Drupe: From 1 Different Sources
a fleshy fruit, with one or more seeds, each surrounded by a stony layer.
Privet tea has been known for its health benefits, especially related to liver and kidney problems. As an herbal tea, it is a good everyday drink which also helps you stay healthy. Find out more about it in this article!
About Privet Tea
Privet tea is made from privet, an herbal plant which grows all around the world. The privet is a semi-evergreen shrub which includes species of plants used as hedges in gardens.
Some species can grow up to 20 meters tall. The plant has glossy, oppositely-arranged, dark green leaves; they can grow as long as 10-12cm. The flowers are small, white, fragrant and blooming in pinnacles. The fruits are purple-black drupes born in clusters; the fruits of some species can be poisonous to humans.
How to prepare Privet Tea
The fruit of the plant is used to make privet tea. To enjoy this tea, you need to add some dried privet fruit to a cup of freshly-boiled water. Let it steep for 5-7 minutes before you remove the dried fruit. Sweeten it with honey, if you want to. If not, your tea’s ready!
You can also use granulated or powdered forms of the fruit in order to make privet tea.
Privet Tea Benefits
Privet tea has plenty of health benefits thanks to the active constituents which are transferred from the fruit of the herbal plant. Some of them include ligustrum, oleanolic acid, betulinic acid, ursolic acid, saponins and tannins.
Drinking privet tea will help strengthen your immune system. Thanks to this, it is often recommended in the treatment for HIV, AIDS, and cancer. It is also often used in treating liver and kidney problems, as well as hepatitis, hypertension, Parkinson’s disease, and respiratory tract infections.
Privet tea is also helpful when it comes to treating backaches, insomnia, palpitations, rheumatic pains, and tinnitus. You can use it if you’re feeling dizzy, tired or you’ve got blurred vision caused by stress. It also reduces the chances of getting grey hair, and helps you deal with premature menopause or general menopausal problems.
Privet Tea Side Effects
If you’re pregnant or breast feeding, you should stop drinking privet tea. Also, children with ages under 12 shouldn’t drink it either.
Privet tea can worsen asthma symptoms to those already suffering from this disease. You should also avoid drinking it if you’ve got diarrhea.
You should be careful with the amount of privet tea you drink: don’t drink more than 5-6 cups of tea a day. This counts for other types of tea, as well. If you drink too much, you might get some of these symptoms: headaches, dizziness, insomnia, diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
Privet tea has very few side effects, while it has plenty of important health benefits. It can be consumed every day with no worries.... benefits of privet tea
Terminalia spp.CombretaceaeThe genus Terminalia includes a large group of medicinally valuable trees. They belong to the family Combretaceae.The most important medicinal species of the genus Terminalia are the following.1) T. arjuna (Roxb.ex DC) Wight & Arn.San: Arjunah, Kakubhah;Hin: Arjun, Kahu, Kahua;Mal: Marutu, Nirmarutu, Venmarutu, Attumarutu, Pulamatti;Tam: Attumarutu, Nirmarutu, Vellaimarutu, Marutu;Kan: Maddi.It is a large evergreen tree commonly found in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Peninsular and India. It has buttressed trunk and spreading crown with drooping branches. Bark is smooth, grey outside and flesh coloured inside, flaking off in large flat pieces. Leaves are simple, sub-opposite, oblong or elliptic, coriaceous, crenulate, pale dull green above, pale brown beneath, often unequal sided, nerves 10-15 pairs and reticulate. Flowers are white, arranged in panicles of spikes with linear bracteoles. Fruits are ovoid or oblong with 5-7 short, hard angles or wings, the lines on the wings oblique and curving upward (Warrier et al 1996).The bark is useful in fractures, ulcers, urethrorrhoea, leucorrhoea, diabetes, vitiated conditions of pitta, anaemia, cardiopathy, fatigue, asthma, bronchitis, tumours, internal and external haemorrhages, cirrhosis of the lever and hypertension. It is used in fractures and the powdered bark is taken with milk. The bark powder is diuretic and has a general tonic effect in cases of cirrhosis of liver. The bark has been considered by the ayurvedic physicians as well as by modern practitioners as a cardiac tonic. It is given as a decoction with milk (NRF, 1998). In Ayurveda, “Arjunaghrita” and “Arjunarishta” are two important cardiotonic preparations of this drug.Fruits contain flavanones - arjunone and 5,7,2’, 4’ - tetramethoxy flavone and a chalcone - cerasidin. Other constituents are -sitosterol, friedelin, methyloleanolate, gallic acid, ellagic acid and arjunic acid. Bark gave a triterpene arjungenin, triterpene glucosides I, II and III. Stem bark gave flavones - baicalein and arjunolone characterised as 6,4’ - dihydraxy - 7-methoxy flavone. Stem bark yields oxalic acid and tannins besides complex glycosides (Bhatra et al, 1980). Bark is alexertic, styptic, antidysenteric, astringent, antiasthmatic, febrifuge, expectorant, cardiotonic aphrodisiac and diuretic. Fruit is deobstruent. Stem-bark is CVS and CNS active, diuretic and abortifacient. Aerial part is CNS depressant and semen coagulant.2) T. alata Heyne ex Roth. Syn. T. tomentosa (Roxb. Ex. Dc.) W & A.San: Dharaphala, Saradru, Sajada;Hin. Ain;Ben: Asan, Paishal;Mal: Tehmbara;Tam: Karramarda, Karu Murutha, Marudam, Pudavam.This tree is distributed in Himalaya from Kangra eastwords to Goalpara in Assam and southwards throughout the Peninsular India, upto 1200 m. The bark of the tree is widely used in ulcers, fractures, bronchitis and diarrhoea. Hydrolysis of the gum gives oligosaccharides, disaccharides and