(American) One with passion; enthusiastic devotion
Zeale, Zeel, Zeele, Zeyl, Zeyle, Ziel, Ziele
Zeale, Zeel, Zeele, Zeyl, Zeyle, Ziel, Ziele
Habitat: Indigenous to New Zealand. Now distributed in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.
Ayurvedic: Rudanti.Action: Fruit—used in puerperal sepsis and septic wounds, also for debility and cough.
EtOH (50%) extract of aerial parts is CNS depressant.Fruits contain l-stachydrine, rutin and beta-sitosterol.... capparis spinosaZeliah, Zelya, Zelie, Zele, Zelina, Zelinia... zelia
Habitat: Indigenous to western Paraguay, southern Brazil, Uruguay and parts of Argentina; cultivated in South India in Nilgiris and Kodaikanal hills.
English: Feijoa, Pineapple Guava, New Zealand Banana.Action: The fruit contains iodine and vitamin C. Iodine content varies according to locality and fluctuates from year to year, usual range is 1.64-3.9 mg/kg Fruit also contains vitamin P-active polyphenols. The fruit is found beneficial only in mild cases of thyrotoxicosis.... feijoa sellowiana
Habitat: Marshy places and river banks in North India from Kashmir to Assam.
Folk: Jateraa (Meghalaya); Pan- turasi (Bengal).Action: The plant extract showed strong antimutagenic and antitu- mour activity.
From the herb, beta-sitosteryl gluco- side, stigmasteryl glucoside, isorham- netin and hyperin were isolated. The fruit yield 1.5% of an essential oil, containing phellandrene and myristicin.Linalool (70.0%) was determined in the flower oil.Evening Primrose is equated with Oenothera biennis L. (native to North America). The oil from seeds, known as Evening Primrose oil, contains about 70% cis-linolenic acid and about 9% cis-gamma-linolenic acid (GLA). Evening Primrose oil is one of the most widely prescribed plant-derived medicines in the world. Sold under the trade name Epogam, it is recognized by the governments of Great Britain, Germany, Denmark, Ireland, Spain, Greece, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand as a treatment for eczema. A combination, known as Efamol Marine, used for eczema, contains 80% Evening Primrose Oil and 20% fish oil.Evening Primrose Oil has become a frontline treatment in Great Britain for initial treatment of cyclical breast pain and fibrocystic breast disease.... oenanthe javanicaHabitat: Spreads in meadows, along the borders of fields, and in the hedgerows.
Features ? Springing from the root, the large leaves are ovate, blunt, and contract abruptly at the base. When, however, the plant is found in open fields the leaves tend to grow upwards on channelled stalks. The very small, brownish-purple flowers grow close together on a spike about five inches long. The plant is astringent to the taste, and odourless.Part used ? The leaves are used medicinally.Action: Alterative and diuretic.
Combined with other agents, they are of some value in piles and diarrhea. The fresh juice will give relief from insect and nettle stings.John Skelton writes that Plantain "makes one of the best ointments for piles I know of."... plantainHabitat: Cultivated in the hills of North Bengal, Shillong and other hill stations, and in the Deccan, in Mysore.
English: New Zealand Spinach.Folk: Chikesoppu (Karnataka).Action: Used as a substitute for Spinacia oleracea, as a rich source of calcium, phosphorus, iron and vitamins A, B and C. Given in pulmonary and intestinal affections.
The shoots of the plant contain saponin, but the seeds do not. The saponin has low toxicity which disappears on boiling the leaves. A sample of the plant contained 1.2% oxalic acid, combined as calcium oxalate which is higher than found in common spinach. Losses of phosphorus and iron on cooking are also reported to be high.The roots, leaves and immature fruits gave positive reaction for the presence of alkaloids. Cerebroside has been synthesized.... tetragonia expansaTablets/capsules. St John’s Wort.
