Medicinal Plants : Wild Cucumber

WILD CUCUMBER
Common name: Wild Cucumber • Hindi: मीठा करेला meetha karela

Botanical name:  Cyclanthera pedata    Family: Cucurbitaceae (Pumpkin family)
Wild Cucumber is a vine grown for its small fruit, used as a vegetable. The leaves are 4-5 inches wide and divided into several lobes. Flowers are small, pale green. It produces a pale green, semi-flattened fruit resembling a cucumber that is 4-6 inches long and 2-3 inches wide. The immature fruits may be eaten raw or pickled. The young shoots and leaves may also be eaten as greens. The mature fruit are also prepared as stuffed peppers; stuffed with meat, fish or cheese and then baked – earning it’s name “Stuffing Cucumber.”
Medicinal Uses

Plants For A Future can not take any responsibility for any adverse effects from the use of plants. 
Always seek advice from a professional before using a plant medicinally.

Analgesic;  Aphrodisiac;  Poultice;  Tonic.

The pulverized root is used as a poultice for headaches. A very bitter tea brewed from the roots is
 analgesic and is also used as a love potion. It is used as a bitter tonic for alleviating stomach 
troubles, kidney ailments, rheumatism, chills, fevers etc

Medicinal Plants : Air Plant

Common name: Air Plant, Donkey Ears, Life Plant, Leaf of Life, Resurrection Plant, Canterbury Bells, Cathedral Bells, Mexican Love Plant, Floppers • Hindi: Amar poi अमर पोई • Malayalam: Elamarunna • Tamil: ), Runakkalli • Bengali: Kop pata • Urdu: Zakhmhaiyat ज़ख़्महयात • Manipuri: , মনাহিদাক Manahidak

Botanical name: Kalanchoe pinnata/ Bryophyllum pinnatum

Family: Crassulaceae (sedum family) 

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Perennial
Growth Habit: Subshrub, Herb/Forb
Hawaii Native Status: Introduced. This naturalized ornamental garden plant and medicinal herb is native to Madagascar.
Flower Color: Dull red. The more conspicuous sepals are yellowish green tinged with red or dull pink in color.
Height: Up to 6 feet (1.8 m) tall
Description: The pendent flowers are on short, lateral branches on tall, upright, chandelier-like flower stalks. The individual flowers are tubular, 1 inch (2.5 cm) long, enclosed in papery, inflated, green to reddish pink sepals, and have 4 red, narrowly triangular lobes. The flowers dry on the plant and gradually turn a light papery brown color. The leaves have scalloped, dark maroon margins and are green, succulent, opposite, and mostly pinnately compound with 3 to 5 elliptic leaflets. New baby plants can form along the edges of the leaves.
Here in Hawaii, Air Plant grows wild in dry to moist areas at lower elevations.

Medicinal uses: Bahamians call it Life Leaf or Ploppers. In the Bahamas it is mostly used for Asthma or shortness in breath. 
Directions
For headaches: Heat leaf or leaves in microwave or on stove until hot. Place on the forehead as soon as you are able so that there is still a significant amount of heat left in it. Re-warm the leaf accordingly placing it on the forehead repeatedly for at least ten minutes.
For Backaches/ Rheumatism: Heat leaves until hot. Place them as hot as you can bear them on the aching area and lie down on your stomach. If available place a heat pad or a hot water bottle over the leaf so that continuous heat will help it to release its properties. When you are on the go, place the warmed leaf on the sore spot and wrap it so that it stays in place for the day.
For Foot Soaks: Using at least three Wonder of the World leaves, place in basin and fill with hot water. You can also add those bubbles and things that smell nice if you like. Menthol, peppermint or eucalyptus oil is a good one to put in with this. Submerge feet for at least half and hour and for a through treatment, take two other leaves, warm them and put them under your feet and then put a pair of comfy socks on for the night. Let it work its magic while you sleep.
For Styes: Again you must heat the leaf. Place it over the eye for a minute or two, three to six times a day. You can alternate this treatment with a boric solution wash as well. But keeping the leaf over the eye reduces the size and redness of the stye.

Special Report : Aleo Vera,and its benifits

  Nowadays Aleo vera is widely use in soaps, medicines and other daily use products due to its vast medicinal values
Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of Aloe vera is limited and when present is frequently contradictory.
Despite this, the cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly make claims regarding the soothing, moisturising and healing properties of Aloe vera, especially via Internet advertising.