monosaccharides. Leaves and fruits give -sitosterol. Bark is diuretic, antihaemorrhagic, styptic, cardiotonic and semen coagulant.3) T. bellirica (Craertn.) Roxb.San: Aksha, Anilaghanaka, Baheduka, Harya, Kalinda;Hin: Bulla, Sagona;Ben: Bahera, Baheri;Tam: Akkam, Kalanduri, Tani;Tel: Bhutavasamu Tadi, Tandra, Vibhutakamu.Belliric Myrobalan is distributed throughout India, upto 900 m. Its bark is used in anaemia and leucoderma. The fruit is used in bronchitis, strangury, sore throat, diseases of eye, nose, heart and bladder, hoarseness and piles. It forms an important constituent of the ayurvedic drug ‘triphala’. Furits contain -sitosterol, gallic and ellagic acids, ethyl gallate, galloyl glucose, chebulagic acid and a cardiac glucoside bellaricanin. Alcoholic extract of the fruit possesses bile-stimulating activity. Alcoholic extract, 30 mg/kg does not affect blood pressure and respiration, but a higher dose of 60 mg/kg produces a fall in blood pressure. Furit has anticancerous and flower has spermicidal activity. Bark is mild diuretic. Fruit is astringent, antidropsical, antileprotic, antiinflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, antibilious, stomachic, antiasthmatic, tonic, anticephalgic, bechic, anthelmintic and attenuant. Kernel is narcotic. Semi -ripe fruit is purgative. Gum is demulcent (Husain et al, 1992)4) T. bialata steud.White Chugalam or silver grey wood is a common tree of Andaman Islands. Its bark is used as a cardiac stimulant.5) T. Catappa Linn.San: Grahadruma;Hin: Badam;Ben: Bangla Badam:Tam: Natuvdom, Vadhamkottai;Tel: Vedam, Voda Movettilla; Mar: Jangli Badama, Nat Badam.Indian Almond or Tropical Almond is a popular tree cultivated throughout the warmer parts of India including Andaman Islands and other adjacent island. Oil from the kernel is a substitute for almond oil. The leaf is used in scabies and colic. Husk and endocarp contain tannins and pentosans. Oil from kernel contains oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids. Heart wood and stem bark contains -sitosterol and its palmitate. Heartwood in addition contains terminolic acid and triterpenic methyl esters. The aerial part of the plant is diuretic. The bark is astringent, mild diuretic, cardiotonic and antidysenteric. Leaf is sudorific, antirheumatic, antileprotic and anticephalalgic.6) T. Coriacea (Roxb.) syn. T. tomentosa (Roxb. ex. DC.) W. & A. var. coriacea (Roxb.) C. B. ClarkeTam: Anaimikkuvam, Sadagam;Kan: Banapu;Tel: Tani.Leathery Murdah is a tree commonly used as a cardiac stimulant. It is widely distributed in the drier and warmer parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu upto 1350 m and in Central India. Its bark is mainly used as a cardiac stimulant and in atonic diarrhoea and callous ulcer. It is also CVS active.7) T. myriocarpa Heurck. & Muell. Arg.Ben: Panisaj; Ass: Hollock, Jhalna.Hollock is a tree of the Himalayas widely distributed from Nepal to Arunachal Pradesh and in Assam at 1000 m. The bark is cardiac stimulant and mild diuretic. Bark give -sitosterol, fructose and 4,4’,5,5’,6,6’ - hexadydroxy diphenic acid dilactone. Bark also contains tannis - ellagic, gallic, chebulinic and chebulagic acids.8) T. Pallida Brandis.Tam: Vellai Kadukkay;Tel: Tella Karaka, Velama Karka.The plant is distributed throughout south India, upto 600m. Its bark is a mild diuretic.9) T. Paniculata Roth.Mal: Marutu, Pe Marutu, Ven Marutu;Tam: Pei Kadukai, Ven Maruthu, Ilai Kadukkay, Marudu, Pullatti;Tel: Nimiri, Pulamaddi, Putamanu, Pulanallamanu;Kan: Maruva, Matti.Flowering Murdah is a tree which is widely used in opium poisoning. It is distributed in the Western and Eastern Ghats, upto 1200m. The bark is used in parotitis and flowers in opium poisioning. Heart wood give 3, 3’-0-di-methylellagic acid and 3,4,3’0-trimethyl flavellagic acid, -sitosterol, an uncharacterized triterpene carboxylic acid; a glycoside -3,3’ di-0 - methyl ellagic acid - 4 - monoglucoside and 0 - penta methyl flavellogic acid. The stem bark is anticancerous, diuretic, cardiotonic CVS active and shows antagonism of amphetamine hyperactivity. Flower is anticholerin (Husain et al, 1992)10) Terminalia chebula Retz. Syn. Myrobalanus chebula (Retz.) GaertnerEng: Chebulic myrobalan;San,Ben: Haritaki;Hindi:Harara, Harir,Har; Mal:Kadukka; Ass:Hilikha; Kan:Alale;Mar:Habra,Hirada;Ori:Harida;Guj: Hirdo;Pun:Helela;Tam:Amagola;Tel: KarakaChebulic myrobalan is a medium deciduous tree, the fruit of which is a common constituent of “Triphala” capable of imparting youthful vitality and receptivity of mind and sense. It is a major constituent in the ayurvedic preparations like Abhayarishta, Abhaya modak, Haritaki khand, Triphaladi churnam and Agastya rasayanam. In allopathy it is used in astringent ointments. In unani system, it is used as a blood purifier. The pulp of the fruit is given in piles, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, costiveness, flatulence, asthma, urinary disorders, vomiting, hiccup, intestinal worms, ascites and enlarged spleen and liver. Powder of the fruit is used in chronic ulcers and wounds, carious teeth and bleeding ulceration of the gums. The bark is a good cardiac tonic. The fruit is valuable for its tannins and dyes. The wood is used for building purposes, agricultural implements, plywood and match box industries. It is also grown as a shade tree.The plant is found throughout India chiefly in deciduous forests, on dry slopes upto 900m especially in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, West coast and Western Ghats. The plant is also reported in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Burma.Terminalia chebula Retz. syn. Myrobalanus chebula (Retz.) Gaertner comes under family Combretaceae. It is a medium sized deciduous tree with a cylindrical bole, rounded crown, spreading branches with dark brown bark and brownish gray heartwood. Leaves are simple, alternate or subopposite, ovate or elliptic ovate with short petioles bearing 2 glands below the blades. Flowers pale yellow or white in 4-10cm long axillary spikes. Calyx tube hairy pale yellow and 5 lobed; no petals. Stamens consist of 10 filaments subulate, anthers small; ovary inferior, 1-celled with 2-3 pendulous ovule. Fruit is a drupe, ovoid glossy, glabrous, faintly angled and yellow to orange brown in colour. Seeds are hard and pale yellow.Kernel oil of Chebulic myrobalan contains 6 fatty acids viz. