Lavender Oil and honey collected by bees from Lavender flowers

 

Lavender oil, obtained from the flowers of Lavandula angustifolia (Family: Lamiaceae) by steam distillation, is chiefly composed of linalyl acetate (3,7-dimethyl-1,6-octadien-3yl acetate), linalool (3,7-dimethylocta-1,6-dien-3-ol), lavandulol, 1,8-cineole, lavandulyl acetate, and camphor. Whole lavender oil and its major components linalool and linalyl acetate are used in aromatherapy. The major components of lavender oil were identified as 51% linalyl acetate and 35% linalool measured by gas chromatography and gas chromatography-linked Fourier Transform Infrared analysis.

Lavender oil is used for aromatherapy . 

Lavender has been suggested as an excellent natural remedy to treat insomnia and improve the sleep quality

Lavender honey contains tyrosine, a precursor to dopamine and norepinephrine, which promotes relaxation and mood balance. Regular intake before bed can ease anxiety and support deeper sleep cycles without drowsy side effects.

Lavender Tea:
Lavender tea can be made at home by following these easy steps:-
Tips for making Lavender tea at home.
1. Boil 200-250ml water in a teapot.
2. Add a few lavender flowers to it.
3. Let the flowers steep in the water for about 5 minutes. You can steep them longer (as per your requirement).
4. Remove the flowers from the tea by filtering or straining the liquid into a cup.
5. You can enjoy lavender tea once or twice a day to get rid of the symptoms of menstrual pain.

Note: It is advisable to avoid the excessive consumption of Lavender tea as it might cause certain side effects like nausea and vomiting

Crowfoot Grass :

 

Crowfoot Grass : 

Crowfoot grass scientific name is Dactyloctenium aegyptium. Is a densely bunched grass belonging to the Poaceae family. It is a nutritional-rich grain, used traditionally as a famine food in Africa and given to women suffering from bellyache after childbirth.

The whole plant of crowfoot may treat gastrointestinal disorders, kidney diseases, ulcers, backache, and smallpox. It also has potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic, and antimicrobial activity

The leaves of this grass are crushed and chewed raw or paste in water is applied topically . In some African tribes, seed extraction and decoctions are used orally after childbirth to relieve bellyache. Crowfoot can be used as a detoxifier and anti-allergic. It also treats jaundice, immune deficiency, wounds, fever, and biliary and urinary disease

Desmodium gangeticum (Shalparni)

   

 Shalparni is bitter as well as sweet in taste. 

Shalaparni (Desmodium gangeticum DC.) is mentioned in Ayurveda belongs to Fabaceae family and is one of the most frequently used herb in Ayurveda. 

 Root system of Shalaparni consists of poorly developed tap root. T.S. of mature root shows cork, 3-7 layers of thin-walled, tangentially elongated cells, having a few prismatic crystals of calcium oxalate; cork cambium single layered. Phytochemical screening showed the presence of carbohydrate, protein, saponin, alkaloid, glycosoid and reducing sugar. 

Moisture content in root of Shalaparni was found to be 6.17%. Total Ash value was 5.16% and Acid insoluble value was 0.8%. Extractive value was 2.00% and 6.04% of alcoholic and aqueous extract respectively.

The root of this plant is one of the constituents of the famous Ayurvedic preparation called Dasmoola (Dasmoolarista is a tonic ) 

Shalparnia helps to manage fever due to its antipyretic property. 

It is also useful for respiratory problems like bronchitis as it helps to relax the respiratory passages and decreases inflammation due to its bronchodilator and anti-inflammatory properties. This allows free flow of air to respiratory passages and eases breathing.

According to Ayurveda, Shalparni is beneficial for male sexual health as it helps to manage problems like premature ejaculation and erectile dysfunction due to its Vrishya (aphrodisiac) property.

Taking Shalparni powder along with water regularly helps in improving male sexual health.

