Trees found in Mexico - Orchid Tree Medicinal Uses for Cancer Prevention, Intestinal Worms, Diuretic, Regulate Blood Sugar

By Liliana Usvat    
Blog 330-365 

Have you planted a tree this year? Have you done lately anything to prevent deforestation ? We need to leave the Earth in a better shape that we found it. Here is a idea for a tree - Orchid Tree

 

Orchid Tree (English) Arbol de las Orquídeas is Bauhinia variegata, a native of India and China and a member of the enormous Fabaceae (Bean) Family. The showy, fragrant flowers, 3-4 inches across (7-10 cm) bear 5 or 6 upward-arching stamens. At first the blossoms are white with a dark pink central spot, but with age flowers turn into deep shades of magenta, lavender or purplish blue. 
 
At Hacienda Chichen the Orchid-Tree blooms at the end of the rainy season (late fall) and eventually is laden with flattish seed pods, foot-long legumes. Note the unusual leaf shape, which reminds some people of a  cow foot indented on both ends, and others of butterflies with rounded wings. Flowers are edible in salads
 
Other Names 


Butterfly Tree, Mountain Ebony, Geranium Tree, Purple Bauhinia Bauhinia purpurea, Kachnar

 
Description

Appearance: Semi-deciduous tree to 15 m (50 ft) tall, with a spreading crown.
Leaves: Alternate, long petioled, to 3 cm (1.25 in) long, thin-leathery, simple but deeply cleft at apex, forming 2 large rounded lobes; lower surfaces downy, especially at top of petiole; blades with 11–13 veins extending from heart-shaped or rounded base.
Flowers: Showy, fragrant, in few-flowered clusters near stem tips; 5 petals, clawed, overlapping, pale magenta to indigo (occasionally white), with dark red and yellow also on upper petal; 5 stamens (rarely 6).
Fruit: A flat, oblong pod, to 30 cm (1ft) long, 10–15-seeded.
 

History

This plant is grouped into the Leguminosae and subfamily Caesalpinioideae. The genus contains about 300 species spread around the world in tropical and subtropical climates. Its name honors two brothers, John and Caspar Bauhin, noted 16th century European herbalists. The species is native to a huge range from India to the Malay Peninsula. This is one parent species of the Hong Kong Orchid Tree.

Lore

Long flat seed pods that follow the seeds is key to its place in the pea family.

Medicinal Uses

 

In the Ayurvedic texts, sushruta Samhita and Charaka Samhita, many therapeutic properties have been ascribed to kachnar.
Kachnar is believed to pacify the 3 doshas of Vata, Pitta and Kapha.
Some of the benefits of extracts of the orchid tree that studies have revealed are :

• Regulate blood sugar. The protein present in the leaves have insulin like activity.
• Protect the kidneys against toxicity and damage due to accumulation of toxic chemicals.
• Protect the liver. Extracts of kachnar protect the liver against carbon tetrachloride toxicity.
• Heal intestinal ulcers by decreasing the output of gastric acids.
• Control the formation of tumors and also possess cancer preventing properties.
• Heal wounds faster when compared to a control group.
• Has tonic and restorative properties.
• Relieve diarrhea and remove intestinal worms.
• Act as a diuretic.
• Have anti inflammatory and anti microbial properties.
• Decoction of kachnar bark is useful in alleviating skin diseases.  
• has been used to treat leprosy.
• Kachnar has the capacity to purify the air by cleaning up the atmospheric and soil pollution. The roots have nitrogen fixing properties.
• The flowers and buds are useful in flatulence and joint pains.
• A decoction made from the root of the kachnar is said to prevent people becoming obese. 
• An infusion of the flower buds is good to get rid of coughs.

Some Ayurvedic Remedies With Kachnar

• For Mouth Ulcers & Bad Breath

Take dried bark pf kachnar and pound it coarsely. To 10 grams of this add 400 ml water. Let it come to a boil and then simmer till about 100 ml of water remains.
Remove from heat, cool a bit and filter the water. Gargle with this water while still warm. Do this 2 to 3 times daily. This is a very effective remedy for mouth ulcers and works even where other medications have failed to provide relief.

• For Diarrhea And Intestinal Mucus

Powder the bark. Take 3 grams of this powder with water twice a day; once in the morning and again in the evening.

• For Difficulty In Urination

Remove the seeds from the long pod like fruit. Powder the seeds. Take 1 gram of this seed powder twice a day, in the morning and evening, with water. It relieves problems in urination.

• For Liver Problems And Jaundice

Extract juice from kachnar leaves. Drink 2 times a day. Dose adults 50 ml and children 15 ml.
This juice improves the liver function and reduces enlargement of the liver.

• For Thyroid Problems And Tonsils

Pound about 20 grams of kachnar bark and add 200 ml of water to it. Boil and then simmer the water till it reduces to 50 ml.
Strain and drink.

• To Improve Appetite

Drink juice of kachnar leaves.

• For Tumors, Cysts & Fibroids

Boil 5 grams of dry bark or 10 grams of fresh bark in 400 ml of water till the water is reduced to 100 ml. Strain and drink.

Plant and Care 

Orchid tree culture is fairly straightforward. Growing orchid trees thrive in full sun and do well in bright shade. They must have well drained soil and when planting an orchid tree, care should be taken to place it outside the reach of a sprinkler system.

Orchid trees, once established, can withstand drought conditions, but cannot tolerate temperatures below 15°F (-9°C).

Links

• http://davesgarden.com/guides/pf/go/2325/  
• http://saorchard.co.za/tree-care/planting-trees/
• http://www.jyoungpharm.in/article.asp?issn=0975-1483;year=2009;volume=1;issue=1;spage=36;epage=41;aulast=Golwala;type=0

• http://hub.hku.hk/handle/10722/124499
• http://cancerpreventionresearch.aacrjournals.org/cgi/content/meeting_abstract/3/1_MeetingAbstracts/A64
• http://www.indexscholar.com/?record=1138749
• http://www.greenpharmacy.info/article.asp?issn=0973-8258;year=2009;volume=3;issue=1;spage=70;epage=74;aulast=Ghaisas
• http://www.ijppsjournal.com/Vol5Suppl2/6808.pdf
• http://www.japtr.org/article.asp?issn=2231-4040;year=2011;volume=2;issue=2;spage=132;epage=134;aulast=Mali;type=0
• http://www.ijp-online.com/article.asp?issn=0253-7613;year=2009;volume=41;issue=5;spage=227;epage=232;aulast=Rajani
• http://www.academia.edu/3442043/Phytochemical_screening_and_antimicrobial_activity_of_Bauhinia_variegata_Linn
• http://scialert.net/fulltext/?doi=rjphyto.2011.89.97&org=10
• http://herbs-treatandtaste.blogspot.ca/2010/07/kachnar-or-orchid-treeexotic-spring.html
• http://www.researchgate.net/publication/221705120_Spectrum_of_Pharmacological_Activities_from_Bauhinia_variegata_A_Review