Malaysian Herbs-- Senna Obtusifolia Chinese Senna -(72) சீனத்து ஆவாரை

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Senna obtusifolia   CHINESE SENNA 

Alternative name is Cassia humilis"  

அன்பர்களே! காடு போன்று வளரும் இச்செடியைப் பார்த்திருக்கிறீர்களா? 

இதன் நன்மைகளைக்கீழேபாருங்கள்

Senna obtusifolia (Chinese Senna or Sicklepod) is a legume in the genus Senna, sometimes separated in the monotypic genusDiallobus. It grows wild in North, Central, and South America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania, and is considered a particularly serious weed in many places. It has a long-standing history of confusion with Senna tora and that taxon in many sources actually refers to the present species.

The green leaves of the plant are fermented to produce a high-protein food product called "kawal" which is eaten by many people in Sudanas a meat substitute. Its leaves, seeds, and root are also used in folk medicine, primarily in Asia. It is believed to possess a laxativeeffect, as well as to be beneficial for the eyes. As a folk remedy, the seeds are often roasted, then boiled in water to produce a tea. The plant's seeds are a commercial source of cassia gum, a food additive usually used as a thickener and named for the Chinese Senna's former placement in the genus Cassia. Roasted and ground, the seeds have also been used as a substitute for coffee. In traditional Korean medicine, they are called gyeolmyeongja (결명자) and usually prepared as tea. They are also used in Kampō (traditionalJapanese medicine) where they are called ketsumei-shi (ケツメイシ, 決明子) or by their Chinese name jué míng zǐ (traditional: 決明子,simplified: 决明子).

Abstract

Sicklepod (Senna obtusifolia) is a leguminous plant that infests soybean fields in the southeastern United States. Its seeds contain a variety of toxic, highly colored compounds, mainly anthraquinones together with a small amount of fat. These compounds contaminate and lower the quality of soybean oil when inadequately cleaned soybean seed from this area is processed. The sorting of sicklepod seed from a soybean harvest is an additional economic burden on the farmer beyond the cost of proper disposal of the weed seed to avoid worsening field infestation. Fortunately, sicklepod seed also contains substantial amounts of carbohydrates and proteins. These edible components when freed from anthraquinones have a market in pet food as well as potential in human foods because of the high galactomannan ratio of the polysaccharides. Sicklepod seed was dehulled, and the ground endosperm was defatted, followed by sequential solvent extraction of the defatted seed meal to isolate the anthraquinones, carbohydrates, and protein components into their respective classes. Each class of isolate was spectroscopically identified. Thanks, NCBI resource

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Malaysian Herbs--- Madagascar periwinkle (71) Catharanthus roseus--நித்தியக்கல்யாணி

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 Catharanthus roseus--நித்தியக்கல்யாணி

CANCER KILLING SUPPORTING HERB

Catharanthus roseus, commonly known as the Madagascar periwinkle, is a species of Catharanthus native and endemic toMadagascar. Other English names occasionally used include Cape periwinkle, rose periwinkle, rosy periwinkle, and "old-maid".

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Scientists who were intrigued by the fact that traditional Madagascan healers used rosy periwinkle to help treatdiabetes decided to research other potential medicinal uses for the plant. They discovered hidden treasures within rosy periwinkle, in the form of chemicals that they could use to create medicines for cancer patients.

Miraculous Results:

The chemicals from rosy periwinkle that are used in medicines, which are called vinca alkaloids, have reduced children’s leukemia survival rates so dramatically that some people call rosy periwinkle a miracle plant. Before vinca alkaloids were discovered, the average survival rate from children’s leukemia was just 10 percent. But now that doctors can treat children with drugs made from vinca alkaloids, about 95 percent of all children with leukemia survive.

It is an evergreen subshrub or herbaceous plant growing to 1 m tall. The leaves are oval to oblong, 2.5–9 cm long and 1–3.5 cm broad, glossy green, hairless, with a pale midrib and a short petiole 1–1.8 cm long; they are arranged in opposite pairs. The flowers are white to dark pink with a darker red centre, with a basal tube 2.5–3 cm long and a corolla 2–5 cm diameter with five petal-like lobes. The fruit is a pair of follicles 2–4 cm long and 3 mm broad

In the wild, it is an endangered plant; the main cause of decline is habitat destruction by slash and burn agriculture. It is also however widely cultivated and is naturalised in subtropical and tropical areas of the world.

