Plantago ovata

Plantago ovata
Family : Plantaginaceae

English name : Blond psyllium , Spogel seeds

Indian name: Snigdhabijah,Snigdhajirakah (Sanskrit)Isabgol, Isabgul (Hindi)Iskol,Isphogol (Tamil)

Species : Plantago ovata

P. psyllium

DISTRIBUTION:
It is indigenous to the Mediterranean region, Pakistan,Persia,Mexicoand West Asia. It has been introduced in India and cultivated specially in Gujarat and some parts of Rajasthan. Now India dominates the world market in the production and export of psyllium.

plant
Isabgol (Plantago ovata) is an annual herb that grows to a height of 12 to 18 in. Leaves are born alternately opposite, linear or linear lanceolate on the stem. The seeds are enclosed in capsules that open at maturity. Seeds are translucent and concavo-covex.Isagol. The root system has a well developed tap root with few fibrous secondary roots. A large number of flowering shoots arise from the base of the plant. Flowers are numerous, small, and white. Plants flower about 60 days after planting.

HARVESTING/POST HARVESTING OPERATION

Blooming begins two months after sowing and the crop become ready for harvest in February- March (110-130 days after sowing). When mature, the crop turn yellowish and the spikes turn brownish. The seeds are shed when the spikes are pressed even slightly. At the time of harvest, the atmosphere must be dry and there should be no moisture on the plant (nearly after noon), harvesting will lead to considerable seed shattering.

VARIETIES

Gujarat –1
Gujarat-2
TS-1-10
EC-124345
Niharika,
Haryana Isabgol –5
Jawahar Isabgol-4

Diseases of Isabgol: Plantago wilt Fusarium oxyspirum and downy mildew are the major diseases of Isabgol.

MANURES, FERTILISERS AND PESTICIDES The medicinal plants have to be grown without chemical fertilizers and use of pesticides. Organic manures like, Farm Yard Manure (FYM), Vermi-Compost, Green Manure etc. may be used as per requirement of the species. To prevent diseases, bio-pesticides could be prepared (either single or mixture) from Neem (kernel, seeds & leaves), Chitrakmool, Dhatura, Cow's urine etc.

Uses:

Ø It is Diuretic, Emollient and Cooling.
Ø Used in inflamatory conditions of mucous memberane of gastro intestinal and genitourinary tracts.
ØVery well known as a laxative.
ØIt restores proper bowel movements and used in treatment of chronic constipation, amoebic and bucillary dysentary.
ØRecent study shows that use in high fiber breakfast cereals containing psyllium are effective in reducing cholesterol.

Healing Power and Curative Properties
The medicinal properties of the seeds are largely due to the large amount of mucilage and albuminous matter present in them. The~ seeds are cooling and mildly laxative. They act as a diuretic and also have a soothing effect on the skin and mucous membranes.Constipation
Due to its soothing effect on the mucous membranes Ispaghula is used in constipation. The seeds should be soaked in water before use, which makes them disintegrate in the alimentary canal. The large amount of mucilage in the seeds binds and increases the mass of the stool, thus smoothening its passage. The action is, chiefly mechanical, rather than physiological. Two tablespoons of the seeds should be taken with r milk or water in this condition. The seeds are particularly useful in chronic constipation characterised by spasms.

Dysentery
Ispaghula seeds are a popular remedy for several kinds of chronic dysentery and diarrhoea. In case of heaviness in the stomach and the intestines in dysentery, about 50 grams of castor oil should be administered with milk to ease out hard lumps of stools. When a few motions have cleared the intestines, 12 grams of ispaghula seeds mixed with about 100 grams of curd should be taken three to four times in the day.A mixture of 180 grams each of the seeds and sugar candy given three or four times a day is an effective remedy for slimy dysentery. For chronic diarrhoea and dysentery, the seeds can be taken either as a decoction or infusion of powder with sugar.
Abdominal Pain
Ispaghula is useful in treating frequent griping in the belly caused by stomach ulcers. The seeds with husk are soaked in water or milk for a few hours. The liquid is strained and can be taken at night. The high mucilaginous content in the herb forms a covering inside the intestinal wall which protects the lining mucosa and helps in the healing of ulcers. Irritation and gripe will also decrease.

