Aloe vera

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aloe vera

Aloe vera plant with flower detail inset.

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

clade:

Angiosperms

clade:

Monocots

Order:

Asparagales

Family:

Xanthorrhoeaceae

Subfamily:

Asphodeloideae

Genus:

Aloe

Species:

A. vera

Binomial name

Aloe vera
(L.) Burm.f.

Aloe vera is a species of succulent plant that probably originated in northern Africa. The species does not have any naturally occurring populations, although closely related aloes do occur in northern Africa.[1] The species is frequently cited as being used in herbal medicine since the beginning of the first century AD. Extracts from A. vera are widely used in the cosmetics and alternative medicine industries, being marketed as variously having rejuvenating, healing or soothing properties.[2][3][4] There is, however, little scientific evidence of the effectiveness or safety of A. vera extracts for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes, and what positive evidence is available is frequently contradicted by other studies.[5][6][7][8] Medical uses of aloe vera are being investigated as well.
Contents
[hide]

1 Description 2 Taxonomy and etymology 3 Distribution 4 Cultivation 5 Uses

o o

5.1 Folk medicine 5.2 Dietary supplement

o o

5.2.1 Phytochemicals

5.3 Commodities 5.4 Research for possible medical uses

6 See also 7 References 8 External links

[edit]Description

Aloe vera is a stemless or very short-stemmed succulent plant growing to 60100 cm (24 39 in) tall, spreading by offsets. The leaves are thick and fleshy, green to grey-green, with some varieties showing white flecks on the upper and lower stem surfaces. [9] The margin of the leaf isserrated and has small white teeth. The flowers are produced in summer on a

spike up to 90 cm (35 in) tall, each flower being pendulous, with a yellow tubular corolla 2 3 cm (0.81.2 in) long.[9][10] Like other Aloe species, Aloe vera forms arbuscular mycorrhiza, a symbiosis that allows the plant better access to mineral nutrients in soil. [11]
[edit]Taxonomy

and etymology

Spotted forms of Aloe vera are sometimes known as Aloe vera var.chinensis.

The species has a number of synonyms: A. barbadensis Mill., Aloe indica Royle, Aloe perfoliata L. var. vera and A. vulgaris Lam.[12][13] Common names include Chinese Aloe, Indian Aloe, True Aloe, Barbados Aloe, Burn Aloe, First Aid Plant.[10][14][15][16][17] The species epithet vera means "true" or "genuine".[14] Some literature identifies the white spotted form of Aloe vera as Aloe vera var. chinensis;[18][19] however, the species varies widely with regard to leaf spots[1] and it has been suggested that the spotted form of Aloe vera may be conspecific with A. massawana.[20] The species was first described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753 as Aloe perfoliata var. vera,[21] and was described again in 1768 by Nicolaas Laurens Burman as Aloe vera in Flora Indica on 6 April and by Philip Miller as Aloe barbadensis some ten days after Burman in the Gardener's Dictionary.[22] Techniques based on DNA comparison suggest that Aloe vera is relatively closely related to Aloe perryi, a species that is endemic to Yemen.[23]Similar techniques, using chloroplast DNA sequence comparison and ISSR profiling have also suggested that Aloe vera is closely related to Aloe forbesii, Aloe inermis, Aloe scobinifolia, Aloe sinkatana, and Aloe striata.[24] With the exception of the South African species A. striata, theseAloe species are native to Socotra (Yemen), Somalia, and Sudan.[24] The lack of obvious natural populations of the species have led some authors to suggest that Aloe vera may be of hybrid origin.[25]
[edit]Distribution

The natural range of Aloe vera is unclear, as the species has been widely cultivated throughout the world. Naturalised stands of the species occur in the southern half of

the Arabian peninsula, through North Africa (Morocco, Mauritania, Egypt) as well as Sudan and neighbouring countries, along with the Canary, Cape Verde, and Madeira Islands.[12] This distribution is somewhat similar to the one of Euphorbia balsamifera, Pistacia atlantica, and a few others, suggesting that a dry sclerophyl forest once covered large areas, but has been dramatically reduced due to desertification in the Sahara, leaving these few patches isolated. Several closely related (or sometimes identical) species can be found on the two extreme sides of the Sahara: Dragon trees (Dracaena) and Aeonium being two of the most representative examples. The species was introduced to China and various parts of southern Europe in the 17th century.[26] The species is widely naturalised elsewhere, occurring in temperate and tropical regions of Australia, Barbados, Belize, Nigeria, Paraguay and the United States[1][27] It has been suggested that the actual species' distribution is the result of human cultivation. [20]
[edit]Cultivation

Aloe vera can be grown as an ornamental plant.

Aloe vera has been widely grown as an ornamental plant. The species is popular with modern gardeners as a putatively medicinal plant and due to its interesting flowers, form, and succulence. This succulence enables the species to survive in areas of low natural rainfall, making it ideal for rockeries and other low-water use gardens.[9] The species is hardy in zones 811, although it is intolerant of very heavy frost or snow.[10][28] The species is relatively resistant to most insect pests, though spider mites, mealy bugs, scale insects, and aphid species may cause a decline in plant health.[29][30] In pots, the species requires well-drained sandy potting soil and bright sunny conditions; however, in very hot and humid tropical or subtropical climates, aloe plants should be protected from direct sun and rain, as they will burn and/or turn mushy easily under these conditions. The use of a good-quality commercial propagation mix or pre-packaged "cacti and succulent mix" is recommended, as they allow good drainage.[31] Terracotta pots are preferable as they are porous.[31] Potted plants should be allowed to completely dry prior to re-watering. When potted aloes become

crowded with "pups" growing from the sides of the "mother plant," they should be divided and re-potted to allow room for further growth and help prevent pest infestations. During winter, Aloe vera may become dormant, during which little moisture is required. In areas that receive frost or snow, the species is best kept indoors or in heated glasshouses.[10] Large scale agricultural production of Aloe vera is undertaken in Pakistan, Australia,[32] Bangladesh, Cuba,[33] the Dominican Republic, China, Mexico,[34] India,[35] Jamaica,[36] Kenya and South Africa,[37] along with the USA[38] to supply the cosmetics industry with Aloe vera gel.
[edit]Uses

Aloe vera gel being used to make a dessert.

Preparations made from the plant Aloe vera are often referred to as "aloe vera".[39] Scientific evidence for the cosmetic and therapeutic effectiveness of aloe vera is limited and when present is frequently contradictory.[5][6] Despite this, the cosmetic and alternative medicine industries regularly make claims regarding the soothing, moisturizing, and healing properties of aloe vera, especially via Internet advertising.[7][3][4][2][40] Aloe vera gel is used as an ingredient in commercially available lotions, yogurt, beverages, and some desserts,[41][42][43] although at certain doses, it has toxic properties when used either for ingested or topical applications.[44]
[edit]Folk

medicine

Aloe vera has a long association with herbal medicine, although it is not known when its medical applications were first suspected. Early records of Aloe vera use appear in the Ebers Papyrus from 16th century BC,[17] in both Dioscorides' De Materia Medica and Pliny the Elder'sNatural History written in the mid-first century CE[17] along with the Juliana Anicia Codex produced in 512 AD.[41] The species is used widely in the traditional herbal medicine of China, Japan, Russia, South Africa, the United States, Jamaica, Latin America and India.[7]

