Crocus sativus Health Dictionary

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Crocus Sativus: From 1 Different Sources

Linn.

Family: Iridaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated in Kashmir up to 2,000 m and in Chaubattia in Uttar Pradesh.

English: Saffron, Crocus.

Ayurvedic: Kumkuma, Rudhira, Vadrika, Kaashmira, Kaashmiraka, Vaalhika, Agnishikhaa, Ghrusrrn, Rakta, Kshataja. Keshara (usually Keshara indicates Naagakeshara, Mesuaferrea Linn.)

Unani: Zaafraan.

Siddha/Tamil: Kumgumappoo (dried stigma).

Action: Stigma and style—nervine tonic, sedative, antispasmodic expectorant (in dry cough, whooping cough, bronchitis), stomachic, diaphoretic, emmenagogue.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicated the use of the stigma and style in migraine, chronic sinusitis, and in urinary obstruction, inflammation of the urinary tract.

The saffron is used in Chinese medicine for melancholia, depression, shock and menstrual disorders.

Saffron contains a volatile oil composed of terpenes, terpene alcohols and esters. The herb also contains crocin, picrocrocin, crocetin, carotenoids and riboflavin and thiamine.

Preliminary evidence suggests that crocetin may improved atherosclerosis by increasing plasma oxygen diffusion and decreasing cholesterol and triglyceride levels. In addition, cro- cetin binds to albumin, potentially increasing oxygen diffusion and improving atherosclerosis. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)

The stigma showed remarkable inhibitory effect on blood coagulation due to the presence of platelet aggregation inhibitor containing adenosine. It accelerated in vitro fibrinolytic activity of urokinase and plasmin.

Small amounts of Saffron stimulate gastric secretion; larger amounts stimulate uterine smooth muscle and exhibit emmenagogue and abortifacient effects.

Saffron extract showed cytotoxic and antimutagenic activity and antitu- mour activity against ascites tumours in mice. Chemical analysis indicated that the naturally occurring crocin may be the active principle responsible for the observed anticancer activity.

A xanthone, carotenoid glycosidic conjugate, mangi-crocin, isolated from saffron, showed significant adapto- genic activity. A natural antioxidant, isolated from saffron stem callus, showed better antioxidant activity than vitamin E. Saffron bulbs are toxic, stigmas in overdoses narcotic.

The dose of stigma and styles at 1.55.0 g is toxic. (Recommended dose : 0.5-1.5 g per day).

Dosage: Dried style and stigma—20-50 mg (API Vol. IV.)
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Crocus

Love, Visions... crocus

Cucumis Sativus

Linn.

Family: Cucurbitaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated for its edible fruits which are usually used as salad vegetable.

English: Cucumber.

Ayurvedic: Trapusha, Traapusha, Trapushi, Tiktakarkatikaa (bitter var.).

Unani: Khiyaar, Khiraa.

Siddha/Tamil: Vellarikkai.

Folk: Khiraa.

Action: Seed—used in dysuria, irritation of the urinary tract, cystitis. Reduces specific gravity of urine. Also used for tapeworms.

Cucumber contains rutin; seeds glu- cosides including cucurbitaside; leaves free cucurbitasides B & C, ferredox- in, alpha-spinasterol. Free and bound sterols are found in seedlings and in male and female flowers.

Presence of proteolytic enzymes, ascorbic acid oxidase and succinic and malic dehydrogenases has been reported.

Dosage: Seed—3-6 g powder; fruit juice—25-50 ml. (CCRAS.)... cucumis sativus

Indian Crocus

Kaempferia rotunda

Zingiberaceae

San: Bhumicampaka, Bhucampaka, Hallakah

Hin: Abhuyicampa

Mal: Chengazhuneerkizhengu, Chengazhuneerkuva

Tam: Nerppicin

Kan: Nelasampiga

Tel: Bhucampakamu, Kondakaluva Mar: Bhuichampa

Importance: The tubers of Indian crocus are widely used as a local application for tumours, swellings and wounds. They are also given in gastric complaints. They help to remove blood clots and other purulent matter in the body. The juice of the tubers is given in dropsical affections of hands and feet, and of effusions in joints. The juice causes salivation and vomiting. In Ayurveda, the improvement formulations using the herb are Chyavanaprasam, Asokarishtam, Baladthatryaditailam, Kalyanakaghritham, etc. The drug “HALLAKAM” prepared from this is in popular use in the form of powder or as an ointment application to wounds and bruises to reduce swellings. It also improves complexion and cures burning sensation, mental disorders and insomnia (NRF, 1998; Sivarajan et al, 1994).

Distribution: The plant is distributed in the tropics and sub-tropics of Asia and Africa. The plant grows wild in shaded areas which are wet or humid, especially in forests in South India. It grows in gardens and is known for their beautiful flowers and foliage. It is also cultivated as an intercrop with other commercial crops.

Botany: Kaempferia rotunda Linn. belonging to the family Zingiberaceae is an aromatic herb with tuberous root-stalk and very short stem. Leaves are simple, few, erect, oblong or ovate- lanceolate, acuminate, 30cm long, 10cm wide, variegated green above and tinged with purple below. Flowers are fragrant, white, tip purple or lilac arranged in crowded spikes opening successively. The plant produces a subglobose tuberous rhizome from which many roots bearing small oblong or rounded tubers arise (Warrier et al, 1995).

