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    Ginger

Family:

Zingiberaceae

Latin Name(s):                  

Zingerber officnale

Urdu Name                        Adrak

English Name(s):              Ginger

Parts Used                Rhizomes

Quality/Temperament        Warm and dry in 3rd order.

Chemical constituents    

  • Volatile oil

  • Proteins

  • Gingerol

  • Gingediols

  • Starch

  • Shagol

  • Zingiberine

  • Bisabilone

Functions and Properties (Pharmacological Actions):

  • Aromatic stimulant

  • Corminative

  • Antibacterial

  • Flavouring agents

  • Decrease cholesterol

  • Activate peristalsis

  • Anti ematic

  • Stimulant for flow of saliva

Specific Action:

  • Corminative

  • Digestive

Medicinal Uses:

  • Dyspepsia

  • Vomiting

  • Spasms

  • Cough

  • Asthma

  • Sore throat

  • Cold

  • Bronchitis

  • Hoarness and loss of voice

  • Noasea

  •  

Compound Preparations:

  • Jawarish ranjeel

  • Atrifal kabeer

  • Sapari paak

  • Maraba adrak

  • Majuun azraqi

Dosage:

  • 1_3 gram

  • Genger can be consumed as a fresh or dried root

Corrigent:

  • Rogan badaam

  • Honey

Tenedium:

  • Fulfil daraaz

Side Effects

Adverse effect of genger is uncommon but they can include mild gut effects such as heart burn,irritation of mouth. If genger taken in high amount it causes miscarriage in pregnant women and also cause CNS depression.

Benzoin

Family:

Styraceae

Arabic Name(s):                Batatis Alyaban,
Astarak, Javi

Urdu Name                        Loban, Kamkam

English Name(s):              Benzoin, Gum Benzoin      

Parts Used                Balsam resin

Quality/Temperament        Warm and dry in second order.

Functions and Properties (Pharmacological Actions):

  • Antiseptic disinfectant,    

  • absorbent,      

  • detergent,

  • liver and digestive stimulant,

  • expectorant and

  • purgative of phlegm,

  • effective in phlegmatic disorders,

  • aphrodisiac,

  • relieves fever.

Specific Action:

  • Resolvent of inflammations due to excess of phlegm,

  • antiseptic,

  • aphrodisiac.

Medicinal Uses:

Benzoin is used as

  • aromatic,

  • antiseptic and

  • disinfectant incense,

  • largely used in medicine as

  • aromatic stimulant,

  • expectorant and

  • styptic.

  • Included in ointments as

  • antiseptic,

  • as absorbent to dry the wounds.

  • As detersive included in make up (Ubtan)

  • preparations to beautify the skin and improve the complexion.

  • In facial paralysis,

  • palsy, gout and rheumatism as stimulant included in massage preparations and in formulations administered internally to relieve phlegmatic inflammatory disorders which are symptomatically of phlegmatic origin.

  • Being expectorant and purgative of phlegm given

  • to relieve chest affections particularly phlegmatic

  • cough, phthisis, asthma and bronchitis.

  • In powder form administered to relieve fever.

  • Mixed in suitable oil used as ear drops to alleviate earache which arises under cold affects.

  • As liniment and in oral preparations administered as aphrodisiac.

  • Applied over cut surface and wrapped acts as styptic, also an effective application to foul and indolent ulcers.

Compound Preparations:

  • Tiryaq-e-Faruq,

  • Hab Shabyar,

  • Hab Mi'a

Dosage:

250 mg. - 1 g. (approximately), benzoic acid: 125 mg. (approximately).

Corrigent:

Viola odorata Linn. oil and Lactuca sativa Linn.

Tenedium:

Pistacia mutica Fish & Mey (Mastiche).

Elletaria Cardamomum

Family:

Zingiberaceae (Ginger family)

Arabic Name(s):                 Habbu al-hal/ Habbu al-han/ Hail هيل, الهان حب, الهال حب

Urdu Name                        Sabz Elaichi/Choti Elaichi االئچی چهوٹی

English Name(s):              Green cardamom/True cardamom

Parts Used                Seeds (Green seed pods)

Quality/Temperament

Hot and Dry in 2nd order (Avicenna)

Functions and Properties (Pharmacological Actions):

  • Cardamom oil has

  • potential applications as

  • an antimicrobial,

  • antibacterial,

  • antioxidant,

  • anticancer,

  • antiseptic,

  • antispasmodic,

  • carminative,

  • cephalic,

  • digestive,

  • diuretic,

  • expectorant,

  • stimulant, and

  • stomachic.

