Animal diseases treatable with local herbs

By Michael J. Ssali
When an animal is sick, the farmer has a genuine reason for anxiety. But we may probably not need the services of the vet each and every time we have to deal with animal health problems.

Link:http://www.monitor.co.ug/Magazines/Farming/-/689860/854336/-/wt6se1/-/
Dr Nicholas Ssekabunga, a vetelinary officer and farm manager at Kamenyamiggo Datic in Masaka District examines kiyondo, which could be useful in the treatment of fevers among animals. PHOTO BY MICHAEL J. SSALI
We are used to calling in the veterinary doctor at the earliest sign of disease in our livestock that some of us actually believe the vet is indispensable.

When an animal is sick, the farmer has a genuine reason for anxiety. But we may probably not need the services of the vet each and every time we have to deal with animal health problems. Not even should we always have to rush to a farmers’ shop for the often expensive vet drugs.

Some of the problems could be treated with herbs right within our environment. And this is a view also shared by Dr Nicholas Ssekabunga, a veterinary Officer and Farm Manager at Kamenyamiggo District Agricultural Training and Information Centre (Datic) in Masaka. “When a goat had worms, there were herbs used to remove them. There were herbs used to treat animal fevers and other ailments. Our forefathers knew which herbs to apply when an animal was experiencing difficulty during delivery. There were even herbs to treat infertility among animals. Just like many of us resort to herbs in the treatment of flu and other common ailments there are herbs that can successfully treat some animal diseases,” said Dr Ssekabuga.

The tendency in Uganda these days is to have more herbalists for human illnesses than for animal diseases. Dr Ssekabunga also thinks our agricultural research organisations should devote more time and money to discovering more about herbal treatment for animal diseases. “Even if some of the herbs are effective in the treatment of the diseases, the dosage is not well understood. For instance, how often should the herb be taken and in what quantities for the young animal and for the grown up animal?

Another problem is that most people with the indigenous knowledge about herbal medicine are not always ready to share it with others,” he said. “The lack of written records further complicates the problem as many of them die suddenly without passing on the knowledge to another generation. A lot of valuable information has been lost in that way and many medicinal herbs have been cut down and become extinct since other people are ignorant about their usefulness. Most herbalists prefer to keep their knowledge to themselves so as to earn money from those who seek treatment.”

Makerere University, the National Agricultural Research Organisation (Naro) and Kamenyamiggo Datic are aware of the usefulness of integrating African indigenous herbal knowledge with modern veterinary medicine and animal husbandry. In a joint project, between 2007 and 2008, they brought together local farmers who were able to share their knowledge in the use of herbs in animal disease treatment. The revelations were quite rewarding. The grass and shrubs we often ignore and pass by are the medicine our animals need to get over a big number of the health problems for which we often rush to call in a vet.

A herbarium consisting of the medicinal plants has as a result been established at Kamenyamiggo Datic and farmers are encouraged to visit it to learn which herbs to try when their animals are sick. Dr Ssekabunga said the farmers are also encouraged to grow the plants on their plots of land. Since the farmers consulted were mainly Luganda speakers the herbs have Kiganda names.

Only a few of the plants carry botanical name labels but they are more or less the same plants found in other parts of Uganda. As a new effort to boost farming, perhaps all other ethnic communities in the country could be brought on board and tasked to reveal their indigenous knowledge in the use of herbal medicine to treat animal diseases. A great wealth of such knowledge must exist especially in the communities that have traditionally lived as cattle keepers and pastoralists.

On display in the herbarium at Kamenyamiggo Datic, Dr Ssekabunga pointed at muluku whose leaves, when crushed in water and the solution applied on a goat’s skin, helps to keep away parasites such as ticks and mites and may also treat mange.

He pointed at pawpaw trees and said crushed dried pawpaw seeds could be effective in expelling worms from a goat’s digestive system. There was a kiyondo used in the treatment of animal fevers, there was a kimyula used to stimulate heat signs among animals that exhibit silent heat, and there was mugina to ease birth and the extraction of retained placenta. The herbarium has many other medicinal plants.

