Blood Cleanser

Filipino term: Bilabila
Ingles: Quitch grass

Traditional Herbs

Intire Plants can be used:

Ten grams of fresh plants boil five glass of water. cool and drink two times a day. Five grams of root dried materials, boil five glass of water, cool and drink two times a day.

The number one cleanses blood,rheumatism, gout, stomach disease, and others, all types of catararh due to cold, fever, gastritis, gall bladder, etc., promotes perspiration, increases urine,The root excellent neutralize blood preasure

General An excellent remedy in excessive irritability of the bladder, dysuria, cystitis, gonorrhoea. …

Dose.
Tincture or infusion by boiling two ounces in a quart of water until it is reduce to a pint. To be taken in four doses in 24 hours.

Posted by Philippine Herbal’s at 10:08 PM

Source: http://mountainherbs.blogspot.com/2009/05/cleanses-blood.html

Health Benefits of Turmeric

Turmeric is one of nature’s most powerful healers. The active ingredient in turmeric is curcumin. Tumeric has been used for over 2500 years in India, where it was most likely first used as a dye.

The medicinal properties of this spice have been slowly revealing themselves over the centuries. Long known for its anti-inflammatory properties, recent research has revealed that turmeric is a natural wonder, proving beneficial in the treatment of many different health conditions from cancer to Alzheimer’s disease.

Here are 20 reasons to add turmeric to your diet:

1. It is a natural antiseptic and antibacterial agent, useful in disinfecting cuts and burns.

2. When combined with cauliflower, it has shown to prevent prostate cancer and stop the growth of existing prostate cancer.

3. Prevented breast cancer from spreading to the lungs in mice.

4. May prevent melanoma and cause existing melanoma cells to commit suicide.

5. Reduces the risk of childhood leukemia.

6. Is a natural liver detoxifier.

7. May prevent and slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease by removing amyloyd plaque buildup in the brain.

8. May prevent metastases from occurring in many different forms of cancer.

9. It is a potent natural anti-inflammatory that works as well as many anti-inflammatory drugs but without the side effects.

10. Has shown promise in slowing the progression of multiple sclerosis in mice.

11. Is a natural painkiller and cox-2 inhibitor.

12. May aid in fat metabolism and help in weight management.

13. Has long been used in Chinese medicine as a treatment for depression.

14. Because of its anti-inflammatory properties, it is a natural treatment for arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

15. Boosts the effects of chemo drug paclitaxel and reduces its side effects.

16. Promising studies are underway on the effects of turmeric on pancreatic cancer.

17. Studies are ongoing in the positive effects of turmeric on multiple myeloma.

18. Has been shown to stop the growth of new blood vessels in tumors.

19. Speeds up wound healing and assists in remodeling of damaged skin.

20. May help in the treatment of psoriasis and other inflammatory skin conditions.

Turmeric can be taken in powder or pill form. It is available in pill form in most health food stores, usually in 250-500mg capsules.

Once you start using turmeric on a regular basis, it’s fun to find new ways to use it in recipes. My favorite way to use it is to add a pinch of it to egg salad. It adds a nice flavor and gives the egg salad a rich yellow hue.

Contraindications: Turmeric should not be used by people with gallstones or bile obstruction. Though turmeric is often used by pregnant women, it is important to consult with a doctor before doing so as turmeric can be a uterine stimulant.

Eat This!

http://www.healthdiaries.com/eatthis/20-health-benefits-of-turmeric.html

Chemical constituents, characteristics and Pharmacological Effects

Volatile oil, 3-5% – tumerol (alcohol), d-alpha phellandrene, carvone, camphor, curcumone; fat, 3%; starch, 30%; resin; curcumin (pigment).
Pungent and bitter tasting, warming, carminative.
Improves Ch’i circulation.
Anti -contusion.
Yellow orange color comes from yellow pigment in the rhizomes called curcumin.
Believed to have antioxidant, antiinflammatory, cholesterol-lowering, and anticarcinogenic activity.
Antiinflammatory activity has been compared to topical hydrocortisone.
Antiseptic, antibacterial, antifungal.

Uses

Folkloric
· Fevers, dysentery, abdominal pain, flatulence, abdominal spasm, arthritis: Decoction of rhizome as tea.
· Menstrual irregularities
· Contusions and associated painful swelling.
· Antiseptic for wounds: Crush rhizome and apply to wounds.
· Externally, rhizomes are applied to insect bites, ringworm, bleeding.
· Dosage: Decoction of 2 to 6 gms dried material.
• In India, used as antiseptic for cuts. Used for leprosy, liver problems, swelling, insect bites, wounds, whooping cough, pimples. Sweetened milk boiled with tumeric is popular as a remedy for colds and cough.
• In Ayurveda, use as stomach and liver tonic and blood purifier.

Culinary
· Condiment and coloring for food.
• In dried or powdered form, used like ginger.

New Age
· Improves Qi (chi) circulation. Chi is the basis of traditional Eastern medicine. In chinese parlance, chi means ‘spirit.’ In new-age speak, good health is synonymous with free-flowing energy through meridian pathways. A blocked Qi flow is associated with disease or ill-health.

Others
Approved by German health authorities for the treatment of dyspeptic complaints.
Recent uses and preparation
Wounds and swelling
Ointment: Wash the unpeeled ginger. Chop the rhizomes to fill half a glass of water. Sauté with one glass of coconut oil on low heat for five minutes. Place in a clean bottle and label.
Antiseptic for wounds: Extract juice of the fresh rhizome and apply directly on the wound or swelling.
Gas pain in adults: Decoction from thumb-sized rhizome in a glass of water reduced to half.

Studies

• Curcumin Suppresses Metastasis in a Human Breast Cancer Xenograft Model: The dietary administration to mice of curcumin and curcumin plus Taxol significantly decreased the incidence of breast cancer metastasis to the lung. The results indicate that curcumin has a potential for breast cancer therapy.
• Hepatoprotective: The study suggests the ethanolic extract of C. longa has potent hepatoprotective effect against paracetamol-induced liver damage in rats and validates its use as a hepatoprotectant agent.
• Antifungal: The study on the ethanolic extracts of Curcuma longa and Alpinia galanga exhibited excellent phytotoxic activity against Lemna minor and good antifungal activities against Trichophyton longifusus.
• Antibacterial: Study showed the essential oil fraction from tumeric possesses significant antibacterial activity against pathogenic Staph aureus bacteria and suggests a potential for use of the essential oil as antiseptic in prevention and treatment of bacterial infections.
• Hypoglycemic / Hypolipidemic / Antioxidant: Study of Curcuma longa and Abroma augusta found them to be efficient antioxidants and showed significant reduction in glood glucose. Study showed the combination of herbal extracts showed better efficacy compared to individual plant extracts.

Caution

• Anticoagulation Concerns: Ginger may decrease thromboxane production and cause prolong bleeding time and platelet inhibition. Therefore, should be used with caution by patients receiving anticoagulant therapy.

http://www.stuartxchange.org/Dilaw.html

Therapeutic Uses: Turmeric is beneficial in the treatment of Gallbladder problems, hepatitis, indigestion, infections, lack of appetite, scabies, alzheimer’s disease, arthritis, asthma, athlete’s foot, boils, bursitis, breast cancer, colon cancer, cataracts, colic, dermatitis, diarrhea, eczema, fibrosis, gallstones, gas, hardening of the arteries, heart disease, high cholesterol, high triglycerides, inflammation, intestinal pain, irritable bowel syndrome, jaundice, lack of menstruation, lymph gland problems, menstrual pain, morning sickness, pain, psoriasis, sprains, ulcers, wounds, yeast infections.

It is also being use for the treatment of bruises, for childbirth, eye inflammation, epilepsy, fever, hemorrhage, hemorrhoids, itching, ringworm.