Piles
Ispaghula seeds are one of the most effective remedies for piles. While the high mucilage content in this herb cures constipation, the rich tannin content cures inflammation and ulceration in the intestinal tract up to the anus. This double action helps cure piles.
Arteriosclerosis
The embryo oil of the seeds, having 50 per cent linoleic acid, prevents arteriosclerosis. This oil is more active than safflower oil, and has been found to reduce the serum 1:holesterol level in rabbits.
Gonorrhoea
Ispaghula is very useful in the treatment of gonorrhoea because of its diuretic and soothing properties

Whitlow
Ispaghula is an effective remedy in whitlow affecting the pulp of the' fingertip with an abcess. About 12 grams of ispaghula should be soaked in 45 grams of vinegar and applied to the spot when the whole thing has swollen. The poultice-like mixture should be bandaged with a clean cloth and water sprinkled over it. The bandage should be changed every 3 hours. The inflammation will subside within 3 days.
Rheumatism
An emollient poultice made of the seeds with vinegar and oil is useful for rheumatism and gout

Ø Research also indicates that psyllium incorporated into food products is more effective at reducing blood glucose response than use of a soluble fiber supplement that is separate from the food.
Ø Psyllium mucilage is also used as a natural dietary fiber for animals.
Ø The dehusked seed that remains after the seed coat is milled off is rich in starch and fatty acids and is used in India as chicken feed and as cattle feed.
Ø The seed husk is used to cure inflammation of the mucus membrane of gastrointestinal and genito-urinary tracts, chronic constipation, dysentery, duodenal ulcers, gonorrhea and piles.
Ø• It is also used in calico printing, setting lotions and food industry.

YIELD

Gujarat Isabgol-1, variety yields 800-900 kg of seeds per hectare. The new variety 'Gujarat Isabgol-2' has a potential to yield 1,000 kg of seeds per hectare

ECONOMICS

India’s isabgol farms are spread over 55,000 acres in Gujarat and Rajasthan. Farmers in Madhya Pradesh are catching on. From about 97 mn kg isabgol seed, two dozen companies manufacture husk.

It is sold in grades according to purity and mesh size. Psyllium dust - called Kha Kha powder - is used industrially. The United States is the world's largest importer of psyllium "husk" with over 60% of total imports going to pharmaceutical firms for use in products such as "Metamucil", "Effersyllium" and "Fiberall". P&G, which makes Metamucil, is India’s single largest customer. Due to awareness about isabgol, demand is pouring in from Malaysia, Australia, Thailand, Germany, Japan, Pakistan, Spain and UK. Last year Organic India exported 500 t isabgol. This year he expects sales to jump with the introduction of online delivery. The company has contracted farmers in Rajasthan to grow organic isabgol. Expenditure per ha. Rs. 25,000/- Return per ha. Rs.63000/- Net income Rs.38000/- (YEAR-2001) Note: Market for medicinal plants is volatile and the economics may vary

ASHWAGANDHA Withania somnifera Dunal

CLASSIFICATION

Kingdom Plant Kingdom

Division Spermatophyta
Subdivision Angiospermae
Class Dicotyledonae
Subclass Gamopetalae
Order Polemoniales
Family Solanaceae
Genus Withania
Species Somnifera

