Medicinal plants and their extracts are used as medicine for the treatment of different diseases. There are various uses of medicinal plants and these are frequently used in cosmetics, pharmaceutical and the food industry. We all use these medicinal plants in some form in our daily life and our health is dependent on them one way or the other. Many researchers are conducting researches to find out the effectiveness of a number of different medicinal herbs for the treatment of various diseases as natural treatment is still considered a first resort due to its lessened side effects. Some of the most effective medicinal plants are outlined below:
1. Aloe Vera. This plant is effective for treating sunburn, inflammation, arthritis, ulcer or stomach ache and diabetes. It is available in the market in the form of juice and gel. You can apply the Aloe Vera gel on your skin for cuts, spots, minor burns or skin irritations. Whereas, the juice of this medicinal plant is used to treat the internal problems of the body. You can easily grow this plant at your home and use it by directly cutting a piece of it and apply its gel on your skin.
2. Garlic. Mostly people think of this herb as only usable in cooking or for garnishing the food. But it is an effective antibiotic if used in raw form. Garlic is also effective for cardiovascular system if used as a part of different dishes because it naturally contains such agents which help in the enlargement of blood vessels and induce relaxation in the body which improves circulation of the blood in whole body.
3. Ginkgo Biloba. This medicinal plant is also known as “brain herb” as it improves the concentration and it is also used for short term memory retention by some students and men of old age. Other than that it is effective in treating dementia and Alzheimer’s disease because it improves the flow of blood to the brain and it also reduces the feeling of depression.
4. Sage. Sage has been used for centuries. In many different countries different people are using it for treating different kinds of problems. It is taken in the form of tea for sore throats and cough. Many researchers have found it effective in the cure of rheumatism, sharpening of senses, improvement of memory, and menstruation bleeding.
5. Pepper Mint. This plant is a part of our daily cooking routine but a few people actually know that it is also used as a medicinal plant. This plant has found to be effective for treating indigestion and it helps in relaxing the muscles of digestive track. It can be taken in different forms like in raw form, it can be cooked and its juice can also be used to drink. Medicinal plants have proved to be really effective in treating a number of diseases and these are easily available as well. You can grow these plants in your garden as well as use them in your daily life for generally better health.
Varicose veins occur in the legs and not only look ugly as they grow bigger, but also make movement uncomfortable. Treatment for your varicose veins will be determined by what kind of symptoms that you have and how much pain you are in. Varicose veins can be treated through sclerotherapy. This is a medical procedure for removal of varicose veins and spider veins. Sclerotherapy basically requires injecting a special chemical known as sclerosant precisely into the damaged vein.
This procedure will close your veins that are varicose and also reroute your blood so your blood will travel in veins that are in better shape. Sclerotherapy is normally done in a doctor’s chamber and the entire treatment session takes anything between five minutes and an hour depending on the number of varicose veins that are being treated. Although, there are several benefits of using sclerotherapy for treating varicose veins, sclerotherapy is inexpensive compared to surgery.
Removal of varicose vein through this medical procedure does not require the patient to be admitted to hospital. At the same time, vein removal using sclerotherapy enables a person to return to work and normal activities much quickly. So, sclerotherapy also diminishes symptoms and improves the appearance of the skin in eighty five percent of people who have smaller varicose veins. However, using sclerotherapy for removal of varicose veins is associated with certain side effects.
Removal of vein by administering aethoxysklerol injections often change the color of the skin along the cured varicose veins. While the discoloration may cause a permanent scar in some people using aethoxysklerol injections, in others it may take six months to a year to fade away. Patients using sclerotherapy for removal of varicose veins may also experience pain, bruising, itching and blistering at the site where the aethoxysklerol injections have been administered.
In the event aethoxysklerol injection is shot outside the varicose veins, it may result to ulcers or death of the tissues around the area. Sclerotherapy may also lead to blood clots or injure the deep vein system. One of the major risks of using sclerotherapy for removal of varicose veins is the failure of the treatment to put off the return of varicose veins at a later stage. Under these circumstances, people begin to train their eyes to natural plant medicine.
Natural medicine can be said to exist with the existence of human society, which was the main therapeutic agent of human diseases before the 18th century. With the rapid development of modern medicine and chemical pharmaceutical industry in the 19th century, natural medicine gradually lost people’s attention to shrink and this situation was more serious in the western world. Natural medicine awaked in the calling of “back to nature” all over the world and has improved and developed greatly.
The use of medicinal plants is taking an increasingly greater role in the treatment of venous insufficiency as conventional medicine has few effective solutions. Powerless, and faced with treatment failures, some doctors are actively seeking alternative effective treatments to resolve this inadequacy. Created by competent scientists, medicinal plant treatments provide real opportunities to safely eliminate varicose veins with encouraging measurable results.
Plant medicine has ability to rapidly absorb into cell membranes to promote venous circulation at concentration much lower than those in other treatments. In addition, they provide total systemic support, a combination which explains their dynamic effectiveness. This treatment is very specialized and far superior to all others. They provide a well established means to defeat varicose veins. To learn more, please go to http://www.naturespharma.org.
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To treating varicose veins, several methods have been performed from the more invasive saphenous stripping, to less invasive procedures like ambulatory phlectomy and CHIVA. Stripping consists of removal of all or part the saphenous vein main trunk. The complications include deep vein thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and wound complications including infection. CHIVA is an acronym from the scientific paper. CHIVA relies on a hemodynamic impairment assessed by data and evidences depicted through ultrasound dynamic venous investigations.
The clinical symptoms of venous insufficiency are not the cause but the consequence of various abnormalities of the venous system. A varicose vein being overloaded, may be dilated not only because of valvular incompetence but because of a venous block or arterio-venous fistulae and so the treatment has to be tailored according the hemodynamic features. It generally consists in one to four small incisions under local anaesthesia in order to disconnect the varicose veins from the abnormal flow due to valvular incompetence which dilates them.
This method leads to an improvement of the venous function in order to cure the symptoms of venous insufficiency as varicose veins, legs swelling, and ulcers. It can prevent varicose recurrence due to progressive enlargement of collateral veins which replace and overtake the destroyed veins and preserve the superficial venous capital for unpredictable but possible need for coronary or leg artery vital by-pass which increases with aging. CHIVA definitely falls into a research category and should be continued as such until sufficient evidence of its validity is generated.
