Tulsi / Ocimum Tenuiflorum / Ocimum SanctumSanskrit : TulasiEnglish name : Saint Joseph's Wort Cultivation :Several other basils, including some other Ocimum species, are grown in many regions of Asia. The most notable is the holy basil or tulsi, a revered home-grown plant in India and Nepal. Medicinal Uses :The leaves and flowering stems are strongly antiseptic, antispasmodic, carminative, cholagogue, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, stimulant, stomachic and mildly tonic. The plant is taken internally in the treatment of colds, influenza, mild feverish illnesses, indigestion, stomach upsets and painful menstruation. |
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Heena / Lawsonia inermisSanskrit :Dvivranta,Medika,Mendhika,Nakharanjaka,NakaranjaniEnglish name : Camphire,Henna Plant,Mignonette Cultivation :It is a major commercial crop only in the northwestern states where the climate is relatively hot and dry. Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Punjab farm henna, primarily to be sold as hair dye. Rajasthani henna farms often produce body art quality henna. Medicinal Uses : Henna is known as a traditional Ayurveda medicine. It shows various health benefits such as hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activities, inhibits the tuberculosis bacteria, and useful in skin diseases. |
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Ashwagandha/Withania somniferaSanskrit : Ashvagandha, Balada, Gandhpatri, Kamrupini, VajiniEnglish name : Indian Ginseng, Winter cherry, Withania root Cultivation :Withania somnifera is cultivated in many of the drier regions of India, such as Mandsaur District of Madhya Pradesh, Punjab, Sindh, Gujarat,and Rajasthan. It is also found in Nepal. Medicinal Uses :The root is bitter, acrid, heating, aphrodisiac, tonic, alternative, anthelmintic and useful in treatment of inflammations, psoriasis, bronchitis, asthma, consumption, ulcers, scabies, marasmus of children, insomnia, senile debility etc. According to Unani system of medicine, the root is bitter, tonic, aphrodisiac, emmenagogue, good in asthma, inflammations, leucoderma, bronchitis, lumbago, thirst etc. |
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Stevia / Stevia rebaudianaEnglish name : SteviaCultivation : The plant is native to tropical and subtropical regions of North America and South America. Stevia crop has good potential in India. Medicinal Uses : A leaf picked from a stevia plant and chewed will impart an extremely sweet taste sensation reminiscent of licorice that lasts for quite a while. For stevia to have a more practical application as a tea or sweetener,the leaves must be dried or put through an extraction process, which makes the sweet taste even more potent. |
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Neem/Azadirachta indicaSanskrit : Arishta, nimba, minbakaEnglish name : Neem, Indian Lilac,nim, crackjack, paradise tree,chinaberry Cultivation :It is native to India, Myanmar, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Malaysia and Pakistan. It grows in tropical and semi-tropical regions. Medicinal Uses : Neem leaf is used for leprosy, eye disorders, bloody nose, intestinal worms, stomach upset, loss of appetite, skin ulcers, diseases of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), fever, diabetes, gum disease (gingivitis), and liver problems. The leaf is also used for birth control and to cause abortions. |
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