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India is endowed with a rich wealth of medicinal plants.These
plants have made a good contribution to the development of ancient
Indian materia medica. One of the earliest treatises on Indian
medicine,the Charak Samhita(1000 B.C),records the use of over 340 drugs
of vegetable origin. Most of these continue to be gathered from wild
plants to meet the demand of the medical profession.Thus, despite the
rich heritage of knowledge on the use of plant drugs, little attention
had been paid to grow them as field crops in the country till the latter
part of the nineteenth century.
During
the past seven or eight decades, there has been a rapid extension of
the allopathic system of medical treatment in India. It generated a
commercial demand for pharmacopoeial drugs and products in the country,
Thus efforts were made to introduce many of these drug plants into
Indian agriculture, and studies on the cultivation practices were
undertaken for those plants which were found suitable and remunerative
for commerical cultivation. In general, agronomic practices for growing
poppy, isabgol, senna, cinchona, ipecac, belladonna, ergot and a few
others have been developed and there is now localized cultivation of
these medicinal plants commercially. The average annual foreign trade in
crude drugs and their phytochemicals is between 60 and 80 million
rupees and this accounts for a little over 0.5 per cent of the world
trade in these commodities.
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| Ginkgo biloba seedling |
The
curative properties of drugs are due to the presence of complex
chemical substances of varied composition (present as secondary plant
metabolites) in one or more parts of these plants. These plant
metabolites in one, according to their composition, are grouped as
alkaloids, glycosides, corticosteroids, essential oils, etc. The
alkaloids form the largest group, which includes morphine and codein
(poppy), strychnine and brucine(nux vomica), quinine(cinchona),
ergotamine(ergot), hypocyamine,(beeladona) ,scolapomine(datura),
emetine(ipecac), cocaine(coco), ephedrine(ephedra),
reserpine(Rauwolfia), caffeine(tea dust), aconitine(aconite),
vascine(vasaca). santonin(Aremisia), lobelin(Lobelia) and a large number
of others. Glycosides form another important group represented by
digoxin(foxglove), stropanthin(strophanthus), glycyrrhizin(liquorice),
barbolin (aloe), sennocides (senna),etc. Corticosteroids have come into
prominence recently and diosgenin(Dioscorea), solasodin(Solanum
sp.),etc. now command a large world demand. Some essential oils such as
those of valerian kutch and peppermint also possess medicating
properties and are used in pharmaceutical industry. However, it should
be stated in all fairness that our knowledge of the genetic and
physiological make-up of most of the medicinal plants is poor and we
know still less about the biosynthetic pathways leading to the formation
of active constituents for which these crops are valued.
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| Sage cashmerina |
During
the last two decades, the pharmaceutical industry has made massive
investments on pharmacological, clinical and chemical researches all
over the world in an effort to discover and still more potent plant
drugs ; in fact, a few new drug plants have suceessfully passed the
tests of commercial screening. However, benefits of this labour would
reach the masses when the corresponding support for agricultural studies
for commercial cultivation is provided. Infact, agricultural studies on
medicinal plants, by its very nature, demand an equally large
investment and higher priority. India, in particular, has a big scope
for the development of the pharmaceutical and phytochemical industry.
The
Indian Pharmacopoeia(1966) recognizes eighty five drug plants whose
ingredients are used in various pharmaceutical preparations. We shall,
however, confine our treatment to a few important commercially grown
medicinal plants whose cultivation deserves priority in out national
economy.
