Hibiscus flowers flavour the famous Roselle drinks.

HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA ( ROSELLE ). The DRIED FLOWERS of HIBISCUS SABDARIFFA are the very popular ingredient of a hot and iced drink with a sweet flavor throughout south east asia.




Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com

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Guava leaves, fast weight loss tea

GUAVA LEAVES - from Aleyagarden botanical healing garden resources ( shipped in a vacuum sealed bag ) to your door for many purposes :
- your FAST WEIGHT LOSS TEA
- your HYPOGLYCEMIC TEA
- your TOOTHACHE RELIEF & GUM STRENGTHENING chewing LEAF
- your home made SKIN MASK, SOAP, SHAMPOO of superior quality to expensive ( and sometimes useless if not toxic cosmetics )
- your ANALGESIC & ANTI-INFLAMMATORY TEA
- your BLOOD PRESSURE lowering TEA
- your HEPATO-PROTECTIVE TEA
- your remedy TEA for coughs, throat chest ailments, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, dysentery and vomiting.

THE DECOCTION RECIPE COULDN'T BE EASIER :

* boil some leaves in water for 15 - 20 minutes

Guava leaves can be used externally to improve skin conditions for their strong anti-oxidant and anti-radical properties. The leaves have large amounts of Flavonoids and poly-phenols. While the inexpensive manufacture and widely marketed benzoyl peroxide is used as the first topical agent for acne vulgaris and remains the most widely used over-the-counter acne treatment in the United States, it is banned for use in cosmetics by the European Union. For skin conditions such as acne and rosacea harsh chemicals like benzoyl peroxide may only worsen matters, sometimes resulting in unaesthetic scars. Additionally, some chemicals can even be absorbed into the skin with varying levels of systemic toxicity. Benzoyl peroxide has a wide range of adverse effects on health. Natural alternatives to benzoyl peroxide are : Psidium guajava and Juglans regia leaf extracts, calendula or tea tree oil.
"Psidium guajava: a review of its traditional uses, phytochemistry and pharmacology.
Guti?ez RM, Mitchell S, Solis RV.
Laboratorio de Investigación de Productos Naturales, Escuela Superior de Ingeniería Química e Industrias extractivas IPN, Punto Fijo 16, Col. Torres Lindavista C.P. 07708 México, D.F., Mexico. "
"..A survey of the literature shows P. guajava is mainly known for its antispasmodic and antimicrobial properties in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. Has also been used extensively as a hypoglycaemic agent. Many pharmacological studies have demonstrated the ability of this plant to exhibit antioxidant, hepatoprotection, anti-allergy, antimicrobial, antigenotoxic, antiplasmodial, cytotoxic, antispasmodic, cardioactive, anticough, antidiabetic, antiinflamatory and antinociceptive activities, supporting its traditional uses. Suggest a wide range of clinical applications for the treatment of infantile rotaviral enteritis, diarrhoea and diabetes...";



ABHAIBHUBEJHR HOSPITAL IN THAILAND IS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION LEADING THE RESEARCH AND MAKING OF NATURAL HEALTH CARE PRODUCTS. below Soap and Toothpaste formulated with GUAVA LEAF extracts.

Psidium guajava : search '' guava leaf '' at the site below and discover numerous scientific studies on the following potent properties of guava leaves : hypoglycaemic, anti-oxidant, antibiotic, anti-carcinogenic...

PubMed :.US.National.Library.of.Medicine. National Institutes of Health

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

Found in U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine. National Institutes of Health : Hypoglycemic and hypotensive effects of Psidium guajava Linn. (Myrtaceae) leaf aqueous extract.
Ojewole JA. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa. ojewolej@ukzn.ac.zaThe leaf of Psidium guajava Linn. (family, Myrtaceae) is used traditionally in African folk medicine to manage, control, and/or treat a plethora of human ailments, including diabetes mellitus and hypertension. In order to scientifically appraise some of the anecdotal, folkloric, ethnomedical uses of P. guajava Linn., the present study was undertaken to investigate the hypoglycemic and hypotensive effects of P. guajava leaf aqueous extract (PGE, 50-800 mg/kg) in rat experimental paradigms. The hypoglycemic effect of the plant's extract was examined in normal and diabetic rats, using streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes mellitus model. Hypertensive Dahl salt-sensitive rats were used to investigate the hypotensive (antihypertensive) effect of the plant's extract. Chlorpropamide (CPP; 250 mg/kg, p.o.) was used as the reference hypoglycemic agent for comparison. Acute oral administrations of the plant's extract (PGE; 50-800 mg/kg, p.o.) caused dose-related, significant (p --------

