Sunday, January 9, 2011

Kitchen Klinic - Thumbai Poo



Botanical Name: Leucas aspera

Plant Name in Different Languages

English : Tumbe

Hindi : Chotta halkusha

Malayalam: Tumba, Thumba, Tumpa

Tamil : Thumbai

Plant Description

A small erect, much branched annual herb grows up to 60 cm in height. Leaves sub sessile, linear-lanceolate, obtuse, entire, or crenate; flowers white, in dense axillary whorls. Whorls are large, about 2.5 cm in diameter and crowded with white bell shaped flowers. Calyx is variable, with an upper lip and short, triangular teeth. Fruits nut lets, brown and smooth.

It is distributed throughout India cultivated as a weed in wastelands.

Useful Parts: Leaves, Flowers.

Medicinal Properties

Plant pacifies vitiated kapha, pitta, inflammation, skin diseases, worm infestation, arthritis, cough, amenorrhea, intermittent fever, migraine, and ulcer.

Expectorant, Stimulant, Laxative, Anthelmintic

The samoolam of this plant is crushed and boiled with water; the steam is used for inhalation in conditions like nasal congestion, cough, cold, fever, headache etc.

For unconsciousness due to the toxicity of snake bite, the juice of leaves is used as nasal drops. Also the leaves are given internally for best results.

For sinusitis, the flower juice is used for nasiyam.

For continuous headache, juice of flower is used for nasiyam.

For muppini, the flowers are soaked in breast milk and then applied over eyes.

The oil prepared by using the flowers are effective in headache, sinusitis etc.

For intestinal worms in children, the juice of flowers and leaves are given internally or a decoction is prepared of it.

For scorpion bite, the constant rubbing of leaves over effected area can provide relief.

The juice of the flowers, is applied on the burns, boils, scalds will sooth the wound and heal soon.

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