotes the flow of urine.
4. It stimulates the bowel-mild laxative.
5. It checks excessive falling of hair.
6. It checks internal wounds and swellings.
7. Soothes irritated eyes and helps in general eye diseases.
8. It is used against tuberculosis of the lungs.
9. Used for jaundices and infected livers.

Instructions:

1. For cleansing the blood an infusion or decoction of the finely chopped leaves can be used. Use two grams of leaves for a cup of water. One cup taken a day is enough. The preparation should be taken slowly in sips.
2. The water in which the leaves are soaked for a day can be used externally as a disinfectant and tonic, in case of falling hair.
3. The sap of the leaves is used internally in case of wounds and inflammations.
4. The infusion of this plant with the addition of a teaspoon of honey can be used to soothe irritated eyes.
5. The decoction of the leaves can be used in the form of lotions for general eye diseases.
6. The sap of the plant can be used at times for pulmonary tuberculosis, diseased liver and jaundice.
7. The powder of the dry leaves of the plant, in water, is recommended for anaemia, kidney diseases, and liver problems. The recommended dose is one teaspoon of powder a day.

Black oil plant

A deciduous shrubby climber with stems up to 23 cm. in diameter 18 meters high. The twigs are fairly smooth, reddish brown and densely covered with small elongate whitish lenticels which are openings meant for diffusion of gases or respiration. The leaves are elliptic-ovate or obovate and serrate. The greenish-yellow flowers are 3.8 mm. in diameter and are found on panicles which are 5 to 20 cm. long. The capsules which are 1 to 1.3 cm. in diameter are 3-lobed and bright yellow in color. The seeds are completely enclosed in an orange-red aril.

Herbal use:

1. Promotes menstrual flow.
2. Stimulates the appetite, acts as a laxative and works as an agent to cause vomiting.
3. Promotes the removal of mucous secretions from the bronchial tubes.
4. Used to strengthen and give tone to the stomach.
5. Useful for cough, asthma, leprosy, headache and leucoderma.
6. Used for abortion.
7. Used as a nerve stimulant, a brain and as an agent for checking rheumatic pains.

Instructions:

1. The decoction of the leaves takes care of Number 1 above.
2. The decoction of the seeds takes care of Numbers 2 to 5 above.
3. The decoction of the bark takes care of Number 6 above.
4. The oil from the seeds takes care of Number 7 above.

Major parts used: Seeds, leaves, bark and oil from the seeds.

Catharanthus

Catharanthus rose us or Periwinkle is often linked with the graveyard as it thrives there without much care. The flowers and leaves of this herbaceous plant would never find its place in a garland, bouquet or in a maids hair as the odour emitted by the plant is so bad that is always brings out a negative response in any individual. However, of late this plant has gained great popularity for its medicinal use. The plant may have a few branches and grows to about 50 cm. high. The glossy leaves are oblong in shape. The flowers are normally white or a purplish-pink on color. The fruit is somewhat cylindrical with a length of about 2-3 cm. It is seen growing in some gardens, seashores and sandy areas.

Herbal use:

1. Said to be anticarcinogenic or an agent which works against cancer.
2. It used for diabetes.
3. It used for diarrhoea.
4. It used as a vermifuge or a substance which expels worms from the body.
5. Good remedy for toothache and works wells as a purgative.

Instructions:

1. The extract of the fresh leaf is said to be anticarcinogenic.
2. The infusion of the leaves is used in diarrhoea and diabetes.
3. The decoction of the root is a vermifuge, a good remedy for toothache and works well as a purgative.

Major parts used: The roots and the leaves.

Peacock Flower

Peacock Flower is normally considered to be an ornamental shrub which is planted in gardens and parks for its beautiful red or yellow flowers. Prickles are found scattered on the branches. Each compound leaf bears about 20 to 24 stalkless leaflets. The inflorescence or the cluster of flowers borne on a common stalk have flowers arranged in a pyramidal fashion with the lower flowers bearing longer stalks and the ones above having shorter stalks and this progression is seen till the terminal end. The flat pods normally have in them 6 to 8 seeds.