In vitro antibacterial activity of Psidium guajava Linn. leaf extract on clinical isolates of multidrug resistant Staphylococcus aureus.Anas K, Jayasree PR, Vijayakumar T, Manish Kumar PR.
School of Health Sciences, University of Calicut, Calicut University. P.O, Malappuram 673 635.
In the present study, antibacterial activity of aqueous and organic extracts of Psidium guajava leaves was evaluated against multidrug resistant (MDR) clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus strains collected from hospitals in northern (Malabar region) Kerala. The strains which exhibited resistance against all the antibiotics tested was selected for antibacterial assays. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for methanolic and aqueous extracts was found to be 625 ug/ml and 7.5 mg/ml, respectively. Minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) recorded for methanolic and aqueous extracts was 1.25 and 12.5 mg/ml, respectively. Methanolic extract at minimum bactericidal concentration inhibited the growth of MDR strain by 80%. Time-kill assay revealed that methanolic extract (4 mg/ml) killed MDR bacteria within 10 hr. Total polypeptide profiling of bacterial cultures by SDS-PAGE indicated a high degree of protein degradative activity of the extract. Finally, a human RBC based haemolytic assay showed absence of haemolysis even at concentrations higher than that of MBC, advocating thereby its safety in therapeutic use.Shen SC, Cheng FC, Wu NJntiproliferative activity of guava leaf extract via inhibition of prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase isoforms.
--------

Kawakami Y, Nakamura T, Hosokawa T, Suzuki-Yamamoto T, Yamashita H, Kimoto M, Tsuji H, Yoshida H, Hada T, Takahashi Y.
Department of Nutritional Science, Faculty of Health and Welfare Science, Okayama Prefectural University, 111 Kuboki, Soja, Okayama 719-1197, Japan.

Prostaglandin endoperoxide H synthase (PGHS) is a key enzyme for the synthesis of prostaglandins (PGs) which play important roles in inflammation and carcinogenesis. Because the extract from Psidium guajava is known to have a variety of beneficial effects on our body including the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and antiproliferative activities, we investigated whether the extract inhibited the catalytic activity of the two PGHS isoforms using linoleic acid as an alternative substrate. The guava leaf extract inhibited the cyclooxygenase reaction of recombinant human PGHS-1 and PGHS-2 as assessed by conversion of linoleic acid to 9- and 13-hydroxyoctadecadienoic acids (HODEs). The guava leaf extract also inhibited the PG hydroperoxidase activity of PGHS-1, which was not affected by nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Quercetin which was one of the major components not only inhibited the cyclooxygenase activity of both isoforms but also partially inhibited the PG hydroperoxidase activity. Overexpression of human PGHS-1 and PGHS-2 in the human colon carcinoma cells increased the DNA synthesis rate as compared with mock-transfected cells which did not express any isoforms. The guava leaf extract not only inhibited the PGE(2) synthesis but also suppressed the DNA synthesis rate in the PGHS-1- and PGHS-2-expressing cells to the same level as mock-transfected cells. These results demonstrate the antiproliferative activity of the guava leaf extract which is at least in part caused by inhibition of the catalytic activity of PGHS isoforms..
--------

Action mechanism and signal pathways of Psidium guajava L. aqueous extract in killing prostate cancer LNCaP cells.
Chen KC, Peng CC, Chiu WT, Cheng YT, Huang GT, Hsieh CL, Peng RY.
Department of Urology, Taipei Medical University-Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taipei, Taiwan.