Therapeutic Properties: Turmeric contains curcumin and curcuminoids it is a first rate natural remedy for arthritis, it has an anti-inflammatory ingredient that can help alleviate pain. It can also help protect the gallbladder and liver and provide a defense against cancer. Curcumin can also help inhibit the formation of cancer in breast tissue. Experiment on animal shows that curcumin slashed the risk of colon cancer by almost 60%, this phytochemical seems to neutralize cancer-causing compounds, stop cancerous changes in the cells and directly fight substances that enable carcinogens to spread and wreak havoc. Turmeric also triggers better bile flow, which helps digest fats and reduces the risk of gallstones. It also helps generates the secretion of several enzymes that assist the liver in breaking down and metabolizing certain toxic substances. Some of these same phytochemicals inhibit the oxidative damage that allows cholesterol to coagulate and cling to the inside of arteries.

Turmeric /curcumin is about half as effective as corticosteroids, but it doesn’t have bad side effect as corticosteroids, this drug is use for the treatment of arthritis, but they can cause fluid retention and bloating, elevate blood pressure, encourage intestinal bleeding, ulcer formation and increase the risk of osteoporosis.

Direction for use / Dosage: 400 milligrams of a curcumin extract three times a day, 445 milligrams of a standardized supplement 2 to 3 times a day, 1tsp of the dried herb in a cup of warm milk daily, 1tsp to 1 tbsp of a liquid extract divided into several dosages over the course of a day, or 1/8 to ¼ tsp of turmeric tincture 3x a day. Your body will absorbed more curcumin if you take it with lots of black pepper. The pipeline in pepper improves the body’s ability to use turmeric perhaps as much as twentyfold, according to studies. Ginger is also a good companion for turmeric.

Caution: Don’t take turmeric if you have bile duct obstruction, people with gallstones should consult a herb physician before taking this. Excessive dosage of curcuminoids could cause ulcers or cancer and reduce the number of red and white blood cells in the body. Too much intake can also cause hair fall. When buying turmeric, always buy from reputable seller since some species are toxic.

http://hubpages.com/hub/Medicinal-Uses-of-Turmeric-Herb

Health Benefits of Cacao

You may be surprised to learn that cocoa is actually a FRUIT – and even more surprised to learn that it is actually one of the most healthy fruits commonly eaten by man!

Recent research studies have shown a link between cocoa and cardiovascular health, with reduced risk of blood clots, strokes, and heart attacks.

Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.

Raw cocoa has the highest antioxidant value of all the natural foods in the world!

The ORAC score per 100 grams of unprocessed raw cacao is 28,000, compared to 18,500 for Acai Berries, 1,540 for Strawberries, and only 1,260 for raw Spinach. The ORAC score for a typical manufactured Dark Chocolate is an impressive 13,120 – although one unique, organic, and non-roasted brand of Dark Chocolate has a much higher ORAC score. But for Milk Chocolate the ORAC score is much lower at 6,740.

Cocoa also appears to have anti-aging and anti-inflammatory properties. And cocoa is a good source of the minerals magnesium, sulphur, calcium, iron, zinc, copper, potassium, and manganese; plus some of the B Vitamins.

When heart problems occur, magnesium is the most likely mineral to be missing in the person’s diet.

Cocoa has a high content of the “beauty” mineral, sulfur. Sulfur helps build strong nails and hair, promotes healthy and beautiful skin, helps detoxify the liver, and supports healthy functioning of the pancreas.

Fresh cocoa beans are super-rich in the type of bioflavonoid called flavanols which are strong antioxidants that help maintain healthy blood flow and blood pressure. The heart-healthy flavanols in cocoa, especially the epicatechins, prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and then clogging the arteries.

Flavanols help make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots, heart attacks, and strokes – without the negative side effects associated with the use of aspirin (ASA) and other pharmaceutical blood-thinners.

Cocoa beans contain 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) of flavanol antioxidants per 100 grams – or an amazing 10% antioxidant concentration level! When it comes to supplying your body with effective antioxidants, no other natural food can even come close. No exotic super-fruit like Acai berries, no high-antioxidant fruits like prunes or blueberries, and no vegetables. The antioxidants in cocoa are easily absorbed by the human body, and are more stable and long-lasting than those in any other foods.

Cocoa also contains the amino acid Tryptophan which makes the neurotransmitter known as serotonin, which promotes positive feelings and helps keep us from feeling depressed. Cocoa contains the neurotransmitters dopamine, and phenylethylamine (PEA), and contains anandamide and MAO Inhibitors – which make this heart-healthy food a healthy food for the brain too.

Phenylethylamine (PEA) helps promote mental alertness and the ability to concentrate. The PEA in healthy chocolate can be of help to students taking tests, and to senior citizens who want to retain the mental capacity of a younger person and postpone the onset of dementia.

Studies have indicated that consuming dark chocolate produced an increased sensitivity to insulin (which indicates a protective effect against diabetes).

While you may have believed that cocoa and chocolate were “bad for you”, the truth is that THE RIGHT KIND OF CHOCOLATE provides many health benefits that make it not only “good for you” but better for your body than most of the fruits and vegetables your mother made you eat when you were a child.

Eating a healthy dark chocolate provides a sweet, sensual, sin-free pleasure, as well as some significant health benefits. A heart-felt gift of healthy dark chocolate to a loved one offers a heart-warming, delightfully delicious treat, as well as a super heart-healthy food that promotes a longer and healthier life.

If the pharmaceutical industry managed to produce a patented product that offered all the health benefits of cocoa, they would likely proclaim it a “miracle drug”! But since cocoa is widely available, is relatively inexpensive, and does not require you to pay for a doctor’s prescription nor pay fees to a dispensing pharmacy, you are not likely to hear many members of the medical establishment recommending chocolate for its many health benefits.

You may also be surprised to learn that dark chocolate can help you lose weight! Because it has appetite-suppressant properties, cocoa is often added to weight loss products to help control hunger.

While you may have been told that chocolate is “fattening”, the truth is that the fats found in cocoa butter are actually healthy fats! Cacao contains oleic acid, a heart-healthy monounsaturated fat which is also found in olive oil and is believed to raise the level of the “good cholesterol” known as HDL cholesterol (the acronym HDL stands for “High Density Lipid”).

Healthy chocolate can be of great benefit to tobacco smokers – but not just because they need lots of the antioxidants which neutralize the free radicals generated by the toxic compounds in tobacco smoke. A recent study in Switzerland indicated that dark chocolate may help prevent hardening of the arteries.

A 2006 clinical study by Swiss researchers found that within minutes of consuming dark chocolate, their test group of 20 smokers experienced a significant improvement in the function of the endothelial cells which line the artery walls. Smoking tobacco has long been linked to hardening of the arteries and an increase in the production of clot-forming platelets in the blood.

Raw cocoa beans contain over 300 chemically identifiable compounds. This makes cocoa one of the most complex food substances on Earth!

List of Healthy Substances Found in Raw Chocolate (Theobroma Cacao)

Many of the natural chemical compounds in raw cocoa or cacao beans and in organic dark chocolate have been discussed in scientific literature as being pharmacologically significant to health. Here is a partial list of these active substances in natural organic chocolate (and more are discussed below).

• Anandamide (a neurotransmitter known as “the bliss chemical”)
• Arginine (nature’s aphrodisiac)
• Dopamine (a neurotransmitter)
• Epicatechins (antioxidants)
• Magnesium (for healthy heart function)
• Serotonin (anti-stress neurotransmitter)
• Tryptophan (anti-depressant amino acid)
• Phenylethylamine (PEA) (controls the ability to focus attention and stay alert)
• Polyphenols (antioxidants)
• Histamine
• Tyramine
• Salsolinol

Magnesium – the Mineral Your Heart Needs

Is dark chocolate good for your heart? Research by Dr. Bernard Jensen indicates that the heart muscle requires these two minerals more than any other minerals: Magnesium and Potassium. In the heart muscle Magnesium is concentrated eighteen times greater than in the bloodstream. Magnesium helps regulate blood pressure and the heartbeat.

The overall strength and vigor of the heart muscle and its ability to pump effectively is enhanced by the presence of Magnesium, and this important mineral also decreases blood coagulation and thus can lower blood pressure.

Magnesium also balances brain chemistry, and helps build strong bones.

