Public Health

Euphorbia tirucalli L. (Family, Euphorbiacae) a succulent cactus-like plant growing to a height of about 10 m, was introduced from Africa as a garden plant. E. tirucalli Grows in arid zones as well as zones that are more mesophytic, the species makes a good living fence post. The plant grows well in dry regions or land that is not suitable for growing food. E. tirucalli is called petroleum plant because it produces a hydrocarbon substance very much like gasoline. Whole plant harvesting is worthwhile from energy point-of-view with rubber, petroleum, and alcohol as energy products and resins,…

While perusing the news last night, I was horrified to come across a set of articles telling me that less sleep is better for academic performance.  If that’s the case, I should be in tip-top mental shape right now, because the reporting on that study was bad enough to keep me tossing and turning in scientific consternation.  So, in solidarity with sleep-deprived teens everywhere, here’s why those headlines are wrong. First, what does the study in question actually do and find?  The researchers used a large national survey that included students’ standardized test scores, self-…

A French court on Monday said a French farmer suffered neurological problems including memory loss, headaches and stammering after inhaling Lasso weedkiller in 2004. Well, inhaling pesticides and herbicides is bad.  They are poison, even if a French court had not said so. It's what they are designed to do. That will be a real negative for Monsanto, the maker of the weedkiller, right? Maybe, maybe not.  While it opens the door to short-term judgments it will be hard for anti-science hippies to continue to advocate pesticides and herbicides, the synthetic or the 'organic' kind, while…

If you have developed  cough and cold  and asthamatic symptoms due to excessive exposure to differing temperatures and from dust allergies . If you have tried  allopathic medicines and they have helped  you  cure some part of it but some part of it  still continues.  One can try this traditional remedy with some modifications made by me   (   However one should confirm that one does not have pathological infection in chest as per x ray reports and doctors advice) Once  it is  confirmed that   there is no other chest problem one can…

Some time I get queries from the readers of Science2.0 blogs and I feel encouraged that my blogs are read across the world. Some time people ask for advice also for their thesis work or literature etc. Through this I wish to answer in general only and specific answers I can give to individuals  1. How much Ocimum sanctum one can take ?  Ocimum sanctum is a sacred plant and traditionally all Hindu families or at least those at place of worship or religious minded families should has this small plant in their house. Some time they call it courtyard plant. I have this…

Last week I was introduced to an intriguing little brain game that could very well prevent Alzheimer's disease, with the nice side effect of helping to save the world.  The game was demonstrated no less than three times by a commenter on a previous article reading between the lines of some recent science-related news. What is this new Alzheimer's-busting miracle brain game?  Before laying out rules, let's look at an example from the comments: "To opponents who insist no pollution can change the atmosphere, it's important to make the example of inserting 'taxes' for…

This Sunday I had nice discussion with Dr Sameer Agarwal our close relative and a senior Pathologist from Jaipur and he showed me some papers on the role of leaf extract from Papaya curing/ improving platelet counts. I have read as Botanist that many latex bearing plants are used in traditional medicine to cure different ailments . Day long we discussed on the mechanism of enhancement of platelet counts in patients in Malaysia . In Malaysia, many people take papaya leave juice to increase platelet count when they get dengue fever. It’s a fact that, to date, there’s no known medical cure for…

The membersof sub family Papilionaceae are herbs, shrubs or trees found in all climates but mostly between and near the tropics and are more abundant in the old than in the New World. The family includes the greatest number of Legumes, comparising 400 genera with about 7000 species. It is an extremely important family and its members yield nutritious food, fiber,shelter, valuable  medicines and also virulent poisons (Datta and  Kumar ,1985).       Cassia fistula belonging to Leguminosae family, is widely used for its medicinal properties, its main property being that…

Ethnopharmacognosy           Includes the study of traditional concepts or methods for distinguishing between various plant parts such as bark, leaves, seeds, tubers, etc. and indigenous ways of  distinction, if any, between the quality of such products from collections indifferent seasons or situations.           Most of the drug plants are wild and only a few of them have been cultivated. Studies of medicinal plants based on ancient literature and its investigation in the modern light is known as…

The debate over the actual benefit of antioxidants may be ongoing but the studies keep coming in. Regardless of cardiovascular disease medical history, Swedish women who ate an antioxidant-rich diet had fewer strokes, shows the results of a new survey. Oxidative stress is an imbalance between the production of cell-damaging free radicals and the body's ability to neutralize them. It leads to inflammation, blood vessel damage and stiffening. Antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids and flavonoids can inhibit oxidative stress and inflammation by scavenging the free radicals.…