Medicinal Plant's
 

List of Medicinal plants and their uses District wise list of important traders of MP & NTFP Marketing guideline and cultivation Role of OFDC as a facilitator in marketing linkage Current market price of NTFP & medicinal plant

LIST OF IMPORTANT MEDICINAL PLANTS AND THEIR USES

NB: (Fam - Family, T - Tree, H - Herb, C - Climber, S- shrub)

Plant

Common name / Maturity period

Botanical Name or Family

Parts Used

Average Price( Rs. / Kg )

Medicinal Use

Amla ( T )After 4th year

Emblica officinalis Fam - euphorbiaceac

Fruit

Rs 15 - 45/kg

Vitamin - C, Cough , Diabetes, cold, Laxativ, hyper acidity.

Ashok ( T )10 years onward

Saraca Asoca Fam : Caesalpinanceac

Bark Flower

Dry Bark Rs 125/kg

Menstrual Pain, uterine, disorder, Deiabetes.

Aswagandha ( H ), One year

Withania Somnifera Fam: Solanaccac

Root, Leafs

Rs 140/ Kg

Restorative Tonic, stress, nerves disorder, aphrodiasiac.

Bael / Bilva (T)After 4-5 year

Aegle marmelous Fam: Rutaccac

Fruit, Bark

Fruit - Rs 125 / kg Pulp - Rs 60 / Kg

Diarrrhoea, Dysentry, Constipation.

Bhumi Amla ( H), with in one year

Phyllanthous amarus Fam : euphorbiaccac

Whole Plant

Rs 40 / Kg

Aenimic, jaundice, Dropsy.

Brahmi ( H ) Indian penny worth/one year

Bacopa,Monnieri Fam: Scrophulariaccac

Whole plant

Rs 20 per kg

Nervous, Memory enhancer,mental disorder.

Chiraita ( high altituted) with in one year ( H )

Swertia Chiraita Fam : Gentianaccac

Whole Plant

Rs 300-350 / per kg

Skin Desease, Burning, censation, fever.

Gudmar / madhunasini, after Four year ( C )

Gymnema Sylvestre Fam: Asclepiadaccac

Leaves

Rs 50 -75 per kg

Diabetes, hydrocil, Asthama.

Guggul ( T)after 8 years

Commiphora Wightii Fam: burseraccac

Gum rasine

Rs 80 - 100 per kg

Rheuma tised, arthritis, paralysis, laxative.

Guluchi / Giloe ( C )With in one year

Tinospora CordifoliaFam

Stem

Rs 20 - 25 per kg

Gout, Pile, general debility, fever, Jaundice.

Calihari / panchanguliaGlori Lily Five years

Gloriosa superba Fam: Liliaccac

Seed, tuber

Rs 60

Skin Desease, Labour pain, Abortion, General debility.

Kalmegh/ Bhui neem ( H ) with in one year

Andrographis PaniculataFam : scanthaccac

Whole Plant

Rs 12 - 20

Fever, weekness, release of gas.

Long peeper / Pippali ( C ) after two to three years

Peeper longum Fam : Piperaccac

Fruit, Root

Rs 100 - 150 per kg Root - 150 per kg

Appetizer, enlarged spleen , Bronchities, Cold, antidote.

Makoi ( H )Kakamachi/ With in one year

Solanum nigrum Fam: Solanaccac

Fruit/whole plant

Rs 40 per kg Seed - 200 per kg

Dropsy, General debility,Diuretic, anti dysenteric.

Pashan Bheda / Pathar Chur ( H )One year

Coleus barbatus Fam : Lamiaccac

Root

Rs 40-50 per kg

Kidny stone, Calculus.

Sandal Wood ( T )Thirty years onward

Santalum Album Fam: santalinaccac

Heart wood , oil

Rs 350 per kg

Skin disorder, Burning, sensation, Jaundice, Cough.