When heart problems occur, Magnesium is the most likely mineral to be missing in the person’s diet.

Eighty percent of Americans are deficient in Magnesium. This deficiency is linked to hypertension, heart disease, diabetes, joint problems, and PMT.

Cocoa beans and organic dark chocolate are the #1 best food sources of this heart-supporting mineral, Magnesium. Can you see how a guilt-free daily dose of Magnesium-rich healthy chocolate could actually help lower your risk of heart disease?

Anti-Depressant Properties of Cocoa and Healthy Dark Chocolate

Cocoa is a potent source of serotonin, dopamine, and phenylethylamine. These are three well-studied neurotransmitters which help alleviate depression and are associated with feelings of well-being.

Cocoa contains monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) which help improve our mood because they allow serotonin and dopamine to remain in the bloodstream longer without being broken down.

Cocoa also contains anandamide which stimulates blissful feelings. Cocoa also contains B vitamins, which are associated with brain health.

Vascular Health Promoting Properties of Cocoa and Healthy Dark Chocolate

Nitric Oxide (NO)

One research study discovered that a substance in cocoa helps the body process nitric oxide (a chemical compound designated as NO, where N = 1 Nitrogen atom, and O = 1 Oxygen atom). Nitric oxide or NO is a critical component in healthy blood flow and blood pressure control.

Vascular diseases, including Erectile Dysfunction (ED) which is common in men over age 40, are connected to the inability of an artery to make the simple but fundamental chemical called nitric oxide (NO). It appears that flavanols help reverse that problem. Thus eating healthy chocolate might help men over 40 to enjoy a more active sex life without having to rely on expensive drugs like Viagra™ or Celebrex™ or those many herbal concoctions which are touted in millions of unwanted emails.

Another research study showed that a type of bioflavonoid called flavanols in cocoa prevent fatty substances in the bloodstream from oxidizing and then clogging the arteries. Flavanols also make blood platelets less likely to stick together and cause blood clots.

Researchers are excited by the potential of flavanols to ward off vascular disease, which can cause hypertension (high blood pressure), heart attacks, strokes, diabetes, and even dementia.

Antioxidant Properties of Cocoa and Healthy Dark Chocolate

Scientists have known for years that cocoa/cacao contains significant antioxidants, but no one knew just how rich they were in comparison to those found in two other healthy foods – red wine and green tea.

According to research cited in The New York Times, fresh cocoa beans are super-rich in the type of flavonoid called flavanols (not flavOnols) which are very strong antioxidants. Cocoa/cacao beans contain 10,000 milligrams (10 grams) of flavanol antioxidants per 100 grams – or an amazing 10% antioxidant concentration level!

Recent research has demonstrated that the antioxidants found in cacao beans are highly stable and easily available to the human metabolism. Of all known foods, cacao is also the ONLY food which does NOT lose its Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity (ORAC) over significant periods of time. This makes cocoa both the most POTENT source of antioxidants and a source of the most USABLE antioxidants found in any natural food.

Antioxidants help neutralize free radicals and keep them from damaging the DNA and mitochondria of the body’s cells, which is a major cause of many degenerative diseases, cancer tumors, heart disease, and premature aging. Cells with damaged DNA cannot reproduce healthy new cells, but will reproduce damaged or malignant cells.

Cornell University food scientists discovered that cocoa powder has nearly twice the antioxidants of red wine, and up to three times the antioxidants found in green tea.

Their findings were published in an article entitled “Cocoa Has More Phenolic Phytochemicals and a Higher Antioxidant Capacity than Teas and Red Wine“, published in the American Chemical Society’s Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, a peer-reviewed publication.

The Cornell researchers, led by Chang Y. Lee, chairman of the Department of Food Science and Technology at Cornell University’s New York State Agricultural Experiment Station in Geneva, NY, state the reason that cocoa leads the other drinks is its high content of antioxidant compounds called phenolic phytochemicals, or flavonoids.

A class of flavonoids known as flavanols or flavan-3-ols includes: catechin, epicatechin, and epigallocatechin. All three are found naturally in the cocoa bean. (Note that flavanols are NOT the same as another very similar-sounding class of flavonoids known as flavonols, which includes: myricetin, quercetin and kaempferol.)

The Cornell researchers discovered 611 milligrams of the phenolic compound gallic acid equivalents (GAE) and 564 milligrams of the flavonoid epicatechin equivalents (ECE) in a single serving of cocoa. Examining a glass of red wine, the researchers found 340 milligrams of GAE and 163 milligrams of ECE. In a cup of green tea, they found 165 milligrams of GAE and 47 milligrams of ECE.

By comparison, 1.5 ounces of dark chocolate delivers as many antioxidants as five ounces of red wine.

That makes cocoa one of the richest sources of antioxidants in any food!

Compare the raw cocoa bean’s 10,000 milligrams of flavanols per 100 grams to other forms of commercial chocolate…
Processed cocoa powder (defatted and roasted cocoa beans treated with potassium carbonate) and chocolate candy range in flavanol content from the more common concentration of 500 milligrams of flavanols per 100 grams of normal chocolate bars, to a concentration of 5,000 milligrams (5 grams) of flavanols per 100 grams of Cocoapro cocoa powder from the Mars Corporation.

Neither comes close to the high concentration of flavanol antioxidants in raw cocoa/cacao beans – 10 grams of flavanols per 100 grams.

ORAC Score – A Measure of Antioxidant Quality

The current standard for testing and measuring the antioxidant properties of various foods is called the ORAC Score. ORAC is an abbreviation for “Oxygen Radical Absorption Capacity” – which is a measure of the amount of free radicals that can be neutralized by a certain mass of a food substance (usually cited as “per gram” or “per 100 grams” of the food substance).

The higher the ORAC score, the higher the concentration of antioxidants present in the food. (Source: US Department of Agriculture / Journal of the American Chemical Society.)

Free radicals are molecules that are missing one or more electrons and are therefore chemically imbalanced with a positive electrical charge. They are created in several kinds of chemical reactions which take place in our bodies, such as when we burn energy by working our muscles. To balance their charge, these radical molecules will seek to attract or “steal” electrons from other molecules – including the molecules which make up the DNA in your body’s cells which is the blueprint for producing new cells, and the mitochondria in your cells which create the energy to sustain the cells.

Cells with damaged mitochondria are weak and have lower energy and less resistance to disease. When the DNA of a cell is damaged by the action of free radicals, the result is the creation of imperfect new cells – or even malignant new cells which form tumors and cancers.

Free radicals are the cause of most degenerative diseases, premature aging, and the creation of cancer cells.

Antioxidants are molecules which have one or more extra electrons and are chemically imbalanced with a negative electrical charge, so they can attract and “donate” an electron to a positively-charged free radical molecule, which balances its electrical charge and thus neutralizes it. So that “thieving” radical molecule which is now electrically balanced no longer needs to “steal” electrons from the molecules which form our body’s cells.

Thus the more antioxidant molecules we have in our body, the more free radicals are neutralized, and the less damage is done to our cells. By preventing the damage to our DNA and mitochondria, antioxidants can stop and even reverse the aging process, and help prevent all kinds of degenerative diseases and cancers.

The ORAC value rates the capacity of the substance to prevent oxidation, i.e. its effectiveness as an antioxidant. It might help to compare the oxidation of molecules in our body to the oxidation of iron in an automobile – which we call “rusting”. Oxidized or “rusted” iron becomes brittle and weak, and eventually breaks down into a reddish-brown dust known as iron oxide. You could say that our bodies are “rusting out” from oxidation by free radicals! Ashes to ashes, and rust to dust!

But our bodies can be protected from this rusting by the antioxidants we get from eating natural foods which have a high ORAC value. Many natural foods have been supplying human bodies with those protective antioxidants since we first evolved, but the problem today is that we are not eating many natural foods! We consume far too many processed foods and junk foods which have had the protective antioxidants proocessed out of them! So we suffer more and more from many diseases such as cancer and heart disease, which were relatively rare problems for our ancestors who were eating nothing but whole foods fresh from the farm.

