2. • A herbaceous plant (in botanical use simply
herb) is a plant that has leaves and stems that
die down at the end of the growing season to
the soil level. They have no persistent woody
stem above ground. Herbaceous plants may
be annuals, biennials or perennials.
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3. Uses
• Herbs have a variety of uses including culinary, medicinal and
in some cases spiritual usage.
• General usage differs between culinary herbs and medicinal
herbs.
• In medicinal or spiritual use any of the parts of the plant
might be considered “herbs”, including leaves, roots, flowers,
seeds, resin, root bark, inner bark (the cambium), berries and
sometimes the pericarp or other portions of the plant.
• Culinary use of the term “herb” typically distinguishes
between herbs, from the leafy green parts of the plant (either
fresh or dried) and spices, from other parts of the plant
(usually dried), including seeds, berries, bark, root and fruit.
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4. Origin of HerbalMedicine
4
Primitive men and women treated illnesses
using plants, animal parts, and minerals not
part of a common diet.
5. • Physical evidence goes back 60,000 years to
the burial site of a Neanderthal man who was
buried with 8 species of plants.
• Seven of these plants are still used in medicine
today.
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6. Garlic plant
• Garlic, Allium sativum, is a root
crop (meaning the bulb grows
underground) of the family
Alliaceae
• It is among the oldest of all
cultivated plants; in facts, its
species name, sativum, means
cultivated
• The leaves are long, narrow and
flat like grass
• It is a member of the same
group of plants as the onion,
chive and leek
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7. Garlic Bulb
• The bulb of Allium sativum is the only part of
the plant eaten
• It is compound in nature, consisting of
numerous bulbils, known technically as cloves
• The cloves are grouped together between the
membranous scales and enclosed within a
whitish skin, which holds them as in a sac
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8. History
• Originated from Central Asia, garlic have been used as
a spice, food and folklore medicine for over 500 years,
and is the most widely researched medicinal plant
• Through trade, garlic spread its popularity throughout
Asia and eventually to Egypt and Europe. The age of
Exploration helped to propagate the use of garlic to
other parts of the world.
• Today somewhere between 300-400 varieties of garlic
cultivate worldwide. In the United States, over250
million pounds of garlic consumed each year.
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9. Medicinal History of Garlic
• In traditional Chinese medicine, Islamic medicine, folklore medicine
and the Ayurvedic system of medicine, several spices and herbs
including garlic are described to possess medicinal properties
• In China, garlic tea has long been recommended for fever, headache
and cholera
• In rural Japan, miso-soup containing garlic is used as remedy for the
common cold with headache, fever and sore throat
• The Egyptian medical Codex Eber papyrus dating to about 1550
B.C., includes 22 therapeutic formulations that mention garlic as an
effective remedy for a variety of ailment including heart problems,
headache, bites, worms and tumors
• Dioscorides wrote of garlic ability to “clear the arteries” dated back
to the first century A.D.
• From the Roman antiquity through World War I, garlic poultices
were used to prevent wound infections
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10. • Early 1853, the famous microbiologist, Louis Pasteur,
performed several original work showing that garlic could
kill bacteria
• In 1916, the British government issued a general plea for
the public to supply it with garlic in order to meet wartime
needs.