The best available publication of CHIVA outcomes that meets current methodological standards is a study where a long term randomized trial CHIVA vs stripping restricted to Shunt I varicose configurations. That is the reason why only thirty to thirty-five percent of patients with varicose veins can be treated with CHIVA despite there being some bias in the selection of patients favoring CHIVA. There were recurrent varices in eighteen percent of cases treated by CHIVA vs thirty eight percent treated by Stripping which is so far the gold standard treatment of varicose veins.
According to medical knowledge, the advantage of western medicines is that they have clear healing efficacy and powerful lethal effect to infectious agent because they are usually chemical substances. Yet at the same time, as western medicines have certain side effect more or less, some present toxic side effect obviously and even can cause serious drug-induced diseases and drug resistance. It is thus clear that western medicines cause serious harm to the body at the time of dealing with animal diseases. The toxicity issue of western medicines is an increasing concern.
Plant medicine for varicose veins not only has a direct astringent effect against varicose veins but provides total systemic support. Plant medicine can also be an all natural dietary supplement for the treatment of varicose veins and venous insufficiency. It can enhance venous circulation, strengthen immune parameters and safely act as a blood decongestant, thereby systemically unraveling twisted veins causing varicose veins. Plant medicine has shown beneficial to prevent time-consuming, painful, and expensive complications of varicose veins.
Natural drugs are not for destroying enemy but for mobilizing autologous tissue or self-recovery capability. Additionally, natural drugs have an effect to improve effect and decrease toxicity by compatibility of medicines and reduce side effect further. Natural drugs are emerging all over the world. The botanical extracts in plant medicine have been shown to improve microcirculation, capillary flow, and vascular tone, and to strengthen the connective tissue of the perivascular amorphous substrate. To learn more, please go to http://www.naturespharma.org.
staff of Nature Power Company, which is a network company dedicated to promoting customers\’ websites and developing softwares. You can go to the following websites to learn more about our natural organic products. http://www.naturespharma.org
Do you have a fungal infection on your nails? Nail fungus is a fungal infection of the nail also known as onychomycosis in the medial world. If you do have then you may wonder how you get it. You are always washing your hands and making sure that personal hygiene is of the upmost. However, continual washing makes no difference and is not a way to guarantee the prevention of the infection at all and could actually make matters worse. The fungus is rather contagious and calls for nail fungus treatments.
One of the main reasons why a fungal nail infection will occur is down to a dermatophyte fungus. The infection itself is called onychomycosis and is also the same kind of fungus that generally causes athletes foot and many other skin conditions on hands and feet. One of the main places where you may have picked up this infection is in the changing rooms of a gym or swimming pool. Think about how many times you have also put your hands on these surfaces and then you will realize how easy it is to pick up such a nasty infection.
If the infection is in the feet then you may have picked it up by having bare feet and if the infection is on the hands then this could be left when you touch the sides of the pool or the cubicles when you get changed. You can also get it from shaking hands with someone infected and many other ways. All the cases call upon nail fungus treatments to solve the problem. If people with the fungal nail infection are not aware that they have the problem and therefore not be using nail fungus treatments to correct the problem, then you can get the same infection potentially by contacting with them.
Talk to your dermatologist, he or she will provide you with the necessary information you need about nail fungus and how you can prevent it. Prevention is best to avoid nail fungus but if the fungus does occur, you must take nail fungus treatments to solve the problem. Prescribed oral medications are effective which must be taken for several months. However, these medications can have harmful side effects including headaches, upset stomach, liver damage and rashes. Natural remedies are supposedly helpful in treating finger nail fungus.
Some essential oils can treat nail fungus initially. Aside from curing finger nail fungus, these natural oils have other benefits in the overall health. The use of medicinal plants is taking an increasingly greater role in the treatment of nail fungus as conventional medicine has few effective solutions. Powerless, and faced with treatment failures, some doctors are actively seeking alternative effective treatments to resolve this inadequacy. Plant medicine provides real opportunities to safely eliminate nail fungus with encouraging measurable results.
Recent advances in the scientific understanding of the medicinal plant extracts in plant medicine suggest a much broader use of natural medicine to treat and cure nail fungus than science thought possible. As most standard treatments for fungal infections are not effective against fungus which has worked its way under the nails, the antifungal effects of this natural product are of increasing interest. Plant medicine is concentrated with a wide spectrum of powerful antifungal plant extracts exhibiting a curative effect against nail fungus.
According to medical knowledge, the advantage of western medicines is that they have clear healing efficacy and powerful lethal effect to infectious agent because they are usually chemical substances. Yet at the same time, as western medicines have certain side effect more or less, some present toxic side effect obviously and even can cause serious drug-induced diseases and drug resistance. It is thus clear that western medicines cause serious harm to the body at the time of dealing with animal diseases. The toxicity issue of western medicines is an increasing concern.
For recent years, plant medicine is considered to be very important because of the unique advantage in the treatment of nail fungus. They are natural without significant toxicity and side effects. Plant medicine helps end nail fungus infections by directly attacking and destroying fungus population infecting nails and nail beds. Results achieved with these products are more than convincing especially in view of the poor efficacy and side effects of treatments using classic synthetic medications. To learn more, please go to http://www.naturespharma.org.
staff of Nature Power Company, which is a network company dedicated to promoting customers\’ websites and developing softwares. You can go to the following websites to learn more about our natural organic products. http://www.naturespharma.org
Tibb Nabawi refers to words and actions of the Prophet with a bearing on disease, treatment of disease, and care of patients. Thus also included are words of the prophet on medical matters, medical treatment practiced by others on the prophet, medical treatments practised by the prophet on himself and others, medical treatments observed by the prophet with no objections, medical procedures that the prophet heard or knew about and did not prohibit, or medical practices that were so common that the prophet could not have failed to know about them. The prophet’s medical teachings were specific for place, population, and time. They however also included general guidance on physical and mental health that are applicable to all places, all times, and all circumstances. Tibb nabawi is not one monolithic or systematic medical system as some people would want us to believe. It is varied and circumstantial. It covers preventive medicine, curative medicine, mental well-being, spiritual cures or ruqyah, medical and surgical treatments. It integrates mind & body, matter and spirit.
