Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

Fabaceae – A versatile family rich in useful products -1st part Fabceae is a chemically very versatile family with non-protein amino acids (more than half of reported n.p. amino acids are from this family) and phytoalexins as defensive compounds, characteristic lupinane type alkaloids and isoflavonoids esp. Rotenones. Other characteristic features are herbaceous habit, root nodules, papilionaceous flowers and diadelphous condition (9-united stamens forming a boat shaped open sheath carrying nectar) and legume fruit. This is a large family of 440 genera containing 12000 species. Uses This family provides all the pulses (protein source), oils, medicinal plants, biopesticides, natural dyes, biofuel and timber, 1. Pulses Pulses form the single largest source of proteins. They always provide all essential amino acids Which the human body cannot synthesize on it’s own). They are also easily digestible because water soluble albumins and globul...

Erythrina variegata, commonly known as Tiger's Claw or Indian Coral Tree. पारिभद्र, फरहद, इत्यादि।  Erythrina variegata is valued as an ornamental tree.  In the Philippines its bark and leaves are used in alternative medicine. This is also used in Siddha medicine,. It is often used in agroforestry systems. It can be used for fodder as its foliage has a good nutritive value for most livestock. The seeds are poisonous in their raw state, but can be cooked and eaten.  There are many benefits of Coral tree reported in literature: 1. Reduce cholesterol 2. Improve digestive strength                                                                3. Help cure worm infestation 4. Treat swelling and inflammations 5. Cure anorexia 6. Relief from fever 7. Help fight obesity 8. Ge...

Cordia sebestena of family Boraginaceae (Forget-me-not family).  Popular as लाल लसॊड़ा Lal Lasora, Scarlet Cordia, Orange Geiger Tree, Sebesten plum, Geiger Tree, Kamla buhal, Aechinaruvihli, Virigi It is a small tree and is seen as an ornamental (often as a street tree). "The tree is sometimes harvested from the wild for its edible fruit, which is eaten locally. The fruit also has medicinal uses and the timber is used locally. The plant is grown for its medicinal leaves in Cuba and is widely cultivated as an ornamental in the Old World Tropics, being valued especially for its large bright orange-red flowers." "The fruit is emollient. It is used in the treatment of fevers. The leaves are used medicinally in Cuba. The plant has been used as a remedy for intestinal and stomach complaints, and also for bronchial affections." Pawan kumar Gupta 

Pyrostegia venusta belongs to family Bignoniaceae.  It continues to bloom from winter to April month. It is commonly known as flamevine or orange trumpetvine originally endemic to Brazil, but nowadays a well-known garden species. The genus name comes from the Greek and is descriptive of the colour of the flowers (that is 'pyro' = flame so red or orange flowers and 'stege' = covering)." Orange Trumpet Creeper or Brazilian flame vine. A vigorous evergreen climber which supports itself by means of coiled, tendrils from the apex of some of the compound leaves.  Synonyms: Bignonia ignea Vell. Bignonia tecomiflora Rusby Bignonia tubulosa Klotzsch Bignonia venusta Ker Gawl. Jacaranda echinata Spreng. Pyrostegia amabilis Miers nom. inval. Pyrostegia dichotoma Miers ex K.Schum. Pyrostegia ignea (Vell.) C.Presl Pyrostegia ornata Miers nom. inval. Pyrostegia pallida Miers nom. inval. Pyrostegia parvifolia Miers nom. inval. Pyrostegia puberula Miers nom. inval. P...

Euphorbia tithymaloides or also popular by earlier name Pedilanthus tithymaloides has a large number of common names.  A few are: redbird flower, devil's-backbone, buck-thorn, cimora misha, christmas candle, fiddle flower, ipecacuahana, Jacob's ladder, Japanese poinsettia, Jew's slipper, Jewbush, milk-hedge, myrtle-leaved spurge, Padus-leaved clipper plant, red slipper spurge, redbird cactus, slipper flower, slipper plant, slipper spurge, timora misha, and zig-zag plant, Cimora Misha, ... It is mainly used as an outdoor plant. It is propagated by seed or cutting. It has known toxic properties. "...gardeners are cautioned to wear goggles, gloves, long-sleeved shirts, and long pants." It can be planted in landfill sites or toxic waste sites "because it is one of the few plants which can thrive in these more difficult environments". Is a medicinal and poisonous plant.  "The roots, stems, and leaves of the plant are known to be toxic. Thes...