Shalparni helps to manage piles by reducing inflammation at the anal site due to its astringent and anti-inflammatory properties.

 Taking Shalparni powder along with water manages piles due to its Pitta balancing and Shothhar (anti-inflammatory) properties.

Shalparni is also beneficial in wound healing as it prevents infections and reduces inflammation due to its antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties. 

Applying Shalparni leaf paste on the scalp reduces dandruff as well as hairfall due to its antifungal properties. 

As per Ayurveda, applying Shalparni leaf powder along with rose water on the forehead is a remedy for managing headache.

Chimpanzees in Nigeria have also been known to swallow leaves of the plant Desmodium gangeticum (called ‘shalaparni’ in India) to get rid of parasites that bother the animal’s skin

Shalaparni, through its active compound Gangetin, demonstrated potential as a dual-acting therapeutic agent for RA and depression by targeting shared inflammatory pathways. .

Medicinal Plants :

 

Medicinal Plants:- 

 Mulethi, 

Shatavari 

Kalihari, 

Shwet Musali, 

Guggulu, 

Manjishtha, 

Kutki, '

Atees, 

Jatamansi, 

Ashwagandha, 

Brahmi, 

Tulsi, 

Vidarikand,

 Pippali, 

Chirata, 

Pushkarmool

Pandanus / Kevda / Screw tree

 

Kevda plant well known for the fragrant kewra essence, used in sweets, traditional medicine and also in temples has survived in the Indian subcontinent for at least 24 million years and is a living survivor from India's ancient tropical forests.

Pandanus is mainly restricted to tropical and subtropical regions. However, fossil evidence from Europe and North America, dating back 85–66 million years, indicates that its ancestors once had a much wider distribution across the Northern Hemisphere. As global climates cooled after about 34 million years ago, these plants gradually disappeared from many regions and became restricted to the tropics.

Kevda or Ketaki is used to make perfumes and its flowers are famous in India for its fragrance. It was considered to be one of the finest scents India offered by the Moghul emperors.

A perfumed oil and fragrant attar are both extracted from the flower and used as medicines as well as scents. Its oil is used to treat headaches, earaches and rheumatic pains.

Kewra water is an extract that is distilled from pandanus flowers. It is a transparent liquid, almost similar to rose water. Although pandanus trees grow almost everywhere in tropical Asia, kewra water is still mainly a Northern Indian flavouring that is not used anywhere else. 

In Western cooking, kewra water makes a fine alternative to the flower essences like rose or orange essence. It can be substituted with kewra essence, which is more concentrated.

Guggul (Commiphora wightii)

 

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Guggul (Commiphora wightii)

Guggul (Commiphora wightii) is an important plant due to its renowned medicinal properties

The plant's resin, known as gum guggul, is rich in bioactive compounds like guggulsterones, which are recognized for their antiinflammatory, hypolipidemic, and antioxidant effects.

Research has shown that guggul possesses cholesterol-reducing properties due to compounds like guggulsterone. This bioactive compound aids in cholesterol metabolism by regulating bile acid synthesis and transport

The resin's chemical composition includes minerals, gum, terpenes, sterols, essential oils, and other bioactive compounds

Leguminous crops: Chickpea, Groundnut, Soya bean and lentils such as pigeon pea (tur)

 

Leguminous crops, including chickpea (chana), groundnut, soya bean and lentils such as pigeon pea (tur), have a unique biological capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen in the soil, reducing the need for nitrogen fertiliser and, in turn, N2O emissions. 

A meta-analysis published  in 2023 shows that legumes fix about 70 kg of nitrogen per ha, equivalent to 152 kg of urea. 

This natural fertilisation supports sustainable plant growth and soil fertility, while improving the availability of other macronutrients. 

The study says soils under legume crops show more than 11 per cent higher NPK (nitrogen, phophorous and potassium) availability and 16-17 per cent greater carbon seque stration than cereal monocultures. 

Legumes also require 25 per cent less irrigation water than non-legume crops.