The species has long been cultivated for herbal medicine and as an ornamental plant. In Ayurveda (Indian traditional medicine) the extracts of its roots and shoots, though poisonous, is used against several diseases.^{[citation needed]} In traditional Chinese medicine, extracts from it have been used against numerous diseases, including diabetes, malaria, and Hodgkin's lymphoma.The substancesvinblastine and vincristine extracted from the plant are used in the treatment of leukemia  and Hodgkin's lymphoma.

This conflict between historical indigenous use, and recent patents on C.roseus-derived drugs by western pharmaceutical companies, without compensation, has led to accusations of biopiracy.

The species has long been cultivated for herbal medicine and as an ornamental plant. In Ayurveda and Siddha  (Indian traditional medicine) the extracts of its roots and shoots, though poisonous, is used against several diseases. 
     
In traditional Chinese medicine, extracts from it have been used against numerous diseases, including diabetes, malaria, and Hodgkin's lymphoma. The substances vinblastine and vincristine extracted from the plant are used in the treatment of leukemia and Hodgkin's lymphoma.

It can be dangerous if consumed orally.

 It can be extremely toxic, and is cited (under its synonym Vinca rosea) in Louisiana State Act 159.

As an ornamental plant, it is appreciated for its hardiness in dry and nutritionally deficient conditions, popular in subtropical gardenswhere temperatures never fall below 5 °C to 7 °C, and as a warm-season bedding plant in temperate gardens. It is noted for its long flowering period, throughout the year in tropical conditions, and from spring to late autumn, in warm temperate climates. Full sun and well-drained soil are preferred. Numerous cultivars have been selected, for variation in flower color (white, mauve, peach, scarlet, and reddish-orange), and also for tolerance of cooler growing conditions in temperate regions. Notable cultivars include 'Albus' (white flowers), 'Grape Cooler' (rose-pink; cool-tolerant), the Ocellatus Group (various colors), and 'Peppermint Cooler' (white with a red center; cool-tolerant).

C. roseus is used in plant pathology as an experimental host for phytoplasmas. This is because it is easy to infect with a large majority of phytoplasmas, and also often has very distinctive symptoms such as phyllody and significantly reduced leaf size.

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Malaysian Herbs- Coral Jasmine-(70) Nyctanthes Arbortristis பவள மல்லி

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Coral Jasmine

                                    Nyctanthes Arbortristis                                                    பவள மல்லி

Coral Jasmine is also known by many other names, depending on the country, for example, it’s called Lai Tau in Vietnam, Karanikaa in Thai, etc. Coral Jasmine has been used as a good old remedy for many medical symptoms. In addition, its flowers are beautiful with white petals and orange color tubes and charming by the sweet aroma.

It is also known as the Night Jasmine and
the plant is known as The Tree of Sorrow or The Sad Tree. It's
well into the season because the flowering period is from 
September to December. In Hindi, it's called "Harsinghar". In
Assam it is known as "Sewali".
The flowers bloom at night and by dawn, they fall to the ground.
The fragrance that wafts into the surrounding area is heavenly!
In the morning the ground below the tree forms a carpet of white
and orange. As you can see from the photo, the blooms are small 
and white with a bright orange tube. These are usually picked up
and used for worship or kept in bowls and platters for the frag-
rance.

The Coral Jasmine, also referred to as the Queen of the Night, is a shrub or small tree with stiff whitish hairs all over. It belongs to the plant family Oleaceae or Nyctanthaceae. To control sciatica, boil 1 teaspoon of the leaves of Coral Jasmine in a glass of water over a gentle fire. Drink this decoction as needed.

