Saturday, November 14, 2009

Ayurveda remedy for Dandruff

Dandruff causes hair fall or hair loss, itching in scalp, acne, pimples and recurrent infection of facial skin. Natural herbs are very good solution for dandruff.

According to dosha theory of ayurveda dandruff is caused by vitiation of vayu and kapha doshas of scalp.. Ayurveda has recommended many herbal formulations and remedies for dandruff. These ayurveda herbal remedies for dandruff are very effective.

Dandruff

In normal conditions the new cells of scalp skin push the older ones to the surface of scalp. The dead and old cells are shed almost in an invisible way. But in few conditions this process becomes unusually rapid and the dead cells are shed in form of dry flakes.

These flakes collectively constitute what we call dandruff.

According to ayurveda dandruff is caused due to vitiation of kapha and vayu. Vitiated kapha and vayu make the scalp skin dry. Vitiated kapha causes itching of scalp. Thus dried scalp skin comes out in flakes.

The probable causes for dandruff are

  • ill maintained scalp.
  • Hypersensitivity to dust, smoke, shampoos etc
  • Hormonal imbalance.
  • Improper nourishment leading to poor health.
  • Mental stress.
  • Hair colors, curlers hot hair curlers etc.
  • Harsh shampoos.
  • Exposure to extreme weather conditions.
Self Care for dandruff:
  • Do not scratch or brush the scalp too hard.

  • Brush hair gently before washing scalp and hair.

  • Keep the scalp clean by washing it thrice in a week.

  • Cover your scalp with a scarf or hat to prevent it from extreme weather conditions.

  • Manage stress with relaxation techniques like Yoga and Meditation.

  • Prevent excess oil accumulation on scalp.

  • Avoid hair style accessories like blow dryers, gels, sprays and harsh colors.

  • Eat healthy nourishing food.

  • Avoid greasy, sweet and oily food.



SIMPLE TIPS FOR AVOID DANDRUFF

The simplest home remedy for the prevention of dandruff is the regular use of coconut oil. Apply coconut oil daily into hair and scalp and gently massage just 15 minutes before your bath.
• Apply vinegar into your hair and scalp and gently massage. Wash well after 15-20 minutes and repeat this process daily till the problem disappears.
• Massaging lemon juice on head is also usefull. Wash well after 1-2 hours.
• Mix 1 tbsp of Olive oil with 1 tsp of limejuice. Apply well on the scalp and cover the head by a towel. Keep it on overnight and wash well on next morning with a mild shampoo.
• Mix equal quantity of Olive oil and almond oil. Apply well on the scalp and leave it about 15-20 minutes .Wash well with a mild shampoo.
• Mix 1 teaspoon of castor, mustard and coconut oil each and massage into the scalp. Wash well after1-2 hours.
• Mix one part of lemon juice with two parts of coconut oil. Massage into the roots of the hair regularly. Wash well after 1-2 hours.
If dandruff is not respond to these, you should consult your family doctor as it may sometimes reflect more serious underlying health problems.

Wet your hair and rub baking soda on your scalp, refrain from using regular shampoo when using this. However, the first few days your hair will feel dry, but your scalp will produce natural oils soon.

Herbal Acne remedy- Herbal Pimple Remedy

Natural acne remedies have enabled teenagers and adults to fight acne with great success. These natural herbal acne remedies have evolved from ayurveda, aroma therapy, siddha etc. here is a quick review of popular natural acne remedies.

A natural acne remedy becomes a perfect solution for acne when it acts as acne scar remedy too.The acne treatment can be easily done at home within minutes and without tedious process.

Aloe Vera is an excellent herb which is widely accepted as natural herbal remedy for acne. Ayurveda describes the cooling and soothing effects of herb aloe Vera.The aloe vera has shown excellent anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and restorative properties.
Daily application of aloe vera gel prevents eruption of acne and is a best acne scar remedy .

Herbal acne remedy in form of skin cleanser: Herbal cleansers which have herbs like aloe Vera, green tea, Centella Asiatica , etc cleanse the skin gently without allowing skin to get dry. They remove clogged dirt and sebum from the skin pores without hurting the underlying skin and soothe the inflamed skin. Gently cleansing the skin regularly helps to get rid of acne.

Increasing Fairness - A fairness guide


1.Diet

Avoid:-

*

Over consumption of heavy, oily and liquid foods
*

Untimely consumption of food.
*

Eating during indigestion
*

Over consumption of rice, fish, curds, salt, radish, sesame, jaggery.
2.Life styles:-

Avoid:-

*

Afternoon sleep.
*

Anger and irritability of mind.
*

Exposure to extreme hot or cold climates
*

Over physical exertion
*

Taking cold water bath immediately after heavy physical works
*

Having sex immediately after the consumption of food.