It’s very difficult today to avoid eating processed foods with inferior nutritional value, but we can at least try to eat enough whole foods (like cocoa or high-antioxidant fruits) or health supplements that supply us with enough antioxidants to protect us from degenerative diseases and the ravages of aging. We don’t have to grow old before our time, or suffer painful ailments, or die from horrible diseases that could have been prevented.

While the general public may be aware that they need to eat more raw fruits to get a good supply of antioxidants, the fruits most commonly eaten by North Americans are fairly low on the ORAC scale. Cantaloupe, banana, apple, apricot, peach, pear, and watermelon all have an ORAC score of less than 251 per 100 grams. No wonder the average North American is not getting enough antioxidants in his or her daily diet.

Even milk chocolate with its ORAC score of 6,740 provides significantly more antioxidants per gram than most of the commonly consumed fruits and vegetables – and more than even the top scoring fruits like prunes (5,770), pomegranate (3,307), blueberries (2,400) and blackberries (2,036).

The daily diet of the average North American only scores 1,000 to 1,500 on the ORAC scale. Nutrition experts tell us that it should be at least 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC. Some say it should be even more than 5,000.

Eating healthy chocolate, with its super-high ORAC value, can be an efficient and enjoyable way to boost your daily dose of antioxidants and reduce the ravages of free radicals.

Be careful not to assume that ALL organic chocolate or dark chocolate products (or any processed food product) are “healthy” just because they claim to contain ingredients which are known to have a high ORAC score. It does NOT necessarily mean that the finished product you are consuming will have a high ORAC score too.

There are several factors that can affect the actual ORAC score of a finished food product such as dark chocolate:

(1) how it is processed (excessive heat can destroy flavanols and reduce the amount of available antioxidants, which lowers the ORAC value),
(2) how much of the high ORAC ingredients are actually in the product,
(3) how some ingredients affect the ORAC score of other ingredients (e.g. adding milk to cocoa lowers its effective ORAC score to a little more than half because dairy products tend to block the absorption of the antioxidant flavanols in the cocoa).

Only ONE company (which markets a variety of truly healthy chocolate products) actually dares to show you an independent laboratory’s ORAC score per serving of its finished products right on their packaging (see “The Healthiest Chocolate” below) – so “what you see is what you get”.

For the reasons given above, all other chocolate makers seem unwilling to let you know the actual ORAC score of the products they are selling you. One might wonder if their effective ORAC score is too low to really be considered a “healthy” chocolate product?

Table of ORAC Values for Common Foods

Here is a comparison of the ORAC score per 100 grams for some common foods known to have a high antioxidant level, listed in descending order.

• Unprocessed Raw Cacao – ORAC 28,000
• Acai Berries* – ORAC 18,500
• Dark Chocolate – ORAC 13,120
• Milk Chocolate – ORAC 6,740
• Prunes – 5,770
• Wolfberry Juice – 3,472
• Pomegranates – 3,307
• Raisins – 2,830
• Blueberries – 2,400
• Blackberries – 2,036
• Garlic – 1,939
• Kale – 1,770
• Cranberries – 1,750
• Strawberries – 1,540
• Tahitian Noni Juice – 1,506
• Raw Spinach – 1,260
• Raspberries – 1,220
• Brussels Sprouts – 980
• Plums – 949
• Alfalfa Sprouts – 930
• Steamed Spinach – 909
• Broccoli – 890
• Beets – 840
• Avocado – 782
• Oranges – 750
• Red Grapes – 739
• Red Bell Pepper – 710
• Cherries – 670
• Pink Grapefruit – 495
• Kidney Beans – 460
• Onion – 450
• Corn – 400
• Cauliflower – 385
• Frozen Peas – 375
• Potato – 300
• Cabbage – 295
• Banana – 210
• Carrot – 200
• Apple – 207
• Tomato – 195
• Peach – 170
• Lima Beans – 136
• Pear – 110

(*ORAC for Acai as determined by Brunswick Laboratories, USA.)

This will be important new information for millions of children and teenagers who hate the taste of brussel sprouts or broccoli. Now they can advise Mom that dark chocolate is a much healthier alternate source of antioxidants!

When comparing the antixodidant value (ORAC value) of foods you may actually be eating on a regular basis, another consideration is antioxidant value per calorie. What foods provide a healthy source of antioxidants without also providing too many calories from carbs and fats? Dark chocolate, in spite of the sweetener added to overcome the bitterness of raw cocoa, is actually one of the better providers of antioxidants per calorie!

One hundred grams of healthy dark chocolate (more than you would normally eat) provides 13,120 ORAC units of antioxidants and 552 calories of energy – which works out to 24 ORAC units per calorie.

That gives dark chocolate a better ORAC/calorie ratio than brussels sprouts (23), beets (20), plums (17), oranges (16), cauliflower (15), cherries (13), onions (12), cabbage (12), red grapes (10), tomato (9), head lettuce (9), string beans (6), potato (5), frozen peas (5), corn (5), carrot (5), apple (4), tofu (3), baked beans (3), pear (2), banana (2), or lima beans (1). In other words, if you are looking to increase your antioxidant intake from natural fruits and vegetables while consuming the least calories, eating a healthy dark chocolate is actually a lower-calorie source than all the common foods in this list!

And the ORAC per calorie ratio for dark chocolate (24) is about the SAME as two of the top antioxidant fruits – prunes (24) and raspberries (25). So it’s not necessary to worry about getting too many calories when consuming healthy dark chocolate as`a supplemental source of antioxidants, because you don’t need to eat very much dark chocolate`to absorb more antioxidants than you would get from many common fruits`and vegetables!

Can Chocolate Help You Be Happy?

We have all heard how chocolate can be a “comfort food” to help us cope with stress and depression and general unhappiness. There might actually be some connection between chocolate and happiness, when we look at certain chemicals which are found naturally in the cocoa/cacao bean and which can affect parts of the brain.

Phenylethylamine (PEA) in Cocoa

PEA is a chemical found in cocoa/cacao beans which increases the activity of neurotransmitters (brain chemicals) in certain areas of the brain which control the ability to focus attention and stay alert. Elevated PEA levels occur naturally when we are captivated by a movie or good book, or are wholly focused on a project or task – when we lose track of time and are not consciously unaware of what is happening around us.

PEA is found in higher levels in the brains of happy people. Cocoa or dark chocolate has been found to contain up to 2.2 percent PEA (phenylethylamine).

Anandamide (The Bliss Chemical) in Cocoa

Anandamide (or n-arachidonoylethanolamine) is a neurotransmitter which has been isolated in cocoa in quantities which are significant enough to affect the brain. Anandamide is a cannabinoid naturally found in the human brain. Anandamide is a lipid (a fat) known as “the bliss chemical” because it is released when we are feeling good. (Anandamide is the English spelling; anandamine is the French spelling.)

It is true that anandamide has a similar effect to the compound THC in cannabis (marijuana), but it acts in a different way; acts only on certain groups of brain cells and not the whole brain; and thus creates blissful feelings with much less intensity.

Monoamine Oxidase Inhibitors (MAO Inhibitors) in Cocoa/Cacao

These rare MAO inhibitors actually produce favorable results when consumed, by allowing more serotonin and other neurotransmitters such as anandamide, dopamine and others to circulate in the brain. According to Dr. Gabriel Cousens, MAO inhibitors facilitate anti-aging and rejuvenation.

MAO inhibitors make one feel younger when they allow more neurotransmitters to remain in the bloodstream. A primary phenomenon that differentiates children from adults is the level of neurotransmitters in the blood and bodies of children. In general, as one lives longer and longer the level of neurotransmitters decreases. This leads to less creativity, less joy, more physical rigidity – and more rapid aging!

Cocoa, with its supply of MAO inhibitors, helps keep plenty of neurotransmitters in circulation, and thus helps prevent this unhappy phenomenon from occurring. “Think young – you’ll have more fun!”

Now that you have learned how cocoa contains PEA, Anandamide, and MAO Inhibitors, and learned about the happy effects these chemicals can produce, can you see how real chocolate might deserve to be called “the happiest food”?