Sarpa Gandha ( H )After 2 year

Ranwolfia Serpentina Fam: apocynaccac

Root

Root - Rs 60 per kg Seed - Rs 300 per kg

Hyper tension, insomnia.

Satavari ( C )After 2-3 year

Asparagus Racemosus Family: liliaccac

Tuber, root

Rs 20 -50 per kg

Enhance lactation, general weekness, fatigue, cough.

Senna ( S )With in 1 year

Casia augustifolia Fam: Liliaceae

Dry Tubers

Rs 500/kg seed Rs1200/kg dry

Rheumatism, general debility tonic, aphrodisiac.

Tulsi (perennial) Each 3 months

Ocimum sanclum Fam: Lamiaccac

Leaves/Seed

Leaves Rs 10/kg

Cough, Cold, bronchitis,expectorand.

Vai Vidanka ( C ), 2nd year onward

Embelia Ribes Fam: Myrsinaccac

Root, Fruit, Leaves

Rs 40-50 per kg

Skin disease, Snake Bite, Helminthiasis.

Pippermint ( h) Perennial

Mentha pipertia Fam:Lamiaccac

Leaves, Flower, Oil

-

Digestive, Pain killer.

Henna/Mehdi ( S ) 1/25 years

Lawsennia iermis Fam: lytharaceae

Leaf,Flower, Seed

L - 50 /kgPowder-Rs75 perkg

Burning, Steam, Anti Imflamatary.

Gritkumari ( H) 2nd-5th yr

Aloe Verra Fam: Liliaceae

Leaves

Fresh L- Rs 5 kgJuice 90 Per Kg

Laxative, Wound healing, Skin burns & care,Ulcer.

Sada Bahar ( H ) Periwinkle/Nyantara

Vincea rosea/ catharanthusRoseus Fam :apocyanace

Whole Plant

R-Rs50 per kgL- Rs 25S- Rs 10 kg

Leaukamia, Hypotensiv, Antispasmodic , Atidot.

Vringraj ( H )

Eclipta alba Fam: Compositae

Seed/whole

Powder-Rs 60/kg

Anti-inflamatory, Digestive, hairtonic.

Swet chitrak Perennial ( h )

Plumbago Zeylanica Fam: Plumbaginaceae

Root, Rootbar

-

Appetiser, Antibacterial, Aticacer.

Rakta Chitrak ( H )

Plumbago Indica Fam : plumbaginaceae

Root, Root bar

-

Indyspeipsia, colic, imflammation, cough.

Kochila ( T )15 yrs

Strychinos nuxvomica Fam: loganiaceae

Seed

-

Nervous, Paralysis, healing wound.

Harida ( T )

Terminalia Chebula Fam: Combretaceae

Seed

Rs. 80 per K Powder

Trifala, wound ulcer, leprosy, inflammation, Cough.

Bahada (T)

TerminaliaBellerica Fam:comretaceae

Seed, Bark

Fruit - Rs 20/k Powder- Rs 100/k

Cough, Insomnia, Dropsy, Vomiting, Ulcer, Trifala.

Gokhur ( H ) CrawlingPuncture Vine/1 yr

Tribulus Terrestris Fam: Lygophyllaceae

Whole Plant

Plant-Rs 10/K Fruit -Rs 15/k

Sweet cooling, Aphrodisiac, appetizer, Digestive, Urinary.

Neem ( T )

Azardirchata - indica Fam : Mahaceae

Rhizome

Rs 45/k

Sdedative, analgesic, epilepsy, hypertensive.

Anantamool/sariva ( S )Indian Sarap sarilla

Hemibi smus Indicus Fam: Asclepiadaceae

Root/ Leaf

Rs 45/k root Rs 90/kPowder

Appetiser, Carminative, aphrodisiac, Astringent.

Bach ( H ) Sweet Flag/1 yr

Acorus Calamus Fam : araceae

Rhizome

Rs 45/K

Sdedative, analgesic, tpilepsy, hypertensive.