Formula. Comfrey root 2; St John’s Wort 1; Echinacea 2; trace of Cayenne (Capsicum). Dose – Powders: 750mg (three 00 capsules or half a teaspoon). Liquid Extracts: 1-2 teaspoons. Tinctures: 1-3 teaspoons. Effect is enhanced when doses are taken in cup of Comfrey herb tea. Other agents to promote renewal of tissue. Slippery Elm bark, Fenugreek seeds, Wild Yam, Carragheen Moss.
Discomfort from a scar. Aloe Vera gel, Calendula, Comfrey or Chickweed cream or ointment. See: CASTOR OIL PACK.
Diet. High protein, oily fish or fish oils.
Supplements. Vitamin C: 3-6g daily. Calcium ascorbate, Zinc. Magnesium. Cod Liver oil for Vitamins A and D; 2 teaspoons daily.
Note: Where titanium alloy implants are used for this operation serum levels of the metal are likely to show up higher than normal. Raised serum titanium has been linked with lung cancer, osteoporosis, and platelet suppression. A New Zealand study has found deaths from cancer were significantly higher in patients having had a metal hip replacement. See: CHELATION.
Comfrey. Potential benefit far outweighs possible risk. ... hip replacement operation
FAMILY: Apiaceae (Umbelliferae)
SYNONYMS: A. longirostris, garden chervil, salad chervil.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: A delicate annual herb up to 30 cms high, with a slender, much branched stem, bright green, finely-divided, fernlike leaves, umbels of flat white flowerheads and long smooth seeds or fruits. The whole plant has a pleasing aromatic scent when bruised.
DISTRIBUTION: Native to Europe and western Asia; naturalized in America, Australia and New Zealand. Widely cultivated, especially in southern Europe and America.
OTHER SPECIES: A cultivated form of its wild relative, the wild chervil or garden-beaked parsley (A. sylvestris), with which it shares similar properties and uses. Not to be confused with another common garden herb sweet cicely (Myrrhis odorata), also known as sweet or smooth chervil.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: The name chervil comes from the Greek ‘to rejoice’, due to its delightful scent. The leaves are used as a domestic spice in salads, soups, omelettes, sauces and to flavour bread dough. In folk medicine it is used as a tea to ‘tone up the blood and nerves. Good for poor memory and mental depression. Sweetens the entire digestive system.’.
The juice from the fresh herb is used to treat skin ailments such as eczema, abscesses and slow-healing wounds; also used for dropsy, arthritis and gout, among others.
ACTIONS: Aperitif, antiseptic, carminative, cicatrisant, depurative, diaphoretic, digestive, diuretic, nervine, restorative, stimulant (metabolism), stomachic, tonic.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam distillation from seeds or fruit.
CHARACTERISTICS: A pale yellow liquid with a sweet-herbaceous, anisic odour.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Mainly methyl chavicol, also 1-allyl-2, 4-dimethoxybenzene and anethole, among others.
SAFETY DATA: Methyl chavicol and anethole are known to have toxic and irritant effects; methyl chavicol is reported to have possible carcinogenic effects. Since these constitute the major proportion of the essential oil, it is best avoided for therapeutic use.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE None.
OTHER USES: Extensively employed as a flavour ingredient by the food industry, especially in meat products, as well as in alcoholic and soft drinks.... chervil
FAMILY: Myrtaceae
SYNONYMS: New Zealand tea tree, kahikatoa, red manuka, manex.
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: The Manuka plant is an elegant, bushy evergreen shrub with deep green small spiky leaves that bears small flowers of white to pink in colour. The blossom is produced from September to February and most profusely in the later months. Its size ranges from a creeping plant to a small tree – trees can reach heights of up to 8 metres, especially when found within dense woodland. The leaves and flowers are strongly aromatic.