Aqueous extract of Psidium guajava L. budding leaves (PE) has been shown to possess anti-prostate cancer activity in a cell line model. We examined whether its bioactivity could be conserved either in the presence or the absence of synthetic androgen R1881. In both cases, PE was shown to inhibit LNCaP cell proliferation and down-regulate expressions of androgen receptor (AR) and prostate specific antigen (PSA). The cytotoxicity of PE was shown by enhanced LDH release in LNCaP cells. The flow cytometry analysis revealed cell cycle arrests at G(0)/G(1) phase with huge amount of apoptotic LNCaP cells after treatment with PE for 48 h in a dose-responsive manner, which was also confirmed by TUNEL assay. From the results of decreased Bcl-2/Bax ratio, inactivation of phosphor-Akt, activation of phosphor-p38, phospho-Erk1/phospho-Erk2, the molecular action mechanism of PE to induce apoptosis in LNCaP cells was elucidated. Compatible with the in vitro study findings, treatment with PE (1.5 mg/mouse/day) significantly diminished both the PSA serum levels and tumor size in a xenograft mouse tumor model. Conclusively, PE is a promising anti-androgen-sensative prostate cancer agent.-


Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com

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.

Tinospora crispa : stems with antioxidant and antiradical properties

TINOSPORA CRISPA - stem - for home made SKIN MASK of superior quality to expensive ( and sometimes useless if not toxic ) cosmetics.

THE RECIPE COULDN'T BE EASIER :

* Chop 25 g of stem, boil in 500 gr of water for 20 minutes

In cosmetics Tinospora crispa can be used externally as a soothing application in prurigo, eczema, impetigo and for its strong anti-oxidant and antiradical properties. Flavonoids (amongst them apigenin) are best known for their ability to act as powerful anti-oxidants and also have anti-allergic and antiviral properties.

"..Commonly used in Thai herbal medicine for the relief of symptoms associated with fever and infection. Decoction of the root in combination with ginger and sugar is given in cases of bilious dyspepsia and in cases of fevers with other bitters and aromatics. The efficacy of Tinospora crispa extract for the treatment of diabetes has been verified in animal models.."

SHAMPOO AND HAIR CONDITIONER as well as PILLS are formulated with TINOSPORA CRISPA EXTRACT .

ABHAIBHUBEJHR  HOSPITAL IN THAILAND IS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION LEADING THE RESEARCH AND MAKING OF NATURAL HEALTH CARE PRODUCTS.
 

PubMed : U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine. National Institutes of Health

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
Search '' tinospora crispa '' at the site above and discover about 15 scientific studies on the following potent properties of Tinospora crispa stems : Hypoglycaemic, anti-oxidant, anti-allergic, antiviral

Found in U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine. National Institutes of Health :

Antidiabetic effects of Tinospora crispa in rats.Noor H, Ashcroft SJ.Nuffield Department of Clinical Biochemistry, John Radcliffe Hospital, Headington, Oxford, U.K.In Malaysia, an aqueous extract of Tinospora crispa stems is taken orally to treat diabetes mellitus. In the present study, normal and alloxan-diabetic rats were used to evaluate the hypoglycaemic properties of the extract. A hypoglycaemic effect was observed in moderately diabetic rats with concomitant improvement in insulinaemia. After a 2-week treatment with the extract (4 g/l in the drinking water), these rats also showed improvement in glucose tolerance. Moreover, acute intravenous treatment with the extract (50 mg/kg) caused an increase in plasma insulin levels. The data support the traditional belief that T. crispa extract could improve diabetic conditions by virtue of its action on the endocrine pancreas.

Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com

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Cassia alata leaves : natural quick weigh loss tea and anti acne lotion

CASSIA ALATA ( Senna alata ) LEAVES -for the making of your * RAPID WEIGHT LOSS TEA and Anti-acne Lotion.

THE RECIPE COULDN'T BE EASIER :

Drop a few leaves in a cup of hot, not boiling water.

* BUT BE CAUTIOUS OF DANGEROUS RAPID WEIGHT LOSS when MISUSED :
Cassia plant extracts are the primary ingredient found in most "dieter's teas". The combination of acting as a stimulant which reduces a dieter's appetite, and the laxative properties that cause food to move through their system before as many calories can be absorbed is a combination that can lead to rapid and even dangerous weight loss.
{ See more below }

IN WIKIPEDIA : "..In medicine Sennas have for millennia played a major role in herbalism and folk medicine. Alexandrian Senna (S. alexandrina) was and still is a significant item of trans-national trade e.g. by the Ababdeh people and grown commercially, traditionally along the middle Nile but more generally in many regions around the northwestern Indian Ocean.

