Medicinal plants
- 4. • Binomial Name : Aloe Vera • Kingdom : Plantae • Family : Xanthorrhoeaceae • Genus : Aloe • Species : A. Vera Aloe Vera is a stem less or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing to 60–100 cm (24–39 in) tall, spreading by offsets. The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green. The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD. Extracts from Aloe Vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing, or soothing properties.
- 5. • Aloe vera is good for irritated or inflamed skin. • Aloe vera helps in speeding up the process of healing of burns and other wounds. • Aloe vera is good for hydrating, rejuvenating and toning for the skin. • Aloe vera is used on facial tissues where it is promoted as a moisturiser and anti-irritant to reduce chafing of the nose. • Cosmetic companies commonly add sap or other derivatives from Aloe vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, incense, shaving cream, or shampoos. • The species is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of many countries. Aloe vera, called kathalai in Ayurvedic medicine, is used as a multipurpose skin treatment.
- 7. Binomial Name: Syzygium aromaticum Order : Myrtales Family: Myrtaceae Genus: Syzygium Species: S. aromaticum Cloves are the aromatic flower buds of a tree in the family Myrtaceae, Syzygium aromaticum. They are native to the Maluku Islands in Indonesia, and are commonly used as a spice. The clove tree is an evergreen that grows up to 8–12 m tall, with large leaves and sanguine flowers grouped in terminal clusters. The flower buds initially have a pale hue, gradually turn green, then transition to a bright red when ready for harvest. Cloves are harvested at 1.5–2.0 cm long, and consist of a long calyx that terminates in four spreading sepals, and four unopened petals that form a small central ball.
- 8. Cloves are used in the cuisine of Asian, African, and the Near and Middle East, lending flavour to meats, curries, and marinades, as well as complement to fruit such as apples, pears, or rhubarb. Other uses of Clove are to : • Temporarily treat a toothache. • Relieve upper respiratory infections. • Reduce inflammation. • Treat scrapes and bruises. • Improve digestion • Boost insulin function in the body. • Clove oil is used in preparation of some toothpastes, laxative pills, and Clovacaine solution, which is a local aesthetic used in oral ulceration and inflammation.
- 10. Kingdom : Plantae Order : Myrtales Family : Myrtaceae Subfamily: Myrtoideae Tribe : Eucalypteae Genus : Eucalyptus Eucalyptus is a diverse genus of flowering trees and shrubs (including a distinct group with a multiple-stem mallee growth habit) in the myrtle family, Myrtaceae. Members of the genus dominate the tree flora of Australia. There are more than 700 species of eucalyptus, mostly native to Australia, and a very small number are found in adjacent areas of NewGuineaand Indonesia.
- 11. Uses of Eucalyptus: Pulpwood : Eucalyptus is the most common short fibre source for pulpwood to make pulp Eucalyptus globulus (in temperate climates) and the hybrid of Eucalyptus urophyllax Eucalyptus grandis are the most used varieties in papermaking. Eucalyptus oil : Eucalyptus oil is readily steam distilled from the leaves and can be used for cleaning and as an industrial solvent, as an antiseptic, for deodorising, and in very small quantities in food supplements, especially sweets, cough drops, toothpaste, decongestants and mosquito repellents. Honey: The nectar of some eucalypts produces high-quality monofloral honey.
- 13. Binomial name : Azadirachta indica Kingdom : Plantae Division : Magnoliophyta Order : Sapindales Family : Meliaceae Azadirachta Genus : Azadirachta Species : A. indica Azadirachta indica, also known as Neem, Nimtree, and Indian Lilac is a tree in the mahogany family Meliaceae. It is one of two species in the genus Azadirachta, and is native to India and the Indian subcontinent including Nepal, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. Typically growing in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Neem trees now also grow in islands in the southern part of Iran. Its fruits and seeds are the source of neem oil.