DISTRIBUTION: Manuka is the only Leptospermum species native to New Zealand, where it is widely distributed in various climatic and altitudinal zones. The physical characteristics, such as flower and leaf colour, leaf size and shape, branching habit, and foliage density vary considerably among populations. The plant can now be found in Australia where it seems to acclimatize well to varied terrain from marshland to dry mountain slopes. The essential oil is generally harvested from wild plants, as little farming of Manuka is currently undertaken.
OTHER SPECIES: The family Myrtaceae yields many valuable essential oils including eucalyptus, myrtle and tea tree. Another native tree of New Zealand called kanuka (Kunzea ericoides), sometimes called white or tree manuka, although superficially similar to L. scoparium in that both are collectively known as ‘tea trees’, is actually genetically a very distinct species. Kanuka in its typical form can grow into a tree up to 30 metres tall. It is also used to produce an essential oil.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: For centuries, New Zealand Maori have used manuka to treat a wide range of complaints. Early New Zealand records indicate that the plant’s bark, leaves, sap and seed capsules were used in beverages and medicinal preparations. A decoction of the leaves was drunk for urinary complaints and as a febrifuge. The steam from leaves boiled in water was inhaled for head colds. A decoction was prepared from the leaves and bark and the warm liquid was rubbed on stiff muscles and aching joints. The emollient white gum, called ‘pai manuka’, was given to nursing babies and also used to treat scalds and burns. Chewing the bark is said to have a relaxing effect and enhance sleep. It is said that Captain James Cook used the leaves of the plant as a tea to combat scurvy during long explorations of the southern hemisphere; later, early European settlers of New Zealand adopted Captain Cook’s use of the plant as a tea.
Recently, scientists have confirmed that manuka oil is up to 33 times stronger than tea tree essential oil for protecting against specific strains of bacteria; it is also effective against the MRSA (Methicillin-Resistant Staph. Aureus) bacteria, which is resistant to normal antibiotics.
ACTIONS: Analgesic, antibacterial, antibiotic, antifungal, antihistamine, anti-inflammatory, anti-infectious, antimicrobial, antiseptic, astringent, deodorant, digestive, expectorant, immune stimulant, insecticide, sedative, vulnerary.
EXTRACTION: Steam distilled from the leaves, twigs and branches.
CHARACTERISTICS: A mobile liquid with a distinctive fresh, spicy, herbaceous aroma with a honey-like sweetness. It blends well with bay leaf, bergamot, black pepper, cajuput, cedarwood atlas, cinnamon, clove bud, elemi, ginger, juniper, lavender, nutmeg, peppermint, rose, rosemary, sandalwood, thyme, vetiver and ylang ylang.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: The main active constituents of manuka oil are isoleptospermone, ?-pinene, ?-pinene, myrcene, ?-cymene, 1,8-cineole, linalol, methylcinnamate, ?-farnesine, isoleptospermone, leptospermone, sesquiterpenes such as cadina-3, 5-diene and ?-amorphene, and triketones. However, within the species of manuka there are at least nine different chemotypes: oil which contains high levels of triketones, found in the East Cape area of North Island in New Zealand appears to possess the greatest antimicrobial potential. Other chemotypes however are thought to reveal greater anti-inflammatory and analgesic tendencies. It is important to be aware of these various chemotypes when selecting an oil for therapeutic purposes.
SAFETY DATA: Generally it is thought to be non-sensitizing, non-toxic, and non-irritant. It can in some individuals, produce mild irritation but has a low irritancy compared to Australian tea tree oil. Avoid use during pregnancy because of spasmolytic activity.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE
Skin care: Acne, abscesses, athlete’s foot skin, bed sores, blisters, boils, burns, carbuncles, cold sores, cracked skin, dandruff, dermatitis, eczema, fungal infections, insect bites and stings, lice, nail infections, oily skin, pimples, ringworm, sores, sunburn, tinea and ulcers.
Circulation, muscles and joints: Aches and pains, muscular tension, sprains and stiffness in joints, rheumatism.
Respiratory system: Coughs, cold, ’flu congestion, as well as asthma and hayfever.