Herbal used:

1. Helps in cases of cholera.
2. It is used for abortion.
3. It is used to prevent reoccurrence of the diseases, like malaria.
4. It promotes menstrual flow.
5. It is used as a purgative or the watery evacuation of the bowels.
6. It is used for producing energy.
7. It is used to relieve chest affections.
8. It is used to reduce or eliminate fever.
9. Widely used for the cure of bronchitis, asthma and for malarial fevers.

Instructions:

1. The decoctions of the roots are given for cholera.
2. The infusion of the leaves or the bark is used for abortion.
3. The infusion of the leaves is used to take care of Numbers 3 to 6 above.
4. The infusion of the flowers is used to take care of Number 7 to 9 above.

Major parts used: Roots, bark, leaves and flowers.

Celery

Celery is a biennial, erect, branching, garden herb. The root is fleshy and bulbous. The stem is angular and furrowed. The leaves are opposite, dark-green, incised and coarsely toothed. The flowers are gray-white and arranged into compound umbels. Seeds of the plant are small, ribbed and ovate.

Herbal use:

1. Celery is used in acute abdominal pains, and abnormal accumulation of liquid in the cellular tissue.
2. Celery alters the process of nutrition and excretion and restores the normal function of the body.
3. It promotes the flow of urine.
4. It stimulates appetite.
5. Celery is used to give relief from flatulence and from griping pain in the stomach and bowels.
6. Strengthens and gives tone to the stomach.
7. Used as a laxative, tonic and sedative.
8. Used to kill and expel worms from the body.
9. Used in asthma, bronchitis, liver and spleen diseases.
10. Also used in vomiting, abnormal stoppage of menses, urinary discharges, hiccup, rectal troubles, nasal disease, fever with cough and flatulence.
11. It is an effective remedy for rheumatic tendencies, inflamed joints, obesity, chronic pulmonary disease and deficiency diseases.
12. To restore sexual potency.

Instructions:

1. The extracted juice of the plant takes care of Nos. 1-12 above and is the most effective remedy for rheumatic, tendencies, inflamed joints, obesity, chronic pulmonary diseases and deficiency diseases.
2. Celery promotes the onset of menstruation.

Major Parts used: The whole plant.

Avocado

The avocado is not a very well-known plant. It grows as high as 15 meters in nature, but in cultivation it is kept less than 10 meters. It is cultivated in tropical and subtropical countries. The fruit is large and pear-shaped. It has a thick skin which is purple green in color. It has been introduced in India and is found growing in Bangalore, Pune and a few other places.

Herbal use:

1. Avocado is used for the treatment of rheumatism and painful inflamed joints.
2. Avocado is used as an anti-dandruff medicine.
3. It effectively checks falling of hair and promotes growth of hair.
4. It promotes flow of urine.
5. Used for flatulence and griping pains of the stomach and bowels.
6. Promotes menstrual flow.
7. Checks internal swelling, bronchitis, diarrhoea, kidney problems and cough.

Instructions:

1. In the case of rheumatism and painful inflamed joints, the oil obtained from the fruit is rubbed onto the painful parts. The same oil is also used as an anti-dandruff medicine, and in cases of falling hair. Rub the scalp with the oil to promote growth of hair.
2. An infusion of the fresh leaves is used to promote the flow of urine, expel gases, check flatulence and pain from stomach and bowels and strengthen the gums.
3. The flowers of the plant promote menstrual flow when taken as a tea.
4. The roasted and ground the seed is used in diarrhoea and dysentery. The dose is two teaspoonful in a cup of lukewarm water. The same powder applied as a cytoplasm helps to cure inflammations of the fingers or toes that is accompanied with the formation of pus. It can also be used in dental caries to relieve pain. In decoction, it is also used in gargles for toothache.

