Celery seed Health Dictionary

See Apio.... celery

Love, Friendship... love seed

Carum carvi L. Dried seeds.

Action: Antimicrobial, antispasmodic, carminative, expectorant, galactagogue, emmenagogue.

Keynote: colic.

Uses: Wind and colic in children; loss of appetite; flatulent indigestion, ‘summer’ diarrhoea in children, colds, painful menses; to stimulate flow of breast milk. Gastric symptoms of cardiac origin.

Sometimes combined with Chamomile for digestive disorders.

Preparations: Thrice daily.

Tea: 1-2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 10 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup. Tincture BHP (1983) 1 part to 5 parts 45 per cent alcohol: 0.5-4ml (8-60 drops). Powdered seeds: half-2 grams.

Oil of Caraway: 1-3 drops. ... caraway seeds

Elettaria cardamomum Maton. Dried ripe seeds. Volatile oil.

Action. Carminative, warm and soothing to digestive system. Stomachic, Orexigenic. Anti-gripe. Oil is antiseptic.

Uses: Flatulence, colic, loss of appetite.

Preparations: Tea. Crush seeds in a pestle and mortar. 1 teaspoon to cup of water; bring to boil; remove vessel when boiling point is reached. Infuse 10-15 minutes. Dose: half-1 cup.

Powder. Dose, 1-2 grams.

Liquid Extract. 0.3 to 2ml.

Tincture Cardamoms Co BP (1973): dose 2-4ml. Oil – 3 drops in honey after meals promotes digestion, removes odour of garlic, onions, etc. ... cardamom seeds

High in polyunsaturates. Contains nearly 75 per cent linoleic acid. Made from crushed seeds of white grapes. Contains more polyunsaturated fats than corn or sunflower oil. Used chiefly in cooking for coronary patients. ... grape seed oil

(Pale). Spogel seeds. Psyllium seeds. Ispaghula husk BP. Plantago ovata. Dried ripe seeds. Keynote: constipation and bowel irritation.

Constituents: mucilage, triterpenes, alkaloids.

Action: gentle bulk laxative without irritation; antidiarrhoeal, demulcent, bacteriostatic. Increases stool output while decreasing transit time in healthy people. Anti-inflammatory.

Uses: Chronic constipation, particularly in the elderly. Irritable bowel syndrome, mucous colitis. Amoebic dysentery. (Indian traditional) To assist management of diverticular disease. To reduce incidence of bowel complaints. An alternative to constant use of purgatives that decrease sensitivity of alimentary mucous membranes. Useful in pregnancy. Hyperlipaemia. Lowers cholesterol level by eliminating excess bile salts. To assist slimming regime in obesity.

Preparations: Average dose: 3-5 grams (2 grams, children).

Seeds: 1-2 teaspoons once or twice daily, helped down with sips of water. (May be soaked overnight in warm water.) In the intestines seeds swell into a gelatinous mass many times their normal size thus ‘lubricating’ contents of the bowel for easy defecation. Isogel.

“Regulan” Ispaghula husk BP. Sachets containing 3-6 grams. Average dose: 1 sachet thrice daily. Psyllium seed husks, plus pectin, Vitamin C and Guar gum to cleanse the colon while leaving behind important nutrients. Aids detoxification and absorption of iron. Regulates blood sugar levels and nutrient absorption. (JAM. Nov 86, p.23) Poultice. With Slippery Elm for boils, abscesses, etc. ... ispaghula seeds

Abelmoschus moschatus

FAMILY: Malvaceae

SYNONYMS: Hibiscus abelmoschus, musk seed, Egyptian alcee, target-leaved hibiscus, muskmallow.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An evergreen shrub about 1.5 metres high, bearing large single yellow flowers with a purple centre. The capsules, in the form of five-cornered pyramids, contain the greyish-brown kidney-shaped seeds which have a musky odour.

