Botanical Name - Origanum vulgare Category - Aromatic/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Leaves, Flower top General Information - Oregano (Origanum vulgare) is an aromatic herb belonging tothe Lamiaceae family, and commonly occurs throughout Asia,Europe, and northern Africa. In folk medicine, O. vulgare is usedto treat respiratory disorders, dyspepsia, painful menstruation,rheumatoid arthritis, scrofulosis and urinary tract disorders. It isalso used as a culinary herb in gastronomy.3Previous studiesreported the potential of oregano essential oil to preserve food,such as fresh chicken breast meat, sword�sh and octopus. Phytochemicals - Various chemicals found such as Phosphate buffer, trichloroacetic acid, ferric chloride, ascorbicacid, and 2,4,6-tris(2-pyridyl)-s-triazine (TPTZ) were purchasedfrom Fluka (Buchs, Germany); Folin Ciocalteu reagent, gallic acid,-diphenyl-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), potassium hexacyanofer-rate(III), and dimethylsulfoxide, ferrous sulfate, sodium acetate, tryptic soy agar, andplate count agar, sodium car-bonate and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), sodium sulfate anhydrous.
Botanical Name - Plantago ovata Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds, Husk General Information - Psyllium, scientifically known as plantago ovata has gained a reputation as a natural medicinal plant. Psyllium is the common name used for several members of the plant genus Plantago and Plantago ovata, Psyllium husk and Ispaghula husk are other generic name for this imperative plant. The genus Plantago has more than 200 species, which is grown all over the world but P. ovata and P. psyllium are produced commercially in several, American, South Asian and European countries as a major seasonal crop due to its seed mucilage, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food grade properties. Phytochemicals - Blond psyllium husk consists of the ground husk of the psyllium seed (Plantago ovata), a mixture of polysaccharides composed of pentoses, hexoses, and uronic acids. Psyllium is a predominantly soluble fiber, and numerous adult clinical studies have evaluated the effect of psyllium in subjects with constipation.
Botanical Name - Rock Salt(Sendha Namak) Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Salt General Information - Rock salt is a form of coarsely ground sodium chloride. Sodium chloride, or salt, is employed in many industries, as well as used in cooking. It helps set dyes in fabrics and is used in the process of producing detergent and soap as well as being used as grit on roads. Rock salt has a crystalline structure, is used as a desiccant and can also be used as an extinguishing agent. Phytochemicals - Rock salt is a sedimentary rock, which is classified as an evaporate. Naturally occurring rock salt is formed from the evaporation of inland seas. The rock salt contains the minerals found in that particular body of water; mostly sodium, chloride, calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sulfate. These are the major elements found in rock salt. All of these substances are highly soluble in water. Shale is also a sedimentary rock: however, it is classified as a clastic rock layer. Clastic sedimentary rocks are composed predominantly of broken pieces of older weathered and eroded rocks and are classified based on grain size, clastic and cementing material (matrix) composition, and texture. Shale is a fine-grained, clastic sedimentary rock composed of mud that is a mix of flakes of clay minerals and tiny fragments (silt-sized particles) of other minerals, especially quartz and calcite. Many of the minerals that make up shale are insoluble in water. Marcellus Shale is black shale, which is dark, thinly laminated carbonaceous shale, exceptionally rich in organic matter and sulfide and often containing unusual concentrations of certain trace elements such as uranium, vanadium, copper, and nickel.
Botanical Name - Salvia hispanica Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Chia (Salvia hispanica L.) is a small seed that comes from an annual herbaceous plant, Salvia hispanica L. In recent years, usage of Chia seeds has tremendously grown due to their high nutritional and medicinal values. Chia was cultivated by Mesopotamian cultures, but then disappeared for centuries until the middle of the 20th century, when it was rediscovered. Today, chia has been analyzed in different areas of research. Researches around the world have been investigating the benefits of chia seeds in the medicinal, pharmaceutical, and food industry. Chia oil is today one of the most valuable oils on the market. Different extraction methods have been used to produce the oil. Phytochemicals- Chia seeds contain healthy 3 fatty acids, polyunsaturated fatty acids, dietary fiber, proteins, vitamins, and some minerals. Besides this, the seeds are an excellent source of polyphenols and antioxidants, such as caffeic acid, rosmarinic acid, myricetin, quercetin, and others.
