When Lamont Christian returned from war, he often felt angry, afraid and unworthy.

We've officially entered the hard months, the "dark ages" as the midshipmen at the Naval Academy say: the time of the year when the sun disappears and the pale complexions of your friends remind you that you ...

Verdicts are expected soon in the ongoing scandal over tainted milk in China. So far, the contaminated milk has killed six children and sickened nearly 300,000. The government last week announced details of a compensation plan. Some victims' families are questioning the plan, saying the amounts are too low.

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Botanical Name: Hypericum perforatum
Family: Clusiaceae
Common Names: St. John’s wort, hypericum, Klamath weed, goat weed
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Malpighiales
Genus: Hypericum
Species: H. perforatum
Other Names: Spotted St. John’s wort, Hypericum, Klamath Weed, Touch-and-heal, Goat weed, Rosin Rose

Habitat:
St. John’s Wort is a perennial herb native to North America and Canada from Nova Scotia, Ontario Quebec south to the United States, eastern states. Found growing in open sunny or partial shady areas, along roadsides in dry, gravelly soils.

Description:
St John’s wort is a perennial plant with extensive, creeping rhizomes. Its stems are erect, branched in the upper section, and can grow to 1 m high. It has opposing, stalkless, narrow, oblong leaves which are 12 mm long or slightly larger. The leaves are yellow-green in color, with transparent dots throughout the tissue and occasionally with a few black dots on the lower surface. Its flowers measure up to 2.5 cm across, have five petals, and are colored bright yellow with conspicuous black dots. The flowers appear in broad cymes at the ends of the upper branches. The sepals are pointed, with glandular dots in the tissue. There are many stamens, which are united at the base into three bundles.
...
Identification
St John?s wort can be visually recognized by leaf and flower type. Yellow, five petaled flowers approximately 20 mm across occur between late Spring and early to mid Summer. Leaves exhibit obvious translucent dots when held up to the light, giving them a ?perforated? appearance, hence the plant’s Latin name. When flowers or seed pods are crushed, a reddish/purple liquid is produced.

Cultivation
St. John’s Wort is easy to grow from seed or root division in spring or autumn, in any well-drained but moisture retentive soil. Succeeds in dry soils, prefers sun or semi-shade.

.Seedlings of St John’s wort->.

Chemical Composition:
Herb and flowers contain different flavonoids (rutin, hyperoside, isoquercetin, quercitrin, quercetin, I3,II8-biapigenin, amentoflavone, astilbin, miquelianin). Phenolic acids (chlorogenic acid, 3-O-coumaroylquinic acid). Different naphtodianthrones (hypericin, pseudohypericin, protohypericin, protopseudohypericin), phloroglucinols (hyperforin, adhyperforin). And also essential oils (composed mainly of sesquiterpenes). The naphthodianthrones hypericin and pseudohypericin along with the Phloroglucinol derivative hyperforin are thought to be the active components.

Herbal Use and Medicinal Properties:-
There are 400 species of St. John’s Wort found throughout the world, it has been used as a medicinal for thousands of years, but has only recently been studied for its medicinal value. Now proven to have many highly active compounds including rutin, pectin, choline, sitosterol, hypericin and pseudohypericin. The flowers and leaves are medicinal as analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, astringent, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, resolvent, sedative, stimulant, vermifuge and vulnerary. Some compounds of the plant have been shown to have potent anti-retroviral activity without serious side effects and they are being researched in the treatment of AIDS.Hypericum perforatum is thought to be a mild antidepressant of the class “MAO inhibitor.” The mechanism by which St. John’s Wort acts as an antidepressant is not fully understood. Early research indicated that this it mildly inhibits the enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO). MAO is responsible for the breakdown of two brain chemicals - serotonin and nor epinephrine. By inhibiting MAO and increasing nor epinephrine, it may exert a mild anti-depressive action. The antidepressant or mood elevating effects of Hypericum perforatum were originally thought to be due solely to hypericin, but hypericin does not act alone, it relies on the complex interplay of many constituents such as xanthones and flavonoids for its antidepressant actions. Hypericum perforatum may also block the receptors that bind serotonin and so maintain normal mood and emotional stability.

