wanna share about herbs!!!

Penemuan terbaru... ingat tumbuhan banyak khasiat nyer!!

1) GARLICAllium sativum (Liliaceae)

HISTORY AND USESOriginal from Central Asia, garlic is now cultivated worldwide. Itwas widely known by the ancients, being found in Egyptian tombsand used by Greeks and Romans. Recognized for its pungent odorand taste, garlic is a powerful home medicine for the treatment fora host of health problems. It is one of the most effective anti-bioticplants available, acting on bacteria, viruses and alimentaryparasites. It counters many infections, including those of the nose,throat and chest. Garlic is also known to reduce cholesterol, helpscirculatory disorders, such as high blood pressure, and lowerblood sugar levels, making it useful in cases of late-onset diabetes.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Antibiotic, expectorant, diaphoretic,hypotensive, antispasmodic, expels worms.

2) GINGERZingiber officinali (Zingiberaceae)

HISTORY and USESGinger is original from Southeast Asia and is now cultivated inmost tropical countries. Its citations in ancient texts go back to the4th century B.C. The Greeks imported it from the East centuriesbefore Discorides recorded its use in the 1st century A.D. Familiaras a spice and flavoring, ginger is also one of the world's bestmedicines. The Chinese consider ginger as an important drug totreat cold and encourage sweating. Ginger brings relief todigestion, stimulates circulation, reduce headaches and killintestinal parasites.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Diaphoretic, carminative, circulatorystimulant, inhibits coughing, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic.

3) GINKGOGinkgo biloba (Ginkgoaceae)

HISTORY and USES:Ginkgo is thought to be the oldest tree on the planet, first growing about 190 million years ago. It is probably native to China,although there are no wild trees remaining. Though long used as amedicine in its native China, its therapeutic actions have onlyrecently been researched. Traditionally known as an anti-microbial and anti-tubercular action, it has now been shown thatginkgo as a profound activity on brain function and cerebralcirculation. This action is useful to prevent dizziness, tinnitus,short-term memory loss, depression and other symptoms relatedto poor brain circulation. Its effect on poor circulation also usedto treat other related disorders like diabetes, hemorrhoids andvaricose veins. Ginkgo is also valuable for asthma.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Circulatory stimulant and tonic, anti-asthmatic, antispasmodic, anti-allergenic, anti-inflammatory.

4) GINSENGPanax ginseng (Araliaceae)

HISTORY and USES:Ginseng is the most famous Chinese herb of all. It is native tonorth-eastern China, eastern Russia and Korea. The related species Panax quinquefolious, occurs in the eastern United Statesand Canada. Ginseng has ancient and rich history as a medicinalplant and has been praised for its remarkable therapeutic benefitsfor about 7,000 years. Its value was so great that wars were foughtfor control of the forests in which it thrived. An Arabianphysician brought ginseng back to Europe in the 9th century, yetits ability to improve stamina and resistance to stress becamecommon knowledge in the West only from the 18th century.Ginseng increases mental and physical efficiency and resistance tostress and disease. It often shows a dual response like sedating orstimulating the central nervous system according to the conditionit is being taken to treat. In the West, ginseng is regarded as a life-enhancing tonic.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Tonic, stimulant, physical and mental revitalizer.

5) LAVENDERLavandula officinalis syn. L. angustifolia (Labiatae)

HISTORY AND USES:Lavender is native to the Mediterranean region and is cultivatedin France, Spain and elsewhere. It has been used for aromaticpurposes by the Romans in washing water and baths. This herbhas uses in culinary, cosmetics and medicine. It is effective to cureheadaches, especially when related to stress, to clear depressionassociated with weakness and depression. Externally, lavender oilhas been used as a stimulating liniment to help ease aches andpains of rheumatism.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Carminative, relieves muscle spasms,antidepressant, antiseptic and antibacterial, stimulates blood flow.