Chocolate as an Aphrodisiac

The peoples of Central American in the pre-Columbian era often spoke in metaphors composed of words or phrases which had a hidden meaning when uttered in sequence. This is common in many languages, including English. One of these ancient metaphors was yollotl, eztli, meaning “heart, blood,” – a phrase which referred to cocoa. Chocolate is the heart’s “blood” due to its magnesium, antioxidants, love chemicals and esoteric properties. Chocolate truly is “food for the heart”.

Chocolate is a symbol of sensuality, pleasure, and sexuality. Some writers have claimed that 50 per cent of women actually prefer chocolate to sex! That percentage might even rise if the women were offerred real chocolate in the form of organic cocoa!

Chocolate is a favorite gift from a lover to the beloved one. Chocolates are always given as love offerings. A box of chocolates is one of the most popular gifts for Valentine’s Day.

Cocoa, because it is natural and unadulterated, has an even stronger love energy than manufactured chocolate candy. In ancient Aztec wedding ceremonies, the bride and groom would exchange five cacao beans with each other.

Health Benefits of Dandelion

Nutritional
Used by some as salad component.
A rich source of vitamins A, B, C and D as well as minerals.

Folkloric
• Its multiplicity of uses rates it a herbal cure-all, especially for the treating hepato-biliary disease and as a diuretic.
• in Europe, widely used for gastrointestinal ailments. It is taken as broth with leaves of sorrel and egg yolk for chronic liver congestion.
• Used for its gently laxative effect and as bitter tonic in atonic dyspepsia.
• Promotes appetite and digestion.
• Root preparation used for a variety of conditions: fevers, diabetes, eczema, scurvy, bowel inflammation.
• Pounded poultice of leaves applied to wounds and cuts.
• As a drink: 20 gms of root to a cup of boiling water, take 3-5 glasses a day.
• Juice of the stalk used to remove warts.
• Powdered dried roots used with coffee, and a substitute for coffee when roasted and powdered.
• Extract of dandelion used as remedy for fevers and chills.
• Infusion used to treat anemia, jaundice and nervousness.
• Decoction of root herb taken for scrofula, eczema, scurvy and various skin eruptions.
• Used for eczema and acne.
• Native American Indians have used infusions and decoctions of the root and herb for kidney diseases, dyspepsia and heartburn.
• Traditional Arabian medicine has used it for liver and spleen diseases.
• Chinese medicine used it for hepatitis,bronchitis, pneumonia, as a topical compress for mastitis.

Excerpts from other source:

Dandelion Herbal use and Medicinal Properties

The whole plant is used as a medicinal herb internally and externally.

External Uses

The fresh juice of Dandelion is applied externally to fight bacteria and help heal wounds. The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphococcus aureus, pneumococci, meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, proteus. The latex contained in the plant sap can be used to remove corns and warts.

Internal Uses

Dandelion is also used for the treatment of the gall bladder, kidney and urinary disorders, gallstones, jaundice, cirrhosis, hypoglycemia, dyspepsia with constipation, edema associated with high blood pressure and heart weakness, chronic joint and skin complaints, gout, eczema and acne. As a tonic, Dandelion strengthens the kidneys. An infusion of the root encourages the steady elimination of toxins from the body. Dandelion is a powerful diuretic but does not deplete the body of potassium.

Research is revealing that the many constituents of Dandelion including Taraxacin, Taraxacoside, Inulin, Phenolic acids, Sesquiterpene lactones, Triterpenes, Coumarins, Catortenoids and Minerals, mainly Potassium and calcium, are very valuable in curing a number of disorders and illnesses. Dandelion is traditionally used as a tonic and blood purifier, for constipation, inflammatory skin conditions, joint pain, eczema and liver dysfunction, including liver conditions such as hepatitis and jaundice.

Other Uses

When placed in a paper bag with unripe fruit, the flowers and leaves of Dandelion release ethylene gas ripening the fruit quickly. A liquid plant food is made from the root and leaves. A dark red dye is obtained from Dandelion root. A cosmetic skin lotion made from the appendages at the base of the leaf blades distilled in water, is used to clear the skin and is effective in fading freckles.

Main sources:

http://www.stuartxchange.org/Dandelion.html
http://altnature.com/gallery/Dandelion.htm

Health Benefits of Durian

Durian is an exotic, expensive, and seasonal fruit that has rich content of phytonutrients, antioxidant, protein, vitamins and minerals. Durian can give more spirit and energy to your days because it has high calories and carbohydrate (both are good source of energy). Main ingredients that contribute a lot to the benefits are Organosulfur Compounds and Tryptophan, but there other healthy components like dietary fiber and protein. Yet, durian does not have cholesterol. Many folk medications use durian’s leaves and roots to treat fever.

The Organosulfur has benefits as followed.

1. To inhibit the formation of blood clots, thus prevent from heart attack and stroke.
2. To control the inflammatory enzymes, thus also prevent from cardiovascular disease.
3. To act as antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, and antibacterial.
4. To help you get good complexion, healthy hair, glowing skin, better brain function.
5. To treat muscles soreness, enhance balance blood sugar, reduce stiffness and pain, and improve joint flexibility.

The tryptophan or L-Tryptophan has benefits as followed.

1. To treat anxiety, bulimia, depression, insomnia, migraine, nightmares, compulsive disorder, and stress.
2. To help you get better sleep, especially if you take some calcium with it.
3. To help the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, obsessive compulsive disorder, premenstrual syndrome, suicidal related depression, and pain release.

Some people can not stand the smell of durian, while the rest love it so much. It tastes like heaven for those who love, even just by smelling the odor will make people curious. Countries in Asia are main producers of durians. They are Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Vietnam, Philippine, and some others. There are hundreds variants of durians, but only some are heavily planted and sold. If you buy durians, you would want to choose ones that are big, fresh, fully ripen, and have solid stems. It is usually fully ripen in 2 to 4 days after falling from the tree, the best time to enjoy the flesh.

Health Benefits

• Raises serotonin levels…Creates an over-all sense of well being and aids in depression.

• It has a high amount of protein and amino acids (22 out of 24)…Good for muscle building and organ function.

• High in antioxidants…For anti-aging benefits including enhancing the appearance of your skin.

• It has the most complete nutritional profile of any fruit…Certain groups of people in Asia live on it, and nothing else, for up to 2 months at a time.

• It is power packed with nutrients, including essential fatty acids and organo-sulfur compounds…For increased energy, endurance, mental clarity, and cellular health.

• It enhances libido…It helps revitalize the desire for sexual intimacy

• Rich history of traditional uses…Anti-inflammatory, anti-parasitic, Thermogenic, calms fever, aids healing of swelling and skin diseases.

Drinking Durian For Beauty

According to David Wolf’s “Eating for Beauty”

“Durian contains high levels of tryptophan. This is an amino acid and a tryptamine (similar to serotonin, melatonin, and DMT). Researchers have discovered that tryptophan helps both anxious, depressed, repressed people, as well as insomniacs. Tryptophan works by raising serotonin levels in the brain. When serotonin levels increase, a euphoric feeling is felt as a free passage is cleared for nerve impulses to travel.

Durian is such a strong blood cleaner that eating a few durian a day can change the odor of urine (urine is filtered out of blood).

What gives durian its strongest beautifying characteristics is its high concentration of raw oleic fats (and vitamin E), sulphur compounds, and soft proteins. Durian actually contains one of the highest concentrations of protein of any fruit, making it an excellent muscle builder.” Organic sulfur

compounds among other properties in durian are very cleansing for the body.

Durian provides “more concentrated healthful energy in food form than any other product the world affords” – to keep the body vigorous and tireless; the mind alert with faculties undimmed; the spirit youthful.