• Aloe vera gel is used as an ingredient in commercially available lotion, yogurt, beverages and some desserts.
• Aloe vera gel is used for consumption and relief of digestive issues such as heart burn and irritable bowel syndrome.
• It is common practice for cosmetic companies to add sap or other derivatives from Aloe vera to products such asmake up, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, incense, razors and shampoos.
• Other uses for extracts of Aloe vera include the dilution of semen for the artificial fertilization of sheep, use as fresh food preservative, and use in water conservation in small farms.
• Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first discovered. Aloe vera is non-toxic, with no known side effects, provided the aloin has been removed by processing. Taking Aloe vera that contains aloin in excess amounts has been associated with various side effects. However, the species is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United States, Jamaica and India. Aloe vera is alleged to be effective in treatment of wounds.
• Evidence on the effects of Aloe vera sap on wound healing, however, is limited and contradictory.
• Some studies, for example, show that Aloe vera promotes the rates of healing, while in contrast, other studies show that wounds to which Aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal than those treated with conventional medical preparations.
• A more recent review (2007) concludes that the cumulative evidence supports the use of Aloe vera for the healing of first to second degree burns.
• In addition to topical use in wound or burn healing, internal intake of Aloe vera has been linked with improved blood glucose levels in diabetes , and with lower blood lipids in hyper lipidaemic patients, but also with acute hepatitis (liver disease).
• In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested oral Aloe vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients .
• Compounds extracted from Aloe vera have been used as an immunostimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs; however, this treatment has not been scientifically tested in humans.
• The injection of Aloe vera extracts to treat cancer has resulted in the deaths of several patients.
• Topical application of Aloe vera may be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis.
• However, it is not effective for the prevention of radiation-induced injuries.
• Although anecdotally useful, it has not been proven to offer protection from sunburn or suntan.
• In a double-blind clinical trial both the group using an Aloe vera containing dentifriece and the group using a fluoridated dentifrice had a reduction of gingivitis and plaque but no statistically significant difference was found between the two.
• Aloe vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities, which may help in the treatment of minor skin infections, such as benign skin cysts.
• Aloe vera extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of fungi that cause tinea; however, evidence for control beneath human skin remains to be established.
• For its anti-fungal properties, Aloe vera is used as a fish tank water conditioner.
• For bacteria, inner-leaf gel from Aloe vera was shown to inhibit growth of Streptococcus and Shigella species in vitro. In contrast, Aloe vera extracts failed to show antibiotic properties against Xanthomonas species.
• Aloe vera used to heal skin wounds, burn and Helps in speeding recovery time after surgery.
• Aloe vera Plants are also helpful in healing insect bites, rashes, sores, herpes, urticaria, fungal infection, vaginal infections, conjunctivitis, allergic reactions.
• Aloe gels are applied on dry skins to give them glowing effect, reducing acne, reduce sunburn, screening out x-ray radiation.
• Aloe vera helps to fight frostbite and shingles, reduce psoriasis, reduce rosacea, reduce warts and reduce ageing, reduce wrinkles and also it reduce the eczema.
• Seeing so many medicinal uses of Aloe vera plant it is pretty easy to say that Aloe vera is of great importance in our lives and solves great purpose in medical field as well. Apart from above mentioned medicinal uses of Aloe vera there are other more important points to be noted about Aloe vera plant which are of more importance and critical issues:

Medicinal Plants: Aloe Vera

Common name: Aloe vera, Medicinal aloe, Burn plant • Hindi: Gheekumari घीकुमारी • Marathi: Khorpad • Tamil: கதலை Kathalai • Malayalam: Chotthu kathalai  

Botanical name: Aloe vera    Family: Asphodelaceae (Aloe family)
 
Synonyms: Aloe barbadensis, Aloe indica, Aloe vulgaris



 Aloe, a popular houseplant, has a long history as a multipurpose folk remedy. Commonly known as Aloe vera, the plant can be snapped off and placed on cuts and burns for immediate relief. Aloe vera is a clump forming succulent whose fleshy gray-green leaves are arranged in a vase shaped rosette atop a very short stem. The leaves are up to 18 in long and 2 in wide at the base, slightly grooved on top, and terminating in a sharp point. The leaves have small grayish teeth on the margins. The main rosette gets up to about 2 ft high, and the plant continually produces little offset rosettes. In winter and spring, medicinal aloe bears small tubular yellow flowers on branched stalks up to 3 ft tall. The real Aloe vera has yellow flowers, but many of the clones available have orange flowers. Although Aloe Vera is a member of the Lily family, it is very-cactus like in its characteristics. 

Medicinal uses: Aloe Vera contains over 20 minerals, all of which are essential to the human body. The human body requires 22 amino acids for good health -- eight of which are called "essential" because the body cannot fabricate them. Aloe Vera contains all of these eight essential amino acids, and 11 of the 14 "secondary" amino acids. Aloe Vera has Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. In India, Aloe vera is believed to help in sustaining youth, due to its positive effects on the skin. Hence it is called ghee kunvar or ghee kumaari. 