Vasa ( S )

Adhatoda vesica Fam : Sacanthaceae

Whole Plant

Leaf - Rs 25/ k

Antispasmodic, respiratory, Stimulant.

Nageswar ( T ) Nag Champa

Mesua Ferrea Fam : Guttiferae

Bark, Leaf, Flower

Flower - Rs 120/k Powder Rs 175/k

Asthma, Skin, Burning, Vomiting, Dysentry, Piles.

Benachar ( S ) Khus/khus

Vetiveria Ziziinoides Fam : Toaceae / Graminae

Root

Flower - Rs 120/k Powder Rs 175/k

Hyperdisia, Burning, ulcer, Skin, Vomiting.

Mandukparni ( H ) Indianpennywort

Centella asiatica Fam : Umdelliferae

Whole plant

-

Antiinflamatory, Jundice, Diuretic, Diarrhoea.

Kaincha/CreeperBaidanka

Mucuna Truriens Fam : Fabaceae

Root, Hair, Seed, Leaf

-

Nervous, Disorder, Constipation, Nephroaphy, Strangury, Dropsy.

Dalchini Perenial Shrub

Cinnamomum Zeylanicum Fam : Lauraceae

Bark, Oil

-

Bronchitis, Asthma, Cardiac, Disorder, Fever.

Kurai ( S )

Holorheena antidysentrica Fam:apocyaceaceae

Bark, Seed

-

Scabies, Antipyretic, Amoibic dysentery.