Sennas act as purgatives and are similar to aloe and rhubarb in having as active ingredients anthraquinone derivatives and their glucosides. The latter are called sennosides or senna glycosides. Senna alexandrina is used in modern medicine as a laxative;[4] acting on the lower bowel, it is especially useful in alleviating constipation. It increases the peristaltic movements of the colon by irritating the colonic mucosa. The plants are most often prepared as an infusion. Senna glycosides are listed as ATC code A06AB06 on their own and A06AB56 in combined preparations.Resveratrol was first isolated from Senna quinquangulata As regards other chemicals, the antiinflammatory compound resveratrol was first isolated from S. quinquangulata,and Siamese Senna S. siamea contains barakol used to counteract aconitine poisoning. Chinese Senna (S. obtusifolia) seeds are also used in Kamp? (traditional Japanese medicine) where they are called ketsumei-shi or by their Chinese name ju? míng z.[...] Senna is also the primary ingredient found in most "dieter's teas". The combination of acting as a stimulant which reduces a dieter's appetite, and the laxative properties that cause food to move through their system before as many calories can be absorbed is a combination that can lead to rapid and even dangerous weight loss.."




ABHAIBHUBEJHR HOSPITAL IN THAILAND IS A PUBLIC INSTITUTION LEADING THE RESEARCH AND MAKING OF NATURAL HEALTH CARE PRODUCTS. Cassia alata leaves are a common ingredient of Health Teas in South East Asia.

RIGHT : A TEA PACK CONTAINING CASSIA ALATA LEAVES

PubMed : U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine. National Institutes of Health

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed
CASSIA ALATA : search '' Cassia alata '' at the site above and discover several scientific studies on the following properties of Cassia leaves : anti-microbial, anti-oxidant, antifungal

Found in U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine. National Institutes of Health : In vitro antimicrobial activity of ethanol and water extracts of Cassia alata.

Somchit MN, Reezal I, Nur IE, Mutalib AR.
Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universiti Putra Malaysia, 43400 UPM Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia. nhareet@medic.upm.edu.my
Crude ethanol and water extract of leaves and barks from Cassia alata were tested in vitro against fungi, (Aspergillus fumigatus and Microsporum canis), yeast (Candida albicans) and bacteria (Staphylococcus aereus and Escherichia coli). C. albicans showed concentration-dependent susceptibility towards both the ethanol and water extracts from the barks, but resistant towards the extracts of leaves. The degree of susceptibility varied, the water extract from barks showed bigger inhibition zone than the ethanol extracts (12-16 and 10-14 mm, diameter respectively). The growth of Aspergillus fumigatus and Microsporum canis were not affected by all types of the plant extracts. Results were comparable to standard antifungal drug Tioconazole (18 mm diameter) at equivalent concentration. The anti-bacterial activity of C. alata extracts on S. aureus was detected with only the leaves extracts using water and ethanol. The water extract exhibited higher antibacterial activity than the ethanol extract from leaves (inhibition zones of 11-14 and 9-11 mm, respectively). E. coli showed resistance to all types of extracts. Based on the current findings, it can be concluded that this plant has antimicrobial activity, which is as potent as standard antimicrobial drugs against certain microorganisms. Copyright 2002 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.


Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com

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Stevia rebaudiana whole leaves are a healthy sugar substitute

STEVIA REBAUDIANA WHOLE DRIED LEAVES for chewing. ( Quality leaves are shipped in a vacuum sealed bag for edible content by aleyagarden.com )

STEVIA REBAUDIANA LEAVES ARE A GENUINE HEALTHY SUBSTITUTE FOR SUGAR IN TEAS, DRINKS, FOOD WITHOUT ANY OF THE SUCROSE EFFECTS.