The Coral Jasmine, also referred to as the Queen of the Night, is a shrub or small tree with stiff whitish hairs all over. It belongs to the plant family Oleaceae or Nyctanthaceae. The leaves are opposite, 5 to 10 cm. long, ovate, and with a rounded base. The flowers that are delightfully fragrant, bloom at night, and are shed like tears during the day and hence the Latin species name, arbor-tristis meaning "a sad tree". The petals of the flower are white with a ring of orange in its hollow neck and shaft. The 2 cm. long capsules are more or less round in outline and compressed.

Parts Used: Leaves, flowers, bark and seeds

Medicinal Properties: Chest Congestion and Sciatica Remedy

Medicinal Use

• Sciatica, which is characterized by shooting pain in the lower back, hips and thighs
• Edema or swellings owing to the accumulation of fluids in the body
• Chronic fevers
• Chest and throat congestion, cough, and the accumulation of phlegm
• Dandruff and scalp conditions
• Intestinal worms

How to Use

• To control sciatica, boil 1 teaspoon of the leaves of Coral Jasmine in a glass of water over a gentle fire. Drink this decoction as needed.
• To take care of edema, apply on the swellings the flower paste prepared by grinding a handful of the flowers with some water.
• To control chronic fevers, mix 1 teaspoon of the juice extracted from the leaves, with 1 teaspoon of good honey and take the mixture with some warm water. Use it till the fever subsides.
• To take care of chest and throat congestion, cough, and the accumulation of phlegm, dry some bark collected from the plant, dry some bark collected from the plant, powder and store. Take a few pinches of this bark powder with a piece of Areca Nut (Areca catechu) and betel leaf (Piper beetle). Use only as an herbal medicine. Avoid consuming this mixture as soon as the conditions listed above are under control.
• To control dandruff and other scalp conditions, apply the powdered seeds on the scalp. Leave for an hour and wash with soap nut fruits (Sapindus trifoliatus).
• To get rid of intestinal worms, mix one teaspoon of the juice extracted from the leaves with one teaspoon of honey and a pinch of common salt and use it till the worms are passed out of the system.

Active Principles: Essential oils, mannitol, B-amyrin, B-sitosterol, hentriacontane, benzoic acid, glycosides, glucose and fructose.

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Malaysia Herbs---Coccinia indica (69)-கோவைக்கொடி

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Ivy gourd occurs wild in northern and eastern Africa, Arabia to tropical south and southeast Asia. It has spread and become naturalised in Tropical northern Australia and Fiji and occasionally adventive in the neotropics
 “Coccinia Grandis”-

கோவைக்காய்

தெரியுமா? அல்லது அதன்


பயன் தான் தெரியுமா?

This green vine is grown widely through out Malaysia.

Indian Ivy Gourd is a widely consumed vegetable, available in India and Malaysia  through out the year. Called  Kovai keerai and Kovai Kai  in Tamil  and Dondakaya (Telugu) or Tindora/Tondli (Hindi), these cute looking small, stubby, green colored vegetables which grow aggressively on vines are used to prepare delicious stuffed curries, stews, pickles, salads and stir fries.

Ivy Gourd is considered as weed in many parts of the world . It comes under the Cucurbitaceae family(Family of Cucumbers). The Botanical name of the vine is Coccinia indica. Name indicates it is native to India. Although it grows all round the Asian countries. Also in West Indies and Hawaai. It is highly valued as food and medicine in Thailand! In India, the Ayurveda text, mentions about its usage in various ailments. 

General characteristic of  Vines with small green are  round tendrils. The tendrils are 12-14 cm long, single and spring-like twisted, oppositely inserted to leaves. Leaves are simple and alternate. Leaves' bases are in heart-shaped, sharpened tip and curvy edge. The shape of the leaf is star-liked with 5 rays. 5-7 veins separated from leaves' bases. Leaves are 3-4 cm wide, 5-6 cm long. A stem is 3-5 cm long. Flowers are solitary, axillary, and sometimes fasciculate. Berry-like fruits are green when young and red when ripe. Inflorescence is during April-December. Fruiting during June-January. Propagating by seeds and preserved stems.

Kovai  has the property towards reducing one's glucose level. 