• Garlic was called “Russian penicillin” during World War II
because, after running out of antibiotic, the Russian
government turned to this ancient treatment for its soldiers
• After World War II, Sandoz Pharmaceuticals manufactured
a garlic compound for intestinal spasms, and the Van Patten
Company produced another for Lowering blood pressure
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11. Common uses and benefits of garlic
consumption
• Common cold prevention
• Heart disease prevention
• Antiseptic
• Antimicrobial activities
• Insect repellent
• Anticancer effects
• Strengthen immune system
• Antioxidant effects
• Anti coagulation effect
• High cholesterol
• Hypertension
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15. Garlic and Cancer
• Ancients Egyptians, Indians and Greeks all
used garlic externally to treat tumors
• Studies in China and Switzerland link regular
garlic consumption with decreased risk for
stomach and colorectal cancer
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16. Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)
Introduction:
• Known as the “queen of forages”
• Alfalfa is also called Lucerne
• Originated near Iran
• First introduced to America in 1736 by colonists
• Oldest cover crop in the United States
• Very high yield legume
• Very good pasture crop
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17. Description
• Is a herbaceous perennial legume
• Mature alfalfa usually has 5-25 stems
• Height 15-25 inches (38-63 cm)
• Leaves alternating on stem
• Leaflets are linear oblong and toothed
towards end
• Commonly known as maidenhair
• Known for its green, fan-shaped leaves
that turn yellow in autumn
• Unique seeds (not used in extracts)
• Extracts prepared from dried, green
whole leaves
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18. Nutritional value
• Alfalfa is high in protein, calcium and other minerals,
vitamins in the B group, vitamin C, vitamin D, vitamin E,
and vitamin K.
• The sun-dried hay of alfalfa has been found to be a
source of vitamin D, containing 48 ng/g (1920 IU/kg)
vitamin D2 and 0.63 ng/g (25 IU/kg) vitamin D3.
• There is reference to vitamin D2 and vitamin D3 being
found in the alfalfa shoot; this is awaiting verification.
• Mushrooms are not allowed in Jain vegetarianism,
making alfalfa the only known source Jains can use to
make vitamin D2 supplements.
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19. Traditional medicine
• Alfalfa has been used as an herbal medicine for over 1,500
years.
• In early Chinese medicines, physicians used young alfalfa
leaves to treat disorders related to the digestive tract and
the kidneys.
• In Ayurvedic medicine, physicians used the leaves for
treating poor digestion.
• They made a cooling poultice from the seeds for boils.
• At the time, alfalfa was also believed to be beneficial to
people suffering from arthritis and water retention.
• The United States National Institutes of Health reports
there is insufficient evidence to evaluate the medicinal
value of alfalfa.
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20. Ginkgo
• Ginkgo is a genus of highly
unusual non-flowering plants.
• Ginkgo biloba
• also known as the maidenhair
tree
• Native to China, the tree is widely
cultivated and was introduced
early to human history.
• It has various uses in traditional
medicine and as a source of food.
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22. Other positive effect of Ginkgo
• Improvements in cerebral metabolism
(increases the efficiency of the oxygen that’s
present)
• Increase in the release of neurotransmitters
• Antioxidant activity
• Prevention of free radical damage
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23. Side Effects
• Few and far between
• The 5 reported cases have included
hemorrhage, hematoma (rupture of blood
vessels), and hyphema (bleeding in eye).
• In all trials <0.5% reported minor side effects
including headaches, GI distress and allergic
skin reactions.
• Overall, ginkgo is relatively safe.
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24. Newest Research
• Ginkgo as an anti-cancer agent
• In vitro exposure of human breast cancer and
bladder cancer cells to ginkgo extract
• Possible reasons
• Gingko in treatment of diabetes
• Treatment of diabetes symptoms (similar to its
effects on the vascular system)
• Role of platelet-activating factor (PAF)
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25. Dosage & Toxicity
• Ginkgo Biloba should be taken for 6-8 weeks
before seeing small improvements (3-4
months for larger effects)
• Oral dose of 120-240 mg 2-3 times daily
• Gingko supplements are not recommended 36
hours before surgery
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26. Adverse Effects
• rare occurrence of side effects
• nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness,
palpitations, restlessness, weakness and skin rash
• ingestion or contact with pulp leads to erythema,
edema, pruritis and GI irritation