IF YOU HAVE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO GET RID OF A SMOKING HABIT, CHEWING WHOLE DRIED LEAVES OF STEVIA MAY BRING THE SOLUTION : WHILE NICOTINE GUM LEAD TO A SECOND ADDICTION, WHILE LICORICE REPEATED INTAKE CAUSES SERIOUS HEART PROBLEMS AND ANXIETY, AND FOOD INTAKE INCREASES WEIGHT, CHEWING SEVERAL WHOLE DRIED STEVIA LEAVES WILL HELP YOU EFFICIENTLY SUPPRESS YOUR CRAVING FOR SMOKE, RELEASING THE LICORICE TASTE THAT ALL SMOKERS LOVE. STEVIA WHOLE LEAVES WILL IN THE SAME TIME DETER THE DESIRE FOR FOOD BY REGULATING BLOOD SUGAR

NOTA : STEVIA REBAUDIANA LEAVES DO NOT RELEASE A LICORICE TASTE IN FOOD AND DRINKS IF THE AMOUNT OF LEAVES IS NOT IN EXCESS.

IF YOU ARE ON A DIET CHEWING DRIED WHOLE LEAVES WILL HELP YOU LOSE WEIGHT
THIS HEALTHY SUBSTITUTE THAT TASTES EVEN BETTER THAN USUAL SUGAR HAS, IN THE FORM OF WHOLE LEAVES AN UNPARALLELED EFFICIENCY FOR WEIGHT LOSS : THEIR CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT NOT ONLY REGULATES BLOOD SUGAR, IT ALSO REDUCES THE CRAVINGS FOR SWEETS AND FATTY FOODS, SO CHEWING A FEW LEAVES REDUCES HUNGER WHILE BRINGING A RICH SWEET AND SOFT LICORICE TASTE, WITH MINERALS, FIBERS AND OTHER HARD TO FIND BUT ESSENTIAL NUTRIENTS

SUPPRESS APPETITE BY EATING SWEET AND USEFUL ! TRY CHEWING WHOLE DRIED LEAVES OF STEVIA REBAUDIANA TODAY ! CHEWING DRIED WHOLE LEAVES BRINGS LONG LASTING PROTECTION AGAINST FOUL BREATH. THEY ALSO SUPPRESS THE GROWTH OF DENTAL PLAQUE. LEAVES OF STEVIA CONTAIN AN ABUNDANCE OF ANTIOXIDANT POLYPHENOLS AND FLAVONOIDS THAT INHIBIT ORAL BACTERIA CAUSING THE FOUL SMELLING VOLATILE COMPOUNDS OF BAD BREATH.
These bacteria are anaerobic, thrive well in environments lacking oxygen, such as the very back of the tongue and deep gum pockets. While mouthwashes and toothpaste induce fake or non lasting effects ( toothpaste often contain Sodium Lauryl Sulfate that only masks odors ), keeping in mouth a few whole leaves allows to control the duration of their inhibition effects. Also the action of chewing or keeping in mouth stimulates saliva production, this saliva reaches the very back of the tongue, post nasal drips and excess mucus buildup.

Although leaves of black & green teas, owing to their antioxidant properties are also beneficial against foul breath, chewing a few leaves is not agreeable. On the contrary LEAVES OF STEVIA bring a sweet rich licorice taste !

Originating from the best plantations in sub-tropical Asia, where altitude and climate are ideal conditions of quality, our dry leaves contain proteins, fiber, carbohydrates, iron, phosphorus, calcium, potassium, sodium, magnesium, zinc, the flavonoid rutin, vitamin A, Vitamin C and an oil rich of about 50 constituents.
Shipped in a vacuum sealed bag for edible content.

WHOLE STEVIA REBAUDIANA DRIED LEAVES BRING THE BEST BENEFITS. SWEETER THAN GREEN LEAVES THEY ARE A PURE, NON BLENDED PRODUCT 100 % NATURAL, NOT A PRODUCT FROM THE CHEMICAL INDUSTRY.
THEY ARE 30 TIMES SWEETER THAN SUGAR FOR 0 CALORIES HENCE A 0 GLYCEMIC INDEX UNLIKE EXTRACTS, WHOLE LEAVES CONTAIN FIBERS LIKE CEREALS.

THEY ALSO BRING NUMEROUS USEFUL NUTRIENTS HARD TO FIND IN OUR DIETS, SUCH AS MAGNESIUM AND ZINC BUT ESSENTIAL TO HEALTH MAINTENANCE. USED AND STUDIED FOR DECADES IN JAPAN, SOUTH EAST ASIA AND CENTRAL AMERICA THIS SUGAR SUBSTITUTE IS ABSOLUTELY SAFE, NON TOXIC AND NON CARCINOGENIC, EVEN DURING PREGNANCY AND FOR CHILDREN.

