Medicinal properties

March 4 2024

Matira

hello Blog Citrullus lanatus, Cucurbitaceae family, Drought-tolerant, Edible fruit, Fruit cultivation, Hydrating fruit, Medicinal properties, Nutritional benefits, Traditional medicine, Watermelon 0

A climbing or trailing hispid annual cultivated in the warmer parts of the area. Stern densely hairy with bifid tendrils. Leaves triangular lobed and densely hairy. Male flowers in the axil of spoon shaped bracts and greenish
yellow in colour. Female flowers on long peduncles and also yellow in colour. Fruit globose to ellipsoid, smooth, with dark green irregular bands or lines. Seed numerous, compressed, dark brown, black and white. Flowering
and fruiting in August to December.

Part used: Fruit and Seed

Usage: Pulp is sweet, appetizer and refreshing with cooling effect. Fruit juice stored for one year is used as an antidote in snakebite. Seeds are diuretic. Seed powder is used during famine for preparation of bread.

Agrotechniques : Cultivated through seeds. Direct sowing of seed done in the field during rainy season. Irrigation not required. Ripe fruits are collected and used as such. Seeds also collected from the ripe fruits and
dried in the sun light.

March 4 2024

Saramasi

hello Blog Ayurvedic herb, Ethnobotany, Herbal remedies, Herbal treatments, Medicinal properties, Natural health, Phytotherapy, Plant-based healing, Saramasi plant, Traditional medicine 0

An ornamental perennial herb with erect stem, flexible branches bearing leaves which are simple cauline, opposite, exstiputate, petiolate and glossy. Flower 2-3, in axillary cymes and in terminal clusters, white to pinkish purple. Fruit is a cylindrical follicle with many black seeds (two varieties var. alba white flowered and var. rose us pink coloured flowers). Flowering and fruiting almost through out the year.

Part used: Whole plant

Usage : Maximum concentrations of alkaloids like vincristine and vinblastin found in root bark particularly during flowering. All parts have hypoglycaemic properties and are used to treat diabetes. Plant infusion if gargled, is said to relieve sore throat and laryngities. Extract of leaves is applied as antidote to wasp stings. Decoction of stem and leaves is used for regulating menstruation, urine and kidney problem. Leaves are emetic and diaphoretic. The alkaloid vincristine derived from leaves is used for the treatment of acute leukaemia including lymphocytic
leukaemia.

Agrotechniques : It can be raised directly by seeding in the field @ 2.5 kg/ha. 1/2 kg seeds are required to prepare plants in nursery. Plants should be transplanted after 60 days of sowing at 30 cm x 45 cm. One to three irrigations required, along with weeding. After 6 months of growth, the picking of leaves can be done and thereafter picking can be done every 3 months. The leaves should be dried in the shade. Roots should be harvested after 8-10 months.

February 29 2024

NIMBU

hello Blog Antioxidants, Botanical medicine, Citric acid, Citrus fruit, Culinary uses, Detoxification, Digestive aid, Essential oil, Folk medicine, Herbal medicine, Home remedies, Immune booster, Lemon plant, Medicinal properties, Natural health, Natural remedy, Nimbu, Skin care, Traditional healing, Vitamin C 0

CLIMATE: Lemons grow best between a temperature range of 13°C to 37°C. High humidity Favours spread of many diseases and frost is highly injurious to these plants. Hot wind during summer results in desiccation and drop of flowers and developing fruits.

SOIL: Lemons can grow in a wide range of soils, viz., from sandy loam or alluvial soils to clay loam or deep clay loam or in lateritic/acidic soils. The plant flourish well in light soils with good drainage properties and in deep soils with pH range of 5.5 to 7.5.

PROPOGATION AND PLANTATION: The best propagating technique for lemons is through rootstocks. For grafting the budwoods into the rootstocks, the selection shall be from disease free mother plants only.
For preparation of the seedlings, primary nursery beds may be prepared on light fertile soils. Secondary nursery seedlings may be raised in polythene bag and replanted after attaining the height of about 30-40 cm, which generally takes one year.

The best season for planting is June to August. 1m3 pits at a distance of 6 x 6 m should be dug for plantation. 15-20 kg of farmyard manure and 500 g of super phosphate needs to be applied in pits while planting per ha land.

PLANT PROTECTION: The plants shall be grown without chemical fertilizers and use of pesticides. Organic manure and pesticide are recommended.
IRRIGATION: Lemon plants require critical stage watering in the initial year. It reduces fruit drop and increases the fruit size. Diseases like root rot and collar rot occur in flooded conditions. Light irrigation with high frequency is beneficial. Irrigation water containing more than 1000 ppm salts is injurious.

HARVESTING: Lemons take 150-160 days for maturity, hence the fruits may be harvested 2-3 times in a year from one lemon tree.

USES

The lemon fruit is rich in Vitamin C which helps the body to fight off infections, to boost up immunity, to improve digestion, removes constipation and prevents or treat scurvy, soar throats, heavy weight, rheumatic conditions etc. It also has many skins caring properties.
The fruits can be eaten raw, and are frequently used in cooking, aromatherapy. The dried fruit rind is used as an insect repellent in the clothes cupboard, the juice is used for polishing metals, as wells as to remove ink stains for bleaching.