See calculus, dental.
Habitat: Tropical jungles throughout India, especially in the Deccan.
Ayurvedic: Saptalaa, Shitalaa, Saatalaa, Shrivalli, Kantvalli.Unani: Shikaakaai, Kharunb Nabti.Siddha/Tamil: Seekai, Sigakai.Folk: Ban-Reethaa.Action: Febrifuge, expectorant, emetic, spasmolytic, diuretic, antidiarrhoeal. Leaves—an infusion is given in malarial fever. Pods and seeds—decoction is used to remove dandruff (known as Shikaakaai), extensively used as a detergent. An ointment is used for skin diseases. Bark—extract is used in leprosy.
The bark yields a saponin which, on hydrolysis, yields lupeol, alpha- spinasterol and acacic acid lactone. Pods also yield saponins (20.8%). Sugars identified are glucose, arabinose and rhamnose.The leaves contain alkaloids, nicotine and colycotomine, a triterpenoid saponin and oxalic, tartaric, citric, suc- cinic and ascorbic acids.The bark saponins are spermicidal, also haemolytic and spasmolytic. A decoction of pods relieves biliousness and acts as a purgative.The ethanolic extract of unripe pods yields a glycosidal fraction (0.28%) which exhibits anti-inflammatory activity. It also shows significant antibacterial activity.The plant acts as an antiseptic agent for curing sores, gums and loose teeth.The flowers are the source of Cassie perfume.The main constituents of the flowers are benzyl, anisic, decylic and cuminic aldehydes, as well as traces of geraniol, farnesol and linalool.... acacia concinnaNutritional Profile Energy value (calories per serving): Moderate Protein: Low (cocoa powder) High (chocolate) Fat: Moderate Saturated fat: High Cholesterol: None Carbohydrates: Low (chocolate) High (cocoa powder) Fiber: Moderate (chocolate) High (cocoa powder) Sodium: Moderate Major vitamin contribution: B vitamins Major mineral contribution: Calcium, iron, copper
About the Nutrients in This Food Cocoa beans are high-carbohydrate, high-protein food, with less dietary fiber and more fat than all other beans, excepting soy beans. The cocoa bean’s dietary fiber includes pectins and gums. Its proteins are limited in the essential amino acids lysine and isoleucine. Cocoa butter, the fat in cocoa beans, is the second most highly saturated vegetable fat (coconut oil is number one), but it has two redeeming nutritional qualities. First, it rarely turns rancid. Second, it melts at 95°F, the temperature of the human tongue. Cocoa butter has no cholesterol; neither does plain cocoa powder or plain dark chocolate. Cocoa beans have B vitamins (thiamine, riboflavin, niacin) plus min- erals (iron, magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, and copper). All chocolate candy is made from chocolate liquor, a thick paste pro- duce by roasting and grinding cocoa beans. Dark (sweet) chocolate is made of chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, and sugar. Milk chocolate is made of choc- olate liquor, cocoa butter, sugar, milk or milk powder, and vanilla. White * These values apply to plain cocoa powder and plain unsweetened chocolate. Add- ing other foods, such as milk or sugar, changes these values. For example, there is no cholesterol in plain bitter chocolate, but there is cholesterol in milk chocolate. chocolate is made of cocoa butter, sugar, and milk powder. Baking chocolate is unsweetened dark chocolate. The most prominent nutrient in chocolate is its fat. Fat Content in One Ounce of Chocolate
| Saturated fat (g) | Monounsaturated fat (g) | Polyunsaturated fat (g) | Cholesterol (mg) | |
| Dark (sweet) | ||||
| chocolate | 5.6 | 3.2 | 0.3 | 0 |
| Milk chocolate | 5.9 | 4.5 | 0.4 | 6.6 |
| Baking chocolate | 9 | 5.6 | 0.3 | 0 |
| White chocolate | 5.5 | 2.6 | 0.3 | 0 |
The Most Nutritious Way to Serve This Food With low-fat milk to complete the proteins without adding saturated fat and cholesterol. NOTE : Both cocoa and chocolate contain oxalic acid, which binds with calcium to form cal- cium oxalate, an insoluble compound, but milk has so much calcium that the small amount bound to cocoa and chocolate hardly matters. Chocolate skim milk is a source of calcium.
