Posts Tagged ‘Plant’

BANGUN-BANGUN (INDIAN BORAGE) RELIEVES ASTHMA

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

There are many benefits of the Bangun-Bangun (Indian Borage) plant, comprising for medication, cullinary and also for perfumery.

Its scientific name is the Plectranthus amboinensis from the Labiate family and has many other common names – Broadleaf Thyme, Country Borage, Cuban Oregano, French-Thyme, Indian Borage, Indian-Mint, Mexican Mint, Soup-Mint, and Spanish Thyme. It has thick leaves that look nearly like the Ati-ati, with either sides having hairs and when crushed will produce a nice minted aroma.

The stem is soft, light green in colour and would sag downwards to the ground.  The leaves emerge all along the stems while there are also small leaf branches at each leaf stalk thus making the plant easy to turn into bushes.  The plant is also easily propagated – by simply breaking the stems for bud grafting or inserted in the ground.

The juice from the leaves is said to be effective against cough and asthma. The Malay traditional method is by simply boiling a handful of leaves in water and the mixture is consumed when lukewarm.

Some people use the leaves for aroma in preparing tea.  The practice is also common among those who suffer hereditary asthma. A piece of leaf would normally suffice for a cup of tea.  One would have to quit taking the mixture when there are side effects.

The leaves are also used to relieve headaches, unconsciousness, and animal bites.  For headaches, the leaves are crushed and patched onto the forehead.  To resuscitate a person who fell unconscious, the leaves are put near the patient’s nose.  The crushed leaves are patched onto the affected area of animal bites.

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ATI-ATI DAUN MERAH (RED COLEUS) HEALS PAIN IN THE LIVER

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Ati-ati is a species of shrub plant abundantly available in Southeast Asia. Although the species has more than one colour variety, they have the same leaf form and colour.  Different Ati-ati is named after the colour but the leaves produce the same aroma after being crushed.  The leaf has a heart shape with ‘teeth’ edges.

The colour variety of the Ati-ati – green, red, black, yellow and even ‘batik’ like, make it a popular plant for landscapes and interior decoration.  The stems and branches are green in colour, somehow four-angled, soft and easy to break.  It reproduces easily as the branches would usually sag to the ground and cause them to produce roots to form new branches and shrubs.

The branch skins are soft and thin but hard and when the branches are broken, the skin will open. Although easily broken, for bud-grafting purpose or to be taken for alternative medicine it is advisable to use a sharp knife to cut the branches.

The red leaf Ati-ati species, known scientiically as Coleus atropupureus Benth from the Lamiaceae family, has small flowers in the form of elongated bunch at and along the end of branches. It is easily grown by just breaking the branches and inserted into pots or merely erected on the ground. The black leaf Ati-ati is said to be more effective for alternative medicine.

The whole plant contains alkaloids. The crushed leaves are used to treat all kinds of infammations, hemorrhoids, and to relive muscular pain. It is also used as an active medicine. The red leaves are crushed and the red sap is massaged onto the belly to stimualte menstruation. Some women swallow the sap of the leaves as a contraceptive. In the Malay traditional medicine sphere, the leaves are boiled in water and later consumed.

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ASPARAGUS – SOURCE FOR BACK-ACHE RELIEF

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

There are a variety of Asparagus species.  Among the most common in Malaysia are the Asparagus Officinalis and the Asparagus Plumosus – both categorised as originated from the Liliaceae family. It is a kind of flowering plant and resembles the fern-like paku pakis (Psilotophyta) plant (abundantly found in Malaysia).

The Asparagus Plumosus leaves are more attractive and are receptive to sunlight and suitable as decorations; while Asparagus Officinalis have thinner and pointed leaves like closely arranged needles that envelope branches. The Asparagus Officinalis grows easier than the former and produces more branches.

The Asparagus shoots are edible as vegetables. The shoots are taken before they ripe at about three to four inches from the top where they are more supple compared to the lower part of the leaves.

The leaves produce a sticky substance and are said to have ‘heaty’ reactions when consume.  Consuming the Asparagus shoots can help clear the vessels in the kidney; relieve backaches; produce more sperms; and assist mothers giving birth.

The Arabs called it ‘Halyun.’ The Asparagus plant can be grown on beds or in pots. It also produces arrowroots at around the stems.

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ARA TANAH (ASTHMA WEED), REMEDY FOR POST-NATAL DEPRESSION

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Ara tanah or known as the Asthma Weed, Hairy Spurge, Cats Hair, Fei-yang ts’ao, is a kind of grass plant with dark greeen and oval-shape leaves. The stems and branches have sparse of tiny and split hairs.

Also known in Malaysia as Gelang Susu and Keremak Susu, its scientific name is Auphorbia hirta Linn from the Euphobiaceae family. The leaves grow in pairs along the stem.  Each leaf has intersperse veins that are also sparse.  The flower is yellow and spots like a button that emerges from the stem in between two leaves. The plant has no taproot structure and is easly pulled from the earth. The grass like plant grows easily in open spaces and in flower pots.  It grows upright to a maximum of 30 centimeters height.

Asthma Weed is usually used against skin disorders like warts and cuts.  The leaves are first cleaned and then pounded or milled and then patched on the affected skin area.

It is also said to be effective against joint paints, gouts, and high blood pressure by consuming the water that has been boiled with all parts of the plants.

It is also known as the ‘goat’s milk grass.’ In his book, ‘Introduction to Medicinal Herbs,’ Abd. Rahman Md. Derus writes that the plant has whitish latex that contains some amount of narcotic.