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| Chinar cashmeriana |
CINCHONA
(cinchona ledgeriana Linn.and allied spp.). Sixty-five species
distributed in the Andes at elevations of 800 to 2,800 m, occur mainly
in Peru, Bolivia, Columbia and Ecuador. Commercial supplies of the bank
are obtained from C.ledgeriana, c.officinalis, C.calisaya, C.succirubra
and their numerous hybrids. The cinchona bark yields quinine which is
used as a treatment against malaria. Quinine salts are now increasingly
used in soft drinks as bittters and quinidine sulphate is use in the
treatment of heart troubles, such as auricular fibrillation and
venticular trachycardia. Cinchona plantations cover about 1,600 ha in
the Nilgiris and the Annamalais Hills(Tamil Nadu). India, Indonesia and
Zaire(the Congo) are major suppliers of quinine products to the world
market ; the Indian export of quinine salts earns about Rs 10 million
annually.
C.ledgerianna
Moens is a small tree grown at elevations between 1,000 and 1,900 m,
mainly in West Bengal. The average total alkaloid content in the root,
stem and branch (of plants 10-12 years old) is 7.21, 6.01 and 4.0 per
cent of which the quinine content is 5, 4 and 1.98 per cent
respectively. Under less favourable conditions, a hybrid (ledgerianna X
succirubra) is preffered ; the hybrid has a lower quinine content, but
it produces a more robust tree, growth. C.officinalie Linn. is a weak
straggling tree, about 6m high. It grows at altitudes ranging from
2,000-2,600 m mainly in the Nilgris. The root, stem and branch contain
1.75-4.16,2.56-4.42 and 1.44-2.35 per cent of quinine respectively. A
hybrid, called robusta (officinalisX succirubra) is a hardy type and, as
such, is adapted to a wider range of elevations (1,2000-3,000 m) and
temperatures ; another hybrid(officinalisX ledgeriana) is grown in
Mungpoo (Darjeeling District).
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| Ashwagandha seeds |
C.calisaya
Wedd. is a large tree which is not suitable for growing under excessive
cold and humid conditions, is grown at lower altitudes of 400 to 1,000 m
in the Moyar Valley (Nilgiris). The total alkaloids in the stem bark
range from 3.89 to 7.24 per cent, of which quinine and cinchonidine are
0.78 to 5.57 and 0.03 to 1.56 per cent respectively.
C.succirubra
Pavon is a hardy tree which grows between elevations of 1,200 and 2,000
m in some parts of Annamalais and attain a heught of 18-20 meters. This
species possess a remarkable ability to withstand both high humidity
and drought. Its main alkaloid is cinchonidine. The total Alkolid in the
root ,stem and bark is 7.6,5.5 and 3.3 per cent respectively. Out of
these amounts, quinine constitutes 0.76-1.42, 1.1-1.74 and 0.8-1.76 per
cent respectively in the root, stem and bark.
Cinchona
prefers deep, well drained rich loamy to clayey loam, acidic soils (pH
4.5-6) on sloping sheltered locations. Most species prefer high
humidity, a well- distributed rainfall of about 150 cms,and only minor
variation in the maximum and minimum temperatures during their growing
seasons. All species are susceptible to frost and succumb to
water-logged conditions.
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| Hazel nut seeds |
Cinchona
is usually propogated through seeds. The seeds are small and light (350
- 400 seeds per gramme) and loose viability soon. About 50g of fresh
seeds sown per square meter during February-May produce about 10,000
seedlings in the nursery-beds, prepared with a mixture of leaf-mould and
sand. The nursery is provided with partial shade and kept moist and
free from weeds. Germination takes 25 to 40 days to be completed and the
seedlings grow 4 pairs of leaves in 4 to 6 months when they are
transplanted in another nursery at 10 cm X 10 cm spacing. The seedling
grow 30-50 cm high in the next 4 to 5 months and are planted in the
field at a spacing of 2 m x 2m ; the young-growing plants are provided
with shade. The plantation is thinned when 4 to 6 years old and thus
about 50 per cent of the stock is uprooted and debarked in two years.
More bark is obtained in the 8th year by coppicing when only one strong
stump is allowed to grow. The left-over trees are finally uprooted when
12-years old. The bark is moved by ringing the stem at a height of 60 cm
from the ground and is dried in the open. The drying reduces its weight
to 60-70 per cent.
