A spherical gram-positive bacterium (see BACTERIA; GRAM’S STAIN). It occurs in colonies and is usually harmless in humans. However, micrococcus can become pathogenic and cause abscesses (see ABSCESS), ARTHRITIS, ENDOCARDITIS or MENINGITIS.
Habitat: Native to Central America, often cultivated in Madhya Pradesh and South India.
English: Annatto.Ayurvedic: Sinduri, Sinduriyaa.Siddha/Tamil: Jabara, Manjitti.Action: Plant—astringent, antibil- ious, antiemetic, blood purifier. Leaves—infusion is given in jaundice, also in dysentery. Externally, scar-preventive. Root bark— febrifuge, antiperiodic. Seed pulp— haemostatic, antidysenteric, diuretic, laxative. Fruit—antidysenteric.
An antimicrobial constituent, mas- linic acid, alongwith gallic acid and pyrogallol, has been isolated from the leaves. Alcoholic extract of the leaves completely inhibited Micrococcus pyo- genes, but was inactive against E. coli. The aqueous extract, however, showed partial inhibition against E. coli. The aqueous extract also showed potent inhibitory activity towards lens aldose re- ductase, which plays an important role in the management of diabetic complications. The activity is attributed to a flavonoid, isoscutelarein.Bixin, the main constituent of seed coat, shows cytostatic effect on the growth of human lymphoma cells. Bixin also has a hyperglycaemic effect and may disturb blood glucose control.... bixa orellanaHabitat: Throughout India.
Ayurvedic: Chakshushyaa, Aranya- kulathhikaa, Kataka.Unani: Chaaksu.Siddha/Tamil: Muulaipalyirai, Kaattukollu.Folk: BanKulathi.Action: Seed—bitter, blood-purifier, astringent, stimulant, diuretic. Used topically for leucoderma, ringworm, venereal ulcers and other skin diseases. Roots—purgative.
Seeds gave sitosterol-beta-D-gluco- side and alkaloids—chaksine and iso- chaksine. Chaksine is found to be antibacterial against Micrococcus pyo- genes var. aureus and Streptococcus haemolyticus. It stimulates contraction of different tissues of plain muscles, like uterus, intestine, bladder, and muscles in blood vessels. It depresses the parasympathetic nerve- endings of certain organs like intestineFamily: Caesalpiniaceae.Habitat: Native to the West Indies. Found wild almost throughout India.
English: Ringworm Cassia.Ayurvedic: Dadrughna, Dadrumar- dana.Siddha: Malanthakerai, Seemai agathi (Tamil).Folk: Daadmaari.Action: Leaf—used in skin diseases like herpes, blotch, eczema, mycosis (washerman's itch). Dried leaves— in leprosy. A strong decoction is used for ringworm, eczema and herpes. Leaves are also used as a purgative.
Young pods contain rhein, emodin and aloe-emodin. The antibacterial activity of the leaves is reported to be due to rhein. The roots contain an- thraquinone. Emodin, aloe-emodin and anthraquinone contribute to the purgative activity of the leaves and roots. Crushed leaves or roots are rubbed on to the skin to cure ringworm and to control Tinea imbricata, a skin fungus.... cassia alataHabitat: Native to tropical America; naturalized and occurs throughout India. Also grown as hedge plant.
English: Lantana, Wild Sage, Surinam Tea Plant.Ayurvedic: Chaturaangi, Vanachch- hedi.Siddha/Tamil: Unnichedi.Folk: Ghaaneri (Maharashtra).Action: Plant—antirheumatic, antimalarial; used in tetanus and ataxy of abdominal viscera. Pounded leaves are applied to cuts, ulcers and swellings; a decoction of leaves and fruits is used as a lotion for wounds.
The plant is considered poisonous. The leaves contain toxic principles, lantadenes A and B, which cause acute photosensitization, jaundice, kidney and liver lesions. A steroid, lanca- marone, is cardioactive and fish poison.The bark of stems and roots contain a quinine-like alkaloid, lantanine. The extract of the shoot showed antibacterial activity against E. coli and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. Flowers contain anthocyanin.... lantana camaraHabitat: Throughout the warmer parts of India.
English: Indian Sorrel.Ayurvedic: Chaangeri, Am- lapatrikaa, Amlikaa, Chukraa, Chukrikaa, Chhatraamlikaa.Unani: Ambutaa bhaaji, Amutaa saag.Siddha/Tamil: Puliyarai.Folk: Tinpatiyaa, Ambilonaa.Action: Plant—boiled with butter milk is a home remedy for indigestion and diarrhoea in children. Used for tympanitis, dyspepsia, biliousness and dysentery; also for its anti-inflammatory, analgesic, antipyretic and antiscorbutic activities. Leaf paste is applied over forehead to cure headache.
