Public Health

Though Cassia consists of large number of plants but during present investigation Cassia senna and Cassia occidentalis were examined.    Cassia senna :- It is known by different names in Hindi : Bhuikhakhasa, Hindisana and Sonamukhi ; English : Alexandrian, Bombay, or Tinnevelly senna ; Sanskrit : Bhumiari, Pitapushpi, Swarnamukhi, swarnapatrika ;  Rajasthan : Senna.   The plant is a variable, branching, erect shrub, upto 1.8 m in height.  Leaves pinnate pubescent, leaflets pale green to bluish green, 3 to 9 pairs, lanceolate or elliptic, varying on…

Plants in folk medicines :- Herbs have been used in India since the time immemorial for curing diseases of man and his cattle . During the Vedic period ( 2000 B.C. – 800 B.C. ) ‘ Vrikshayurveda’ written by Parasar was a text-book for pre-medical students. In Europe, According to Arber (1938), the use of plants for curing diseases was advocated during the age of herbals which lasted from 1470 – 1670 A.D. Phillipus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus of Hohen-hein , popularly known as Paracelsus ( 1493 – 1541 ) advocated the use of herbs for curing diseases . According to this Doctrine of…

Medicinal plants used in traditional medicinal system India due to its unique variety of geographical and climatic factors had a rich and varied flora of medicinal plants. No wonder that out of a total number of over 15,000 plant species in India, about 2000 are known to have medicinal properties and some of them are used even as home remedies in the rural and remotest parts of our country (Arora, 1985). Ethnobotany The glimpses of Indian ethnobotany by Jain (1981) and the Bibliography of ethnobotany by Jain (1964) form the first books of the subject in India. Of the several field workers…

Scientific Name Cassia fistula Linn. Family Caesalpiniaceae (Fabaceae) Used Part Root. Distribution Area A deciduous medium-sized tree, occurring in deciduous forests throughout the greater part of India, ascending up to an altitude of 1,220 m in the sub- Himalayan tract and outer Himalayas. Common Uses . The root and its bark possess astringent, tonic, febrifugal, and purgative properties. The aqueous extract of the rootbark exhibits anti-inflammatory activity. The root is useful in cardiac disorders, biliousness, rheumatic condition, haemorrhages, wounds, ulcers and…

Scientific Name Myristica fragrans Houtt. Family Myristicaceae Used Part Seeds Distribution Area - In India, it is grown in Madras State (Nilgiris, Coimbatore, Salem, Ramanathapuram, Tirunelveli, Kanyakumari and Madurai districts); a few trees are found in various localities in Kerala, Assam and other States.   Common Uses . Nutmeg and mace constitute the herbal drug `Prajana' claiming neurological activity. The drug is said to reduce spontaneous locomotor activity in a dose-dependent manner without affecting forced locomotor activity. It potentiates phenobarbitone sleeping…

Ocimum genus contains between 50 to 150 species of herbs and shrubs from the tropical regions of Asia (Bailey, 1924 and Darrah 1980). Plants have square stems, fragrant opposite leaves and whorled flower on spiked inflorescence (Darrah ,1980).The essential oil of basil extracted via steam distribution from the leaves and flavouring tops are used to flavour foods, dental and oral products, in fragrances and in traditional rituals and medicines (Guenther 1949 and Simon et al 1990). Extracted essential oils have also been shown to contain biologically active constituents that are insecticidal…

Scientific Name Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers. Family Menispermaceae Used Part Stem Distribution Area A large, glabrous, deciduous climbing shrub found throughout tropical India, ascending to an altitude of 300m. Common Uses . T. cordifolia is mentioned in Ayurvedic literature as a constituent of several compound preparations, used in general debility, dyspepsia, fevers and urinary diseases. An application prepared from the plant is used by the tribals in Bihar for fractures.. A decoction of the leaves is used for the treatmet of gout, and young…

Scientific Name Sesamum indicum Linn. syn. S. orientale Linn. Family Pedaliaceae Used Part Seeds Distribution Area An erect, branched or unbranched annual, 60-180 cm. high, cultivated throughout the plains of India and up to an altitude of 1,200 m. Common Uses . Sesamum seeds are considered emollient, diuretic, lactagogue and a nourishing tonic. They are said to be helpful in piles, a paste of the seeds mixed with butter being used in bleeding piles. A decoction of the seed is said to be an emmenagogue and is also given in cough. Combined with linseed, the decoction of…

Scientific Name Elaeocarpus sphaericus (Gaertn.) K. Schum. syn E. ganitrus Roxb. Family Elaeocarpaceae Used Part Fruit, seed kernel. Distribution Area Nepal, Bihar, Bengal, Assam, Madhya Pradesh and Bombay, and occasionally cultivated as an ornamental tree. Common Uses . The fruits are sour thermogenic, appetiser and sedative, and are useful in cough, bronchitis, neuralgia, cephalagia, anorexia, epileptic fits, maniac conditions and other brain disorders, and vitiated conditions of kapha and vata. The fruit stone (seed kernel) is sweet, cooling emollient, cerebral sedative, expectorant,…

Virtually every study in the last two years has blamed neighborhoods for obesity rather than the people who eat too much - but living near a variety of restaurants, convenience stores, supermarkets and even fast food outlets actually lowers your risk for obesity, according to a new study from the University of Utah. Surprisingly, people who live more than a half mile away from any food outlets are the ones who tend to be fatter.   The study suggests that placing restrictions on fast food outlets may not be effective, but that initiatives to increase healthy neighborhood food options…