The latex and liquid obtained from the leaves are used as remedy for post-natal depression. It is also said to be useful against eye disorder. However, those who wish to use them to treat eye disease should obtain advice from herbalist first.

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ARA SONGSANG MERAH (ASYSTASIA) TO TREAT HAEMORRHOID

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Ara Songsang Merah is a shrub that covers land surfaces and grows up to 15 centimetres in height.

Its stem and leaf are dark red while the flower resembles the shape of a cat’s tail, and the fruits are small and thorny.  It grows on spacious areas even at the road side and currently people plant them as ‘blankets’ and ‘hangovers.’

Ara Songsang Bunga Merah, as it is called in Malay, is scientifically known as Asystasia sp. from the Acanthaceae family. It is known to have many alternative qualities.  Highly associated as remedy for Haemorrhoid (piles) and bleeding soil. Common method of preparation is by boiling all parts of the plant in water including the roots and then sifted to drink twice a day.

In the Malay alternative medicine world, it is usually mix them with other plants like the starfruit or ‘belimbing’ (Averrhoa spp.). The mixture is believed to be highly effective to treat high blood pressure, diabetes, kidney problems and heart diseases.

Mixtures in the traditional Malay traditional sphere are prepared in a traditional pot made of earthen clay while metal base utensils are not advisable as they are believed anti-herbal and would usually deter the desired healing properties.

While boiling the mixtures, the earthen clay is left uncovered to allow the evaporation of unwanted and ‘hazardous’ substance.

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ARA SONGSANG (ASYSTASIA), A REMEDY FOR DIFFICULT URINATION

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Ara Songsang or Asystasia, and some called it as the Chinese Violet, is a kind of plant most commonly found along jungle edges.  It is also called ‘Rumput Israel’ and if left growing wild will cover crops and difficult to get rid off, except being sprayed with weed killers that often encroach into the soil and remain active for weeks.  Diuron is one example of solution used for this purpose.

The leaves are thin like those of spinach, whitish with hint of purple.  The branch is soft and black in colour and often watery.  It is a creeping plant and would overpower the plants surrounding it.

Farmers however would often plant them in rows between young growths of rubber and palm oil to hinder the growth of other plants such as grass and wild plants.

The flowers are white, normally blooming out of the stem upwards to the air and do not produce any scent.

It is strongly proven to have good qualities in solving urination problem.  For this purpose the roots and flowers of the plant are collected and boiled to boiling temperature until the volume remains one third, sifted and drank when it is lukewarm.

The leaves of the plant when pounded can also be used to cover wounds.  Another popular use of the leaves is to ease the effect of rheumatism and muscle pull by.  The leaves are pounded and mixed with red onions and pasted on the affected area.

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ARA DANI (RANGOON CREEPER) RELIEVES HEADACHE

Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Ara Dani, also called as Rangoon Creeper, Red Jasmine and Drunken Sailor, is a creeping plant.  The leaves are elliptic and pointed at the ends, in pairs along the stems.  The stems are hard and elastic.  Young stems are green in colour while older ones are black.

The flowers grow and bloom in bunch and clusters.  Flower buds are white and will eventually turn red when blooming and pink when near drop.  The stems are long that make them look attractively cascading.  The plant is suitable as fence decoration.

The flowers normally bloom at night and produce sweet scent.  The fruits are small, about 3cm long and black-like in colour.

The scientific name is Quisqualis indica L. Also known as the dani root, udani, redani, and the vampire root, the plant is easy to grow by branch cuttings.  Slicing the tip of the branch can also help the plant to branch out.

Kamarudin Mat-Salleh (2002) quoted from Burkill (1935) that the water that has been dipped with young Ara Dani fruits can be consumed as remedy for diarrhoea and as a vermifuge agent to get rid of worms from our body.  It is also useful to cure headaches.

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AKAR CERITA (THE KING OF BITTER) HELPS CURE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE

Tuesday, May 18th, 2010

It is called Akar Cerita in the Malay Language, but known as the King of Bitter.  It is a kind of herbaceous plant in the Acanthaceae family. At a glance it looks like the henna plant, with dark green leaves.  Its flower bud is like the small chili, and the flower, white in colour with purple spots at one end of the petals.  It grows easily in an open area.

Known scientifically as Andrographis paniculata but also known as the ‘hempedu bumi’ or the ‘earth bile’ in Malaysia, it tastes so bitter after being rubbed with hands.  If consumed as blended juice the bitter taste can be described as of the same with the ‘petawali’ plant (Tinospora Tuberculata), and will linger at the tongue for a while.

It is widely cultivated in southern Asia, where it is used to treat infections and some diseases, often being used before antibiotics were created. Mostly the leaves and roots were used for medicinal purposes. It is used as part of the remedy to help cure high blood pressure and diabetes.  Normally the leaves, stems and roots together with the flowers of the plant are boiled and later drank to treat ailments.

The bitter taste from the mix will linger and cause the tongue to feel numb.  For diabetes the mix is usually added with the java tea or the misai kuching (Orthosiphon Stamineus).

It is also used as alternative remedy to treat cold and sore throat by simply dipping a few leaves in a glass of hot water and consumed slowly while the water turns lukewarm.  Experts however advise that the intake frequency be scheduled for controlling measures.

The plant is also used to treat insect bites including bee sting and snake bites. Simple procedure includes pounding the leaves and applying them on the part affected by insect sting and snake bites.

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