The gourd is considered as vegetable and appreciated for its unique taste. Widely used in culinary. Gourd has the property towards reducing one's glucose level. Researchers are now showing interest in common plants, which have more pharmacological uses than one could imagine. The gourd is said to have the properties to lower one's glucose level. To be more specific...it suppress the activity of enzymes that are involved in the production of glucose, such as G-6-phosphatase. Although the leaves tend to have more properties than the gourd itself. Maybe the foliaceous nature of this creeper...gets very little attention! Wish Ethonobotonist give some holistic approach towards the whole plant/vine.
Scientific Name- “Coccinia Grandis”

Ivy Gourd, Gentleman’s Toes (English)

Dondakaya, Dondakai (Telugu)

Tondakayi (Kannada)

Vargoli (Hindi)

Tindora, Ghiloda (Gujarati)

Tondli, Tendli (Marathi)

                                     கோவைப்பழம்போல்சிவந்தஇதழ்கேள்விப்பட்டுள்ளீர்களா?

Kovakkai (Malayalam)

Kovaikai (Tamil)

Goli (Rajasthani)

Kundru (Utter Pradesh)

Dondakaya or Tondli is a small oblong shaped, smooth skinned, light green to dark green shade, abundantly available Indian vegetable
Has a mild sour flavor with a crunchy juicy texture
Has medicinal value and used widely in Traditional Thai and Ayurvedic Medicine
Contains beta-carotene and a good source of protein and fiber

Medical Research suggests that gherkins may suppress the activity of certain enzymes involved in glucose production, such as G-6-phosphatase and helps control diabetes.

Coccinia grandis, the ivy gourd, also known as baby watermelon, little gourd, gentleman's toes, tindora or gherkin is a tropical vine. It is also known as Cephalandra indica and Coccinia indica. Wikipedia

கோவை (கொவ்வை, Coccinia cordifolia) மருத்துவப் பயன்பாடுடைய தாவரமாகும்.

 இக் கொடித் தாவரம் பற்றைக் காடுகள், வேலிகளில் வளர்கிறது. இதன் இலையின் பிளவு அமைப்பைக் கொண்டு மூவிரல் கோவை, ஐவிரல் கோவை என்ற பிரிவுகள் உண்டு. இதன் பூ வெள்ளை நிறமானதாகும். இலை, காய், தண்டு, வேர் என எல்லாப் பாகங்களும் மருத்துவ குணமுடையனவாகும். இலைக்கஞ்சியில் இதன் இலை சேர்க்கப்படுவதுண்டு.

கண்குளிர்ச்சியை உண்டாக்கும். இலைச்சாற்றுடன் வெண்ணெய் சேர்த்து சிரங்குகளுக்குப் பூசலாம். இதன் இலைச்சாற்றைப் பருகி வந்தால் நீரழிவு நோய் கட்டுப்படும். கொவ்வங்காய் கோரோசனை மாத்திரை செய்யப் பயன்படுகிறது.

இலக்கியத்தில் கோவை]

இதன் பழங்கள் ஒரு கவனிக்கத்தக்க செந்நிறத்தில் இருக்கும். இதன் காரணமாக திருநாவுக்கரசர்பின்வரும் தனது பாடலில் சிவனின் வாய்நிறத்திற்கு உவமையாக இதைப் பயன்படுத்துகிறார்.

குனித்த புருவமும் கொவ்வைச் செவ்வாயில் குமிண் சிரிப்பும் 
பனித்த சடையும் பவளம்போல் மேனியில் பால்வெண்ணீறும் 
இனித்தமுடைய எடுத்த பொற்பாதமும் காணப்பெற்ல் 
மனித்தப் பிறவியும் வேண்டுவதே இந்த மாநிலத்தே  நன்றி: த.விக்கிபீடியா

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Malaysian Herbs - Prickly Pear Cactus cactus -(68) `Chapathi kalli'-சப்பாத்திக்கள்ளி

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ohttp://www.sidhhaherbs.blogspot.commDO YOU KNOW IT IS GOOD FOR piercing water AS WELL AS ringing the SUGAR LEVEL IN BLOOD?

Prickly pear cactus and fruit. Did you know that even the 

cactus part is edible?