Hypericum perforatum is used in treating a wide range of disorders, including pulmonary complaints, bladder problems, diarrhea and nervous depression. It is also very effectual in treating bed wetting in children. It has a sedative and pain reducing effect, it is especially regarded as an herb to use where there are menopausal changes triggering irritability and anxiety. In addition to neuralgic pain, it will ease fibrosistis, sciatica and rheumatic pain. The oil extract of the plant can be taken for stomach ache, colic, intestinal problems, and as an expectorant for the congestion in the lungs. Externally, a medicinal infusion of the flowers in olive oil is applied to wounds, sores, burns, ulcers, swellings, cramps, rheumatism, tumors, caked breasts, and other skin problems. It is also valued in the treatment of sunburn and as a cosmetic preparation to the skin. Persons with fair skin should avoid exposure to strong sunlight and other sources of ultraviolet light, such as tanning beds, while taking St. John’s Wort. These individuals may suffer a dermatitis, severe burning, and possibly blistering of the skin. The severity of these effects will depend on the amount of the plant consumed and the length of exposure to sunlight.

Folklore
There are many ancient superstitions regarding this plant, its name Hypericum is derived from the Greek and means ‘over an apparition,’ a reference to the belief that it smelled so obnoxious to evil spirits that a whiff of it would cause them to fly. The plant was given to have magical powers. In ancient Greece, the herb was used to treat many ailments, including sciatica and poisonous reptile bites.

Recipes:-
For depression the usual dose is 300 mg 3 times a day. Timed release capsules are now on the market as well.One should remember to take it once a day. Effects should be felt within a few weeks.

“Medicinal” tea: Pour 1 cup of boiling water over l-2 teaspoonfuls of the dried herb and steep for l0-l5 minutes. This should be drunk three times a day.

Oil: Fill a pint jar loosely with dried herb, poor olive oil to top, seal tightly and allow to infuse for 4 to 5 weeks, shaking the jar occasionally.

What the Science Says:-
*There is some scientific evidence that St. John’s wort is useful for treating mild to moderate depression. However, two large studies, one sponsored by NCCAM, showed that the herb was no more effective than placebo in treating major depression of moderate severity.

*NCCAM is studying the use of St. John’s wort in a wider spectrum of mood disorders, including minor depression.

Side Effects and Cautions:-
*St. John’s wort may cause increased sensitivity to sunlight. Other side effects can include anxiety, dry mouth, dizziness, gastrointestinal symptoms, fatigue, headache, or sexual dysfunction.

*Research shows that St. John’s wort interacts with some drugs. The herb affects the way the body processes or breaks down many drugs; in some cases, it may speed or slow a drug’s breakdown. Drugs that can be affected include:

*Antidepressants

*Birth control pills

*Cyclosporine, which prevents the body from rejecting transplanted organs

*Digoxin, which strengthens heart muscle contractions

*Indinavir and possibly other drugs used to control HIV infection

*Irinotecan and possibly other drugs used to treat cancer

*Warfarin and related anticoagulants

*When combined with certain antidepressants, St. John’s wort may increase side effects such as nausea, anxiety, headache, and confusion.

*St. John’s wort is not a proven therapy for depression. If depression is not adequately treated, it can become severe. Anyone who may have depression should see a health care provider. There are effective proven therapies available.

*Tell your health care providers about any complementary and alternative practices you use. Give them a full picture of what you do to manage your health. This will help ensure coordinated and safe care.

You may click to learn more about St. John’s Wort

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.
Resources:
http://nccam.nih.gov/health/stjohnswort/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St_John’s_Wort

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Botanical Name: Polygonatum biflorum
Family: Liliaceae
Other Names: American Solomon’s Seal, King Solomon’s Seal, King Solomon’s-seal, Small Solomon’s Seal, Lady’s Seals. St. Mary’s Seal.
Synonyms: Lady’s Seals. St. Mary’s Seal. Sigillum Sanctae Mariae.
(French) Scean de Solomon.
(German) Weusswurz.
Part Used: Root.

