Mimosa (Mimosa pudica)

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This small ground herb has many common names. It is known in Belize as the Sensitive Plant, Humble Plant, or Sleeping Grass. It closes up and droops down when touched, which indicates one of its properties - to induce sleep. Traditionally, leaves have been placed under one's pillow for treatment of insomnia. A tea made from its leaves and branches is used as a relaxant, pain reliever and to induce sleep. The leaves can also be applied, once mashed, to aching teeth.

Periwinkle

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The Periwinkle plant has historically been used throughout the Caribbean to treat a wide assortment of diseases. It was used as a folk remedy for diabetes in the area for centuries. Juice from the leaves is used to treat wasp stings and other insect bites. The plant can be boiled to make a poultice to stop bleeding. It has been used as an astringent, diuretic and cough remedy. In Central and South America, it is used as a homemade cold remedy to ease lung congestion and inflammation and sore throats., an extract from the flowers is used to make a solution to treat eye irritation and infections.

If you've had a hard day at work and have aching limbs, the bruised, boiled leaves of the Periwinkle can be applied, giving much sought-after relief.
Research Results: This is an extremely well steadied plant. It is the source of two potent cancer-fighting alkaloids, Vincristine and Vinblastine. The plant contains alkaloids that ore now crucial in the battle against Hodgkin's disease and childhood leukemia. 72 alkaloids have been isolated form Periwinkle. Interestingly, its effectiveness in the treatment of diabetes, its most common bushmedicinal use, has not been verified.

Picao Preto

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Picao Preto, a small annual herb with prickly leaves and yellow flowers, is considered a weed in many places. But in the Islands, it has a long history of producing herbal curatives, and virtually all parts of the plant are used. The people of Exuma grind the sun-dried leaves with olive oil to make poultices for sores and lacerations. Leaves are balled up and applied to toothaches, or plastered to the head to soothe a headache.