There are over 200 species of prickly pear cacti. Most are found in southwestern North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Opuntia humifusa is native to the United States east of the Rockies, where it grows in dry, sandy soils in open pine woods, prairies, and scrub. Prickly pear is easy to grow, rooting readily from pads stuck in the ground, or even just lying on the surface. Grows best in full sun, in dry, sandy soil.

WATER PURIFIER

Millions of people lack access to clean water globally, and that lack of access - or rather, access to unsafe drinking water - kills as many as 15 people per minute.

 We have many options for filtering water, but a primary problem with clean water technologies is they're expensive and not simple to maintain once placed where they're needed. Yet, that could change. 

By using a cactus found commonly worldwide, a team of researchers have devised what could be a solution for access to clean water.

 According to New Scientist, the prickly pear cactus could be key to cheap, clean water globally - or at least that's the hope of Norma Alcantar at the University of South Florida in Tampa. She and her team extracted the gum used by the cactus to store water. When mixed with water that had high levels of sediment or the bacterium Bacillus cereus, the gum caused the sediment and bacteria to settle at the bottom of water samples, filtering out 98% of the contaminants.

The researchers think that by boiling a slice of cactus and adding it to the water needing purification, a household could have the cheapest, easiest solution to clean water where other more advanced technologies are unavailable.

Questions remain, however, on when a household would know when the bacteria is filtered out, as well as what variety of contaminants this could filter. If it can't filter the bacteria, pollution and viruses common in drinking water, then it isn't the simple solution hoped for. And of course, there's an issue of having enough cactus available. More research is needed, but this could be an excellent supplement for areas or times when other options are simply not around.

Prickly pear cacti typically grow with flat, rounded platy clades that are armed with two kinds  of spines; large, smooth, fixed spines and small, hairlike spines called glochids that easily  penetrate the skin and detach from the plant. Many types of prickly pears grow into dense,  tangled structures. Like all true cactus species, prickly pears are native only to the Western hemisphere; however,  they have been introduced to other parts of the globe. Prickly pear species are found in abundance  in Mexico, especially in the central and western regions. They are also found in the West of the  United States, from arid regions in the Northwest, throughout the mid and lower elevations  of the Rocky Mountains, and especially in the Southwest. Prickly pears are also the only types  of cactus natively found to grow far east of the Great Plains states, as far north-east as Long  Island, where it can be found in Northport. Prickly pear species were introduced into Australia in the late 1800s, causing major ecological  damage in the eastern states (see www.northwestweeds.nsw.gov.au). They are also found in  the Mediterranean region of southern Europe, especially on the island nation of Malta where they  grow on cactus found all over the island, and can be found in enormous numbers in parts  of South Africa, where it was introduced from South America. Opuntia are the most cold-tolerant  of the lowland cacti, extending into western and southern Canada; one subspecies, Opuntia  fragilis var. fragilis, has been found growing along the Beatton River in central British Columbia,  southwest of Cecil Lake at 56° 17’ N latitude and 120° 39’ W longitude. Charles Darwin was the first to note that these cacti have thigmotactic anthers: when the anthers  are touched, they curl over, depositing their pollen. This movement can be seen by gently poking  the anthers of an open Opuntia flower.  [1]

சப்பாத்திக்கள்ளி

PRICKLY PEAR cactus (Opuntia species known as `Chapathi kalli' in Tamil) is found in abundance along roadsides and drought-prone regions. It is highly nutritious and is endowed with good medicinal properties.

It is of great economic value and is extensively grown in Mexico, parts of Central and South America, and the Caribbean region. "In Mexico, the flattened stems are eaten and are very popular. Prickly pear cactus also gives a delicious fruit called tunas. The cactus can be dehydrated, pulverized, and made into capsules. Mexico exports huge quantities of prickly pear cactus to Japan as a herbal medicine," says Ms. Margarita Barney de Cruz, President of the Group to Promote Education and Sustainable Development (GRUPEDSAC), a pioneering non-governmental organization in Naucalpan, Mexico. "Also the prickly pear cactus is used in making a highly effective water-proof paint for homes. The technique originated in Mexican rural areas and is probably pre-Columbian. It was mostly used in the 16th to 18th centuries for painting churches and convents and the smooth paint gave a shiny, silk-like finish if white eggs were added to the mixture," says Ms. Barney de Cruz.