Products

Timber OFDC trade timber both in round as well as in sawn forms in different dimension from their specified depots. Once in every month there is auction of round timbers from its each depot through general auction. Kendu Leaves Odisha is the third largest producer of Kendu leaf in India. The uniqueness of kendu leaf in Odisha is because of its specification of Color, Texture, Size and Body condition of the leaf. Bamboo The collection and marketing of Bamboo from the natural forest is done either by OFDC or through the RMP (Raw Material Procurer) as per the decision of the Government to regulate the collection and trade of Bamboo. Sal Seed Sal seed is a nationalized product since 1973 and is one of the important Produce obtained from Sal (Shorea - Robursta) tree, which is predominantly available in Odisha. Honey OFDC is involved in collection, processing and trading of honey from natural forest with an assurance of pure and genuine in quality. Medicinal Plants With the financial aid of National Medicinal Plants Board, Government of India, 16 projects for promotional activities are currently running in Odisha. NTFP Non Timber Forest Products (NTFP) refers to all biological materials other than timber extracted from natural forests for human and animal use. Rubber OFDC is having rubber plantation and processing unit in Baripada & Bhubaneswar zone, since 2003. OFDC is extracting the rubber from the matured trees and marketing it. Pickle & Squash OFDC is manufacturing and marketing high quality, delicious pickles such as Mango Pickle, Mixed Pickle - free from preservatives. Plywood The plywood industry at kuikeda near Saintala of Bolangir District was incorporated during 1983 and started commercial production during the year 1986-87.This unit continued its operation up to 1992-93. Cashew & Spice OFDC Ltd. have raised cashew plantation over an area of 18704.99 ha. from 1978-79 to 1992-93 in Bhubaneswar and Berhampur Division. Out of which pure cashew plantation over an area of 11,053.99 ha.    Biodiesel Plant Biodiesel is the name of a clean burning alternative fuel, produced from domestic, renewable resources. Biodiesel contains no petroleum, but it can be blended at any level with petroleum diesel to create a biodiesel blend.  Uses : The country's first medicinal plant garden in Istanbul's Zeytinburnu district, where more than 800 herbs are grown using organic methods, will support the country's first phytotherapy center established at Bezmialem Foundation University to offer herbal treatments As part of a joint project between the Zeytinburnu Municipality and the Merkezefendi Traditional Medicine Association, the Medicinal Plants Garden in Zeytinburnu was established on a 3.5 acre site in 2005. The garden not only produces medicinal plants but protects and promotes plant diversity and encourages research in the field. Aiming to create a center for medicinal flora studies, the garden avoids the use of artificial fertilizers and pesticides and uses herbal plant waste as a natural fertilizer instead. Now, the herbs growing in the garden, such as Echinacea, lemon balm, lemon verbena, marsh horsetail and Ottoman strawberries, will be used to support Turkey's first phytotherapy center, which was established at Bezmialem Foundation University. Echinacea To refrain from water waste, sprinkling and dripping are the main irrigation methods applied in the garden. Plants brought from countries with hot or warm climates are grown under the best available conditions. Visitors can see avocados, mangoes as well as red bananas, which are not normally grown in Turkey, growing in the garden. There is also lemon verbena that only grows in certain places around the world. Aloe vera, which is mostly used in cosmetic products and detergents to soothe skin and clothes, is another plant protected at the garden. Lemon balm The garden offers voluntary gardening opportunities, which allows citizens to work as gardeners following some training. Biologist Tuğçe Ağba said the garden has been active for the last 11 years. There were originally 300 types of plants in the garden, but the number swelled to 800 this year. A greenhouse was also established at the center where tropical plants brought from abroad are grown. Ağba said they try to use local seeds as much as possible, and added that the garden is not focused on production but on the protection of plant diversity. Visitors can see how different spices like Melissa, ginger and rosemary are grown, as well as plants used in modern medicine. "The garden features herbs such as Echinacea, Melissa, lime tree, sage, daisy, banana, mango and pepino," she said. "We keep heat-loving plants that cannot naturally grow in Istanbul in the greenhouses. Moreover, endemic plants such as roses from Isparta, Turkish sweetgum and Ottoman strawberries grow in the garden."   