Search for cures
The Prophet enunciated a basic principle in medicine that for every disease there is cure (ma anzala allahu daa; illa anzala lahu shifa’a- Kitaab al Tibb, al Bukhari). This is an impetus for us to look for remedies. Thus the prophetic medical tradition does not stop at only the medical teachings of the prophet but goes beyond to encourage humans to search and experiment with new treatment modalities. This implies among other things that prophetic medicine is not static. There is room for growth and even breaking new ground. Other implications of this hadith is that seeking treatment does not contradict qadar (pre-destination). Thus both the disease and its treatment are part of qadar.
Sources of tibb nabawi
Tibb nabawi has several sources: revelation (wahy), empirical experience of the prophet, folk medicine of that time in the Arabian peninsula, and it is possible that some medical knowledge of other communities could have been known in Makka or Madina at the time of the prophet. Our sources are from books of hadith and siira. Bukhari in his Sahih narrated 129 hadiths directly related to medicine. He devoted two books to medicine: kitaab al tibb and kitaab al mardha There are many other hadiths in Bukhari indirectly related to medicine. Other books of hadith also narrate more hadiths with relevance to medicine. Scholars have collected these hadiths together and some have related them to available medical knowledge. Among these authors are: Abu Nu’aim (d. 430 AH), Ibn Qayyim al Jawziyat (d. 751 AH), and Jalaluddin al Suyuti (d. 911 AH). There are also more recent writings as articles and books. In his book, A Tibb al Nabawi, Imaam Ibn al Qayim mentions many medical conditions for which the Prophet provided guidance. He interpreted the hadiths using the available medical knowledge of his day. This book needs rewriting and it will look very different if written interpreting the prophetic traditions using today’s medical knowledge.
Scope of tibb nabawi
Tibb Nabawi as reported to us did not cover every conceivable disease at the time of the Prophet neither can it cover all ailments today or in the future in various parts of the world. This is easy to understand from the context that although the Prophet practiced medicine, his mission was not medicine and he was not a full-time physician. The hadiths of the Prophet should not be looked at as a textbook of medicine. They should be used for the diseases that they dealt with. The proper way to get additional medical knowledge is through research and looking for signs of Allah in the universe (2:164, 3:190, 10:5-6, 30:20-27, 39:59, 51:20-23).
Classification of tibb nabawi
The classification of traditions relating to medicine depends on the state of knowledge and changes with time and place. Jalaluddin al Suyuti published a book on tibb nabawi and divided medicine into 3 types: traditional, spiritual and preventive. Most of tibb nabawi is preventive medicine which is a very advanced concept given the level of scientific knowledge at the prophet’s time and certainly must have been divinely inspired. Al Suyuti (1994) listed preventive medical measures such as food and exercise. Other preventive measures taught in hadith include: quarantine for epidemics (hijr sihhi), forbidding urination in stagnant water (bawl fi mai raqid), use of tooth stick (Siwak), precautions in the house at night: fire & pests, leaving a country because of its water and climate. Study of tibb nabawi reveals that there are spiritual aspects of healing and recovery. Prayer, dua, recitation of the Qur’an, and remembrance of Allah play a central role. Psychosomatic diseases could respond to spiritual approaches. Curative medicine involved prophetic teachings about treatment of wounds, use of honey and the black seed for several ailments. The use of ruqyat (surat al fatiha, al mu’awadhatain) falls between physical curative and spiritual. The curative part of ruqyat can be understood in modern terms in the way the psyche can modulate immune mechanisms that protect against disease.
Examples of tibb nabawi
Ibn Qayim al Jawziyat listed many diseases with their recommended treatments from tibb nabawi. Diseases in tibb nabawi treatable by natural remedies: fever (humma), bowel movements (istitlaq al batan), dropsy (istisqa), wounds (jarh), epilepsy (sar’a), sciatica (‘irq al nisa), temparaments (tabau’), skin itch (hakk al jism), pleurisy (dhaat al janb), headache and hemicrania (sidau and shaqiiqat), inflammation of the throat (‘adhrat), enlargement of the heart (al maf’uud), ophthalmia (al ramad), catalepsy (khudran al kulli), pimples (bathrat), skin eruptions (awraam), food poisoning (summ), witchcraft (sihr), and head lice. He also mentioned other diseases like: plague, leprosy, eye diseases, throat and tonsils, diarrhea, abdominal disease, fever, plague, snake bite, scorpion bite, food contamination by a fly, headache, nose bleeds, teeth, cough, dropsy, sprain, fracture, bite by rabid dog, and the evil eye. There are three therapeutic modalities used in Prophetic medicine: natural, spiritual, mixture of natural and spiritual. The treatments mentioned were honey (al ‘asal), cold water for fever (al mau al barid), diet (ghadha), milk (al laban), camel milk, camel urine, cupping (al hijaam), cauterization (al kayy), venesection with cauterization (qatiu al uruuq wa al kayy). The black seed (al habba al sauda) was especially emphasised.
Application of TIibb Nabawi Today
General considerations
There are 3 aspects that we have to deal with regarding modern application of tibb nabawi. (a) is tibb nabawi part of the Shariah and is therefore compulsory? (b) spatio-temporal changes (c) empirical research on tibb nabawi.
Tibb nabawi as part of the shariat
A correct answer to this question requires clarifying the very concept of shariat. The regulations about salat, menstruation, and toilet hygiene are part of the shariat rules that are immutable and there is no dispute about them. There are other regulations about the government (ahkam sultaniyat) that are part of the Shariah but that change with circumstances. We can therefore distinguish two parts of the Shariah: (a) fixed and immutable and applicable to all places and times and (b) fixed general principles whose details of application change with place and time. If we take the meaning of Shariah in (b) above we can conclude that prophetic medicine is part of Islamic Shariah that can change and grow using ijtihad and empirical research to apply general Shariah principles to changing circumstances.
