Spices & Medicinal herbs

HERBS	Angelica :: Aloe Vera :: Basil :: Chamomile :: Chives :: Coriander :: Dill :: Lemon Balm :: Musli :: Oregano :: Stevia
SPICES	Ajwain :: Allspice :: Bay Leaf :: Black Cardamon :: Green Cardamon :: Cinnamon :: Cloves :: Cumin :: Cayenne Pepper
VEGETABLES	Amaranth :: Breadfruit :: Brocolli :: Cauliflower :: Cucumber :: Drumstick :: Hijiki :: Garlic

Herbs Classifical of Herbs Herbs by Common Name Herbs by Property List of Herbs Alfalfa Allspice Aloe Vera Abuta Aconite Angelica Anise Annatto Arugula Agrimony Apple mint Asafoetida Ashwagandha Avens Barberry Basil Bakula Bhilwa Bistort Bitter melon Bog Labrador Tea Borage Boldo Bala Bayberry Bearberry Bhringraj Beautyberry Black walnut Blessed thistle Black cohosh Burdock root Candle nut Capsicum Coriander Caraway Calamus Chamomile Chickweed Chives Cleavers Dill Echinacea Flax Fennel Lavender Kali Musli Lemon Balm Musli Oregano Stevia Spices Vegetables

Polygonum bistorta

(Common name:- Bistort)

Classification

• Kingdom : Plantae
• Division : Magnoliophyta
• Class : Magnoliopsida
• Order : Caryophyllales
• Family : Polygonaceae
• Genus : Polygonum
• Species :P.bistortia

Bistort is a genus of herb polygonum.

History

Bistort is a perennial mountain herb and a native to northern Europe and Eurasia, but also found in North America and parts of Asia where it grows wild in damp fields, wet meadows and by stream banks.

It is also found at higher elevations west of the Rocky Mountains.

Its leaves and young shoots are widely used as vegetables, being still, indeed in the north of England it is used as ingredient in herb pudding. This herb's leaves and roots had a great reputation as a remedy for wounds.

Plant Description

A number of tuberous roots are produced from the S- shaped root stock from the upper side where there are large oval leaves with heart shaped bases of bluish green color on the upper side and ash grey tinged purple, underneath both leaf stalks and blades which is about 6 inches long.

The flower stalk is 12 to 18 inches high and is very erect, slender, unbranched and bears leaves smaller than the root leaves. The flowers are produced in May and June and again in September and October.

The fruit is three seeded; the ripe fruit is small brown and shinning.

Cultivation

It is cultivated in gardens as a deciduous ornamental plant and medicinal plant.

It thrives in moist soil, partial in shade and grows to three feet high. This herb is difficult to eradicate once established and considered noxious weed in some low lying pastures.

The root is thick knobby and twisted into S shaped up to 3feet long black on the outside and red from inside. Roots and rhizomes are dug up in the fall.
It is cultivated in many parts of northern Europe, Siberia, and Japan, and in western Asia to Himalayas. It is commonly grown in north of England and southern Scotland in wet meadows.

Parts Used

Root stock and rhizome

Constituents

Bistort is said to contain tannin, and lot of starch. It also contains some gallic acid and gum.

Culinary uses

• American bistort (polygonum bistortoides) is an important source of food used by American Indians living in the mountain west. Its roots are edible either raw or fire roasted. Its flavor is similar to chestnuts.
• Seeds of bistort herb are dried and used in ground flour to make bread. They are also roasted and eaten as cracked grain.

Medicinal uses

This herb is used in various bodily ailments.

• Its powder is used to apply on cuts and wounds to stop bleeding.
• Effective in jaundice.
• Expel the venom of the plague.
• Helpful in measles and smallpox, and in other infections.

Bistort root is one of the strongest astringent medicines in whole of the vegetable kingdom and highly styptic. It is an old remedy to treat internal and external bleeding including.

• Excessive menstrual flow.
• Hemorrhaging from the lungs and stomach.

Its high astringent helps to treat diarrhea, hemorrhoids, bedwetting, spongy gums and vomiting.

Its can be used internally in diarrhea, dysentery, peptic ulcers and irritable bowl syndrome.

Externally it can be used to treat wounds, fissures and burns.

Other names

• Adderwort.
• Patience dock Snake weed.
• Dragon wort.
• Easter giant.
• Red legs.
• Sweet dock.
• English serpentery.