Habitat: Solomon’s Seal is a common plant that occurs in every county of Illinois . Habitats include moist to slightly dry deciduous woodlands, shady seeps, young flatwoods, woodland borders, and fencerows that are overgrown with shrubs or trees. Less often, this plant may occur in meadows near woodlands and mesic prairies. Solomon’s Seal occurs in both high quality and degraded woodlands.

Perennial native herb found growing in moist sandy, loamy or rocky woods and thickets, N. America from New Brunswick to Michigan, south to Tennessee and Florida.

Description:
This native perennial plant is about 2-3′ tall and unbranched. The central stem is glabrous, glaucous, and round in circumference; it leans over to one side. The alternate leaves are up to 6″ long and 4″ across; they are spaced fairly close together along the stem. These leaves are ovate and glabrous; they have parallel veins and clasp the stem.
......

From the upper axils of the middle and upper leaves, there are nodding umbels of 1-5 flowers (rarely more than this). A typical plant will have 12-20 of these umbels, which hang below the leaves. The peduncle and pedicels of each umbel are slender and green. The flowers are whitish green or pale yellowish green and about 2/3?3/4″ in length. Each flower has a narrow tubular shape with 6 small lobes that are slightly recurved. Within the interior of this flower, there is a pistil with a single style and 6 stamens. The blooming period occurs during late spring or early summer and lasts about 3 weeks. Each flower is replaced by a spheroid berry that is about 1/3?1/2″ across. This berry is initially green, but it eventually becomes dark blue-violet. The root system produces rhizomes that are rather stout and knobby; on the upper surface of these rhizomes, there are circular scars. This plant often forms colonies.

The creeping root, rhizome, or underground stem, is thick and white, twisted and full of knots, with large circular scars at intervals, these scars give Solomon’s Seal it’s name. Stems grow to a height of from 18 inches to 2 feet, or even more and bend over gracefully. Large, light green, and broad ovate leaves grow alternately on the stem, clasping it at the bases. The flowers are tubular, succulent and thick, light yellow- green, and hang in little drooping clusters of two to five, growing from the leaf axils. Flowers bloom April to June. The fruit is a small berry about the size of a pea, blackish-blue, fruit is not edible, said to be poisonous. Gather roots in fall as flows fade, dry for later herb use.

Cultivation: Typical growing conditions are light shade to partial sun, mesic levels of moisture, and fertile loamy soil. This plant is fairly rugged and tolerates less than ideal conditions. The foliage persists all summer and is rarely bothered by disease.A very hardy plant, it prefers a light soil and a shady situation. Seeds, or transplants, if taken up with plenty of soil.

Constituents:The main constituents are saponins (similar to diosgenin), flavonoids, and vitamins. The rhizome and herb contain Convallarin, one of the active constituents of Lily-of-the-Valley, also Asparagin, gum, sugar, starch and pectin.

Uses:
The nectar and pollen of the flowers attract various long-tongued bees, including bumblebees, Anthophorine bees, and Little Carpenter bees. The Ruby-Throated Hummingbird also sucks nectar from the flowers. Short-tongued Halictid bees may visit the flowers to collect pollen, but they are not effective pollinators. The berries are eaten by the Greater Prairie Chicken and various birds of the woodlands. White-Tailed Deer are quite fond of the foliage and will chomp off the tops of plants to about 6″ above the ground.

Solomon’s Seal is edible and medicinal, the young edible shoots are an excellent vegetable when boiled and eaten like Asparagus. The root is edible after boiling in three changes of water or sun baked, and is a good source of starch. This herb has a long history of use in alternative medicine dating back to the time of Dioscorides and Pliny.
Medicinal Action and Uses: Astringent, demulcent and tonic. Combined with otherremedies, Solomon’s Seal is given in pulmonary consumption and bleeding of the lungs. It is useful also in female complaints. The infusion of 1 OZ. to a pint of boiling water is taken in wineglassful doses and is also used as an injection. It is a mucilaginous tonic, very healing and restorative, and is good in inflammations of the stomach and bowels, piles, and chronic dysentery.