Spatio-temporal changes
Whatever the Prophet said or did was valid and must be followed because he never uttered any untruth even when joking. The ijtihad of the prophet even in worldly matters was protected (ma’suum). The Qur’an and hadith have records of divine intervention to comment on the prophet’s ijtihad on worldly matters such his advice on some aspects of agriculture that he later withdrew. Thus the record of authentic hadith that we have is valid whether in ‘aqidat or worldly matters. The attempt to distinguish between the medical teachings of the prophet-messenger and as a human living in Arabia at a particular historical epoch is not easy and is of no practical significance. The question is whether all or some of the tibb nabawi should be used today. If the diagnosis of a disease and all the circumstances surrounding it are exactly like those at the time of the Prophet, then we have no hesitation in saying tibb nabawi should be used. In actual practice it is difficult to ascertain that the conditions are the same. Changes in disease pathology, changes in the genetic pool of the patients, changes in the genetic pool of the medicinal plants, weather and climatic conditions are among many variables that may make a particular remedy recommended by the Prophet not appropriate for a medical condition today. The circumstances of time and place have changed. Indiscriminate use of the historical remedies could be using the right drug for the wrong disease. There is even a more serious linguistic problem. The meaning of words has changed. What was called fever in the 1st century AH may not be the same as the meaning of the same world today. Even medicinal plants like the black seed may not be exactly the same plant. We can therefore conclude that the teachings of tibb nabawi can only be a foundation to guide and encourage scientific research for remedies that are suitable for our times.
Empirical research on tibb nabawi
There is a lot of scientific interest in prophetic teachings on medicine. In Egypt for example many institutions are involved in research on traditional remedies: universities, the National Research Center, the Desert Institute, and the Horticultural Department of the Ministry of Agriculture. Many medicinal plants including the black seed have been investigated extensively and have been commercialised (Sayed 1980). The black seed (nigella sativa) is an example of a prophetic remedy that has been studied extensively by both Muslims and non-Muslims. Animal research has shown that the black seed is a potent anti-hypertensive (Tahir et al. 1993) and respiratory stimulant (Tahir at al 1993). It was shown to act against bacterial infection in mice (Hanafy et al. 1991). Al-Awadi et al (1991) studied the effect of a plant mixture including black seed on liver gluconeogenesis in rats with induced diabetes. Salomi et al (1991) studied the inhibitory effects of the black seed on chemical carcinogenesis in rats. Nair et al (1991) studied the modulatory effect of the black seed on toxicity in rats induced by a cis-platinum, a cancer treatment drug. Keshri et al (1995) studied the post-coital contraceptive effects of the black seed in rats. El-Dakhakhny (1965) studied the pharmacological properties of the black seed. Toppozada et al (1965) studied the antibacterial properties of the black seed with clinical applications. El-Fattary (1975) isolated and described the anti-bacterial principles from the black seed. Chakravarty (1993) studied the inhibition of histamine release from mast cells by the black seed. Salomi et al (1992) studied the anti-tumor activity of the black seed. Human studies of the black seed have also been undertaken. Akhtar et al (1991) studied the effect of the black seed on nematode worm infection in children. Haq et al (1995) studied the effect of the black seed on human lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leucocyte phagocytic activity. Laboratory studies provided scientific support for the traditional use of the black seed and its derived products As a treatment for rheumatism and related inflammatory diseases (Houghton et al 1995). The study of the black seed as a medicine has even extended to its side effects since no medicine however useful is free from side effects. Steinmann et al (1997) recorded occurrence of contact dermatitis after topical use of the black seed. Tennekoon et al. (1991) studied the possible hepatic-toxicity of the black seed.
Conclusion and Future Challenges
From the survey above we can conclude that tibb nabawi is an authentic and valid medical system. The general principles of this system are applicable at all times and all places. The specific remedies taught by the Prophet (PBUH) are valid and useful. They however can not be used today withiut undertaking further empirical research because of changes in humans, medicinal plants, the environment, and meanings of linguistic terms. Thus the conditions for which these remedies were prescribed in the 1stcentury of hijra may not be exactly the same as the conditions we are dealing with today. The many empirical studies on prophetic remedies like the black seed promise a good future for prophetic medicine to continue exerting its influence on medical practice.
References
Sahih al Bukhari
Ibn Al Qayyim Al Jawziyyah: al Tibb al Nabawi
Abu Naim Al Asfahani: al Tibb al Nabawi
Al Hafidh Abi Abdillah Muhammad Bin Ahmad Al Dhahabi: al Tibb al Nabawi
Jalaluddin al Suyuti: al Tibb al Nabawi
el-Tahir-KE; Ashour-MM; al-Harbi-MM: The cardiovascular actions of the volatile oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa) in rats: elucidation of the mechanism of action. Gen-Pharmacol. 1993 Sep; 24(5): 1123-31
el-Tahir-KE; Ashour-MM; al-Harbi-MM: The respiratory effects of the volatile oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa) in guinea-pigs: elucidation of the mechanism(s) of action. Gen-Pharmacol. 1993 Sep; 24(5): 1115-22
Hanafy-MS; Hatem-ME: Studies on the antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa seed (black cumin). J-Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Sep; 34(2-3): 275-8
Sayed-MD: Traditional medicine in health care. J-Ethnopharmacol. 1980 Mar; 2(1): 19-22
el-Dakhakhny-M: Studies on the Egyptian Nigella sativa L. IV. Some pharmacological properties of the seeds’ active principle in comparison to its dihydro compound and its polymer. Arzneimittelforschung. 1965 Oct; 15(10): 1227-9
Toppozada-HH; Mazloum-HA; el-Dakhakhny-M: The antibacterial properties of the Nigella sativa l. seeds. Active principle with some clinical applications. J-Egypt-Med-Assoc. 1965; 48: Suppl:187-202
Aqel-M; Shaheen-R: Effects of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa seeds on the uterine smooth muscle of rat and guinea pig.
