Herbal medicine 2

INTRODUCTION

                                                Ayurveda-the “Holistic Science”,for a healthy body,mind & soul.A science that enlights facts about ‘Ayu’ or Life.Ayurveda vividly describes about all for finds of Ayu; Hithayu,Ahithayu,Sukhayu & Dukhayu.Great Aacharyas or sages of yore has focused on this science mainly to,

Ø Explain about beneficial & harmful facts about ones being.

Ø To explain causitory factors of various diseases.

Ø To give curative measures for diseases.

                 

                                The science mainly aims at proecting the         

        health of a healthy person & to cure diseases of an ill.

                                Dravyaguna Vijnana is defind as the science the describes in detail about all physicophamacological properties,actions & modes of administration of drugs.the word Dravyaguna Vijnana is a combination of two words, Dravya & Guna , which means a detailed study of Dravya & Guna.In this content , Guna refers to all Rasa , Guna , Veerya & Vipaka of drug.Relation of plants with man is old as mankind & they were with him in all steps of his development.

                                The documentation of plants started from vedic period but they mainly dealt with food articles & very few for medicinal purposes with the development of Ayurveda,the knoeledge about medicinal value of plant developed a lot & the number of drugs for medicinal purposes increased gradually in number.Later , in course of time , man learnt use of animal & mineral drugs also along with herbal  sources.

                                  Samhithas, Nighantus...etc are the main documented sources to know about the medicinal aspects of drugs.Contribution of parasara , needs a special mention in this context regarding his work ‘Vrikshaayurveda’ ,mainly dealing with botanical aspects & classification of good number of plants along with description of characters of each group.

                                

  The history of  Dravyaguna can be divided depending upon time period as ,

Prehistonic period-Pragaithihasika kala(before 1500 BC)

Historic period-Aithihasika kala

Vaidika kala       ( 1500-1000 BC )

Samhitha kala   ( 1000 BC -10 AD )

Nighantu kala    ( 10-18 AD )

Modern period   ( 18 AD onwards )

    Importance  of  Dravyaguna  Vijnana

                                       Drugs not known in terms of names , form & properties & even if known well but applied improperly creates haroc.

                                       Oushadhi sutra is one among three sutras of Ayurveda.Dravya is one among four limbs of treatment (Chikitsa Chathushpada) hence it is very important to study about Dravya.Number of drugs in this universe is quite large 

PHYLLANTHUS EMBLICA L.

Another important Herb

Terminalia belerica

Family – Combretaceae

Vernacular names

English – Belaric myroblan

Hindi – Bibithaki

Vanga – Bayrah

Tamil – Kandricka

Sinhala – Bulu

You Can this tree in Sri Lanka and india

Appearance

Height 50-100 ft

Tough and black color bark

Leaves 2-6” in length                                                                                                                                                   

Small yellow flower

Grey color oval shaped fruit and it contain a seed

Parts used for medicine
Bark

Seeds

Pericarp (outer covering of fruit)

Storage

Choose ripe fruits and remove peel, dry and store in a suitable container

Chemical constituents

Gallic acid

Tannic acid

Glycosides

Topical effects

Reduce pain (pain killing ability)

Reduce swelling

Stop bleeding

For leucoderma

Systemic effects

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Used for

Sedation

Pains

Insomnia

GASTRO INTESTINAL TRACT

Stimulate appetite,

Effective for vomiting

Used to treat hemorrhoids

CARDIO VASCULAR SYSTEM

Stop internal and external bleeding

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Suppress cough

Effective for wheeze, bronchitis and swelling in respiratory system

URINARY SYSTEM

Purify urine

Seed core effective for urine crystals

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Increase the sexual ability

Preparations

Powders

Used to prepare various drugs (Decoction, oils etc..)

No 1 tree in ayurveda

Terminalia chebula

Family – Combretaceae

Vernacular names

English – Chebulic  myroblan

Hindi – Harad hare

Vanga – Harithaki

Tamil – Kandricka

Sinhala – Bulu

This three found in SriLanka and India

Appearance

60-80 ft height

Hard trunk

Leaves are 5-8” in length 2-4” in breadth

Fruit is about 1-1.5” long and contain a seed

Parts using

Pericarp (outer covering of fruit)

Seed

Dried raw fruit

Storage

Choose ripe fruits dried and remove seeds.

Then store in air tight container

Chemical constituents

Tannic acid

Gallic acid

 Chebulinic acid

Yellow and brown coloring agents

Topical effects

When applying the paste,

It reduce pain and swelling

Increase wound healing ability

When there is eye disease apply on eyelids

Systemic effects

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM

Nourish nerves and increase memory

Effective for cerebral and nerve weaknesses   

GASTRO INTESTINAL TRACT

Stimulate appetite,

Correct bowel functions

Stimulate the functions of the liver

Used for treat worms, stomachaches, spleen disease

CARDIO VASCULAR SYSTEM

Effective for weakness in heart, swelling and edema and blood disorders

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM

Effective for cough, hiccough and wheeze

URINARY SYSTEM

Used to treat urinary obstructions, Difficulties in micturition and urinary calculi

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM

Effective for leucorrhea and weaknesses in uterus  

Preparations

Powders

Pills

Decoctions

Oils

People who should avoid using Terminalia chebula      

  Travelers who tired from travelling

      Pregnant women

      Weak people

Terminalia chebula  as tablet

Promotes Appetite, Digestion

• It promotes appetite and helps in digestion.
• As gastrointestinal prokinetic agent. It stimulates the liver and protects it further by expelling the waste excretory products from the intestines.

Indication
Laxative, Constipation, evacuation.

.

Coffee

Coffee and tea are world famous natural drinks. When we consider about coffee can use for number of diseases and 90% of elderly people in the world are daily use it.

Most chemicals in coffee beans effective to body and it also contain the stimulant caffeine.

Earlier some people said that drinking coffee cause harmful effects to body .But it changed now!!

 Scientist proved that drinking coffee is help to prevent cancers, nerve diseases and effective for many diseases.    

 

Nerves and coffee

Caffeine is most famous stimulant which used by people all around the world. Some cola drinks also contain caffeine.

If you drink coffee daily, it help to improve attention, gains your memory. And also it reduce the ability to Parkinson. But people who suffer from Parkinson may not get any effect.

Coffee and Heart attacks

3 cups of coffee per day reduce heart attacks.

Coffee and Diabetes

Prevent risk of diabetes by drinking tea and coffee. But no effect in diabetic patients.

Liver and Coffee

Reduces cirrhosis and destruction of liver due to Hepatitis C.

 Remember…. Drinking coffee is not treatment for cirrhosis, treatment is stop alcohol.

Women and Coffee

Prevent uterine cancers.

Remember,

High intake of coffee may cause,

·         Unconsciousness

·         Osteoporosis

·         Migraine

·         Heart arrhythmia s.

But, if you drink coffee daily in correct suitable amount, make lots of advantages..

Herbal Medicine

There are number of threes, plants, shrubs etc.. using in Ayurveda medicine.
 I hope to describe about those plants. 

Why people used plants ?

• Easy to find in the their living place
• Cheep
• More efficiency

Lots of type drugs can make by using plants,

1. Decoctions
2. Herbal juices
3. Medicinal powders etc..