[edit]Dietary

supplement

Aloin, a compound found in the exudate of some Aloe species, was the common ingredient in over-the-counter (OTC) laxative products in the United States prior to 2003, when the Food and Drug Administration ruled that aloin was a class III ingredient, thereby banning its use.[45] Aloe vera has potential toxicity, with side-effects occurring at some dose levels both when ingested or applied topically.[44] Although toxicity may be less when aloin is removed by processing, aloe vera that contains aloin in excess amounts may induce sideeffects.[7][8][46] A 2-year National Toxicology Program (NTP) study on oral consumption of non-decolorized whole leaf extract of aloe vera found evidence of carcinogenic activity in male and female rats. The NTP says more information is needed to determine the potential risks to humans.[47] Aloe vera juice is marketed to support the health of the digestive system, but there is neither scientific evidence nor regulatory approval to support this claim.[48] The extracts and quantities typically used for such purposes appear to be dose-dependent for toxic effects.[44]
[edit]Phytochemicals

Aloe vera leaves contain phytochemicals under study for possible bioactivity, such as acetylated mannans, polymannans, anthraquinone C-glycosides, anthrones and anthraquinones, and various lectins.[7][49][50]
[edit]Commodities

Aloe vera is now widely used on facial tissues, where it is promoted as a moisturiser and/or anti-irritant to reduce chafing of the nose of users suffering hay-fever or cold.[51] 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, shaving cream, and shampoos.[41] Other uses for extracts of aloe vera include the dilution of semen for the artificial fertilization of sheep,[52] use as fresh food preservative,[53] and use in water conservation in small farms.[54] It has also been suggested that biofuels could be obtained from Aloe vera seeds.[55] Aloe is also used as a food substance. Some molecular gastronomists have begun to take advantage of its gelling properties. Perhaps the most notable among these is Chef Quique Dacosta's "Oysters Guggenheim," created at El Poblet in Spain.[56]
[edit]Research

for possible medical uses

Aloe vera may be effective in treatment of wounds.[8] Evidence on the effects of its sap on wound healing, however, is limited and contradictory.[8] Some studies, for example, show

that aloe vera promotes the rates of healing,[57][58] while, in contrast, other studies show that wounds to which aloe vera gel was applied were significantly slower to heal than those treated with conventional medical preparations. [59][60] A 2007 review concluded that the cumulative evidence supports the use of aloe vera for the healing of first to second degree burns.[61]Topical application of aloe vera may also be effective for genital herpes and psoriasis.[62] However, it is not effective for the prevention of radiation-induced injuries. Although anecdotally useful, it has not been proven to offer protection from sunburn or suntan.[63] In a double-blind clinical trial, both the group using an aloe vera containing dentifrice and the group using a fluoridated dentifrice had a reduction of gingivitis and plaque, but no statistically significant difference was found between the two.[64] There is preliminary evidence that A. vera extracts may be useful in the treatment of diabetes and elevated blood lipids in humans.[7] These positive effects are thought to be due to the presence of compounds such as mannans, anthraquinones and lectins.[7][49][50]Internal intake of aloe vera has been linked in preliminary research with improved blood glucose levels indiabetics,[65][66] although it has been suggested by the NTP that aloe may lower blood glucose levels.[47] It has also been linked with lower blood lipids in hyperlipidaemic patients,[67] but also with acute hepatitis (liver disease).[46] In other diseases, preliminary studies have suggested oral aloe vera gel may reduce symptoms and inflammation in patients with ulcerative colitis.[39] Abdominal cramps and diarrhea have been reported with oral use of aloe vera. Diarrhea, caused by the laxative effect of oral aloe vera, can decrease the absorption of many drugs. [47] Compounds extracted from aloe vera have been used as an immunostimulant that aids in fighting cancers in cats and dogs;[49] however, this treatment has not been scientifically tested in humans. Gels from Aloe vera have been compared to those derived from other aloe species and with other plants belonging to the family Asphodelaceae. Bulbine frutescens, for example, is used widely for burns and a host of skin afflictions.[68] Aloe vera extracts might have antibacterial and antifungal activities, which possibly could help treat minor skin infections, such as boilsand benign skin cysts and may inhibit growth of fungi causing tinea.[69] For bacteria, inner-leaf gel from aloe vera was shown in one study to inhibit growth of Streptococcus and Shigellaspecies in vitro.[70] In contrast, aloe vera extracts failed to show antibiotic properties against Xanthomonas species.[71]
[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aloe_vera

Kacip fatimah
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is an orphan, as few or no other articles link to it. Please introduce links to this page from related articles;suggestions may be available. (February 2009) This article needs additional citations for verification. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (June 2007)

Labisa pumila

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

Genus:

Labisa

Species:

L. pumila

Binomial name

Labisa pumila

Kacip fatimah (Labisa pumila) is the female version of Tongkat Ali. Kacip Fatimah is a small woody and leafy plant that grows and can be found widely in the shade of forest floors. The leaves are about 20 centimetres long, and they are traditionally used as a kind of tea by women who experience a loss of libido. Despite its long history of traditional use, the active components and mode of action have not been well studied, though some preliminary research has been published.[1][2][3]
[edit]Uses

Extract from these herbs is usually ground into powder substances and are made into capsules and pills. A concoction made from boiling the plant in water is given to women in labour to hasten delivery of their babies. After childbirth, it may still be consumed by

mothers to regain their strength. In other medicinal preparations, it can treat gonorrhoea, dysentery and eliminate excessive gas in the body. Traditionally, it is used in Borneo for enhancing vitality, overcome tiredness and help to tone vaginal muscles for women. The claimed uses of Kacip Fatimah include:[4]

Helps establish a regular menstrual cycle when periods fail to appear for reasons like stress, illness or when the pill is discontinued Prevents cramping, water retention and irritability for those with painful periods. Balances, builds and harmonizes the female reproductive system to encourage healthy conception Supports healthy vaginal flora to prevent irritation and infections. Alleviates fatigue, smooths menopausal symptoms and promote emotional well being. Prolong energy during Playtime. Helps to solve the problems related to constipation Tightens vaginal skin and walls. Anti-dysmenorrhoea; cleansing and avoiding painful or difficult menstruation Anti-flatulence, drive away and prevent the formation of gas. Firming and toning of abdominal muscles.

As the plant contains phytoestrogen, it is not to be taken by pregnant women and periods of menstruation.
[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kacip_fatimah

Ginseng
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Ginseng

Panax quinquefolius foliage and fruit

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

(unranked):

Angiosperm s

(unranked):

Eudicots

(unranked):

Asterids

Order:

Apiales

Family:

Araliaceae

Subfamily:

Aralioideae

Genus:

Panax
L.

Species

Subgenus Panax Section Panax

Series Notoginseng Panax notoginseng Series Panax Panax bipinnatifidus Panax ginseng Panax japonicus Panax quinquefolius Panax vietnamensis Panax wangianus Panax zingiberensis Section Pseudoginseng Panax pseudoginseng Panax stipuleanatus Subgenus Trifolius Panax trifolius

Ginseng (generic term)

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

or

Simplified Chinese [show]Transcriptions

Vietnamese name

Quc ng

Nhn Sm

Korean name

Hangul

Hanja [show]Transcriptions

Japanese name

Kanji

Kana

[show]Transcriptions

Ginseng species

Chinese name

Traditional Chinese

Simplified Chinese [show]Transcriptions

Korean name

Hangul

Hanja [show]Transcriptions

Japanese name

Kanji [show]Transcriptions

Ginseng field in Wisconsin

Ginseng hand cream from North Korea

Ginseng (pronounced /dns/[1]) is any one of eleven species of slow-growing perennial plants with fleshy roots, belonging to the genusPanax of the family Araliaceae. Ginseng is found only in the Northern Hemisphere, in North America and in eastern Asia (mostly Korea, northern China (Manchuria), and eastern Siberia), typically in cooler climates. Panax vietnamensis, discovered in Vietnam, is the southernmost ginseng known. This article focuses on the Series Panax ginsengs, which are the adaptogenic herbs,

principally Panax ginseng and P. quinquefolius. Ginseng is characterized by the presence of ginsenosides. Siberian Ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus) is in the same family, but not genus, as true Ginseng. Like Ginseng, it is considered to be an adaptogenic herb. The active compounds in Siberian Ginseng are eleutherosides, not ginsenosides. Instead of a fleshy root, Siberian Ginseng has a woody root, (see below).
Contents
[hide]