Before there was modern-day medicine and its pharmacopeia of synthetic drugs, there were plants, and ancient civilizations knew how to use them strategically to treat common ailments and even life-threatening diseases. The ancient Egyptian Ebers Papyrus, a scroll from 1550 BC that’s over 100 pages long, details 700 medicinal herbs and how to use them. The Greek Corpus Hippocraticum from the 16th century BC also details the use of herbal medicine.1 Later, during the 1800s and early 1900s, the knowledge of herbal medicine was passed down from one generation to the next. Typically, the woman of the house was well versed in the use of herbs for healing, and would act as the family’s physician not only to treat illnesses but also to prepare various herbal wellness tonics and other remedies. Today, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 80 percent of the world’s population still uses traditional remedies, including plants, as their primary health care tools.2 Meanwhile, the majority of new drugs (70 percent) introduced in the US are derived from natural products, primarily plants.3 Unfortunately, the reverence for the use of medicinal plants in everyday life has largely been lost in the US. But if you are interested in using natural remedies to support your health, you should know that there are many right at your fingertips. 7 Medicinal Plants You Can Use to Benefit Your Health Below is an excellent starting point to learn how to harness the power of medicinal plants. This is only a small sample, of course, and once you get your feet wet, you’ll likely be inspired to explore more and more uses for these healing wonders. 1. Ginger   Ginger is one spice that I recommend keeping on hand in your kitchen at all times. Not only is it a wonderful addition to your cooking (especially paired with garlic) but it also has enough medicinal properties to fill several books. Ginger is best known for its antinausea effects but also has broad-spectrum antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-parasitic properties, to name just several of its more than 40 scientifically confirmed pharmacological actions. It is anti-inflammatory, making it valuable for pain relief for joint pain, menstrual pain, headaches, and more. The pain-relieving potential of ginger appears to be far-reaching. Along with help for muscle and joint pain, ginger has been found to reduce the severity of migraine headaches as well as the migraine medication Sumatriptan – with fewer side effects.4 Ginger also shows promise for fighting cancer, diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, asthma, bacterial and fungal infections, and it is one of the best natural remedies available for motion sickness or nausea (from pregnancy or chemotherapy, for example). Taking one gram of ginger daily may help reduce nausea and vomiting in pregnant women, or those with migraines and ginger has been shown to work better than a placebo in relieving morning sickness.5 Ginger is also a must-have if you struggle with indigestion, and it does more than simply relieve pain. Ginger contains powerful protein-digesting enzymes and helps to stimulate the emptying of your stomach without any negative effect, and it’s an antispasmodic agent, which may explain its beneficial effects on your intestinal tract. Many people enjoy ginger tea on a regular basis, and this is one of the simplest ways to use it. Simply chop off a couple of inches of ginger root and let it steep in hot water for fresh ginger tea. I would advise against using it daily as it can lead to an allergy and is what happened to me about twenty years ago. You can also peel the root using a paring knife and then slice it thinly (or grate it or mince it) to add to tea or cooked dishes. You can’t go wrong by adding ginger to stir fries or even your favorite homemade chicken soup. For serious issues, a natural health care provider can help you get the maximum therapeutic benefits of ginger. 2. Garlic   Eating a clove or two of fresh garlic a day may indeed keep the doctor away, in part because it has immune-boosting, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-fungal effects. Many of garlic’s therapeutic effects are derived from its sulfur-containing compounds, such as allicin, which are also what give it its characteristic smell. In general, garlic’s benefits fall into four main categories: Reducing inflammation (reduces the risk of osteoarthritis and other disease associated with inflammation) Boosting immune function (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, and antiparasitic properties) Improving cardiovascular health and circulation (protects against clotting, retards plaque, improves lipids, and reduces blood pressure) Toxic to at least 14 kinds of cancer cells (including brain, lung, breast, gastric, and pancreatic) In addition, garlic may be effective against drug-resistant bacteria, and research has revealed that as allicin digests in your body, it produces sulfenic acid, a compound that reacts with dangerous free radicals faster than any other known compound.6 This is one of the reasons why I named garlic as one of the top seven anti-aging foods you can consume. In order to get the health benefits, the fresh clove must be crushed or chopped in order to stimulate the release of an enzyme called alliinase, which in turn catalyzes the formation of allicin. Allicin, in turn, rapidly breaks down to form a number of different organosulfur compounds. So to “activate” garlic’s medicinal properties, compress a fresh clove with a spoon prior to swallowing it, or put it through your juicer to add to your vegetable juice. A single medium-size clove or two is usually sufficient and is well-tolerated by most people. The active ingredient, allicin, is destroyed within one hour of smashing the garlic, so garlic pills are virtually worthless. Black garlic, which is basically fermented garlic, and sprouted garlic may contain even more antioxidants than regular garlic. 