DISTRIBUTION: Indigenous to India; widely cultivated in tropical countries including Indonesia, Africa, Egypt, China, Madagascar, and the West Indies. Distillation of the oil is generally carried out in Europe and America.

OTHER SPECIES: A variety, H. esculentus, is grown largely in Istanbul as a demulcent. Another variety is also found in Martinique, the seeds of which have a more delicate scent.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Generally used as a stimulant and to ease indigestion, cramp and nervous dyspepsia. In Chinese medicine it is used to treat headache; in Egypt the seeds are used to sweeten the breath and are made into an emulsion with milk to be used for itch. The Arabs use the seeds to mix with coffee. Widely used as a domestic spice in the East.

ACTIONS: Antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, carminative, nervine, stimulant, stomachic.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation of the seeds. Liquid ambrette seed oil should be allowed to age for several months before it is used. A concrete and absolute are also produced by solvent extraction.

CHARACTERISTICS: A pale yellowy-red liquid with a rich, sweet floral-musky odour, very tenacious. It blends well with rose, neroli, sandalwood, clary sage, cypress, patchouli, oriental and ‘sophisticated’ bases.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Ambrettolide, ambrettolic acid, palmitic acid and farnesol.

SAFETY DATA: Available information indicates the oil to be non-toxic, non-irritant and non-sensitizing.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE

Circulation muscles and joints: Cramp, fatigue, muscular aches and pains, poor circulation.

Nervous System: Anxiety, depression, nervous tension and stress-related conditions.

OTHER USES: Employed by the cosmetic and perfumery industries in oriental-type scents and for the adulteration of musk; also used as a musk substitute. Used for flavouring alcoholic and soft drinks as well as some foodstuffs, especially confectionery.

AMYRIS... ambrette seed

Daucus carota

FAMILY: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

SYNONYMS: Wild carrot, Queen Anne’s lace, bird’s nest.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: Annual or biennial herb, with a small, inedible, tough whitish root. It has a much-branched stem up to 1.5 metres high with hairy leaves and umbels of white lacy flowers.

DISTRIBUTION: Native to Europe, Asia and North Africa; naturalized in North America. The essential oil is mainly produced in France.

OTHER SPECIES: An oil is also produced by solvent extraction from the red fleshy root of the common edible carrot (D. carota subspecies sativus) mainly for use as a food colouring.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: A highly nutritious plant, containing substantial amounts of Vitamins A, C, B1 and B2. The roots have a strong tonic action on the liver and gall bladder, good for the treatment of jaundice and other complaints. The seeds are used for the retention of urine, colic, kidney and digestive disorders, and to promote menstruation. In the Chinese tradition it is used to treat dysentery and to expel worms.

The dried leaves are current in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia for calculus, gout, cystitis and lithuria.

ACTIONS: Anthelmintic, antiseptic, carminative, depurative, diuretic, emmenagogue, hepatic, stimulant, tonic, vasodilatory and smooth muscle relaxant.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the dried fruit (seeds).

CHARACTERISTICS: A yellow or amber-coloured liquid with a warm, dry, woody-earthy odour. It blends well with costus, cassie, mimosa, cedarwood, geranium, citrus and spice oils.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Pinene, carotol, daucol, limonene, bisabolene, elemene, geraniol, geranyl acetate, caryophyllene, among others.

SAFETY DATA: Non-toxic, non-irritant, non-sensitizing.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE

Skin Care: Dermatitis, eczema, psoriasis, rashes, revitalizing and toning, mature complexions, wrinkles.

Circulation Muscles And Joints: Accumulation of toxins, arthritis, gout, oedema, rheumatism.

Digestive System: Anaemia, anorexia, colic, indigestion, liver congestion.

Genito-Urinary And Endocrine Systems: Amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, glandular problems, PMT.

OTHER USES: Fragrance component in soaps, detergents, cosmetics and perfumes. Flavour ingredient in most major food categories, especially seasonings.... carrot seed