1 Etymology 2 Traditional uses 3 Modern science and ginseng 4 Ginseng and reproductive activity 5 Side effects 6 Overdose 7 Common classification

o o o o

7.1 P. quinquefolius American ginseng (root) 7.2 Panax ginseng Asian ginseng (root) 7.3 Red ginseng 7.4 Wild ginseng

8 Ginseng alternatives 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External links

[edit]Etymology

The English word ginseng derives from the Chinese term rnshn (simplified: ; traditional: ). Rn means "man" and shn means a kind of herb; this refers to the root's characteristic forked shape, which resembles the legs of a man.[2] The English pronunciation derives from a southern Chinese reading, similar to Cantonese yun sum (Jyutping: jan4sam1) and the Hokkien pronunciation "jn-sim".

The botanical/genus name Panax means "all-heal" in Greek, sharing the same origin as "panacea", and was applied to this genus becauseLinnaeus was aware of its wide use in Chinese medicine as a muscle relaxant. Besides Panax ginseng, there are many other plants which are also known as or mistaken for the ginseng root. The most commonly known examples are Xiyangshen, also known as American Ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), Japanese ginseng (Panax japonicus), crown prince ginseng (Pseudostellaria heterophylla), and Siberian ginseng (Eleutherococcus senticosus). Although all have the name ginseng, each plant has distinctively different functions. However, true ginseng plants belong to the Panax genus.[3]
[edit]Traditional

uses

Both American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius) and Asian ginseng (Panax ginseng) roots are taken orally as adaptogens, aphrodisiacs, nourishing stimulants,[citation needed] and in the treatment of type II diabetes, as well as for sexual dysfunction in men. The root is most often available in dried form, either whole or sliced. Ginseng leaf, although not as highly prized, is sometimes also used; as with the root, it is most often available in dried form. This ingredient may also be found in some energy drinks, often the "tea" varieties; in these products, ginseng is usually present in subclinical doses and does not have measurable medicinal effects.[4][citation needed] It can be found in cosmetic preparations as well, but has not been shown to have clinically effective results.
[edit]Modern

science and ginseng

Ginsenosides are the active compounds that distinguish the Panax species, and the beneficial ginsenosides are contained in the fleshy portions of the plant. There are many manufacturers of ginseng products who, knowingly or unknowingly, actually use counterfeit products or ginseng leaves instead of roots. Herbal companies who follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) regularly test for the quality, potency, and species authentication of herbs using cross-sectional microscopic examination, thin layer chromatography, and high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). One study found HPLC is especially useful in the differentiation and authentication of Panax ginseng from Panax quinquefolius due to the unambiguous distinction of slightly varying isotypes of ginsenoside compounds.[5]

Ginseng is noted for being an adaptogen, one which can, to a certain extent, be supported with reference to its anticarcinogenic and antioxidant properties.[6] Some studies have found no adaptogen responses in animal studies (Survival test on mice swimming).[7] Many studies have been done with varying results using only ginseng extracts. However, when ginseng is used in combination with other traditional Chinese herbs, the synergistic effects had many more definitive and positive results. For example, Si Jun Zi Tang, a traditional Chinese formula, the main ingredient of which is ginseng, has been shown in multiple studies to have radioprotective effects, preventing a decrease in the hematocrit during radiotherapy.[8][9] In research, it has been difficult to either verify or quantify the exact medicinal benefits of ginseng using science, as there are contradictory results from different studies, possibly due to the wide variety and quality of ginseng used in the tests. High-quality studies of the effects of ginseng in the United States are rare.[10] However, many high-quality, double blind, randomized controlled trials have been done in Asian countries, such as China, South Korea and Japan.[citation needed] American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius), similar to Panax ginseng in that they both contain the active component ginsenoside, is distinguished in traditional Chinese medicine theory by having a cold property while the property of ginseng is warm. Japanese ginseng, though the same species as ginseng, is thought to have cooling properties similar to American ginseng due to the difference in cultivation environment. (cite M5050) American ginseng has been shown in various studies to have a beneficial effect for diabetes in the regulation of blood sugar levels.[11] A comparative, randomized and double-blind study at the National Autonomous University of Mexico indicated it may be "a promising dietary supplement" when assessed for an increase in quality of life.[12] A randomized, double-blind study showed that an extract of American ginseng reduced influenza cases in the elderly when compared to placebo.[10] A recent study at the University of Hong Kong has identified ginseng to have antiinflammatory effects. The study found of the nine ginsenosides they identified, seven could selectively inhibit expression of the inflammatory gene CXCL-10.[citation needed] P. ginseng appear to inhibit some characteristics associated with cancer in animal models; nevertheless, this effect is unclear in humans.[13]A randomized, double-blind pilot study noted Ginseng appeared to reduce fatigue in cancer patients.[14]

There are references in literature, including authoritative compendia, that show interactions with ginseng. Herbalist Jonathan Treasure of the British National Institute of Medical Herbalists traces the growth of misinformation on an alleged adverse herb-drug interaction between the monoamine oxidase inhibitor phenelzine and Asian ginseng (P. ginseng C.A. Meyer). This originally was mentioned in a 1985 editorial by Shader and Greenblatt in the Journal of Clinical Psychopharmacology. Shader and Greenblatt devoted a couple of lines to the case of a 64-year-old woman who took an undisclosed dose for an undisclosed time of a dietary supplement product called "Natrol High" while concurrently taking phenelzine 60 mg qd. She experienced symptoms of "insomnia, headache, and tremulousness". Treasure contacted Natrol by e-mail and discovered within ten minutes that there was no P. ginseng in the formula, but instead Eleutherococcus senticosus which was then called by the popular name "Siberian ginseng", and it was given in a subclinical dosage mixed with a variety of other herbs. The purported interaction effects are well-known side effects of phenelzine alone, which had been given in a high dosage and are not at all suggestive of Eleutherococcus. However, this misinformed article with a misidentified herb has been picked up in literature searches and megastudies, and is now documented by conventional medical authorities, such as Stockley's, and is repeated in several botanical monographs, e.g. World Health Organization (WHO 1999).[15][16][17]
[edit]Ginseng

and reproductive activity

A 2002 study by the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (published in the annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) found that in laboratory animals, both Asian and American forms of ginseng enhance libido and copulatory performance. These effects of ginseng may not be due to changes in hormone secretion, but to direct effects of ginseng or its ginsenoside components on the central nervous system and gonadal tissues.[18][19] In males, ginsenosides can facilitate penile erection.[20] This is consistent with traditional Chinese medicine and Korean medicine medicinal uses of ginseng. Ginseng is known to contain phytoestrogens.[21][22][23] In some studies, ginseng has been demonstrated to have a stimulating effect on the pituitary gland to increase the secretion of gonadotropins. Another study found that in young mice, it speeds up the development of reproductive organs, while in adult male mice, it stimulates the production of sperm, and lengthens the estrus period in female mice.[3]
[edit]Side

effects

According to a Sports Nutrition FAQ published by UMass Amherst, one of P. ginseng's most common side effects is the inability to sleep.[24] However, other sources state ginseng causes no sleep difficulties.[25] Other side effects can include nausea, diarrhea, headaches, nose bleeds,[26] high blood pressure, low blood pressure, and breast pain.[27] Ginseng may also lead to induction of mania in depressed patients who mix it with antidepressants.[28] Ginseng has been shown to have adverse drug reactions with phenelzine, alcohol, and warfarin.[29]
[edit]Overdose

