Aloe Vera

Botanical Name(s): Aloe Vera, Aloe Barbadensis

English Name(s): Indian Aloe, Jafarabad Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Curacao Aloe

Sanskrit Name(s): Kumari, Kanya, Ghrita-Kumari

Description: Perennial plant with short stem with long, erect leaves crowded in a basal rosette containing sticky juice, spiny teeth on their borders. Flowers are yellow in colour.

Chemical Constituents: Barbaloin, Aglycone, Aloe-emodin, Chrysophanol Glycoside.

Indications: Wounds, Burns, Dermatitis, Cutaneous Leishmaniasis, Eye problems, Liver problems, Spleen diseases, Constipation, Diabetes, Genital Herpes, Psoriasis, Seborrheic Dermatitis, Skin Ulcers, Ulcerative Colitis, Canker Sores, Crohn`s disease, GERD.

Holarrhena Antidysentrica

Botanical Name(s): Holarrhena Antidysentrica

English Name(s): Coneru, Tellicherry Bark, Connessi Bark

Sanskrit Name(S): Kutaja, Vatsaka

Description: Deciduous shrub with white scented flowers; Seeds are light brown in colour.

Chemical Constituents: Contains alkaloids like conessine, conamine, kurchine, connessimine, holarrhinene, conarrhinine and isoconcessimine.

Indications: Dysentry, Worm Infestations, Amoebic Dysentry, Diarrhea, Digestive disorders, Intestinal and Hepatic Amoebiasis

Bombax Ceiba

Botanical Name(s): Bombax Ceiba, Bombax Malabaricum, Salmalia Malabarica, Gossampinus Malabarica

English Name(s): Silk Cotton Tree

Sanskrit Name(s): Shalmali, Moca

Description: Tall, deciduous tree having widespread brances; trunk and branches are greyish in colour with sharp, conical prickles. Flowers are reddish-pink in colour, solitary or in clusters usually at end of branches wheres the tree is bare of leaves.
Seeds are numerous, long, blackish-grey in colour and filled in with white cotton.

Chemical Constituents: Contains semigossipol, glycosides, tannins, gallic acid.

Indications: Bleeding disorders esp hemoptysis of Pulm TB, Influenza, Malena, Menorrhagia, Acute Dysentry, Hemorrhoids, Acne, Cough, Kidney disorders, Urine related disorders, Inflammation.

Ocimum Sanctum

Botanical Name(s): Ocimum Sanctum, Ocimum Tenuiflorum

English Name(s): Holy Basil, Sacred Basil

Sanskrit Name(s): Tulasi, Manjari, Brinda, Patrapushpa, Ajaka, Krishna Tulasi, Sri Tulasi, Suvasa Tulasi

Description: Mainly 2 types: Sri Tulasi-common, has green leaves
Krishna Tulasi- has purplish leaves
It ia a erect herb sacred to Hindus with oblong leaves; flowers are purplish or crimson coloured with globular , small seeds.

Chemical Constituents: Contains bright yellow volatile oil, alkaloids, ascorbic acid, carotene, tannins, saponins, glycosides.

Indications: Viral Encephalitis, Cold, Cough, Joint Pains, Diabetes, Skin disoders, Headahe, Protozoal infections, Convulsions, Worm infestation, Asthma, Rhinitis, Dysurea, Heart problems, Blood disorders.

Mimosa Pudica

Botanical Name(s): Mimosa Pudica

English Name(s): Touch-Me-Not, Sensitive Plant

Sanskrit Name(s): Lajjalu

Description: Diffuse shrub with prickles all around, bipinnate leaves having pinkish flowers in globular shape and flat poda with many bristles.

Chemical Constituents: Contains toxic alkaloid called mimosine. Roots contain tannin.
Seeds contain mucilage composed of d-xylose and d-glucuronic acid.

Indications: Urinary disturbances, Glandular swellings, Sores, Piles, Urticaria, Scabies, Asthma, Diarrhea.

Cassia Fistula

Botanical Name(s): Cassia Fistula

English Name(s): Indian Laburnum, Golden Shower, Purging Cassia

Sanskrit Name(s): Aragvadha, Kritamala, Chaturangula, Suvarnaka

Description: Medium sized, deciduous tree with pendulous bright yellow flowers;Pods are dark brown, cylindrical, smooth with biconcave brown seeds.

Chemical Constituents: Pulp contains 1,8-dihydroxyanthraquinone.

Indications: Used as purgative, can be safely used in pregnancy and young children; Inflammatory conditions, Gout, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Osteoarthritis, Pruritis, Jaundice, Epistasis, Cough, Anuria, Pyrexixs, Liver disorders, Constipation.

Butea Monosperma

Botanical Name(s): Butea Monosperma

English Name(s): Forest Fire Tree, Flame of the Forest, Bastard Teak, Butea Gum Tree

Sanskrit Name(s): Palasah Hindi Name(s): Dhak, Palas

Description: It is a sacred tree to Hindus, flowers being used instead of blood in sacrifice rituals to Goddess Kali. Medium sized deciduous tree with bark which exfoliates in irregular pieces containing gum. Flowers are very bright orange red. Fruits contain single seed. The tree is conspicuous when it blooms.

Chemical Constituents: Flowers contain butrin, butein, butin, steroids and flavinoids. Roots contain glycine, glucosides, glucose and aromatic compounds. Oil is present in seeds.

Indications: Inflammatory conditions, Pain, Indigestion, Dysentry, Diarrhea, Dysurea, Fever, Hemorrhages, Poisoning, Worm infestation, Impotence, Menstrual problems, Burning sensation, Oligospermia, Leprosy, Gout, Gonorrhea, Elephantiasis, Night blindness, Cold, Cough etc.