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| Ginkgo biloba seed/plant |
In
Indonesia, the vegetable propagation of selected clones has helped to
maintain a high quinine content, thereby upgrading the average quinine
content from 4 to 7.5 per cent . Several methods of vegetative
propogation, as patch and slit-budding, cincturing, layering and
mould-layering, are recommended. Vegetative propagation is done during
the monsoon, when root initials are produced in 40 to 60 days and the
shoot is then cut off and planted.
The
cinchona bark has 30 chemically related alkaloids, of which quinine
(C20H24O2N2) is the most important. The alkaloids are formed during the
descent of the sap and, therefore, its percentage is lowest in the twigs
and it rises in the stem and is maximum in the root bark ; the collar
portion of about 30-45 cm in length is the richest portion. The
percentage of total alkaloids increases till the age of 8 to 12 years
and then begins to decline.
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| Aris seeds |
Damping-off
is reported both from nursery and fields, particularly at lower
elevations . The disease is controlled by fumigation with chloropicrin.
Root-rot due to Fomeslamayensis (Murr.)Sacc. and Trott. has also been
reported in nurseries; a better drainage of the nursery-beds and
spraying with Bordeaux mixture help to prevent it.
ISABGOL
(plantago ovata Forks.).It is an annual stem-less herb, a native of
Persia, now grows as a cash crop on about 16,000 ha in the Mehsana,
Palampur and Banaskantha districts of Northern Gujrat, India is the
largest producer of isabgol and exports seed and huskworth Rs 25 million
annually. The husk is the rosey-white membranous covering of the seed
which constitutes the drug and is given as a safe laxative, particularly
beneficial in habitual constipation, chronic diarrhoea and dysentery.
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| Howthorn seeds |
Isabogal
is an irrigated rabi crop which remains in the field for about 4
months. The crop is grown in marginal, light, well-drained sandy-loam to
loamy soils having pH between 7 to 8. It requires a cool climate and
dry sunny weather or light showers cause seed shedding.
After
harvesting the kharif crops,e.g. jowar(Sorghum vulgare), the land is
brougt to fine tilth and laid out into beds of convinient size for
irrigation. It is preferable to mix with the soil 15 cartloads of
well-rotted farmyard mannure per hectare during the preparation of the
land.The optimum sowing time is early November ; sowing however, is
extended till the end of December, but the delayed sowing decreases the
yield. The seed rate is 7.8 kg per hectare. Seeds are small and light
about 6000 to a gramme and are sown by broadcast. They are covered
thinly by raking the soil. A light irrigation is given immediately.
Germination starts in 6 to 10 days and the crop is given the second
irrigation after 3 weeks and a third one at the time of the formation of
the spikes ; thus the crop needs 6 to 7 irrigations.
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| Lavetra cashmerina |
Isabgol
makes a moderate demand for nutrients. Usually,25 kgof each N and P per
hectare is given at plantation.The crop is given 1 or 2 hand-weedings
during the entire growing period. The plants are about 50 cm high
andeach plants gives out between 25 to 100 tillers,depending upon tje
fertility of soil and wheather conditions. The plant bears the flowering
spikes in about 60 days after sowing and matures in the next 2
months.The yellowing of the lower leaves is an indication of
maturity,confirmed by pressing a spike between two figers when the
mature seeds come out. The crop is harvested close to the ground in the
early morning hours to avoid looses owing to seed shedding.The harvested
material is stacked for 1 or 2 days,made to be trampled by bullocks,
winnowed,and the seperated seed crop is collected . A boldseeded crop
fetches a better price.
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| Kuth seeds |
The
seeds are processed through a series of grinding mills to seperate the
husk, and about 30 per cent husk by weight is thus recovered . The husk
contains a mucilaginous substance.
Powdery
mildew sometimes attacks the crop and is brought under control by
spraying the crop with wettable sulphur, e.g. 'Karathen' and 'Sulfex'
two or three times at 15-day intervals after the apperance of infection.