The common adaptogen ginsengs (P. ginseng and P. quinquefolia) are generally considered to be relatively safe even in large amounts. One of the most common and characteristic symptoms of acute overdose of Panax ginseng is bleeding. Symptoms of mild overdose with Panax ginseng may include dry mouth and lips, excitation, fidgeting, irritability, tremor, palpitations, blurred vision, headache, insomnia, increased body temperature, increased blood pressure, edema, decreased appetite, increased sexual desire, dizziness, itching, eczema, early morning diarrhea, bleeding, and fatigue.[3] Symptoms of gross overdose with Panax ginseng may include nausea, vomiting, irritability, restlessness, urinary and bowel incontinence, fever, increased blood pressure, increased respiration, decreased sensitivity and reaction to light, decreased heart rate, cyanotic (blue) facial complexion, red facial complexion, seizures, convulsions, and delirium. [3] Patients experiencing any of the above symptoms are advised to discontinue the herbs and seek any necessary symptomatic treatment.[3]
[edit]Common

classification

Ginseng roots in a market in Seoul, 2003

[edit]P.

quinquefolius American ginseng (root)

According to traditional Chinese medicine, American ginseng promotes yin energy, cleans excess yang and calms the body. The reason it has been claimed that American ginseng promotes yin (shadow, cold, negative, female) while Asian ginseng promotes yang (sunshine, hot, positive, male) is because, according to traditional Chinese medicine, things living in cold places or northern side of mountains or southern side of rivers are strong in yang and vice versa, so that the two are balanced.[citation needed] Chinese/Korean ginseng grows in Manchuria and Korea, the coldest area known to many Koreans in ancient times. Thus, ginseng from there is supposed to be very yang. Originally, American ginseng was imported into China via subtropical Guangzhou, the seaport next to Hong Kong, so Chinese doctors believed American ginseng must be good for yin, because it came from a hot area. They did not know, however, that American ginseng can only grow in temperate regions. Nonetheless, the root is legitimately classified as more yin because it generates fluids.[30] The two main components of ginseng are claimed to be in different proportions in the Asian and American varieties, and are speculated to be the cause of the excitatory versus tonic natures.[31] The ginseng is traditionally hewn and a few slices are simmered in hot water to make adecoction. Most North American ginseng is produced in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and British Columbia and the American state of Wisconsin, according to Agri-food Canada. P. quinquefolius is now also grown in northern China. The aromatic root resembles a small parsnip that forks as it matures. The plant grows 6 to 18 inches tall, usually bearing three leaves, each with three to five leaflets two to five inches long.
[edit]Panax

ginseng Asian ginseng (root)

Ginseng and reishi mushrooms in bottles being sold in Seoul, Korea.

Panax ginseng is available in four forms:

1. The form called fresh ginseng is the raw product. 2. The form called white ginseng (WG) is fresh ginseng which has been dried. It is grown for four to six years, and then peeled and dried to reduce the water content to 12% or less. White ginseng is air dried in the sun and may contain less of the therapeutic constituents. It is thought by some that enzymes contained in the root break down these constituents in the process of drying. Drying in the sun bleaches the root to a yellowish-white color. 3. The form called red ginseng (RG) is harvested after six years, is not peeled and is steam-cured at standard boiling temperatures of100 C (212 F), thereby giving it a glossy reddish-brown color. Steaming the root is thought to change its biochemical composition and also to prevent the breakdown of the active ingredients. The roots are then dried. RG is more common as herbal medicine than WG, and there is increasing research on the pharmacological activities of RG specific ginsenoside. 4. The form called sun ginseng (SG) is created from a heat processing method which increases ginsenoside components such as ginsenoside-[Rg.sub.3], -[Rk.sub.1] and -[Rg.sub.5] by steaming white ginseng at a higher temperature than red ginseng. The herb is steamed for three hours at 120 C (248 F). Research has shown that SG has increased nitric oxide, superoxide, hydroxyl radical and peroxynitrite scavenging activities compared with conventionally processed RG or WG. The increased steaming temperature produces an optimal amount of biological activity due to its ability to amplify specific ginsenosides. Japanese researchers set out to investigate the antioxidant effect of SG on oxidative stress.
[edit]Red

ginseng

Red ginseng

Red ginseng (Hangul: ; Hanja: ; RR: hong-sam, simplified Chinese: ; traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: hng sn), is Panax ginseng that has been heated, either through steaming or sun-drying. It is frequently marinated in an herbal brew which results in the root becoming extremely brittle. This version of ginseng is traditionally associated with stimulating sexual function and increasing energy. Red ginseng is always produced from cultivated roots, generally from Korea. In 2002, a preliminary double-blind, crossover study of Korean red ginseng's effects on impotence reported that it can be an effective alternative for treating male erectile dysfunction, during which 60% of study participants noted an improvement in ability to produce an erection.[32] Another study reported red ginseng reduced the relapse of gastric cancer versus control.[33] A study of ginseng's effects on rats found that while both white ginseng and red ginseng appear to reduce the incidence of cancer, the effects appear to be greater with red ginseng.[34] A study by Sung H, Jung YS, Cho YK. showed potentially beneficial effects of a combination of Korean red ginseng and highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV-1-infected patients.[35] Falcarinol, a seventeen-carbon diyne fatty alcohol was isolated from carrot and red ginseng, and was thought to have potent anticancer properties on primary mammary epithelial (breast cancer) cells.[36] Other acetylenic fatty alcohols in ginseng (panaxacol, panaxydol andpanaxytriol) have antibiotic properties.[37]
[edit]Wild

ginseng

Harvested ginseng in Germany.

Wild ginseng is that which grows naturally and is harvested from wherever it is found to be growing. Wild ginseng is relatively rare, and even increasingly endangered, due in large part to high demand for the product in recent years, which has led to the wild plants being sought out and harvested faster than new ones can grow (it requires years for a root to reach maturity). Wild ginseng can be either Asian or American, and can be processed to be red ginseng. There are woods-grown American ginseng programs in Maine, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, West Virginia and Kentucky,[38][39] andUnited Plant Savers has been encouraging the woods planting of ginseng both to restore natural habitats and to remove pressure from any remaining wild ginseng, and they offer both advice and sources of rootlets. Woodsgrown plants have a value comparable to wild-grown ginseng of similar age.
[edit]Ginseng

alternatives

These mostly "adaptogenic" plants are sometimes referred to as ginsengs, but they are either from a different family or genus. Only jiaogulan actually contains compounds closely related to ginsenosides, although ginsenosides alone do not determine the effectiveness of ginseng. Since each of these plants has different uses, one should research their properties before using.[40]

Schisandra chinensis (five flavoured berry) Gynostemma pentaphyllum (southern ginseng, jiaogulan) Eleutherococcus senticosus (Siberian ginseng) Pseudostellaria heterophylla (prince ginseng) Withania somnifera (Indian ginseng, ashwagandha) Pfaffia paniculata (Brazilian ginseng, suma) Lepidium meyenii (Peruvian ginseng, maca) {Note: Maca has absolutely nothing to do with ginseng.} Oplopanax horridus (Alaskan ginseng)

Other plants which are referred to as ginsengs may not be adaptogens (although notoginseng is in the genus Panax):

Angelica sinensis (female ginseng, dong quai) Panax notoginseng (known as san qi, tian qi or tien chi, hemostatic ingredient in Yunnan Bai Yao)

[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ginseng

Rosemary
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For other uses, see Rosemary (disambiguation).