• should not be used with antithrombotic therapies
(e.g. warfarin, heparin, aspirin), and extracts of
garlic or ginger b/c of PAF antagonistic effects
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27. Ginseng
• Comes from the family Araliaceae
• Angiosperm
• 13 species of Panax are considered to be
ginseng
• Considered to be a cure-all
• Found in Asia and North America
• Two important species: P. ginseng (Asian) and
P. quinquefolius (American)
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28. More General Facts…
• Root is the medicinal part of the plant
• Root can live for 100+ years
• Can be taken in form of tea or as a tonic,
stimulant & adaptogen
• Number of users estimated in the millions &
growing annually
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29. Physical Description
• Smooth prernnial herb
• Large, fleshy, slow-growing root
• Spindle shaped & heavily annulated
• Color ranges from pale yellow to a brownish
color
• Stem is simple, bearing three leaves
• A few small, yellowish flowers
• Fruit is a cluster of red berries
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30. Ancient Uses
• Charms
• Ensure sexual potency
• Guard health
• Prolong life & relieve pain
• Strengthening mental powers
• Eye wash & ear aches
• Stopped bleeding & enhanced healing
• Frighten away ghosts
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31. Has Been Known To Work As A…
Antidote
• Anti-inflammatory
• Anti-tumor agent
• Anti-diabetic
• Cardio-tonic
And Also As A…
• Hypoglycemic
• Immuno-stimulant
• Panacea
• Stimulant
• Stomachic
• Tonic
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34. • Cures pulmonary complaints
• Cardiac arrhythmia
• Heart attach & heart failure
• Increases blood circulation
• Regulates blood pressure
• Palpitations
• Long term debility & neurosis
• May raise HDL levels & lower total cholesterol
• Regulates basal metabolic rate
• May decrease endothelial cell dysfunction
Immune System
• Stimulate the immune system
• Improves resistance to infection
• Increases resistance to stress & disease
Gastrointestinal
• Stimulates appetite
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35. Genitourinary
• Increases production of body fluids
• Removes more waste products
Glandular Conditions
• Benefits the endocrine system
Pituitary glands
Adrenal glands
Inflammatory
• Inflammatory illnesses
• Works well when combined with licorice
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36. Respiratory Tract
• Asthma
• Colds
• Cough
• Dyspnea
• Various chest problems
• Improved respiratory functions in severe chronic respiratory
diseases:
-Chronic bronchitis
Others
• Aids recovery from disease or surgery
• Boosts energy levels
• May reduce risk of certain cancers
• Diabetes
• Dissolves tumors
• Helps in sugar & fat metabolism
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37. And Even More Uses…
• Minimizes effects of radiation &
chemotherapy
• Relieves fatigue/Increases endurance
• Maintains excellent body functions
• Normalizes functioning
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39. Side Effects
• Ginseng is a Stimulant!!
• Hypertension
• Insomnia
• Irritability
• Decreased sexual function
• Euphoria
• Headaches
• Menstrual abnormalities
• Palpitations
• Skin eruptions
• Tremors
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40. Should NOT Be Used If You Have…
• Acute asthma
• Acute infections
• Hypertension
Or If You Take…
• Caffeine or other CNS stimulants
• Morphine
• Haloperidol
• MAO inhibitors
• Blood thinning medication
• Aspirin
• Warfarin
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41. Onion
• The onion (Allium cepa), which is also known as the bulb onion,
common onion is the most widely cultivated species of the genus
Allium
Culinary uses
• Frying onions
• Onions are often chopped and used as an ingredient in various
hearty warm dishes, and may also use as a main ingredient in
their own right, for example in French onion soup or onion
chutney. They are also used raw in cold salads. Onions are also
used as a thickening agent for curries providing a bulk of the
base. Onions pickled in vinegar are eaten as a snack.
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42. Medicinal properties and health effects of
onions
• Diabetes, osteoporosis and other diseases.
They contain chemical compounds believed to
have anti-inflammatory, anticholesterol,
anticancer properties
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43. Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers.
Nutrition
• Fructose: 38.2%
• Glucose: 31.3%
• Maltose: 7.1%
• Sucrose: 1.3%
• Water: 17.2%
• Higher sugars: 1.5%
• Ash: 0.2%
• Other/undetermined: 3.2%
Medicinal uses
• Historically, honey has been used by humans to treat a variety of ailments,
from gastric disturbances to ulcers, wounds and burns, through ingestion
or topical application, but only recently have the antiseptic and
antibacterial properties of honey been chemically explained.
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