Botanical Name - Centratherum Anthelminticum Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - "Kalijiri, Ban jira, Vanyajiraka, Somraji, Bitter cumin are few common names of the seeds of a plant, Centratherum anthelminticum. The word anthelminticum in scientific name, clearly suggests the medicinal usage of the plant, which is to treat parasites. Due to hot, sharp, bitter taste, and strong bad odour, Kalijiri is not used in preparation of food but mainly as medicine. In Ayurveda, they are especially used in the treatment of intestinal parasites, and diseases of the skin. They are also used in the treatment of fever, cough, and diarrhea. In India, the seeds of three plants are known as Kalajiri or Black cumin viz. Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae), Bunium persicum (Umbelliferae), and Centratherum anthelminticum (Asteraceae). Also, there are two species of the plant which are known as Somraji, one is Psoralea corylifolia, and other is Centratherum anthelminticum. Both are used in the treatment of the skin diseases, and leukoderma. In Bengal, mainly Centratherum anthelminticum is referred as Somraji or Bakuchi / Babchi." Phytochemicals - "The major classes of chemical constituent present are glycosides, carbohydrates, phenolic compounds, and tannins, flavanoids, proteins, saponins, sterols, lipids, and fats. The seeds contain about 14.7% carbohydrates, 21.4% fat, 22.5% protein, 29.3% fiber, and 4.9% moisture. The seeds contain fatty acids viz. linoleic acid (50 %), palmitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid. The main active principle of seeds are Delta-7-avenasterol. They also contain demanolide lactone, vernasterol, Sterols, avenasterol, and vernosterol, a bitter principle, essential oil, resins, and fixed oil consisting of myristic, palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, and vernolic acids."
Botanical Name - Nigella Sativa Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Seeds of Nigella sativa (black cumin), a dicotyledonof the Ranunculaceae family, have been used for thousandsof years as a spice and food preservative. Black cumin is anannual herbaceous plant widely grown in the Mediterraneancountries, Middle East, Eastern Europe and Western Asia.The seeds have been added as a spice to a variety of Persianfoods such as bread, yogurt, pickles, sauces and salads. In the Middle East, NorthernAfrica and India, it has been used traditionally for centuriesfor the treatment of asthma, cough, bronchitis, headache,rheumatism, fever, influenza and eczema and for itsantihistaminic, antidiabetic and anti-inflammatory activities. Phytochemicals - The oil and the seed constituents, in particular thymoquinone (TQ), have shown potential medicinalproperties; they exhibit potent anti-inflammatory effectson several inflammation-based models including experi-mental encephalomyelitis, colitis, peritonitis, oedama,and arthritis through suppression of the inflammatory mediators prostaglandins and leukotriens. The oil and active ingredient of TQ showed beneficial immunomodulatory properties, augmenting the T cell andnatural killer cell-mediated immune responses. Most importantly, both the oil and its active ingredients expressed anti-microbial and anti-tumor properties toward different microbes and cancers. Coupling these beneficialeffects with its use in folk medicine, Nigella sativa seed isa promising source for active ingredients that would bewith potential therapeutic modalities in different clinicalsettings. More than 150 studies have been conducted andconfirmed the pharmacological effectiveness of igellasativa seed constituents. Though, Nigella sativa seed is acomplex substance of more than 100 compounds, some ofwhich have not yet been identified or studied.
Botanical Name - Linum usitatissimum Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Linum usitatissimum (Linn.), commonly known as flaxseed or linseed, belongs to the family Linaceae. The flax plant is not a new crop and is native to West Asia and the Mediterranean coastal lands, Asia Minor, Egypt, Algeria, Tunis, Spain, Italy, and Greece; in all these areas, only fiber flax is cultivated. In south-west Asia, including Turkestan, Afghanistan, and India, only oil types are grown. In North America, flaxseed is the preferred term for flax used for human consumption, whereas Europeans use the term linseed for edible flax. Historical records indicate that flaxseed dates back to around 9000â??8000 BC in Turkey, Iran, Jordan, and Syria. Flaxseed is grown in approximately 50 countries, most of which are in the Northern hemisphere. In 2002, Canada was the largest producer of flaxseed, accounting for approximately 33% of the 2 million metric tons produced, followed by China (20%), United States (16%) and India (11%). Phytochemicals - Flaxseed is well-known for the content of chemical compounds with specific biological activity and functional properties: polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) omega-3 family, soluble dietary fibers, lignans, proteins and carbohydrates. However, it is constituted by few levels of adverse health compounds such as Cadmium, protease inhibitors and cyanogenic compounds. Flaxseed is emerging as an important functional food ingredient because provides oil rich in omega-3, digestible proteins, and lignans. In addition to being one of the richest sources of �±-linolenic acid oil and lignans, flaxseed is an essential source of high quality protein and soluble fiber and has considerable potential as a source of phenolic compounds. Flaxseed has nutritional and functional properties. In fact the content of compounds such as polyunsaturated fatty acids, essential amino acids, vitamin E, lignans and dietary fibers makes flaxseed a source to satisfy basic needs in the human diet and health maintenance. Healthy properties are related to anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, anti-carcinogenic activities and to the lowering of cholesterol, the decrease of cardiovascular disease and the prevention of diabetes.
Botanical Name - Linum usitatissimum Category - Super Food Form - Dry Part Used - Seed General Information - "Common flax is thought to be one of the oldest domesticated plants. Flax is grown in 64 countries of the world. Canada, China, India and the USA have the highest shares in the global flaxseed production. Flax is a plant that provides raw material for the food, chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Consumers are increasingly interested in the use of flaxseed in daily diet.