White grubs are reported to damage the roots ; soil treatment with 5
per cent Aldrin or Lindane to protect the crop is given at the time of
the last ploughing during the preparation of the field.
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OPIUM
POPPY (papaver somniferum Linn).Poppy is a native of the western
Mediterranean region,introduced into India in the early sixteenth
century.India produces about 70 per cent of the world's production and
90 per cent of it is exported annually.The crop can be grown under a
licence issued by the Excise Department and, as such, its cultivation is
restricted to about 24,000 hectares in the districts of
Neemuch,Mandsaur and Ratlam in Madhya Pradesh ; in Faizabad,Bara
Banki,Bareilly and Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh,and in
Chittoor,Jhalawar and Kota in Rajasthan.
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| Quercus robur |
Poppy
is an annual erect plant, 60-120 cm in height, rarely branching,with
ovate-oblong leaves;it bears large showy flowers and nearly globose to
spherical capsules, containing small white or black kidney-shaped
seeds.It is a rabi crop,and remains for about 150-160 days in the fields
.It is mainly(90%)self-pollinated ,since the dehiscence of anthers
takes place before the opening of the flower. A large number of the
forms of variety album DC. are cultivated inIndia; it has ovate globose
capsules devoid of apertures.
The
crop is grown on well-drained ,fertile,clayey loam to rich sandy-loam
soils. It prefers moderately cool weather and open sunny
locations;severely cold spells, frost dull cloudy weather ,high
winds,and heavy rainfall during the lancing period adversely affect the
yield.
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Land
is prepared to a fine tilth up to a depth of 20-25 cm during September
and the fields are laid out into beds of convenient size. Twenty-five to
thirty-seven cartloads of farmyard manure is mixed with the soil during
the preparation of the land,penning of sheep or goats is preffered
.Seed-rate is 2.5 to 3.5 kg per hectare.The seeds are minute weighing
0.25 to 3.5 kg per 100 .They are mixed with sand and sown thinly in rows
0.3m apart during mid-Octobor till early November(optimum temperature 9
-10 degree centigrade).The rows are covered with a thin layer of soil
and are given a light irrigation,followed by another irrigation after
8-10 days when the seeds start germinating.Seed treatment with 1.0
%Agrosan protects it from seed-borne dieases.The crop is given about 15
irrigations in all,depending upon the texture of the soil and the
variety sown;moisture defiency at the time of capsule formation affects
the yield adversely.The crop needs a heavy nutrient supply and 50 kg
N/ha is applied during the preparation of the land and another
application of an equal quantity is given as top-dressing in two-split
doses when the crop is one month old and at the time of the flag-leaf
stage. The seedlings are thinned out to 20-25 cm apart when they grow
5-7 cm tall. The crop is weeded and hoed weekly till the plants are
about 20 cm tall and thereafter ,weeding and hoeing are done once a
month.The plants take 75-80 days (in Neemuch, Madhya Pradesh)and about
105 days(in Uttar Pradesh) to come into flower ,depending upon the
variety sown. The petals fall in 3-4 days and the growing capsule is
ready for lancing in the next 6 to 10 days. The green unripe capsules
contain the maximum amount of morphine which diminishes with its
ripening and yellowing; conversely, codeine and narcotine increases with
age.
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| Sorbus cashmerina |
Lancing
is done longitudinally in bright sunlight and the latex (crude
opium)which oozes from the wounds dries during the following night and
is scrapped with a sharp kitchen-knife in the early hours of the
succeeding morning. Lancing is performed in the afternoon with a special
knife, capable of making four incisions at a time ,each at about 1/12
cm apart. Each capsule is lanced for 4 to 6 times. A deep incision
causes the collection of the latex inside the capsule and spoils the
seeds. The crude opium is stored in earthen -pots and dried in the sun
to obtain the raw opium of a uniform consistency.The dry produce should
be stored in closed vessels. The entire produce goes to the Excise And
Narcotics Department which pays according to its cosistency and
purity.The average yield of raw opium varies from 13 to 33 kg per
hectare,though much higher yields are recorded under good agronomic
practices.The crop also yield 3 to 4 quintals of seeds per hectare.The
seeds contain up to 50 per cent of a golden-yellow fatty oil which is
devoid of narcotic properties.
