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Brain Storming Benefits of Herbs: Nutritional, Medicinal, and Cosmetic Benefits of Moringa Oleifera, Cnidoscolus Chayamansa, Centella Asiatica, and Bidens Pilosa
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Plants are our main source of food and medicine. Historical writings and oral literature offer evidences for uses of plants. All holy books have verses related to early uses of plants. Development of scientifically manufactured foods and drugs which began in the nineteenth century has adversely diverted us from the indigenous uses of plants. However, plants are currently being used by over 80% of the population in developing countries for nutritional, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Scientific research is progressively proving that some medicinal plants are efficacious, and safe for use. Plants such as Moringa oleifera, Bidens pilosa, Cnidoscolus chayamansa, and Centella asiatica are among such plants. Education on their cultivation and use is being encourage.
Azioni libro
Inizia a leggereInformazioni sul libro
Brain Storming Benefits of Herbs: Nutritional, Medicinal, and Cosmetic Benefits of Moringa Oleifera, Cnidoscolus Chayamansa, Centella Asiatica, and Bidens Pilosa
Descrizione
Plants are our main source of food and medicine. Historical writings and oral literature offer evidences for uses of plants. All holy books have verses related to early uses of plants. Development of scientifically manufactured foods and drugs which began in the nineteenth century has adversely diverted us from the indigenous uses of plants. However, plants are currently being used by over 80% of the population in developing countries for nutritional, medicinal and cosmetic purposes. Scientific research is progressively proving that some medicinal plants are efficacious, and safe for use. Plants such as Moringa oleifera, Bidens pilosa, Cnidoscolus chayamansa, and Centella asiatica are among such plants. Education on their cultivation and use is being encourage.
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Anteprima del libro
Brain Storming Benefits of Herbs - Samuel Mutasa
Brain Storming Benefits of Herbs
Nutritional, Medicinal, and Cosmetic Benefits of Moringa Oleifera, Cnidoscolus Chayamansa, Cantella Asiatica, and Bidens Pilosa
Enhanced Edition
Samuel Mutasa
Copyright © <2018>by< Samuel Mutasa>
Statement of Copyright
"This book is a copyright material protected under the Berne Convention, and other international enactments, in that behalf, on intellectual property. It may not be reproduced by any means, in full or in part, except for short extracts in fair dealing, for research or private academic study, critical scholarly reviews, or discourse with an acknowledgement, without a written permission of the author and the publisher.
First Printing<2018>
ISBN <978-0-359-00488-1>
<5625 Boone Ave N>
Email slmutasa06@gmail.com
Acknowledgements
I am indebted to members of my family, particularly my late wife, Himelda, for their continued care and encouragement. Based on our family’s belief in the phrase, Sharing is Caring
, they have been always encouraging me to write such books in order to share my knowledge with others. I pay tribute to the Tanzania government who has contributed money for practical research on this subject, the Chemistry Department of the University of Dar es Salaam, and Mr. E. N. Mshiu of the Traditional Medicine Unit of Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences who, for a long time, have allowed me to use their facilities and expertise. Thanks also go to Mrs. Geraldine Kirega for taking trouble to read the manuscript of this book and making useful comments. I thank the Almighty for giving me good physical and mental health, which allowed me to accomplish this work.
Preface
Plants have been our source of food and medicine from time immemorial. Ancient Chinese, Egyptian, Greek, and Indian records confirm the use of plants as food and medicine. The Egyptians seem to be the earliest experts of recorded herbal medicine. In addition to their strong beliefs in their gods, they scientifically used the herbs to manage diseases and ailments. The Bible, the Quran, the Torah, the Buddhist Maxim, and other holy books have verses specifically mentioning the uses of plants as food and medicine. Africa South of the Sahara depended on oral literature to pass on their knowledge to the next generation. Hence the knowledge on the use of some plants as food and medicine has been lost. On the other hand, even the advent of western education system did not encourage the use of plants as medicine. Although the reasons given were based on lack of scientific knowledge of their efficacy and lack of toxicity, the basic reason was the promotion the market of western manufactured drugs. Hence, modern medicine was encouraged, and traditional herbal medicine was debased. Yet, the western medicine system had no local experts, facilities, it was expensive, and could not reach the majority of rurally placed peasants. It has, so far, failed to serve the majority of the developing nations’ population. Of late, the developed nations have shown scientific research interest in trying to rationalize the use of some plants. A number of research results have helped to incorporate the use of some plants in nutrition and allopathic medicine practices. The uses of Senna angustifolia, Senna acutiffolia, Moringa oleifera, and Centella asiatica in modern nutrition and medicine are evident to these endeavors. The developed world, the international organizations, such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the Commonwealth Secretariat, and various governments in the developing world are collaboratively supporting the move of rationalizing the use of plants in nutrition and medicine. Unlike the manufactured drugs/foods, they have limited side effects, they are less costly, and they are a source of income to the poor peasants of the developing nations. Moringa oleifera (called a Miracle Tree due to its wide uses in nutrition, medicine, cosmetics, water safety, and in mining), Cnidoscolus chayamansa, Centella asiatica, and Bidens pilosa, all of which grow well in the tropics, and have been used traditionally, and substantial research has been carried out on each of them, are covered in this book. Suggestions for their propagation, use, and trade are offered. Other nutritionally, and medicinally important plants are pointed out. The use of such plants in enhancing poverty alleviation is emphasized.
Chapter 1
General Introduction
Plants have been the main source of our food and medicine from time immemorial. Although it is not fully understood how people came to know which plant treats what, or why should one plant be used as food, not the other, oral history of many tribes of Tanzania points out that people observed the behavior of domestic and wild animals. For example, pregnant cows loved eating leaves of particular plants. These leaves were then gathered and fed to pregnant mothers. Pregnant complaints were seemingly
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