3. Peppermint Peppermint offers benefits to the respiratory system, including for coughs, colds, asthma, allergies, and tuberculosis. In terms of digestive health, peppermint oil capsules have been described as "the drug of first choice" in IBS patients,7 and peppermint oil is an effective alternative to drugs like Buscopan for reducing colonic spasms.8 It may also relax the muscles of your intestines, allowing gas to pass and easing abdominal pain. Try peppermint oil or leaves added to tea for gas relief. Inhaling the peppermint aroma may offer memory enhancement and stress relief, and peppermint oil acts as an expectorant and decongestant, and may help clear your respiratory tract. Use peppermint essential oil as a cold rub on your chest or inhale it through a vaporizer to help clear nasal congestion and relieve cough and cold symptoms. Peppermint oil may also help relieve tension headache pain. For headache pain, try dabbing a few drops on your wrist or sprinkling a few drops on a cloth, then inhaling the aroma. You can also massage the oil directly onto your temples and forehead. Peppermint essential oil is ideal for muscle and chest rubs, headache pain, dental care, and aromatherapy. You can even add it to your homemade cleaning supplies for extra antimicrobial power and natural fragrance. When selecting peppermint for your own use, the fresh leaves will impart a superior flavor to dried leaves (such as for use in tea). Look for fresh leaves that are green in color without any dark spots or yellowing. In addition to using fresh mint leaves in tea, you can add them to soups, fruit salad, or gazpacho. Additionally, it is really easy to grow peppermint yourself and the plant works as a highly effective deterrent to many insects that might invade your garden or your home. 4. Lavender Lavender oil has a chemically complex structure with over 150 active constituents.9 This oil is rich in esters, which are aromatic molecules with antispasmodic (suppressing spasms and pain), calming, and stimulating properties. The chief botanical constituents of lavender oil are linalyl acetate, linalool (a non-toxic terpene alcohol that has natural germicidal properties), terpinen-4-ol, and camphor. Other constituents in lavender oil that are responsible for its antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties include cis-ocimene, lavandulyl acetate, 1,8-cineole, limonene, and geraniol. Lavender oil is known for its calming and relaxing properties, and has been used aromatherapeutically for alleviating insomnia, anxiety, depression, restlessness, dental anxiety, and stress. It has also been proven effective for nearly all kinds of ailments, from pain to infections. I am particularly fascinated by lavender oil's potential in fighting antifungal-resistant skin and nail infections. Scientists from the University of Coimbra found that lavender oil is lethal to skin-pathogenic strains known as dermatophytes, as well as various Candida species.10 Lavender oil can also be used to: Relieve pain. It can ease sore or tense muscles, joint pain and rheumatism, sprains, backache, and lumbago. Simply massage a small amount of lavender oil onto the affected area. Lavender oil may also help lessen pain following needle insertion. Treat various skin disorders like acne, psoriasis, eczema, and wrinkles. It also helps form scar tissues, which may be essential in healing wounds, cuts, and burns. Lavender can also help soothe insect bites and itchy skin (lavender oil can help ward off mosquitoes and moths. It is actually used as an ingredient in some mosquito repellents). Keep your hair healthy. It helps kill lice, lice eggs, and nits. The Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCB) says that lavender is possibly effective for treating alopecia areata (hair loss), boosting hair growth by up to 44 percent after just seven months of treatment.11 Improve your digestion. This oil helps stimulate the mobility of your intestine and stimulates the production of bile and gastric juices, which may help treat stomach pain, indigestion, flatulence, colic, vomiting, and diarrhea. Relieve respiratory disorders. Lavender oil can help alleviate respiratory problems like colds and flu, throat infections, cough, asthma, whooping cough, sinus congestion, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and laryngitis. It can be applied on your neck, chest, or back, or inhaled via steam inhalation or through a vaporizer. Stimulate urine production, which helps restore hormonal balance, prevent cystitis (inflammation of the urinary bladder), and relieve cramps and other urinary disorders. Improve your blood circulation. It helps lower elevated blood pressure levels and can be used for hypertension. 