Tamil Name: கடுகாய் Terminalia is a tree. Three species of terminalia are used for medicine. These species are Terminalia arjuna, Terminalia bellerica, and Terminalia chebula. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Terminalia arjuna has been used to balance the three “humors”: kapha, pitta, and vata. It has also been used for asthma, bile duct disorders, scorpion stings, and poisonings. The bark of Terminalia arjuna has been used in India for more than 3000 years, primarily as a heart remedy. An Indian physician named Vagbhata has been credited as the first to use this product for heart conditions in the seventh century A.D. Research on terminalia has been going on since the 1930s, but studies have provided mixed results. Its role, if any, in heart disease still remains uncertain. Nevertheless, people today use Terminalia arjuna for disorders of the heart and blood vessels (cardiovascular disease), including heart disease and related chest pain, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. It is also used as “a water pill,” and for earaches, dysentery, sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), diseases of the urinary tract, and to increase sexual desire. Terminalia bellerica and Terminalia chebula are both used for high cholesterol and digestive disorders, including both diarrhea and constipation, and indigestion. They have also been used for HIV infection. Terminalia bellerica is used to protect the liver and to treat respiratory conditions, including respiratory tract infections, cough, and sore throat. Terminalia chebula is used for dysentery. Terminalia bellerica and Terminalia chebula are used as a lotion for sore eyes. Terminalia chebula is also used topically as a mouthwash and gargle. Intravaginally, Terminalia chebula is used as a douche for treating vaginal infections. In traditional Ayurvedic medicine, Terminalia bellerica has been used as a "health-harmonizer" in combination with Terminalia chebula and Emblica officinalis. This combination is also used to lower cholesterol and to prevent death of heart tissue.
Tamil Name: சீந்தில் கொடி Tinospora cordifolia is a shrub that is native to India. Its root, stems, and leaves are used in Ayurvedic medicine. Tinospora cordifolia is used for diabetes, high cholesterol, allergic rhinitis (hay fever), upset stomach, gout, lymphoma and other cancers, rheumatoid arthritis (RA), hepatitis, peptic ulcer disease (PUD), fever, gonorrhea, syphilis, and to boost the immune system.
Tamil Name: நெருஞ்சில் Tribulus is a plant that produces fruit covered with spines. Rumor has it that tribulus is also known as puncture vine because the spines are so sharp they can flatten bicycle tires. People use the fruit, leaf, and root as medicine for wide-ranging complaints. Tribulus is used for kidney problems, including kidney stones, painful urination, a kidney disorder called Bright’s disease, and as a “water pill” (diuretic) to increase urination; for skin disorders, including eczema (atopic dermatitis), psoriasis, and scabies; for male sexual problems, including erectile dysfunction (ED), involuntary release of semen without orgasm (spermatorrhea), and to increase sexual desire; for heart and circulatory system problems, including chest pain, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and “tired blood” (anemia); for problems with digestion, including colic, intestinal gas (flatulence), constipation, and to expel intestinal parasitic worms; for pain and swelling (inflammation) of the tissue lining the mouth (stomatitis) and sore throat; and for cancer, especially nose tumors. Women use tribulus to tone muscles before childbirth, to cause an abortion, and to stimulate milk flow. Some people use tribulus for gonorrhea, liver disease (hepatitis), inflammation, joint pain (rheumatism), leprosy, coughs, headache, dizziness (vertigo), chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), and enhancing athletic performance. It is also used for stimulating appetite and as an astringent, tonic, and mood enhancer.
Tamil Name: நரிவேங்கயம் Squill is a plant. The bulbs of the plant are used to make medicine. Despite serious safety concerns, people take squill to treat mild heart failure, irregular heartbeat, “nervous” heart complaints, and certain vein problems. They also take it as a “heart tonic.” Squill is used for lung diseases including chronic bronchitis, asthma with bronchitis, and whooping cough. Some people take squill to relieve fluid retention (edema), thin mucus, induce vomiting, or cause an abortion. In manufacturing, squill is used in pest control as rat poison.
Anti-Anxiety Valerian helps alleviate symptoms of anxiety, according to a study published in the July 2010 issue of the journal "Phytomedicine." In the laboratory animal study, two valerian extracts showed the ability to bind to receptors for GABA, one of the brain's calming neurotransmitters, in a manner similar to that of benzodiazepine drugs. Doses of 3 mililiters per kilogram of body weight of whole valerian root extract and 3 miligrams per kilogram body weight of valerenic acid, an extract of valerian, both reduced anxious behavior. Results of this preliminary study support valerian's traditional use as a natural method to manage mild anxiety. Sleep Improvement A type of valerian known as Valeriana wallichii, may help you sleep better, according to a laboratory animal study published in the July 2012 issue of the journal "Phytomedicine." Participants who took doses of 200 and 300 milligrams per kilogram of body weight fell asleep faster and woke up fewer times during the night. Total sleep time increased and brain levels of the neurotransmitters norepinephrine and serotonin were improved. Additionally, slow brain waves during non-REM sleep increased, indicating improved sleep quality. Researchers concluded that Valeriana wallichii's sleep benefits may be related to its effects on levels of neurotransmitters and certain other amino acids in the brain. Liver Protection A form of valerian known as Valeriana jatamansi, an herb used in traditional Indian herbal medicine, may offer liver-protective benefits, according to a study published in the December 2010 issue of the journal "Methods and Findings in Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology." In the laboratory animal study, supplementation with Valeriana jatamansi for nine weeks reduced elevated liver enzymes. Researchers note that the herb has also been shown to decrease overactive cell reproduction in response to chemical irritants and conclude that Valeriana jatamansi shows potential as a natural treatment for liver cirrhosis. Further studies are needed to determine if these preliminary benefits extend to humans. Antioxidant Benefits Antioxidants help protect cells from the damaging effects of toxins and cellular waste products. Antioxidant activity of valerian was demonstrated in a test-tube study published in the January 2013 issue of the "Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences." In the study, levels of valerenic acid and valepotriates, valerian's active constituents that provide antioxidant benefits, were compared between Valeriana officinalis and two other plants that contain valerenic acid -- Valeriana sisymbriifolia and Nardostachys jatamansii. Results showed that the compounds were present in all three plants and that Valeriana officinalis contains the highest levels, providing the greatest antioxidant activity.
