Organically speaking...

Herb Garden

At a time when many allopathic medical practitioners do not believe in the effects of other types of medicines such as Ayurveda and homeopathy, Yenepoya University on the outskirts of Mangalore stands apart.

In an attempt to be close to nature, the University has established a medicinal plant garden, a venture to recognise and appreciate that plants are the original source of most medicines.

What attracts the garden is its unique construction to popularise the use of local medicinal plants, that is, to create an awareness on the importance of medicinal plants in healthcare and drug development. Human organ systems are depicted with the help of bricks and plastering.

Medicinal plants specific to those organs are grown inside the constructed area. To help those who are interested, name plates for all the medicinal plants containing the description of each plant and its uses are displayed in the garden.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Dr Bhagya B Sharma of the Division of Genetics, Department of Anatomy at Yenepoya Medical College (YMC), Yenepoya University, who was instrumental in setting up the garden, says that importance is given to sustainable gardening, which seeks to promote environment-friendly gardening practices and which involves such practices as sustainable water use.

Landscaping is given important consideration in the development of this garden. Meandering walkways and aesthetically designed herbal beds are an added attraction.

Healing herbs

Just behind the administration block of the Yenepoya University, the herbs garden has been set up. If you have a close look at the garden, you will find all human organs in the garden — there is a heart, an ear, nose, kidney, lungs, uterus, testes, liver, intestine and so on.
“The plants grown in the shape of the human organs is helpful in curing diseases pertaining to that particular organ,” explains Dr Bhagya B Sharma.

For instance, the garden which is in the shape of the kidney is home to medicinal plants such as boerhavia diffusa, (punernava), michelia champaka, aerva lanata (pashana bedha) and asparagus racemosus (shatavadri) have been planted. Plants in the particular space (for example, the kidney) help in treating the disease related to that particular organ.

Similarly, the heart-shaped area of the garden houses plants such as punica granatum (pomegranate), catharanthus roseus (periwinkle) , citrus aurantifolia (lemon), terminalia arjuna and carissa carandus. All these plants help in treating diseases related to heart.

Popularising herbs

Stressing the importance of herbal and medicinal plants in our lives, Dr Sharma stresses the need to propagate and popularise them more.

“There is a need to make everyone, especially the younger generation aware of various kinds of medicinal herbs and their significance in our lives,” she says and adds, “The present generation no longer has an intimate knowledge of plants and their uses that our ancestors had acquired through centuries of trial and error.”

When we want a cure for our headache or fever, we go not to the meadow and woodland but to the drugstore. On the contrary, some drugs made from poisonous plants (such as foxglove, the source of digitalis) are safer than using the plants themselves, she adds. Just because a product is natural, it does not mean that it is safe.

As with modern drugs, herbal medicines have undesired side-effects as well as beneficial effects. A growing number of research studies are under way, testing the safety and effectiveness of popular herbal products. Hence, there is a need for scientifically validated and technologically standardised herbal medicines to convert resources into wealth, Dr Sharma opines.

Herbs with the healing touch

The following are only a few plants in the herbal garden with shapes of organs.

* Ear: Achyranthes aspera, Vitex negundo (nirgundi)

* Eyes: Leucas indica (thumbe), Rosa sp., Cassia absus, Cassia fistula, Phyllanthus Emblica (Amla)

* Throat: Coleus aromaticus (Doddapatre or sambarballi)

* Nose: Curcuma amada (Kukku Shunti or Mango Ginger), Cyperus rotundus, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

* Brain: Centella asiatica (Timare or Ondelaga), Bacopa monnieri, Clitoria ternatea (Shanka Pushpa), Acorus calamus

* Lungs: Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), Coleus aromaticus, Piper longum, Adathoda zeylanica (Aadu soge)

* Uterus: Aloe vera, Woodfordia fruticosa (Dataki), Saraca asoca (Ashoka), Symplocos racemosa

* Testes: Ionidium suffruticosum, Mucuna pruriens (Naayi Sonagu), Moringa oleifera (Drumstick), Achras sapota (Guava)

* Skin: Wrightia tomentosa, Azadiracta indica (Neem), Pongamia pinnata, Ricinis communis (Castor), Ocimum sanctum (Tulsi), Curcuma longa (Turmeric), Coleus aromaticus (Doddapatre)

* Head: Eclipta alba (Bhringa Raja), Lawsonia inermis (Henna, mehendi)

* Mouth: Spilanthes paniculata (Anaesthesia plant), Mimusops elengi, Acorus calamus (Baje)

* Stomach: Plumbago zeylanica (chitrika), Plumbago indica

* Liver: Phyllanthus amarus (Nela nelli), Andrographis paniculata (Kiratha kaddi)
Pancreas: Costus igneus (Insulin plant), Salacia chinensis

* Intestine: Embelia tsjeriam-cottam

* Rectum: Calotropis gigantea