Diets That May Restrict or Exclude This Food Antiflatulence diet Low-calcium and low-oxalate diet (to prevent the formation of calcium oxalate kidney stones) Low-calorie diet Low-carbohydrate diet Low-fat diet Low-fat, controlled-cholesterol diet (milk chocolates) Low-fiber diet Potassium-regulated (low-potassium) diet
Buying This Food Look for: Tightly sealed boxes or bars. When you open a box of chocolates or unwrap a candy bar, the chocolate should be glossy and shiny. Chocolate that looks dull may be stale, or it may be inexpensively made candy without enough cocoa butter to make it gleam and give it the rich creamy mouthfeel we associate with the best chocolate. (Fine chocolate melts evenly on the tongue.) Chocolate should also smell fresh, not dry and powdery, and when you break a bar or piece of chocolate it should break cleanly, not crumble. One exception: If you have stored a bar of chocolate in the refrigerator, it may splinter if you break it without bringing it to room temperature first.
Storing This Food Store chocolate at a constant temperature, preferably below 78°F. At higher temperatures, the fat in the chocolate will rise to the surface and, when the chocolate is cooled, the fat will solidif y into a whitish powdery bloom. Bloom is unsightly but doesn’t change the chocolate’s taste or nutritional value. To get rid of bloom, melt the chocolate. The chocolate will turn dark, rich brown again when its fat recombines with the other ingredients. Chocolate with bloom makes a perfectly satisfactory chocolate sauce. Dark chocolate (bitter chocolate, semisweet chocolate) ages for at least six months after it is made, as its flavor becomes deeper and more intense. Wrapped tightly and stored in a cool, dry cabinet, it can stay fresh for a year or more. Milk chocolate ages only for about a month after it is made and holds its peak flavor for about three to six months, depending on how carefully it is stored. Plain cocoa, with no added milk powder or sugar, will stay fresh for up to a year if you keep it tightly sealed and cool.
What Happens When You Cook This Food Chocolate burns easily. To melt it without mishap, stir the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of hot water or in the top of a double boiler or put the chocolate in a covered dish and melt it in the microwave (which does not get as hot as a pot on the store). Simple chemistry dictates that chocolate cakes be leavened with baking soda rather than baking powder. Chocolate is so acidic that it will upset the delicate balance of acid (cream of tartar) and base (alkali = sodium bicarbonate = baking soda) in baking powder. But it is not acidic enough to balance plain sodium bicarbonate. That’s why we add an acidic sour-milk product such as buttermilk or sour cream or yogurt to a chocolate cake. Without the sour milk, the batter would be so basic that the chocolate would look red, not brown, and taste very bitter.
How Other Kinds of Processing Affect This Food Freezing. Chocolate freezes and thaws well. Pack it in a moistureproof container and defrost it in the same package to let it reabsorb moisture it gave off while frozen.
Medical Uses and/or Benefits Mood elevator. Chocolate’s reputation for making people feel good is based not only on its caffeine content—19 mg caffeine per ounce of dark (sweet) chocolate, which is one-third the amount of caffeine in a five-ounce cup of brewed coffee—but also on its naturally occurring mood altering chemicals phenylethylalanine and anandamide. Phenylethylalanine is found in the blood of people in love. Anandamide stimulates areas of your brain also affected by the active ingredients in marijuana. (NOTE : As noted by the researchers at the Neurosci- ences Institute in San Diego who identified anandamide in chocolate in 1996, to get even the faintest hint of marijuana-like effects from chocolate you would have to eat more than 25 pounds of the candy all at once.) Possible heart health benefits. Chocolate is rich in catechins, the antioxidant chemicals that give tea its reputation as a heart-protective anticancer beverage (see tea). In addition, a series of studies beginning with those at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Peoria, Illinois, suggest that consuming foods rich in stearic acid like chocolate may reduce rather than raise the risk of a blood clot leading to a heart attack. Possible slowing of the aging process. Chocolate is a relatively good source of copper, a mineral that may play a role in slowing the aging process by decreasing the incidence of “protein glycation,” a reaction in which sugar molecules ( gly = sugar) hook up with protein molecules in the bloodstream, twisting the protein molecules out of shape and rendering them unusable. This can lead to bone loss, rising cholesterol, cardiac abnormalities, and a slew of other unpleasantries. In people with diabetes, excess protein glycation may be one factor involved in complications such as loss of vision. Ordinarily, increased protein glyca- tion is age-related. But at the USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center in North Dakota, agricultural research scientist Jack T. Saari has found that rats on copper-deficient diets experience more protein glycation at any age than other rats. A recent USDA survey of American eating patterns says that most of us get about 1.2 mg copper a day, considerably less than the Estimated Safe and Adequate Daily Dietary Intake (ESADDI) or 1.5 mg to 3 mg a day. Vegetarians are less likely to be copper deficient because, as Saari notes, the foods highest in copper are whole grains, nuts, seeds, and beans, including the cocoa bean. One ounce of dark chocolate has .25 mg copper (8 –17 percent of the ESADDI).
