Linn.
Family: Gramineae; Poaceae.
Habitat: Cultivated as food crop in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir.
English: Barley
Ayurvedic: Yava, Hayeshtha, Hayapriya, Shuka-dhaanya, Tiksh- nashuka.
Unani: Barley, Jao Shaeer.
Siddha: Yavam. Saambaluppu (ash).
Action: Barley—nutritive and demulcent during convalescence and in cases of bowel inflammation and diarrhoea. Protects immune system.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends barley in urinary disorders, muscular rigidity, chronic sinusitis, cough, asthma, lipid disorder and obesity.Juice of young barley leaves—7 times richer in vitamin C than oranges, 5 times richer in iron than spinach, 25 times richer in potassium than wheat; high in SOD (superoxide dismutase), an enzyme that slows ageing of cells.The nutritional quality of the barley depends on beta-glucan fraction of the grain. Beta-glucan-enriched fraction produced cholesterol-lowering effect in hamsters.Naked barley extracts have been found to selectively inhibit cyclohex- anase activity and may be useful as a therapeutic drug for treating thrombosis and atherosclerosis.Ethanol extract of young green leaves exhibits antioxidant activity attributed to a flavonoid, 2"-O-glucosyl- isovitexin. It also exhibits antiinflammatory and antiallergic activities. The leaves contain an indole alkaloid, gramine, which exhibits antibacterial properties.
Dosage: Dried fruit—100-200 g. (API Vol. II); dried plant—10-20 g. (API Vol. IV.)
Mill.
Family: Umbelliferae; Apiaceae.
Habitat: Native to the Mediterranean region; now cultivated mainly in Punjab, Assam, Maharashtra and Vadodara (Gujarat).
English: Fennel. (Poison hemlock has been misidentified as fennel.)
Ayurvedic: Mishreyaa, Mishi, Mad- hurikaa, Madhuraa, Shatapushpaa, Shataahvaa. (Shatpushpaa is equated with Saunf and Shataahvaa with Soyaa. Some authors treat these as vice-versa.)
Unani: Baadiyaan, Saunf.
Siddha/Tamil: Sombu.
Action: Carminative, stomachic, antispasmodic, emmenagogue, galactagogue, anti-inflammatory, diuretic. Relieves bloating, nausea, settles stomach and stimulates appetite. Also used in amenorrhoea and enuresis.
Key application: In dyspepsias such as mild, spastic, gastrointestinal afflictions, fullness, flatulence. Fennel syrup or honey can be used for the catarrh of the upper respiratory tract in children. Fennel oil preparations not recommended during pregnancy. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO.)German Commission E reported that fennel seed promotes gastrointestinal motility and in higher concentrations acts as antispasmodic. In experiments anethole and fenchone have been shown to have a secre- tolytic action in respiratory tract. The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia and Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia report its carminative and spasmolytic property.Fennel seed contain about 8% volatile oil (about 50-60% anethole, among others 10-15% fenchone and methyl- chavicol), flavonoids, coumarins (including bergapten) and sterols.The extract of seeds inhibits the growth of micro-organism, especially Streptococcus mutans, that are responsible for dental caries and periodontal diseases.The essential oil from the seed is reported to be antibacterial, antifungal, antioxidant, emmenagogue, oxytocic and abortifacient.The fatty acid, petroselenic acid, obtained from the oil, exhibited antimicrobial activity.Anethole, a major constituent of fennel seed/oil has been found to be an active estrogenic agent with minimal hepatotoxicity and no teratogenic effect.The oil also exhibits anticarcino- genic activity and can be used as a che- moprotective agent.It possesses antioxidant activity close to BHT.Anethole and limonene are used in pharmaceutical compositions for decreasing the side effects of chemotherapy and increasing the immune function.Limonene showed the capacity to inhibit mammary tumours in rats.The boiling water extract of leaves shows hypotensive effect in rats.The methanolic extract of seed showed antispasmodic activity, while aqueous extract accelerated the spontaneous movement of rabbit stomach.
Dosage: Dried fruit—3-6 g powder. (API Vol. I.)... foeniculum vulgare
Health Encyclopedia