The type of whitewashing is also excellent for henhouses and pig stables because it acts as a germicide and sealer, which prevents the formation of bacteria and the nesting of insects.

Stables, hen, and rabbit houses should be whitewashed at least two times a year and also each time there is a change of inhabitants in such places, according to her.

The waterproofing substance is made by adding water to chopped paddles of the cactus, I'm,e and salt in the right proportions. About 100 liters of water is added to 20 chopped stems of the prickly pear cactus (with or without the spines).

Chopped stems should be soaked in water for 24 to 48 hours. The mixture is then strained to remove the chopped stems, leaving only the slimy water. To this decanted fluid is added a mixture of about 20 kg of lime and 2 kg common salt.

A thick white paint will form, and it is then used for painting, according to Ms. Barney de Cruz. "It is recommended that at least two coats of this paint should be applied within a minimal interval of 24 hours. This paint gives an intense white color to any kind of wall. Painting ferro-cement structures with this special whitewash seals the cracks that may have formed in the setting of the cement. The waterproofing effect is 100 percent," she points out. The whitewash also results in better lighting, as white reflects light in the inside of the buildings.

The paint on the outside results in the reflection of sunlight and thus diminishes heat, according to her. "Waterproofing with this substance is very economical.

The plants are well adapted to dry regions. It can be easily grown from the cuttings or from the seeds. With thick water-retaining stem, lack of leaves, and extensive root system, the cacti is well adapted to dry environmental conditions, and it can be raised with minimal care and attention," explains Ms. Barney de Cruz.

The prickly pear cactus was designated the official plant symbol of Texas in 1995. Found in the deserts of the American southwest, the fruits of most prickly pear cacti are edible and have been a source of food for native Americans for thousands of years. Cacti in general (and the fruits in particular) are still staple foods for some residents of Mexico and Latin America and the prickly pear cactus is raised commercially. The fruit is sold under the name "Tuna"; the branches or pads are eaten as a vegetable, called "nopalito" or "nopales.

"TheseFruits upon first glance, they looked like kiwis with candle wax dripped on them, shaped like baby avocados... but with armor!--tiny hairlike prickles called glochids that leave surprise reminders of their presence as you bend your fingers.  Click here to learn more about prickly pears! prickly pears, also known as cactus pears, cactus fruit, cactus fig, or tuna in Spanish, are grown on a cactus called the Prickly Pear, native to the Americas and grow in abundance in Mexico and the western US (we purchased ours from California).

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Malaysian Herbs-- Artemisia vulgaris -(67)வாய்வு நீக்கும் மூலிகை

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Artemisia vulgaris

கிறிஸ்மஸ் பூச்செடியின் இலைபோல் வாசமானது.நன்கு காற்று பரியும். இது சீன வம்சத்தினரின் அரிய மூலிகையாகும்.மலேஷியாவில் எல்லா இடங்களிலும் கிடைக்கக்கூடியது.

According to the principles of traditional Chinese medicine, mugwort leaf has bitter, pungent and warm properties, and is associated with the Liver, Spleen and Kidney meridians. Its main functions are to warm the meridians and stop bleeding, and to dispel cold and stop pain.

Artemisia vulgaris (mugwort or common wormwood) is one of several species in the genus Artemisia commonly known as mugwort, although Artemisia vulgaris is the species most often called mugwort. This species is also occasionally known as felon herb, chrysanthemum weed, wild wormwood, old Uncle Henry, sailor's tobacco, naughty man, old man, or St. John's plant (not to be confused with St John's wort). Mugworts are used medicinally and as culinary herbs.

It is native to temperate Europe, Asia, northern Africa, and Alaska and is naturalized in North America, where some consider it aninvasive weed. It is a very common plant growing on nitrogenous soils, like weedy and uncultivated areas, such as waste places and roadsides.