Adverse Effects Associated with This Food Possible loss of bone density. In 2008, a team of Australian researchers at Royal Perth Hos- pital, and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital published a report in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition suggesting that women who consume chocolate daily had 3.1 percent lower bone density than women who consume chocolate no more than once a week. No explanation for the reaction was proposed; the finding remains to be confirmed. Possible increase in the risk of heart disease. Cocoa beans, cocoa powder, and plain dark chocolate are high in saturated fats. Milk chocolate is high in saturated fats and cholesterol. Eating foods high in saturated fats and cholesterol increases the amount of cholesterol in your blood and raises your risk of heart disease. NOTE : Plain cocoa powder and plain dark chocolate may be exceptions to this rule. In studies at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Peoria, Illinois, volunteers who consumed foods high in stearic acid, the saturated fat in cocoa beans, cocoa powder, and chocolate, had a lower risk of blood clots. In addition, chocolate is high in flavonoids, the antioxidant chemicals that give red wine its heart-healthy reputation. Mild jitters. There is less caffeine in chocolate than in an equal size serving of coffee: A five- ounce cup of drip-brewed coffee has 110 to 150 mg caffeine; a five-ounce cup of cocoa made with a tablespoon of plain cocoa powder ( 1/3 oz.) has about 18 mg caffeine. Nonetheless, people who are very sensitive to caffeine may find even these small amounts problematic. Allergic reaction. According to the Merck Manual, chocolate is one of the 12 foods most likely to trigger the classic food allergy symptoms: hives, swelling of the lips and eyes, and upset stomach.* The others are berries (blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries), corn, eggs, fish, legumes (green peas, lima beans, peanuts, soybeans), milk, nuts, peaches, pork, shellfish, and wheat (see wheat cer ea ls).
Food/Drug Interactions Monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibitors. Monoamine oxidase inhibitors are drugs used to treat depression. They inactivate naturally occurring enzymes in your body that metabolize tyra- mine, a substance found in many fermented or aged foods. Tyramine constricts blood vessels and increases blood pressure. Caffeine is a substance similar to tyramine. If you consume excessive amounts of a caffeinated food, such as cocoa or chocolate, while you are taking an M AO inhibitor, the result may be a hypertensive crisis. False-positive test for pheochromocytoma. Pheochromocytoma, a tumor of the adrenal gland, secretes adrenalin, which the body converts to VM A (vanillylmandelic acid). VM A is excreted in urine, and, until recently, the test for this tumor measured the level of VM A in the urine. In the past, chocolate and cocoa, both of which contain VM A, were eliminated from the patient’s diet prior to the test lest they elevate the level of VM A in the urine and produce a false-positive result. Today, more finely drawn tests usually make this unnecessary. * The evidence link ing chocolate to allergic or migraine headaches is inconsistent. In some people, phenylet hylamine (PEA) seems to cause headaches similar to t hose induced by t yramine, anot her pressor amine. The PEA-induced headache is unusual in t hat it is a delayed react ion t hat usually occurs 12 or more hours after t he chocolate is eaten.... chocolate
Habitat: Native to Europe; commonly occurs in North West India, Tamil Nadu and parts of Andhra Pradesh.
English: Chicory, Indian Endive.Ayurvedic: Kaasani.Unani: Kaasani Dashti (Barri).Siddha/Tamil: Kasinikkeerai.Action: Diuretic, laxative, chol- agogue, mild hepatic. Excites peristalsis without affecting the functions of the stomach. Used in liver congestion, jaundice, rheumatic and gouty joints.