Med Students Say Conventional Medicine Would Benefit by Integrating Alternative Therapies

Link:http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100120083743.htm
In the largest national survey of its kind, researchers from UCLA and UC San Diego measured medical students' attitudes and beliefs about complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) and found that three-quarters of them felt conventional Western medicine would benefit by integrating more CAM therapies and ideas.

The findings will be published in the online issue of Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine (eCAM) on January 20, 2010.

"Complementary and alternative medicine is receiving increased attention in light of the global health crisis and the significant role of traditional medicine in meeting public health needs in developing countries," said study author Ryan Abbott, a researcher at the UCLA Center for East-West Medicine. "Integrating CAM into mainstream health care is now a global phenomenon, with policy makers at the highest levels endorsing the importance of a historically marginalized form of health care."

CAM, which includes therapies such as massage, yoga, herbal medicine and acupuncture, is characterized by a holistic and highly individualized approach to patient care. It's emphasis is on maximizing the body's inherent healing ability; getting patients involved as active participants in their own care; addressing the physical, mental and spiritual attributes of a disease; and preventive care. While interest in these fields has increased dramatically in the United States in recent years, information about such therapies has not yet been widely integrated into medical education.

"Even with the high prevalence of CAM use today, most physicians still know little about non-conventional forms of medicine," said study author Michael S. Goldstein, Ph.D., a senior research scientist at the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research and professor of Public Health and Sociology, UCLA. "Investigating medical students' attitudes and knowledge will help us assess whether this may change in the future."

The team of UCLA and UC San Diego experts in the fields of CAM, integrative medicine, Western medicine, medical education and survey development created a novel 30-question survey and sent it to 126 medical schools throughout the United States. In return, the team received 1,770 completed surveys from a pool of about 68,000 medical students nationwide, roughly three percent.

While the current results offer valuable insight into medical students' perceptions of CAM, given the low response rate, researchers plan future studies to further refine the tool and see if the findings can be more generalized.

Researchers found that although medical students endorsed the importance of complementary and alternative medicine, obstacles remain that may prevent future doctors from recommending these treatments in their practices. According to the findings:

77 percent of participants agreed to some extent that patients whose doctors know about complementary and alternative medicine in addition to conventional medicine, benefit more than those whose doctors are only familiar with Western medicine.

74 percent of participants agreed to some extent that a system of medicine that integrates therapies of conventional and complementary and alternative medicine would be more effective than either type of medicine provided independently.

84 percent of participants agreed to some extent that the field contains beliefs, ideas, and therapies from which conventional medicine could benefit.

49 percent of participating medical students indicated that they have used complementary and alternative treatments however few would recommend or use these treatments in their practice until more scientific assessment has occurred.

"Our research suggests that persuading doctors to integrate CAM will require investment in the types of clinical research that form the backbone of Western medicine," adds Abbott. "Even now, medical schools have the opportunity to train the next generation of medical practitioners in health care systems outside of conventional medicine. Core values of CAM can help students develop a more holistic and individualized approach to patient care."

The study also found that the further along in school the student was, the more likely they were to believe their learning regarding CAM therapies was sufficient. Still, researchers note that more than 60 percent of participants favored more education related to this field during their time in medical school. Although more than half of all U.S. medical schools currently offer some type of CAM course, researchers say these courses could be augmented or streamlined into more formal, standardized curricula.

"Although the content of integrative medicine programs remains controversial, medical schools across the country are moving forward with ambitious new programs to teach the next generation of health care leaders," said Dr. Ka Kit Hui, Wallis Annenberg Chair in Integrative East-West Medicine at UCLA, founder and director, UCLA Center for East-West Medicine, and chair, of UCLA's Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine. "Through the Collaborative Centers for Integrative Medicine, UCLA has become one of the nation's leading academic centers for integrative medical education. UCLA offers training programs for health sciences students and residents, as well as fellowships for clinicians and researchers."

