Welcome to Vellickara.org's herbs page.The Goal of this page is to introduce some medicinal plants commonly available, used in Ayurveda system of medicine.
" Everything you need for your health is available in Nature. Try to find it and preserve it for future. "

Kattar Vazha (Aloe vera)
 
  From the ages Aloe vera plants usage are well known and appreciated. The Greek scientists and researchers has mentioned the benefits of Aloe vera plants some 2000 years ago and regarded Aloe vera as best medicinal plant available. Aloe vera plants usage and benefits can’t be replaced by any other alternative, its globally accepted fact that Aloe vera has been making its mark from time to time. Showing the best effect on skin problems and at present the benefits of Aloe vera plants are being shifted to cure many acute and serious diseases.
From the immortal times benefits and usage of Aloe vera plants was well known facts.
At present aloe is commonly known as "Aloe vera" or "the burn plant". The benefits of Aloe vera plants are innumerable, starting from medicinal use to cosmetic use.
If we talk about the family of Aloe vera and why it’s so beneficial. We would start from lily family where Aloe vera plants belong. It’s a succulent and closely resembles cactus. It contains almost 95% of water and it contains more than 70 essential medicinal ingredients including mineral, enzymes, proteins, amino acids, vitamins, vitamin b12 and polysaccharides. These all combines and make Aloe vera plant really beneficial. There are more than 200 species of Aloe vera plants but some are more nutritious and benefits and usages of those plants are more than other. One of the species called "Aloe vera barbadensis" is one of the most beneficial species. The healing nature of Aloe vera plant is fully established and needs no introduction. The outer structure of Aloe vera leaf is smooth and rubbery and beneath lays the medicinal Aloe vera gel. This gel is considered as wound healing hormone, which is helpful in healing affected areas. The benefits and usage of Aloe vera plants gel is due to its complexion. The gel is a mixture of antibiotic, coagulating agent, cell growth stimulator, astringent, pain inhibitor and scar inhibitor. All these combines and gel to make Aloe vera gel a medicinal plant.
Various benefits and usage of Aloe vera plants when taken internally helps to cure - arthritis, insomnia, ulcers, infection, hemorrhoids, indigestion, constipation, heartburn and apart from these there are many more. When taken externally benefits and usage of Aloe vera plant lies in curing- sprains, burns, bruises, sunburn, cold sores, scalds, sore muscles, psoriasis, abrasion, eczema, scrapes, acne, stings and many more. Apart from medicinal uses there are various cosmetic benefits and uses of Aloe vera plants. Aloe vera gels are now widely used in all the skin care products and cosmetic products as ingredients. Also widely used in lift masks, medicated jelly, facial cleansing wash, medicated cream, moisturizers, heat rub and the list is endless.

Panikoorka
 
Panikoorka is an Ayurvedic herb of Kerala, with various names - navara or navarayila, karpooravalli, omavalli, suganda, pashanbheda (pashanbhanda) etc.
The bluntly teethed leaves are fleshy with light green color. The stem is weak and spread on the ground. The stem and base will rot with water logging. Propagation is quite easy with stem cuttings.
Panikkoorka is used in the treatment of a variety of diseases affected by virus, bacteria and other microbes. Highly antipyretic, used for urinary diseases , decoction of leaves is given for chronic cough and Asthma. Also used for sore throats and nasal congestion, infections, rheumatism and flatulence. The juice of leaves are excellent medicine for all disorders of children.
It is also used in the treatment of skin disorders, dandruff and different types of allergies.

Krishna Tulsi
 
Botanical Name : Ocimum sanctum
Family : Lamiaceae
Commonly Available All over Kerala. Lot of verities are available. KrishnaThulasi, RamaThulasi, KarpooraThulasi are common. But KrishnaThulasi is most popular.
Krishna Tulsi is connected to Ayurveda because of the different medicinal properties of this herb. It is because of the medicinal benefits that you can find at least a tulsi plant in any courtyard in Kerala.
It is a first aid like tonic for common diseases like coughing. Almost all of Ayurvedic medicines for cough –syrups or capsules – have tulsi as a major component. Freshly plucked leaves are also a medicine for fever, common cold, etc. One can just chew the leaves. It is also the major ingredient of special medicinal coffee (it has no real coffee content). Water boiled with tulsi leaves and cooled is effective to bring down fever of children.
Tulsi is also used in treating respiratory disorders like bronchitis, asthma, influenza, etc. It contains other medicinal herbs and spices like cloves or pepper. Tulsi leaves, when taken with honey can expel kidney stones. It requires a balanced diet also, with a lot of green vegetables for complete effectiveness of the treatment.
A healthy person can chew four to six tulsi leaves a day. It brings several benefits like normal blood sugar levels, healthy heart, prevention of ulcers, higher levels of physical endurance, lowered blood cholesterol level and can even act as a stress buster. Recent scientific studies have brought to light the powers of Tulsi to act as an adaptogen. It lowers instances of production of adrenal hormones commonly associated with stress.
Tulsi leaves have mosquito and head lice repellent properties. They are also used in treatment for insect bites.

Kizhar Nelli
 
Kizhar Nelli(Phylantus fratemus) is a common medicinal herb found throughout Kerala in farm lands and wastelands. Keezharnelli is a very small herb reaching 15 to 40 cm height and 1-3 mm thickness. The leaves bear fruits on the bottom side (hence the name keezharnelli), which gives the feel of miniature version of nellikkai (amalaki).
Ashtavaidyas of Kerala used this herb to treat jaundice. It is an effective protective measure for liver.