THE LEAVES HAVE PLAQUE-RETARDANT PROPERTIES THAT PREVENT TOOTH DECAY. THEIR CARBOHYDRATE CONTENT NOT ONLY REGULATES BLOOD SUGAR, IT ALSO REDUCES THE CRAVING FOR SWEETS AND FATTY FOODS, SO CHEWING A FEW LEAVES REDUCES HUNGER WHILE BRINGING A RICH AND SOFT LICORICE TASTE.

Stevia is a potent sweetener, a recommended dose is 2 - 3 whole or crushed leaves in a cup of tea : taste test before adding more because an excess amount will produce a licorice taste or some bitterness.
Sugar triggers an aging process in the body called glycation where the sugar molecules bind to the protein fibres of collagen causing a detrimental effect on texture tone, radiance and skin elasticity. The glycation process causes these proteins to mutate, creating harmful new molecules called Advanced Glycation End products (AGEs ), which accumulate and cause further inflammation and damage to collagen and elastin.
Clearly a reduced sugar intake will effectively decrease glycation. But Stevia leaves have anti aging properties per se : a water based whole leaf Stevia concentrate used consistently in skin care in facial mask applications for at least 30-60 minutes softens and tightens the skin, smoothing out the wrinkles. The healing of various skin pimples and blemishes including acne is an other great benefit but Stevia applies to a variety of problem skin conditions including seborrhea, dermatitis and eczema.
Wikipedia and other internet sources have documented some medicinal properties
of Stevia rebaudiana, please see below.

Stevia rebaudiana Stevia is a genus of about 240 species of herbs and shrubs in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), native to subtropical and tropical South America and Central America. The species Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, commonly known as sweetleaf, sweet leaf, sugarleaf, or simply stevia, is widely grown for its sweet leaves. As a sweetener and sugar substitute, stevia's taste has a slower onset and longer duration than that of sugar, although some of its extracts may have a bitter or licorice-like aftertaste at high concentrations.

With its extracts having up to 300 times the sweetness of sugar, stevia has garnered attention with the rise in demand for low- carbohydrate, low-sugar food alternatives. Medical research has also shown possible benefits of stevia in treating obesity and high blood pressure. Because stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to people on carbohydrate-controlled diets. However, health and political controversies have limited stevia's availability in many countries; for example, the United States banned it in the early 1990s unless labeled as a supplement.

Stevia is widely used as a sweetener in Japan, and it is now available in Canada as a dietary supplement.
Rebiana is the trade name for a zero-calorie sweetener containing mainly the steviol glycoside rebaudioside A (Reb-A), which is extracted from stevia. Truvia is the consumer brand for a sweetener made of erythritol and Rebiana marketed by Cargill and developed jointly with The Coca-Cola Company. In December 2008, the United States Food and Drug Administration permitted Reb A based sweeteners as food additives. PureVia is the PepsiCo and Merisant brand of Reb A.

Human use of the sweet species S. rebaudiana originated in South America. The leaves of the stevia plant have 30–45 times the sweetness of sucrose (ordinary table sugar). The leaves can be eaten fresh, or put in teas and foods. In 1899, The Swiss botanist Moisés Santiago Bertoni first described the plant and the sweet taste in detail. But only limited research was conducted on the topic, until in 1931, two French chemists isolated the glycosides that give stevia its sweet taste. These compounds were named stevioside and rebaudioside, and are 250–300 times
sweeter than sucrose, heat stable, pH stable, and non-fermentable. The exact structure of the aglycone and the glycoside were published in 1955. In the early 1970s, Japan began cultivating stevia as an alternative to artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate and saccharin, which were suspected carcinogens. The plants' leaves, the aqueous extract of the leaves, and purified steviosides are used as sweeteners. Since the Japanese firm Morita Kagaku Kogyo Co., Ltd. produced the first commercial stevia sweetener in Japan in 1971, the Japanese have been using stevia in food products, soft drinks (including Coca Cola), and for table use. Japan currently consumes more stevia than any other country, with stevia accounting for 40% of the sweetener market. Today, stevia is cultivated and used in food elsewhere in east Asia, including in China (since 1984), Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, and Malaysia. It can also be found in Saint Kitts and Nevis, in parts of South America (Brazil, Colombia, Peru, Paraguay, and Uruguay) and in Israel. China is the world's largest exporter of stevioside.
Stevia species are found in the wild in semi- arid habitats ranging from grassland to mountain terrain. Stevia does produce seeds, but only a small percentage of them germinate. Planting cloned stevia is a more effective method of reproduction.

