Friday, October 2, 2009

MEDICINAL VALUES OF INDIAN SPICES AND HOME REMEDIES

MEDICINAL VALUES OF INDIAN SPICES AND HOME REMEDIES



ASAFOETIDA

Botanical name: Ferula Asafoetida.
Other names: Hing.
Used part: Oleo-gum Resin from rhizome and thickened root.
Remedy for: Indigestion and used as antibiotic.
Home remedies: A pinch of asafoetida dissolved in water can be taken before going bed for any indigestion problem. Grind asafoetida, rock salt, small harad and caraway seeds in equal amounts. Taken 3 spoonfuls thrice a day relieves dyspepsia.



CAROM SEED

Botanical name: Trachyspermum ammi.
Other names: Ajwain, Bishop’s Weed and Omum.
Used part: Small fruits, incorrectly called seeds.
Remedy for: Indigestion and Cold.
Home remedies: These seeds soaked in water overnight and taken morning in empty stomach relieves indigestion.
If the crushed seeds are tied in a bundle and inhaled it relieves the nasal congestion. The seeds can be put in boiled water and fumes can be inhaled in for adults.




cardamom

Botanical name: Elettaria cardamomum (Green cardamom) and Amomum subulatum (Black cardamom).
Other names: Choti Elachi (green) and Badi Elachi (Black)
Used part: Seeds.
Remedy for: Digestive Disorder, Bad Breath and depression.
Home remedies: Ground Cardamom with Ginger, Cloves and coriander relieves indigestion problem.
Cardamom chewed regularly removes bad breath.
Cardamom Tea gives a pleasing aroma and cures depression.





CINNAMON

Botanical name: Cinnamomum verum, Cinnamomum zeylanicum, Cinnamomum cassia and Cinnamomum burmannii.
Other names: Dalchini, Pattai
Used part: Stem Bark.
Remedy for: Pimples, common cold, Bad breath and Digestive Disorders.
Home remedies: Paste of Cinnamon powder with fresh lemon juice applied on pimples cures it.
Powdered and boiled Cinnamon in water with a pinch of pepper and honey cures digestive disorder and cold.
To avoid Bad breath, chew Cinnamon or gargle cinnamon water.





CLOVES

Botanical name: Syzygium aromaticum.
Other names: Lavangam.
Used part: Buds.
Remedy for: Eye Stye (an infection of the sebaceous glands at the base of the eyelashes), Dental problems.
Home remedies: Apply clove oil on the eye lids to get relief from pain and infection in a week.
Gargle diluted clove oil daily to ease the throat and relieves from any dental problem.





CORIANDER

Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum.
Other names: Dhania.
Used part: Leaves, fruits and Root.
Remedy for: Skin Disorders, Menstrual Disorders
Home remedies: Coriander juice with pinch of Turmeric powder cures Pimples, Black Heads and Dry Skin.
Coriander with boiled rice water or coriander powder boiled with water till it remains half amount checks excessive bleeding during menses.




CUMIN SEEDS

Botanical name: Cuminum cyminum.
Other names: Jeera, jeeragam.
Used part: Fruits.
Remedy for: Stomach worms, Burns, insect Bites and Piles.
Home remedies: Cumin taken with water at night kills worms.
Paste of cumin and dry ginger applied on insect bites eliminates poison.
Cumin powder and Black pepper powder with honey stops pain and cures piles.



FENNEL

Botanical name: Foeniculum vulgare.
Other names: Saunf/Sanchal
Used part: Fruits
Remedy for: Lice
Home remedies: When Fennel paste is applied over the scalp it acts as an insecticide.




FENUGREEK

Botanical name: Trigonella foenum-graecum.
Other names: Methi, vendhayam
Used part: Leaves and Seeds
Remedy for: Dandruff
Home remedies: After softening them in water apply it to the scalp. After an hour wash with soap nut.




GARLIC

Botanical name: Allium sativum.
Other names: Lahsun, poondu
Used part: The underground head called bulb
Remedy for: Asthma, Cholesterol
Home remedies: Three cloves of Garlic boiled in milk can be taken every night which gives relief from asthma.
Drinking glassful milk boiled with Garlic every day reduces cholesterol level.