Botanical Name - Salvia hispanica Category - Super Food Form - Dry Part Used - Seed General Information - Salvia hispanica L. is mainly grown for its seeds and produces white and purple flowers. Chia seeds are generally very small, oval-shaped, 2 mm long, 1 to 1.5 mm wide, and less than 1 mm thick. The color of the seed varies from black, grey, or black spotted to white. Salvia hispanica L. was used beside corn, bean, and amaranth by ancient Mesoamerican cultures.
Botanical Name - Trigonella foenum-graecum Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum) belongs to the family fabaceae. Fenugreek is used both as a herb (the leaves) and as a spice (the seed). It is cultivated world wide as semi-arid crop. In Sudan the seeds have many uses especially in folk medicine. Whole seeds are swallowed as antiacid and against dysentery and stomach disturbances. Also a special porridage (madidat-hilba) is made from wheat flour to which whole or ground fenugreek seeds are added for fattening women. It is also used by lactating women in a form of thin porridge. Seeds of fenugreek spice have medicinal properties such as hypocholesterolemic, lactation aid, antibacterial, gastric stimulant, for anorexia, antidiabetic agent, galactogogue, hepatoprotective effect and anticancer. Phytochemicals - Fenugreek contains a number of chemical constituents including steroidal sapogenins. Diosgenin component has been found in the oily embryo of fenugreek. There are two furastanol glycosides, F-ring opened precursors of diosgenin that have been reported in fenugreek also as hederagin glycosides. Alkaloids such as trigocoumarin, nicotinic acid, trimethyl coumarin and trigonelline are present in stem.
Botanical Name - Tinospora cordifolia Category - Medicinal Form - Fresh/Dry Part Used - Stem General Information - Tinospora cordifolia commonly named as Guduchi in Sanskrit belonging to family Menispermaceae is a genetically diverse, large, deciduous climbing shrub with greenish yellow typical flowers, found at higher altitude. In racemes or racemose panicles, the male flowers are clustered and female are solitary. The flowering season expands over summers and winters. Phytochemicals - A variety of active components derived from the plant like alkaloids, steroids, diterpenoid lactones, aliphatics, and glycosides have been isolated from the different parts of the plant body, including root, stem, and whole plant. Recently, the plant is of great interest to researchers across the globe because of its reported medicinal properties like anti-diabetic, anti-periodic, anti-spasmodic, anti-inflammatory, anti-arthritic, anti-oxidant, anti-allergic, anti-stress, anti-leprotic, anti-malarial, hepatoprotective, immunomodulatory and anti-neoplastic activities.
Botanical Name - Tamarindus indica Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Fresh/Dry Part Used - Fruit General Information - Tamarindus indica is a member of multipurpose, tropical evergreen leguminous species of Caesalpiniaceae subfamily native to Africa and southern Asia. It grows well up to 1500 m above sea level where annual rainfall is above 1500 mm. It can grow in versatile soil conditions. T. indica is very popular for its delicious appetizing fruit. The soft, succulent, juicy ripened pulp usually is used in confectionery and household as an ingredient of chutnies, pickles, curries, preserves, beverages, and sherbets. Phytochemicals - Tamarind fruits have several nutrient values, electrolytes, phytonutrients, vitamins, and minerals. Different components of essential elements, phenolic substances, volatile components, organic acids, fatty acids, antimicrobial activities, antibacterial activities, antioxidative activities, antisnake venom activities, antiinflammatory activities and antidiabetic activities exist with tamarind.