Hui added that the importance of integrative medical education is increasingly being realized outside of UCLA. Forty-four highly esteemed academic medical centers now comprise the Consortium of Academic Health Centers for Integrative Medicine, which was established to advance the principles and practices of integrative health care within academic institutions. It provides a community of support for academic missions and a collective voice for influencing change. The Consortium also helps disseminate evidence-based information on CAM, informs health care policy, and supports medical education.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health, the Gerald Oppenheimer Family Foundation, and the Annenberg Foundation.

Additional authors include Ron D. Hays, Ph.D., UCLA professor of medicine and senior health scientist at RAND; Dr. Jess Mandel, associate professor and assistant dean of undergraduate medical education, UC San Diego; Babbi Winegarden, Ph.D., assistant dean, Educational Development and Evaluation, UC San Diego; Dale Glaser, Ph.D., adjunct assistant professor, San Diego State University; and Laurence Brunton, Ph.D., professor of pharmacology and medicine, UC San Diego.

Herbal remedy of hepatitis

Link:http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/01/31/news0662.htm
Jamayet Ali
Bahera is a favourite fruit used as a constituent of 'trifala' made with the combination of other two fruits Haritaki and Amlaki. The tree is a common associate of sal, teak and other important trees, occurring more or less scattered and not gregariously in Bangladesh, India, Srilanka, Java and Malaya. Its Botanical name is Terminalia bellirika Roxb. The tree is a light demander but can withstand slight shake when young. Young seedlings are known to tolerate fairly heavy shade during the first or second year, heavy shade after wards kills them. It is decidedly sensitive to frost, the leaves being usually affected more readily than those of almost any of its associates.

The fruits ripen during November-February. Freshly fallen fruits are collected from the ground, swept clean in advance. The pulp in immediately removed and the seed dried in the sun before storing. The seeds remain viability for about a year. The plant can be raised in the field by direct sowing or by transplanting the nursery raised entire seedlings of one year growth. Stamp-plants are not satisfactory when compared to entire transplants. The seedlings are ready for transplanting in July when they are two to four month old. The fruit is eaten when fresh by goats, sheep, cattle, deer and monkeys. The kernel is eaten. It tastes like a filbert, but is said to produce intoxication when eaten in excess.

Medicinal Properties: The bark is useful in anaemia and leucoderma. The fruit is bitter, pungent, acrid; digestible, laxative, anthelmintic, useful in bronchitis, sore throat, biliousness, inflammations, strangury, asthma and in diseases of eye, the nose the heart and the bladder. The seed is acrid, intoxicating; useful in thirst; vomiting, bronchitis, corneal ulcers; relieves "vata" (Ayurvada).The fruit is bitter; astringent , tonic, attenuant, aperient, antipyretic; useful in dyspepsia, bilious headache, diarrhea; applied to the eyes, to piles; brain tonic (Yunani).In the Konkan, the kernel, with that of the marking nut, is sometimes eaten with betel-nut and leaf in dyspepsia; the fruit also is used as an astringent, usually in combination with chebulic myrobalans. There is no doubt about the narcotic properties of the kernel. The part used in medicine is the pulp.

In the Punjab, it is chiefly employed in dropsy, piles, diarrhea and leprosy; also occasionally in fever. When half ripe, it is considered purgative, when fully ripe of dried, astringent. Mixed with honey, it is employed as an application in cases of ophthalmia.The oil is considered a good application for the hair. The gum is believed to be demulcent and purgative.Like other kinds of Terminalia, the Beleric myrobalans afford a yellow fixed oil which is prepared by the poorer classes in the Central Provinces and used as a substitute for ghee and as an application for rheumatism.The fruit is combination with other drugs is prescribed for snake-bite and scorpion-sting.The bark is a mild diuretic .The fruit is not an antidote to snake venom or to scorpion-venom.(Indian Medicinal Plants, K.R.Kirtikar and B.D. Basu)

Medicine: When half ripe it is considered purgative; when fully ripe or dried, astringent. Mixed with honey it is employed as an application in cases of ophthalmia. The oil is considered a good application for the hair.; the gum is believed to be demulcent and purgative. Dymock states that the kernel, with that of the marking nut, is sometimes eaten in the Konkan with betel-nut and leaf as a cure for dyspepsia. (Dictionary of the Economic Products of India).