Immune system: Tonic
Nervous system: Nervous debility.
OTHER USES: The essential oil is much used in phyto-cosmetic and pharmaceutical preparations mainly for its potent antimicrobial properties. Commercial development of the essential oil has led to a range of products for the topical treatment of various conditions including joint pain, eczema and psoriasis. The oil is also used in perfumes and soaps. The scented flowers of the shrub attract bees, which are used for making the popular manuka honey.... manuka
FAMILY: Pinaceae
SYNONYMS: Terebinth, therebentine, gum thus, gum turpentine, turpentine balsam, spirit of turpentine (oil).
GENERAL DESCRIPTION: ‘Gum turpentine’ is a term loosely applied to the natural oleoresin formed as a physiological product in the trunks of various Pinus, Picea and Abies species. Turpentine refers both to the crude oleoresin (a mixture of oil and resin) and to the distilled and rectified essential oils.
DISTRIBUTION: All over the world. The largest producer is the USA, also Mexico, France, Portugal, Spain, Greece, Scandinavia, New Zealand, Tasmania, India, China, the USSR, etc.
OTHER SPECIES: Apart from the longleaf pine (Pinus palustris), which is the leading source of American gum turpentine, other sources in the USA include the slash pine (P. elliottii) and the Mexican white pine (P. ayacahuite). In India the chir pine (P. roxburghii); in Tasmania the lodgepole pine (P. contorta var. latifolia); in China the masson or Southern red pine (P. massoniana); in Europe and Scandinavia the Scotch pine (P. sylvestris) and the sea pine (P. pinaster), as well as many others. See Botanical Classification section.
HERBAL/FOLK TRADITION: Known to Galen and Hippocrates for its many applications, especially with regard to pulmonary and genito-urinary infections, digestive complaints and externally as a treatment for rheumatic or neuralgic pain and skin conditions. In China the oleoresin has been used (both internally and externally) for centuries for excess phlegm, bronchitis, rheumatism, stiff joints, toothache, boils, sores, ringworm and dermatitis.
The turpentine essence or spirit of turpentine is said to be four times more active than the crude turpentine.
ACTIONS: Analgesic, antimicrobial, antirheumatic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, balsamic, diuretic, cicatrisant, counter-irritant, expectorant, haemostatic, parasiticide, rubefacient, stimulant, tonic, vermifuge.
EXTRACTION: Essential oil by steam (or water) distillation from the crude oleoresin, then rectified. ‘It has to be purified because it is viscous, coloured and acidic.’.
CHARACTERISTICS: A colourless, water white mobile liquid with a fresh, warm balsamic, familiar odour.
PRINCIPAL CONSTITUENTS: Mainly alphapinene (approx. 50 per cent), betapinene (25–35 per cent) and carene (20–60 per cent) in the American oils. In European oils the alpha pinene can constitute up to 95 per cent – constituents vary according to source.
SAFETY DATA: Environmental hazard – marine pollutant. Relatively non-toxic and non-irritant; possible sensitization in some individuals. Avoid therapeutic use or employ in moderation only.
AROMATHERAPY/HOME: USE Use with care for:
Skin care: Boils, cuts, fleas, insect repellent, lice, ringworm, scabies, wounds.
Circulation muscles and joints: Arthritis, gout, muscular aches and pains, rheumatism, sciatica.
Respiratory system: Bronchitis, catarrh, whooping cough.
Genito-urinary system: Cystitis, leucorrhoea, urethritis.
Immune system: Colds.
Nervous system: Neuralgia.
OTHER USES: Used in many ointments and lotions for aches and pains; and in cough and cold remedies. Neither oil nor oleoresin is used in perfumery work, although resin derivatives are used as fixative agents and in pine and industrial perfumes. Mainly known as a paint and stain remover, solvent and insecticide. Also used as a starting material for the production of terpineol, etc.... turpentine
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