The leaves contain the flavonoids, vitexin, isovitexin and vitexin-2"-O- beta-D-glucopyranoside. The leaves contain 1.47% of lipid (dry weight), a rich source of essential fatty acids and alpha-and beta-tocopherol (1.58 and 6.18 mg/g dry basis, respectively.) They are a good source of vitamin C (125 mg/100 g), carotene (3.6 mg/100 g) and calcium (5.6% of dry material) but contain a high content of oxalates (12% of dry material).The leaves and stem contain tartar- ic and citric acid; stems contain also malic acid.An aqueous extract of the plant shows activity against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. Expressed juice of the entire plant shows activity against Gram-positive bacteria.Oxalis martiana Zucc. (native to America, naturalized in moist and shady placaes in temperate parts of India) is equated with Wood-Sorrel. It is known as Khatmitthi in Delhi and Peria-puliyarai in Tamil Nadu.Dosage: Whole plant—5-10 ml juice. (API, Vol. III.)... oxalis corniculataHabitat: Throughout India and hotter parts.
English: Hairknot Plant, Whitlow Plant.Ayurvedic: Uttamaarani, Vrischikaali, Vishaanikaa. Phala- kantaka. Ajashringi is a doubtful synonym.Siddha/Tamil: Utthaamani, Veli- paruthi.Folk: Utaran.Action: Plant—Uterine stimulant, tones up urinary bladder, stimulates gastric secretion, expectorant, emetic. Leaf—used for amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea; externally applied to carbuncles.
The plant gave betaine, a polypep- tide, hentriacontane, lupeol, alpha-and beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol as major constituents. Seeds and stems gave car- denolides—calactin, calotropin, calo- tropagenin, uzarigenin and coroglau- cigenin.The plant extract exhibits stimulating action on uterine and other involuntary muscles. The extracts cause rise in arterial blood pressure, increase in movement and tone of urinary bladder, and stimulation of gastric secretions. An aqueous extract of the leaves shows antibacterial activity against E. coli and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus.... pergularia extensaHabitat: Native to Iran; but cultivated throughout India.
English: Pomegranate.Ayurvedic: Daadima, Daadim- ba, Raktapushpa, Dantabijaa, Raktakusumaa, Lohitpushpaka.Unani: Anaar, Roomaan, Gulnaar, Gulnaar Farsi.Siddha/Tamil: Maathulai.Action: Rind of fruit—astringent, stomachic, digestive. Used for diarrhoea, dysentery, colitis, dyspepsia and uterine disorders. Leaf—used in stomatitis (recommended by The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India). Fresh juice of fruit—refrigerant, cosive, antiemetic; given as an adjuvant in diarrhoea, dyspepsia, biliousness, inflammations of the stomach, palpitation, excessive thirst and fevers. Bark of stem and root—anthelmintic, febrifuge. Given for night sweats. Rind of fruit, bark of stem and root— antidiarrhoeal. Powdered flower buds—used in bronchitis.
The fruit rind (dried) contains up to 26, stem bark 10-25, root bark 28 and leaves 11% tannin.The rind gave an ellagitannin (granatin B, leaves gave granatins A and B and punicafolin); punicalagin, puni- calin and ellagic acid. Pentose gly- cosides of malvidin and pentunidin have also been isolated from the rind. Rind extract showed significant hypo- glycaemic activity in mildly diabetic rats.Seeds gave malvidin pentose glyco- side.Flowers gave pelargonidin-3,5-di- glucoside; also sitosterol, ursolic acid, maslinic acid, asiatic acid, sitosterol- beta-D-glucoside and gallic acid.Extracts of the whole fruit were highly active against Micrococcus pyo- genes var. aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa; also very effective against intestinal pathogenic bacilli.Aqueous extract of the root was found to inhibit the activity of My- cobacterium tuberculosis 607.The proanthocyanidins of pomegranate showed hypolipidaemic activity by their ability to enhance resistance of vascular wall preventing penetration of cholesterol into atherogenic lipopro- teins.... punica granatumHabitat: Distributed in the temperate regions of Europe and West Asia. Grown in Punjab and Kashmir.