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidic and behenic acid. The fruits contain chebulinic acid, tannic acid, gallic acid, chebulin and tannin. Leaves contain terpenes and saponins and -sitosterol is present in the bark (Beri, 1970; Khalique and Nizamuddin, 1972; Miglani and Chawla, 1974). Fruits are astringent, purgative, tonic, carminative, alternative and antispasmodic. Flowers and fruits are antiviral and hypoglycaemic. Wood is oxytocic and hypothermic (Husain et al, 1992).Agrotechnology: Terminalia species are, in general, subtropical trees. Young plants prefer shade while the matured plants tolerate light frost and drought. It grows well in hilly areas. This is propagated by seeds. Natural multiplication happens rarely due to the poor seeds germination. Seeds soaked in water for 48 hours before sowing in seedbeds which should be covered with straw after sowing. It is watered immediately. Usually it takes 3-5 months to germinate. It can be transferred to polybags at two-leaf stage. One-year-old seedlings are ready for transplanting. For transplanting, pits are made of 50cm cube at a spacing of 4m. Organic manure, added regularly, promotes growth. Irrigation is required during first year. Weeds should be removed regularly. This plant grows slowly. It fruits within 6-7 years. This is continued for many years. It is coppiced well. Fruits are collected immediately after falling down or covered with soil to protect it from pests. Fruits dried well in sun and used or stored. The hard seed coat is removed before sowing.... terminalia
Gmelina arboreaVerbenaceaeSan: Gumbhari;Hin:Gamari, Jugani-chukar;Mal: Kumizhu, Kumpil;Guj: Shewan; Pun:Gumbar; Mar: Shivanasal;Kan: Kummuda;Tam: Uni, Gumadi;Tel: Gummadi;Importance: Coomb teak, Candahar tree or Kashmeeri tree is a moderate sized, unarmed, deciduous tree which is a vital ingredient of the ”dasamula” (group of ten roots). The whole plant is medicinally very important. It promotes digestive power, improves memory, overcomes giddiness and is also used as an antidote for snake bite and scorpion sting. Roots are useful in hallucination, fever, dyspepsia, hyperdipsia, haemorrhoids, stomachalgia, heart diseases, nervous disorders, piles and burning sensation. Bark is used in fever and dyspepsia. Leaf paste is good for cephalagia and leaf juice is a good wash for foul ulcers and is also used in the treatment of gonorrhoea and cough. Flowers are recommended for leprosy, skin and blood diseases. The fruits are used for promoting the growth of hair and in anaemia, leprosy, ulcers, constipation, strangury, leucorrhoea, colpitis and lung disease.Wood is one of the best and most reliable timber of India. It is used for making furniture, planks, carriages, printing boxes, musical instruments, shafts, axles, picture frames, jute bobbins, calipers, ship buildings, artificial limbs and stethoscopes.In south India the bark of the tree is used by arrack manufacturers to regulate the fermentation of toddy. The plant is also grown in garden or avenues (Dey, 1988; Sivarajan and Indira, 1994).Distribution: The plant is found wild throughout India from the foot of Himalayas to Kerala and Anadamans, in moist, semideciduous and open forests upto an altitude of 1500 m. It is also distributed in Sri Lanka and Philippines.Botany: Gmelina arborea Roxb. Syn. Premna arborea Roth. belongs to Family Verbenaceae. It is an unarmed deciduous tree growing up to 20m height with whitish grey corky lenticellate bark, exfloliating in thin flakes. Branchlets and young parts are clothed with fine white mealy pubescence. Leaves are simple, opposite, broadly ovate, cordate, glandular, glabrous above when mature and fulvous-tomentose beneath. Flowers brownish yellow in terminal panicle. Calyx campanulate, pubescent outside and with 5 lobes. Corolla showy brownish yellow with short tube and oblique limbs. Stamens 4, didynamous and included. Ovary is 4 chambered with one ovule each; style slender ending in a bifid stigma. Fruits are fleshy ovoid drupes, orange yellow when ripe. Seeds 1 or 2, hard and oblong.Agrotechnology: Coomb teak is a sun loving plant. It does not tolerate drought. But it grows in light frost. Rainfall higher than 2000mm and loose soil are ideal. The best method of propagation is by seeds but rarely propagated vegitatevely by stem cuttings also. Seed formation occurs in May-June. Seeds are dried well before use. They are soaked in water for 12 hours before sowing. Seed rate is 3kg/ha. Seeds are sown in nursery beds shortly before rains. Seeds germinate within one month. Seedlings are transplanted in the first rainy season when they are 7-10cm tall. Pits of size 50cm cube are made at a spacing of 3-4m and filled with sand, dried cowdung and surface soil, over which the seedlings are transplanted. 