Home herbal remedies & Primary health care

Tulasi (Ocimum sanctum)

Common Name: Sacred Basil

Family: Lamiaceae

Parts Used: Whole Plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Fevers - 2 tea spoon (tsp) leaf juice + 1tsp honey, 1 to 3 times a day.
2. Cold & Catarrh - 1 tsp leaf juice + pinch of black pepper powder.
3. Cough - 1 to 2 tsp leaf juice + 1 tsp vasa juice.
4. Skin diseases - Equal proportion of leaf juice + lime juice extract can be applied.
5. Earache - 1to 2 drops of lukewarm juice.
6. Wounds - Leaf paste can be applied.
7. Tooth ache - Leaf juice drops or paste.
8. Cholesterolemia and for immunity - Daily 1 tsp leaf juice.

Kumari (Aloe vera)

Common Name: Ghrit Kumari, Indian Aloe

Family: Asphodelaceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Leaf juice is applied for burns, scalds and skin ailments.
2. Earache - 2 drops of lukewarm juice.
3. Menstrual diseases - 4tsp of juice daily.
4. Leaf paste is applied for inflammatory swellings and abscesses.
5. Cosmetic - Leaf paste + turmeric face pack.

Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera)

Common Name: Ashwagandha

Family: Solanaceae

Parts Used: Roots and Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Immunity - Root powder with milk is used as tonic.
2. Galactagogue - Root powder with milk.
3. Skin diseases - Leaf paste can be applied.
4. Cough - Leaf juice 1 tsp with honey.
5. Palpitation - Root powder 1 tsp with honey.

Nelavemu (Andrographis paniculata)

Common Name: Kalmegh, Bhunimbha

Family: Acanthaceae

Parts Used: Whole plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Fever - 1 to 2 tsp powder or 4tsp of decoction, twice a day.
2. Jaundice - 1 to 2 tsp powder or 4tsp of decoction.
3. Diabetes - 1to 2 tsp powder.
4. Skin diseases - 1 tsp powder.
5. Liver diseases - 1tsp powder.

Sunamukhi (Cassia angustifolia)

Common Name: Senna, Swarna pathri

Family: Fabaceae

Parts Used: Leaves and Pods

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Laxative Powder 1 to 2 tsp with lukewarm water or decoction.
2. Indigestion - 1 to 2 tsp juice with ginger juice.
3. Gas abdomen / Flatulence - 1 to 2 tsp powder with a pinch of dry ginger.
4. Body pains - 1 to 2 tsp of powder and dry ginger powder.
5. Hair care - 1 to 2 tsp of powder + Bringaraj powder.

Saraswathi (Centella asiatica)

Common Name: Brahmi, Mandukaparni

Family: Apiaceae

Parts Used: Whole Plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Memory Booster - 2 to 3 leaves or 1 tsp juice daily.
2. Mental Disorders - 1 to 2 tsp powder with milk.
3. Fevers - Juice external application in high fever.
4. Skin Diseases - Leaf paste with turmeric powder.
5. Immunity - Daily 4 to 5 leaves to be eaten.

Vamu aaku (Coleus ambonicus)

Common Name: Patra yavani, Patharchur

Family: Lamiaceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Cold and Catarrh - 1 tsp juice with honey.
2. Sore Throat - 1 to 2 leaves to be kept in mouth and chewed.
3. Oral hygiene - Gargling with decoction of leaves.
4. Head ache - Juice mixed with sesame oil can be applied.
5. Digestive - 2 tsp leaf juice 2 or 3 times a day.

Haritha Manjari (Acalypha indica)

Common Name: Asthi samhara

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Parts Used: Whole Plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Skin Diseases and Scabies - Leaf paste + a pinch of salt + turmeric powder or leaf juice + Neem oil evenly mixed can be applied.
2. Intestinal Worms - 1 to 2 tsp leaf juice.
3. Earache - 1 or 2 drops lukewarm leaf juice.
4. Stings and Bites - Leaf paste is applied.
5. Headache - 1 or 2 drops leaf juice + Garlic juice into nostrils.
6. Tooth ache - leaf paste + Common salt applied over the affected tooth.
7. Ulcers - leaf paste over the wound.

