PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS: OPUNTIA

There is a Cactus Garden in my school and this morning I went to check up on the plants there to make sure that they are okay. There is a teacher in my school who is an avid gardener and he would take care of the plants and so they are in safe hands. Do you know that the Opuntia, the cactus in the first picture, is very useful? It can be made into a dish and also used as medicine.
Here is some information about the medicinal value of the Opuntia
Health Benefits of the Opuntia

Listed below are some health benefits of prickly pear cactus (Opuntia cochinellifera):

• Helpful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes
• Helps in the treatment of hyperlipidemias (increased or abnormal level of lipids in the blood)
• Contains anti-inflammatory properties
• Helps manage conditions of overweight and obesity
• Prevents cancer
• Helps treat BPH (Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia) symptoms

The prickly pear, also known as Opuntia is a very popular herb. Forming an important part of the ancient Mexican culture, the prickly pear is abundant in “flavonoids” which are an important antioxidant property. Antioxidants have a detoxifying effect on the body thereby preventing cellular damage which is the path to cancers, ageing and other health problems.
Source: http://herbs.ygoy.com/medicinal-value-of-cactus/

ORCHID MEDICINE

The dragon-like "faces" of Dendrobium officinale

Orchid flower tea from Dendrobium chrysotoxum flowers
Typical dried Dendrobium stems as they are used as herbal tea.

Orchids, particularly the species Dendrobium officinale, have been used as medicinal herbs for centuries. New research has discovered many new applications of the different orchid species, and today there are at least 50 orchid species used especially in traditional Chinese medicine formulas.
The use for dried orchids ranges from immune system build-up, to cancer treatment, eye-sight improvement, regaining strength after healing (for healers) and quick recovery after sex.The parts of the orchids used most frequently are the stems and bulbs, as they are designed to keep the plant alive during dry season, and hence are rich in nutritive substances.

SOURCE: http://natureproducts.net/Forest_Products/Orchids/Medicine/medicine.html

MALAY TRANSLATION

Okid, terutamanya spesis Dendrobium officinale, telah digunakan sebagai herba untuk perubatan untuk beratus-ratus tahun. Kajian baru telah mendapat banyak kegunaan baru untuk spesis okid yang lain. Hari ini terdapat sekurang-kurangnya 50 spesis okid digunakan dalam formula dalam ubat China tradisi.

Kegunaan untuk okid kering adalah seperti untuk sistem immune, rawatan kanser, penglihatan dab sebagainya. Bahagian okid yang paling banyak digunakan adalah batang dan ubi.

BEAUTIFUL ORCHIDS

Enjoy looking at the pictures of the beautiful orchids on display at the Ipoh Orchid Show at the Indera Mulia Stadium which just ended today. My mum, aunt and I had a lovely time visiting all the stalls selling the orchids. There was also an Orchid Exhibition.

MALAY TRANSLATION

Gambar-gambar bunga okid di atas ditangkap semasa Ipoh Orchid Show yang baru berakhir hari ini. Saya dan keluarga saya dapat melihat dan juga memberi okid-okid yang dijual di gerai-gerai yang didirikan di luar Stadium Indera Mulia, Ipoh. Terdapat juga Pameran Okid.

ALLAMANDA: MEDICINE OR POISON?

My mum and I
My Aunt Linda and my mum
The allamanda flowers

The allamanda plant in my house in Ipoh is growing well. There are many flowers and it is such a pretty sight. See pictures of my mum, aunt and I posing next to it. Credit must be given to my mum who looks after it well. You should see the other plants in her garden which are her pride and joy.

Today I would like to introduce you to the allamanda plant which can be found growing in many places in Malaysian.

Allamanda cathartica

Family: Apocynaceae

Other Common Names: Golden Trumpet, Yellow Bell, Buttercup flower, Akar Chempaka Hutan, Bunga Akar Kuning, Alamanda Kuning

Region of Origin: Brazil, South America

The species that we have in our school is Allamanda cathartica which is notable for its medicinal properties. All parts of the plant contain allamandin, a toxic iridoid lactone. The leaves, roots and flowers may be used in the preparation of a powerful cathartic (hence the name); the milky sap is also known to possess antibacterial and possibly anticancer properties. It is also used to treat malaria.
As with other members of the Apocynaceae, such as the Frangipani, all parts of the plant including its milky sap are poisonous. The allamanda is not known as a medicinal plant in Malaysia. But the leaves, made into an infusion, are used in traditional medicine in South America as a purgative and vapour produced by boiling the leaves is said to be a remedy for coughs.
Some gardeners who are exposed to the sap might develop rashes, itch, and blisters.

References:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allamanda
http://www.nature.com.my/green/species/allamanda.htm

Solandra nitida Zuccagni

I saw this plant in the Farmer's Market on Saturday. I love going to the part of the Pasar Tani where they sell plants as I get to learn more about new species of plants as well as learn the names of plants that I have seen but do not know their names.

Solandra nitida Zuccagni chalice vine

Symbol: SONI5

Group: Dicot

Family: Solanaceae

MALAY TRANSLATION

Saya jumpa pokok ini semasa saya ke Pasar Tani pada hari Sabtu. Setiap Sabtu saya akan akan pergi ke gerai yang menjual pokok-pokok dan banyak kali saya terjumpa pokok baru. Pokok di atas bernama Solandra nitida Zuccagni chalice vine.

BUNGA BUTANG

NAMA TEMPATAN: Bunga Butang

NAMA SAINTIFIK: Gomphrena globosa L.

Bunga butang adalah sejenis tanaman yang berbunga sepanjang tahun. Ia mudah tumbuh di kawasan lapang atau dijadikan sebagai perhiasan di perkarangan rumah.

KHASIAT

• Di kalangan pengamal perubatan tradisional, ia dipercayai berguna untuk menhilangkan batuk, mengurangkan penyakit asma dan melancarkan pembuangan air kecil.
• Ia juga dipercayai boleh menghilangkan panas dalam badan.

PENGGUNAAN

Caranya adalah dengan merebus beberapa kuntum Bunga Butang segar dan diminum air rebusannya. Bunganya yang ditumbuk lumat juga baik untuk luka dan mengurangkan bengkak.

Rujukan: Majalah Herba Perubatan Tradisi Zaman-berzaman Jilid 3

BUNGA MATAHARI

Bunga matahari (Helianthus Annuus L.) mempunyai jangka hayat yang kurang dari satu tahun. Adalah jelas mengapa ia dipanggil bunga Matahari kerana bunganya yang besar, bulat di tengah, dikelilingi kelopak yang banyak, berwarna jingga atau kuning tua seperti matahari. Bunga ini mempunyai biji ynag lebih kecil yang lebih dikenali sebagai kuaci dalam bahasa Cina.

KHASIAT

• Bunga matahari dipercayai boleh menurunkan tekanan darah tinggi.
• Bijinya mengandungi vitamin, fosforus, potassium dan protein. Apabila digoreng, dikatakan boleh mempercepatkan penyembuhan penyakit demam campak, melawaskan pembuangan air kecil dan mengubati penyakit radang buah pinggang.
• Biji bunga juga mengandungi minyak yang boleh dimakan yang baik untuk kesihatan jantung kerana kandungan lemak politakpetpu yang tinggi dan baik untuk jantung.
• Daunnya berguna bagi mencegah penyakit barah dan sakit sendi-sendi tlang.
• Akarnya pula dikatakan boleh mengurangkan batuk, kencing manis dan sebagai julap serta membant meredakan tekanan darah tinggi.
• Sum-sum atau cairan dari dalam batang dan pangkal bunga pula, boleh menambahkan tenaga dan melancarkan sistem perkumuhan dalam badan terutama saluran air kencing.
• Bunga Mataharai dipercayai oleh pengamal ubat tradisional untuk meredakan penyakit kencing manis dan penyakit batu karang. Caranya ialah ambil batang dan akarnya kemudian rebus sehingga airnya sejat tinggal kira-kira satu gelas sahaja. Airnya bolehlah diminum dan ulanginya selang dua atau tiga hari.

PENGGUNAAN

• Bunga matahari boleh dikeringkan lalu disimpan.
• Bagi mengubati sakit dalam badan pula caranya ialah dengan merebusnya lalu diminum air rebusan itu.
• Untuk sakit seperti sakit tulang dan barah, lumatkan daun bunga Matahari dan dilumur pada bahagian yang sakit.
• Bagi wanita yang hamil ditegah dari meminum air rebusan pokok bunga Matahari kerana ia boleh mengakibatkan komplikasi.