Rosmarinus officinalis Rosemary

Rosemary in flower

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

(unranked):

Angiosperms

(unranked):

Eudicots

(unranked):

Asterids

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Lamiaceae

Genus:

Rosmarinus

Species:

R. officinalis

Binomial name

Rosmarinus officinalis
L.[1]

Rosemary, Rosmarinus officinalis, is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus. The name "rosemary" derives from the Latin name rosmarinus, derived from "dew" (ros) and "sea" (marinus), or "dew of the sea"[2] because in many locations it needs no water other than the humidity carried by the sea breeze to live. The plant is also sometimes called Anthos, from the ancient Greek word , meaning "flower".[3] Rosemary is used as a decorative plant in gardens and has many culinary and medical uses. The plant is said to improve the memory and is used as a symbol of remembrance, especially in Australia and New Zealand to commemorate ANZAC Day. The leaves are used to flavor various foods, like stuffings and roast meats. Rosemary contains the antioxidants carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid, and other bioactive compounds including camphor, caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol, and rosmanol. Some of these may be useful in preventing or treating cancers, strokes, and Alzheimer's Disease.
Contents
[hide]

1 Taxonomy 2 Description 3 Mythology 4 Usage

4.1 Cultivation

o o

4.1.1 Cultivars

4.2 Culinary use 4.3 Medicine

4.3.1 Potential medicinal use

4.4 Folklore and customs

5 Health precautions and toxicology 6 See also

7 Notes

7.1 Further reading

8 External links

[edit]Taxonomy
Rosmarinus officinalis is one of two species[dubious discuss] in the genus Rosmarinus. The other species is the closely related, but less commercially viable, Rosmarinus eriocalyx,[citation needed] of the Maghreb of Africa and Iberia. Named by the 18th-century naturalist and founding taxonomist Carolus Linnaeus, it has not undergone much taxonomic change since.

[edit]Description

Illustration from Khler's Medicinal Plants

Flowering rosemary

Rosemary is an aromatic evergreen shrub that has leaves similar to pine needles. The leaves are used as a flavouring in foods like stuffings and roast lamb, pork, chicken and turkey. Rosemary is native to the Mediterranean and Asia, but is reasonably hardy in cool climates. Rosemary can withstand droughts, surviving a severe lack of water for lengthy periods.[4] Forms range from upright to trailing; the upright forms can reach 1.5 m (5 ft) tall, rarely 2 m (6 ft 7 in). The leaves are evergreen, 24 cm (0.81.6 in) long and 25 mm broad, green above, and white below, with dense short woolly hair. The plant flowers in spring and summer in temperate climates but the plants can be in constant bloom in warm climates; flowers are white, pink, purple or deep blue.[5]

[edit]Mythology
The name derives from the Latin words ros marinus, which translate as dew of the sea. According to legend, it was draped around the Greek goddess Aphrodite when she rose from the sea, born of Ouranos's semen. The Virgin Mary is said to have spread her blue cloak over a white-blossomed rosemary bush when she was resting, and the flowers turned blue. The shrub then became known as the 'Rose of Mary'.[6]

[edit]Usage [edit]Cultivation
Since it is attractive and drought tolerant, Rosemary is used as an ornamental plant in gardens and for xeriscape landscaping, especially in regions of Mediterranean climate. It is considered easy to grow and pest-resistant. Rosemary can grow quite large and retain attractiveness for many years, can be pruned into

formal shapes and low hedges and has been used for topiary. It is easily grown in pots. The groundcovercultivars spread widely, with a dense and durable texture. Rosemary grows on friable loam soil with good drainage in an open sunny position. It will not withstand waterlogging and some varieties are susceptible to frost. It grows best in neutral to alkaline conditions (pH 7 7.8) with average fertility. It can be propagated from an existing plant by clipping a shoot 1015 cm (46 in) long, stripping a few leaves from the bottom, and planting it directly into soil.

[edit]Cultivars
Numerous cultivars have been selected for garden use. The following are frequently sold:

'Albus' white flowers Arp' leaves light green, lemon-scented 'Aureus' leaves speckled yellow 'Benenden Blue' leaves narrow, dark green 'Blue Boy' dwarf, small leaves 'Golden Rain' leaves green, with yellow streaks 'Gold Dust' -dark green leaves, with golden streaks but stronger than Golden Rain 'Irene' low and lax, trailing, intense blue flowers 'Lockwood de Forest' procumbent selection from 'Tuscan Blue' Ken Taylor' shrubby Majorica Pink' pink flowers Miss Jessop's Upright' distinctive tall fastigate form, with wider leaves. 'Pinkie' pink flowers 'Prostratus' - lower groundcover 'Pyramidalis (a.k.a. 'Erectus') fastigate form, pale blue flowers 'Roseus' pink flowers 'Salem' pale blue flowers, cold hardy similar to 'Arp' 'Severn Sea' spreading, low-growing, with arching branches; flowers deep violet 'Tuscan Blue' traditional robust upright form 'Wilma's Gold' yellow leaves

[edit]Culinary

use

The leaves, both fresh and dried, are used in traditional Mediterranean cuisine. They have a bitter, astringent taste and are highly aromatic, which complements a wide variety of foods. Atisane can be made from the leaves. When burnt, they give off a mustard-like smell and a smell similar to burning wood, which can be used

to flavor foods while barbecuing. Rosemary is high in iron, calcium and vitamin B6,[7] 317 mg, 6.65 mg and 0.336 mg per 100 g, respectively.[8] Rosemary extract has been shown to improve the shelf life and heat stability of omega 3-rich oils, which are prone to rancidity.[9]

Rosemary illustration from an Italianherbal, circa 1500

[edit]Medicine
Hungary water was first prepared for the Queen of Hungary Elisabeth of Poland to " ... renovate vitality of paralyzed limbs ... " and to treat gout. It was used externally and prepared by mixing fresh rosemary tops into spirits of wine.[10] Don Quixote (Chapter XVII, 1st volume) mixes it in his recipe of the miraculous balm of Fierabras. Rosemary has a very old reputation for improving memory and has been used as a symbol for remembrance during weddings, war commemorations and funerals in Europe and Australia.[11] Mourners would throw it into graves as a symbol of remembrance for the dead. InShakespeare's Hamlet, Ophelia says, "There's rosemary, that's for remembrance." (Hamlet, iv. 5.) A modern study lends some credence to this reputation. When the smell of rosemary was pumped into cubicles where people were working, they showed improved memory, though with slower recall.[12] 1,8-cineole (1,3,3-trimethyl-2-oxabicyclo[2,2,2]octane), one of rosemary's main chemical components was found to improve speed and accuracy in cognitive performance in a study in 2012.[13]

[edit]Potential medicinal use

sclerosis,[14] and is anti-inflammatory.[15] Carnosol is also a promising cancer chemoprevention and anti-cancer agent.[16] A study found that rosemary "produced a significant enhancement of performance for overall quality of memory and secondary memory factors, but also produced an impairment of speed of memory compared to controls."[17] Rosemary contains a number of potentially biologically active compounds, including antioxidants carnosic acid and rosmarinic acid. Other bioactive compounds include camphor (up to 20% in dry rosemary leaves), caffeic acid, ursolic acid, betulinic acid, rosmaridiphenol and rosmanol. Rosemary antioxidants levels are closely related to soil moisture content.[18] Rosemary may have some anticarcinogenic properties. A study where a powdered form of rosemary was given to rats in a measured amount for two weeks showed a reduction in the binding of a certain carcinogen by 76%, and greatly reduced the formation of mammary tumors.[19]