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| Rheum emodi |
There
are 25 opium alkaloids identified in the raw opium.Of them,morphine,
theabine,codeine,narcotine and papaverine are important; morphine is by
far the most important.The Indian produce of raw opium contains,on an
average,about 20% of the total alkaloids by weight.They,in turn,posses 9
to 14% of morphine,5-7% narcotine, 1.25 -3.75% codeine,0.4-1% papverine
and 0.2-0.5% theabine. The produce obtained in Turkey and the Balkan
countries is collected from one incision only and is therefore rich
(10-21%) in morphine;conversely,the Indian opium is richer in codeine
and narcotine.
The
crop is attacked by the leaf-miner(phyllocnistis sp.),which can be kept
under control by spraying with 0.2% Metasystox or Rogor.Sometimes
,cutworms {Agrotis suffura Hubn.)cause damage to the young plants;the
flooding of the fields makes these worms float on the water and they are
ultimately pickedby birds. Downy mildew (Peronospora
arborescens(Berk)de Bary) sometimes causes serious damage to the crops
at the time of capsule formation. It is controlled by the application of
0.2% Diathane Z-78. Root-rot due to Rhizoctonia is also reported on the
crop.
Phytolacca acinosa: The root is antiasthmatic, antibacterial, antidote, antifungal,
antitussive, diuretic, expectorant, laxative and vermifuge. The plant
has an interesting chemistry and it is currently (1995) being
investigated as a potential anti-AIDS drug. It contains potent
anti-inflammatory agents, antiviral proteins and substances that affect
cell division. These compounds are toxic to many disease-causing
organisms, including the water snails that cause schistosomiasis. The
root is used internally in the treatment of urinary disorders,
nephritis, oedema and abdominal distension. Externally, it is used to
treat boils, carbuncles and sores. The roots are harvested in the
autumn and dried for later use. All parts of the plant are toxic, this
remedy should be used with caution and preferably under the
supervision of a qualified practitioner.
Cannabis indica: Plants are tonic, intoxicant, stomachic, antispasmodic, antiemetic,
analgesic, narcotic, sedative, aphrodisiac, stimulant and anodyne. Seeds
and leaves are used to treat old cancer. The seed is said to be a
remedy for tumors and cancerous ulcers. The decoction of the root is
said to help remedy hard tumors and knots in the joints. The leaf is
digestive and astringent and is said to alleviate cancerous sores. The
plant is also used for mammary tumors and corns. Also useful in asthma,
blood poisoning, bronchitis, catarrh, convulsions, coughs, cystitis,
delirium, depression, diarrhoea, dysentery, dysmenorrhoea, epilepsy,
fever, gonorrhoea, gout, inflammation, insomnia, jaundice, malaria,
mania, menorrhagia, migraine, neuralgia, palsy, rheumatism, swellings,
ureteral prolapse and whooping cough.
Saffron (Crocus sativus L.) contains chemical constituents that are
responsible for its color, flavor and aroma. Saffron contains numerous
phytoactive components, including crocetin, various crocins (such as
picrocrocin), zeaxanthin, lycopene, beta-carotene and safranal (the main
component of saffron's fragrant essential oil). Saffron components have
been shown to have strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, cytotoxic,
anti-carcinogenic and anti-tumor properties, as well as reducing blood
pressure, anxiety and depression.
