3. Thousands of years ago , the ancient Egyptians discovered
simple ways to extract the active ingredients within plants
.Egyptian papyrus manuscripts from 2000B.C. record the use of
perfumes ,oils, aromatic oil and gums in the embalming
processes . In ancient Greece N the 4th and 5th centuries BC ,
Hippocrates the father of medicine was already recommending
Asparagus and garlic for their diuretic qualities ,poppy for
inducing sleep and willow leaves to relieve pain and fever. in
the 1st century AD Greek doctor Dioscorides established .
The first collections of medical plants has treatise was translated
into Arabica and Persian. Centuries later his work was used by
the Muslim scholars who influenced great university Particularly
at Montpellier Europe's most famous centre for the study botany.
In the last 1700s, Carl Wilheim Scheele , a gifted Swedish chemist ,
obtained tartaric acid from grapes , citric acid
From lemons and malice acid from apples .His technique and of
others led to the isolation Of the first purified compounds from
plants that could be used as drugs.
6. Alfalfa Medic ago sativa, also
called Lucerne, is
a perennial flowering plant in the
pea family Fabaceae cultivated as
an important forage crop in many
countries around the world. The
English name alfalfa is widely
used, particularly in North
America. But in the UK, Australia,
South Africa and New Zealand,
the more commonly used name is
Lucerne. It superficially resembles
clover with clusters of small
purple flowers followed by fruits
spiraled in 2 to 3 turns containing 10-20 seeds
7. Useful Parts of the Plant ;
lifespan that varies from four years to over
twenty years. Most
when grown
alongside other plants and crops. This is one of the
have its roots growing up to almost thirty
feet into the ground and
not usually
available at the surface. The plant is known to regrow
8.
9.
10.
11.
12. However, along with the
numerous benefits of alfalfa,
like all other herbal products,
this plant should also be
consumed with care taking
into consideration any
possible known side effects.
One such side effect of the
alfalfa plant is that the amino
acids that are found in alfalfa
may actually worsen the
disease lupus.
13.
14.
15.
16.
17.
18. Aloin, A compound found in the exudates of some aloe species, was
the common ingredient in over the counter laxative products in the
united states prior to 2003, when the food and drugs
administration ruled that aloin was A class III ingredient, thereby
banning its use. aloe Vera has Potential toxicity, with side
effect occurring at some dose levels both when ingested and applied
topically. although toxicity may be less when alone is removed by
processing, aloe Vera that contains aloin in excess amounts may
induce side-effects. A 2-year national toxicology program study on
oral consumption of non-decolorized whole leaf extract of aloe
Vera found evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female rats.
The ntp says more information is needed to determine the potential
risks to humans
19.
20.
21. Blueberries are perennial flower
ing plants with indigo-colored
berries
the section Cyanococcus within
the genus Vaccinium (a genus
that also
includes cranberries and bilberr
ies). Species in the
section Cyanococcus are the
most common. fruits sold as
"blueberries" and are native
to North America (commercially
cultivated high bush blueberries
were not introduced into Europe
until the 1930s).