20kg organic manure is given once a year. Irrigation and weeding should be done on a regular basis. The common disease reported is sooty mould caused by Corticium salmonicolor which can be controlled by applying a suitable fungicide. The tree grows fast and may be ready for harvesting after 4 or 5 years. This plant is coppiced and traded. The roots are also used for medicinal purposes. The tree may stand up to 25 years.Properties and activity: Roots and heart wood of Coomb teak are reported to contain gmelinol, hentriacontanol, n-octacosanol and -sitosterol. The roots contain sesquiterpenoid and apiosylskimmin, a coumarin characterised as umbelliferone-7-apiosyl glucoside and gmelofuran. The heart wood gives ceryl alcohol, cluytyl ferulate, lignans, arboreol, gmelonone, 6”-bromo isoarboreol, lignan hemiacetal and gummidiol. Leaves yield luteolin, apigenin, quercetin, hentriacontanol, -sitosterol, quercetogenin and other flavons. Fruits contain butyric acid, tartaric acid, and saccharine substances (Asolkar et al, 1992; Dey, 1988).The roots are acrid, bitter, tonic, stomachic, laxative, galactogogue, demulcent, antibilious, febrifuge and anthelmintic. Bark is bitter, hypoglycaemic, antiviral, anticephalalgic and tonic. The leaves are demulcent, antigonorrhoeic and bechic. Flowers are sweet, refrigerant, astringent and acrid. Fruits are acrid, refrigerant, diuretic, astringent, aphrodisiac, trichogenous, alterant and tonic (Warrier et al; 1995).... coomb teak
Commiphora mukulBurseraceaeSan: Gugulu, Mahisaksah, Koushikaha, DevadhupaHin: Gugal Mal:Gulgulu Tam,Tel: GukkuluKan: GuggulBen: GuggulImportance: Indian bdellium is a small, armed, deciduous tree from the bark of which gets an aromatic gum resin, the ‘Guggul’ of commerce. It is a versatile indigenous drug claimed by ayurvedists to be highly effective in the treatment of rheumatism, obesity, neurological and urinary disorders, tonsillitis, arthritis and a few other diseases. The fumes from burning guggul are recommended in hay- fever, chronic bronchitis and phytises.The price of guggulu gum has increased ten fold in ten years or so, indicating the increase in its use as well as decrease in natural plant stand. It has been listed as a threatened plant by Botanical Survey of India (Dalal, 1995) and is included in the Red Data Book (IUCN) and over exploited species in the country (Billare,1989).Distribution: The center of origin of Commiphora spp. is believed to be Africa and Asia. It is a widely adapted plant well distributed in arid regions of Africa (Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia in north east and Madagascar, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Zaire in south west Africa), Arabian peninsula (Yemen, Saudi Arabia and Oman). Different species of Commiphora are distributed in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka states of India and Sind and Baluchistan provinces of Pakistan (Tajuddin et al, 1994). In India, the main commercial source of gum guggul is Rajasthan and Gujarat.Botany: The genus Commiphora of family Burseraceae comprises about 185 species. Most of them occur in Africa, Saudi Arabia and adjoining countries. In India only four species have been reported. They are C. mukul(Hook. ex Stocks) Engl. syn. Balsamodendron mukul (Hook. ex Stocks), C. wightii (Arnott) Bhandari, C.stocksiana Engl., C. berryi and C.agallocha Engl.In early studies about the flora of India, the ‘guggul’ plant was known as Commiphora mukul(Hook. ex Stocks) Engl. or Balsamodendron mukul (Hook. ex Stocks). It was renamed as C. roxburghii by Santapau in 1962. According to Bhandari the correct Latin name of the species is C. wightii(Arnott) Bhandari, since the specific name ‘wightii’ was published in 1839, prior to ‘roxburghi’ in 1848 (Dalal and Patel, 1995).C. mukul is a small tree upto 3-4m height with spinescent branching. Stem is brownish or pale yellow with ash colored bark peeling off in flakes. Young parts are glandular and pubescent. Leaves are alternate, 1-3 foliate, obovate, leathery and serrate (sometimes only towards the apex). Lateral leaflets when present only less than half the size of the terminal ones. Flowers small, brownish red, with short pedicel seen in fascicles of 2-3. Calyx campanulate, glandular, hairy and 4-5 lobed. Corolla with brownish red, broadly linear petals reflexed at apex. Stamens 8-10, alternatively long and short. Ovary oblong, ovoid and stigma bifid. Fruit is a drupe and red when ripe, ovate in shape with 2-3 celled stones. The chromosome number 2n= 26 (Warrier et al, 1994; Tajuddin et al, 1994).Agrotechnology: Guggal being a plant of arid zone thrives well in arid- subtropical to tropical climate.The rainfall may average between 100mm and 500mm while air temperature may vary between 40 C in summer and 3 C during winter. Maximum relative humidity prevails during rainy season (83% in the morning and 48% in the evening).Wind velocity remains between 20-25 km/hour during the year is good. Though they prefer hard gypseous soil, they are found over sandy to silt loam soils, poor in organic matter but rich in several other minerals in arid tracks of western India (Tajuddin et al, 1994).Plants are propagated both by vegetatively and seeds. Plants are best raised from stem cuttings from the semi woody (old) branch. For this purpose one metre long woody stem of 10mm thickness is selected and the cut end is treated with IBA or NAA and planted in a well manured nursery bed during June-July months; the beds should be given light irrigation periodically. The cuttings initiate sprouting in 10-15 days and grow into good green sprout in 10-12 months. These rooted plants are suitable for planting in the fields during the next rainy season. The cuttings give 80-94% sprouting usually. Air layering has also been successfully attempted and protocol for meristem culture is available in literature. Seed germination is very poor (5%) but seedling produce healthier plants which withstand high velocity winds.The rooted cuttings are planted in a well laid-out fields during rainy season. Pits of size 0.5m cube are dug out at 3-4 m spacing in rows and given FYM and filler soil of the pit is treated with BHC (10%) or aldrin (5%) to protect the new plants from white ants damage. Fertilizer trials have shown little response except due to low level of N fertilization. Removal