Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

admin — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 14:01:05 +0000

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa): The whole herb is used medicinally to help stop bleeding to benefit the kidneys and as a general tonic. It is a good laxative and a natural diuretic. It is a folk remedy for arthritis and is reputed to be an excellent appetite stimulant. Alfalfa possesses extremely high nutritional value. An excellent source of vitamins A and D, alfalfa leaf is used in the infants’ cereal pablum. Also rich in vitamin K, alfalfa leaf has been used in medicine to encourage blood clotting. Alfalfa also lowers blood cholesterol. Other recommended uses for alfalfa are for asthma and hayfever. It has also been found to retard the development of streptozotocin diabetes in mice. It is a traditional European and Russian tea for wasting diseases and is used in some German clinics as a dietary aid in Celiac Disease, together with traditional treatment and diet. A safe and appropriate tea for pregnancy, along with raspberry leaves; also good to drink when sulfa or antibiotic drugs are taken.

Aerva (Aerva lanata)

admin — Sat, 31 Jan 2009 09:33:56 +0000

Aerva (Aerva lanata): The roots are diuretic and demulcent. They are credited with tonic properties and given to pregnant women. The roots and flowers are used to cure headaches. The flowers are used for the removal of kidney stones and in gonorrhea. Roots used in headache and also as emulcent. Decoction of the root is given as tonic to pregnant women. Also used for the treatment of gonorrhea and kidney disorders, cutaneous affections and sugar in urine. This herb is described as “one of the best known remedies for bladder and kidney stones.” Ayurvedic practitioners recommend a decoction of the plant to be taken internally for a few days to dissolves the stone and to clear the urinary path. As a tea it is used as a flushing-out treatment using more than 2 liters per day, sometimes combined with a medication for inflammations of the genitourinary tract (cystitis, urethritis), urinary gravel and nonobstructive stones, to prevent relapsing urinary infections, gravel and stones and for inflammations of the upper respiratory tract (bronchitis, phyarngitis, etc; coughs due to thickened bronchial section, and gastrointestinal tract. Externally it is used as a poultice for minor skin inflammations. It is useful to treat boils cephalgia, Cough, and lithiasis. Forfever: Crush the leaves in cold water and bathe.

Herb Review » diuretic

Alfalfa (Medicago sativa)

Aerva (Aerva lanata)