Ayurveda Initiative For Global Health

An important member of Meliaceae, is the evergreen Neem Tree (Azadirachta indica). Well known for its medicinal properties, the Neem tree is a fast growing plant that can reach up to 15 to 30 m tall. It is drought tolerant and thrives in well-drained soils. The genus name, Azadirachta, comes from the words azad, meaning ‘free’ in Persian, and dirakht, which means ‘tree’. The name indica refers to its Indian origin. Hence, the name literally means the ‘free tree of India’. This is fitting as it is almost a free pharmacy in itself. It has potential in medicine, agricultural and environment conservation. 🌳Neem has fern like, pinnately compound leaves. Each leaf is 15 to 40 cm long, and carries 8 to 19 asymmetrically curved leaflets, each with a toothed margin. 🌳The tree produces small white flowers, which have a very sweet, jasmine-like scent.  🌳The fruit is a drupe that is edible and has a bittersweet taste.  🌳The seed yields an oil which is used as an organic pesticide and...

Holarrhena pubescens Syn.: Holarrhena antidysenterica (common names: Indrajao, dhulkari, dudkhuri, karva indrajau etc.) - Apocynaceae, a deciduous shrub or a small tree.  The flowers are beautiful with oblong petals which are rounded at the tip. Indrajao is native to Indian Subcontinent to Indo-China. It is also found in the Himalayas up to altitudes of 1500 m. It is an important medicinal plant of Ayurveda. It is one of the best drug for Diarrhea. According to Ayurveda, the bark is useful in treatment of piles, skin diseases and biliousness. The bark is used externally in case of skin troubles.  Reference  Surendra Parihar Ex.Professor and Head. Deptt. of Seed , Science and Technology. IARI, Pusa,  New Delhi 110012