Properties and uses: Fruit of the drug constitutes the principal drug, which is a laxative, tonic and astringent, and is used in the treatment of hepatitis, breathing problems, coughs, hoarseness, eye diseases and scorpion-stings. Inner part of the fruit is useful in treating dysenteric diarrhea. Dried pulp is useful in the treatment of sore throat, cough, hoarseness, dyspepsia, indigestion, dropsy, piles and leprosy. The fruit is also used as a hair tonic. The half-ripe fruit acts as a mild purgative.

Simple home remedies for eczema

Link:http://www.teatronaturale.com/article/1505.html
Eczema is a condition in which skin gets inflamed and forms pustules onto the skin. Eczema has typical characterization of flakiness, itching, dryness and redness. It normally affects the upper chest, neck, arms, back of the knees, face and wrists.

The cause of eczema is found to be because of the deficiency in nutrition, cold and dry weather, body toxins, allergies, faulty metabolism, or varicose veins. Before going on to the dermatologists you can try on to some of the simple home remedies for eczema.

Simple Home Remedies for Eczema:
- Coconut oil: Using coconut oil helps in softening the skin and preventing the itches.

- Mudpack: Applying mudpack over the affected area provides great relief.

- Sunbath: Sunbath helps to kill the harmful bacteria that presents in the layer of dry skin.

- Herbal Treatment: Paste made of camphor and sandalwood powder provides effective relief on applying to the affected area. Neem a good herb that helps to wash away the infection causing bacteria from the body.

- Water Treatment: you can make use of cold compresses and cold wet fomentations methods to treat eczema. You need to reapply the compress once it has been warmed off.

- Spearmint Leaf: Juice of spearmint leaf helps to heal the rashes.

- Almond Leaf: Make almond leaf pulp on mixing with water and use it is as an ointment in order to treat eczema.

- Papaya seeds: Mash the papaya seed and apply it on the affected area

Herbs are a unique way to beat winter, sickness and tasteless food

Link:http://www.northiowanews.com/articles/2010/01/27/britt_news/02herbs.txt
By Megan VerHelst
Forget the cold. Forget all the white stuff and forget going to the doctor. Area residents can find solace and comfort in all different forms of green, most of which can be grown in their own backyards.

One doesn't need to be an environmental enthusiast to enjoy the variety of benefits herbs have to offer. From thyme to basil to rosemary, herbs carry numerous uses ranging from culinary to medicinal. In addition, herbs are easy to grow and provide a little green relief to long winter days.

“If you decide to experiment in growing and using herbs, you will grow to love it as I do,” said Britt resident Marvea Smidt, owner of Marvea Mary's and avid herb enthusiast. “There is never an end to what you can learn.”

Herbs can be grown in gardens alongside other plants and vegetables. Different varieties can be grown in pots inside a house. For others, it may be easier to run to a store like Marvea Mary's, where numerous different herbs are available to area residents- some of which are sold in the original state, others that are made into teas, jellies and bath products.

Smidt is not a professional, but her experience with herbs dates back to her childhood. Since then, she said she loves to study and read books about different kind of herbs.

“I remember my aunt Sadie and her herb garden that she was so proud of,” Smidt said. “I used to go there and rub the leaves of the herbs, and she would tell me about them and how good they were for you.”

TO A BOTANIST, an herb is a plant without a woody stem. To a gardener, an herb is a plant used to compliment food or utilized for medicinal and household purposes. Herbs can also be a part of a shrub- such is the case with rosemary- or a tree, from which bay leaves originate.

Smidt's herb garden boasts both annual and perennial plants. She said she plants her annuals inside her house in March, while her perennials- including tarragon, lemon balm and lavender- go in her herb garden.

Other herbs Smidt plants herself include anise, cinnamon and opal, to which Smidt said she is partial.