Withania somnifera (Linn.) Dunal commonly Known as "Ashwagandha" belongs to the family Solanaceae. Family Solanaceae has got 1250 species widely distributed in the warmer parts of whole world. The Genus Withania is reported to have 23 species and out of which i.e. Withania somifera (Linn.) Dunal and Withania coagulans Dunal are of high medicinal value.
Geographical distribution:
Withania somnifera (Linn.) Dunal is cosmopolition and grows through out the drier parts and sub-tropical India. It is widely distributed in North-Western India, Bombay, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab plains extending to the mountain regions of Punjab, Himanchal Pradesh and Jammu, ascending to a height of 1500 meter.
The wild growth of this species has also been reported form Pakistan, Afghanistan, Palestine, Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Spain, Canary, Island, Eastern Africa Congo, Madagascar and South Africa
As mentioned earlier Withania somnifera has a very wide geographical range. In India its range extends from 230 N to 330 N and extending from 180m to 1500m alt (Monograph of Ashwagandha)
Description: A small or middle- sized, branched, erect, unarmed under shrub, a perchnial herb.
Height : 0.3 - 1.5 meter
Stem and branches -
The stem is green and erect, covered with minute star shaped hair. Branche terete, usually clothed with stellate hoary tomentum.
Leaves :
Simple, short petioled, alternate, or in sub opposite pairs at a node, exstipulate, broadly ovate , obovate or oblong entire, subacute or obtuse, grey pubescent, 5 to 10 cms. long little less - 2.5 to 7 cms. in breadth , the base often attenuated into the petiole and with about six pairs of stout and conspicuous main nerves.
Petiole: 0.6 to about 1.2 cm long.
Flowers: Small, greenish or lurid yellow, sessile or shortly pedicelled.
The pedicels: Less than or about 5 mm in length - axillary solitary or in crowded fascicles of two to five.
Calyx: Gamosepalous, campanulate, 5 mm. long in flower, five or six lobed , the segments linear acute from a broad base or subulate. It is accrescent increasing up to 18 mm., becoming inflated and nearly globose and encloses the fruit: ultimately the entire calyx gets membranous and withers.
Corolla: Small, but longer than the calyx, 0.6 to 1.2 cms, gamopetalous, campanulate, greenish-yellow, three to six lobed to more than half way down lobes short, lanceolate acute and valvate.
Stamens: Five, included , inserted on the tube of the corolla near its base.
Filaments: Linear , or subulate after dilated at the base and together forming a ring around the pistil.
Anthers: Yellow, broadly elliptic oblong (in level with the stigma) and dehiscing longitudinally.
Pistil: Bicarpellary, syncarpous.
Ovary: Ovate - glabose, glabrous, surrounded at the base by a thin glandular annular disc, bilocular or falsely four chambered, many ovuled with linear filiform or subulate style and a bifid or shortly two-lobed stigma.
Fruit: A small smooth globose, thin walled two chambered berry the size of pea [0.6 to 0.8 cms in diameter] green when unripe while brick reddish when ripe and enclosed within the enlarged calyx.
Seeds: Small about 2 to 2.5 mm. in diameter, discoid or reniform with smooth or pitted testa and a peripheric embryo.
Description of the root: The root system consists of a stout main root 20 to 30 cm. long with a few (2 to 3) lateral roots of slightly smaller size. The roots are some what tuberous and attain a diameter of 1 to 2 or 2.5 cm.
They are occasionally branched. Their distal ends are taperaing and slightly woody. The outer surface of the tuberous root is yellowish brown in colour and almost smooth except for a few very shallow short longitudinal fissures.
The cut end of a root shows an outer narrow brown ring enclosing a soft white starchv tissue. At the centre is the wide cyllinder of wood which is not very hard except for the peripheral part and has a light cream colour. The drug as sold in the bazar is in the form of simple dry slightly woody cut pieces of root 3 to 6 cms. in length. The diameter of the pieces vary from 4 to 10mm. The cut pieces are of light brown or slightly yellowish brown colour. The surface of the thin roots is almost smooth but it appears shrunken with closely arranged very shallow irregular longitudinal ridges. Cut ends of rootlets are also noticeable in the pieces. The cut ends of these pieces are white in colour.