Botanical Name - Syzygium aromaticum Category - Aromatic/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Flower Buds General Information - Syzygium aromaticum (S. aromaticum) (synonym: Eugenia cariophylata) commonly known as clove, is an median size tree (8-12 m) from the Mirtaceae family native from the Maluku islands in east Indonesia. For centuries the trade of clove and the search of this valuable spice stimulated the economic development of this Asiatic region. The antioxidant and antimicrobial activity of clove is higher than many fruits, vegetables and other spices and should deserve special attention. Clove (S. aromaticum) is one of the most valuable spices that have been used for centuries as food preservative and for many medicinal purposes. Phytochemicals - Syzygium aromaticum plant represents one of the richest source of phenolic compounds such as eugenol, eugenol acetate and gallic acid and posses great potential for pharmaceutical, cosmetic, food and agricultural applications. Clove represents one of the major vegetal sources of phenolic compounds as flavonoids, hidroxibenzoic acids, hidroxicinamic acids and hidroxiphenyl propens. Eugenol is the main bioactive compound of clove, which is found in concentrations ranging from 9 - 381.70 to 14 - 650.00 mg per 100 g of fresh plant material
Botanical Name - Acacia catechu Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Bark General Information - "Catechu is an herb. The leaves, shoots, and wood are used to make medicine. Catechu is used for diarrhea, swelling of the nose and throat, dysentery, swelling of the colon (colitis), bleeding, indigestion, osteoarthritis, and cancer. People apply catechu directly to the skin for skin diseases, hemorrhoids, and traumatic injuries; to stop bleeding; and for dressing wounds. Catechu is included in mouthwashes and gargles used for gum disease (gingivitis), pain and swelling inside the mouth (stomatitis), sore throat, and mouth ulcers. In foods and beverages, catechu is used as a flavoring agent." Phytochemicals - Acacia catechu heartwood are rich source of catechin and epicatechin (gallic acid derivatives), with smaller amounts of flavonoids.
Botanical Name - Acacia concinna Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Pod General Information - Acacia concinna has been used traditionally for hair care in the Indian Subcontinent since ancient times. It is one of the Ayurvedic medicinal plants. It is traditionally used as a shampoo [6] and it is also added in synthetic Ayurvedic shampoos. It is widely known as Shikakai. Phytochemicals - In commercial extracts, when the plant is hydrolyzed it yields lupeol, spinasterol, acacic acid, lactone, and the natural sugars glucose, arabinose and rhamnose. It also contains hexacosanol, spinasterone, oxalic acid, tartaric acid, citric acid, succinic acid, ascorbic acid, and the alkaloids calyctomine and nicotine.
Botanical Name - Allium sativum Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Fresh/Dry Part Used - Cloves General Information - Garlic has a long history of usage by mankind for food seasoning. Undoubtedly, garlic has also tremendous health benefits when used as medicine, nutraceutical or simply food as medicine. Furthermore, it has also been proposed as one of the richest sources of total phenolic compounds, among the usually consumed vegetables, and has been highly ranked regarding its contribution of phenolic compounds to human diet. Phytochemicals - Garlic (Allium sativum L.) is a widely consumed spice in the world. Garlic contains diverse bioactive compounds, such as allicin, alliin, diallyl sulfide, diallyl disulfide, diallyl trisulfide, ajoene, and S-allyl-cysteine. Substantial studies have shown that garlic and its bioactive constituents exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antifungal, immunomodulatory, cardiovascular protective, anticancer, hepatoprotective, digestive system protective, anti-diabetic, anti-obesity, neuroprotective, and renal protective properties.
Botanical Name - Amomum subulatum Category - Spices Form - Dry Part Used - Fruit General Information - Amomum subulatum Roxb (Zingiberaceae) is a perennial herb which is cultivated in Sikkim and neighbouring areas. Its fruits are used to treat abdominal disorders, vomiting, problems of throat, liver and lungs and rectal disease. Phytochemicals - Phytochemical investigation of the methanolic extracts of the fruits led to the isolation of three new chemical constituents characterized as n-hexatriacont-16,18-diene, 3-methoxybenzyl octadec-9,12,15 trienoate, and 1,4-naphthoquinone-2-olyl--d-arabinopyranosyl-2-(2,6,10,14 -tetramethylhexadecane)-1-oate along with a glyceride identified as glyceryl-1-linoleate-2,3-dioleate.