Guntagalagara (Eclipta alba)

Common Name: Bringa raj

Family: Asteraceae

Parts Used: Whole plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Hair growth - Leaf juice + sesame oil boiled, strained and be applied to scalp.
2. Jaundice - 1 to 2 tsp juice with honey, thrice a day.
3. Skin diseases - Juice mixed with turmeric and turpentine can be applied.
4. Wounds - Paste can be applied.
5. Rasayan - 1 tsp powder with milk, daily.

Mandaram (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis)

Common Name: Japa pushpa, China Rose

Family: Malvaceae

Parts Used: Leaves and Flowers

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Hair care - Flower juice + sesame oil boiled to reduce half and can be applied.
2. Menstrual Disorders - 1 to 2 tsp leaf powder twice a day.
3. Cough - 1 tsp flower paste or powder with honey.
4. Jaundice - 2 tsp flower paste daily for 5 days.
5. Injuries and Swelling - Leaf paste can be applied.

Addasaramu (Adhatoda vasica)

Common Name: Vasaka, Adusa

Family: Acanthaceae

Parts Used: Leaves and Flowers

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Cough and Cold - Leaf decoction + Ginger juice with 1 pinch Black pepper powder, 4 tsp daily.
2. Eye ailments - Flower juice as eye drops.
3. Menstrual problems - Decoction of 1 to 2 tsp juice during periods.
4. Skin Diseases - Leaf paste with 1 tsp turmeric powder can be applied externally.
5. Bleeding - Juice or decoction internally.

Pudina (Mentha piperita)

Common Name: Peppermint, Poothiha

Family: Lamiaceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Indigestion - As chutney.
2. Sore throat - Gargling with decoction.
3. Tympanitis/Flatulence - Leaf juice with lime juice.
4. Cold & Cough - 4 tsp of decoction twice a day.
5. Menstrual disorders – Decoction ½ glass during periods.

Tippatheega (Tinospora cordifolia)

Common Name: Guduchi, Amruthavalli

Family: Menispermaceae

Parts Used: Stem & Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal:

1. Fevers - 4 tsp decoction made of stem pieces.
2. Jaundice - 1 to 2 tsp juice of stem + sugarcane juice, per day.
3. Leucorrhoea - Stem pieces decoction, 4 tsp twice a day for a week.
4. Skin Diseases - Stem juice + sesame oil boiled to reduce half can be applied.
5. Indigestion - 1 tsp stem juice + Ginger juice 2 to 3 times.

Nalleru (Cissus quadrangularis)

Common Name: Asthi samhara, Hudjod

Family: Vitaceae

Parts Used: Stem and Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Loose Motions - 1 to 2 tsp leaf juice with butter milk.
2. Flatulence & abdomen pain - Tender stem as chutney in daily food.
3. Indigestion - 1 tsp dried stem burnt into ash, mixed with dry ginger powder with water.
4. Ear ache - Stem juice 1 to 2 drops.
5. Wounds and Fractures - Stem paste for application stem juice 2 tsp internally.

Uttareni (Achyranthes aspera)

Common Name: Apamarga, Chirchita

Family: Amaranthaceae

Parts Used: Whole plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Root used as tooth card and whole plant powder as tooth powder in gums and teeth problems.
2. Deafness - Root boiled in sesame oil as ear drops.
3. Fevers - 1 to 2 tsp leaves + pepper + jaggery in equal proportion made into powder and can be eaten.
4. Loose Motions - 2 tsp leaves decoction.
5. Bleeding Piles - seed or total plant powder with sugar.
6. Oedema - 4 tsp whole plant decoction daily.
7. Ulcers - Leaf paste can be applied.
8. Tooth Carries - Leaf paste applied over the carries tooth.