El-Fatatry-HM: Isolation and structure assignment of an antimicrobial principle from the volatile oil of Nigella sativa L. seeds. Pharmazie. 1975 Feb; 30(2): 109-11
Steinmann-A; Schatzle-M; Agathos-M; Breit-R: Allergic contact dermatitis from black cumin (Nigella sativa) oil after topical use. Contact-Dermatitis. 1997 May; 36(5): 268-9
al-Awadi-F; Fatania-H; Shamte-U:The effect of a plants mixture extract on liver gluconeogenesis in streptozotocin induced diabetic rats. Diabetes-Res. 1991 Dec; 18(4): 163-8
Tennekoon-KH; Jeevathayaparan-S; Kurukulasooriya-AP; Karunanayake-EH: Possible hepatotoxicity of Nigella sativa seeds and Dregea volubilis leaves. J-Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Mar; 31(3): 283-9
Hanafy-MS; Hatem-ME: Studies on the antimicrobial activity of Nigella sativa seed (black cumin). J-Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Sep; 34(2-3): 275-8
Akhtar-MS; Riffat-S: Field trial of Saussurea lappa roots against nematodes and Nigella sativa seeds against cestodes in children. JPMA-J-Pak-Med-Assoc. 1991 Aug; 41(8): 185-7
Salomi-MJ; Nair-SC; Panikkar-KR Inhibitory effects of Nigella sativa and saffron (Crocus sativus) on chemical carcinogenesis in mice. Nutr-Cancer. 1991; 16(1): 67-72
Nair-SC; Salomi-MJ; Panikkar-B; Panikkar-KR: Modulatory effects of Crocus sativus and Nigella sativa extracts on cisplatin-induced toxicity in mice. J-Ethnopharmacol. 1991 Jan; 31(1): 75-83
Haq-A; Abdullatif-M; Lobo-PI; Khabar-KS; Sheth-KV; al-Sedairy-ST: Nigella sativa: effect on human lymphocytes and polymorphonuclear leukocyte phagocytic activity. Immunopharmacology. 1995 Aug;
Keshri-G; Singh-MM; Lakshmi-V; Kamboj-VP: Post-coital contraceptive efficacy of the seeds of Nigella sativa in rats. Indian-J-Physiol-Pharmacol. 1995 Jan; 39(1): 59-62
Houghton-PJ; Zarka-R; de-las-Heras-B; Hoult-JR: Fixed oil of Nigella sativa and derived thymoquinone inhibit eicosanoid generation in leukocytes and membrane lipid peroxidation. Planta-Med. 1995 Feb; 61(1): 33-6
Chakravarty-N: Inhibition of histamine release from mast cells by nigellone. Ann-Allergy. 1993 Mar; 70(3): 237-42
el-Tahir-KE; Ashour-MM; al-Harbi-MM: The cardiovascular actions of the volatile oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa) in rats: elucidation of the mechanism of action. Gen-Pharmacol. 1993 Sep; 24(5): 1123-31
el-Tahir-KE; Ashour-MM; al-Harbi-MM: The respiratory effects of the volatile oil of the black seed (Nigella sativa) in guinea-pigs: elucidation of the mechanism(s) of action. Gen-Pharmacol. 1993 Sep; 24(5): 1115-22
Salomi-NJ; Nair-SC; Jayawardhanan-KK; Varghese-CD; Panikkar-KR: Antitumour principles from Nigella sativa seeds. Cancer-Lett. 1992 Mar 31; 63(1): 41-6
Nasir Pasha, 36 Years, B.E Electrical and Electronic, Loving Father, Husband, Author, Thinker, Reader, strongly believe peace is the only way to solve all problems of the world.
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Drug/medicines(s) are defined as being safe if it causes no known or potential harm to users.
Although it is widely perceived that “natural” products are safe and effective, there is no chemical that can be certified as completely “safe” (free from risk). Evidence suggests that herbal medicines use is not without risk, since every chemical is toxic at some level of dosage.
With respect to the recent increasing interest in the use of alcohol and herbal medicines for the prevention and treatment of various illnesses, there is increasing concern about the safety and effectiveness of medicinal plants.
The Centre for Scientific Research into Plant Medicine (CSRPM) Mampong Akwapim stands tall when it comes to quality, safety and effective herbal medicines in Ghana.
For instance, it has been established clinically that some medicinal products that has been in use for over thirty (30) years at CSRPM for managing diabetes mellitus and sickle cell disease among others are safe and effective. There was no change to liver and kidney functions indicating that the products may not be toxic (Turkson 2006).
The extent of safety is determined by several parameters including the route of administration, dose, duration of use, site of action, mechanism of action and adulteration with other toxic foreign organic matter, heavy metals and sometimes orthodox drugs whether deliberate or not is often encountered.
Generally, the World Health Organization (WHO) had encouraged the consideration of herbal medications that have historically been in use for long as safe. However, it may be necessary to exercise caution since some of these products known to be safe have in recent times been shown to be poisonous. The absence of any reported risk is not an absolute assurance of safety for herbal preparations.
The concentration, sample preparation, and the long-term stability of active compounds and other chemicals in plants varies by the part of the plant harvested and sold, and the maturity of the plant at the time of harvest. In addition, geography, soil composition and its contaminants, and year-to-year variations in soil acidity, water, weather conditions, and other growth factors have significant effects on the pharmaceutical properties of the medicinal plants. Therefore, the actual dose of active compounds being consumed is often variable, unpredictable or simply unknown.
Majority of herbal medicines have not been assessed for safety and their effectiveness is in doubt. Most people who sell and market these products have very limited training and knowledge. Lack of quality control in harvesting and preparation procedures for medicinal remedies affect the safety and effectiveness.
Toxicity of medicinal plants may be related to their interactions with other herbs and drugs, contaminants, adulterants; or their inherent toxicity. Plants have complex mixtures of terpenes, alkaloids, saponins and other chemicals, increasing the risk of adverse reactions to any one of them or to the additive or synergistic effects of chemical interactions.
Fortunately, situation is now changing, as some good and improved herbal organizations that include competent technical staff are now establishing good manufacturing practices (GMP), as well as safety checks and controls concerning herbal products.
The ingredients in herbal medicines, which can lead to health problems or adverse effects, are generally found in lower amounts in plants, making it more difficult to get large dose. But many herbal medicines are concentrated to increase effectiveness and this may also eliminate the potential ‘margin of safety’.