[edit]Folklore

and customs

In the Middle Ages, rosemary was associated with wedding ceremonies - the bride would wear a rosemary headpiece and the groom and wedding guests would all wear a sprig of rosemary, and from this association with weddings, rosemary evolved into a love charm. Newlywed couples would plant a branch of rosemary on their wedding day. If the branch grew, it was a good omen for the union and family. In A Modern Herbal, Mrs Grieves says A rosemary branch, richly gilded and tied with silken ribands of all colours, was also presented to wedding guests, as a symbol of love and loyalty. If a young person would tap another with a rosemary sprig and if the sprig contained an open flower, it was said that the couple would fall in love. Rosemary was used as a divinatory herb. Several herbs were grown in pots and assigned the name of a potential lover. They were left to grow and the plant that grew the strongest and fastest gave the answer. Rosemary was stuffed into poppets (cloth dolls) to attract a lover or attract curative vibrations for illness. It was believed that placing a sprig of rosemary under a pillow before sleep would repel nightmares, and if placed outside the home it would repel witches. Somehow, the use of rosemary in the garden to repel witches turned into signification that the woman ruled the household in homes and gardens where rosemary grew abundantly. By the 16th century, men were known to rip up rosemary bushes to show that they, not their wives, ruled the roost.[20] Sprigs of rosemary are worn on ANZAC Day and sometimes Remembrance Day to signify remembrance; the herb grows wild on the Gallipoli peninsula.[11]

[edit]Health

precautions and toxicology

Rosemary in culinary or therapeutic doses is generally safe, but can cause allergic skin reactions when used in topical preparations. According to recent European research, rosemary interferes with the absorption of iron and should not be consumed by those with iron deficiency anemia.[21] A toxicity study of the plant on rats has shown hepatoprotective and antimutagenic activities;[22] however, precaution is necessary for those displaying

allergic reaction or are prone to epileptic seizures. Rosemary essential oil may have epileptogenic properties, as a handful of case reports over the past century have linked its use with seizures in otherwise healthy adults or children.[23] Avoid consuming large quantities of rosemary especially if pregnant or breastfeeding. [21]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosemary

Celery
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Celery

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

(unranked):

Angiosperms

(unranked):

Eudicots

(unranked):

Asterids

Order:

Apiales

Family:

Apiaceae

Genus:

Apium

Species:

A. graveolens

Binomial name

Apium graveolens
L.

Apium graveolens is a plant species in the family Apiaceae commonly known as celery (var. dulce) or celeriac (var. rapaceum), depending on whether the petioles (stalks) or roots are eaten: celery refers to the former and celeriac to the latter. Apium graveolens grows to 1 m tall. The leaves are pinnate to bipinnate leaves with rhombic leaflets 36 cm long and 24 cm broad. The flowers are creamy-white, 23 mm diameter, produced in dense compound umbels. The seeds are broad ovoid to globose, 1.52 mm long and wide.
Contents
[hide]

1 Etymology 2 Taxonomy 3 Cultivation 4 Harvesting and storage 5 Uses

o o

5.1 Medicine 5.2 Nutrition

6 Allergies 7 Chemistry

8 History

8.1 Cultural depictions

9 See also 10 References 11 External links

[edit]Etymology

Apium graveolens, leaf cellery

First attested in English 1664, the word "celery" derives from the French cleri, in turn from Italian seleri, the plural of selero, which comes from Late Latin selinon,[1] the latinisation of the Greek (selinon), "parsley".[2][3] The earliest attested form of the word is the Mycenaean Greek se-ri-no, written in Linear B syllabic script.[4]
[edit]Taxonomy

Celery was described by Carl von Linn in Volume One of his Species Plantarum in 1753.[5] The closely related Apium bermejoi from the island of Minorca is one of the rarest plants in Europe, with fewer than 100 individuals left.[6]
[edit]Cultivation

Head of celery, sold as a vegetable. Usually only the stalks are eaten.

Celery root, or celeriac, is also used as a vegetable.

In North America, commercial production of celery is dominated by the varieties called Pascal celery.[7]Gardeners can grow a range of cultivars, many of which differ little from the wild species, mainly in having stouter leaf stems. They are ranged under two classes, white and red; the white cultivars being generally the best flavoured, and the most crisp and tender. The stalks grow in tight, straight, parallel bunches, and are typically marketed fresh that way, without roots and just a little green leaf remaining. The wild form of celery is known as "smallage". It has a furrowed stalk with wedge-shaped leaves, the whole plant having a coarse, earthy taste, and a distinctive smell. The stalks are not usually eaten (except in soups or stews in French cuisine), but the leaves may be used in salads, and its seeds are those sold as a spice.[8] With cultivation and blanching, the stalks lose their acidic qualities and assume the mild, sweetish, aromatic taste particular to celery as a salad plant. The plants are raised from seed, sown either in a hot bed or in the open garden according to the season of the year, and after one or two thinnings and transplantings, they are, on attaining a height of 1520 cm, planted out in deep trenches for convenience of blanching, which is effected by earthing up to exclude light from the stems.

In the past, celery was grown as a vegetable for winter and early spring; it was perceived as a cleansing tonic, welcomed to counter the salt-sickness of a winter diet. By the 19th century, the season for celery had been extended, to last from the beginning of September to late in April.[9]
[edit]Harvesting

and storage

Cross-section of a Pascal celery rib

Harvesting occurs when the average size of celery in a field is marketable; due to extremely uniform crop growth, fields are harvested only once. The petioles and leaves are removed and harvested; celery is packed by size and quality (determined by colour, shape, straightness and thickness of petiole, stalk and midrib length and absence of disease, cracks, splits, insect damage and rot). Under optimal conditions, celery can be stored for up to seven weeks between 0 to 2 C (32 to 36 F). Inner stalks may continue growing if kept at temperatures above 0 C(32 F). Freshly cut petioles of celery are prone to decay, which can be prevented or reduced through the use of sharp blades during processing, gentle handling, and proper sanitation.[10] Cut pieces of celery last only a few hours before they turn brown, and few American restaurants include it in green salads because it cannot be prepared far enough ahead of time. In the past, restaurants used to store it in a container of water with powdered vegetable preservative; however, the sulfites in the preservative caused allergic reactions in some people.[11] In 1986, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of sulfites on fruits and vegetables intended to be eaten raw.[12]
[edit]Uses

Apium graveolens is used around the world as a vegetable, either for the crisp petiole (leaf stalk) or the fleshy toproot.

In temperate countries, celery is also grown for its seeds. Actually very small fruit, these "seeds" yield a valuable volatile oil used in the perfume and pharmaceutical industries. They also contain an organic compound called apiol. Celery seeds can be used as flavouring or spice, either as whole seeds or ground and mixed with salt, as celery salt. Celery salt can also be made from an extract of the roots. Celery salt is used as a seasoning, in cocktails (notably to enhance the flavour of Bloody Mary cocktails), on the Chicago-style hot dog, and in Old Bay Seasoning. Celery, onions, and bell peppers are the holy trinity of Louisiana Creole and Cajun cuisine. Celery, onions, and carrots make up the Frenchmirepoix, often used as a base for sauces and soups. Celery is a staple in many soups, such as chicken noodle soup.
[edit]Medicine

Celery seeds

The use of celery seed in pills for relieving pain was described by Aulus Cornelius Celsus around 30 AD.[13] Celery seeds contain a compound,3-n-butylphthalide, that has been demonstrated to lower blood pressure in rats.[14] Bergapten in the seeds can increase photosensitivity, so the use of essential oil externally in bright sunshine should be avoided. The oil and large doses of seeds should be avoided during pregnancy, as they can act as a uterine stimulant. Seeds intended for cultivation are not suitable for eating as they are often treated with fungicides.
[edit]Nutrition