Oak-Quercus robur : The oak tree has a long history of medicinal use. It is
anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, astringent, decongestant, haemostatic and
tonic. The bark is the part of the plant that is most commonly used,
though other parts such as the galls, seeds and seed cups are also
sometimes used. A decoction of the bark is useful in the treatment of
chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, intermittent fevers, haemorrhages etc.
Externally, it is used to bathe wounds, skin eruptions, sweaty feet,
piles etc. It is also used as a vaginal douche for genital inflammations
and discharge, and also as a wash for throat and mouth infections. The
bark is harvested from branches 5 - 12 years old, and is dried for later
use. Any galls produced on the tree are strongly astringent and can be
used in the treatment of haemorrhages, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery etc.
The plant is used in Bach flower remedies - the keywords for
prescribing it are "Despondency", "Despair, but never ceasing effort". A
homeopathic remedy is made from the bark. It is used in the treatment
of disorders of the spleen and gall bladder.
Habitat of the herb : Often the dominant woodland tree, especially on clay soils and in the eastern half of Britain, but avoiding acid peat and shallow limestone soils.
Edible parts of Pedunculate Oak : Seed - cooked. Nourishing but indigestible. Chopped and roasted, the seed is used as an almond substitute. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. An edible gum is obtained from the bark. Another report says that an edible manna is obtained from the plant and that it is used instead of butter in cooking. This report probably refers to the gum.
Other uses of the herb : A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth. The bark is an ingredient of "Quick Return" herbal compost activator. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost. The bark is very rich in calcium. Oak galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin, that can also be used as a dyestuff. A black dye and an excellent long-lasting ink is made from the oak galls, mixed with salts of iron. The colour is not very durable. When mixed with alum, the dye is brown and with salts of tin it is yellow. Trees can be coppiced to provide material for basket making, fuel, construction etc. The wood is a source of tar, quaiacol, acetic acid, creosote and tannin. Tannin is extracted commercially from the bark and is also found in the leaves. On a 10% moisture basis, the bark contains11.6% tannin and the wood 9.2%. The bark strips easily from the wood in April and May. A purplish dye is obtained from an infusion of the bark with a small quantity of copperas. It is not bright, but is said to be durable. Wood - hard, tough, durable even under water - highly valued for furniture, construction etc. It is also a good fuel and charcoal.
Propagation of Pedunculate Oak : Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.
Cultivation of the herb : Often the dominant woodland tree, especially on clay soils and in the eastern half of Britain, but avoiding acid peat and shallow limestone soils.
Milk Thistle-Silybum marianum seed : Milk Thistle, also known as Mary's Thistle, Holy Thistle and Silybum marianum, is native to the Mediterranean.Milk Thistle is a beautiful and impressive plant with its large spiny leaves marbled with creamy veins. The common name Milk Thistle comes from the belief that milk from the Virgin Mary fell on the leaves and caused the white veining.
Sweet Violet-Bunafasha: Sweet violet has a long and proven history of folk use,
especially in the treatment of cancer and whooping cough. It also
contains salicylic acid, which is used to make aspirin. It is therefore
effective in the treatment of headaches, migraine and insomnia. The
whole plant is anti-inflammatory, diaphoretic, diuretic, emollient,
expectorant, and laxative. It is taken internally in the treatment of
bronchitis, respiratory catarrh, coughs, asthma, and cancer of the
breast, lungs or digestive tract. Externally, it is used to treat mouth
and throat infections. The plant can either be used fresh, or harvested
when it comes into flower and then be dried for later use. The flowers
are demulcent and emollient. They are used in the treatment of
biliousness and lung troubles. The petals are made into a syrup and used
in the treatment of infantile disorders. The roots is a much stronger
expectorant than other parts of the plant but they also contain the
alkaloid violine which at higher doses is strongly emetic and purgative.