Major Parts used: The leaves, flowers, fruit and seeds.

Cashew

Cashew is a widespread tree, grown in all tropical countries. Usually it has a crooked trunk. The leaves are oval in shape with rounded tips. The yellowish flowers are small, crowned at the tips of the branches and the petals are sometimes with pink-stripes. The fruit is pear-shaped, producing a kidney-shaped nut outside and under the fruit. The cashew nut is well-known as a delicacy.

Herbal use:

1. Cashew is used in cases of diarrhoea, diabetes, infection swellings and mouth ulcers.
2. It relives toothaches, sore gums and dysentery.
3. It promoters the flow of urine.
4. Alcoholic solution of the pericarp is used to expel worms from the body.
5. An effective insecticide.

Instructions:

1. The bark of the tree is used in decoction for diarrhoea, diabetes, swellings and mouth ulcers.
2. Infusion of the leaves and the bark relives toothaches, sore gums and dysentery.
3. The juice from the pericarp promotes flow of urine and the alcoholic solution of the pericarp expels worms. The juice of the ripe fruit is good for dysentery.
4. The gum extracted from the bark is an effective insecticide.

Major Parts used: Bark, leaves, flowers, gum, fruits and nuts.

Psoralea

Psoralea is a common weed found everywhere. It has a grooved stem, simple leaves which are subcordate, ovate or roundish in shape with mildly serrated leaf margins. The 10 to 30 very small bluish-purple flowers are seen close together on axillary solitary racemes. The single-seeded pods are 5 mm. long ovoid-oblong, somewhat compressed and black in color.

Herbal use:

1. Psoralea is useful for dental caries or the decay of teeth.
2. Psoralea is useful for checking diarrhoea.
3. Psoralea promotes the flow of urine, curies leprosy, skin diseases, checks vomiting, asthma, painful urination, piles, bronchitis, inflammations, anaemia, strengthens hair and improve complexion.
4. It is used as a laxative, to expel worms from the body, good for heart troubles, ulcers, congestion of the liver, cures blood diseases, applied externally and given internally in skin diseases like scabies and leucoderma and for restoring hair.
5. Very useful to check ringworm.

Instructions:

1. The application of the crushed roots over and teeth helps in dental cries.
2. The infusion of the leaves is used to check diarrhoea.
3. The decoction of the fruit will take care of the disorders listed in Number 3 above.
4. The decoction of the seeds will take care of the disorders listed in Number 4 above.
5. The oil from the seeds are applied externally in case elephantiasis.
6. A compound ointment of the powdered seeds of this plant mixed with the seeds of Cassia tora and some lime juice is very useful in curing ringworm.

Major Parts used: The roots, leaves, fruits, seeds and extracted oil.

Bauhinia

Bauhinia is a medium sized deciduous tree grown in parks and gardens for its beautiful rosy purple flowers. The leaves bear clefts about halfway down into two rounded lobes. The flat pods produced are about 15 to 25 cm. long and contains about 12 to 15 suborbicular flattened seeds.

Herbal use:

1. Bauhinia used for expelling gases, flatulence and griping pains from the stomach and bowels.
2. Bauhinia is used in diarrhoea.
3. Bauhinia is used for ulcers.
4. It is used as a laxative.
5. It is used for boils and abscesses.

Instruction:

1. The decoction of the root is used to take care of No. 1 above.
2. The decoction of the bark is used to take care of No. 2 above.
3. The decoction of the bark is recommended ad a useful wash in ulcers.
4. The decoction of the flowers works as a laxative.
5. The bark or root and flowers mixed with boiled rice water are used as a maturant for boils and abscesses.

Major parts used: The root, bark and flowers.

Margosa

The Margosa is a very popular tree which grows to a height of over 20 meters. The compound leaves of the tree are pinnate with 9 to 12 leaflets which are sub-opposite, obliquely-lanceolate and serrate. The white fragrant flowers are found in branched panicles. The green fruit turn bright yellow when ripe and is one seeded.

