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Medicinal
Use
The drumstick
is valued mainly for its tender pods, which are relished as vegetable
but all its parts - bark, root, fruit, flowers, leaves, seeds and even
gum - are of medicinal value.
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They
are used in the treatment of ascites, rheumatism and venomous
bites as antiseptic and as cardiac and circulatory stimulants. |
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Fresh
root of the young tree (as also the root bark) is used as rubefacient
and vesicant. Internally, it is a stimulant, diuretic and antilithic.
Externally, it is applied as a plaster or poultice to inflammatory
swellings. |
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The
root, in prescribed doses, is given in intermittent fevers,
paralytic affections, epilepsy and hysteria and externally in
palsy, chronic rheumatism, enlargement of spleen, dyspepsia
and also in bites by rabid animals. |
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A
compound spirit made of the roots and orange peel with a little
bruised nutmeg is useful in fainting fits, giddiness, nervous
debility, spasmodic affections of the bowels, hysteria and flatulence. |
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A
decoction or infusion of the root with the addition of bruised
mustard seeds is used in ascites caused by diseases of the liver
and spleen. |
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This
decoction or infusion is also useful as a gargle in soreness
of mouth and throat, and pain in the gums due to dental caries. |
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Freshly
extracted juice of the root bark is used to relieve otalgia
by pouring it into the ears and also into the hollow of the
tooth in cases of dental caries. |
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Its
seeds are acrid and stimulant. The oil of the seeds is applied
in gout and rheumatism. The leaves are rich in vitamins A and
C and are considered useful in catarrhal affections. |
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The
juice of the leaves is dropped into the eyes in fainting fits
caused by nervous debility, spasmodic affections of the bowel,
hysteria and flatulence |
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The
juice is mixed with honey and applied to the eyelids in cases
of eye diseases. |
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A paste of the leaves is used as an external application for
wounds. Poultice of the leaves is useful in reducing glandular
swellings. |
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Its
flowers are used as stimulant, tonic, diuretic and cholagogue.
They are useful in increasing the flow of bile. |
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Its
gum, mixed with sesamum oil, is dropped into the ears in otalgia.
The gum, rubbed with milk and made into a paste, can also be
applied to the temples in headache. |
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It
is also applied to buboes and to painful bones in syphilis. |
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The
pods made into a soup are prescribed as a diet in sub-acute
cases of enlarged liver and spleen, articular pains, tetanus,
debility of nerves, paralysis, pustules, patches and leprosy. |
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A
curry made from the unripe pods acts as a preventive against
intestinal worms. |
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Drumsticks
other miraculous quality-its ability to purify water-has been
used by households for centuries. But it has only recently been
tested commercially. Powdered Moringa seeds, when added to murky,
bacteria-laden water, act as a coagulant, binding to the bacteria
and silt and falling to the bottom of the vessel. The clean
water can then be poured out. |
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