It is a true that most herbal medicines are safe and effective, but it needs to be used with care and should be from professionally trained Medical Herbalists.
A MEDICAL HERBALIST WITH A DEGREE IN HERBAL MEDICINE. A LAY PASTOR WITH CHRISTIAN FAMILY ASSEMBLIES OF GOD,BUOKROM ESTATE,KUMASI/GHANA
Prescription medications cost too much for many of us to afford in a good year, but with the economy having so many problems right now things are much worse than normal. Because of these problems, many people have been looking for alternative medicine options, and luckily for them there are plenty.
Alternative medicine is a phrase that covers a broad range of topics. There are specific herbal remedies, as well as alternative treatments such as acupuncture, hypnosis, and massage. Even in the realm of herbal remedies, there are Chinese herbs and customs, as well as Western herbs and customs. These tend to be different in some ways.
Using natural herbs and plants as medicine is a practice which has been around for thousands of years. There is actually plenty of evidence which has shown herbal remedies and plants being used as medicine as far back into the past as 60,000 years ago. Cave paintings have even been found which indicate herbs were used for medicine, and these cave paintings are believed to have been made sometime between 13,000 and 25,000 B.C. In fact, many of our modern day man-made prescription drugs have been based on the natural healing substances found in herbs and plants.
There are many people around the world, and particularly in the United States, who do not feel that using plants and herbs as an alternative to prescription medicine should be an option. The argument is that there is not enough scientific proof and there have not been enough actual studies to confirm what works and what doesn’t. The opposite school of thought comes from people who actually specialize in using herbal remedies to treat a variety of ailments and conditions. They know from experience how well certain herbs and alternative treatments actually work.
There are arguments which say the reason few studies have actually been done on herbal remedies is because there’s no money to be had. Drug companies and large pharmaceuticals cannot patent natural plants and herbs. And if they cannot put a patent on something, they cannot charge so much money for it.
There is also a problem due to lack of knowledge and information in mainstream society. Many people do not understand how to use plants and herbs to take care of a variety of simple health conditions. They also don’t understand what may be good or bad, or exactly how different herbs and medications can interact with each other. Some people even believe that if something is natural it must be safe no matter what you do with it. This of course is not how the world works, even with natural herbs and plants. There are many plants and other natural items found throughout the world which are extremely dangerous and even poisonous.
One example of this is a simple rhubarb plant. Rhubarb is a healthy vegetable that we can eat in a variety of ways, but if you try to eat the leaves from that plant or use them in some sort of medicine, you could go into convulsions and you might even die from it.
Just like prescription drugs, there are certain herbs and medicinal plants which have the potential to create problems for certain people. An herb known as goldenseal for example, can cause problems for diabetics and people who have hypoglycemia because it is a natural form of insulin. This herb is also excellent to use as a natural infection fighting antibiotic, but if someone with low blood sugar takes it, there could be severe side effects if their blood sugar levels drop too low.
Most people are aware that prescription drugs, or even over-the-counter medications, can interact with each other badly. What they don’t know however, is that the same thing can happen with herbal remedies, and medicinal plants. These herbs can also conflict with prescription medications too. For example, one herb which is popular to use for boosting your energy is ginseng. Many people don’t realize, that if they take ginseng and drink large amounts of caffeine at the same time, they run the risk of having heart out the patience or even more severe emergencies such as a heart attack. The same types of risks can apply if you’re taking certain prescription drugs along with ginseng too.
These examples are just a few, but they should stress the importance of how powerful herbal medicine can be. Whether you want to start using herbal medicine as an inexpensive alternative to modern drugs, or you simply want to start taking better care of yourself, you need to become fully educated on exactly what herbs you choose to use. Just as you need to be careful with prescription drugs or over-the-counter medications, you also need to be informed and aware of what herbal medications can and cannot do.
Herbal remedies can be an extremely powerful way to take care of many common health problems and ailments. They’re very inexpensive to use, and there are generally many less side effects than you might see from prescription drugs. These are all excellent reasons to start learning about herbal remedies and possibly find ways to reduce your own health care expenses naturally, and safely.
Statements in this article may not be approved by the FDA.
If you liked this article you’ll also enjoy the book ” Herbal Health Care: How to Take Care of Yourself and Your Family Naturally”
Medicinal plants have been used for medicinal purposes long before recorded history. For example, ancient Chinese and Egyptian papyrus writings describe medicinal plant uses. Indigenous cultures (e.g., African and Native American) used herbs in their healing rituals, while others developed traditional medical systems (e.g., Ayurveda and Traditional Chinese Medicine) in which herbal therapies were used systematically. Scientists found that people is different parts of the globe tended to use the same or similar plants for the same purposes.
In the early 19th century, when methods of chemical analysis first became available, scientists began extracting and modifying the active ingredients from plants. Later, chemists began making their own version of plant compounds, beginning the transition from raw herbs to synthetic pharmaceuticals. Over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in favor of pharmaceuticals.
Herbal Medicine Today
Recently, the World Health Organization estimated that 80% of people worldwide rely on herbal medicines for some aspect of their primary healthcare. In the last twenty years in the United States, increasing public dissatisfaction with the cost, efficacy and potential of side-effect of prescription medications, combined with an interest in returning to natural or organic remedies, has led to an increase in the use of herbal medicines. In countries such as Germany and Switzerland, roughly 600 to 700 plant-based medicines are prescribed by approximately 70% of physicians.
How do Herbs Work?
For most herbs, used in herbal medicine, the specific ingredient that causes a therapeutic effect is not known. Whole herbs contain many ingredients, and it is likely that they work synergistically to produce the therapeutic effects. Many factors affect how effective an herb will be. For example, the type of environment (climate, bugs, soil quality, altitude, etc.) in which a plant grew will affect its constituents. In addition, how and when it was harvested and processed will also influence the quality of the resulting herbal extract.
How are herbs used? For the reasons described in the previous section, herbalists prefer using plant extracts from the whole herb or various parts such as roots, flowers, seeds, etc., rather than extracting single active ingredients from them. Herbal extracts have many components and are usually too complex to manufacture synthetically by the pharmaceutical industry.