Medicinal use For centuries, the Guaraní tribes of Paraguay and Brazil used stevia, which they called ka'a he'ê ("sweet herb"), as a sweetener in yerba mate and medicinal teas for treating heartburn and other ailments. More recent medical research has shown promise in treating obesity, high blood pressure, and hypertension. Stevia has a negligible effect on blood glucose, even enhancing glucose tolerance; therefore, it is attractive as a natural sweetener to diabetics and others on carbohydrate-controlled diets. Possible treatment of osteoporosis has been suggested by observations that eggshell breakage can be reduced by 75% by adding a small percentage of stevia leaf powder to chicken feed, and that pigs given 2% stevia leaf powder in their feed experienced a doubling of serum calcium.

PubMed : U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine.
National Institutes of Health

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed

STEVIA
PROPERTIES : search '' Stevia rebaudiana leaves '' at the site above
and discover more than 60 scientific studies on the amazing
properties of Stevia leaves :
Found
in U.S. National.Library.of.Medicine.
National Institutes of Health
Mechanism of the antihypertensive effect of stevioside in
anesthetized dogs.


Liu JC, Kao PK, Chan P, Hsu YH, Hou CC, Lien GS,
Hsieh MH, Chen YJ, Cheng JT.

Department of Medicine, Taipei Medical University--Wan Fang Hospital,
Taipei, Taiwan.
"...Stevioside
is a sweet-tasting glycoside isolated from the leaves of
Stevia rebaudiana. It has been used as a noncaloric sugar
substitute in Japan and Brazil for decades. Previous studies
have shown that it lowered blood pressure in spontaneously
hypertensive rats by intravenous injection. This study was
designed to evaluate the hypotensive effect of stevioside in
dogs and to define the underlying mechanism. After
nasogastric administration of stevioside powder (200 mg/kg),
the blood pressure of healthy mongrel dogs began to
significantly decrease at 60 min and returned to baseline
level at 180 min. The reduction of blood pressure was more
rapid (at 5-10 min) and effective after intravenous
injection. However, no significant change of blood pressure
was noted after injection through left vertebral artery,
implicating that the hypotensive effect is not related to
the central nervous system. Stevioside also showed
significant hypotensive effects in renal hypertensive dogs,
in a dose-dependent manner. In cultured rat aortic smooth
muscle cells (A7r5 cell line), stevioside can
dose-dependently inhibit the stimulatory effects of
vasopressin and phenylephrine on intracellular Ca(2+) in a
calcium-containing medium. However, no intracellular Ca(2+)
inhibitory effect was observed in calcium-free medium,
implicating that stevioside may inhibit the Ca(2+) influx
from extracellular fluid. Our present data show that
stevioside did not influence the calcium ionophore (A23187)
induced Ca(2+) influx, indicating that the antagonistic
effect was through Ca(2+) channels. This study confirmed
that stevioside is an effective antihypertensive natural
product, and its hypotensive mechanism may be probably due
to inhibition of the Ca(2+) influx. Copyright 2003 S. Karger
AG, Basel..."
Hoya and other plant collections are for sale on aleyagarden.com Plant care is available in various posts of this blog. Contact : aleyagarden@hotmail.com

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Gingko biloba leaves anti brain aging ?

GINGKO BILOBA DRIED LEAVES, Pack of net 400 gr.Dried leaves are used as Teas whose reported effects are brain function enhancement, anti brain aging and protection against oxidative cell damage from free radicals.