It is a tall herbaceous perennial plant growing 1–2 m (rarely 2.5 m) tall, with a woody root. The leaves are 5–20 cm long, dark green, pinnate, with dense white tomentose hairs on the underside. The erect stem often has a red-purplish tinge. The rather small flowers (5 mm long) are radially symmetrical with many yellow or dark red petals. The narrow and numerous capitula (flower heads) spread out in racemose panicles. It flowers from July to September.

A number of species of Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths) feed on the leaves and flowers; see List of Lepidoptera that feed on Artemisia for details.

Mugwort leaf is known by many other names, including artemisia and Japanese wormwood. It resembles a shrub, which can reach a height of more than three feet, with small greenish-yellow flowers and alternating leaves of green, grayish or silver. The part of the plant used for medicinal purposes is the leaf. The leaves are gathered in the spring and summer, while the plant is flowering, and dried in a shady place.

Mugwort has a special place in traditional Chinese medicine. It is the herb of choice for acupuncturists who practice moxibustion - a form of healing in which mugwort is burned, either in a cone-shaped pile or on top of an acupuncture needle. Mugwort also has a long history of use in folk remedies. Research has shown that it acts as an emmenagogue - that is, an agent that increases blood circulation to the pelvic area and uterus and stimulates menstruation. This could explain its use in treating breech births and menstrual cramps. A landmark study published in 1998 showed that moxibustion using mugwort leaf on expectant mothers could help breech babies relocate to the correct position prior to birth.

How much mugwort leaf should I take?

The amount of mugwort leaf used depends on the condition being treated and the way it is being applied. Mugwort cones may weigh as little as three grams. Larger moxa sticks may weigh up to 10 grams. Mugwort can also be ground up into boiling water and used in a decoction with other substances. Fresh mugwort leaves can be crushed and blended to form a type of juice.

What forms of mugwort leaf are available?

Dried mugwort leaf is usually available as a pre-formed cone or stick for moxibustion. Moxa sticks are widely available from most herbal shops and acupuncture suppliers. Dried, unformed mugwort leaf can also be obtained at many Asian markets and specialty stores.

What can happen if I take too much mugwort leaf? Are there any interactions I should be aware of? What precautions should I take?

Mugwort leaf should be avoided by patients diagnosed with spleen yang deficiency. Skin contact with mugwort leaf may also cause an allergic reaction in some individuals; burning mugwort leaf should be used with extreme caution by patients and practitioners alike. As always, make sure to consult with a licensed health care provider before taking mugwort leaf or any other herbal remedy or dietary supplement.
Thanks naturopathy-digest