Gloriosa Superba

Botanical Name(s): Gloriosa Superba

English Name(s): Malabar Glory Lily

Sanskrit Name(s): Langli Hindi Name(s): Kalihari

Description: It is a tuberous climbing creeper with wavy-edged yellowish red flowers which are big and attractive. Sometimes they are found in bunches or in single. Fruit is round in shape containing circular seeds. The plant usually blooms in winter season.

Chemical Constituents: Contains alkaloid named Colchicine and also gloriosine

Indications: Wounds, Lymphadenopathy, Worm infestation, Loss of appetite, Indigestion, Liver disorders, Fever, Inflammatory conditions, Piles, Blood disorders, Uterine contractions, Poisoning, Skin related disorders & Killing head lice.

Azadirachta Indica

Botanical Name(s): Azadirachta Indica

English Name(s): Neem tree, Margosa tree, Indian lilac

Sanskrit Name(s): Nimba

Description: Medium to large sized having compound leaves, serrated borders, cream or yellowish-white flowers & one seeded greenish yellow friuts.

Chemical Constituents: Bark contains tannin, East-India gum. Leaves contain nimboin, nimbinene, nimbandiol, nimbolide and quercetin.
Mature leaaves are rich in proteins, fat, fibres, carbohydrates, minerals, niacin, carotene and calcium along with amino acids.

Indications: Infections, Worm infestation, Skin ailments,, Blood disorders, Liver related problems, Urinary problems, Diabetes, Inflammation, Wound and injuries, Fever.
Root bark possesses astringent, tonic and antiperiodic properties. It is also useful in Malarial fever. The oil is used in making Neem based soaps, shampoos and toothpaste.

Alstonia Scholaris

Botanical Name(s): Alstonia Scholaris

English Name(s): Devil tree, Shaitan wood

Sanskrit Name(s): Saptaparnah, Saptachadah

Description: Grows upto 30 m in height with grayish brown bark, lenticellate leaves arranged in whorl of 7 conataining milky, bitter latex. Flowers are small, greenish white, strongly scented with seeds about 30-60 cm long.

Chemical Constituents: Bark is rich in alkaloids such as ditane, echitamine, echitenine and echitamidine & lupeol.

Indications: Skin disorders, Wound healing, Loss of appetie, Diabetes, Indigestion, Breast discomfort, Malaria, Blood purifier, Worm infestation, Heart related problems, Liver problems, Cough ,Cold, Asthma, Generalised body weakness.

Albizia Lebbeck

Botanical Name(s): Albizia Lebbeck

English Name(s): Siris Tree

Sanskrit Name(s): Shirisha, Bhandi

Description: Medium to large deciduous tree about 15-20m in height, having umbrella-shaped crown, irregularly cracked bark, bipinnate leaves, whitish to pinkish flowers and pale brown, oblong seeds.

Chemical Constituents: Bark is rich in foll tannins: D-Catechin, Melacacidin, Lebbecacidin, Isomers of Leucocyanidin, Leucoantho-cyanidin Tridelin and T3-Sitosterol. Seeds are rich in protein, calcium, iron, phosphorus, amino acids & ascorbic acid. Flowers contain lupeol and T3-amyrin.

Indications: Allergy, Pain & Inflammatory conditions, Poisoning foll. insect bites, Tooth weakness, As blood purifier, Cough, Cold & Asthma

Acacia Catechu

Botanical Name(s): Acacia Catechu

English Name(s): Cutch Tree

Sanskrit Name(s): Khadira

Description: Moderate sized tree with pair of recurved prickles at the base of the rachis & pinnate leaves.

Chemical Constituents: Wood extract contains Catechin and Catechutannic Acid as major active constituents along with Taxifolin which has anti-bacterial, anti-fungal anti-inflammatory & anti-oxidant properties. Wood also contains epicatechin, catechin tetramer, dicatechin, gallochin, gossypetin, kaempferol & atzelchin.

Indications: Thinning of blood, Throat problems, Tooth troubles, Skin disorders, Worm infestation, Hemorrhages, Blood disorders, Cough, Chronic fever, Obesity, Hepato-Splenomegaly, Urinary disturbances.

Abrus Precatorius

Botanical Name(s): Abrus precatorius

Popular Name(s): Rosary Pea, Jequerity, Crab's Eye, Precatory Bean

Sanskrit Name(s): Gunja

Description: Abrus precatorius is a twining herb with delicate feathery leaves. Flowers are rose to purple growing at the end of a stalk. Fruits are short pods containing hard, shiny, scarlet and black seeds.

Chemical Constituents: Leaves & roots contain glycyrrhizin. Roots also contain precol, abrol, abrasine and precasine.
Seeds contain abrine, gallic acid, alanine, serine, precatorine, choline, valine, hypaphorine & methyl ester.

Indications: Skin related ailments, Hairfall, Pain, Healing of wounds, Headaches, Paralysis, Stomatitis, Impotence, Contraceptive, Pyrexia, Voice related problems, Night-blindness, Jaundice etc.

About the Blog

According to World Health Organization report, over 80% of the world population relies on plant-based traditional medicine for their primary healthcare needs.
Food and diet are important components of Ayurvedic practice, and so there is a heavy reliance on treatments based on herbs and plants, oils, common spices, and other naturally occurring substances.
The Indian Systems of Medicine have identified 1,500 medicinal plants, of which 500 species are mostly used in the preparation of drugs. These medicinal plants contribute to 80% of the raw materials used in the preparation of Ayurvedic Medicine.
This blog is dedicated to Ayurvedic Herbs found in and around Goa consisting of photographs taken by me along with their description such as Botanical Names/Indian Names/Sanskrit Names/Common Names & their uses in the field of Ayurvedic Medicine.