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 - 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 - Foeniculum vulgare Category - Spices/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Foeniculum vulgare Mill. is a biennial medicinal and aromatic plant belonging to the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferaceae). It is a hardy, perennial umbelliferous herb with yellow flowers and feathery leaves. It grows to a height of up to 2.5 m with hollow stems. The leaves grow up to 40 cm long; they are finely dissected with the ultimate segments filiform (thread like) of about 0.5 mm wide. The flowers are produced in terminal compound umbels. The fruit is a dry seed 4â??10 mm long. It is generally considered indigenous to the shores of Mediterranean Sea but has become widely naturalised in many parts of the world especially on dry soils near the sea coast and on the river banks. Some authors distinguish two sub-species of fennel, piperitum and vulgare: sub-species piperitum has bitter seeds, while sub-species vulgare has sweet seeds which are used as flavouring agents in baked goods, meat and fish dishes, ice creams, alcoholic beverages, etc due to their characteristic anise odour. Foeniculum vulgare (Apiaceae) commonly known as fennel is a well known and important medicinal and aromatic plant widely used as carminative, digestive, lactogogue and diuretic and in treating respiratory and gastrointestinal disorders. Its seeds are used as flavourings in baked goods, meat and fish dishes, ice cream, alcoholic beverages and herb mixtures. Phenols, phenolic glycosides and volatile aroma compounds such as trans-anethole, estragole and fenchone have been reported as the major phytoconstituents of this species. Different pharmacological experiments in a number of in vitro and in vivo models have convincingly demonstrated the ability of F. vulgare to exhibit antifungal, antibacterial, antioxidant, antithrombotic and hepatoprotective activities, lending support to the rationale behind several of its therapeutic uses. Phytochemicals- F. vulgare has been reported to contain 6.3% of moisture, 9.5% protein, 10% fat, 13.4% minerals, 18.5% fibre and 42.3% carbohydrates. The minerals and vitamins present in F. vulgare are calcium, potassium, sodium, iron, phosphorus, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin and vitamin C.
Botanical Name - Papaver somniferum Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Poppy plants (Papaver somniferum, Papaver paeoniflorum, Papaver giganteum) are herbaceous annual plants that can grow almost anywhere. Of all the different species, P. somniferum is the most popular due to its beautiful flowers. Moreover, seeds are used for making muffins, breads, and other food. The stems and pods are often used for flower arrangements. Opium is found in the latex (a milky fluid) of unripe pods of poppy plants 1 - 3 weeks after flowering. The milky fluid is collected by incision of green seed pods. Phytochemicals - More than 30 alkaloids have been isolated from P. somniferum out of which three alkaloids morphine, codeine, and noscapine (antitussive) are used directly in therapy. Thebaine is a biosynthetic intermediate of the morphine pathway which is used by the pharmaceutical industry for synthesis of oxycodone, oxymorphone, buprenorphine, and naloxone, an opiate antagonist.
Botanical Name - Pterocarpus santalinus Category - Aromatic/Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Heartwood General Information - Pterocarpus santalinus Linn.f., commonly known as Red sanders, belongs to the family Fabaceae. It is endemic to India and considered globally endangered, with illegal harvest being a key threat. The plant is renowned for its characteristic timber of exquisite color, beauty, and superlative technical qualities. The red wood yields a natural dye santalin, which is used in coloring pharmaceutical preparations and foodstuffs. In the traditional system of medicine, the decoction prepared from the heartwood is attributed various medicinal properties. It has been used in inducing vomiting and treating eye diseases, mental aberrations, and ulcers. The heartwood of Red sanders is known to have antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic, tonic, hemorrhage, dysentery, aphrodisiac, and diaphoretic activities. It has also been used as a cooling agent. Ethanol extract of stem bark was reported to possess anti-hyperglycaemic activity. The wood in combination with other drugs is also prescribed for snake bites and scorpion stings. Phytochemicals - Phytochemical investigations of aqueous and ethanol extracts of stem bark revealed the presence of alkaloids, phenols, saponins, glycosides, flavonoides, triterpenoides, sterols, and tannins. The heart wood contains isoflavone glucosides and two anti-tumour lignans, viz., savinin and calocedrin.
Botanical Name - Sesamum indicum Category - Medicinal Form - Dry Part Used - Seeds General Information - Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is herbaceous annual plant belonging to the Pedaliaceae family. Sesame seed is also known as benniseed (Africa), benne (Southern United States), gingelly (India), gengelin (Brazil), sim-sim, semsem (Hebrew) and tila (Sanskrit). It is one of the worldâ??s important and oldest oilseed crops and has been used extensively for thousands of years as a seed of worldwide significance for edible oil, paste, cake, confectionary purposes and flour due to its highly stable oil contents, nutritious protein (rich in methionine, tryptophan and valine) and savory nutty roasted flavor. Phytochemicals- S. indicum contained significant amounts of flavonoids while the seeds possessed the highest flavonoids levels. Flavonoids belong to a group of polyphenolics compounds. Polyphenols are plant compounds with a high level of antioxidant activity. This activity is due to their ability to ad-sorb, neutralize and quench free radicals. The high content of flavonoids in this plant (4.98-16.12%) might be responsible for its usefulness as a food and herbal drug. Phenols are known as important plant constituents that protect plants from oxidant damage due to their hydroxyl group. The levels of phenol contents in all the parts of S. indicum (0.13-0.016%) were very low.
