PLANTS

Useful Plants of World

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’.

“When diet is wrong medicine is of no use. When diet is correct medicine is of no need.”

Trees with Botanical name and their uses

1.      Acacia                         -           Shikakai-         Works in Jaundice and malarial fever.

2.      Aegal Marmelas          -          

3.      Aloe Vera                    -           Ghritkumari-   Curative medicine for many ailments.

4.      Alstonia Seholaris       -           Chatim

5.      Anthacephalus Cadamba-       Kadam

6.      Asparagus                   -           Shatavari-        Used for the ailments of female reproductive system.

7.      Bacopa                    -           Brahmi-           It is used as an anti-anxiety medicine that improve mental alertness.

8.      Bauhinia petersiana     -          

9.      Boerhaavia                  -           Punarnava-      Used for kidney and urinary ailments.

10.  Cassia fishtula             -          

11.  Cassia renigera            -          

12.  Casurina equisetifolia  -           Jhow

13.  Delonix regia               -           Gulmohar

14.  Eclipta Alba                -           Bhringraj-        Use in many bronchitis related ailments.

15.  Eleocurpus sphaericus -           Rudrax

16.  False black pepper       -           Vidang-           Used as purgative and works in many skin diseases.

17.  Fennel                         -           Shatapuspa-     Used for abdominal problems and mental weakness.

18.  Ficus glumarata           -           Gullar

19.  Ficus intectneta           -           Pilkhan

20.  Ficus Krishna              -          

21.  Green chirayta             -           Yavatika-        It is known as an appetizer.

22.  Holy Basil                   -           Tulsi    -           It has medicinal qualities and cultural value.

23.  Indian Bdellium          -           Guggulu-         Used as tonic and blood purifier.

24.  Indian Long pepper    -           Pippali -           Used for abdominal ailments.

25.  Jasmine                        -           Jati       -           Used in head and ophthalmic disorders.

26.  Juniprus orientalis       -          

27.  Musk                           -           Jatamansi-       Works in mental disorders.

28.  Oreodoxa regia           -           Bottle Palm

29.  Phonix rupieola           -           Khejur

30.  Pleumeria alba             -           Champa

31.  Polyalthia longifolia Varpendula-       Ashoka

32.  Sweet flag                   -           Vacha-             Used in many ailments.

33.  Taberna montena coronary-   

34.  Tabetianerifolia           -           Kanel

35.  Terminalia bellirica      -           Bahera