“It was my mother's name, and it makes a beautiful jelly,” she said.

Smidt typically dries her own herbs. Early in the morning, Smidt goes to her herb garden and harvests the herbs she wants to dry. She washes and dries the herbs before laying each leaf on a lined cookie sheet. The sheets are then placed in a well-ventilated room- like a sun porch- to dry.

Once dry, Smidt stores the herbs in glass canning jars. Some herb growers, Smidt said, prefer to dry their herbs in a microwave or stove, although she added many herbs lose color that way.

From the numerous different herbs she grows, Smidt said it is hard to choose a favorite. She said if she had to choose, she would choose lemon balm, an herb with a fruity smell and a hint of mint.

“Bees love lemon balm, but mosquitoes hate it,” she said. “Also, toss lemon balm into a fire so bugs won't bother the people gathered around it.”

Although Smidt has her favorite herbs, there are some herbs that stand above others in popularity. Ten of the most popular herbs, Smidt said, are parsley, chives, rosemary, thyme, dill, mint, marjoram, oregano, sage and basil.

While many may recognize these herbs as common culinary ingredients, Smidt said each one carries its own medicinal benefits-

- Parsley is rich in in iron and vitamins A, B and C. It also acts as a natural breath freshener.

- Chives are a good source of calcium and are believed to strengthen nails and teeth.

- Rosemary, used in tea, is an antidote for stress.

- Thyme, also used in tea, can be used to help cure a cough.


- Dill seeds seeped in water can be used to help settle an upset stomach.

- Mint is an herb that can be used in a variety of home remedies and is used in cures to relieve indigestion, flatulence and colic.

- Marjoram gargles and teas help to relieve sinus congestion and symptoms of hay fever.

- Oregano acts as a digestive aid.

- Sage helps to treat sore gums and mouth ulcers.

- Basil, which is a member of the mint family, is also recommended to aid digestive problems. It can also be used to help relieve stomach cramps, vomiting and constipation.

AS WELL AS these herbs, one might recognize a variety of other popular herbs commonly used for medicinal purposes.

- Juice squeezed from aloe leaves is often used to relieve burns.

- Cayenne pepper can be used to relieve upset stomachs, cold symptoms, tooth and muscle aches.

- Chamomile, used in tea, is good for colds, headaches and to relieve anxiety.

- Garlic is a good aid for infections, respiratory problems and sore throats.

- Ginger is great for symptoms of influenza, bronchitis, sinus congestion, morning and motion sickness.

SMIDT SAID this is just a few of many natural herbs.

“There are so many herbs with culinary and medicinal qualities,” she said. “These are just a drop in the bucket.”

Herbs can also be used as companion plants in vegetable gardens. Smidt said companion planting may actually influence vegetable growth and attract or repel different insects.

Before using any herb, Smidt said it is essential to consult a physician before starting a specific regimen.

But above all, Smidt said people should have fun with their herbal ventures.

“If you're interested in plants in general, herbs go right along with that interest,” she said. “With herbs, it's always something different- you're always going to learn something new.”

Home remedies can be used to cure sickness

Link:http://bgnews.com/city/home-remedies-can-be-used-to-cure-sickness/
By Bobby Waddle
Students suffering from dry skin, stomach aches and runny noses can seek relief in the form of home remedies sold at local shops such as the Happy Badger and Squeaker's Cafe.

"We sell quite a few of them," said Squeaker's co-owner Heather Andre.

A popular remedy at the Happy Badger is homemade soap produced by chemist Carolyn Wuenstel, which is designed specifically to feed the skin with natural oils such as coconut and palm.

"It's as much about what's not in my soap as what's in it," Wuenstel said, stressing the absence of synthetic detergents that can be tough on the skin.

According to About.com's Alternative Medicine page, dryness, redness, irritation and damage to protective skin layers are effects of synthetics, leaving the skin vulnerable to infection.

Other useful remedies sold at Happy Badger include the neti pot, which can be used for cleansing sinuses by pouring warm salt water into one nostril and flushing it out the other.