of side branches and low level of irrigation supports a good growth of these plants. The plantation does not require much weeding and hoeing. But the soil around the bushes be pulverised twice in a year to increase their growth and given urea or ammonium sulphate at 25- 50g per bush at a time and irrigated. Dalal et al (1989) reported that cercospora leaf spot was noticed on all the cultures. Bacterial leaf blight was also noticed to attack the cultures. A leaf eating caterpillar (Euproctis lanata Walker) attack guggal, though not seriously. White fly (Bemisia tabaci) is observed to suck sap of leaves and such leaves become yellowish and eventually drop. These can be effectively controlled by using suitable insecticide.Stem or branch having maximum diameter of about 5cm at place of incision, irrespective of age is tapped. The necrotic patch on the bark is peeled off with a sharp knife and Bordeaux paste is applied to the exposed (peeled off) surface of the stem or branch. A prick chisel of about 3cm width is used to make bark- deep incisions and while incising the bark, the chisel is held at an acute angle so that scooped suspension present on the body of the chisel flows towards the blade of the chisel and a small quantity of suspension flows inside the incised bark. If tapping is successful, gum exudation ensures after about 15-20 days from the date of incision and continues for nearly 30-45 days. The exuded gum slides down the stem or branch, and eventually drops on the ground and gets soiled. A piece of polythene sheet can be pouched around the place of incision to collect gum. Alternatively, a polythene sheet can be spread on the ground to collect exuded gum. A maximum of about 500g of gum has been obtained from a plant (Dalal, 1995).Post harvest technology: The best grade of guggul is collected from thick branches of tree. These lumps of guggul are translucent. Second grade guggul is usually mixed with bark, sand and is dull coloured guggul. Third grade guggul is usually collected from the ground which is mixed with sand, stones and other foreign matter. The final grading is done after getting cleansed material. Inferior grades are improved by sprinkling castor oil over the heaps of the guggul which impart it a shining appearance (Tajuddin et al, 1994).Properties and activity: The gum resin contains guggul sterons Z and E, guggul sterols I-V, two diterpenoids- a terpene hydrocarbon named cembreneA and a diterpene alcohol- mukulol, -camphrone and cembrene, long chain aliphatic tetrols- octadecan-1,2,3,4-tetrol, eicosan-1,2,3,4-tetrol and nonadecan-1,2,3,4-tetrol. Major components from essential oil of gum resin are myrcene and dimyrcene. Plant without leaves, flowers and fruits contains myricyl alcohol, -sitosterol and fifteen aminoacids. Flowers contain quercetin and its glycosides as major flavonoid components, other constituents being ellagic acid and pelargonidin glucoside (Patil et al, 1972; Purushothaman and Chandrasekharan, 1976).The gum resin is bitter, acrid, astringent, thermogenic, aromatic, expectorant, digestive, anthelmintic, antiinflammatory, anodyne, antiseptic, demulcent, carminative, emmenagogue, haematinic, diuretic, lithontriptic, rejuvenating and general tonic. Guggulipid is hypocholesteremic (Husain et al, 1992; Warrier et al, 1994).... indian bdellium
Azadirachta indicaMeliaceaeSan: Nimbah, Prabhadrah Hin,Ben: Nim, Nim Mal: AryaveppuTel: Vepa Ori: NimbaTam: Vembu, Veppu Pun: Bakam,BukhainGuj: LimbaKan: Bevu Mar: LimbuImportance: Neem or margose tree, also known as Indian lilac is a highly exploited medicinal plant of Indian origin, widely grown and cultivated throughout India. Every part of the tree, namely root, bark, wood, twig, leaf, flower, fruit, seed, kernel and oil has been in use from time immemorial in the Ayurvedic and Unani systems of medicine. Nimbarishta, nimbadi churna and nimbharidra khand are well known preparations. It is valuable as an antiseptic, used in the treatment of small pox. Small twigs are used as tooth brushes and as a prophylactic for mouth and teeth complaints. Extract from the leaves are useful for sores, eczema and skin diseases. Boiled and smashed leaves serve as excellent antiseptic. Decoction of leaves is used for purifying blood. Neem oil is used in soaps, toothpaste and as a hair tonic to kill lice. Seed is used in snake bite. The fruits and leaves being renewable, provide sustainable returns. Different parts of the fruit are separated into components and each one produces derivatives of varying chemical nature and utility. Neem derivatives are now used in agriculture, public health, human and veterinary medicines, toiletries, cosmetics and livestock production. Applications as pesticides, allied agrochemicals, plant nutrients and adjuvants for improving nitrogen use efficiency are of much importance. Neem kernel suspension (1%) is a house hold insecticide. Pesticide formulations containing azadirachtin are now commercially available in India, USA, Canada, Australia and Germany. Neem cake is rich in N, P, K, Ca and S. Neem Meliacins like epinimbin and nimbidin are commercially exploited for the preparation of slow and extended release of nutrients including nitrification inhibitors (Eg. Nimin). Extracts of neem seed oil and bark check the activity of male reproductive cells and prevents sperm production. Neem seed oil is more effective than the bark for birth control. Neem based commercial products are also available for diabetes treatment (Nimbola, JK-22), contraceptive effect (Sensal, Nim-76) and mosquito/ insect repelling (Srivastava, 1989; Tewari, 1992; Parmer and Katkar, 1993; Pushpangadan et al, 1993; Mariappan, 1995).Distribution: Neem is a native of the Siwalik deccan parts of South India. It grows wild in the dry forests of Andra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka. It