Ginger

Botanical Name: Zingiber officinale.
Other names : Adrak and Inji.
Used part : Fleshy Rhizome.
It is also available in sun dried form.
Remedy for : Nausea, Vomiting, Diarrhea and Cold.
Home remedies: Ginger Juice mixed with lime and mint juices and honey is a remedy for Nausea and vomiting.
Ginger Tea and hot ginger juice with honey are good for cold and cough.


HOLY BASIL

Botanical name : Ocimum tenuiflorum, Occimum sanctum
Other names : Tulsi
Used part : Leaves
Remedy for : Cold, Cough, Teeth Disorders, Skin diseases.
Home remedies: Applying basil and lemon juice in equal proportion cures any kind of skin diseases.
Dried and powdered Basil leaves can be used to brush teeth. It avoids Bad Breath and disorders.
Ginger and Basil juice with honey cures cold and cough.



LONG PEPPER

Botanical name : Piper longum
Other names : Thippali
Used part : Fruits.
Remedy for : Flu
Home remedies: Half a teaspoon of Long Pepper and ginger juice with two teaspoons of honey taken thrice daily during initial stages of flu will help greatly.





MINT

Botanical name : Mentha arvensis, Mentha asiatica
Other names : Pudina
Used part : Leaves
Remedy for : Skin diseases, Hiccups
Home remedies: Fresh Mint juice and papaya juice cures many skin disorders including spots, insect stings, eczema, scabies or other skin infections.
Mixture of Fresh lemon juice, Mint leaves, common salt and lukewarm water reduces Hiccups immediately.







MUSTARD

Botanical name : Brassica nigra (Black), Brassica juncea (Indian), Brassica hirta/Sinapis alba(white).
Other names : Rai, Sarson, Kadugu
Used part : Seeds
Remedy for : Wheezing.
Home remedies: Mustard plaster is very famous in stopping wheezing. Mix a half teaspoon of mustard powder and 1 teaspoon of flour with water. Warm the mixture. Spread this mixture in a cotton towel and place the pack on the patient’s chest. Remove this when the skin becomes red. It provides good first aid for any respiratory disorders.



NUTMEG AND MACE

Botanical name : Myristica argenta, Myristica fragrans, Myristica inutilis, Myristica malabarica, Myristica macrophylla, Myristica otoba, Myristica platysperma
Other names : Nutmeg- Jaiphal, Jathikai
Mace-Javitri
Used part : Nutmeg-Kernel of the fruit.
Mace-Aril part, leathery tissue between the stone and the pulp
Remedy for : Skin diseases
Home remedies: Nutmeg paste prepared by rubbing it on a stone slab can be applied on the infected area.



PEPPER

Botanical name : Piper nigrum.
Other names : Kali mirchi, Milagu
Used part : Dried fruits
Remedy for : Toothaches, Digestive Disorders.
Home remedies: A pinch of Pepper powder with clove oil can put directly to the cavity to stop toothache.
Powdered pepper and salt mixture can be massaged over the gums to cure inflammation.
Pepper powder mixed with Buttermilk can be taken during indigestion.



SESAME SEEDS

Botanical name : Sesamum indicum.
Other names : Til, Ellu
Used part : Dried Seeds
Remedy for : Cracked heels, Menstrual Disorders.
Home remedies: Three teaspoons of Beeswax and one teaspoon of sesame oil. Warm it and apply on the cracked heels. Expected result will show up in a month.
Half a teaspoon of sesame seeds taken twice a day reduces spasmodic pain during menstruation.



TURMERIC

Botanical name : Curcuma longa
Other names : Haldi, Manjal
Used part : Rhizome
Remedy for : Sprains, Measles
Home remedies: Turmeric paste with lime juice and Salt applied over the sprain gives effective result.
Dried turmeric powder with honey and bitter gourd leaf juice can be taken as treatment for measles.

6 comments:

  1. Dear Ankita,
    This post on Herbal information & remedies is amazing! Keep up the good work!
    Mariya

    ReplyDelete
  2. Being a warming herb, ginger can help knock out a fever. This property also makes it effective in stimulating circulation of the blood. It can also help relax muscles around the blood vessels and is said to help prevent blood clots from forming.

    ReplyDelete
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  5. great aticle! Really good write-up, good thing you have included Turmeric

    ReplyDelete