Podapathri (Gymnema sylvestre)

Common Name: Madhu nashini, Gudmar

Family: Asclepiadaceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Diabetes - 1 tsp leaf juice or powder daily.
2. Eye diseases - Juice mixed with water used as eve drops.
3. Liver diseases - 1 tsp juice or powder.
4. Urinary infection - 1 tsp leaf powder + 1 tsp jamun seed powder.

Tagarisa (Cassia tora)

Common Name: Chakramarda, Panwad

Family: Fabaceae

Parts Used: Leaves and Seeds

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Scorpion Bite, Stings - One or two drops of leaf juice or the paste can be applied over the bite.
2. Joint Pains - Leaf paste with castor oil can be applied on the affected joints.
3. Skin Diseases - Crushed seed oil can be applied.
4. Psoriasis - Root paste can be applied.

Nelamulaka (Solanum xanthocarpum)

Common Name: Kantakari, kateri

Family: Solanaceae

Parts Used: Whole plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Cough - 1 to 2 tsp of fruit powder + honey daily.
2. Cold and Sore throat - 1 to 2tsp whole plant powder or decoction daily.
3. Head Ache - Extracted juice of fruit applied over fore head.
4. Fever - Decoction of equal proportion Kantakari roots & stem of Guduchi, 4tsp daily.
5. Dental Problems - Whole plant powder with common salt as tooth powder.
6. Urinary Problems - 4 tsp of Kantakari decoction. 2 times a day.

Brahmadandi (Argemone mexicana)

Common Name: Svarnakshiri, Pichikusuma

Family: Papaveraceae

Parts Used: Whole plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Skin diseases - Whole plant + turmeric powder made into paste and can be applied.
2. White patches - Leaf juice + Tulasi juice can be applied.
3. Ulcers - Leaves + pinch of lime + turmeric powder is made as paste and can be applied.
4. Eye diseases - leaf juice+ cow ghee as eye drops.
5. Jaundice - 1 to 2 tsp whole plant Juice + Guduchi Juice, daily.

Vavili (Vitex negundo)

Common Name: Nirgundi

Family: Lamiaceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Joint Pains - 1 tsp leaf juice + pinch of black pepper powder with ghee, twice a day, leaf paste can be applied locally on affected joints.
2. Cold and catarrh - Leaf with turmeric boiled in water, vapours are inhaled.
3. Fevers - 4 tsp of decoction or 2 tsp of leaf powder + ½ tsp. black pepper.
4. Ear ache - Juice + oil drops.
5. Post parturient mothers - Leaf boiled in water and used for bathing after delivery.
6. Head ache, Skin diseases, Unconsciousness: juice as nasal drops.

Kondapindi (Aerva lanata)

Common Name: Gorakhbuti, Kapurijadi

Family: Amaranthaceae

Parts Used: Whole plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Burning micturition - 1 to 2 tsp whole plant powder, twice a day.
2. Urinary stones - Whole plant powder or 4tsp decoction daily for 1 month.
3. Prevention of stones - Whole plant as curry once or twice a week.

Nela Usiri (Phyllanthus niruri)

Common Name: Bhumyamalaki, Jar-Amla

Family: Phyllanthaceae

Parts Used: Whole Plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Jaundice - 1 to 2 tsp juice with cow milk.
2. Diabetes - 1 to 2 tsp juice or powder daily.
3. Fevers - 1 to 2 tsp juice + 2 tsp black pepper/seed powder
4. Skin diseases - paste or juice with salt for external application
5. Liver diseases - 1 to 2 tsp juice or powder.

Boppayi (Carica papaya)

Common Name: Papita, Eranda karkati

Family: Caricaceae

Parts Used: Leaves, Fruit and Latex

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Abscess and Inflammations - Leaf paste applied.
2. Vermifuge - 1 tsp seed powder with castor oil used as vermifuge.
3. Tooth ache - Latex applied.
4. Loose Motions - 1 to 2 tsp fruit powder with butter milk.
5. Digestion - Fruits
6. As cosmetic, galactagogue.

