Medicinal Herbs

CHAMOMILE- sedative for anxiety and relaxation. It is also used for wound healing and to reduce inflammation or swelling. Chamomile is used as a tea or applied as a compress. It may increase drowsiness caused by medicines or other herbs or supplements. Chamomile may interfere with the way the body uses some medicines, causing too high a level of the medicine in some people.

GARIC - lower cholesterol and blood pressure. It has antimicrobial effects. Researchers are currently exploring garlic's possible role in preventing cancer. It should not be used with warfarin, because large amounts of garlic may affect clotting. For the same reason, large amounts should not be taken before dental procedures or surgery.

GINGER - ease nausea and motion sickness. Research suggests that ginger can relieve nausea caused by pregnancy or chemotherapy. Other areas under investigation are in surgery and for nausea caused by motion. Reported side effects include bloating, gas, heartburn, and nausea.

GINGKO LEAF - asthma, bronchitis, fatigue, and tinnitus. It is also used to improve memory and to prevent dementia and other brain disorders. Some studies have supported its slight effectiveness. But exactly how gingko works isn't understood. Only extract from leaves should be used. Seeds contain ginkgo toxin. This toxin can cause seizures and, in large amounts, death. Because some information suggests that ginkgo can increase the risk of bleeding, it should not be used with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, anticoagulants, anticonvulsant medicines, or tricyclic antidepressants.

GINSENG - nerve tonic and aphrodisiac. Side effects are high blood pressure and tachycardia. It's considered safe by the FDA, but shouldn't be used with warfarin, heparin, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medicines, estrogens, corticosteroids, or digoxin. People with diabetes should not use ginseng.

GOLDENSEAL - treat diarrhea, and eye and skin irritations. It is also used as an antiseptic. It is also an unproven treatment for colds. Goldenseal contains berberine, a plant alkaloid with a long history of medicinal use in both Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine. Studies have shown that goldenseal is effective for diarrhea. But it's not recommended because it can be poisonous in high doses. It can cause skin, mouth, throat, and gastric irritation. It is also not recommended because of the plant's endangered species status.

MILK THISTLE - treat liver conditions and high cholesterol, and to reduce the growth of cancer cells. Milk thistle is a plant that originated in the Mediterranean region. It has been used for many different illnesses over the last several thousand years, especially liver problems. Although study results are uncertain, some promising information exists.

SAINT JOHN'S WORT - an antidepressant. A side effect is sensitivity to light, but this is only noted in people taking large doses of the herb. St. John's work can cause a dangerous interaction with other commonly used medicines.

SAW PALMETTO - treat benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). But recent studies have not found it to work well for this condition. Side effects are digestive upset and headache, both mild.

VALERIAN - Used to treat sleeplessness and to reduce anxiety. Research suggests that valerian may be a helpful sleep aid, but there are no well-designed studies to confirm the results. In the U.S., valerian is used as a flavoring for root beer and other foods. As with any medicinal herb, talk with your healthcare provider before taking it.

HIBISCUS - Around the world this flower is eaten, sometimes raw, or as a spice or even as a food dye. At some places the tenderest leaves of this flower are also put in raw salads to be eaten while at the other places the stalks of Hibiscus are added to soups for a nice flavour. Given to the mild citrus taste of its petals, this flower can also be used in anything like fruity cakes, rum drinks etc. However, the best way of consuming Hibiscus is to make an infused tea with it.

VIOLETS - You can eat both the leaves and flowers of Violets. While the flavour of the leaves may be mild to bland, the flowers taste sweet. You can eat them post adding them to your salads, boil & mix them with porridge, crystallize them in candies, make jellies from them, add them to vinegar for colour and fragrance or ferment them to produce sweet wine. Violets have great medicinal uses too. These flowers are quite detoxifying and can help your liver to clear waste products from your blood.

JASMINE - These intensely fragrant flowers have been traditionally used for scenting tea. You can also use these sweet flowers in, obviously, sweet dishes. However, only the species Jasminum sambac of this flower can be eaten as rest all other Jasmine species are poisonous.

LAVENDER - This flower with a sweet floral flavour, with a faintly citrus hint, can be a great addition to both sweet and savoury dishes. Put them in a glass of champagne, over a chocolate cake or as a garnish for ice creams and these flowers will lend a mysterious scent and a lingering taste to all of these.


ROSES

All the varieties of roses are edible. Just remove the bitter white base and the strongly perfumed petals can render a perfect flavour to anything from desserts to drinks. You can eat rose petals raw in salads, in creamy sauces or after cooking in soups.

DAY LILY Day lilies have a sweet taste and can easily be eaten raw. The flavour of these flowers may resemble a cucumber or a mild melon. The buds of these flowers are a great source of Vitamin C and carotene. You can boil and eat the tubers of the roots of Day Lily just like mini potatoes. CARNATION Carnations have a peppery, spicy flavour like a clove. You can toss its petals in freshly chopped salad or create a pickle with them. Carnations can also be candied, added to desserts such as fruit cakes, steeped into wine to add a spicy flair or simply eaten plain. SQUASH BLOSSOMS With a mild squashy flavour, Squash blossoms are delicious edible flowers. Just remove the stamens of these flowers and you can cook them or eat them raw. Also, you can batter-fry them with savoury items like goat cheese or herbs, bake them or cook them in soups, burritos etc.

Isn’t it interesting to know how flowers can add colour to a raw salad or texture to a cooked meal! However, you must make sure that your edible flowers are grown organically minus any pesticides or chemicals. Also, do not forget to remove anthers, stems and pistils of the flowers before consuming them as they may be bitter. When in doubt about any edible flower, just taste it but only after making sure that it is not poisonous.

“Prasa Proh Yai” and “Ha Rak” have shown that they may help to contain the Delta variant of Covid-19. The director-general of the Department reported findings, saying that water-based versions of those 2 herbal medications both proved effective in controlling the virus.

Prasa Proh Yai extract at a concentration of 10 milligrams per millilitre was able to control 76.56% of a Delta variant while combined with a 50% alcohol solution it was able to stop 88.7% of the Delta variant with a concentration level of 2.5 milligrammes per millilitre.

Ha Rak proved to be even more effective in the lab studies, where the same concentration of 10 milligrammes per millilitre was able to control 96.23% of the Delta variant

Thai herb: green chiretta (Andrographis paniculata)

beware green chiretta, a very strong herb, recommended against by a doctor of Thai traditional medicine.