Dentifrice Health Dictionary

Iris florentina. N.O. Iridaceae.

Synonym: Florentine Orris.

Habitat: Cultivated in Northern Italy and Morocco.

Features ? The white Florentine root, which is preferred to other varieties, is irregular in shape and shows marks where the rootlets branched before preparation for export. Verona Orris root tapers more gradually than that from Florence, and appears more compressed. The Moroccan root is noticeable for the dirty white cortex which remains on the root. Orris gives off a violet-like scent.

Part used ? Root.

Large quantities of the finely pulverised root are used in the preparation of toilet and dusting powders, dentifrices and cachous, for which purposes the acceptable fragrancy and other appropriate qualities make Orris root eminently suitable. Toilet recipes are given in another section of this book.

Orris is not used for purely medicinal purposes.... orris

Linn.

Family: Solanaceae.

Habitat: Native to tropical America; cultivated mainly in Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal.

English: Tobacco.

Ayurvedic: Taamraparna, Dhuu- mrapatraa.

Unani: Tambaakhu.

Action: Leaves—decoction is locally applied for muscle relaxation in dislocation, strangulated hernia and orchitis. Also for arthralgia, lumbago, rheumatism and gout (an ointment is made by simmering the leaves in lard). Not used internally as a medicine.

The plant contains nicotine as the major alkaloid.

Toxic influence of cigarette and bidi smoking on carboxyhaemoglobin levels of the blood of regular smokers was compared and no significant difference was observed in both of them. A py- rolysed tobacco product, used in India as a dentifrice, when administered to rats, showed activity comparable to benzo(a)pyrene, a potent carcinogen.

Habitual consumption of betel quid containing tobacco shows a strong cy- totoxic potential.

Nicotiana rustica Linn. is known as Kalakatiyaa or Vfilaayati tobacco. Its nicotine content is high and is not suitable for cigarettes, cigars or bidis. Different variants of this tobacco are used for hookah, chewing and snuff.... nicotiana tabacum

Linn.

Family: Cucurbitaceae.

Habitat: Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

Ayurvedic: Patoli (related species of Patola).

Siddha/Tamil: Kombu Pudalai.

Action: Herb—bitter tonic, febrifuge. Root—purgative. Fruit— used as dentifrice.... trichosanthes nervifolia

Pain in 1 or more teeth and sometimes the gums. Causes include dental caries, a tooth fracture (see fracture, dental), a deep, unlined filling (see filling, dental), periodontitis, a dental abscess (see abscess, dental), a blow to a tooth, or referred pain from sinusitis. Analgesic drugs may provide temporary relief. Treatment depends on the cause.toothbrushing Cleaning of the teeth with a brush to remove plaque and food particles from tooth surfaces and to stimulate the gums. Toothbrushing should be carried out twice a day using a fluoride dentifrice (usually toothpaste). tooth decay See caries, dental. tooth extraction See extraction, dental. toothpaste See dentifrice.... toothache

Pimpinella anisum

FAMILY: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)

SYNONYMS: Anisum officinalis, A. vulgare, anise, sweet cumin.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An annual herb, less than a metre high, with delicate leaves and white flowers.

DISTRIBUTION: Native to Greece and Egypt, now widely cultivated mainly in India and China and to a lesser extent in Mexico and Spain.

OTHER SPECIES: There are several different chemotypes of aniseed according to the country of origin. Not to be confused with star anise, which belongs to a different family altogether.

HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Widely used as a domestic spice. The volatile oil content provides the basis for its medicinal applications: dry irritable coughs, bronchitis and whooping cough. The seed can be used in smoking mixtures. Aniseed tea is used for infant catarrh, also flatulence, colic and griping pains, also for painful periods and to promote breast milk. In Turkey a popular alcoholic drink, raki, is made from the seed.

ACTIONS: Antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, diuretic, expectorant, galactagogue, stimulant, stomachic.

EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the seeds.

CHARACTERISTICS: Colourless to pale yellow liquid with a warm, spicy-sweet characteristic scent. Like star anise, it is a good masking agent.

PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Trans-anethole (75–90 per cent).

SAFETY DATA: Its major component, anethole, is known to cause dermatitis in some individuals – avoid in allergic and inflammatory skin conditions. In large doses it is narcotic and slows down the circulation; can lead to cerebral disorders. Use in moderation only.

AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE See star anise.

OTHER USES: By the pharmaceutical industry in cough mixtures and lozenges and to mask undesirable flavours in drugs. Also used in dentifrices and as a fragrance component in soaps, toothpaste, detergents, cosmetics and perfumes, mostly of the industrial type. Employed in all major food categories.... aniseed