DRUGS & HERBAL PLANTS

PLANTS

Nature has gifted us with abundant herbs and plants that have the ability to cure a wide range of illnesses and ailments. Charaka is the father of medicine who consolidated Ayurved 2500 years ago. Sushruta is regarded as the father of surgery over 2600 years ago. He conducted surgeries like cataract, cesarean and brain surgery.

Drugs with Herbal Plants

S.No.   Name of the Drug     Name of the Plant                          Uses

1.      Vasaka                                    Adhatoda Vasica                    Used as an expectorant

2.      Rhubarb                      Rheum Officinale                   Used as a tonic and laxative

3.      Cascara                        Rhamnus Purshiana                 Used as a tonic and laxative

4.      Strophanthus               Strophanthus Hispidus            Cardiac or heart stimulant

5.      Senna                          Cassia Angustifolia                 Used as a laxative

6.      Aconite                       Aconitum Napellus                 Used as a pain reliever           

7.      Psyllium                      Plantago Indica                       Used for the treatment of chronicconstipation

8.      Podophyllum               Podophyllum Emodi               Used in case of chronic constipation and for tumorous growth

9.      Wormseed                   Artemisia Maritima                 Used against round worms and thread worms

10.  Ashvagandha              Withania simnifera                  Used in rheumatism, applied on ulcers and painful swellings, used as a diuretic.

What are Leaves for?

Plants use a process called photosynthesis in order to change sunlight into food. This process takes place mostly in the leaves of plant. Leaves are also used in a process called transpiration, which helps to draw water and dissolved minerals up the plants stem from the roots, where these substances have been absorbed from the soil.

What are Fungi?

Fungi used to be considered a part of the plant kingdom, but they are now thought to be quite different. The main part of fungus is a mass of tiny threads called mycelium. Fungi live in damp areas or in water because they have no method of preventing their fragile threads from drying out, they can’t survive dry atmospheres.

What are Algae?

Algae are most primitive form of plant life. Most algae are aquatic. They are responsible for providing most of the world’s oxygen. Algae are very varied, but even the large forms, such as kelp and other seaweeds, lack the true leaves, stems and roots found in other plants.

What are Sponges?

These are multi-cellular organism of lower category. These are called pore bearer animals because many small pores are found at their body surfaces called ostia. Most of them are marine and remain attached to rocks (sessile). Sponges have a great power of regeneration. Most forms are hermaphrodite. Examples:  Sycon, Leucosolenia, Spongilla, Euplectella. Euplectella is given as a precious marriage gift in Japan, symbolizing the idea ‘till death us do part’.