These components contained in medicinal herbs work together to produce therapeutic effects, while at the same time moderating potential side-effects often associated with pharmaceutic preparations. Several herbs are often used together to enhance effectiveness and synergistic actions and to reduce toxicity.
Are Herbal Medicines Safe?
In a study by the World Health Organization on the use of herbal medicine, about 80% of the world’s population still rely on herbal medicine to treat certain ailments and about 74% of the pharmaceutical drugs we use today contain at least one botanical element.
For instance, Chinese Herbal Medicine’s uses Ephedra, which containes ephedrine in the treatment of some respiratory conditions. Ephedrine remains an active ingredient in many pharmaceutical drugs being prescribed to relieve asthma symptoms.
Herbal medicine is defined by three schools of thought: Ayurvedic Herbalism, Traditional Chinese Herbalism and Western Herbal Medicine. While both Ayurvedic and Chinese herbal medicine have moved on to advanced forms, western herbal medicine remains a part of folk treatments. Herbal medicine is, first and foremost, holistic. It aims to address not just a particular symptom, but also to help the whole body rejuventate strengthen itself.
Research
Reseach into herbal medicine is growing and evidence of efficacy is growing at a rapid rate. Universities such as the University of Meryland Medical Centre, are publishing good quality, researched information on herbal medicine, herbs and other aspects of alternative medicine.
Warning
Always keep in mind that herbal medicines are medicines and, therefore, need to be regarded with as much care as pharmaceutical drugs. Some people have the misconception that because herbal medicines are natural, they are 100% safe. This is not so. Allways consult a fully qualified, experienced medical herbalist to have your health problems assessed and treated.
Steven Maszlagi has been promoting the benefits of herbal and alternative treatments through such websites as HerbalWorks for many years. He is a passionate believer in the power of herbal remedies over chemical based unnatural solutions.
Herbal Medicine: What herbal medicine can treat and how safe and effective is it?
In part I of this article we looked at what herbal medicine is and what it uses as its philosophical basis. Part II looks at what herbal medicine can be used for and its safety and effectiveness.
What can herbal medicine be used for?
Herbal medicine can be used in one of three ways:
As the primary treatment for diseases and general health problems
To preventing disease, and/or
Complementary to other natural therapies or orthodox medicine
Up until about 200 years ago, herbal extracts, teas, baths, etc., were the primary forms of treatment available to doctors. In fact Pedanius Dioscorides an ancient Greek physician, pharmacologist and botanist from Anazarbus, Cilicia, Asia Minor, wrote ‘the bible’ on herbs and early medicinal substances extracted from plants in the first century AD.
To this day, pharmaceutical companies still use herbal medicines in their drugs (they just don’t advertise that fact). He described over 600 medicinal plants, their use and actions with respect to treating diseases.
In the early 19th century, when methods of chemical analysis first became available, scientists began extracting and modifying the active ingredients from plants. Later, chemists began making their own version of plant compounds, beginning the transition from raw herbs to synthetic pharmaceuticals. Over time, the use of herbal medicines declined in favor of pharmaceuticals.ý
A skilled herbalist is able to use medicinal plants to treat any disease known to man. Granted, some diseases such as cancer for example, are not treated easily, but are treatable with herbs. The limit is not the limitations of herbs, but the skill of the physician. And, let’s face it – that’s the same for any system of medicine.
In short, herbal medicine has been used since the dawn of man and is still as effective today as it ever was in treating virtually any disease safely and effectively.
What forms does herbal medicine come in?
Herbal medicines come in several forms of administration. These include:
Once a herbalist has identified the underlying reasons for the manifestation of the disease a patient is afflicted by and has worked out the herbal mixture required to address this disorder, it is then necessary to establish the best way of administering the herbal medicines.
One would logically think that taking the herbs in their liquid or pill form might be the best and easiest way to take the medicine, however, often it may not be.
Without getting into the details and chemistry of how active constituents of medicinal herbs are extracted, let’s have a quick look at the ways in which herbs may be used.
Extracts and tinctures are generally made by using a certain amount of the dried or fresh herb and than mixing this with alcohol. The alcohol dissolves most of the plant’s constituents and suspends them in the alcohol. This is what is basically known as a tincture.
Alcohol will extract almost all the ingredients contained in the plant material. Unlike alcohol, water will extract fewer of the ingredients. Water is a universal solvent and many of the substances contained in herbs will dissolve into the water. However, alkaloids and fats may not. If some of the alkaloids are not wanted, then a tea or sits bath (water extraction) may be preferable.
Poultices are used externally. They are prepared by crushing the plant, usually the fresh plant or parts thereof, mixing it with a base cream, honey, yoghurt or similar substance, which is then applied directly to a specific part of the body. This type of treatment is particularly effective when treating wounds, bruising, joint and bone injuries, local infections, localized skin disorders, gangrene, etc. But can also be used to treat some chronic internal diseases of organs.
In short, there are different horses for courses. In other words, the type of application will depend on the specific needs of the individual patient and their particular type of disease. For example it might not be wise to treat a patient who suffers from alcoholism and liver cirrhosis with an alcohol-based herbal mixture…
Is herbal medicine a safe form of treatment?
Herbal medicine in the hands of a qualified, experienced herbalist is very safe and has minimal risk of side effects. However, just because herbs are natural does not automatically make them safe. Remember, Arsenic is natural and deadly.
Opium from the Poppy flower is highly addictive, lead is poisonous and so are most other heavy metals, yet they are all 100% natural substances. So don’t be fooled – natural is not necessarily harmless.
Having said that, herbal medicine is one of the safest forms of medicine and is very unlikely to cause harm if used as prescribed by a qualified herbalist.
Unlike pharmaceutical drugs, which are mainly synthetic, man-made substances, herbs are easily assimilated in our bodies. They are also easily eliminated and do not usually accumulate. A herbalist will also frequently change the herbs in a patient’s mix as their health picture changes.
In short, herbal medicine, if prescribed by a qualified and experienced herbalist, is one of the safest forms of treatment, causing few, if any, side effects.