A strong decoction given every two or three hours has been found to cure erysipelas, if at the same time applied externally to the affected parts.

The powdered roots make an excellent poultice for bruises, piles, inflammations and tumours. The bruised roots were much used as a popular cure for black eyes, mixed with cream. The bruised leaves made into a stiff ointment with lard served the same purpose. Gerard says:
‘The roots of Solomon’s Seal, stamped while it is fresh and greene and applied, taketh away in one night or two at the most, any bruise, blacke or blew spots gotten by fals or women’s wilfulness in stumbling upin their hastie husband’s fists, or such like.’
A decoction of the root in wine was considered a suitable beverage for persons with broken bones, ‘as it disposes the bones to knit.’ On this point, Gerard adds:
‘As touching the knitting of bones and that truly which might be written, there is not another herb to be found comparable to it for the purposes aforesaid; and therefore in briefe, if it be for bruises inward, the roots must be stamped, some ale or wine put thereto and strained and given to drinke . . . as well unto themselves as to their cattle,’ it being applied ‘outwardly in the manner of a pultis’ for external bruises.
Parkinson says, ‘The Italian dames, however, doe much use the distilled water of the whole plant of Solomon’s Seal’ - for their complexions, etc.
In Galen’s time, the distilled water was used as a cosmetic, and Culpepper says:
‘the diluted water of the whole plant used to the face or other parts of the skin, cleanses it from freckles, spots or any marks whatever, leaving the place fresh, fair and lovely, for which purpose it is much used by the Italian ladies and is the principal ingredient of most of the cosmetics and beauty washes advertised by perfumers at high price.’
The roots macerated for some time in water yield a substance capable of being used as food and consisting principally of starch. The young shoots form an excellent vegetable when boiled and eaten like Asparagus, and are largely consumed in Turkey. The roots of another species have been made into bread in times of scarcity, but they require boiling or baking before use.
The flowers and roots used as snuff are celebrated for their power of inducing sneezing and thereby relieving head affections. They also had a wide vogue as aphrodisiacs, for love philtres and potions.

The berries are stated to excite vomiting, and even the leaves, nausea, if chewed.

The properties of these roots have not been very fully investigated. It is stated that a decoction will afford not only relief but ultimate cure in skin troubles caused by the poison vine, or poisonous exalations of other plants.

Dosage of the decoction: 1 to 4 OZ. three times daily.

As a remedy for piles the following has been found useful: 4 OZ. Solomon’s Seal, 2 pints water, 1 pint molasses. Simmer down to 1 pint, strain, evaporate to the consistence of a thick fluid extract, and mix with it from 1/2 to 1 OZ. of powdered resin. Dosage: 1 teaspoonful several times daily.

A medicinal infusion of root or rhizome, is used in alternative medicine as an astringent, demulcent, and tonic. The dried herb is taken as a laxative and restorative, and is good in inflammations of the stomach, indigestion, profuse menstruation, lung ailments, general debility, bowels, piles, and chronic dysentery. A medicinal poultice of the fresh roots is said to fade bruises, also applied to cuts and sores.

Other Species:
Polygonatum biflorum, an American Solomon’s Seal, has characters and constitution similar to the European.

P. uniflorum, now P. officinale, is said to be no longer used. The plant bears a single fragrant flower.

P. verticillatum, bearing its leaves in whorls, is only found in Scotland, and then rarely.

Smilacina Racemosa is known as False Solomon’s Seal.

Folklore:
Once believed to have aphrodisiac properties, and used in love potions. More than likely due to its ability to stop profuse menstruation. Gerard says: ‘The roots of Solomon’s Seal, stamped while it is fresh and greene and applied, taketh away in one night or two at the most, any bruise, blacke or blew spots gotten by falls or women’s wilfulness in stumbling upin their hastie husband’s fists, or such like.’