Friday, November 13, 2009

Pharmacognosy

The word "pharmacognosy" is derived from the Greek words pharmakon (drug), and gnosis or "knowledge". The term pharmacognosy was used for the first time by the Austrian physician Schmidt in 1811. Originally - during the 19th century and the beginning of the 20th century - "pharmacognosy" was used to define the branch of medicine or commodity sciences ("Warenkunde" in German) which deals with drugs in their crude, or unprepared, form. Crude drugs are the dried, unprepared material of plant, animal or mineral origin, used for medicine. The study of these materials under the name pharmakognosie was first developed in German-speaking areas of Europe, while other language areas often used the older term materia medica taken from the works of Galen and Dioscorides. In German the term drogenkunde ("science of crude drugs") is also used synonymously.

Although most pharmacognostic studies focus on plants and medicines derived from plants, other types of organisms are also regarded as pharmacognostically interesting, in particular, various types of microbes (bacteria, fungi, etc.), and, recently, various marine organisms.

Pharmacognosy is interdisciplinary, drawing on a broad spectrum of biological and socio-scientific subjects, including botany, ethnobotany, medical anthropology, marine biology, microbiology, herbal medicine, chemistry,biotechnology, (phytochemistry), pharmacology, pharmaceutics, clinical pharmacy and pharmacy practice. The contemporary study of pharmacognosy can be divided into the fields of

* medical ethnobotany: the study of the traditional use of plants for medicinal purposes;
* ethnopharmacology: the study of the pharmacological qualities of traditional medicinal substances;
* the study of phytotherapy (the medicinal use of plant extracts); and
* phytochemistry, the study of chemicals derived from plants (including the identification of new drug candidates derived from plant sources).
* Zoopharmacognosy, the process by which animals self-medicate, by selecting and using plants, soils, and insects to treat and prevent disease.
* Pharmcognosy-Biotechnology, the synthesis of natural bioactive molecules using biotechnology.
* Herbal interactions, the interactions of herbs with other drugs and body.
* Marine Pharmacognosy, the study of chemicals derived from marine organisms.


Origin

The word Pharmacognosy had its debut in the early 19th century to designate the discipline related to medicinal plants, it is derived from the Greek word pharmakon meaning “a drug” and gnosco meaning “ to acquire a knowledge” and as recorded by Dr. K Ganzinger.

Pharmacognosy appears again in 1815 in a small work by Crr. Anotheus ssedler entitled Analecta Pharmacognostica.

Pharmacognosy is closely related to botany and plant chemistry and indeed, both originated from the earlier scientific studies of medicinal plants.

As the late as the beginning of the 20th century, the subject had developed mainly in the botanical side, being concerned with the description and identification of drugs. Both in the whole state and in porodler, and with their history. Commerce, collection, preparation, and storage. Such branches of pharmacognosy are still of fundamental importance, particularly for pharmacopoeial identification and quality control purposes, but rapid development in other areas has enormously expanded the subject.

At the 9th congress of Italian society of pharmacognosy it was stated that current return of phyto-therapy was clearly reflected by the increased market of such products. In 1998 the later for Europe, reached a figure of $6 billion, with consumption for Germany of $2.5 billion, France $1.6 billion and Italy $600 billion. In the US, where the use of herbal products has never been as prevalent as in continental Europe, the market for all herb sales reached a peak in 1998 of $700 billion. This welcomed the scientific investigation of a rigorous nature.

The plant kingdom still holds many species of plants containing substances of medicinal value which have yet to be discovered. Large numbers of plants are constantly being screened for their possible pharmacological value.