As one of the commonly seen weeds in China, mugwort herb, also called Ai Ye or moxa, can be taken  orally or used externally in Chinese herbal therapy. Externally moxibustion therapies are its  distinguishing application; internally it has wider usage, especially for gynecological diseases. What is mugwort herb? It is also known as Artemisia Vulgaris in Latin, which is a perennial herb in the composite family.  Regularly it can be found along open hillsides, grassy areas, and margins of forests. The best harvesting  timing is from May to July when their leaves are in their utmost luxuriance while without blooming yet.  Drying in a ventilated shade is the way to make them with the best medicinal effect. Mugwort leaves are shrunk and wrinkled with short stalk after drying. The intact one is in oval shape,  with pinnate parted in elliptic-lanceolate, irregular margin with coarsely sharply serrate. The upper  surface is grayish-green with sparse pubescence and glandular dots; the Lower surface is covered with thick whitish pubescence. The preferred one should have a thick leaf, be green in color, whitish  on the lower surface, have thick pubescence, and have a rich aroma. By the way, it can be consumed now in many forms like tea, powder, pills, extract, etc. What is mugwort herb used for? It is bitter, acrid, and warm in nature. Liver, Spleen, and Kidney are the three Channels it  effectively acts on. Main clinical usage and indications are spitting blood, nosebleeds, menstrual disorders, hemifacial,  uterine bleeding, period pain, bleeding during pregnancy, restless fetus, chest and abdomen pain  due to cold, diarrhea and prolonged dysentery, abnormal vaginal discharge, eczema, sores and  ringworm etc. Usual dosage is from 3 to 9 grams in decoction. Popular Chinese herbal formulas Mugwort leaf is mentioned in two formulas in Shang Han Lun and Jin Gui Yao Lue (The Treatise on  Cold Damage Disorders and Miscellaneous Illnesses) – one is Bai Ye Tang and the other is Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang. Bai Ye Tang is mainly for vomiting blood due to the middle-burner Qi losing its control over blood.  This formula is especially designed for deficiency-cold in the middle-Jiao leads to Qi’s failure to control  blood, thus the blood deviation from the meridians. Ce Bai Ye (Biota Leaves) in this formula is  looking to mitigate the ascending tendency while inducing astringency; Gan Jiang (dried ginger)  works to warm the middle Burner, dispel cold, and descend the adverse movement of Qi; In addition  to warm the meridians and stop bleeding, mugwort herb works together with dried ginger to  motivate spleen yang to regulate blood; The juice of Ma Tong is warm and guides the blood  downwards to stop bleeding. Mugwort leaf in Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang is aimed at warming meridians and wombs for the sake of  hemostasia. Combining with Sheng Di Huang (Rehmannia) , Chuan Xiong (Szechuan Lovage Root),  Shao Yao (Peony Root) and Gan Cao (Licorice Root), this formula tunes the meridians and blood while  treating abdominal pain. So Xiong Gui Jiao Ai Tang is good at deficiency patterns suffering from loss  of blood, especially with abdominal pain and collapse due to massive hemorrhage. Moxibustion therapies According to the Compendium of Materia Medica (Ben Cao Gang Mu), moxibustion with mugwort cones  cures a variety of diseases. Moxibustion practice is quite similar to acupuncture and the difference  between them is the tool used, the choice of needle or burning cone. Moxa is fragrant, inflammable  and with warming fire, which is capable of warming associated channels to dispel cold, strengthen  Yang-Qi to stop draining away, remove stasis of the blood to dissipate stagnation, and prevent  diseases from having a long life. And the weights of them are varied from 3 to 10 grams. Glutinous rice cake It is also a fabulous vegetable. In the Dongjiang River of Guangdong  province, its tender young leaves and buds are eaten as a vegetable  during winter and springtime. More than that, glutinous rice cake  is another famous local-flavor snack of South China during the  Ching Ming Festival. Usually, the ratio of fresh tended leaves  and glutinous rice flour mixed together is 1:2. To add some flavors,  peanut, sesame, and white sugar or others would be put in as filling too. Fending off evil This is a very interesting folk tradition in China. When the Dragon Boat Festival comes, people tend to  hang or place herbs like mugwort plant and calamus (Chang Pu) on the door of their houses, which  they believe can help keep their whole families from jinx the whole year. This ritual was there long  ago partly because it is a medicinal herb, which serves as a widely popular moxibustion medium to  burn its way to a cure. Possible side effects and contraindications Normally mugwort has little side effects if used properly. But it has its own share of cautions and  contraindications as well in TCM practice. It is only recommended for non-sensitive skin because its  volatile oils have mild stimulation on the skin, which might lead to fever and flush. Else, using it over a  long period of time could inhibit nerves and impair the liver, nervous centralization, and blood vessels due to  excessive “volatile oils”. The experiment revealed its essential oils have significant inhibiting action  on contact of the isolated heart from the toad and little impact on heart rate. However, it might develop  atrioventricular block and heart failure in a high concentration dosage. If poisoning occurs after oral ingestion of large doses mistakenly, first gastric lavage and bone carbon  adsorption are the way to go. Then place the patient in a quiet room with lower levels of light to  avoid unnecessary stimulation. Based on the description from Ben Cao Bei Yao Ben Cao Bei Yao (Complete Essentials of the Materia  Medica) and Ben Jing Feng Yuan (Journey to the Source of the Materia Medica Classic), mugwort  herb should be avoided by those suffering from blood heat due to Yin deficiency from the Traditional  Chinese Medicine (TCM) point of view. Hence use it only as directed or consult your doctor when  necessary. physicianpackiam    http://www.sidhhaherbs.blogspot.com                   (67)     Croton Seed (Ba Dou) »