has spread to Pakistan, Bangladesh , Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Middle East Sudan and Niger. It is now grown in Australia, Africa, Fiji, Mauritious, Central and South America, the Carribeans, Puerto Rico and Haiti. The largest known plantation of nearly 50,000 trees is at Arafat plains en route to Mecca in Saudi Arabia for providing shade to Haj pilgrims (Ahmed, 1988).Botany: The genus Azadirachta of family Meliaceae comprises two species: A. indica A. Juss syn. Melia azadirachta Linn. and A. excelsa (Jack) Jacobs syn. A. integrifolia Mers., the latter being found in Philippines, Sumatra, Malaya, Borneo and New Guinea. Neem is a hardy medium to large, mostly evergreen tree attaining 20m height and 2.5m girth. It has a short bole with wide spreading branches and glabrous twigs forming a round to oval crown. The bark is thick, dark-gray with numerous longitudinal furrows and transverse cracks. Leaves are imparipinnately compound, alternate, exstipulate and 20-38cm long. Inflorescence is long, slender, axillary or terminal panicle. Flowers are white or pale yellow, small, bisexual, pentamerous and bracteate. Stamens 10; filaments unite to form a moniliform tube. Gynoecium is tricarpellary and syncarpous, ovary superior, trilocular. Each carpel bears two collateral ovules on parietal placentation. Fruit is one seeded drupe with woody endocarp, greenish yellow when ripe. Seed ellipsoid, cotyledons thick fleshy and oily. Neem has chromosome number 2n = 28. Neem trees tend to become deciduous for a brief period in dry ecology. Ecotypes, exhibiting morphological variation in root growth, leaf size, contents, bole length , canopy, inflorescence, fruit bearing, seed size, shape and quality exist in natural populations.Agrotechnology: Neem grows in tropical arid regions with high temperatures, altitudes between 50m and 1000m, as little rainfall as 130mm/yr and long stretches of drought. Well drained sunny hill places are ideal. It grows on most kinds of soils including dry, stony, shallow, nutrient deficient soils with scanty vegetation, moderately saline and alkali soils, black cotton, compact clays and laterite crusts. However, silty flats, clayey depressions and land prone to inundation are not conducive for its growth (Chaturvedi, 1993). Soil pH of 5.0 to 10.0 is ideal. It brings surface soil to neutral pH by its leaf litter. It has extensive and deeply penetrating root system capable of extracting moisture and nutrients even from highly leached poor sandy soils.Neem propagates easily by seed without any pretreatment, though it can be regenerated by vegetative means like root and shoot cuttings. Seeds are collected from June to August. These remain viable for 3-5 weeks only which necessitates sowing within this short time. Seeds may be depulped and soaked in water for 6 hours before sowing. Seeds are sown on nursery beds at 15x5cm spacing, covered with rotten straw and irrigated. Germination takes 15-30 days. Seedlings can be transplanted after two months of growth onwards either to polybags or to mainfield. Neem can be grown along with agricultural crops like groundnut, bean, millets, sorghum and wheat. It is also suitable for planting in roadsides, for afforestation of wastelands and under agroforestry system. For field planting, pits of size 50-75 cm cube are dug 5-6m apart, filled with top soil and well rotten manure, formed into a heap, and seedling is planted at the centre of the heap. FYM is applied at 10-20 kg/plant every year. Chemical fertilizers are not generally applied. Irrigation and weeding are required during the first year for quick establishment.More than 38 insect pests are reported on Neem which may become serious at times. The important ones are seed and flower insect (Scirtothrips dorsalis Hood), defoliators (Boarmia variegata Moore and Eurema sp.), sap suckers (Helopeltes antonii Signoret and Pulvinaria maxima Green) , root feeders (Hototrichia consanguinea Blanchard), mealy bug (Pseudococus gilbertensis), scale insect (Parlatoria orientalis) and a leaf webber (Loboschiza Koenigiana)(Beeson, 1941, Bhasin et al, 1958, Parmar, 1995). They can be controlled by the application of 0.01-0.02% monocrotophos or dimethoate. No serious diseases are reported in Neem. Flowering starts after 5 years. In India flowering is during January-May and fruits mature from May-August. The leaves are shed during February- March and a full grown tree produces about 350 kg dry leaves and 40-50 kg berries per annum. Fresh fruits give 60% dry fruits which yield 10% kernel which contains 45% fixed oil, on an average. After 10 years of growth the wood can be cut and used as timber.Properties and Activity: Dry Neem leaves contain carbohydrates 47-51%, crude protein 14-19%, crude fiber 11-24%, fat 2-7%, ash 7-9%, Ca 0.8-2.5% and P 0.1-0.2%. Leaves also contain the flavanoid quercetin, nimbosterol (-sitosterol), kaempferol and myricetin. Seed and oil contains desacetylnimbin, azadirachtin (C35H44O16), nimbidol, meliantriol ,tannic acid, S and amino acids. Neem cake contain the highest sulphur content of 1.07% among all the oil cakes. Trunk bark contains nimbin 0.04%, nimbinin 0.001%, nimbidin 0.4%, nimbosterol 0.03%, essential oil 0.02%, tannins 6.0 %, margosine and desacetylnimbin (Atal and Kapur, 1982; Thakur et al 1989).Neem bark is bitter, astringent, acrid, refrigerant, depurative, antiperiodic, vulnerary, demulcent, insecticidal, liver tonic, expectorant and anthelmintic. Leaves are bitter, astringent, acrid, depurative, antiseptic, ophthalmic, anthelmintic, alexeteric, appetizer, insecticidal, demulcent and refrigerant. Seed and oil are bitter, acrid, thermogenic, purgative, emollient, anodyne, anthelmintic depurative, vulnerary, uterine stimulant, urinary astringent, pesticidal and antimicrobial (Warrier et al, 1993).... neem
Linn.
Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.
Habitat: Native of Baluchistan. (Used in Unani medicine.)
Unani: Kanochaa, Marv. Seeds— Tukhm Kanochaa, Tukhm Marv. (National Formulary of Unani Medicine equated Kanochaa with Phyllanthus maderaspatensis Linn.)
Action: Used for colic and as an intestinal tonic, deobstruent and disinfectant. Roasted or processed seeds are prescribed in diarrhoea and dysentery.
Synonym: S. wightiana Wall. ex W. & A.
Family: Caprifoliaceae.
Habitat: Kashmir at 2,000-3,600 m.
English: Dwarf Elder.
Unani: Khamaan Saghir, Khamaan- ul-Arzaa, (Nabli) Khamaan.
Siddha/Tamil: Mushkiyaara (Punjab), Khamman, Ganhulaa.
Action: Diuretic, expectorant. Used for kidney and bladder torpor.
Lipid fraction of drupes contains unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, aliphatic alcohols, triterpenic alcohols, alpha- and beta-amyrin; also anthocyanin pigments, phenolic acids. The root contains beta-sitosterol and alpha- amyrin. Aqueous extracts induced diuresis in rats and exhibited hypotensive activity in cats. The extract of flowering herb showed significant anti- ulcerogenic activity. cyanogenic glycosides; berries contain flavonoids, anthocyanins, vitamin A and C.Anti-inflammatory activity of the flowers has been attributed to ursolic acid. Elder flowers and peppermint is an old remedy for influenza in the Western herbal.The berry is used against influenza virus A and B. (J Alt Compliment Med, 1(4), 1995.)... sambucus ebulus
Prunus dulcis var. amara
FAMILY: Rosaceae
SYNONYMS: P. amygdalus var. amara, Amygdalus communis var. amara, A. dulcis, P. communis.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The almond tree grows to a height of about 7 metres and is popular as a garden tree due to its pinky-white blossom. It is botanically classified as a drupe.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Western Asia and North Africa, it is now extensively cultivated throughout the Mediterranean region, Israel and California.
OTHER SPECIES: There are two main types of almond tree – bitter and sweet. The sweet almond does not produce any essential oil.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: A ‘fixed’ oil commonly known as ‘sweet almond oil’ is made by pressing the kernels from both the sweet and bitter almond trees. Unlike the essential oil, this fixed oil does not contain any benzaldehyde or prussic acid, and has many medical and cosmetic uses. It is used as a laxative, for bronchitis, coughs, heartburn and for disorders of the kidneys, bladder and biliary ducts. It helps relieve muscular aches and pains, softens the skin and premotes a clear complexion.
ACTIONS: Anaesthetic, antispasmodic, narcotic, vermifuge (FFPA).
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from the kernels. The nuts are first pressed and macerated in warm water for 12 to 24 hours before the oil is extracted. It is during this process that the prussic acid is formed; it is not present in the raw seed. Most commercial bitter almond oil is rectified to remove all prussic acid, i.e. free from prussic acid (FFPA).
CHARACTERISTICS: Light colourless liquid with a characteristic ‘marzipan’ scent (FFPA).
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Benzaldehyde (95 per cent), prussic acid (3 per cent).
SAFETY DATA: Prussic acid, also known as hydrocyanic acid or cyanide, is a well-known poison. Benzaldehyde is also moderately toxic.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE None. ‘Should not be used in therapy either internally or externally.’2
OTHER USES: Bitter almond oil is no longer used for internal medication. Rectified bitter almond oil is used for flavouring foods, mainly confectionery; the most common uses are ‘almond essence’ and marzipan. The oil (FFPA) is increasingly being replaced by synthetic benzaldehyde in food flavourings.... almond, bitter
Rauvolfia serpentinaApocynaceaeSan: SarpagandhaHin: ChandrabhagaMal: Sarpagandhi, AmalporiTam: Chivan amelpodiKan: SutranbhiTel: PatalagandhiIntroduction: Serpentwood is an erect, evergreen , perennial undershrub whose medicinal use has been known since 3000 years. Its dried root is the economical part which contains a number of alkaloids of which reserpine, rescinnamine, deserpidine, ajamalacine, ajmaline, neoajmalin, serpentine, -yohimbine are pharmacologically important. The root is a sedative and is used to control high blood pressure and certain forms of insanity. In Ayurveda it is also used for the treatment of insomnia, epilepsy, asthma, acute stomach ache and painful delivery. It is used in snake-bite, insect stings, and mental disorders. It is popular as “Madman’s medicine” among tribals. ‘Serpumsil’ tablet for high blood pressure is prepared from Rauvolfia roots. Reserpine is a potent hypotensive and tranquillizer but its prolonged usage stimulates prolactine release and causes breast cancer. The juice of the leaves is used as a remedy for the removal of opacities of the cornea.Distribution: Rauvolfia serpentina is native to India. Several species of Rauvolfia are observed growing under varying edaphoclimatic conditions in the humid tropics of India, Nepal, Burma, Thailand, Bangladesh, Indonesia , Cambodia, Philippines and Sri Lanka. In India, it is cultivated in the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Kerala, Assam, West Bengal and Madhya Pradesh (Dutta and Virmani, 1964). Thailand is the chief exporter of Rauvolfia alkaloids followed by Zaire, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Nepal. In India, it has become an endangered species and hence the Government has prohibited the exploitation of wild growing plants in forest and its export since 1969.Botany: Plumier in 1703 assigned the name Rauvolfia to the genus in honour of a German physcian -Leonhart Rauvolf of Augsburg. The genus Rauvolfia of Apocynaceae family comprises over 170 species distributed in the tropical and subtropical parts of the world including 5 species native to India. The common species of the genus Rauvolfia and their habitat as reported by Trivedi (1995) are given below.R. serpentina Benth. ex Kurz.