They are gathered in the autumn and dried for later use. The seeds are
diuretic and purgative. They have been used in the treatment of urinary
complaints are considered to be a good remedy for gravel. A homeopathic
remedy is made from the whole fresh plant. It is considered useful in
the treatment of spasmodic coughs and rheumatism of the wrist. An
essential oil from the flowers is used in aromatherapy in the treatment
of bronchial complaints, exhaustion and skin complaints.
The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
Srinagar is responsible for development of 50 well known
Medicinal/Fruit/Ornamental plants. JKMPIC one of the premier
institution involved in production, development, introduction,
& manufacturing of Medicinal, Fruit, Ornamental Plants and
seeds.
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| Phytolacca acinosa |
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| Click Here: Cannabis Seeds |
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| Saffron seeds/flowers |
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| Oak-Quercus robur |
Habitat of the herb : Often the dominant woodland tree, especially on clay soils and in the eastern half of Britain, but avoiding acid peat and shallow limestone soils.
Edible parts of Pedunculate Oak : Seed - cooked. Nourishing but indigestible. Chopped and roasted, the seed is used as an almond substitute. It can be dried, ground into a powder and used as a thickening in stews etc or mixed with cereals for making bread. The seed contains bitter tannins, these can be leached out by thoroughly washing the seed in running water though many minerals will also be lost. Either the whole seed can be used or the seed can be dried and ground it into a powder. It can take several days or even weeks to properly leach whole seeds, one method was to wrap them in a cloth bag and place them in a stream. Leaching the powder is quicker. A simple taste test can tell when the tannin has been leached. The traditional method of preparing the seed was to bury it in boggy ground overwinter. The germinating seed was dug up in the spring when it would have lost most of its astringency. The roasted seed is a coffee substitute. An edible gum is obtained from the bark. Another report says that an edible manna is obtained from the plant and that it is used instead of butter in cooking. This report probably refers to the gum.
Other uses of the herb : A mulch of the leaves repels slugs, grubs etc, though fresh leaves should not be used as these can inhibit plant growth. The bark is an ingredient of "Quick Return" herbal compost activator. This is a dried and powdered mixture of several herbs that can be added to a compost heap in order to speed up bacterial activity and thus shorten the time needed to make the compost. The bark is very rich in calcium. Oak galls are excrescences that are sometimes produced in great numbers on the tree and are caused by the activity of the larvae of different insects. The insects live inside these galls, obtaining their nutrient therein. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a rich source of tannin, that can also be used as a dyestuff. A black dye and an excellent long-lasting ink is made from the oak galls, mixed with salts of iron. The colour is not very durable. When mixed with alum, the dye is brown and with salts of tin it is yellow. Trees can be coppiced to provide material for basket making, fuel, construction etc. The wood is a source of tar, quaiacol, acetic acid, creosote and tannin. Tannin is extracted commercially from the bark and is also found in the leaves. On a 10% moisture basis, the bark contains11.6% tannin and the wood 9.2%. The bark strips easily from the wood in April and May. A purplish dye is obtained from an infusion of the bark with a small quantity of copperas. It is not bright, but is said to be durable. Wood - hard, tough, durable even under water - highly valued for furniture, construction etc. It is also a good fuel and charcoal.
Propagation of Pedunculate Oak : Seed - it quickly loses viability if it is allowed to dry out. It can be stored moist and cool overwinter but is best sown as soon as it is ripe in an outdoor seed bed, though it must be protected from mice, squirrels etc. Small quantities of seed can be sown in deep pots in a cold frame. Plants produce a deep taproot and need to be planted out into their permanent positions as soon as possible, in fact seed sown in situ will produce the best trees. Trees should not be left in a nursery bed for more than 2 growing seasons without being moved or they will transplant very badly.
Cultivation of the herb : Often the dominant woodland tree, especially on clay soils and in the eastern half of Britain, but avoiding acid peat and shallow limestone soils.