English: Common or European Pear.Folk: Bagu-goshaa, Babbu-goshaa.Action: Fruits—a good source of pectin, help in maintaining a desirable acid balance in the body. Recommended to patients suffering from diabetes because of low sucrose content; and included in low antigen content diets to alleviate the symptoms in the management of immune-mediated disease.
Fresh pear juice exhibited good activity against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus and Escherichia coli.An aqueous extract of the leaves was active against some strains of E. coli.The leaves contain arbutin, iso- quercitrin, sorbitol, ursolic acid, astra- galin and tannin (0.8-2.9%). The bark contains friedelin, epifriedelanol and beta-sitosterol. Phloridzin is present in the root bark.The plant extract controls the development of freckles and blemishes on the skin and prevents melanin formation. It finds application in skin- lightening creams.... pyrus communisHabitat: Throughout North and eastern India, extending southwards to Peninsular India.
English: Lodh tree, Sapphire BerryAyurvedic: Lodhra, Rodhra, Shaavara., Sthulavalkal, Trita, Pattikaa Lodhra, Shaabara Lodhra.Unani: Lodh Pathaani.Siddha/Tamil: Vellilethi, Velli- lothram.Action: Bark—used as specific remedy for uterine complaints, vaginal diseases and menstrual disorders; menorrhagia, leucorrhoea (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India); also used in diarrhoea, dysentery, vaginal ulcers, inflammatory affections and liver disorders.
The bark gave colloturine, harman (loturine) and loturidine. Stem bark gave proanthocyanidin-3-monogluco- furanosides of 7-O-methyl-and 4'-O- methyl-leucopelargonidin. Betulinic, oleanolic, acetyl oleanolic and ellagic acids are reported from the plant.Glycosides, isolated from the ethanolic extract of the stem bark, are highly astringent and are reported to be responsible for the medicinal properties of the bark.The bark extracts have been reported to reduce the frequency and intensity of the contractions in vitro of both pregnant and non-pregnant uteri of animals. A fraction from the bark, besides showing action on uteri, was spasmogenic on various parts of the gastrointestinal tract and could be antagonized by atropine.The bark extracts were found to inhibit the growth of E. coli, Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus, and enteric and dysenteric groups of organisms.Dosage: Stem bark—3-5 g powder; 20-30 g for decoction. (API, Vol. I.)S. laurina Wall., synonym S. spica- ta Roxb. (North and East Idia, Western and Eastern Ghats); S. ramosis- sima Wall. (the temperate Himalayas from Garhwal to Bhutan); S. sumuntia Buch.-Ham. (Nepal to Bhutan) are also equated with Lodhra.The powdered bark is used in folk medicine for biliousness, haemorrhages, diarrhoea, dysentery and genitourinary diseases.Symplocos theaefolia Buch-Ham. ex D. Don (the Eastern Himalayas from Nepal to Bhutan and in the Khasi Hills at altitudes between 1,200 and 2,500 m) is known as Kharanl in Nepal and Dieng-pei or Dieng-twe-pe in khasi.The ethanolic extract of leaves showed hypoglycaemic activity in rats and anticancer activity against Friend- virus-leukaemia (solid) in mice. The extract of the leaves and of stems showed activity against human epider- moid carcinoma of the nasopharynx in tissue-culture.The Wealth of India equated S. laurina with Lodh Bholica (Bengal) and S. sumuntia with Pathaani Lodh.The wood of Symplocos phyllocalyx C. B. Clarke is known as Chandan and Laal-chandan. It should not be confused with Santalum album or Ptero- carpus santalinus.... symplocos racemosaHabitat: Cultivated in Bengal and South India, chiefly in gardens.
English: Malay Apple, Mountain Apple.Action: Leaves—dried and powdered, used against stomatitis. Bark—astringent; used for making a mouthwash for thrush.
The extracts of seeds, fruits, leaves, stem and bark show varying degree of antibiotic activity against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. An extract of fruits (without seeds) is moderately effective against E. coli and those of bark and leaves against Shigella paradys.The extracts of the plant, excluding root, affect the rate and amplitude of respiration and also blood pressure.... syzygium malaccenseHabitat: Throughout India from the Himalayas, southwards. Cultivated in Asian tropics.
English: Zerumbet Ginger.Ayurvedic: Mahaabhari-vachaa (also equated with Alpinia galanga), Sthula-granthi (also equated with Alpinia speciosa). Source of Martinique Ginger, used as Shunthi in Indian medicine.Unani: Narkachoor, Zarambaad. (Curcuma caesia is also equated with Narkachoor.)Folk: Karrallamu (Telugu).Action: Rhizomes—used for cough, asthma; colic; intestinal worms, and in leprosy and skin diseases. Oil— antiseptic.