Nutritive Value per 100 g

• Vitamin A: 20-30 I.U.
• Ascorbic Acid: 23.9-25.0 mg
• Vitamin E: “high”
• Calcium: 7.6-9.0 mg
• Phosphorus: 37.8-44.0 mg
• Potassium: 436 mg
• Thiamine: 0.24-0.352 mg
• Riboflavin: 0.20 mg
• Niacin0.6: 83-0.70 mg
• Iron: 0.73-1.0 mg
• Sugars(approx.) 12.0 g
• Protein: 2.5-2.8 g
• Fat: 5.33g
• Fiber: 3.8 g
• Total Carbohydrates: 30.4-34.1 g
• Calories: 144

Health Benefits of Mulberry

Nutritional & Herbal Properties

Examples of mulberry’s medicinal properties are reducing blood serum glucose, lowering blood cholesterol and lipids levels, fighting arterial plaques and antiphlogistic, diuretic and expectorant effects. Various compounds present in mulberry that attribute to such therapeutic benefits are GABA, phytosterol, DNJ, flavonoids, alkaloids, steroids, etc. The nutritional values of 100g dry mulberry leafs are: Ca 2,699mg., Fe 44mg., Na 3.4mg., K 3,101mg., beta carotine 7.4mg., vitamin A 4,230 IU, vitamin B1 0.6mg., vitamin B2 1.4mg., vitamin C 32mg., and fiber 52g.

Mulberry Facts

Mulberry has been cultivated and used for around 5,000 years. There were four main varieties: black, red, white, mountain or wild mulberry. Over centuries, there have been over a hundred varieties and many hundreds more local sub-varieties. Because of its diversity, you can find a mulberry tree in almost any altitudes and climates in the world.

For thousands of year, mulberry trees have been cultivated for silk production because silk worms are fed on mulberry leaves. Often, human beings and animals also appreciate mulberry for its fruits and leaves. The berries are consumed fresh, in juice or preserves (like mulberry jam). Mulberry young leaves and stems are yummy vegetable. It also has medicinal properties in infusions such as mulberry leaf tea. Not until the past few decades, scientists started to pay great attention to the medicinal and nutritional qualities of mulberry plants.

There have been researches studying the components and benefits of mulberry leaves for human and animal consumption and pharmaceutical purposes. Studies found that mulberry leaves contain 15%-28% of protein, with essential amino acids, depending on varieties. Studies find that the leaves and young stems are high in mineral content and have no anti-nutritional factors or toxic compounds. Mulberry leaves have typical calcium content around 1.8-2.4% and phosphorus 0.14-0.24%. The values of potassium in leaves are 1.90-2.87% and 1.33-1.53% in young stems, and magnesium 0.47-0.63% and 0.26-0.35% in leaves and stems respectively. Indian scientists have suggested the use of the powdered of white mulberry leaves as a nutritious ingredient for paratha, one kind of Indian breads. In Korea, Japan and Thailand, mulberry fruit and leaves are used as functional food such as ice-cream and noodles, containing powdered mulberry leaves as an ingredient.

The use of the mulberry-leaf powder in ice-cream showed reducing of blood glucose level in consumers, instead of rising. Hence, mulberry-leaf powder could be used in a food item that contains a sugar content in order to maintain the blood sugar level. Reducing the blood serum glucose is only one of the healthy properties of mulberry mentioned in several traditional herbal books like the ‘Shin Nou Honzou Gyou’ (the Chinese original academic herbal book) ‘Kissa Youjouki’ written by Eisai Zen Monk in Japan, and the old Latins and folk medicine scripts.

Indigenous medicinal practitioners, for centuries, have used different parts of mulberry plant for treating diseases and symptoms such as high-blood pressure, high blood cholesterol and lipids levels, arterial plaques, diuresis, diabetes, constipation, cough-phlegm, cold, anemia, etc. Scientific researches have confirmed these healing qualities of mulberry plant. Several clinical studies found that mulberry leaf contains GABA (Gamma Aminobutyric Acid), phytosterol, DNJ (Dioxiogirimycin), vitamins and minerals. GABA helps maintain the normal blood pressure. Phytosterol helps reduce cholesterol in blood vessels. DNJ helps reduce sugar in the blood stream: lowers the risk of getting heart disease. DNJ also stimulates the blood circulation and increases the fluid in the body.

A 5-year research conducted in Kanagawa, Japan found that mulberry leaves have various preventive effects on adult diseases. Some of the effects are:

• Suppressing hypertension
• Lowering cholesterol level
• Preventing cancer (liver)
• Reducing level of blood sugar
• Suppressing mutagenesis of carcinogens.

Nutritional Value of Mulberry

• Carbohydrate (in the form of sugars, mainly glucose and fructose) – 7.8 to 9.2%
• Protein (with essential amino acids) – 15% to 28%
• Fatty acids like linoleic, stearic, and oleic acids – 0.4 to0.5%
• Malic acid, producing sour taste – 1.1 to1.9%
• Fiber – 0.9 to1.4%
• Calcium – 1.8 to 2.4%
• Phosphorus – 0.14 to 0.24%
• Potassium – 1.90 to 2.87% in leaves, 1.33 to1.53% in young stems
• Magnesium – 0.47 to 0.63% in leaves, 0.26 to 0.35% in young stems

Health & Nutrition Benefits of Eating Mulberry

• Mulberry can balance internal secretions and enhance immunity. It promotes proper body fluid production. People suffering from body fluid deficiency could take ten grams of mulberry daily with water.
• Mulberry is useful for the persons who use their eyes a lot during work. Regular consumption of mulberry strengthens eyesight.
• Presence of nutritious elements like minerals and vitamins in mulberry helps in curing chronic diseases.
• Mulberry is helpful for proper gastric juice secretion.
• Regular use of Mulberry enhances appetite, and also improves the ability for digesting and assimilating.
• Mulberry could be used to fight problems like chronic gastritis and chronic hepatitis.
• Regular consumption of mulberry juice would be helpful in curing health problems like anemia, pallor, dizziness, heart-palpitations and insomnia.
• Persons with graying hair can also get benefited by regular intake of Mulberry. Mulberry juice applied directly on head also promotes healthy growth of hair and blackening.
• Nutritious value of Mulberry enriches the blood and in the process, soothes the nerves.
• Mulberry could be helpful in promoting the metabolism of alcohol.
• Mulberry helps in containing hypertension.
• Regular intake of Mulberry strengthens body parts like liver and kidney.
• Mulberry is helpful in treating constipation.
• Mulberry is instrumental in eliminating abdominal distention.
• Intake of mulberry juice after any surgery is restorative.
• Mulberry is helpful in recuperating after long-time sickness.
• Consumption of Mulberry after childbirth is good for women’s health.
• Use of Mulberry keeps low cholesterol level in the body.
• Mulberry can suppress mutagenesis of carcinogens.
• Regular use of Mulberry prevents cancer of liver.
• Mulberry is helpful in reducing level of blood sugar.

Mulberry leaf powder contains full spectrium chemicals activities in pharmaceutical applications:

Ace-inhibitor activity:
(+)-catechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (-)-epicatechin, (-) epigallocatechin, afzelin, amentoflavone, astragalin, isoquercitrin, quercitrin, zinc.

Aldose-reductase-inhibitor activity:
(-)-epigallocatechin, 6-(pentadecyl)-salicylic-acid, acacetin, amentoflavone, ascorbic-acid, astragalin, daucosterol, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, luteolin, p-coumaric-acid, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, vanillic-acid.

Antihiv activity:
(+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, amentoflavone, apigenin, luteolin, myricetin, opcs, procyanidin, quercetin, tannin.

Antiacne activity:
(-)-epigallocatechin, anacardic-acid, beta-carotene, linoleic-acid, pufa, selenium, thymol, zinc.

Antiaging activity:
apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, bilobalide, chromium,
quercetin.

Antialzheimeran activity:
choline, quercetin, thiamin, zinc.

Antianginal activity:
magnesium, niacin.

Antianxiety activity:
calcium, magnesium, tryptophan.

Antiarrhythmic activity:
apigenin, ginkgolide-b, magnesium, potassium, protocatechuic-acid, quercitrin.

Antiarteriosclerotic activity:
histidine, linoleic-acid, silicon.

Antiarthritic activity:
ascorbic-acid, copper, linoleic-acid, magnesium, pantothenic-acid, quercetin, thymol.

