Plants and Medicine : phytotherapy and medicinal herbs, aromatherapy Ocimum basilicum, Ocimum gratissimum, Ocimum micranthum, basil, Olea europaea,olive tree, orthosiphon, kumis kuching, tea of Java

PHYTOMANIA : MEDICINAL HERBS

OCIMUM BASILICUM
OCIMUM GRATISSIMUM
OCIMUM MICRANTHUM

Family: Labiateae
Common name: basil

Description: annual or perennial aromatic herbs from tropical and subtropical regions with white flowers (terminal) sometimes small, leaves green or greyish-green

Parts used: leaves and flowers

Constituents: essential oil (0,25 to 5%) variable according to origin (cineol, fenchol, linanol, methyl-eugenol, eugenol, thymol and estragole)

Actions: antipyretic, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory(anti-platelet aggregation), eupeptic, carminative, slightly sympathomimetic

Main indications: food spice, infusion (dyspepsia, slow digestion, viral infections (flu-like)), essential oil (digestive disorders, local antiseptic and analgesic (toothache, mouth inflammation, sorethroat)), herbal bath (fever, skin disease)

Contra indications: estragole is potentially carcinogenic (in vivo with mice)

Drug: leaves infusion and decoction, essential oil

OLEA EUROPEA

alternative medicine, medicinal plants : olive tree

Family: Oleaceae
Common name: olive tree

Description: evergreen tree slow growing up to 6-8 meters, typical of the mediterranean climate.
Native of the mediterranean area but now found in california as well as Australia.
Leaves dark-green above, whitish beneath; fruit, a drupe, black and oily ripe

Parts used: leaves , small branches and buds, fruit(oil)

Constituents: leaves (secoiridoids(oleuropein and oleuroside), phenolic glycosides, flavonoids(rutin, quercetin, apigenin, kaempferol))
oil (virgin) : 70 to 85% oleic acid, 5 to 15% linoleic

Actions: traditionally : astringent, depurative, diuretic
modern medicine : antioxydant(inhibition of platelet aggregation, antiradicalar), hypotensive, spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic, hypolipidemic, antiviral
Oil : cholagogue, laxative, soothing, emollient(dermatology)

Main indications: moderate high blood pressure, moderate diabetes type 2, atherosclerosis, coronary disease

Contra indications: possibly allergenic

Drug: leaves infusion, tincture, bud macerate(glycero-alcoholic), standardized extracts (in oleuropein)

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ORTHOSIPHON STAMINEUS =
ORTHOSIPHON ARISTOTUS =
ORTHOSIPHON SPITACUS

phytotherapy and alternative medicine : orthosiphon

Family: Lamiaceae
Common name: orthosiphon, kumis kuching, tea of Java

Description: ornemental perennial herbaceous shrub from the tropical Asia and Indonesia but found now in many tropical countries. It shows caracteristic flowers(generaly white) with long exerted stamens which look like cat's whiskers(kumis kiching in Malayo-Indonesian). Stems are reddish, quadrangular, leaves opposite.

Parts used: aerial parts (flowers, leaves and stems)

Constituents: potassium salts, terpens, flavonoids, phenolic ethers, caffeic ethers, small amount of essential oil

Actions: diuretic, antibacterial, may be choleretic

Main indications: traditional and popular medicine for kydney stones and urinary infections
modern medicine : slimming regime, mild oedema, small kydney stones, mild and chronic urinary infection (bladder), moderate high blood pressure

Contra indications: caution when kydney stones are big enough to provoke an urinary blockage

Drug: infusion or decoction (fresh or dried plant), tincture, standardised extract (to sinensetin)

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