Basil

Medicinal Herb : Basil
Plant Description of Medicinal Herbs

It is a tender low-growing herb. It grows to between 20 - 60 cm tall, with opposite, light green, silky leaves one and a half to five centimetres long and one to three centimetres broad.

It is a hairy, labiate plant with the stem obtusely quadrangular.

The flowers are labiate which are white in colour, are present in whorls in the axils of the leaves, the calyx with the upper lobe rounded and spreading.

The leaves, grayish-green beneath and dotted with dark oil cells, are opposite, 1 inch long and 1/3 inch broad, stalked and peculiarly smooth, soft and cool to the touch, and if slightly bruised, it exhales a delightful scent of cloves.

There are several varieties, differing in the size, shape, odour and colour of the leaves. The Common Basil has very dark green leaves, the curled-leaved has short spikes of flowers, the narrow-leaved smells like Fennel, another has a scent of citron and another a tarragon scent, one species has leaves of three colours, and another 'studded' leaves.

Parts Used

The whole herb, both fresh and dried.
Constituents

Sweet basil contains a volatile oil (about 1%), which consists principally of linalool and methyl chavicol, along with small quantities of methyl cinnamate, cineole, and other terpenes. Relatively large quantities and bisabolene, camphor, cryophyllene, geraniol, and ocimene in smaller quantities influencing taste and action in the body.
Culinary Uses

* The green aromatic leaves are used fresh and dried as flavorings or spices in sauces, stews, salad dressings, vegetables, poultry, vinegar, confectionery products, and the liqueur chartreuse.
* Basil is most commonly associated with Italian and Thai cuisine.
* Infusions of the leaves can flavor oil or vinegar, and leaves can be steeped for teas.
* The flowers and leaves are best used fresh and added only during the last few minutes of cooking.
* Basil works well in combination with tomatoes. Finely chopped basil stirred into mayonnaise makes a good sauce for fish

Medicinal Uses

* It is used as sedative.
* Basil has been used as a medicinal plant in treatment of headaches, coughs, diarrhea, constipation, warts, worms, and kidney malfunctions.
* It has the ability to draw out poison from insect bites
* It is also thought to be an antispasmodic, stomachache, carminative, stimulant and insect repellent.
* The oils of basil, especially the camphor-containing oil, have antibacterial properties.
* It helps in promoting production of breast milk in nursing mothers.

Other Uses

* Basil in the bath is refreshing.
* Leaves and flowers can be dried for potpourri.
* Burn sprigs of basil on the barbecue to deter mosquitoes.
* A bunch of basil hung over the kitchen window or a pot of basil in the windowsill will deter flies.
Medicinal Herbs:akebia

Barberry

Medicinal Herb : Barberry

Medicinal Herbs Plant Description

Barberry is thorny plant with red orange fruit like berries. It is a deciduous scrubby shrub with gray yellow grooved stem and yellow roots.

It bears three pronged spines and toothed leaves with yellow flowers and oval red fruits. Its leaves are about two inches long and one-third wide.

This plant herb goes 1-5 m tall with thorny shoots. The deciduous species (b.vulgaris, berberis thunbergii) are noted for good autumn color, the leaves turn pink or red before falling. In some evergreen species in china, leaves turn white making it more attractive.

The flowers grow singly or in more numbers up to 20 on one flower head. They are red or yellow orange of about 3-6mm long.

The small fruit berry is 5-15mm long, ripening red or dark blue often with a pink or violet waxy surface bloom.

Parts Used

Root bark, stem bark, fruit- berries
Constituents

The stem, root bark and fruit of barberry contain chemicals like isoquinoline and protoberberin alkaloids including berberine, columbamine and palmatine. While ripe berries are free if alkaloids.

This herb also contains B-vitamin thiamine, vitaminC, and zinc.
Culinary uses

* Berries are rich in vitamin C, and are sour in taste, since it harvesting is someway difficult so it is not consumed in many places. They are an important source of food for birds.
* In some places, it is used as spice. In Soviet Union it is used to add flavor in candies. It is also used in making jellies and pickles.
* Berberis buxifolia and berberis darwinii are the two species found in Argentina and Chile, here berries are edible and added to jams.
* Zereshk is Persian name for berberis vulgaris given to its dried fruit which are widely cultivated in Iran. It is widely used in cooking and flavoring chicken dishes.

Medicinal uses

Berberis vulgaris is mostly used for medicinal purpose than in food. Barberries have therapeutic uses as it contains berberine alkaloids.

It relieves from infection, skin disorders and various other diseases-

* Berberry is used to ease inflammation.
* Relieves from infections of the urinary, gastrointestinal and respiratory tracts.
* Its extract improves the symptoms of various skin diseases including psoriasis.
* Diarrhea.
* Brain and nervous system conditions – promotes vigor.
* Cardiovascular conditions- affective in high blood pressure.
* Gastrointestinal conditions- constipation, dyspepsia, heartburn.
* Liver conditions.

Other uses

* Berberry is externally used as lotion or ointment for the quick relief.
* It is anti-scorbutic and prevents scurvy.
* It is used to make jelly, candy and pickles.
* The inner bark of the stems are boiled with alum will dye linen yellow.
* Roots boiled in lye will dye leather yellow.
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