6) LEMONCitrus Limon (Rutaceae)

A native from Asia, probably from India, it is now widelycultivated in Italy, California and Australia. Lemon was unknownto the ancient Greeks arriving in Europe probably brought byRoman soldiers returning from Asia Minor. It is one of the mostimportant and versatile natural medicines for home use. Afamiliar food as well as a remedy, it has a high vitamin C contentthat helps improve resistance to infection, making it valuable forcolds and flu. It is taken as a preventative for many conditions,including stomach infections, circulatory problems andarteriosclerosis. Lemon juice and oil are effective in killing germs.It decreases inflammation and improves digestion.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Antiseptic, anti-rheumatic, antibacterial,antioxidant, reduces fever.

7) PEPPERPiper nigrum (Piperaceae)

HISTORY AND USES:Native to south-western India, pepper is now cultivated in tropicalregions around the world. Praised as a spice and a medicine sinceancient times, pepper was a vital commodity in world trade forthousands of years. Pepper has a stimulant and antiseptic effecton the digestive tract and the circulatory system. Pepper iscommonly taken, either alone or in combination with other herbsand spices, to warm the body, or to improve digestive function incases of nausea, stomach ache, flatulence, bloating, constipation orlack of appetite. The essential oil eases rheumatic pain andtoothache. It is antiseptic and antibacterial, and reduces fever.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Antibacterial, antiseptic, digestive, reducesfever.

8)ROSERosa gallica (Rosaceae)

HISTORY AND USES:The rose comes originally from Asia Minor, where it is cultivatedmostly in Bulgaria, Iran and India. Rosewater was prepared bythe Arab physician Avicenna (AD 980-1037) during the MiddleAges and the Renaissance, the rose was esteemed as a remedy fordepression. The rose is currently little used in herbal medicine,but it is probably time for a re-evaluation of its medicinal benefits.The essential oil, called "attar of rose", is used in aromatherapyas a mildly sedative, antidepressant and anti-inflammatoryremedy. Rose petals and their preparations have a similar action.They also reduce high cholesterol levels. Rosewater is mildlyastringent and makes a valuable lotion for inflamed and sore eyes.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Aromatic, antidepressant,, sedative, anti-inflammatory

9) TEA TREEMalaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae)

Tea tree is native to Australia and is now cultivated extensively.Tea tree, and in particular its essential oil, is one of the mostimportant natural antiseptics. Useful for stings, burns, woundsand skin infections of all kinds, the herb merits a place in everymedicine chest. Its therapeutic properties were first researchedduring the 1920s and it is now widely used in Europe and the US,as well as in Australia.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Antiseptic, antibacterial, anti-fungal, anti-viral.

10) TURMERICCurcuma longa syn. C. domestica (Zingiberaceae)

HISTORY AND USES:Turmeric is native to India and southern Asia where it isextensively cultivated. Best known for its bright yellow color andspicy taste to lovers of Indian food, its medicinal value is not sowell known. However, recent research has confirmed the effectstraditionally associated in ancient practices in the treatment ofdigestive and liver problems. The herb has also been shown toinhibit blood-clotting, relieve inflammatory conditions and helplower cholesterol levels.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Stimulates secretion of bile, anti-inflammatory, eases stomach pain, antioxidant, antibacterial.

11) ALOE VERA Aloe vera syn. A. barbadensis (Liliaceae)

HISTORY and USES:Native to Africa, aloe vera is commonly cultivated elsewhere. Theclear gel found inside the plant's leaf and the crystalline partfound alongside the leaf blade, which contains aloin, are both usedfor medicinal and cosmetic purposes. The clear gel is a remarkably effective healer of wounds and burns, speeding up therate of healing and reducing the risk of infection. The brownishpart containing aloin is a strong laxative, useful for short-termconstipation. Aloe is present in many cosmetic's formulae becauseits emollient and scar preventing properties.

MAIN PROPERTIES: Heals wounds, emollient, laxative.