As one of the oldest tree species, gingko is also one of the oldest homeopathic plants and a key herb in Chinese medicine. The leaves are used to create capsules, tablets and extracts, and when dried, they can be consumed as tea. It is perhaps best known for its ability to improve brain health. Studies say gingko can treat patients with mild to moderate dementia and may slow cognitive decline in dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
The gingko is considered a living fossil, with fossils dating back 270 million years ago. These trees can live up to 3,000 years. With its bright orange hue, it's impossible to miss a bottle of turmeric on a spice rack. Turmeric, native to India, is believed to have anti-cancer properties and may prevent mutations.
According to recent research, turmeric also shows promise as a treatment for a variety of dermatological diseases and joint arthritis. Turmeric has been used as a medicinal herb for 4,000 years. It is a tentpole of an Indian alternative medicine practice called Ayurveda. The studies that are available on this oil tend to be everywhere, but there are studies that are more robust than others.
For example, some studies have found that evening primrose oil has anti-inflammatory properties. It is known to help with conditions such as atopic dermatitis and diabetic neuropathy. It can also help with other health problems, such as breast pain. According to these studies, evening primrose oil could be the Swiss army knife in the world of medicinal plants.
The caveat is that it can interact with several medications. More research is coming and applications are promising. Flax seed, also available as oil, is one of the safest options among plant-based dietary supplements. Harvested for thousands of years, today flax seed is praised for its antioxidant activity and anti-inflammatory benefits.
While more research with humans is needed, study says flax seed may help prevent colon cancer. Another study cites that flax seed has the ability to lower blood pressure. When consumed, it can even help reduce obesity. Many people add flaxseed and flaxseed meal to oats and smoothies, and it is also available in the form of tablets, oil (which can be put in capsules) and flour.
The best way to add flax seeds is through diet. Sprinkle ground seeds on cereals or salads, cook in hot cereals, stews, homemade breads or milkshakes. Add Linseed Oil to Salad Dressing. Flax seeds are one of the few vegetable sources of omega-3 fatty acids.
Other sources include chia seeds, walnuts and soy. More studies are needed on acne and scalp use, but for now, there is a degree of research on the antimicrobial superpowers of tea tree oil in wounds and topical infections. Wilson recommends that tea tree oil, like all essential oils, be diluted in a carrier oil. He adds that it is often already diluted in a variety of skin care products and creams.
Tea tree oil is derived from the leaves of a tree native to Queensland and New South Wales, Australia. Echinacea is much more than those beautiful purple echinacea that you see dotting gardens. These flowers have been used for centuries as medicine in the form of teas, juices and extracts. Nowadays, they can be taken as powders or supplements.
The most well-known use of echinacea is to shorten the symptoms of the common cold, but further studies are needed to verify this benefit and understand how echinacea increases immunity when there is a virus. In general, with the exception of some potential side effects, echinacea is relatively safe. Even though you need more testing, you can always choose to use it if you expect your cold symptoms to end more quickly. Some of the first people to use echinacea as a medicinal herb were Native Americans.
The first archaeological evidence dates back to the 18th century. Originally native to Europe, dandelion is one of the most common medicinal plants in the United States. UU. Dandelions are “relatively soft,” McKinnon says, compared to the effects of other medicinal plants.
They are often used in teas or tonics to enhance the body's natural detoxification processes. One of the general benefits of plant-based drugs, McKinnon says, is the extra nutrition that customers can get. Raspberry leaf is an excellent example of a plant medicine that supports overall health thanks to its high levels of nutrition. If you've ever been hiking in a vegetated area, you probably know what a burdock or burr is in common vernacular.
Small, thorny, circular pods that attach to clothing like velcro are part of the larger burdock family. While the leafy part of these plants can be a nuisance, dark, fibrous roots are a common and potent medicine with some of the same digestion-boosting effects found in dandelion. Revered in traditional medicine, oak bark is a potent source of tannins, which is a bitter compound that has an astringent effect, says McKinnon. Essentially, tannins can help tighten our body tissues and strengthen the integrity of our skin and mucous membranes.
