Sarpgandha

Common name: Indian Snakeroot, Insanity herb Botanical name: Rauvolfia serpentina Family: Apocynaceae Sarpagandha is a famous tranquilizer and antipsychotic herb of India for the treatment of paranoia and schizophrenia, as well as a substance that controls hypertension. Sarpagandha is an erect, evergreen shrub, merely 15 to 45 cm high. Its leaves are large, in whorls of three - dark green above and pale green below. The flowers are white, pinkish or red, occurring in whorls. Its fruit are tiny, oval, fleshy which turn a shiny purple-black when ripe. It is the roots of the plant that are mainly used for medicinal purposes. Medicinal uses: Although this plant was well known in India, westerners paid no attention to it until an Indian physician wrote an article on rauvolfia in 1943. Because of the drug's noted sedative effects, it was used to treat over a million Indians in the 1940s for high blood pressure. After a U.S. physician named Wilkins demonstrated the positive effects of reserpine (1952), the plant made front page news. This drug rapidly replaced electric shock and lobotomy as treatments for certain types of mental illness. Moreover, knowledge about the chemistry of this natural plant stimulated the synthesis of other similar alkaloids that are now used as major tranquilizers. Raj Bhavan, Imphal, Manipur Rauwolfia serpentina contains a number of bioactive chemicals, including yohimbine, reserpine, ajmaline, deserpidine, rescinnamine, serpentinine. A compound which it contains called reserpine, is used to treat high blood pressure and mental disorders including schizophrenia

Aleo Vera

Common name: Aloe vera, Medicinal aloe, Burn plant. Botanical name: Aloe vera Family: Asphodelaceae Synonyms: Aloe barbadensis, Aloe indica, Aloe vulgaris Aloe, a popular houseplant, has a long history as a multipurpose folk remedy. Commonly known as Aloe vera, the plant can be snapped off and placed on cuts and burns for immediate relief. Aloe vera is a clump forming succulent whose fleshy gray-green leaves are arranged in a vase shaped rosette atop a very short stem. The leaves are up to 18 in long and 2 in wide at the base, slightly grooved on top, and terminating in a sharp point. The leaves have small grayish teeth on the margins. The main rosette gets up to about 2 ft high, and the plant continually produces little offset rosettes. In winter and spring, medicinal aloe bears small tubular yellow flowers on branched stalks up to 3 ft tall. The real Aloe vera has yellow flowers, but many of the clones available have orange flowers. Although Aloe Vera is a member of the Lily family, it is very-cactus like in its characteristics. Medicinal uses: Aloe Vera contains over 20 minerals, all of which are essential to the human body. The human body requires 22 amino acids for good health -- eight of which are called "essential" because the body cannot fabricate them. Aloe Vera contains all of these eight essential amino acids, and 11 of the 14 "secondary" amino acids. Aloe Vera has Vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C and E. In India, Aloe vera is believed to help in sustaining youth, due to its

positive effects on the skin. Hence it is called ghee kunvar or ghee kumaari.

Withania somnifera
Ashvagandha

Scientific classification Family: Solanaceae Binomial name Withania somnifera

Dunal

Synonyms

Physalis somnifera Withania somnifera, also known as Ashwagandha, Indian ginseng, Winter cherry, Ajagandha, is a plant in the Solanaceae or nightshade family. There are two sub-species of Withania somnifera: W. somnifera Kaul and Withania coagulans. It is used as a herb in Ayurvedic medicine.

Description
It grows as a short shrub (3575 cm) with a central stem from which branch extend radially in a star pattern and covered with a dense matte of wooly hairs.The flowers are small and green, while the ripe fruit is orange-red and has milk-coagulating properties. The plant also has long brown tuberous roots that are used for medicinal purposes.

Active constituents

Withaferin A

The main active constituents are alkaloids and steroidal lactones. These include tropine and cuscohygrine. The leaves contain the steroidal lactones, withanolides, notably withaferin A, which was the first withanolide to be isolated, and was isolated from W. somnifera..

Climatic conditions for growth

W. somnifera is grown as late rainy season (kharif) crop. Semi-tropical areas receiving 500 to 750 mm rainfall are suitable for its cultivation as a rainfed crop. If one or two winter rains are received, the root development improves. The crop requires a relatively dry season during its growing period. It can tolerate a temperature range of 20C to 38C and as low a temperature as 10C. The plant grows from sea level to an altitude of 1500 meters.

Culinary use

The berries can be used as a substitute for rennet, to coagulate milk in cheese making.

Medicinal uses
In Ayurveda, the roots of W. somnifera are used to prepare the herbal remedy Ashwagandha. Ashwaganda has been traditionally used to treat various symptoms and conditions, although there are few scientific studies of the health benefits of the compound. In Ayurveda, the berries and leaves are locally applied to tumors and tubercular glands, carbuncles and ulcers. Side effects In two clinical trials of W. somnifera,as per the the side effects are concerned,there has been one case report that Withania somnifera stimulated the thyroid and led to thyrotoxicosis in the patient.

Tulsi

Scientific Name-Ocimum tenuiflorum

Family: Lamiaceae

Plant description: Tulsi is native to India, where it often graces shrines and homes as an aromatic perennial shrub. Tulsi is grown as an annual herb in temperate climates. The tulsi plant is pleasing

to the eye, with an upright, open and branching form. The fragrance of the leaves is also quite attractive-spicy and complex, often resembling clove. The taste is excellent, especially when the dried leaves are brewed into tea. The flowers of purple or blue occur on multiple upright racemes. Types of Tulsi: Four main forms are generally recognized: Krishna Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) with leaves of purple, Rama Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) with stems of purple, Kapoor Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum) with leaves of green, and Vana Tulsi (Ocimum gratissimum), which is unmodified from its wild form. Traditional uses: Tulsi is an uplifting and energy-enhancing adaptogenic herb. The fragrant leaves and flowers, in the form of tincture, tea or decoction are considered to be stomachic and expectorant, used in treating coughs, bronchitis, skin diseases, and diarrhea. These preparations are considered to be prophyllactic against epidemics including cholera, influenza and malaria. The Tulsi is used in treating low energy, ulcers, vomiting and diarrhea, or as an overall tonic. Contemporary uses: Tulsi improves resistance to stress and has a normalizing influence on blood pressure and blood sugar imbalances.Tulsi plant is also richly endowed with bioavailable antioxidants, vitamins A and C, and calcium.