Agrotechnology: The plant is a tropical one adapted for tropical climate. Rich loamy soil having good drainage is ideal for the plant. Laterite soil with heavy organic manure application is also well suited. Planting is done in May-June with the receipt of 4 or 5 pre-monsoon showers. The seed rate recommended is 1500-2000kg rhizomes/ha. Whole or split rhizome with one healthy sprout is the planting material. Well developed healthy and disease free rhizomes with the attached root tubers are selected for planting. Rhizomes can be stored in cool dry place or pits dug under shade plastered with mud or cowdung. The field is ploughed to a fine tilth, mixed with organic manure at 10-15t/ha. Seed beds are prepared at a size of 1m breadth and convenient length. Pits are made at 20cm spacing in which 5cm long pieces of rhizomes are planted. Pits are covered with organic manure. They are then covered with rotten straw or leaves. Apply FYM or compost as basal dose at 20 t/ha either by broadcasting and ploughing or by covering the seed in pits after planting. Apply fertilisers at the rate of 50:50:50 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha at the time of first and second weeding. After planting, mulch the beds with dry or green leaves at 15 t/ha. During heavy rainy months, leaf rot disease occurs which can be controlled by drenching 1% Bordeaux mixture. The crop can be harvested after 7 months maturity. Drying up of the leaves is the indication of maturity. Harvest the crop carefully without cutting the rhizome, remove dried leaves and roots. Wash the rhizome in water. They are stored in moisture-proof sheds. Prolonged storage may cause insect and fungus attack (Prasad et al, 1997).

Properties and activity: The tubers contain crotepoxide and -sitosterol. Tuber contains essential oil which give a compound with melting point 149oC which yielded benzoic acid on hydrolysis.

The tubers are acrid, thermogenic aromatic, stomachic, antiinflammatory, sialagogue, emetic, antitumour and vulnerary.... indian crocus

Lathyrus Sativus

Linn.

Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated chiefly in Madhya Pradesh, Eastern Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Gujarat.

English: Chickling Vetch, Grass Pea.

Folk: Khesaari, Latari, Kalaaya.

Action: Seeds—toxic. Prolonged consumption results in paralysis of legs, both in animals and human beings, known as lathyrism. The toxic substance responsible for lathyrism had been identified as selenium. Peritoneal injection of beta-N-oxalylaminoalanine (isolated from the seeds) produced acute neurolathyrism at LD50 doses (748.8 mg/kg) in mice and (694.9 mg/kg) in chicken; liver and kidney cells showed denaturation, vacuolar and fatty degeneration. (It is a neuropoison, which mainly affects central nervous system.)

Related species include, Lathyrus aphaca Linn., L. sphaericus Retz. and L. tingitanus Linn., known as Kalaaya or Khesaari.... lathyrus sativus

Raphanus Sativus

Linn.

Family: Cruciferae; Brassicaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Maharashtra and Gujarat.

English: Radish.

Ayurvedic: Muulaka, Laghu- muulaka, Muulakapotikaa, Visra, Shaaleya, Marusambhava. Pods— Sungraa, Singri, Mungraa.

Unani: Muuli, Turb Fajal.

Siddha/Tamil: Mullangi.

Action: Radish—preparations are used in liver, gallbladder and urinary complaints. Green leaves— diuretic and carminative. Seeds— diuretic, purgative, expectorant.

A decoction of dry radish is given orally in piles. Extract of the dry root is given for hiccough, influenza, dysentery, colic and urinary troubles.

Key application: In peptic disorders, especially those related to dyskinesia of the bile ducts; and in catarrhs of the upper respiratory tract. (German Commission E.)

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the juice of the whole plant in sinusitis; juice of the root in diseases of the throat and sinusitis; and the seed in amenorrhoea, cough and dyspnoea.

The fleshy root and seeds contain trans-4-methyl-thiobutenyl isothio- cyanate glucoside (the pungent principle), cyanidin-5-glucoside-3-sophoro- side, pelargonidin diglycoside, cyani- din diglycoside, 5-methyl-L-cysteine- sulphoxide (methiin), steroidal sa- pogenins and sulphorophene.

The enzymes present in the radish are phosphatase, catalase, sucrase, amylase, alcohol dehydrogenase and pyruvic carboxylase.

Radish contains caffeic acid and fer- ulic acid which exhibit hepatoprotec- tive and choleretic properties. It contains choline which prevents deposition of fat in liver. Amino acids, or- nithine, citrulline, arginine, glutamic acid and asparatic acid remove toxins from the body and urea acumulation.

Radish is a good source of ascorbic acid (15-40 mg/100 g), trace elements include aluminium, barium, lithium, manganese, silicon, titanium, also iodine (upto 18 mcg/100 g) and ascor- bigen.

Roots, leaves, flowers and pods are active against Gram-positive bacteria.

The seeds are reported to contain a broad spectrum antibiotic, machro- lysin, specific against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Raphanin, extracted from the seeds, is active against Grampositive and Gram-negative bacteria.

A purified basic protein, homologous to nonspecific lipid transfer proteins, from seeds showed antifungal activity.

Raphanus caudatus Linn., synonym R. sativus var. caudatus, is known as Rat-Tail Radish.

A native to Java, it is cultivated in northern and western India. The root is not used; pods, purple or violet in colour, are consumed for properties attributed to Raphanus sp. These are known as Mungraa or Sungraa.

Dosage: Whole plant-20-40 ml juice; root—15-30 ml juice. (API, Vol. II.) Seed—1-3 g powder. (API, Vol. III.)... raphanus sativus

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