Home Environmental A Natural Science Enthusiast’s Guide to Medicinal Plants
Environmental By Joe Burgett -

A Natural Science Enthusiast’s Guide to Medicinal Plants
The Crown Flower. Photo Credit: Photo by MHIN/Shutterstock

Crown Flower (Calotropis gigantea)

  • Medicinal Use: Bacterial Infections, Asthma, Snakebites, Possible Cancer-Fighter

The Crown Flower happens to be one of the most popular medicinal plants, but it’s known by other names depending on where you’re from. “The Rui” is one of the common names for it in Asia. It rose to popularity, funny enough, as a great way to poison arrows one would shoot at their enemies. How does poison become a medicinal asset? India began seeing it treat some bacterial infections, mostly respiratory versions. It would even be used to treat asthma.

A Natural Science Enthusiast’s Guide to Medicinal Plants
Crown Flower in Bloom with Beetle. Photo Credit: Prasetyo tiyut/Shutterstock

That allows it to become popular for treating a lot of breathing issues, even shortness of breath and swelling issues. It would even become popular in India for treating snakebites. Of course, significant studies have found the Crown Flower has great cancer-fighting properties, especially in Carcinomas A549, HCT 116, and HEP G2. There is even solid evidence that it can be used as a useful contraceptive as well.

A Natural Science Enthusiast’s Guide to Medicinal Plants
The Fenugreek Plant. Photo Credit: Rainbow_dazzle/Shutterstock

Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum)

  • Medicinal Use: Gastritis, Upset Stomach, Cuts Down On Obesity, Potentially Helps Painful Menstruation

Fenugreek has become relatively popular as one of the most common medicinal plants used to treat obesity issues. This has also resulted in the plant getting credit for treating diabetes too. Rather, it helps cut down on overeating by giving people a full feeling. On top of this, it has been shown to be successful in treating an upset stomach as well as Gastritis or inflammation of the stomach. Other stuff is more folklore than proven science.

A Natural Science Enthusiast’s Guide to Medicinal Plants
Fenugreek Seeds & Essential Oil. Photo Credit: Swapan Photography/Shutterstock

For many years, it was claimed Fenugreek treated painful menstruation and what we’d come to call polycystic ovary syndrome as well. It is more than likely that if it helped the former, it also helped the latter. Also, if it does indeed help with inflammation issues in the digestive tract, it might also help to cut down inflammation in the urinary tract areas as well. This could be why it has been given credit for helping with the pain women might face.

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