Botanical Name - Andrographis paniculata Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Whole Plant General Information - The whole herb is bitter in taste and is source of several diterpenoids of which a bitter water soluble lactone andrographolide is important. The plant is acrid, cooling, laxative, antipyretic, antiperiodic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, sudorific, anthelmintic, digestive and stomachic. It is useful in burning sensation, chronic fever, malaria and intermittent fever, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, skin diseases, intestinal worm, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids and vitiated condition of pitta. The plant is often used as a substitute for Chirayita (Swertia chirayita). Phytochemicals - A number of diterpenoids and diterpenoid glycosides of similar carbon skeleton have been isolated from Andrographis, mainly the most bitter compounds among them are andrographolide, neoandrographolide, deoxyandrographolide. Other such phytochemicals amassed by the plant are 14-deoxyandro -grapholide, 14-deoxy-11,12-didehydroandrographolide, andrographiside, deoxyandrographiside, homoandrogra-pholide, andrographan, andrographon, andro-graphosterin and stigmasterol. The leaves of Andrographis contain the highest amount of andrographolide (2.39%), the most medicinally active phytochemical in the plant, while the seeds contain the lowest. Andrographolide has highly bitter taste, is colorless crystalline in appearance, and possess a "lactone function". Both growing region and seasonal changes have a strong impact on formation of the diterpene lactones. The highest concentration of the active components is found just before the plant blooms, making early fall the best time to harvest.
Botanical Name - Aquilaria agallocha Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Heart Wood General Information - "This plant is a large evergreen tree about 20 meters tall and 1.5-2.4 meters in girth with somewhat straight and fluted bole. Leaves are alternate 0.5-10 cm by 2-5 cm, oblong, lanceolate or elliptic, caudate, acuminate and glabrous with slender nerves. Venation is parallel and petiole is 0.3-0.5 cm long. It is commercially used as fragrant and in prepation of drugs. The tree contains plenty of oleoresin and has irregular dark patches. The wood burns with a bright flame giving off pleasant smell. " Phytochemicals - The chemical constitutes of agarwood originating from the genus Aquilaria, include 2-(2-phenylethyl)-4H-chromen-4-one derivatives, terpenoids, flavonoids etc., in which 2-(2-phenylethyl)-4H-chromen-4-one derivatives and sesquiterpenes are the two predominant constituents in agarwood.
Botanical Name - Balanites aegyptica/Balanites roxburghii Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Leaves, Seed, Bark, Fruit General Information - Balanites aegyptiaca Del., also known as Desert date in English, a member of the family Zygophyllaceae, is one of the most common but neglected wild plant species of the dry land areas of Africa and South Asia. This tree is native to much of Africa and parts of the Middle East. In India, it is particularly found in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, and Deccan. This is one of the most common trees in Senegal. It can be found in many kinds of habitat, tolerating a wide variety of soil types, from sand to heavy clay, and climatic moisture levels Phytochemicals - "Leaves It contains saponin, furanocoumarin, and flavonoid namely quercetin 3-glucoside, quercetin-3-rutinoside; 3-glucoside, 3-rutinoside, 3-7-diglucoside and 3-rhamnogalactoside of isorhamnetin.[40,41] Fruit Mesocarp of fruit contains 1.2 to 1.5% protein and 35 to 37% sugars, 15% organic acids, other constituents like 3-rutinoside and 3-rhamnogalactoside,[42] diosgenin;[43] Root It is reported to contain steroidal saponin about 1% glycosides and major sapogenin is yamogenin"
Botanical Name - Boerhaavia diffusa Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Roots General Information - Boerhaavia diffusa, commonly known as punarnava in Sanskrit, is a herbaceous plant of the family Nyctaginaceae. The whole plant or its specific parts (leaves, stem, and roots) are known to have medicinal properties and have a long history of use by indigenous and tribal people in India. The medicinal value of this plant in the treatment of a large number of human ailments is mentioned in Ayurveda, Charaka Samhita, and Sushrita Samhita. It has many ethnobotanical uses (the leaves are used as vegetable; the root juice is used to cure asthma, urinary disorders, leukorrhea, rheumatism, and encephalitis), and is medicinally used in the traditional, Ayurvedic system. Besides, the B. diffusa plant is reported to posses many pharmacological, clinical, and antimicrobial properties. Phytochemicals- Pharmacological studies have demonstrated that punarnava possesses punarnavoside, which exhibits a wide range of properties â?? diuretic; anti-inflammatory; antifibrinolytic; anticonvulsant; antibacterial; antistress agent; antihepatotoxic; anthelmintic febrifuge, antileprosy, anti-asthmatic, antiscabies, and anti-urethritis; and antinematodal activity. An aqueous extract of thinner roots of B. diffusa at a dose of 2 ml kg-1 exhibited marked protection of various enzymes such as serum glutanicoxaloacetic transaminase, serum glutanic-pyruvic transaminase, and bilirubin in serum against hepatic injury in rats.