Celery, raw

Nutritional value per 100 g (3.5 oz)

Energy

57 kJ (14 kcal)

Carbohydrates

3g

- Sugars

1.4 g

- Dietary fibre

1.6 g

Fat

0.2 g

Protein

0.7 g

Water

95 g

Vitamin C

3 mg (4%)

Percentages are relative to US recommendations for adults. Source: USDA Nutrient Database

Celery is used in weight-loss diets, where it provides low-calorie dietary fibre bulk. Celery is often purported to be a "negative calorie food" based on the assumption that it contains fewer calories than it takes to digest; however, this statement has no scientific merit.[15]
[edit]Allergies

Celery is among a small group of foods (headed by peanuts) that appear to provoke the most severe allergic reactions; for people with celery allergy, exposure can cause potentially fatal anaphylactic shock.[16] The allergen does not appear to be destroyed at cooking temperatures. Celery rootcommonly eaten as celeriac, or put into drinksis known to contain more allergen than the stalk. Seeds contain the highest levels of allergen content. Exercise-induced anaphylaxis may be exacerbated. An allergic reaction also may be triggered by eating foods that have been processed with machines that have previously processed celery, making avoiding such foods difficult. In contrast with peanut allergy being most prevalent in the US, celery allergy is most prevalent in Central Europe.[17] In

the European Union, foods that contain or may contain celery, even in trace amounts, must be clearly marked as such.[citation needed]
[edit]Chemistry

Polyacetylenes can be found in Apiaceae vegetables like celery where they show cytotoxic activities.[18]
[edit]History

Daniel Zohary and Maria Hopf[19] note that celery leaves and inflorescences were part of the garlands found in the tomb of pharaoh Tutankhamun (died 1323 BC), and celery mericarpsdated to the seventh century BC were recovered in the Heraion of Samos. However, they note "since A. graveolens grows wild in these areas, it is hard to decide whether these remains represent wild or cultivated forms." Only by classical times is it certain that celery was cultivated. M. Fragiska mentions an archeological find of celery dating to the 9th century BC, at Kastanas; however, the literary evidence for ancient Greece is far more abundant. In Homer's Iliad, the horses of the Myrmidons graze on wild celery that grows in the marshes of Troy, and in Odyssey, there is mention of the meadows of violet and wild celery surrounding the cave ofCalypso.[20]
[edit]Cultural

depictions

Selinunte didrachm coin bearing a selinon(celery) leaf, circa 515-470 BC.

Apium illustration from Barbarus Apuleius' Herbarium, circa 1400.

A chthonian symbol among the ancient Greeks, celery was said to have sprouted from the blood of Kadmilos, father of the Cabeiri, chthonian divinities celebrated in Samothrace, Lemnos and Thebes. The spicy odour and dark leaf colour encouraged this association with the cult of death. In classical Greece, celery leaves were used as garlands for the dead, and the wreaths of the winners at the Isthmian Games were first made of celery before being replaced by crowns made of pine. According to Pliny the Elder[21] in Achaea, the garland worn by the winners of the sacred Nemean Games was also made of celery.[20] The Ancient Greek colony of Selinous (Greek: , Selinos), on Sicily, was named after wild parsley that grew abundantly there; Selinountian coins depicted a parsley leaf as the symbol of the city. The name "celery" retraces the plant's route of successive adoption in European cooking, as the English "celery" (1664) is derived from the French cleri coming from the Lombard term, seleri, from the Latin selinon, borrowed from Greek.[22] Celery's Mediterranean origins are still commemorated in the French expression cleri d'Italie. Celery's surprisingly late arrival in the English kitchen is an end-product of the long tradition of seed selection needed to reduce the sap's bitterness and increase its sugars. By 1699, John Evelyn could recommend it in his Acetaria. A Discourse of Sallets: "Sellery, apium Italicum, (and of the Petroseline Family) was formerly a stranger with us (nor very long since in Italy) is an hot and more generous sort of MacedonianPersley or Smallage...and for its high and grateful Taste is ever plac'd in the middle of the Grand Sallet, at our Great Men's tables, and Praetors feasts, as the Grace of the whole Board". Celery has made a surprising appearance in football folklore. Supporters of English Premier League team Chelsea and Football League teamGillingham regularly sing songs about the vegetable and are famed for throwing celery during matches. This has also given rise to the "Chelsea Cocktail", a pint of Guinness garnished with a stick of celery. The Fifth incarnation of Doctor Who, Peter Davison, was noted for wearing a stalk of celery on his lapel, claiming it at one point to be an excellent restorative, though the human olfactory sense was comparatively weak.
[edit]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celery

Eurycoma longifolia
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the small Asian tree in the genus Eurycoma. For the tall Australian tree also known as "Long Jack", see Flindersia xanthoxyla.

Eurycoma longifolia

Scientific classification

Kingdom:

Plantae

Division:

Magnoliophyta

Class:

Magnoliopsida

Order:

Sapindales

Family:

Simaroubaceae

Genus:

Eurycoma

Species:

E. longifolia

Binomial name

Eurycoma longifolia
Jack[1]

Eurycoma longifolia (commonly called tongkat ali or pasak bumi) is a flowering plant in the family Simaroubaceae, native to Indonesia,Malaysia, and, to a lesser extent, Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos. It is also known under the names penawar pahit, penawar bias, bedara merah, bedara putih, lempedu pahit, payong ali, tongkat baginda, muntah bumi, petala bumi (all the above Malay); bidara laut(Indonesian); babi kurus (Javanese); cay ba binh (Vietnamese) and tho nan (Laotian).[2] Many of the common names refer to the plant's medicinal use and extreme bitterness. "Penawar pahit" translates simply as "bitter charm" or "bitter medicine".[3] Older literature, such as a 1953 article in the Journal of Ecology, may cite only "penawar pahit" as the plant's common Malay name.[4]
Contents
[hide]

1 Growth 2 Biological effects 3 Products 4 See also 5 References

[edit]Growth

Eurycoma longifolia is a small, evergreen tree growing to 15 m (49 ft) tall with spirally arranged, pinnate leaves 2040 cm (816 inches) long with 1341 leaflets. The flowers are dioecious, with male and female flowers on different trees; they are produced in large panicles, each flower with 56 very small petals. The fruit is green ripening dark red, 12 cm long and 0.51 cm broad.[citation needed]

[edit]Biological

effects

A 2010 ethnopharmacological inventory study on Eurycoma longifolia stated: "The plant parts have been traditionally used for its antimalarial, aphrodisiac, anti-diabetic, antimicrobial and antipyretic activities"[5] Even though there are many other legitimate medical areas of interest in Eurycoma longifolia (as evident from the quote included above), most Southeast Asians consume it for the plant's impact on sexual conduct. Already in 2001, Malaysian scientific researchers opened their peer-reviewed, Medline-archived report on Eurycoma longifolia's effect on lab rats with the statement "that Eurycoma longifolia Jack commonly known as Tongkat Ali has gained notoriety as a symbol of man's ego and strength by the Malaysian men because it increases male virility and sexual prowess during sexual activities."[6] An article on the website of the scientific journal Nature referred to Eurycoma longifolia as Malaysia's home-grown Viagra and cited "increased sexual desire, enhanced performance and general well-being".[7] This journal article is also indexed on Medline, but without abstract.[7] Some scientific studies found that it enhances sexual characteristics and performance in rodents.[8][9][10] Other laboratory animal tests have produced positive indications, with one extract having been observed to increase sexual activity in mature rats, including arousal, sniffing, and mounting behavior. In an experiment conducted on male rats, it was found that eurycoma longifolia increases sperm count. The authors also reported that the plasma testosterone level of Eurycoma longifolia extract treated rats "was significantly increased when compared with that of the control and infertile animals."[11] Another group of scientists confirmed that Eurycoma longifolia has the capacity to "reverse the inhibitory effects of estrogen on testosterone production and spermatogenesis." [12] One Medline-indexed journal article cited as result that Eurycoma longifalia had an effect similar to testosterone replacement therapy in counteracting osteoporosis.[13] An Italian study on Eurycoma longifolia noted improved sexual performance in lab animals and concluded that the "effect could be mainly ascribed to increased testosterone levels." [14] After scientists investigating Eurycoma longifolia's effect on sexual parameters had established that sexualizing effects went hand-in-hand with increased testoterone tone,