Aloe has been well known for centuries for its healing properties, and both oral intake and topical dressings have been documented to facilitate healing of any kind of skin wound, burn, or scald - even speeding recovery time after surgery.  Situations to try it on include blisters, insect bites, rashes, sores, herpes, urticaria, athlete's foot, fungus, vaginal infections, conjunctivitis, sties, allergic reactions, and dry skin. The raw plant is best, but commercial preparations can also be used, especially for taking orally, as this plant tastes horrible.  Other topical uses include acne, sunburn, frostbite (it appears to prevent decreased blood flow), shingles, screening out x-ray radiation, psoriasis, preventing scarring, rosacea, warts, wrinkles from aging, and eczema.  
 

       Internally, aloe is showing real promise in the fight against AIDS, and the virus has become undetectable in some patients who used it on a regular basis, due to its immune system stimulant properties.  It also seems to help prevent opportunistic infections in cases of HIV and AIDS.  It appears to be of help in cancer patients (including lung cancer) by activating the white blood cells and promoting growth of non-cancerous cells.  The National Cancer Institute has included Aloe Vera in their recommendations for increased testing because of these apparent cancer fighting properties.  Taken orally, aloe also appears to work on heartburn, arthritis and rheumatism pain and asthma, and studies have shown that it has an effect on lowering blood sugar levels in diabetics.  Other situations in which it appears to work when taken internally include congestion, intestinal worms, indigestion, stomach ulcers, colitis, hemorrhoids, liver problems such as cirrhosis and hepatitis, kidney infections, urinary tract infections,  prostate problems, and as a general detoxifier. Lastly, many people who take aloe internally report just feeling better overall, which is in and of itself something of a testament to its remarkable properties.

    Commercially, aloe can be found in pills, sprays, ointments, lotions, liquids, drinks, jellies, and creams, to name a few of the thousands of products available.  Unfortunately, the aloe industry is virtually unregulated, and some products that advertise aloe content actually have little to none.  Therefore, if you are embarking on a regimen with aloe, you should become an avid reader of ingredients.  Look for the word aloe to appear near the top of the ingredient list first and foremost, then follow the guidelines below:

 

Sunburn treatments - 20% or more aloe content

Creams & Ointments - 20% or more aloe content

Juices - 95% or more aloe content

Beverages - 50% or more aloe content

Drinks - 10% or more aloe content

Capsules - 5-10% or more aloe content

    As far as dosages are concerned, start small and work your way up to a therapeutic dose.  Juices are a good way to start, and pills are probably the worst way to go with aloe.  Aloe pulp is 95% water, and if you consider the process of drying this, then sticking it back together into a pill form, you can see why pills are probably not the best way to go.  Also, give your regimen time to work.  Sometimes it takes a couple of months for you to see the real effects of aloe treatments, so don't give up too soon.

Aloe is safe when used in moderation, but there are a few contraindications.  If you have a heart problem and use any kind of digitalis medication, consult your doctor before using any aloe product

Medicinal Plants : Long Pepper

Common name: Long Pepper, Indian long pepper • Hindi: पिपली Pipli • Marathi: पिंपळी Pimpli • Tamil: திப்பிலீ Tippili • Malayalam: തിപ്പലീ Tippali • Telugu: Pippallu • Kannada: Kandan Lippili • Konkani: पिपली Pipli • Urdu: Pipul پیپل • Gujarati: પીપરી Pipari • Sanskrit: पिप्पली Pippali, Magadhi
Botanical name: Piper longum    Family: Piperaceae (Pepper family)
Perennial in Nature , Climbers, and found mostly in south Asian countries.


   Today, long pepper is an extremely rare ingredient in European cuisines, but it can still be found in Indian vegetable pickles, some North African spice mixtures, and in Indonesian and Malaysian cooking. It is readily available at Indian grocery stores, where it is usually labeled pippali.

Medicinal uses: Pippali is certainly one of the most widely used of all Ayurvedic herbs. It is one of the best herbs for enhancing digestion, assimilation and metabolism of the foods we eat. It is also highly prized for its ability to enhance assimilation and potency of herbs in a synergistic formula (this is called the Yogavahi effect). 

The herb has nerve depressant and antagonistic effects on electro-shock and chemo-shock seizures as well as other muscular spasms. It also has analgesic, tonic, stimulant and carminative properties. The oil extracted from Piper Longum has antibacterial properties.

Long pepper also has medical uses and benefits. It is most commonly used to treat respiratory infections such as cough, bronchitis and asthma. It can also be used to treat stomachaches, diseases of the spleen and tumors. When applied externally, it soothes and relieves muscular pains and inflammation.

Piper Longum also helps stimulate the appetite and dispels gas from the intestines. An infusion of long pepper root is used after birth to induce the expulsion of the placenta.

In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Piper Longum enjoys the reputation of being a good rejuvenator. Long used as a spice, long pepper is generally regarded as safe. However, it’s best to consult healthcare professionals before using Piper Longum as a treatment for your condition.

Sources:Wikipedia,Flowers of India