"If you have allergies, it cleanses everything," said Wuenstel, but she cautioned that pouring water into the nose can be difficult for some to handle.

"You might use [it] to treat nasal allergies, sinus problems or colds," said Dr. James T. Li of the Mayo Clinic on mayoclinic.com. "Some neti pot enthusiasts say that regular use of a neti pot is more effective for nasal allergy and sinus symptoms than are over-the-counter medications."

Regular use is key to understanding several home remedies, according to nutrition and Chinese herbology expert Roger Drummer, a diplomat of the National Certification Commission for Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine.

"Most natural remedies are designed to maintain homeostasis -- an equilibrium in your body," Drummer said.

He also said that many herbal supplements help the body make up for lost nutrients in an unbalanced diet, boosting the body's existing functions, while many medicines are formulated to kill a disease without nourishing the body.

A common herbal supplement is ginger root, which is used to strengthen the digestive system by dissolving phlegm and balancing out stomach fluid, Drummer said. Happy Badger co-owner Donna Cohen said ginger is equally effective in treating nausea, as it is a tea ingredient.

VITAMIN D CUTS RISK OF CANCER

Link:http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/153354/Vitamin-D-cuts-risk-of-cancer
By Victoria Fletcher
VITAMIN D can slash the risk of getting bowel cancer by 40 per cent, according to the latest research.

The first large-scale trial of its kind has revealed strong evidence that the “sunshine vitamin” is key to fighting the disease.

Scientists last night warned against rushing out to buy vitamin pills, however, because it is not clear whether large doses are safe.

Around 90 per cent of our vitamin D comes from exposure to sunlight. Although too much sun can trigger skin cancer, most experts agree that a 10 to 15 minute walk in the sun will boost vitamin D levels without causing skin damage.

During these outings, people are advised to avoid sunscreen and expose as much of their body as possible to the UV rays. But in winter, getting enough vitamin D from the sun can be almost impossible in the UK. Experts recommend eating foods rich in vitamin D such as eggs and mackerel instead. Vitamin D supplements in the form of fish oil tablets may also help, although experts warn that no more than 25 micrograms a day should come from this source because higher levels are believed to damage bones and kidneys.

Although vitamin D has already been shown to reduce the risk of heart disease, slow the ageing process and protect against brittle bones and multiple sclerosis, its role in protecting against cancer has up to now been unclear.

The latest study, looking at 500,000 people in 10 western European countries, has revealed that those with the highest levels of vitamin D in their blood have the lowest risk of cancer. Bowel cancer is the second most common cause of cancer death after lung cancer. Around 37,500 patients are diagnosed every year and 16,000 die.

Around one case in 10 is linked to obesity with many more are linked to poor diet and alcohol abuse.

Vitamin D deficiency has also led to a rise in the number of cases of rickets, doctors warned yesterday.

The cond ition, which stunts children’s growth, is traditionally linked to the poverty of Victorian times, not 21st century Britain.

According to a report in the British Medical Journal, a “few hundred” children are now treated each year for rickets. More than 20 new cases are discovered every year in Newcastle upon Tyne alone.

Dr Tim Cheetham, of Newcastle University, said: “I am dismayed by the increasing numbers of children we are treating with this entirely preventable condition.

“Fifty years ago, many children would have been given regular doses of cod liver oil, but this practice has all but died out.”

As well as a change in diet, modern children also spend more time indoors playing on their computers instead of outside in the sunshine.

Dr Cheetham and Professor Simon Pearce are calling for vitamin D to be added to milk and other foods. Prof essor Pearce said: “Kids tend to stay indoors more these days instead of enjoying the fresh air. This means their vitamin D levels are worse than in previous years.

“A change in public health policy is required. Health professionals have been slow to deal with this problem, even though we have known about it for a while.”

Half of all adults are estimated to have vitamin D deficiency in winter and spring. The problem is worst in northern England and Scotland.

The good news for people battling the winter gloom is that vitamin D is a fat-soluble vitamin. This means you don’t need to take it every day because any that enters the body is stored up for future use.