Key application (herb and root): In loss of appetite, dyspepsia. (German Commission E.)The herb contains inulin (up to 58% in the root); sesquiterpene lactones (including lactucin and lactucopicrin); coumarins (chicoriin, esculetin, es- culin, umbelliferone and scopoletin); the root includes a series of glucofruc- tosans. Raw chicory root contains only citric and tartaric acids; roasted chicory contains acetic, lactic, pyru- vic, pyromucic, palmitic and tartaric acids. The carcinogenic hydrocarbons and floranthene are also reported in the chicory (a potent carcinogen 3,4- benzpyrene has been detected).Added to coffee, chicory root counteracts caffeine and helps in digestion.An alcoholic extract of the plant was found effective against chlorproma- zine-induced hepatic damage in adult albino rats. The cholagogue activity is attributed to polyphenols.The sedative effect of chicory is attributed to lactucopicrin. The sedative effect antagonizes the stimulant effect of tea and coffee. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)The extracts of roots were found to be active against several bacteria.Dosage: Seed—3-6 g powder; leaf—10-20 ml juice; root—50- 100 ml. (CCRAS.)... cichorium intybusHabitat: Manipur, Naga and Lushai hills, Chota Nagpur, Western Ghats.
English: Kidney Tea Plant, Java Tea.Folk: Mutri-Tulasi (Maharashtra).Action: Leaves—diuretic, used in nephrosis and severe cases of oedema. An infusion of leaves is given as a specific in the treatment of various kidney and bladder diseases including nephrocirrhosis and phosphaturia, also in rheumatism and gout.
Key application: In irrigation therapy for bacterial and inflammatory diseases of the lower urinary tract and renal gravel. (German Commission E.) Flower tops and leaves (samples from Indonesia) contained methyl ri- pariochromene A. In another sample, leaves also yielded several phenolic compounds including lipophilic flavones, flavonol glycosides and caf- feic acid derivatives. Rosmarinic acid and 2,3-dicaffeoyl-tartaric acid (67% of total phenolics, 94.5% in hot water extract) were major compounds of caffeic acid derivatives.The leaves also contain a high percentage (0.7-00.8) of potassium salts. Presence oforthosiphonin and potassium salts help in keeping uric acid and urate salts in solution, thus prevents calculi and other deposits. The leaf extract lowers blood sugar in diabetics, but not consistently.Orthosiphon pallidus Royle, equated with the Ayurvedic herb Arjaka and Shveta-Kutherak and known as Ajagur and Naganda-baavari in folk medicine, is used for dysuria and colic.... orthosiphon grandiflorusHabitat: 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 corniculataThrush is characterised by the presence of white patches on the mucous membrane which bleeds if the patch is gently removed. It is caused by the growth of a parasitic mould known as Candida albicans. Antifungal agents usually suppress the growth of candida. Candidal in?ltration of the mucosa is often found in cancerous lesions.
Leukoplakia literally means a white patch. In the mouth it is often due to an area of thickened cells from the horny layer of the epithelium. It appears as a white patch of varying density and is often grooved by dense ?ssures. There are many causes, most of them of minor importance. It may be associated with smoking, SYPHILIS, chronic SEPSIS or trauma from a sharp tooth. Cancer must be excluded.
Stomatitis (in?ammation of the mouth) arises from the same causes as in?ammation elsewhere, but among the main causes are the cutting of teeth in children, sharp or broken teeth, excess alcohol, tobacco smoking and general ill-health. The mucous membrane becomes red, swollen and tender and ulcers may appear. Treatment consists mainly of preventing secondary infection supervening before the stomatitis has resolved. Antiseptic mouthwashes are usually su?cient.
Gingivitis (see TEETH, DISEASES OF) is in?ammation of the gum where it touches the tooth. It is caused by poor oral hygiene and is often associated with the production of calculus or tartar on the teeth. If it is neglected it will proceed to periodontal disease.
Ulcers of the mouth These are usually small and arise from a variety of causes. Aphthous ulcers are the most common; they last about ten days and usually heal without scarring. They may be associated with STRESS or DYSPEPSIA. There is no ideal treatment.
Herpetic ulcers (see HERPES SIMPLEX) are similar but usually there are many ulcers and the patient appears feverish and unwell. This condition is more common in children.
Calculus (a) Salivary: a calculus (stone) may develop in one of the major salivary-gland ducts. This may result in a blockage which will cause the gland to swell and be painful. It usually swells before a meal and then slowly subsides. The stone may be passed but often has to be removed in a minor operation. If the gland behind the calculus becomes infected, then an ABSCESS forms and, if this persists, the removal of the gland may be indicated. (b) Dental, also called TARTAR: this is a calci?ed material which adheres to the teeth; it often starts as the soft debris found on teeth which have not been well cleaned and is called plaque. If not removed, it will gradually destroy the periodontal membrane and result in the loss of the tooth. (See TEETH, DISORDERS OF.)