In Wikipedia and other sources on the internet :

Medicinal uses
Extracts of Ginkgo leaves contain flavonoid glycosides and terpenoids (ginkgolides, bilobalides) and have been used pharmaceutically. Ginkgo supplements are usually taken in the range of 40–200 mg per day. Ginkgo has many alleged nootropic properties, and is mainly used as memory and concentration enhancer, and anti-
vertigo agent. [..]."

A National Institute of Health study echoed these results in 2002.[..] According
to some studies, in a few cases, Ginkgo can significantly improve attention in healthy individuals. Allegedly, the effect is almost immediate and reaches its peak in 2.5 hours after the intake.

In dementia
A 2004 conference paper summarizes how various trials indicate that Ginkgo shows promise in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease, though a 2008 study found it ineffective at treating dementia.


In ongoing studies, a research team led by Luan Luo, PhD,
associate professor at the University of Maryland School of Pharmacy, found that giving mice with the human Alzheimer’s gene the ginkgo extract called Egb 761 improved the process of making new nerve cells in part of the brain much affected by the disease.
The team found evidence that the protective effect of the extract also could be due to decreasing senile plaques or the clumping of beta-amyloid in the brain tissues.
Out of the many conflicting research results, Ginkgo extract may have three effects on the human body: improvement in blood flow (including microcirculation in small capillaries) to most tissues and organs; protection against oxidative cell damage from free radicals; and blockage of many of the effects of platelet-activating factor (platelet aggregation, blood clotting) that have been related to the development of a number of cardiovascular, renal, respiratory and central nervous system disorders. Ginkgo can be used for intermittent claudication.

Some studies suggest a link between ginkgo and the easing of the symptoms of
tinnitus. A study conducted in 2003 by the Department of Dermatology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh, India concluded that Ginkgo is an effective treatment for arresting the development of vitiligo.


Side effects
Ginkgo may have undesirable effects, especially for individuals with blood
circulation disorders and those taking anticoagulants such as ibuprofen, aspirin, or warfarin, although recent studies have found that ginkgo has little or no effect on the anticoagulant properties or pharmacodynamics of warfarin. Ginkgo should also not be used by people who are taking certain types of antidepressants (monoamine oxidase inhibitors and selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors or by pregnant women, without first consulting a doctor.

Ginkgo side effects and cautions include: possible increased risk of bleeding,
gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, headaches, dizziness, heart palpitations, and restlessness. If any side effects are experienced, consumption should be stopped immediately.

Ginkgo biloba leaves contain long chain alkylphenols together with the extremely
potent allergens, the urushiols (similar to poison ivy)


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Bael dried fruits make excellent aromatic teas

BAEL DRIED SLICED FRUITS
For many addicted drinkers of aromatic teas, Bael Tea ( Aegle marmelos, Bengal quince teas ) ranks among the most delicious drinks, hot or iced, available on Earth. It is also the most efficient tea against constipation and doesn't cause flatulence. Bael fruit yields its properties to water, either by decoction or maceration.The pulp yields mucilage and pectin to cold water.
A traditional remedy to insomnia the fruit is also used against such ailments as diarrhea, dysentery, intestinal parasites, dryness of the eyes, and the common cold.

In Wikipedia:

Medicinal Uses
"... The fruit is eaten fresh or dried. If fresh, the juice is strained and sweetened to make a drink similar to lemonade, and is also used in making sharbat, a refreshing drink where the pulp is mixed with lime juice. If the fruit is to be dried, it is usually sliced first and left to dry by the heat of the sun. The hard leathery slices are then placed in a pan with several litres of water which is then boiled and simmered. As for other parts of the plant, the leaves and small shoots are eaten as salad greens...."

Ritual uses"... In Hinduism, Bel(Bilwa) tree is very sacred. It is used in worshipping of God Shiva. Hindus believe that God Shiva will be pleased with Bilwa Pattra Puja. The importance of this tree in worshipping of Shiva is mentioned in several sacred books...In the traditional culture of Nepal, the Bael tree is part of an important fertility ritual for girls known as the Bel baha..."

Habitat
"... Bael is indigenous to dry forests on hills and plains of central and southern India, southern Nepal, Sri Lanka, Myanmar, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand. It is cultivated throughout India, as well as in Sri Lanka, northern Malay Peninsula, Java in the Philippines and Fiji Islands..."

 

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