Aloe vera

Aloe vera, also known as the medicinal aloe, is a species of succulent plant that probably originated in Northern Africa. Aloe vera grows in arid climates and is widely distributed in Africa and other arid areas. The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine. There have been many scientific studies of the use aloe vera, some of it conflicting.[1][2][3][4] Despite these limitations, there is some preliminary evidence that Aloe vera extracts may be useful in the treatment of diabetes and elevated blood lipids in humans. These positive effects are thought to be due to the presence of compounds such as polysaccharides, mannans, anthraquinones and lectins.
Medicinal uses
Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of Aloe vera is limited and when present is typically contradictory. Despite this, the cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly make claims regarding the soothing, moisturising and healing properties of Aloe vera, especially via Internet advertising. Aloe vera gel is used as an ingredient in commercially available lotion, yogurt, beverages and some desserts.[42][43][44] Aloe vera juice is used for consumption and relief of digestive issues such as heartburn and irritable bowel syndrome. It is common practice for cosmetic companies to add sap or other derivatives from Aloe vera to products such as makeup, tissues, moisturizers, soaps, sunscreens, incense, razors and shampoos.[42] It has also been suggested that biofuels could be obtained from Aloe vera seeds.[45] Other uses for extracts of Aloe vera include the dilution of semen for the artificial fertilization of sheep,[46] use as fresh food preservative,[47] and use in water conservation in small farms.[48]
Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first discovered. Early records of Aloe vera use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from 16th century BCE,[15] in both Dioscorides' De Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder's Natural History written in the mid-first century CE[15] along with the Juliana Anicia Codex produced in 512 CE.[42] Aloe vera is non-toxic, with no known side effects, provided the aloin has been removed by processing. Taking Aloe vera that contains aloin in excess amounts has been associated with various side effects.[3][4][49] However, the species is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United States, Jamaica and India.[3]
Aloe vera is alleged to be effective in treatment of wounds.[4] Evidence on the effects of Aloe vera sap on wound healing, however, is limited and contradictory.[4] Some studies, for example, show that Aloe vera promotes the rates of healing,[50][51] while in contrast, other studies show that wounds to which Aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal.[52][53] A more recent review (2007) concludes that the cumulative evidence supports the use of Aloe vera for the healing of first to second degree burns.[54] In addition to topical use in wound or burn healing, internal intake of Aloe vera has been linked with improved blood glucose levels in diabetics,[55][56] and with lower blood lipids in hyperlipidaemic patients.[57] In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested oral Aloe vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis.[58] Compounds extracted from Aloe vera have been used as an immunostimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs;[5] however, this treatment has not been scientifically tested in humans. The injection of Aloe vera extracts to treat cancer has resulted in the deaths of several patients.[59]
Topical application of Aloe vera may be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis.[60] However, it is not effective for the prevention of radiation-induced injuries, nor does it offer protection from sunburn or suntan.[61] In a double-blind clinical trial the group using an Aloe vera containing dentifrice and the group using a fluoridated dentifrice both demonstrated a statistically significant reduction of gingivitis and plaque.[62]
Aloe vera extracts have antibacterial and antifungal activities. Aloe vera extracts have been shown to inhibit the growth of fungi that cause tinea,[63] however, evidence for control beneath human skin remains to be established. For bacteria, inner-leaf gel from Aloe vera was shown to inhibit growth of Streptococcus and Shigella species in vitro.[64] In contrast, Aloe vera extracts failed to show antibiotic properties against Xanthomonas species.[65]

Neela Amari

Neela Amari
Scientific name : Indigofera tinctora
Family :Fabaceae
Habitat :Perennial shrub
Medicinal Uses: Used for epilepsy and nervous disorders ,the ointment used for sores ,old ulcers and piles . Decoration of leaves is given for blennorrhagia . Roots are used for urinary complaints .

INTRODUCTION TO AYURVEDA

Ayurveda (Devanāgarī: आयुर्वेद, the 'science of life') is a system of traditional medicine native to the Indian Subcontinent and practiced in other parts of the world as a form of alternative medicine.In Sanskrit, the word Ayurveda consists of the words āyus, meaning 'life', and veda, meaning 'related to knowledge' or 'science'.Evolving throughout its history, Ayurveda remains an influential system of medicine in South Asia.The earliest literature of Ayurveda appeared during the Vedic period in India.The Sushruta Samhita and the Charaka Samhita were influential works on traditional medicine during this era.Ayurvedic practitioners also identified a number of medicinal preparations and surgical procedures for curing various ailments and diseases.

As per Indian heritage and science, "Ayurveda" is an Upaveda or annexure to the four main vedas (knowledge systems). The famous treaties of Ayurveda are Charaka Samhita by Sage Charaka, which details the prevention and treatment of disease, and Sushruta Samhita of Sage Sushruta, which deals with Ayurvedic surgical procedures. In the Ayurvedic system, the prevention of all types of disease has a prominent place in treatment, including restructuring a patient's lifestyle to align with the course of nature and the four seasons to guarantee complete wellness.

Ayurveda is considered to be a form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) within the western world, where several of its methods, such as the use of herbs, massage, and Yoga as exercise or alternative medicine, are applied on their own as a form of CAM treatment.However, such alternative therapy approaches are not unique to Ayurveda because they are also available under the systems of Unani medicine, Greek medicine and Islamic medicine.