Medicinal plants

Medicinal plants

A medicinal plant is a plant that has similar properties as conventional pharmaceutical drugs. Humans have used them throughout history to either cure or lessen symptoms from an illness. A pharmaceutical drug is a drug that is produced in a laboratory to cure or help an illness.

Importance of medicinal plants

The medicinal plants find application in pharmaceutical, cosmetic, agricultural and food industry. The use of the medicinal herbs for curing diseases has been documented in history of all civilizations. Man in the pre-historic era was probably not aware about the health hazards associated with irrational therapy.

With the honest of research in medicine, it was concluded that plants contain active principles, which are responsible, for curative action of the herbs.

Eight popular medicinal plants

1.Bael:

Extract of the leaves of this very familiar tree helps cure diarrhea,dysentery, constipation.

2.Tulsi:Once a common sight at

the courtyard of every Indian household, tulsi or basil leaves can cure cough, cold, bronchitis and loss of appetite. The plant is the most widely used herbal expectorant in the world.

3.Peppermint or pudina: 

The plant's leaves are popular mainly due to their taste. However, its medicinal values like curing indigestion and healing bruises are also not to be overlooked.

4.Henna or Mehndi:  

The answer is simple and obvious - mehndi helps cure burns.

5.Neem

Ayurveds have documented this plant as one of the most valuable herb. The extract of its leaves work as a sedative and cure,analgesic,epilepsy, hypertension.

6.Cinnamon:Another popular expectorant,

dalchini or cinnamon helps cure pulmonary problems such as bronchitis, asthma, and even cardiac disorder and fever.

7.Lavender

The flower is widely appreciated for its smell. However, it also eases pain, and when applied to cuts and bruises, it functions as an antiseptic.

8.Marigold:

Popularly known as gaenda, marigold extract is good for sunburn, acne, and blemishes. This medicinal herb also soothes ulcers and helps cure digestive problems.

Medicinal plants : in our daily life

1.TurmericTurmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native to southern Asia, requiring temperatures between 20 and 30 °C and a considerable amount of annual rainfall to thrive.Scientific name: Curcuma longaRank: Species

2. cuminCumin is a flowering plant in the

family Apiaceae, native from the east Mediterranean to South Asia. Its seeds are used in the cuisines of many different cultures, in both whole and ground form.Scientific name:Cuminum cyminumRank: Species

3.onionThe onion, also known

as the bulb onion or common onion, is a vegetable and is the most widely cultivated species of the genus Allium

4. GarlicGarlic is a species in the

onion genus, Allium. Its close relatives include the onion, shallot, leek, chive, and Allium chinense.Scientific name: Allium sativumRank: Species

5.Curry leafThe curry tree is a tropical to

sub-tropical tree in the family Rutaceae, which is native to India and Sri Lanka. Its leaves are used in many dishes in India, Sri Lanka, and neighbouring countries.Scientific name: Murraya koenigiiRank: Species

6. MustadThe Wild Mustard is an annual

that grows wild in most parts of the country.It is a plant that grows upright to a height of 30-90 cm.,has an unpleasant smell,and belongs to the plant family Capparidaceae.The whole plant is covered with glandular and simple hairs.

The coconut tree is a member of the family Arecaceae and the only species of the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the whole coconut palm or the seed, or the fruit, which, botanically, is a drupe, not a nut.

7. coconut

8. GingerGinger is a flowering plant whose

rhizome, ginger root or simply ginger, is widely used as a spice or a folk medicine. It is a herbaceous perennial which grows annual stems about a meter tall bearing narrow green leaves and yellow flowers. Scientific name: Zingier officinaleRank: Species

9.PepperBlack pepper is a flowering

vine in the family Piperaceae, cultivated for its fruit, which is usually dried and used as a spice and seasoning. When dried, the fruit is known as a peppercorn.Scientific name: Piper nigrumRank: Species

There are more medicinal plant grow  in our country. But all plants have not medicinal effect. Some plants have toxicity. So we should be careful when using medicinal plant. Use of medicinal plants are beneficial for future.

Thank you

RAHANA .NKKSTC