Antiasthmatic activity:
ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, ginkgolide-a, ginkgolide-b, ginkgolide-c, ginkgolides, magnesium, opcs, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin,

Antiatherogenic activity:
luteolin, opcs, rutin.

Antiatherosclerotic activity:
ascorbic-acid, calcium, chromium, citric-acid, lutein, magnesium, malic-acid, proanthocyanidins, quercetin, rutin,
thymol.

Antibiotic activity:
cysteine, opcs, procyanidin, prodelphinidin.

Anticancer activity:
alpha-carotene, beta-carotene, butyric-acid, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, rutin, shikimic-acid, tannin, vanillic-acid.

Anticancer (lung) activity:
alpha-carotene, apigenin, beta-sitosterol.

Anticarcinogenic activity:
(-)-epigallocatechin, luteolin.

Anticarcinomic (breast) activity:
quercetin

Anticataract activity:
ascorbic-acid, cysteine, luteolin, methionine, quercetin, quercitrin, riboflavin, rutin, zinc.

Anticoagulant activity:
(+)-catechin, citric-acid, d-catechin.

Anticoronary activity:
beta-carotene, linoleic-acid, magnesium, selenium, zinc.

Antidepressant activity:
ascorbic-acid, calcium, magnesium, phenylalanine, potassium,
quercetin, tryptophan.

Antidiabetic activity:
(-)-epicatechin, ascorbic-acid, choline, chromium, copper, fiber, fructose, glucomannan, magnesium, manganese, pinitol, quercetin, rutin, xylose, zinc.

Antiedemic activity:
amentoflavone, ascorbic-acid, beta-sitosterol, ginkgetin, glucose, opcs, proanthocyanidins, procyanidin, quercitrin,
rutin, sciadopitysin.

Antiestrogenic activity:
apigenin, beta-sitosterol, luteolin, quercetin.

Antifatigue activity:
pantothenic-acid, potassium, thiamin, vanillic-acid.

Antiflu activity:
ergosterol, p-cymene, quercetin, quercitrin.

Antiglaucomic activity:
ascorbic-acid, magnesium, rutin.

Antihepatotoxic activity:
ascorbic-acid, glucose, p-coumaric-acid, protocatechuic-acid,
quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, stigmasterol, tannin.

Antiinflammatory activity:
(+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, alpha-linolenic-acid, amentoflavone, apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-sitosterol, copper, ginkgetin, ginkgolides, isoquercitrin, isorhamnetin,
kaempferol, linoleic-acid, luteolin, magnesium, mufa, myricetin, oleic-acid, opcs, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin,
quercetin-3-rhamnoglucoside, quercitrin, rutin, sciadopitysin,
stigmasterol, thymol, vanillic-acid.

Antileukemic activity:
(-)-epicatechin, amentoflavone, apigenin, astragalin, beta-sitosterol, daucosterol, kaempferol, luteolin, p-coumaric-acid, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin, selenium, vanillic-acid.

Antimelanomic activity:
apigenin, beta-ionone, luteolin, quercetin, rutin, selenium, thymol.

Antimigraine activity:
ascorbic-acid, magnesium, riboflavin, thiamin, tryptophan.

Antimutagenic activity:
(+)-catechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, acacetin, apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, beta-eudesmol, beta-sitosterol, citric-acid, kaempferol, luteolin, myricetin, nonacosane, p-hydroxy-benzoic-acid, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin,
tannin.

Antiobesity activity:
ascorbic-acid, chromium, fiber, opcs, zinc.

Antioxidant activity:
(+)-catechin, (+)-gallocatechin, (-)-epicatechin, (-)-epigallocatechin, alanine, amentoflavone, apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, beta-sitosterol, bilobalide, bilobetin, campesterol, cysteine, gamma-tocopherol, ginkgetin, ginkgolide-a, ginkgolide-b, ginkgolide-c, ginkgolide-j, ginkgolides, histidine, isoquercitrin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol,
lauric-acid, lutein, luteolin, methionine, myricetin, myristic-acid, opcs, p-coumaric-acid, p-hydroxy-benzoic-acid, palmitic-acid, proanthocyanidins, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, sciadopitysin, selenium, shikimic-acid,
stigmasterol, sucrose, tannin, thymol, tryptophan, vanillic-acid.

Antiparkinsonian activity:
ascorbic-acid, methionine, niacin, phenylalanine, tryptophan, tyrosine.

Antiprostaglandin activity:
(+)-catechin, anacardic-acid, beta-sitosterol, ginkgoic-acid,
ginkgolic-acid, tryptophan.

Antirheumatic activity:
thymol, tryptophan, zinc.

Antisickling activity:
3,4-dihydroxybenzoic-acid,asparagine, glycine, homoserine, p-hydroxy-benzoic-acid, phenylalanine, vanillic-acid.

Antispasmodic activity:
apigenin, daucosterol, ginkgetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, kaempferol-3-rhamnoglucoside, luteolin, niacin, p-coumaric-acid, potassium, protocatechuic-acid,quercetin, quercetin-3-rhamnoglucoside, quercitrin, rutin,shikimic-acid, thymol, valerianic-acid.

Antistress activity:
apigenin, beta-carotene, gamma-aminobutyric-acid.

Antistroke activity:
magnesium, proanthocyanidins.

Antithrombotic activity:
anacardic-acid, bilobol, cardanol, ginkgolides.

Antitumor activity:
anacardic-acid, apigenin, beta-carotene, beta-ionone, bilobol,
butyric-acid, citric-acid, cysteine, daucosterol, fiber, ginkgoic-acid, ginkgolic-acid, isoquercitrin, kaempferol, luteolin, malic-acid, p-coumaric-acid, proanthocyanidins, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, selenium, shikimic-acid, tannin, vanillic-acid.

Antitumor (breast) activity:
apigenin, beta-carotene, beta-sitosterol, lutein, quercetin, selenium, zeaxanthin.

Antitumor (colon) activity:
beta-carotene, lutein, luteolin, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin.

Antitumor (lung) activity:
apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, beta-sitosterol, luteolin, quercetin, selenium.

Antitumor (skin) activity:
apigenin, luteolin, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin,

Antitumor (brain) activity:
luteolin, selenium.

Antitumor-promoter activity:
isoquercitrin, kaempferol, quercetin, rutin, shikimic-acid, tannin, vanillic-acid.

Antiulcer activity:
(+)-catechin, amentoflavone, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, beta-eudesmol cysteine, elemol, fiber, ginkgolide-b, glycine,
histidine, kaempferol, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, tannin, threonine, tyrosine, zinc.

Antiviral activity:
(-)-epicatechin, amentoflavone, apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-sitosterol, bilobetin, ergosterol, ginkgetin, kaempferol, lauric-acid, luteolin, myricetin, nonacosane, opcs, p-cymene, proanthocyanidins, procyanidin, protocatechuic-acid, quercetin, quercitrin, rutin, stigmasterol, tannin.

Anxiolytic activity:
apigenin, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, glutamic-acid.

Cancer-preventive activity:
(+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, alanine, alpha-linolenic-acid, apigenin, ascorbic-acid, beta-carotene, beta-ionone, beta-sitosterol, cysteine, d-catechin, fiber, glycine, isoquercitrin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, linoleic-acid, luteolin, methionine, mufa, myricetin, myristic-acid, niacin, oleic-acid, opcs, p-coumaric-acid, p-hydroxy-benzoic-acid, pantothenic-acid,
quercetin, quercitrin, riboflavin, rutin, selenium, serine, shikimic-acid, stigmasterol, succinic-acid, tannin, tyrosine, vanillic-acid.

Cardiotonic activity:
(+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, d-catechin, quercitrin.

Cosmetic activity:
behenic-acid, myristic-acid, stearic-acid.

Estrogenic activity:
apigenin, beta-sitosterol, kaempferol, luteolin, quercetin, stigmasterol.

Hepatoprotective activity:
(+)-catechin, acacetin, beta-eudesmol, beta-sitosterol, choline, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, linoleic-acid, luteolin, methionine, niacin, proanthocyanidins, quercetin, rutin, tannin, zeaxanthin.