5. Thyme   Thyme is a fragrant herb that makes a wonderful addition to your cooking, in part because it is rich in antioxidants. Thyme contains health-boosting flavonoids including apigenin, naringenin, luteolin, and thymonin, and has been shown to protect and increase the percentage of healthy fats found in cell membranes. As reported by the George Mateljan Foundation:12 “In particular, the amount of DHA (docosahexaenoic acid, an omega-3 fatty acid) in brain, kidney, and heart cell membranes was increased after dietary supplementation with thyme.” Thyme is also nutrient dense, containing vitamin C, vitamin A, iron, manganese, copper, and dietary fiber. When used in cooked dishes, thyme may also help inhibit glycation and the formation of dangerous advanced glycation end products (AGEs) in your food, making thyme a potential preventer of heart disease and premature aging. Due to thyme oil’s antibacterial, antispasmodic, antirheumatic, expectorant, hypertensive, and calming properties, it also has a long list of topical uses, including: Home remedy – Thyme oil is used to relieve and treat problems like gout, arthritis, wounds, bites, and sores, water retention, menstrual and menopausal problems, nausea and fatigue, respiratory problems (like colds), skin conditions (oily skin and scars), athlete’s foot, hangovers, and even depression. Aromatherapy oil – The oil can be used to stimulate the mind, strengthen memory and concentration, and calm the nerves. Hair product – It is said that thyme oil can prevent hair loss. It is used as a treatment for the scalp and is added to shampoos and other hair products. Skin product – Thyme oil can help tone aged skin and prevent acne outbreaks. Mouthwashes and herbal rinses – Like peppermint, wintergreen, and eucalyptus oils, thyme oil is used to improve oral health. Insecticide/insect repellent – Thyme oil can keep insects and parasites like mosquitoes, fleas, lice, and moths away. 6. Chamomile Chamomile is most popular in tea form for use to calm upset stomach and help support restful sleep. Germany’s Commission E (a government organization) has even approved the use of chamomile for reducing swelling on your skin and fighting bacteria. Chamomile is a powerful anti-inflammatory that also has antibacterial, anti-spasmodic, anti-allergenic, muscle relaxant, and sedative properties. It is used to treat psoriasis, eczema, chickenpox, diaper rash, slow-healing wounds, abscesses, and gum inflammation,13 and according to Herb Wisdom may also be useful for the following conditions:14 “The oil serves many medicinal purposes, but one of the best-documented uses is for relaxation. The oil has a calming effect on people, and can be used to help induce sleep, ease frayed nerves, and promote a general sense of calmness and well being. It is great for those with nervousness or anxiety problems. Aside from having mental calming properties, chamomile is also good at relaxing sore muscles and tight joints. It can ease menstrual cramps and back aches, as well as relax the digestive system to ease upset stomach or indigestion issues. When applied topically to the skin, it soothes redness and irritation. For this reason, it is a common ingredient in skincare. It also eliminates itchiness and is good for those with allergic reactions. Sometimes chamomile is used on rashes. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it can work to take down swelling caused by rashes or skin irritants.” 7. Dandelion This flowering plant has traditionally been used as a liver tonic, useful for detoxification and improving liver function. Dandelion is known as a stimulant that is typically used for kidney and liver disorders. It is also traditionally used to reduce the side effects of prescription drugs, as well as to treat infections, gallbladder problems, water retention and swelling.15 Dandelion greens, which you can prepare simply by blanching them in boiling water for 20 seconds to help remove their bitter flavor (they can also be added to vegetable juice), contain many nutrients, including vitamin C, vitamin B6, thiamin, riboflavin, calcium, iron, potassium, and manganese. They are a particularly good source of vitamin A and may also have cancer-fighting properties. Getting in Touch with Your Inner Healer: How to Use More Medicinal Plants In the past, I have regarded herbs, in many cases, as a safer alternative to drugs, useful for treating various symptoms but not to treat the underlying cause. I have since revised my opinion on this quite significantly, and now realize that herbs can help support your health from a very basic level, just as foods do. In the late 1800s and early 1900s, you could walk into a drug store and find hundreds of herbal extracts for sale. Upwards of 90 percent of the population at that time knew how to use the medicinal plants growing in their backyards to treat common illnesses and injuries; they had too, as this was virtually the only “medicine” available. With the rise of what is now known as conventional allopathic medicine shortly before World War I, herbalism slowly fell out of favor and became to be thought of as folk medicine. Rather than viewing nature as the source of healing, as had been done for centuries, people began to view drugs and other “modern” healing methods as superior. If you would like to start using medicinal plants more often, here are 9 tips to do so:16 Learn to identify three medicinal plants you don't already know that grow in your region and learn their uses. Add at least one of these herbs to your garden or to pots on your windowsill. Make a tincture, tea, syrup, or salve. Or make one of each! Harvest and dry mint, lemon balm, calendula, nettles, or any other plant growing in your region. Find a plant to sit with quietly each morning for a week; draw the plant. Identify one healing skill you would like to have but don't, and find a way to learn it—perhaps by taking an herb or aromatherapy class. Make an herbal first aid kit. Organize local healers for emergency response in your community. With medicinal plants grown in your region, learn how to treat one condition that you and/or someone in your family struggles with.