Danimma (Punica granatum)

Common Name: Dadimum, Anar

Family: Lythraceae

Parts Used: Leaves, Fruit, Flowers and Bark

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Loose Motions - 2tsp unriped fruit paste with butter milk.
2. Pregnancy Vomiting - 1 tsp Fruit pulp juice with honey or seeds with salt.
3. Ulcers - Decoction of bark in washing ulcers/wounds.
4. Hoarseness of Voice - 2 tsp shade dried flowers powder with honey.
5. Piles/Jaundice/Cough - 2 to 3 tsp flower juice + sugar, is used.

Gaddichemanthi (Tridax procumbens)

Common Name: Khal muriya, Tal muriya

Family: Asteraceae

Parts Used: Whole Plant

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Cuts and wounds - Leaf juice or paste can be applied for stopping bleeding and prevention of infection.
2. Skin diseases - Whole plant juice + turmeric powder can be applied.

Kasivinda (Cassia occidentalis)

Common Name: Kasamardha, Kasunda

Family: Caesalpiniaceae

Parts Used: Leaves and Seeds

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Abscess - Leaf paste can be applied
2. Skin diseases - Seed powder mixed with sesame oil can be applied over the skin.
3. Allergic rash - Leaf is made into paste and can be applied with lime juice.
4. Cough - 1 to 2 tsp leaf juice or decoction.
5. Asthma - Dried seed powdered and made decoction as coffee and can be taken twice a day.
6. Polyurea - In case of excess urination, 1 to 2 tsp seed powder with honey is taken per day.
7. Dandruff - Leaf juice mixed with milk is applied over the scalp followed by head bath next day.
8. Paralysis - Leaf juice mixed with butter can be applied on paralysed limbs.

Gorinta (Lawsonia inermis)

Common Name: Henna, Mehendi, Madayahthika

Family: Lythraceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Hair care - Leaves juice + sesame oil can be applied.
2. Oral hygiene and gingivitis - Decoction for gargling and leaf powder as tooth powder.
3. Jaundice - 1 tsp stem bark powder with butter milk.
4. Joint pains - leaf boiled with oil, strained can be applied.
5. Leucorrhoea - 2 tsp leaf juice or 4tsp decoction can be taken for a week in the morning.
6. Skin Disease, Burning feet, Ulcers, Abscess - Juice or paste can be applied.

Munaga (Moringa oleifera)

Common Name: Sahijan, Shigru

Family: Moringaceae

Parts Used: Leaves, Fruit, Bark, Seed and Latex

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Indigestion - Leaf juice + 1 pinch of common salt.
2. Earache - 1 to 2 drops of stem bark juice.
3. Joint pains - Leaf paste can be applied.
4. Wounds and Ulcers - Leaf paste can be applied.
5. Intestinal Worms - 4tsp leaf decoction used as vermifuge.

Karivepa (Murraya koenigii)

Common Name: Surabhi Nimbha, Curry leaf

Family: Rutaceae

Parts Used: Leaves

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Indigestion - 1 to 2 tsp shade dried leaves + coriander seed powder, with food.
2. Abdominal colic and Tympanitis - 1 to 2 tsp leaf paste with butter milk.
3. Jaundice - 2 tsp leaf juice with honey.
4. Hair care - Leaf juice + henna leaf juice + sesame oil boiled strained and applied to hair.
5. Inflammatory conditions - Leaf paste applied externally.
6. Oral hygiene, Diabetes - 1 to 2 tsp leaf decoction.

Reddivari Nanabalu (Euphorbia hirta)

Common Name: Dugdhika, Dudh ghas

Family: Euphorbiaceae

Preparation/Dosage for Medicinal Use:

1. Skin Diseases - Leaf juice is applied
2. Cough - 1 to 2 tsp shade dried powder or fresh leaf juice.
3. Ulcers - Leaf paste with common salt and turmeric powder can be applied.
4. Stings and Bites - Leaf juices can be applied.
5. Dysmenorrhoea - In case of menstrual pain, 2 to 3 tsp leaf juice with pinch of pepper powder can be taken.
6. Ulcers of Mouth - Repeated gargling with leaf decoction.

Source : Telangana State Medical Plants Board