Recipe:
“Medicinal” tea: To 1 tsp. dried herb add 1 cup boiling water, steep for 10 min. sweeten to taste, take in the morning as laxative.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/woodland/plants/solomon_seal.htm
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/s/solsea63.html

The folks at Phyzoom have recently released a social networking site for physicians that adds a nice twist ? it?s helpful for marketing services between physicians and other parts of their healthcare ecosystem (insurance, hospitals, etc). I?ve seen and reviewed a number of physician-oriented social networking sites (like Sermo and Ozmosis) but Phyzoom seems to be the first one looking to help doctors with marketing and increasing patient visits. It?s an excellent idea.

In addition to tying together physicians, Phyzoom seems to also rope in patients to help them communicate with their physicians.

Check them out and let me know what you guys think.

A landmark paper from the Vitamin D Council asserts that a form of vitamin A, retinoic acid, can block the activity of vitamin D by weakly activating the vitamin D response element on genes. Since vitamin D levels are crucial for human health, that means it is essential to have the proper ratio of vitamin D to vitamin A in your body.

This means that vitamin A supplementation is potentially dangerous. Vitamin A production is tightly controlled in your body, the source (substrate) being carotenoids from vegetables in your intestine. Your body uses these carotenoid substrates to make exactly the right amount of retinol. But when you take vitamin A as retinol directly, such as in cod liver oil, you intervene in this closed system and bypass the controls.

The goal is to provide all the vitamin A and vitamin D substrate your body would have obtained in a natural state, so your body can regulate both systems naturally. This is best done by eating colorful vegetables and by exposing your skin to sun every day.

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A US research team led by an Indian-origin doctor has pinpointed a gene that may help identify people who are at risk of suffering a heart attack before they turn 40.

Cardiologist Svati Shah at the Duke University School of Medicine and her colleagues have shown that a variant of the gene called NPY makes people susceptible to early coronary artery disease.

. NPY Gene->….

Scientists have known for years that some people are at risk of developing coronary artery disease even in their 30s and that this condition is inherited. But no one had succeeded in identifying the genes involved.

The Duke researchers examined genetic sequences from individuals across 920 families and found that the earliest age of onset of coronary artery disease was associated with a specific variant of the NPY gene.

The researchers are hoping their discovery leads to genetic tests that will allow them to find young people at risk of early heart disease and get them to change their diet or lifestyle to reduce the risk of heart attacks.

?These young patients are a vulnerable population, but they are particularly hard to identify,? said Shah, the lead author of a research paper on the discovery published yesterday in the journal Public Library of Science Genetics. ?Such genetic findings may help us in future to identify these patients prior to the development or coronary artery disease or their first heart attack.?

The connection between the gene and early heart disease was even stronger in patients with heart disease before the age of 37. ?If a person has the NPY gene variants in one of two copies from the mother and father, then he/she may develop coronary disease earlier,? said Elizabeth Hauser, associate professor of medical genetics at the Duke University.

Studies on mice have confirmed that the NPY gene and its protein are involved in promoting atherosclerosis ? the buildup of deposits along walls of the arteries that can choke blood flow to the heart and raise risk of a heart attack.

The Duke team?s work has shown that variants of the NPY gene can be transmitted from generation to generation across a population of patients susceptible to early onset coronary artery disease.

This gene makes an important protein in the body that regulates appetite and feeding behaviour, in addition to other functions. ?If you had one or two copies of this version of the gene, there could be a change in NPY level,? Shah said.

Sources: The Telegraph (Kolkata, India)

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Definition:
A lumbar puncture, also known as a spinal tap, uses a needle to remove a sample of fluid from the space surrounding the spinal cord. This fluid is known as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). The test is used to diagnose meningitis infections and some neurological conditions.

.…
It is a procedure to collect cerebrospinal fluid to check for the presence of disease or injury. A spinal needle is inserted, usually between the 3rd and 4th lumbar vertebrae in the lower spine. Once the needle is properly positioned in the subarachnoid space (the space between the spinal cord and its covering, the meninges), pressures can be measured and fluid can be collected for testing.

Cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) is a clear fluid that circulates in the space surrounding the spinal cord and brain. CSF protects the brain and spinal cord from injury by acting like a liquid cushion. CSF is usually obtained through a lumbar puncture (spinal tap).

Preparation for the Test:

You will need to sign a consent form, which is generally required when the procedure is done outside of an emergency situation. Tell your doctor ahead of time if you have ever had an allergic reaction to lidocaine or the numbing medicine used at the dentist’s office.
Doctors routinely do a physical examination and in some cases order a brain scan before recommending a lumbar puncture, to make sure you do not have a medical condition that could put you at risk for movement of the brain during the procedure, a very rare but serious complication.

What happens when the test is performed?
Most patients wear a hospital gown. Typically, you lie on your side with your knees curled up against your chest. In some cases, the doctor asks you to sit on the bed or a table instead, leaning forward against some pillows.

The doctor feels your back to locate your lower vertebrae and feels the bones in the back of your pelvis. An area on your lower back is cleaned with soap. Medicine is injected through a small needle to numb the skin and the tissue underneath the skin in the area from which the sample is to be removed. This causes some very brief stinging.

A different needle is then placed in the same area and moved forward until fluid can be obtained through it from the spinal canal. Because the needle must be placed through a small opening between two bones, the doctor must sometimes move the needle in and out several times to locate the opening. Because of the numbing medicine used in this area, most patients experience only a sense of pressure from this movement. Occasionally some patients do get a sharp feeling in the back or (rarely) in the leg. Let your doctor know if you feel any pain.

Sometimes the doctor measures the pressure of the fluid before taking a sample. The pressure is measured with a tube that looks like a large thermometer held against the needle. The fluid sample collected is usually less than three tablespoons. You will not feel any discomfort when it is removed. After this, the needle is taken out. Usually a Band-Aid is the only dressing necessary.

The whole lumbar puncture, including set-up time, takes 30?45 minutes. The needle is in place for close to one minute.

Risk Factors:
The most common risk of a lumbar puncture is that it can cause a temporary headache. Lying down for a few hours after the test can make a headache less likely to occur. Other problems are rare and include infection or bleeding. Because the volume of fluid is small, a lumbar puncture almost never causes movement of the brain or spinal cord, a serious complication.

What Must you do special after the test is over?
You may be told to lie flat for a while after the test, sometimes for a few hours.

Time for the result of the test is known?
Depending on the tests being done on the fluid sample, results take anywhere from a few hours to a few days.
For more knowledge you may click to see:-…………………...(1).…….(2).…….(3)
Resources:
http://www.health.harvard.edu/diagnostic-tests/lumbar-puncture.htm
http://www.clarian.org/ADAM/doc/CancerCenter/10/000303.htm

http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/imagepages/9587.htm

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Botanical name: Cestrum nocturnum
Family: Solanaceae (potato family)
Common name: Night-blooming cestrum, Night blooming jasmine, Rat ki rani (Hindi), Thabal lei (Manipuri), Hasna hana (Bengali), Raatrani (Marathi, Konkani)
Habitat:Native to Mexico, Central America, India and Cuba, Bangladesh.

Description:This sprawling shrub has glossy, smooth, simple leaves 4″-8″ long. Vine-like stems reach up to 12′ in its native habitat, but it seldom reaches more than a 4′ mound in a single season. It blooms in cycles throughout warm weather. Greenish-creamy white tubular flowers rise from above leaves along the stem, followed by shiny white, fleshy berries. Although the flowers are not showy to the eye, their sweet scent can overpower. The perfume is distinctly powerful at night - this feature has had its influence on its common name in all languages. The Hindi name translates to queen of the night, while the Manipuri name means moon flower. No fragrant garden should be without this nocturnal beauty. While night blooming jasmine is a gorgeous plant with charming blooms, the scent also produces severe allergic reactions in some individuals.

....