Proanthocyanidins- the friendly tannins with many health benefits The word “tannins” in foods induce a scare to all health conscious men. We know tannins are needed to produce leather and ink. Consumption of a cup of “Kadak meethi chai ” (strong sweet tea) is known for reducing hunger and hindering iron absorption in stomach and that is the reason many people abhor tea. But it is to be remembered that tannins, similar to all good things like sugar, are harmful in high concentrations only and form friendly components of our foods with many health benefits. Tannins are polyphenols having an astringent taste and ability to convert putrescible animal hydes to hard stable leather. Two groups of tannins, hydrolysable and condensed, are recognised in plants. The former group is soluble in water, contains simple phenolic acids esterified with one or more sugar molecules and are hydrolysed by dilute acids to component compounds. Condensed tannins are polyphenols insoluble in water...

Red Algae, an evoutinary bottleneck with minimum genes and highly restricted distribution Red Algae is a strange group more or less confined to cool waters having a temperature near 50C. They have a very poor number of genes required for a multicellular organism and this is explained as the reason why they never colonized land. The genome of red algae like Cyanidioschyzon merolae has 4775 genes; Porphyridium purpureum has 8355 genes and Chondrus crispus has 9,606 genes (Collen et al, 2013) and while a single-celled green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii has 14,516 genes and Arabidopsis thaliana has 27,416 genes. An unusually high number of genes in these algae are unique in having no known counterparts in other organisms. This indicates that these plants retained only the genes for bare essentials by stripping down its genome and eliminating genes that perform redundant functions in other organisms. Chondrus has 82 genes for making ribosomes(compared to 349 in the ...

Myrtaceae – Volatile oils, Fruits and Biopesticides Distinguishing characters gland-dotted, coriaceous leaves with intramarginal vein, large number of stamens (may be due ti splitting), gland-tipped anther connectives, inferior ovary with axile or deeply intruded parietal placenta and seed testa modified to wings or membraneous or horny. A tropical family of 129 genera containing 4620 species. Useful plants : Volatile oils, Fruits, Medicinals and Biopesticides A. Volatile oils 1. Eucalyptus (Gk: eu = well; calyptos = cover alluding to sepals which form a lid over flowers in bud-500) various species of this genus provide volatile oils used in medicine, industries and in perfumery. 1a. Medicinal oils are obtained from the leaves of E. elaeophora, E. globulus, E. leucoxylon and E. sideroxylon. These oils contain 45-75 %. Cineole and the rest of α-pinene, limonene, etc. They are used as antiseptics, mosquito and vermin repellants and expectorants. 1b. ...

Kannayiram Udayar Temple, Kurumanakkudi, Mayiladuthurai Kannayiram Udayar Temple is a Hindu Temple dedicated to Lord Shiva located in Kurumanakkudi village in Sirkazhi Taluk in Mayiladuthurai District of Tamil Nadu. This temple is also called as Kannar Kovil. Presiding Deity is called as Kannayiram Udayar / Kannayiranathar / Sahasranethreswarar and Mother is called as Murugu Valar Kothai Nayaki / Kodaiyammai / Suguntha Kunthalambigai. This Temple is considered as one of the shrines of the 276 Paadal Petra Sthalams glorified in the early medieval Thevaram hymns. This Temple is the 71st Devara Paadal Petra Shiva Sthalam and 17th sthalam on the north side of river Cauvery in Chozha Nadu. Legends Kannayiram Udaiyar: As per legend, Indra, the king of Devas, was enamoured by the beauty of Ahalya, wife of Sage Gautama. Indra desired to have Ahalya. When sage Gautama went to his daily morning ritual bath, Indra in the guise of Sage Gautama came to the hermitage and requested Ahalya for sexual ...

Prahladpuri Temple Prahladpuri Temple (Urdu: پرَہْلادْپُورِی مندر) was a Hindu temple located in Multan city of Punjab province in Pakistan, adjacent to the Shrine of Bahauddin Zakariya. Named after Prahlada, it is dedicated to the Hindu deity Narasimha. Prahladpuri  Religion Affiliation Hinduism District Multan Deity Prahlada Festivals Holi Governing body Pakistan Hindu Council Location Multan Country Pakistan  Prahladpuri Temple is located in Punjab, Geographic coordinates 30°12′01.3″N 71°28′36.6″E Architecture Type Hindu temple The temple is presently in ruins, since its destruction in 1992 by a Muslim mob in retaliation for the demolition of the Babri Masjid in Ayodhya, India and the site is currently owned by Evacuee Trust Property Board. Architecture  The temple is located on top of a raised platform (mandapa) in the southern tip of the Fort of Multan, adjacent to the venerated tomb of Baha’ul Haq Zakariya. Prior to being demolished, the temple featured a main hall,...