Milk Thistle-Silybum marianum seed : Milk Thistle, also known as Mary's Thistle, Holy Thistle and Silybum marianum, is native to the Mediterranean.Milk Thistle is a beautiful and impressive plant with its large spiny leaves marbled with creamy veins. The common name Milk Thistle comes from the belief that milk from the Virgin Mary fell on the leaves and caused the white veining.
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Solanum nigrum |
Solanum nigrum-Black Nightshade: Black Nightshade: Also useful in heart diseases, skin diseases, piles, gonorrhoea, prostate swelling, and inflammatory swellings. Useful in cough and consumption.
Availability of Seed/Planting material
(The following seeds and planting material is available for distribution/purchase for growers only)
Planting
materials : Saffron-Crocus sativus, Chinar- Platanus orientalis,
Oak-Quercus robur, Malus communis, Prunus armeniaca, Prunus serotina,
Cedrus deodar, Ginkgo biloba, Wild Cherry, Sweet Cherry, Sweet
Appricort, Sweet Apple, Pear, Plum, Lukat, Peach, Almond, Walnut, Sweet
Chestnut Cypress cashmiriana, Aesculus Hippocastanum, Sorbus
cashmeriana, Cataegus oxyacantha Linn, Saussurea costus, Viola odorata
Linn, Atropa belladona Linn, Urtica dioica Linn, Salix alba Linn,
Geranium wallichianum, Amaranthus caudatus Linn, Allium victoralis Linn,
Althaea officinalis Linn, Colchicum lutem, Crocus yellow, Iris ensata,
Mallow-Malva Sylvestris.
Seed
materials : Descurainea sophia, Banafasha-Viola odorata Linn, Aconitum
heterophyllum, Achillea millefolium Linn, Rowan Kashmir-Sorbus
cashmeriana, Milk Thistle- Silybum marianum, Cedrus deodar, Saw
Palmetto, Atropa belladona Linn, Kuth- Saussurea costus , Ceratonia
siliqua, Colchicum Luteum Bulbs, Saffron bulbs, Hawthorn-Cataegus
oxyacantha Linn , Clary Sage, Ginkgo biloba, Sweet Chestnut, Cannabis
cashmeriana, Mallow-Malva Sylvestris, Lavatera cashmiriana,
Rosemerry-Rosmarinus officinalisetc, Red Hot Chili cashmeriana, Atropa
belladonna, Aesculus Hippocastanum, Podophyllum Hexandrum, Pyrethrum
Crysanthemum Cinerariae folium, Dutura Stramonium , Pear plant, Orange
Cosmos, Shallot-Allium ascalonicum Linn, Garlic-Allium sativum, Iris
ensata, Hyoscyamus niger Linn, etc. etc.
Herbs :
Saffron, Shallot-Allium ascalonicum Linn, Banafasha-Viola odorata Linn,
Ginkgo biloba leaves, Saussurea costus, Cannabis indica, Hyoscyamus
niger, Achillea millefolium Linn, Acorus calamus Linn, Adiantum
venustum, Allium victoralis Linn, Althaea officinalis Linn, Amaranthus
caudatus Linn, Anagallis arvensis, Artemisia absinthium Linn, Cannabis
sativa Linn, Cichorium intybus Linn, Colchicum luteum, Shallot-Allium
ascalonicum Linn,Allium sativum, Cannabis cashmeriana, Lavatera
cashmerina, Malva sylvestris Linn, Nepeta cataria Linn, Origanum
vulgare Linn.
For Planting materials
Available in : 15th Feb- 15th March (Every Year)
Some plants are available in Polybag/without Polybag
For Seed materials
Available in : January - December (Full Year)
(Depending on availability)
For more details about seed/planting materials:-
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC
"Ginkgo House, Azizabad, Nambalbal, Via Wuyan-Meej Rd. BPO Konibal, Pampore PPR J&K 192121
(Via New Delhi-India)
Mailing address: PO Box No: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Ph: 01933-223705
Mob: 09858986794
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com, jkmpic@yahoo.in
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