(Indian serpentwood) - India ,Bangladesh, Burma, Sri Lanka, Malaya, IndonesiaR. vomitoria Afz. (African serpentwood) - West Africa, Zaire, Rwanda, Tanzania R. canescens Linn. syn. R. tetraphylla (American serpentwood) - America, India R. mombasina - East Africa , Kenya, MozambiqueR. beddomei - Western ghats and hilly tracts of KeralaR. densiflora - Maymyo, IndiaR. microcarpa - ThandaungR. verticillata syn. R. chinensis - HemslR. peguana - Rangoon-Burma hillsR. caffra - Nigeria, Zaire, South AfricaR. riularis - Nmai valleyR. obscura - Nigeria, ZaireR. serpentina is an erect perennial shrub generally 15-45 cm high, but growing upto 90cm under cultivation. Roots nearly verticle, tapering up to 15 cm thick at the crown and long giving a serpent-like appearance, occasionally branched or tortuous developing small fibrous roots. Roots greenish-yellow externally and pale yellow inside, extremely bitter in taste. Leaves born in whorls of 3-4 elliptic-lanceolate or obovate, pointed. Flowers numerous borne on terminal or axillary cymose inflorscence. Corolla tubular, 5-lobed, 1-3 cm long, whitish-pink in colour. Stamens 5, epipetalous. Carpels 2, connate, style filiform with large bifid stigma. Fruit is a drupe, obliquely ovoid and purplish black in colour at maturity with stone containing 1-2 ovoid wrinkled seeds. The plant is cross-pollinated, mainly due to the protogynous flowers (Sulochana ,1959).Agrotechnology: Among the different species of Rauvolfia, R. serpentina is preferred for cultivation because of higher reserpine content in the root. Though it grows in tropical and subtropical areas which are free from frost, tropical humid climate is most ideal. Its common habitats receive an annual rain fall of 1500-3500 mm and the annual mean temperature is 10-38 C. It grows up to an elevation of 1300-1400m from msl. It can be grown in open as well as under partial shade conditions. It grows on a wide range of soils. Medium to deep well drained fertile soils and clay-loam to silt-loam soils rich in organic matter are suitable for its cultivation. It requires slightly acidic to neutral soils for good growth.The plant can be propagated vegetatively by root cuttings, stem cuttings or root stumps and by seeds. Seed propagation is the best method for raising commercial plantation. Seed germination is very poor and variable from 10-74%. Seeds collected during September to November give good results. It is desirable to use fresh seeds and to sock in 10% sodium chloride solution. Those seeds which sink to the bottom should only be used. Seeds are treated with ceresan or captan before planting in nursery to avoid damping off. Seed rate is 5-6 kg/ha. Nursery beds are prepared in shade, well rotten FYM is applied at 1kg/m2 and seeds are dibbled 6-7cm apart in May-June and irrigated.Two months old seedlings with 4-6 leaves are transplanted at 45-60 x 30 cm spacing in July -August in the main field. Alternatively, rooted cuttings of 2.5-5cm long roots or 12-20cm long woody stems can also be used for transplanting. Hormone (Seradix) treatment increases rooting. In the main field 10-15 t/ha of FYM is applied basally. Fertilisers are applied at 40:30:30kg N: P2O5 :K2O/ha every year. N is applied in 2-3 splits. Monthly irrigation increases the yield. The nursery and the main field should be kept weed free by frequent weeding and hoeing. In certain regions intercroping of soybean, brinjal, cabbage, okra or chilly is followed in Rauvolfia crop.Pests like root grubs (Anomala polita), moth (Deilephila nerii), caterpillar (Glyophodes vertumnalis), black bugs and weevils are observed on the crop, but the crop damage is not serious. The common diseases reported are leaf spot (Cercospora rauvolfiae, Corynespora cassiicola), leaf blotch (Cercospora serpentina), leaf blight (Alternaria tenuis), anthracnose (Colletotrichum gloeosporioides), die back (Colletotrichum dematrium), powdery mildew (Leviellula taurica), wilt (Fusarium oxysporum), root-knot (Meloidogyne sp.), mosaic and bunchy top virus diseases. Field sanitation, pruning and burning of diseased parts and repeated spraying of 0.2% Dithane Z-78 or Dithane M-45 are recommended for controlling various fungal diseases. Rauvolfia is harvested after 2-3 years of growth. The optimum time of harvest is in November -December when the plants shed leaves, become dormant and the roots contain maximum alkaloid content. Harvesting is done by digging up the roots by deeply penetrating implements (Guniyal et al, 1988).Postharvest technology: The roots are cleaned washed cut into 12-15cm pieces and dried to 8-10% moisture.The dried roots are stored in polythene lined gunny bags in cool dry place to protect it from mould. The yield is 1.5-2.5 t/ha of dry roots. The root bark constitutes 40-45% of the total weight of root and contributes 90% of the total alkaloids yield.Properties and activity: Rauvolfia root is bitter, acrid, laxative, anthelmintic, thermogenic, diuretic and sedative. Over 200 alkaloids have been isolated from the plant. Rauvolfia serpentina root contains 1.4-3% alkaloids. The alkaloids are classsified into 3 groups, viz, reserpine, ajmaline and serpentine groups. Reserpine group comprising reserpine, rescinnamine, deserpine etc act as hypotensive, sedative and tranquillising agent. Overdose may cause diarrhoea, bradycardia and drowsiness. Ajmaline, ajmalicine, ajmalinine, iso-ajmaline etc of the ajmaline group stimulate central nervous system, respiration and intestinal movement with slight hypotensive activity. Serpentine group comprising serpentine, sepentinine, alstonine etc is mostly antihypertensive. (Husain,1993; Trivedi, 1995; Iyengar, 1985).... serpentwood
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