Medicinal Plants Archive

Cassia fistula Linn

Family Name:

Caesalpinaceae

Local Name/English Name:

Flowering Period:

Status:

Part Used:

Habit/Habitat:

Distribution:

Description:

Kinjal/Golden shower tree

March-June

Uncommon

Whole plant (pods and seed) A medium-sized tree grown on dry and sunny land. Pakistan: Hazara, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Margalla Hills, and Haripur. World: Throughout the greater part of India, Burma, and Ceylon. A medium-sized evergreen tree up to 15 m tall. Stem erect, branched woody, with dark gray bark. Leaves compound, alternate. Flowers numerous, bright yellow in clusters. Fruit legume, cylindrical pod with 10-15 flat dark brown seeds (Fig. 3.34)._

Fig. 3.35 Cedrela toona Roxb. ex Willd

Family Name: Meliaceae

Distribution: Pakistan: Hazara, Swat, Buner, Kaghan, Murree,

Poonch, Jhelum, and Margalla Hills. World: Burma, Java, Australia, and India.

Description: A tall tree up to 15 m in height. Stem erect, branched, and woody with dark brown bark. Leaves compound, 3-5 pairs, and entirely green, opposite, subsessile. Flowers creamy white, small, in clusters. Fruit capsule, single-seeded, and yellow (Fig. 3.35).

Medicinal Uses:

Collection: 5 kg of fresh leaves and 1-2 kg of bark are collected by men 20-40 years old. Leaves are collected in summer (April-August) and bark is peeled off in winter (November-March) with an ax. Leaves are dried in shade for 4-5 days and bark in sunlight for 2-3 days. Both bark and leaves are stored in cotton sacks for further use.

Family Name: Meliaceae

Recipes: (a) 250 g of dried leaves is ground for 10-15 min, and then 1-2 tsp (10-15 g) of common salt is mixed in. This powder is stored in a glass or plastic bottle and given to patients suffering from fever, diabetes, and skin diseases (allergy and pimples) and to purify the blood. For children, 1 tsp (4-6 g) of powdered drug (at one time) is given with 1 cup (250 mL) of water once daily, in the morning, for 10-15 days. For adults, 2-3 tsp (12-15 g) of powdered drug (at one time) is given with 1 cup (250 mL) of water once daily, in the morning, for 15-20 days. (b) 125 g of dried bark is ground for 10-15 min. The powdered drug is stored in a glass or plastic bottle and given to patients suffering from dysentery or ulcers and to heal wounds. For children, 1 tsp (4-6 g) of drug (at one time) is given with 1 cup (250 mL) of water twice daily (morning-evening) for 3-4 days. For adults, 2-3 tsp (12-15 g) of powdered drug (at one time) is given with 1 cup (250 mL) of water twice daily (morning-evening) for 6-7 days.

Disease Cured: Fever, diabetes, dysentery, blood diseases, skin diseases

(allergy and pimples), ulcers, and wound healing.

Ethnobotanical Uses: Leaves are used as fodder by goats and sheep. Wood is used for making furniture, in construction, and as fuelwood.

Phytochemicals: Resin, gum, nyctanthin, flavones, glycosides, tannic acid, resin, citric acid, starch, ash; and essential oil consists of tricyclic acid, sesquiterpene, copaene, cadinene, cadinol, lactone, and cedrelone [37] .

Constipation Prescription

Did you ever think feeling angry and irritable could be a symptom of constipation? A horrible fullness and pressing sharp pains against the bladders can’t help but affect your mood. Sometimes you just want everyone to leave you alone and sleep to escape the pain. It is virtually impossible to be constipated and keep a sunny disposition. Follow the steps in this guide to alleviate constipation and lead a happier healthy life.

Get My Free Ebook