Remedy for wounds
Crush kadukkai (Black Myrobalan), add karpooram powder (edible camphor) and apply to open wounds to stop the bleeding, pain and inflammation. Important to note: The camphor used here is edible camphor and not the synthetically produced camphor. Remedy for mouth ulcers Chew and eat Manathakkali leaves (Black nightshade) raw for mouth ulcers.
Camphor tree
Camphor is a compound obtained from the tree Cinnamonum camphora, commonly called camphor laurel. It is a large evergreen tree which is distinguished by the aromatic camphor smell when leaves are crushed.
Camphor has been used for many centuries as a culinary spice, a component of incense, and as a medicine. In India, camphor is used in Ayurveda. The camphor that is used for medicinal purposes is edible (usually sold in powdered form in markets) and is different from the camphor synthetically produced from the oil of turpentine. The synthetically prepared camphor is not suitable for consumption.
Interestingly, a new camphor tree species was discovered in the southern Western Ghats recently. It was named Cinnamonum agasthyamalayanum, after the region to which it was endemic to – Agasthyamala hills of Thiruvananthapuram. It was found growing in dense wet evergreen forests at an altitudinal range of 500–1400m.
How to grow Manathakkali (Black nightshade)
Manathakkali plant has several health benefits and is a medicinal herb in Ayurveda, called Kakamachi in Sanskrit. It is very easy to grow, requiring no maintenance at all. The plant produces numerous small purple-black berries, which have many seeds. The Manathakkali spreads fast because the seeds germinate and grow into new plants when the ripe berries fall on the ground. The leaves and berries are used in Indian kitchens to make chutney and kuzhambu. Sow the seeds of Manathakkali directly on the ground, exposed to full sunlight. Keep the soil damp, and germination will begin soon.
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