Botanical Name - Brassica Alba Category - Spices Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Brassica juncea L. belongs to the mustard family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae) and has numerous common names, such as brown mustard, Chinese mustard, and oriental mustard. The leaves are ovate or obovate, simple and petioled; the flowers of the raceme inflorescences are bisexual, with four free sepals and four yellow petals, along with two longer and two shorter stamens. In China, brown mustard includes the hybrids of Brassica nigra and other Brassica species that have brown seeds, while oriental mustard has yellow seeds. This annual herb originates from the natural hybridization between black mustard (Brassica nigra L. Koch) and turnip mustard (Brassica rapa L.) Phytochemicals- "Black mustard contains about 1% sinigrin (allylÂglucosinolate), a thioglycoside-like compound (a so-called glucosinolate) of ally isothiocyanate with glucose. By action of the enzyme myrosinase, allyl isothiocyanate, a pungent, lachrymatory and volatile compound, is liberated (0.7% of the dried seed). Besides allyl isothiocyanate, in Romanian Brown Mustard another related compound is found, namely crotonyl isothiocyanate (2-butenylisothiocyanate). Isothiocyanates are also the main ingredients of white mustard, horseradish, wasabi, rocket and cress, all of which belong to the same plant family. The more distantly related capers similarly owe their pungency to an isothiocyanate."
Botanical Name - Brassica juncea/Brassica Nigra Category - Spices Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Brassica juncea L. belongs to the mustard family (Brassicaceae or Cruciferae) and has numerous common names, such as brown mustard, Chinese mustard, and oriental mustard. The leaves are ovate or obovate, simple and petioled; the flowers of the raceme inflorescences are bisexual, with four free sepals and four yellow petals, along with two longer and two shorter stamens. In China, brown mustard includes the hybrids of Brassica nigra and other Brassica species that have brown seeds, while oriental mustard has yellow seeds. This annual herb originates from the natural hybridization between black mustard (Brassica nigra L. Koch) and turnip mustard (Brassica rapa L.) Phytochemicals- "Black mustard contains about 1% sinigrin (allylÃ?Âglucosinolate), a thioglycoside-like compound (a so-called glucosinolate) of ally isothiocyanate with glucose. By action of the enzyme myrosinase, allyl isothiocyanate, a pungent, lachrymatory and volatile compound, is liberated (0.7% of the dried seed). Besides allyl isothiocyanate, in Romanian Brown Mustard another related compound is found, namely crotonyl isothiocyanate (2-butenylisothiocyanate). Isothiocyanates are also the main ingredients of white mustard, horseradish, wasabi, rocket and cress, all of which belong to the same plant family. The more distantly related capers similarly owe their pungency to an isothiocyanate."
Botanical Name - Catharanthus roseus Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Leaves, Flower General Information - Catharanthus roseus is a tropical hardy plant grown as a pot ornamental plant for its rosy or white flowers. It is popularly known as Madagascar periwinkle. It is small in size perennial herbaceous evergreen plant that was native to the Madagascar island. The plant has very good tolerance against heat, grows one or two feet high, have glossy, dark green leaves (1-2 inches long) and flowers even in the hot weather. The blooms of the natural wild plants are pale pink with a purple "eye" in their centers, but horticulturists have developed varieties with colors ranging from white to pink to purple. The plant has immense medicinal importance for its alkaloids. All parts of the plant including leaf, root, shoot and stem contains more than 200 alkaloids, which are used for therapeutic purposes against several diseases. The most important alkaloids vinblastine and vincristine are derived from leaves and they exhibits anti-cancer and anti-diabetic property. Another alkaloid rubacine derived from roots is used as hypotensive and anti-arrhythmic agent. Phytochemicals - A wide range of alkaloids has been discovered from C. roseus. More than 130 alkaloids of the indole and the dihydro-indole groups have been isolated and characterized from different plant organs. Vinblastin is very important alkaloid extracted from leaf part of C. roseus.