The rhizome contains several flavo- noid glycosides and curcumin.The oil of Zerumbet contains about 13% monoterpenes and several ses- quiterpenes of which humulene and zerumbone are major constituents. The major constituent of monoter- penes is camphene. Unlike the oil of Z. officinale, Zerumbet oil does not contain any methyl heptanone; instead, it contains camphor.Zerumbone inhibits the growth of Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus and Mycobacterium tuberculosis.Indian samples contain only 37.5% of zerumbone, while those from Fiji 58.7, Vietnam 72.3 and Tahiti 65.3%.... zingiber zerumbetFAMILY: Lamiaceae
SYNONYMS: Mesosphaerum suaveolens, mint weed, bush mint, bush tea, pignut, chan, wild spikenard.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: An erect, annual herb up to 3 metres high, belonging to the mint family, with a hollow stem, and bearing purple-blue lipped flowers and dark brown, shield-shaped fruits. The oval leaves, which are wrinkled along the edge and pointed, have a strong mint-like aroma when crushed; the taproot is white or brown. It is a very well known pseudo-cereal plant in the Latin America region.
DISTRIBUTION: A native of tropical America, growing in warm and semi-warm regions, commonly found in the rain forests of Ecuador, as well as in the Caribbean and Hawaii; it has also been naturalized in Australia since the mid-nineteenth century. This herb is commonly found alongside roadsides and watercourses and is considered a weed in many tropical areas around the world, especially because the plant can be invasive.
OTHER SPECIES: The mint family is generally known to produce the most variation in essential oil composition and therefore there are many chemotypes of H. suaveolens. Ocotea essential oil from the flowers of the Ocotea quixos tree, which is native to the deep Amazon, is another species found in South America, which yields a little-known essential oil sharing many of phytochemical properties and functions of H. suaveolens.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Dorado Azul has been used by many indigenous cultures in India, Nigeria and elsewhere for hundreds of years to treat bacterial infections, diarrhoea, tumours, skin diseases, gastro-intestinal disorders and as a natural mosquito repellent and pesticide. The herb has also traditionally been used for the treatment of asthma, hormonal balance (oestrogen), inflammation, muscular aches and pains and for wound healing.
Today the essential oil of Dorado Azul is recognized largely for its role in treating respiratory conditions and in supporting the sinuses and lungs, much like mint and eucalyptus. In addition to its respiratory benefits, Dorado Azul oil is also proving to be a very effective ingredient in essential oil blends that repel insects and pests. Indeed, recent studies have confirmed it is effective as a natural crop and grain insecticide. A study in 1999 revealed that the oil was effective against both gram positive (Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus) and negative (E. coli, Pseudomonas spp.) bacterial strains; as well as Candida albicans. A further study exhibited broad-spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger and Micrococcus luteus respectively.
ACTIONS: Analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antimicrobial, antioxidant, anticancer, insecticidal, anti-infectious, expectorant, immune stimulant.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil distilled from the stems, leaves and flowers.
CHARACTERISTICS: The essential oil is a reddish liquid with a fresh-herbaceous odour. It blends well with peppermint, eucalyptus, ravintsara, tea tree, myrtle, balsam and spice oils.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Main constituents are sabinene (16.5 per cent), trans-?-bergamotene and ?-caryophyllene (19.8 per cent), terpinen-4-ol (9.6 per cent) and ?-pinene (8.6 per cent). Another study (using a different chemotype) reported sabinene (30 per cent), terpinen-4-ol (11.4 per cent), terpinolene (5.6 per cent), 1,8-cineole (5.2 per cent), ?-pinene (4.4 per cent) and ?-terpinene (4.2 per cent).
SAFETY DATA: No reported contra-indications: however since there are many variable chemotypes of this oil, the safety data will depend on the specific chemical make-up of the individual oil.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin Care: Infected skin conditions.
Circulation Muscles And Joints: Arthritic and rheumatoid-type pain, circulatory stimulant, muscular aches and pains.
Digestive System: Indigestion, candida and other intestinal tract problems.
Respiratory System: Asthma, bronchitis, colds, coughs, ’flu, sinus congestion, allergic reactions that cause constriction and compromised breathing.
Immune System: Tonic.
Nervous System: Nervous debility.
OTHER USES: ‘Chan’ is commonly used locally as a refreshing, healthy drink, which is made by leaving the seeds to soak in water and refrigerating the mix.... dorado azul
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