  • Moreover, it is an efficient skin permeation enhancer for certain drugs agents.

Specific Action:

  • Anti-spasmodic

Medicinal Uses:

  • Cardamom is used to cure

  • indigestion,

  • nausea,

  • vomiting and

  • used to expel the phlegm out of body.

  •  It is beneficial in congestion of lungs and other pulmonary diseases. •

  • It is also used as laxative and

  • used to prevent stomach pain,

  • flatulence and

  • gripping.

  •  Seed oil is good for digestive system.

  • It is used to relieve colic, give warmth to stomach and also good for heart burn.

  •  It is used as appetizer and is also effective in dyspepsia.

  • It is analgesic and is

  • best used in the treatment of

  • arthritis,

  • sore muscles and lower back pain.

  • Seeds are boiled in water to prepare tea and used to control depression.

  • Cardamom seed powder mixed with amla juice acts as diuretic and is very effective in cystitis, gonorrhea and scanty urination.

  • Seeds with mint leaves are beneficial for hiccups.

Compound Preparations:

  • Jawarish e amla

  • Arq e amber

  • Majoon ard khurma

  • Jawarish Mastagi

Dosage:

Seed powder – 0.5 to 1gm

Seed oil – 2 - 5 drops

Corrigent:

Amomum subulatum

Tenedium:

Combination of;

• Cinnamon and cloves

• Cinnamon and ginger

• Cinnamon and nutmeg

Myrtus Communis

Family:

Myrtaceae

Arabic Name(s):                

Shajratul Ehlaj,

Hab ul-Aas

Urdu Name                        

Aas, Mowarid, Moriyan, Mann Moreo, Mort, Mara

English Name(s):              Myrtle, Myrtle berry

Parts Used               

Leaf, fruit

Quality/Temperament        Cold in first order, dry in second (Kabiruddin). Compound temperament with preponderance of coldness (Muzaffar Awan)

Functions and Properties (Pharmacological Actions):

  • Stimulant,

  • astringent,

  • styptic (antihaemorrhagic),

  • antidiaphoretic,

  • carminative and

  • stomach tonic,

  • cardiac tonic.

  • Leaves:

  • Sedative,

  • desiccative.

Specific Action:

  • Styptic,

  • antidiarrhoeal.

Medicinal Uses:

  • Fruit of Myrtle is

  • carminative,

  • styptic,

  • antidiarrhoeal and

  • antidysenteric,

  • stops bleeding from near about all the organs of the body (internally). Being a useful article for stomach acts as tonic and stops diarrhoea. Its preparations (like sherbet Hab ul-Aas) are useful for

  • relieving cardiac debility and helpful against tachycardia and palpitation.

  • Leaves are rubbed over the body to retard smell due to excessive perspiration and to stop its profuse outcome. Infusion of the fruit is effective against internal ulcerations, deep sinuses etc., leucorrhoea and prolapsus of the uterus. As an antiseptic used as wash for foetid ulcers. Infusion or the decoction is also useful as a mouth wash in aphthae. The fragrant oil is regarded as antiseptic and rubefacient, generally employed in perfumery. Used in respiratory and bladder ailments, and against rheumatic affections topically (locally). Oil is also used as a part in various hair colouring oils and tonic (oil) preparations for strengthening the hairs and increasing their length. The fragrant oil is regarded as antiseptic, rubefacient and generally employed in perfumery.

Compound Preparations:

  • Sherbet Hab ul-Aas,

  • Jawarish Zarishk,

  • Jawarish Tabashir,

  • Ma'jun Bawasir,

  • Ma'jun Sangdana Murgh, Ma'jun MasikalBoul,

  • Ma'jun Mochrus.

Dosage:

3-5 g. (approximately)

Corrigent:

Berberis baluchistanica Ahrendt, Berberis lycium Royle, Morus nigra Linn. leaf.

Tenedium:

Polygonum bistorta Linn. (root)

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