researchers in the field of sports medicine started to look into the anabolic potential of the plant. In a placebo-controlled human study with healthy young men in a weight-training program, it was found that "the lean body mass of the treatment group showed a significant increment, from 52.26 (7.18) kg to 54.39 (7.43) kg (p = 0.012)." Furthermore, "the increase in strength in the treatment group was larger than in the placebo group (6.78% and 2.77% respectively) The mean arm circumference of the treatment group increased significantly by 1.8 cm after the supplementation but there was no significant increase in the placebo group." The results of the study were published in the peer-reviewed British Journal of Sports Medicine.[15] The anabolic impact of Eurycoma longifolia has been confirmed in the animal model, when the size and weight of just one muscle was measured in treated and untreated rats of equal size. "Results showed that 800 mg/kg of butanol, methanol, water and chloroform fractions of E. longifolia Jack significantly increased (p<0.05) the levator ani muscle"[6] Because of Eurycoma longifolia's testosterone-enhancing capacity, it has been included, at least by name, in numerous supplements, marketed primarily to bodybuilding men. One randomly selected Internet site selling bodybuilding supplements[16] listed 58 different products claiming to be Eurycoma longifolia or contain it as one of many ingredients mostly made up of cultivated roots. In gym circles, Eurycoma longifolia Jack is commonly referred to as Longjack.[17] Most of the 58 Eurycoma longifolia supplements listed on the above-cited site exhibit all the elements of quackery, such as exaggerated claims and pseudo science,[18] outlandish -isms ("raise testosterone levels via Testobullism"[19]), "proprietary formulas",[20] often not stating how much of what was mixed together. One such product lists Eurycoma longifolia as one of more than 30 unquantified ingredients.[21] In such formulas, the minimal Eurycoma longifolia part isn't a therapeutic dose by any standard, as the quassinoids of Eurycoma longifolia are characterized by poor oral bioavailability. A study into this aspect concluded: "The results indicate that eurycomanone is poorly bioavailable when given orally the absolute bioavailability of the compound was low with 10.5% its poor oral bioavailability may be due to poor membrane permeability in view of its low P value and/or high first-pass metabolism."[22]

In vivo studies with lab animals used root powder of 250, 500, or 1000 mg per kg of body weight,[14] or 200 to 800 mg/kg twice daily,[10][23] or 50, 100, and 200 mg of Eurycoma longifolia extract per kg of body weight.[11] At the higher dosages (800 mg of the water, chloroform, methanol, or butanol extracted fraction of Eurycoma longifolia per kg of body weight), the effects were more pronounced for both sexual motivation[24][25] and levator ani size increase.[6] Apart from the testosterone-related effects, the antimalarial,[26] antibacterial,[27] antipyretic, antiulcer, antitumor,[28] and cytotoxic properti es are well documented. Taiwanese scientists isolated 65 biochemical compounds from the roots of Eurycoma longifolia, of which ten exhibited "strong cytotoxicity" towards human lung and breast cancer cell lines.[29] Apart from the better-known quassinoids, the same group of scientist also isolated betacarboline alkaloids, several of which were active against lung and breast cancer cell lines.[30] Investigating the activity of 24 Eurycoma longifolia quassinoids against cancer cell lines, including lung cancer cells, medical researchers in Japan found that eurycomalactone was as effective against cancer cells as the established anti-cancer drug doxorubicin.[31] The same group of researchers also discovered several new biochemical compounds in Eurycoma longifolia and screened them for cytotoxic properties. They concluded that different fractions were effective against different cancers.[32][33] Another study confirmed that fractions of Eurycoma longifolia extract induced apoptosis in breast-cancer cells.[34] One extract has since been co-patented by the government of Malaysia and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.[35] However, the idea that products of nature on which there exists a large body of knowledge among indigenous peoples can be the subject of intellectual property rights, even of national governments, has long been challenged in peer-reviewed law journals.[36]
[edit]Products

Fake Eurycoma longifolia products have been pulled off the shelves in several countries but are still sold over the Internet, mostly shipped from the UK. In a medical journal article, published March 2010, it was noted that "estimates place the proportion of counterfeit

medications sold over the Internet from 44% to 90%" with remedies for sexual dysfunction accounting for the greatest share.[37] It is therefore recommended that buyers of Eurycoma longifolia request from Internet vendors conclusive information, and proof, on the facilities where a product has been manufactured. In Malaysia, the common use of Eurycoma longifolia as a food and drink additive, coupled with a wide distribution of products using cheaper synthetic drugs in lieu of Eurycoma longifoliaquassinoids, has led to the invention of an electronic tongue to determine the presence and concentration of genuine Eurycoma longifolia in products claiming to contain it.[38] On the other hand, consumers who lack the sophisticated electronic tongue equipment invented in Malaysia for testing the presence of Eurycoma longifolia, but want more clarity on whether the product they obtained is indeed Eurycoma longifolia or a fake, can use their own tongue to taste the content of capsules for the bitterness of the material. Quassinoids, the biologically active components of Eurycoma longifolia root,[39][40][41] are extremely bitter. They are named after quassin, the long-isolated bitter principle of the quassia tree. Quassin is regarded the bitterest substance in nature, 50 times more bitter than quinine.[42] Anything that isn't bitter, and strongly so, cannot contain quassinoids from Eurycoma longifolia . In the US, the FDA has banned numerous products such as Libidus,[43] claiming to use Eurycoma longifolia as principal ingredient, but which instead are concoctions designed around illegal prescription drugs, or even worse, analogues of prescription drugs that have not even been tested for safety in humans, such as acetildenafil.[44] In February 2009, the FDA warned against almost 30 illegal sexual enhancement supplements,[45] but the names of these products change quicker than the FDA can investigate them. Libidus, for example, is now sold as Maxidus, still claiming Eurycoma longifolia (tongkat ali) as principal ingredient.[46] The government of Malaysia has banned numerous fake products which use drugs like sildenafil citrate instead of tongkat ali in their capsules. To avoid being hurt by bad publicity on one product name, those who sell fake tongkat ali from Malaysia have resorted to using many different names for their wares.[47] The governments of Canada and Singapore have issued warnings against the product XP Tongkat Ali Supreme for containing the prescription drug tadalafil which can be lifethreatening in some individuals.[48] Products claiming various Eurycoma longifolia extract ratios of 1:20, 1:50, 1:100, and 1:200 are sold. Traditionally Eurycoma longifolia is extracted with water and not ethanol. However,

the use of selling Eurycoma longifolia extract based on extraction ratio may be confusing and is not easily verifiable. In expectation of a competitive edge, some manufacturers are claiming standardization of their extract based on specific ingredients. Alleged standards / markers are the glycosaponincontent (3545%) and eurycomanone (>2%). While eurycomanone is one of many quassinoids in Eurycoma longifolia, saponins, known in ethnobotany primarily as fish poison[49][50]played no role in the academic research on the plant. A large number of Malaysian Eurycoma longifolia products (36 out of 100) have been shown to be contaminated with mercury beyond legally permitted limits.[51]
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurycoma_longifolia