Hypocholesterolemic activity:
(-)-epicatechin, ascorbic-acid, beta-ionone, beta-sitosterol, calcium, campesterol, chromium, copper, fiber, ginkgoic-acid, glucomannan, linoleic-acid, luteolin, magnesium, mufa, oleic-acid, rutin, stearic-acid, stigmasterol.

Hypotensive activity:
alpha-linolenic-acid, apigenin, ascorbic-acid, astragalin, calcium, choline, chromium, fiber, gamma-aminobutyric-acid,
isoquercitrin, kaempferol, magnesium, quercitrin, rutin, tryptophan, zinc.

Hypoglycemic activity:
(-)-epicatechin, ascorbic-acid, beta-sitosterol, chromium, daucosterol, manganese, myricetin, niacin, quercetin, quercitrin, tryptophan.

Immunostimulant activity:
(+)-catechin, (-)-epicatechin, alpha-linolenic-acid, ascorbic-acid,
astragali, beta-carotene, phosphoru, protocatechuic-acid, selenium, zinc.

Insulinogenic activity:
(-)-epicatechin, chromium, magnesium, quercetin, zinc.

Inotropic activity:
apigenin, kaempferol, quercetin.

Neuroprotective activity:
bilobalide, ginkgolide-a, ginkgolide-b, ginkgolides, kaempferol, quercetin.

Pituitary-stimulant activity:
arginine

Roborant activity:
aspartic-acid

Sunscreen activity:
apigenin, opcs, rutin.

Vasodilator activity:
(-)-epicatechin, alpha-linolenic-acid, apigenin, arginine, ascorbic-acid, calcium, fiber, ginkgetin, isorhamnetin, kaempferol, luteolin, magnesium, myricetin, niacin,potassium,
proanthocyanidins, quercetin, rutin.

Sedative activity:
apigenin, beta-eudesmol, gamma-aminobutyric-acid, niacin,
p-cymene, stigmasterol, thymol, tryptophan.
N.B. If you are the author of this article just feel free to write me so that I can quote you or make your website as reference.

Health Benefits of Sapan

Folkloric
Decoction of wood and bark used for tuberculosis, diarrhea, dysentery, postpartum tonic, skin infections. and anemia.
Seeds used for stomach aches and nervous disorders.
Decoction of wood used postpartum as tonic.

Others
Chiefly used as a dyewood, popular for coloring native fabrics.
In some parts of the Quezon province, a popular colorant for the coconut liquer, lambanog.

Studies
• Antimicrobial: Aqueous extract study showed antimicrobial activity against methicillin-sensitive S aureus (MSSA) as well MRSA and suggests a potential to restore the effectiveness of B-lactam antibiotics against MRSA.
• Immunosuppressive component: Brazilein, an important immunosuppressive component of CS showed inhibition of T cell proliferation and suppress mice humoral immune response.
• Antioxidant: Study results showed significant antioxidant activities of Caesalpinia sappan heartwood extracts.
• Anticonvulsant: Study of aqueous MeOH extracts isolated pure compounds sappanchalcone and brazilin which showed remarkable anticonvulsant activity.
• Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors: Study of MeOH extract of Vietnamese CS isolated neoprotosappanin and protosappanin A dimethyl acetal which showed xanthine oxidase inhibitory activity comparable to allopurinol.
• Anti-allergic: Study of extracts of CS showed potent inhibitory activity against B-hexosaminidase release as marker of degranulation in rat basophilic leukemic cells. Among the compounds tested, sappanchalcone showed the most potent anti-allergic effect.
• Cardioactive effects of Brazilein: Brazilein obtained from CS ethanol extracts showed a positive inotropic action with little effect on heart rate and coronary perfusion, an effect achieved through inhibition of Na-K-ATPase system.

Suggested Readings

(1) Inhibitory effects of Caesalpinia sappan on growth and invasion of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Journal of Ethnopharmacology Vol 91, Issue 1, March 2004, Pages 81-87 / doi:10.1016/j.jep.2003.11.017
(2) Brazilein, an important immunosuppressive component from Caesalpinia sappan L. / International Immunopharmacology
Vol 6, Issue 3, March 2006, Pages 426-432 / doi:10.1016/j.intimp.2005.09.012
(3) Antioxidant Activity of Caesalpinia sappan Heartwood / Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Vol. 26 (2003) , No. 11 1534
(4) Anticonvulsant compounds from the wood of Caesalpinia sappan L. / Archives of Pharmacal Research. Vol 23, Number 4 / August, 2000 / DOI 10.1007/BF02975445
(5) Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors from the Heartwood of Vietnamese Caesalpinia sappan / Chemical & Pharmaceutical Bulletin Vol. 53 (2005) , No. 8 984
(6) Anti-allergic activity of principles from the roots and heartwood of caesalpinia sappan on antigen-induced -hexosaminidase release / Phytotherapy Research
(7) Study on Cardioactive Effects of Brazilein /

Excerpts from other source:

General Uses: The water kept in Caesalpinia sappan Linn. (Sappan lignum) heartwood is being used in some parts of Kerala as herbal drinking water for its antithirst, blood purifying, antidiabetic, improvement of complexion and several other properties. The use of heartwood as a colouring agent for liquor, wine, meat, fabric, etc. is well established. It has the potential to hit the market as a safe natural colouring agent with good medicinal value for food products, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Sappan is official in India and the Eastern Colonies for use in place of logwood as an astringent. Seeds used for stomach aches and nervous disorders.

Medicinal Uses: Used for purifying blood, quenching thirst, cures jaundice and cough. Good for respiratory ailments, cures wound. As it has medicinal properties similar to Pterocarpus Santalinus it is used in place of this. Its flower is used as a base in fairness creams. It has a capacity to cure Blood Pressure, Heart diseases. The seeds of the plant are used for Stomach aches, and Nervous disorders. This plant is used as a main ingredient in Herbal drinks, widely used in Kerala, and other parts of the country. Indications for treatment include amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, blood stasis after delivery; pricking pain in the chest and abdomen, traumatic swelling and pain. Decoction of wood and bark used for tuberculosis, diarrhea, dysentery, postpartum tonic, and for skin infections.

General Uses: The water kept in Caesalpinia sappan Linn. (Sappan lignum) heartwood is being used in some parts of Kerala as herbal drinking water for its antithirst, blood purifying, antidiabetic, improvement of complexion and several other properties. The use of heartwood as a colouring agent for liquor, wine, meat, fabric, etc. is well established. It has the potential to hit the market as a safe natural colouring agent with good medicinal value for food products, beverages and pharmaceuticals. Sappan is official in India and the Eastern Colonies for use in place of logwood as an astringent. Seeds used for stomach aches and nervous disorders.

Medicinal Uses: Used for purifying blood, quenching thirst, cures jaundice and cough. Good for respiratory ailments, cures wound. As it has medicinal properties similar to Pterocarpus Santalinus it is used in place of this. Its flower is used as a base in fairness creams. It has a capacity to cure Blood Pressure, Heart diseases. The seeds of the plant are used for Stomach aches, and Nervous disorders. This plant is used as a main ingredient in Herbal drinks, widely used in Kerala, and other parts of the country. Indications for treatment include amenorrhea, dysmenorrhea, blood stasis after delivery; pricking pain in the chest and abdomen, traumatic swelling and pain. Decoction of wood and bark used for tuberculosis, diarrhea, dysentery, postpartum tonic, and for skin infections.

Here’s a couple gems culled from the inbox chaff:

“Caesalpinia sappan, known as Sibukaw Tree, treats hepatitis problems. It also includes diabetes.”

Excerpt from reply or comment re sibukaw:

“with regards to sibukaw tree, it grow near our city and is sold by local streetside herbalist as a remedy to build blood. a decoction of the wood pieces are used. my friend told me that it cured a filipino doctor who came home from the u.s. because he was dying of cancer.”

Main sources:

http://www.stuartxchange.org/Sapan.html
http://www.freewebs.com/mhmgs/sappanwood.html