Manjal(Turmeric)
 
Manjal or turmeric in Ayurvedic medicines gives several medicinal benefits. There are two main types of manjal they are small sized turmeric (curcuma longa or curcuma domestica) used for almost everyday kitchen use and kasthuri manjal (curucuma aromatica). Another type (curcuma zedoaria), native of north-east India resembles curcuma longa (turmeric – manjal) but has larger size.
Manjal is a perennial herb, a member of ginger (zingiberaceae) family.
Different studies have provided data about the effectiveness of curcuma longa. It has anti-inflammatory properties, anti-carcinogenic, and antimicrobial properties. It also protects liver.
In traditional Kerala cooking, manjal has a prominent place as a spice. It has detoxification effect. When cooking meat, fish, and most vegetable dishes, manjal is an important ingredient. Thus the people of Kerala following traditional food habits need not take extracts.
Girls and women also applied home-made manjal paste on their faces and body. Men generally don’t use manjal as it can hinder the growth of facial hair. Manjal paste also gives the girl a certain facial glow, which is hardly mistakable.
It has prominent use in Ayurveda, as an anti-inflammatory agent, as a wound dressing etc. it is also used to alleviate mensutraual difficulties, hemorrhage, etc.

Mukkutti
 
Mukkutti (Biophytum sensitivum) is a very small flowering plant, which has only a few pinnate leaves with 8-10 leaflets on either sides spreading out from a common base. Each leaflet measures 4-5 mm and the total length of the leaf is less than five cm. Each plant produces five to ten small flowers with yellow petals. Mukkutti is an important flower for the people of Kerala.
The flower is used in athapoo, special floral formation that adores courtyards and public places during Onam, the national festival of Kerala.
Ayurveda also see this little herb as a good medicine, used as a tonic, stimulant and in the treatment of stomachache, diabetes and asthma.

Kudangal
 
Botanical Name : Centella asiatica
Family : Mackinlayaceae
English : Gotu kola / Pennywort
It grows along ditches and in low wet areas, The stems are slender, creeping stolons, green to reddish green in color, interconnecting one plant to another.
It is a brain tonic, circulatory stimulant and stimulates hair growth. It also used to stimulate appetite, aid digestion, used to treat bowel complaints in children, sores, ulcers and skin problems. It also used for epilepsy, asthma, bronchitis, abdominal disorders, mental retardation etc.
It can be used as salad and can be used along with vegetarian dishes. When eaten raw as a salad leaf, it will help maintain youthfulness.
Useful part : The whole plant

Kallurukki
 
Botanical Name : coparia dulcis
Family : Scrophulariaceae
An errect annual herb grows up to 30 cm in height
In Kerala it is used for the treatment of Kidney Stone
Whole part of the raw plant grind and use for this purpose. It also used for the treatment of inflammation, fever, wounds, ulcer, skin diseases. It increases the activities of plasma insulin



Kurumthotti
 
Kurumthotti(Sida rhombifolia) is an Ayurvedic herb, used in the treatment of a variety of conditions including female infertility. Maha bala or mahabala is the Hindi-Sanskrit name of Kurunthotti (or kurumthotti – Malayalam word for sida). It is a very small perennial plant. Leaves, stem, bark and roots are usable parts.

Adalodakam
 
Botanical Name: Adhatoda beddomei
Family : Acanthaceae
English : Vasaca Small / malabar nut
This is an evergreen herb, growing to a height of 80 cms. In Ayurveda the leaves, seeds and the roots are used for treatment of cough, asthma,diseases of eyes, and bleeding diarrhea.The leaves of this plant is bitter.
For coughs, 7 leaves of the plant are boiled in water, strained and mixed with 24 grams of honey. This decoction provides relief. Similarly a confection of Vasaka flowers eaten in doses of 12 grams twice daily relieves cough. About 60 grams of flowers and 180 grams of jaggery should be mixed for preparing this confection.
Intestinal Worms
Its leaves, bark, the root-bark, the fruit and flowers are useful in the removal of intestinal parasites. The decoction of its root and bark in doses of 30 grams twice or thrice a day for 3 days can be given for this purpose. The juice of its fresh leaves can, also be used in doses of a teaspoon thrice a day for 3 days.

Neelayamari
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Botanical Name : Indigofera tinctoria
Family : Fabaceae
Nilayamari is a reputed drug for the promotion of hair growth. Due to antitoxic property it is also a good remedy for poisons.
Leaves are important in medicine and form a major ingredient of preparations like 'Nilibhringadi oil'.

Kiriyath
 
Botanical name : Andrographis paniculata
Family :Acanthaseae
English :Chiretta plant
An annual herb grows up to 50 cm in height, Bitter in taste. Used to treat dysentery, gastroenteritis. Tonsillitis, cough and bronchitis. infected wounds, pulmonary TB. Pain killer for snake bites , Some people used it for the treatment of Diabetic, and also for fever. Plant stimulates liver

Insulin Plant Karpoora Thulasi
Karuka Koovalam
Payal Ummathu
Thazhutama Sinus Thulasi
Sathaveri(Asparagus) Sarva Sugandhi
Puliyarila Pazhuthara Plant