Ranula This is a cyst-like swelling found in the ?oor of the mouth. It is often caused by mild trauma to the salivary glands with the result that saliva collects in the cyst instead of discharging into the mouth. Surgery may be required.
Mumps is an acute infective disorder of the major salivary glands. It causes painful enlargement of the glands which lasts for about two weeks. (See also main entry for MUMPS.)
Tumours may occur in all parts of the mouth, and may be BENIGN or MALIGNANT. Benign tumours are common and may follow mild trauma or be an exaggerated response to irritation. Polyps are found in the cheeks and on the tongue and become a nuisance as they may be bitten frequently. They are easily excised.
A MUCOCOELE is found mainly in the lower lip.
An exostosis or bone outgrowth is often found in the mid line of the palate and on the inside of the mandible (bone of the lower jaw). This only requires removal if it becomes unduly large or pointed and easily ulcerated.
Malignant tumours within the mouth are often large before they are noticed, whereas those on the lips are usually seen early and are more easily treated. The cancer may arise from any of the tissues found in the mouth including epithelium, bone, salivary tissue and tooth-forming tissue remnants. Oral cancers represent about 5 per cent of all reported malignancies, and in England and Wales around 3,300 people are diagnosed annually as having cancer of the mouth and PHARYNX.
Cancer of the mouth is less common below the age of 40 years and is more common in men. It is often associated with chronic irritation from a broken tooth or ill-?tting denture. It is also more common in those who smoke and those who chew betel leaves. Leukoplakia (see above) may be a precursor of cancer. Spread of the cancer is by way of the lymph nodes in the neck. Early treatment by surgery, radiotherapy or chemotherapy will often be e?ective, except for the posterior of the tongue where the prognosis is very poor. Although surgery may be extensive and potentially mutilating, recent advances in repairing defects and grafting tissues from elsewhere have made treatment more acceptable to the patient.... mouth, diseases of
Habitat: Native to tropical America; grown in the hills and plains throughout India.
English: Cape Gooseberry.Ayurvedic: Parpoti (var.).Siddha/Tamil: Perungunni, Potti- pallam.Folk: Rasbhari, Mako.Action: Plant—diuretic. Leaf— anthelmintic, an infusion is used in abdominal disorders. Fruits— a good source of carotene and ascorbic acid; eaten as a table fruit.
The fruit contain carotene (as vitamin A) 2,380 IU, thiamine 0.05, ri- boflavin 0.02, nicotinic acid 0.3 and ascorbic acid 49 mg/100 g; mineral matter 0.8%; phytin phosphorus 18, iron 2.0, ionizable iron 0.9, sodium 0.9, potassium 320, copper 0.19, and sulphur 43 mg/100 g. The juice from the ripe fruits contain considerable quantity of pectin. The chief acid is citric acid, but malic and tartaric acids are also present.The plant is a source of highly oxygenated ergostane-type of steroids— withanolides and related compounds.... physalis peruvianaHabitat: Native to Eurasia; cultivated in Kashmir, Kumaon and Himachal Pradesh.
English: Sweet Cherry.Ayurvedic: Elavaaluka, Elaya, Harivaaluka.Folk: Gilaas, Krusbal.Action: Fruit stalks—diuretic, antiinflammatory, astringent, used for oedema, inflammation of urinary tract, cystitis, nephritis, urinary retention.
The stems contain salicylic acid, organic acids tannins and potassium salts. Protocatechuic, p-coumaric, fer- ulic and diferculic acids have been identified in the shoots.The fruit contains salicylates and cyanogenic glycosides, and vitamin A, B1 and C. Sugars consist mainly of glucose and fructose, with sucrose as a minor component. Malic acid is the principal acid, small amounts of citric, tartaric and succinic acids are also reported. The lipids of the fruit pulp contain cis-vaccenic acid.The acetone extract of peduncle gave an isoflavone, prunetin, which on hydrolysis yielded an aglycone identified as prunetin and sugar as glucose.The seeds contain a cyanogenic gly- coside and are toxic. The bark contains tannins up to 16%.Dosage: Seed—3-5 g powder. (CCRAS.)... prunus aviumHabitat: The temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan at 1,3002,400 m.