Tannins also provide a slight antibiotic and antimicrobial effect. For this reason, oak bark is used topically to treat weeping skin conditions, such as poison ivy or eczema, and is also used as a wash to clean minor cuts and scratches. While it is easy and quite safe to use as a topical remedy, internal intake of oak should only be done with the help of a trained professional, since it is known to cause stomach upset and constipation. Used as a tincture or tea, pine is also useful for expectorating; in other words, it helps the body to remove phlegm and promotes the flow of mucus out of the lungs.
Medicinal plants are useful to have on hand to treat common ailments. You can use certain medicinal plants to relieve headaches, tummy problems and even irritation caused by insect bites. Plants can be consumed in teas, used as a garnish, applied topically as essential oil, or consumed as a lozenge. To help you decide which plants are best for you, we gathered our main medicinal plants, their remarkable health benefits and how to use them.
Catnip (nepeta cataria) is a fun plant for cats. Most cats are attracted to the plant and roll close to it, since its scent acts as a stimulant. These medicinal plants also act as sedatives for cats if consumed. For humans, on the other hand, it is normally used as an analgesic for stress, sleep aid, and as a solution for skin problems.
Most of its health benefits come from the presence of nepetalactone, thymol and other compounds that make this plant ideal for you and your furry friend. Cayenne pepper (capsicum annuum) adds a spicy touch to any food or drink and is a popular detoxifier for many people. Capsaicin is the compound responsible for the spicy nature of cayenne, but it is also responsible for some of its health benefits. Some of these benefits include pain relief and cholesterol reduction.
Chamomile (feverfew chamomilla) has a high concentration of antioxidants that make it a great plant for relieving a variety of ailments. Chamomile is commonly consumed as tea and you can make it at home by brewing dried chamomile flowers (just make sure that the flowers are completely dry). Drinking a cup of chamomile tea before bed can help you relax and have a more restful night's sleep. Echinacea (echinacea purpurea) is also commonly known as purple echinacea.
This is another flower that is normally used in tea to help calm different symptoms and strengthen the immune system. This popular herb is most often used to speed up recovery from the common cold. It is important to note that echinacea can cause negative effects, such as nausea and dizziness, if taken consistently in large doses. Medicinal plants, also called medicinal herbs, have been discovered and used in traditional medicine practices since prehistoric times.
Plants synthesize hundreds of chemical compounds for functions including defense against insects, fungi, diseases and herbivorous mammals. Numerous phytochemicals with potential or established biological activity have been identified. However, since a single plant contains very diverse phytochemicals, the effects of using a whole plant as a medicine are uncertain. In addition, the phytochemical content and pharmacological actions, if any, of many plants with medicinal potential have not been evaluated by rigorous scientific research to define efficacy and safety.
Towards the end of the 19th century, the pharmacy environment turned against medicinal plants, as enzymes often modified active ingredients when whole plants were dried, and alkaloids and glycosides purified from plant material began to be preferred. Planting peppermint in a sunny place will increase your oil production and, therefore, increase your medicinal potency. Medicinal plants are widely used in non-industrialized societies, mainly because they are readily available and cheaper than modern medicines. Foxglove — Digitalis purpurea — A pure form of the plant is used to strengthen cardiac contractility and regulate heart rate.
However, both plants and supplements, which are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration for safety or quality, can have questionable doses and may have a risk of contamination. Plants have a long and rich history of medicinal use and, even in the era of modern medicine, their medicinal properties are still sought after. Medicinal plants are used with the intention of maintaining health, to be administered for a specific condition, or both, either in modern medicine or in traditional medicine. However, some people continue to turn to plants as an alternative, often after exhausting other options within modern medicine.
From ancient times to the present, Ayurvedic medicine documented in the Atharva Veda, the Rig Veda and the Sushruta Samhita has used hundreds of pharmacologically active herbs and spices, such as turmeric, which contains curcumin. While McKinnon and other clinical herbalists cannot prescribe medications by law, they may work collaboratively with clients to recommend herbal therapies that could provide some relief. Medicinal plants face both general threats, such as climate change and habitat destruction, and the specific threat of over-harvesting to meet market demand. The Ebers papyrus from ancient Egypt includes more than 800 medicinal plants such as aloe, cannabis, castor, garlic, juniper and mandrake.
There are approximately 75-100 types of herbs and flowers in the herb garden of the National Library of Medicine. Medicinal plants are often resistant and fibrous, and require some kind of preparation to make them easy to administer. In the Latin names of plants created by Linnaeus, the word officinalis indicates that a plant was used in this way. .
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