Danny Siegenthaler is a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine and together with his wife Susan, a medical herbalist and Aromatherapist, they have created Natural Skin Care Products by Wildcrafted Herbal Products to share their 40 years of combined expertise with you.
BACK TO NATURE-SOUTHINDIAN HERBALS AND THEIR MEDICINAL USES
INTRODUCTION
Man has been using plants as medicine from time immemorial. All major civilization in the past had developed their own system of medicine, mainly based on herbs of all such system perhaps most comprehensive and scientific is that of ancient India, known as Ayurvedic development during the Vedic period by our sages and seers. They had identified hundreds and hundreds of plant species capable of functioning as medicine in the human body and curing its maladies.
Green medicine have been proved to be highly effective and a successful mode of therapy to cure various diseases caused by microorganisms. Present, 300 plants extracts and tinctures are utilized in modern medicine. The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that about 90 percent of people in the world rely on traditional medicine primary health needs chemical investigation and biological screening of about 300 wild tribal medicinal plants have been carried out by many researchers.
A survey indicates that 393 medicinal plant species are used in traditional formulations and are sold in commercial outlets of the 393 species distributed in 103 families; Leguminosae emerges as the largest family of Pharmacological importance with a total of 41 medicinal Plants used in the traditional formulations. Asteraceae is the second family with respect to ingredients of traditional formulations (19 species). Zingiberaceae and Apiaceae have 13 species each, followed by Euphorbiaceae with 12 species that one used in various formulations.
Herbs form a major segment of medicinal plants used in traditional formulations with a total of 158 species. Trees and shrubs from the next dominant group with 95 and 80 species used in the formulation of drug respectively.
Based on the factual information, few medicinal Plants were selected for gain the knowledge of herbs which enrich your health under the followings.
Holy Plants
S.No
Botanical Name
Family
Common Name
Preparation Method of the Medicine, Uses
1.
Ocimum sanctum
Laminaceae
Tulasi
Take 10 fresh leaves daily which cures the cold and develop your immunity power.
2.
Aegle marmelos
Rutaceae
Vilvam
Shade dry the leaves and power. Powder + 5 peppers mixed and add. Take with milk in empty stomach. It will cure the Asthma.
3.
Ficus religiosa
Moraceae
Arasu
Shades dry the young leaves and power it. Take twice daily with Hot water. This cures the uterus related problems.
4.
Azadirachta indica
Meliaceae
Vembu
The leaf, seed oil is used as a medicine. Antiviral Tree.
5.
Cynodon datylon
Poaceae
Arugu
Take 150 gm of fresh leaves, make it juice and take it daily. Which purify the blood and cool your body temperature
6.
Leucas aspera
Laminaceae
Thumbai
Take 150 gm of these flowers Freshly and fry with ghee. Take weekly once which cures the cold.
7.
Tabernaemontana Coronaria
Apocynaceae
Nanthiyar- -vattam
The flower juice cures the eye problems. Particularly for the reddish eye
8.
Ficus bengalensis
Moraceae
Àlamaram
Shade dries the young leaves, powder it. Take twice daily, with hot water which cures the uterus related problems
9.
Santalum album
-
Santhanum
Anti heat agent which equalize your body temperature.
10.
Ealeocarpus tuberculatus
Elaecocarpaceae
Ruthratsam
Anti – Radiation Effect
Memory Plus
S.No
Botanical Name
Family and Common name
Uses
1.
Hydrocotyle asiatica
Apiaceae
vallarai
Memory generator
2.
Acthyranthus aspera
Amarantaceae Naiyooruvi
Extra memory creator
Brain Growth and Development
S.No
Family
Botanical name
Common Name
Preparation method of medicine and uses
1.
Rutaceae
Aegle marmelos
Vilvum
Take the fruit twice in a month which will help to develop your brain.
2.
Perkankai
Dry the vegetable and powder it. Make it decoction and take it once in a week which provide stamina (or) power to the brain.
3.
Phyllanthus embilica
Nelli
Take one Nelli daily which helps the brain function.
4.
Coccus nueifera
Coconut
6-10 pieces of coconut in fresh form take daily. It will cure the wounds which present in the brain.
5
Amarantaceae
Achyranthus aspera
Naioruvi
Take leaves monthly ones in form of Juice which helps with Nervous system of the brain. It also cure the brine nervous disorder
For Health and Development
S.No
Diseases
Botanical name and common name
Paration of the medicine
1
Sugar
Gymnema sylvestre
Sarkaraikolli
The leaves were shade dried and powdered. The powder was taken half teaspoon daily morning in empty stomach, with milk or buttermilk.
2
Blood pressure
Rauwolfia sarpentina
Sarpaganthi
The leaves were shade dried and powdered. The powder was taken half teaspoon daily morning with butter milk after food
3
Heart
Nelumbium speciosum
thamarai
The flowers petals are shade dried and powdered and was used to make decoction and it was taken twice in a day.
Herbs for common diseases
S.NO
DISEASES
PLANTS
1
Cold
Ocimum santum
Solanum trilobatum
Leucas aspera
2
Cough
Adatoda vasica
Vitex negundo
Abies webbiana
Oldanlandia umbellate
3
Digestion
Zingiber officinalis
Cissus quadrangularis
Cuminum cyminum
4
Gas trouble
Cuminum cyminum
Ferula asafetida
Cissus quadrangularis
5
Wound healing
Tridax procubens
Acalypha indica
6
Teeth ache
Zingiber officinalis
Jussiaea suffruticosa
Pisidium gaujava
7
Rheumatism
Delonix regia
Dolichos biflorus
8
Reduce the body heat
Aloe vera
Euphorbia thymifolia
9
To burn the fat
Solanum malaginella
Dolichos biflorus
10
Head ache
Brassica nigra
Zingiber officinalis
Conclusion
Indian system of medicine particularly Ayurvedic, Siddha and Unani have contributed to development of modern medicine and are still practiced
To treat and benefit a large number of patients. Even the world health organization in its meeting held in 1980 considered that for certain diseases like peptic ulcer, diabetes, high blood pressure, a stone in the kidney and infective jaundice, no satisfactory treatment is available in modern system of medicine and suggested deeper study of indigenous system of medicine.