Folk: Tatri, Arkhar (Punjab).Action: Galls—astringent and expectorant. Used in ointments and suppositories employed in the treatment of haemorrhoids, swellings and wounds. Fruits— spasmolytic. Used for colic, diarrhoea and dysentery.
Dry galls contain 50 to 80% tannin (in the form of Gallo tannic acid); small amounts of fat, resin and gum. The stem-bark contains 10.5% tannin. The fruit contains tannin, gallic acid and potassium acid salts, together with small amounts of aluminium, calcium, magnesium and iron acid salts of malic, tartaric and citric acids.The heartwood contained the flavo- noids, pongapin, tetramethoxyfisetin and demethoxykanugin, and a diben- zoylmethane, ovalitenone.Rhus hookeri Sahni & Bahadur, synonym R. insignis Hk. f. is found in Sik- kim Himalaya from Nepal to Bhutan at 1,600-2,000 m and in Khasi Hills at 1,500 m. Juice of the plant is a powerful vesicant. The fruit contain a fat similar to that found in the fruit of R. javanica.... rhus chinensisHabitat: Himalaya from Kashmir to Nepal, at 1,200-3,700 m.
Folk: Patkarru; Titpaati, Karanoi, Karui (Kumaon); Kaur, Kauri (Punjab).Action: Leaves—a decoction is used as a bitter tonic and febrifuge; also as a tonic in contusions. The leaves contain betulin, beta-sitosterol, beta-amyrin, stigmasterol, cetyl alcohol, glucose, fructose, arabinose and palmitic, stearic, oleic, gallic, oxalic and tartaric acids. The leaves and stems contain the diterpenes, calyenone, precalyone and calyone, and a triterpene, moronic acid. Precalyone exhibited antitumour activity against P-388 lymphocytic leukaemia.
Aerial parts exhibited spasmolytic and CNS-depressant activity.... roylea cinereaHabitat: Western Himalayas up to an altitude of 2,400 m.
English: French Sorrel.Action: Plant—refrigerant, astringent; given in dysentery. Juice of leaves—antiscorbutic.
The roots contain oxymethyl an-Action: Plant—astringent antiscorbutic, stomachic, diuretic, used for disorders of lymphatic and glandular system; for bronchitis, asthma; constipation, dyspepsia, diseases of liver and spleen; urinary and renal disorders; alcoholism. Seeds—antidysenteric.
Anthraquinone glucosides, emodin and chrysophanol, have been reported from leaves, root and seeds. The leaves contain large amounts of oxalate (21.8% on dry basis); vitamin C content is 12 mg and vitamin A 6,100 IU/100 g.The leaves of Rumex species are eaten in salad or cooked like spinach. They contain protein, carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, copper, zinc, (iodine, in some samples), ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and thiamine; also oxalic acid, potassium binoxalate and some tartaric acid.... rumex scutatusHabitat: Waste places and fields throughout India, up to an altitude of 2,400 m.
English: Corn Sow Thistle.Ayurvedic: Sahadevi (bigger var.). (Vernonia cinerea is equated with Sahadevi.)Action: Plant—sedative, hypnotic, anodyne, expectorant, diuretic. Used for nervous debility. Seeds— used for asthma, bronchitis, cough, pertussis, fever; decoction in insomnia. Leaves—applied to swellings. Root—used for diseases of the respiratory tract.
The plant contains amino acids, lipids, polymeric hydrocarbons, polyphenols, protein; alpha- and beta- amyrins, lupeol, pseudotaraxasterol, taraxasterol. The latex contains manni- tol, alpha-and beta-lactucerols. Aerial parts and fruits contain ceryl alcohol, choline, palmitic, tartaric and stearic acids.... sonchus arvensisHabitat: Indigenous to tropical Africa; now distributed throughout the plains and sub-Himalayan tracts of India.