Cultivation and uses:
Cestrum nocturnum also known as Night Blooming Jasmine, is grown in subtropical regions as an ornamental plant for its strongly-scented flowers. It grows best in average to moist soil that is light and sandy, with a neutral pH of 6.6 to 7.5, and is hardy to hardiness zone 8. Feed bi-weekly with a weak dilution of seaweed and fish emulsion fertilizer.

All parts of the plant are highly poisonous.

Adverse factors
Common pests Poisonous parts Poisonous indications Internal poison no Dermatologic poison no Livestock poison no Mechanical injury no Hay fever pollen Hay fever season Adverse qualities

Herbal medicine
Medicinal properties Medicinal parts Has medicinal uses no Do not self-administer no Do no use if pregnant no Legally restricted no Toxicity precautions Medicinal notes

Traditional uses
Parts used Traditional uses Contemporary uses Fragrance intensely sweet musk and Heliotrope scent at night. Fragrance parts Flowers Fragrance intensity Mild Fragrance category Perfume Dye parts Dye color

Nutrition
Is edible no Culinary uses Nutritional value Edible parts Description of edible parts Flavor / texture

Invasive potential:
It has become widely naturalised in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world, including Australia, southern China and the southernmost United States, and is difficult to eradicate. It is classed as a weed in some countries.
Resources:
http://www.flowersofindia.net/catalog/slides/Night%20Blooming%20Jasmine.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cestrum_nocturnum
http://www.crescentbloom.com/plants/specimen/ce/Cestrum%20nocturnum.htm

While neuroimaging evidence suggests that cerebrovascular disease plays a prominent role, it seems that depression alone may also confer substantial risk for developing Alzheimer's disease.

Here’s some good news for women who find it hard to squeeze into their skinny jeans, courtesy their big bottoms: a generously proportioned derriere could be good for health, say scientists.
……………..
Accord to research, the fat in buttocks and hips may protect against type 2 diabetes.

Scientists at Harvard Medical School in America reckon that the type of fat that accumulates around the hips and bottom may offer some protection against developing the condition.

Fat found commonly around the lower areas, known as subcutaneous fat, or fat that collects under the skin, helps to improve the sensitivity of the hormone insulin. Insulin is responsible for regulating blood sugar and therefore a big bottom might offer some protection against diabetes.

The boffins said that fat which collects around the stomach can raise a person’s risk of diabetes and heart disease. But, people with pear-shaped bodies, with fat deposits in the buttocks and hips, are less prone to these disorders.

Lead researcher Dr Ronald Kahn said that the research on mice had shown that not all fat was bad and could help to prevent the onset of Type 2 diabetes.

The team is trying to find the substances produced in subcutaneous fat that provide the benefit because they could lead to the development of drugs, reports the Daily Express.

The study was published in the journal Cell Metabolism.

Sources:The Times Of India

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Batanical Name: Salmalia malabarica
Family: Malvaceae/Bombacaceae

Kingdom: Plantae
Order: Malvales
Genus: Bombax
Species: B. ceiba
Common Name:Semal, cotton tree or tree cotton, red silk-cotton tree, syn indian kapok, syn purani, syn simbal, syn red cotton tree, syn silk-cotton tree, syn god-tree
Sanskrit synonyms: Salmali, Mocha, Picchila, Raktapushpa, Stirayu, Poorani, Kandaka
Tamil Name: Mullilavu
English : Red silk cotton tree
Hindi : Semul, Semar
Malayalam : Ilavu, Mullilavu
Useful part : Resin, Leaves, Bark, Thorns.
Habitat: The tree is widely planted in Malay, Indonesia, south China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. According to Chinese historical record, the king of Nam Yuet, Chiu To, gave a tree to the Emperor of Han dynasty in 2nd Century BC.

Description:A tall deciduous tree grows up to 30 meters in height. Leaves palmately compund, leaflets lenceolate, acuminate, entire and large. Flowers large, red colored, found when tree sheds leaves. Fruits capsules, containing small smooth seeds embedded in long white wool. Gummy extract from bark is called semul-gum or Mocharasa, is used as medicine. Bark is guarded with numerous woody thorns.