Rujukan: Majalah Herba Perubatan Tradisi Zaman-berzaman Jilid 3 keluaran Zebra.

MANGOSTEENS: QUEEN OF FRUITS

I bought some mangosteens (Garcinia mangostana) or manggis from the wet market recently and they do not come cheap - RM7.00 for a kilogramme. Mind you the rind itself would already make up more than half the weight. In Malaysia, people would usually eat mangosteens to cool down after eating durians which is said to be heaty. Here is some information about the benefits of eating mangosteens.

Mangosteen as Herbal Medicine

Recent studies shows that the rind (skin) has anti-oxidant, anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-tumor properties. Initial results also reveals that mangosteen have anti-histamine and anti-inflammatory medicinal properties. The active therapeutic compound found in mangosteen is called "Xanthones".Xanthones provides many times more anti-oxidants than Vitamin C & E. Xanthones have been receiving much attention lately from researchers and scientist for its medicinal value. It appears to benefit every organ of the body. The whole mangosteen fruit is the single, best source of Xanthones.The strong anti-oxidant properties of the mangosteen fruit fights free radicals in the body. This helps strengthen the immune system, promote joint and cartilage function, helps support a strong respiratory system and helps maintain good health.

Medicinal Benefits of Mangosteen:

• Anti-tumor & anti-cancer

• Anti-inflammatory properties

• Prevents & treats infections

• For treatment of diarrhoea, cystitis, eczema, gleet and gonorrhoea.

• Anti-proliferative activity against human breast adenocarcinoma cell line.

• Anti-micro bacterial activity• Inhibitory activity against histamine release

Uses of Mangosteen:

• Dried and powdered mangosteen rind (skin) is given to cure dysentery. The powder can be made into a cream and applied to skin to treat eczema and other skin disorders.

• A decoction of the rind (boil in water) is cure for gonorrhoea, cystitis, diarrhoea and gleet.

• A decoction of the whole fruit, bark and leaves of the mangosteen tree can also be used.

• Eat the flesh of the mangosteen fruit for overall good health.

Source: http://www.philippineherbalmedicine.org/mangosteen.htm

WHITE ALDER

Common names: While Alder, Lidah Kucing
Scientific name: Turnera subulata
Family: Turneraceae

SPIRAL GINGER

Scientific name: Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm.
Common Names: Tabubungiaw (Bis.), Setawar (Malay), Spiral ginger (Engl.)
Medicinal use:
In some places, the juice of stems used for dysentery. In India, the rhizome has been used as famine food. Roots used for catarrhal fevers, coughs, dyspepsia, worms and skin diseases.In Malaysia , the juice of the rhizome is used as a purgative. In Java, the rhizome has been reported to be used for syphilis.

BUDDHA PINE

The Chinese believe that the Buddha Pine that I am posing with in the above picture will bring luck to the occupants of the house if it is planted there. For your information, the plant next to me costs RM788.00. I heard that there are also some Buddha Pines or Loh Hon Tzong which could cost tens of thousands of ringgit. Wow!

GELENGGANG

NAMA BOTANI: Cassia alata

DIVISI: Magnoliophyta

KELAS: Magnoliopsida

Famili: Fabaceae

KEGUNAAN PERUBATAN:
Dalam perubatan tradisional, Gelenggang digunakan bagi merawat panau atau kurap. Bersihkannya terlebih dahulu, kemudian tumbuk daun tersebut bersama sedikit minyak tanah sehingga lumat. Setelah itu gosokkan daun yang telah lumat tersebut pada bahagian yang dijangkiti penyakit itu.

KEGUNAAN LAIN
Daun pokok gelenggang juga sesuai untuk dijadikan sebagai ulam sayuran. daun pokok gelenggang juga boleh bertindak melawaskan sembelit.

TAMAN KAKTUS

Inilah Taman Kaktus sekolah saya yang akan dinaikkan taraf tak lama lagi. Taman ini diwujudkan pada tahun 2006 oleh 3 orang pelajar India untuk projek Pendidikan Moral mereka.