English: Tamarind tree.Ayurvedic: Amli, Amlikaa, Suktaa, Chukraa, Chukrikaa, Chinchaa, Chandikaa, Tintidika.Unani: Tamar HindiSiddha/Tamil: Puli, Aanvilam.Action: Pulp of fruit—cooling, digestive, carminative, laxative, antiscorbutic; infusion prescribed in febrile diseases and bilious disorders; used as a gargle in sore throat; applied as a poultice on inflammatory swellings.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the fruit pulp in tiredness without exertion.Leaves—juice, used for bleeding piles, bilious fever and dysuria. Stem- bark—antipyretic and astringent.Used for diarrhoea. Bark is also prescribed in asthma and amenor- rhoea. Seed-kernel—stimulant; used as a supporting tonic in sexual debility in Unani medicine.Water stored in the tumbler, made out of the wood, is given for treating splenic enlargement.Ethanolic extract of the seed coat exhibited antioxidant activity. Kernel gave polysaccharides composed of D- glucose, D-xylose, D-galactose and L- arabinose in a molar ratio of 8:4:2:1. Polysaccharides showed immunomod- ulatory activities such as phagocytic enhancement, leukocyte migration inhibition and inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation.The leaves gave flavone C-glycosi- des—orientin, vitexin, iso-orientin and iso-vitexin. The leaves and fruits gave tartaric acid and malic acid. The fruit pulp yielded amino acids—ser- ine, beta-alanine, proline, pipecolinic acid, phenylalanine and leucine.A bitter principle, tamarindienal, isolated from the fruit pulp, showed fungicidal and bactericidal activity against Aspergillus nigar, Candida al- bicans, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, E. coli and Pseudomonas aerug- inosa.The ash of the bark is given in colic and indigestion. The ash is also used in gargles and mouthwash for apthous sores.Dosage: Fruit pulp without seeds— 4-10 g. (API, Vol. IV.)... tamarindus indicaBilharzial calcified eggs have been found in the rectum and bladder of mummified bodies. There is evidence that they received treatment with the plants Valerian and Hyoscyamus. Today, Poke root is favoured.
More than 300 million people are infected. Cure is difficult, in spite of our greater knowledge. No natural medicine has yet been discovered to kill the parasite worms except deep-acting poisons: Antimony (tartar emetic).
Causative organism pierces the skin or mucous membranes of walkers, swimmers, or farmers wading in contaminated water.
Medicinal plants are used, with varying degrees of success to discourage the flukes from invading the host and to make good their depredations.
Anti-Bilharzials – Gum arabic, Cannabis sativa (hemp), Citrullus colocynthis, Citric acid (from lemons), Cyperus esculentus, Douma thebaica, Hordeum vulgare (Barley), Phoenix dactylifera, Ricinus communis (Castor oil), Thymus capitata (Thyme), Vitis vinifera (Grapes), Pistacea terebinthus (the Mastic Tree), Morus nigra (fresh fruits, root bark and leaves of the Mulberry Tree), Ficus carica (Common Fig), Thymus vulgaris (Thyme similar to English Garden Thyme). Later in history these remedies were joined by Ginger and Ambrosia artemisia. (Samir Yahia El-Gammal, MD, in “Medical Times”, Journal for the Promotion of Eastern Medicine. Hamdard Centre, Nazimabad, Karachi, Pakistan. Vol XIX, Winter 1984)
Ginger, powdered root and aqueous extract, prevents hatching of schistosome eggs in host. In trials with schoolchildren, bloody urine stopped and egg count in the urine dropped. (Kucera et al., 1975; Theakston et al., 1975)
CORIANDER SEED. Tea. Original research, Lawrence D. Hills, Henry Doubleday Research Association.
Note: Berries of a native Ethiopian plant, the endod or Soapberry (Phytolacca dodecandra) contain a potent toxin that can, in minute quantities, kill the snails carrying the schistosomes. (New Scientist, 1989, No 1690, p21)
To be treated by or in liaison with a general medical practitioner. ... bilharzia
To harden gums: 5-10 drops Tincture Myrrh in tumbler of water as a mouth rinse, freely. To inhibit plaque: chew sticks of Marshmallow root, Liquorice root, or Orris root. Saliva from such chewing inhibits lactic acid; reduces adherence of Saliva mutans.
Mouth wash. Leaves of Comfrey, Sage or Walnut. 2 teaspoons to each cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes.
Marie Treben’s Mouth Rinse. Equal parts, Ladies Mantle, Oak bark, Sage, Knotgrass. Mix. 2 teaspoons to cup boiling water; infuse 15 minutes. Strain off.
Bloodroot makes a mouth wash for reducing plaque and blocks enzymes that destroy collagen in gum tissue. (American Herbal Association)
Cider Vinegar. 2 teaspoons in glass of water. Sips throughout the day.
Diet. Alfalfa tea. Sugar-free, salt-free diet. Reject foods known to contain additives. Supplementation. Vitamin C (1 gram daily). Calcium. Dolomite. ... gums, receding
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