Herbal use:

1. Margosa is used to expel worms from the body, burning sensation near the heart, fever, cough, ulcers, inflammations and leprosy.
2. Margosa is used as an insecticide, for eye problems, inflammation of the liver and skin diseases.
3. Margosa is used as a purgative, to expel worms, to treat urinary problems, tumours, piles and toothache.

Instruction:

1. The decoction of the bark will take care of all the ailments in Number 1 above.
2. The infusion of the leaves will take care of the problems in Number 2 above.
3. The consumption of the ripe or unripe fruits will take care of the ailments in Number 3 above.

Major parts used: The bark leaves and fruits.

Papaya

Papaw or papaya is one of the most common plants grown in tropical countries. It is an upright usually branchless, fast-growing tree. The trunk is soft, grayish, marked with fallen leaf scars. The leaves are deeply lobed, with long stalks, borne on the top of the tree. The male flowers are in long-stalked clusters, but the female flowers are stalkless or sessile. The fruit is obovoid, yellow-orange when ripe, fleshy, juicy, and often contains numerous black seeds although seedless varieties are also available today. It is a common fruit which is found in the market during the fruiting season.

Herbal use:

1. The root of the papaya is used as a tonic and as a medicine for excessive bleeding of the kidneys.
2. The latex is used for corns and warts.
3. The leaves help in digestion.
4. Flowers are the remedy for hoarseness, cough, bronchitis, inflamed trachea and cough.
5. The seeds are said to be an antidote for cancer.
6. The seeds are used to kill or expel worms from the body.
7. Fruit Helps in digestion.
8. It promotes flow of urine.

Instructions:

1. The decoction of the root is used as a tonic and as a medicine for unchecked bleeding of the kidneys.
2. It also kills and expels worms from the body. A handful or foot boiled in 2 cups of water is taken during the day.
3. The latex obtained from the fruit is also used to kill and expel worms from the body and used also for throat infections. It is also used for warts and corns.
4. An infusion of the flowers and honey is good for influenza and cough. Use teaspoonful every hour.
5. Ten of fifteen seeds chewed and swallowed is good for bile excretion and for cleaning the stomach. The dry powder is good to remove worms from the body.
6. The ripe fruit helps in digestion, promotes flow of urine and softens inflamed parts. It is recommended for all sick people. The ripe fruit, eaten with the seeds is good for all stomach and bowel diseases and also diabetes, asthma, jaundice, cough, chest problems, and duodenal ulcers.

Major parts used: The whole plant.

Chrysanthemum

Chrysanthemum is an erect, hairy, whitish herb. It is a perennial, aromatic plant which grows to about 60 cm. high. The leaves are sharply toothed, ovate- oblong, with 2 or 3 lobes on each side. Flowers are borne in white, purple or other colored yellow heads. The disc florets are numerous. The fruit is very small, somewhat compressed and grooved. This plant is widely cultivated for ornamental purposes.

Herbal use:

1. Relieves colds, headaches and inflamed tracts.
2. Can be used for bronchitis, whooping cough, boils, accumulation of pus in tissues, swellings and rheumatism.
3. For the treatment of intermittent fevers, hysteria and painful menstrual flow.
4. It is used for hypertension.
5. It is used to expel gases, flatulence, and griping pains from stomach and bowel.
6. It used as a sedative.
7. Gives tone and vitality to the body.
8. It is used against fungal infection.
9. It is used also for abdominal pains.

Instructions:

1. The decoction of the whole plant is recommended for No. 1 above and also for bronchitis, whooping cough, boils, accumulation of pus, swellings and rheumatism.
2. The infusion of the flowers is good for intermittent fevers, hysteria, and painful menstrual flow.
3. The tea of the flowers expels gases, flatulence, pain in the stomach and bowels; also acts as a sedative and tonic.
4. The oil is applied locally in fungal infected areas, and also for abdominal pains.

Major parts used: The whole plant.