- 14. Uses of Neem: Neem leaves are dried in India and placed in cupboards to prevent insects eating the clothes and also while storing rice in tins. Neem leaves are dried and burnt in the tropical regions to keep away mosquitoes. These leaves are also used in many Indian festivals like Ugadi. Products made from Neem trees have been used in India for over two millennia for their medicinal properties. Neem products are believed by Ayurvedic practitioners to be, antifungal, antidiabetic, antibacterial and antiviral. It is considered a major component in Ayurvedic and Unani medicine and is particularly prescribed for skin diseases. Neem oil is also used for healthy hair, to improve liver function, detoxify the blood, and balance blood sugar levels. Neem leaves have also been used to treat skin diseases like eczema, psoriasis, etc. Neem extracts have also been used in cosmetics, repellants, honey, soaps and lubricants.
- 16. Binomial name : Ocimum tenuiflorum Kingdom : Plantae Division : Asterids Order : Lamiales Family : Lamiaceae Genus : Ocimum Species : O. tenuiflorum Ocimum tenuiflorum, also known as Ocimum sanctum, Holy basil, or tulasī, is an aromatic plant in the family Lamiaceae which is native to the Indian Subcontinent and widespread as a cultivated plant throughout the Southeast Asian tropics. It is an erect, much branched subshrub, 30–60 cm tall with hairy stems and simple opposite green or purple leaves that are strongly scented. Leaves have petioles and are ovate, up to 5 cm long, usually slightly toothed. The flowers are purplish in elongate racemes in close whorls.
- 17. Uses of Tulasi : • Tulasi is cultivated for religious and medicinal purposes, and for its essential oil. It is widely known across the Indian Subcontinent as a medicinal plant and an herbal tea and has an important role within the Vaishnavite tradition of Hinduism, in which devotees perform worship involving holy basil plants or leaves. • Tulasi has been used for thousands of years in Ayurveda for its diverse healing properties. It is mentioned in the Charaka Samhita, an ancient Ayurvedic text. Tulsi is considered to be an adaptogen,balancing different processes in the body, and helpful for adapting to stress. Marked by its strong aroma and astringent taste, it is regarded in Ayurveda as a kind of "elixir of life" and believed to promote longevity. • Tulasi extracts are used in ayurvedic remedies for a variety of ailments. Traditionally, tulasi is taken in many forms: as herbal tea, dried powder, fresh leaf or mixed with ghee. Essential oil extracted from Karpoora tulasi is mostly used for medicinal purposes and in herbal cosmetics, and is widely used in skin preparations and for fever, colds and infections.
- 19. Binomial name : Curcuma longa Kingdom : Plantae Order : Zingiberales Family : Zingiberaceae Genus : Curcuma Species : C. longa Turmeric is a rhizomatous herbaceous perennial plant of the ginger family, Zingiberaceae. It is native in southeast India. Turmeric is ground into a deep orange-yellow powder commonly used as a spice in Indian cuisine and even curries, for dyeing, and to impart colour to mustard condiments. One active ingredient in it is curcumin. It has a distinctly earthy, slightly bitter, slightly hot peppery flavour and a mustardy smell. Curcumin may treat: cancer, Alzheimer's disease, diabetes, allergies, arthritis and other chronic illnesses.
- 20. Turmeric grows wild in the forests of South and Southeast Asia. It is one of the key ingredients in many Asian dishes. Its use as a colouring agent is not of primary value in South Asian cuisine. In Tamil Nadu, turmeric has been used traditionally for thousands of years as a remedy for stomach and liver ailments, as well as topically to heal sores, basically for its supposed antimicrobial property. turmeric was a medicine for a range of diseases and conditions, including those of the skin, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal systems, aches, pains, wounds, sprains, and liver disorders. A fresh juice is commonly used in many skin conditions, including eczema, chicken pox, shingles, allergy, and scabies The active compound curcumin is believed to have a wide range of biological effects including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti tumour, antibacterial, and antiviral activities, which indicate potential in clinical medicine. In Chinese medicine, it is used for treatment of various infections and as an antiseptic.
- 21. By- Chaithanya Krishnamoorthy Class :10 Roll. No. : 1044