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This tropical tree has a straight tall trunk and its leaves are deciduous in winter. Red flowers with 5 petals appear in the spring before the new foliage. It produces a capsule which, when ripe, contains white fibres like cotton. Its trunk bears spikes to deter attacks by animals. Although its stout trunk suggests that it is useful for timber, its wood is too soft to be very useful.

Cultivation: It is widely planted in parks and on roadsides there because of its beautiful red flowers which bloom in March/April. This tree is quite common in New Delhi although it doesn’t reach its full size of 60m there because of the semi arid climate. The cotton fibers of this tree can be seen floating in the wind around the time of early may.

This tree shows two marked growth sprints in India- in spring and during the monsoon months.

Uses:
The cotton inside the fruits was used a substitute for cotton. The flower was a common ingredient in Chinese herb tea.

In Guangdong, the tree is known as muk min ( lit. wood cotton) or hung min ( lit. red cotton). It is also known as Ying Hung Shue (lit. hero tree), for its straight and tall trunk. The tree flower is the flower emblem of Guangzhou and Kaohsiung. Folk knowledge in Hong Kong states that soon after the tree blooms, the weather will get hotter.

Principal Constituents:Preliminary tests show the presence of glyclsydes and tanins from roots, stem and leaf. In the stem some alkaloids and root proteins are identified. The stem bark contains lupeol and b-sitostrol. The root bark has 3 naphthalene derivatives related to gossypol (toxic principle of cotton seed) and called ‘Semigossypol’. Flowers contain b-sitosterol, traces of essential oil, kaemphorol and quercetin. On hydrolysis gum yeld arabinose, galacturonic acid and rhamnose.

Medicinal Properties:
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, wounds, ulcers, skin diseases, hemorrhoids, urinary calculus, cystitis, inflammations, cough, bronchitis and dark discolorations on face.

Ayurvedic Properties :
Rasa : Madhura, Kashaya
Guna : Guru, Snigdha, Picchila
Virya : Seeta
Vipaka : Madhura

Medicinal & Herbal Uses:The flower was a common ingredient in Chinese herb tea.The traditional healers of Chhattisgarh in India use the fresh young roots of Semal as sex tonic. Like collection of other herbs they perform special worship ceremony and collect the roots. For collection, Mondays are preferred. The healers have no scientific explanation on why the roots are collected on Mondays? The roots spreading in North direction are preferred. The trees present in surroundings of Semal play vital role in increasing or decreasing the medicinal properties. The Semal tree, nearer to Pipal or Bar (Ficus religiosa and Ficus benghalensis) trees, is not preferred.

Semal gond (gum), known as Mochras in trade, is also used as medicine by the natives and traditional healers of Chhattisgarh. As aphrodisiac, it is given with sugar and cow milk. In treatment of diarrhoea, it is used by healers by adopting different methods. Many healers give it with fresh curd whereas other recommend the powdered gum simply with sugar. It is found that both methods are effective.

The natives of Chhattisgarh Plains, use the powdered gum as tooth powder. According to them, its regular use root out all dental and gum related troubles. It is also used as preventive. The traditional healers of Bilaspur region, use the spines of Semal in many ways. With sugar, the powdered spines are used as female tonic. In face care, to remove the black spots, the natives mix the powered spines in cow milk and prepare paste. This paste is applied externally. During surveys in Bagbahera forest areas, it is heard about the use of Semal roots in treatment of scorpion bite.But yet not seen its practical use.

Similarly, like the medicinal uses of Fudhar Floss (Calatropis gigantea), the natives and healers of Chhattisgarh are not much aware of medicinal uses of Semal Floss. The natives of Tilda region informs that the cotton of Semal is applied directly on fresh burns to stop the formation of blisters and to heal it quickly.

Disclaimer:The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider.

Resources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmalia_malabarica
http://www.botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/151_semai.html
http://www.himalayahealthcare.com/herbfinder/h_bombax.htm
http://ayurvedicmedicinalplants.com/plants/87.html