Medicinal plants in Thailand: Thai names and properties

Centella Asiatica or Gotu Kola, in Thai: Bow bok – บัวบก

Centella asiatica is a brain tonic that boosts intelligence and memory .

This plant helps combat stress and depression and improves reflexes .

Thais drink it for its tonic properties , and teenagers drink it to fight acne . You'll find it sold by the bunch in markets and offered as a mixed drink with ice and sugar in many establishments.

You will find them at the best price on Iherb .

See our article: Centella asiatica or Gotu kola: Tiger grass

Ipomoea pes-caprae, Phak boung thalé, against jellyfish stings

Nature does things well, to protect us from jellyfish stings, it places an antidote plant right on the beach!

Ipomea, in Thai: Phak boung thalé (ผักบุ้งทะเล) is a creeping vine that grows on most beaches in tropical regions.

Property

A decoction of the leaves is used against inflammation, rheumatism and cramps.

Crushed young leaves make it easier to extract sea urchin spines.

In many countries, Ipomoea pes-caprae is a remedy for inflammations, colic, gonorrhea and pain.

Brazilian researchers have shown that the methanolic extract of the aerial parts has significant antinociceptive activity (which inhibits pain sensitivity).

And the crushed leaf helps to soothe the pain caused by jellyfish stings.

For more information see our article:
Ipomoea pes-caprae, the vine against jellyfish stings

It was Thai friends from Chantaburi who taught me about the usefulness of this plant for jellyfish stings.

And as if to remind me not to forget, that same evening I met some tourists who told me that one of them had been stung while swimming and how the Thais had taken leaves from a plant on the beach, crushed them and applied them to his skin, which had the effect of quickly calming the pain.

Medicinal plants: Cissus Quadrangularis, for fractures and hemorrhoids

Cissus Quadrangularis (Pet Sang Kart in Thai) is a plant that is of great interest to researchers for its ability to accelerate the healing of fractured bones.

In Thailand, the plant is known to treat hemorrhoids and to have the same effect as steroids!

Studies have shown that Cissus Quadrangularis accelerates bone healing, has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activities.

Other studies indicate that it exerts a gastro-protective effect and may be useful in weight control.

Bodybuilders use it for its natural steroid properties, which help them lose weight and build muscle.

You will find them at the best price on Iherb .

For more information see: www.nutranews.org

Personally, I took it to treat my migraines and it was effective!

And I was able to see the "natural steroid" effect, because although I hadn't done any sport for some time, taking it for 6 days meant that the volume of my muscles increased and I lost a little weight (easily visible because I'm rather thin), but at the time, I only knew its properties for bones and venous problems and I wondered where this could come from!

The Many Benefits of Papaya and Papaya Leaves

Papaya fruit of the papaya tree

Papaya (malako in Thai) is not only a delicious fruit and the essential ingredient of Som Tam , the seeds and leaves of the papaya tree are used to treat an impressive number of illnesses including dengue fever which is causing so much damage in Thailand.

See: Dengue fever can be treated with papaya leaf juice!

Medicinal properties of papaya

General properties of papain

It is used to treat digestive disorders , because it is rich in proteolytic enzymes , necessary for digestion

Papain has beneficial effects in the wound healing process: Injuries, edema, inflammation .

The latex extracted from the still green fruit is used for its antiparasitic properties .

The latex collected by cutting into still-green fruits is used to remove warts and corns.

Properties of seeds

Liver Health: Papaya seeds contain essential nutrients that help cure liver cirrhosis.

Kidney Health: Researchers at the University of Karachi have found that papaya seeds are beneficial for kidney health and preventing kidney failure.

Anti-inflammatory properties: The seeds have anti-inflammatory properties and can be used to relieve arthritis, joint diseases, pain and redness.

Antibacterial and antiviral properties : A small amount of papaya seeds can kill harmful bacteria like E. coli, staphylococcus and Salmonella.

They also help fight viral infections and serve as remedies for dengue fever, typhoid fever, and many other diseases.

Anticancer properties: Papaya seeds contain agents that prevent the growth of cancer cells and tumors.

Anti-parasitic: Papaya seeds contain an alkaloid called “Carpaine” which kills intestinal worms and amoeba parasites.

Natural Contraceptive: Papaya seeds are excellent natural contraceptives for both men and women, with no side effects, unlike chemical contraceptives which have many harmful effects with prolonged use.

Excess Fat and Sugar: Papaya seeds have the ability to prevent the body from absorbing too much fat and sugar, which speeds up the digestion process and contributes to weight loss.

You will find it in different forms on Iherb .

See all properties and dosages:

The Papaya tree and its fruit, the papaya, uses and medicinal properties

The Many Health Benefits of Jackfruit

Jackfruit. Photo: Logga Wiggler

Jackfruit in Thai: Ka Noun, ขนุน

A fruit used by vegetarians as a meat substitute!

The jackfruit (or jack fruit, jacques) is an oval-shaped fruit, covered with small pimples, it contains white, even yellow, very sticky flesh, edible seeds with a taste close to starch, a little sweet.

This exotic fruit is full of vitamins, minerals, fiber and provides energy.

It is eaten cooked (grilled or boiled), it can also be found in cans and in the form of food supplements.

It is used in the composition of certain traditional dishes and its starch content allows it to be used as flour.

Caution: I have never had confirmation, but I have been told that it is not recommended to eat it if you have consumed alcohol, as with durian, see here:
Durian becomes deadly with alcohol!

Very rich in B vitamins

Jackfruit alone is a powerhouse of B vitamins (found in few fruits) with a high complex of components such as pyridoxine (active form of vitamin B6), niacin (vitamin B3), riboflavin (vitamin B2) and folic acid (vitamin B9).

To recharge your batteries

It is ideal for giving a boost to tired or sick bodies.

It provides 95 calories per 100g with little saturated fat and virtually no traces of cholesterol.

It is also a super fruit that repels viruses and bacteria and protects our body against infections.

Its consumption helps our body to function properly and strengthens our immune system.

It is a significant source of potassium and magnesium, not to mention iron which helps fight the risk of anemia.

Jackfruit, a fruit beneficial for the heart

Its combination of minerals and vitamins (manganese, magnesium, iron, potassium, calcium) plays a role in preserving our cells and controlling heart rate and blood pressure.

Additionally, calcium promotes good blood clotting and maintains strong bones.

An ally for the digestive system

Jackfruit is very rich in fiber, making it a natural bandage to protect the colon from polluting waste.

On the one hand, it aids digestion with its high fiber content.

On the other hand, it prevents the risk of stomach ulcers and plays a role in intestinal problems such as diarrhea.

Tip: A decoction of jackfruit bark is ideal for effectively stopping diarrhea.

A natural remedy for certain cancers?

Studies have shown that jackfruit can prevent the risk of colon cancer and help ward off other infectious diseases.

Nutrients in jackfruit such as lignans, isoflavones, phytonutrients and saponins protect against free radicals that are involved in the formation of cancer cells.

Jackfruit, to stay young

The antioxidants in jackfruit immunize our cells and DNA against the effects of free radicals.

It is therefore a good way to maintain our youthful capital.

Mango tree, mango and mango leaves against diabetes

Thai name: ma mouang
The tree: tone ma mouang
The fruit: louk ma mouang

A mango juice: nam ma mouang

 The many medicinal properties of the mango tree, its fruit, bark and leaves.

Mango eaten ripe or Thai style, green and sour, is very rich in vitamin C.

The bark is used to treat diarrhea, burns and wounds.

But it is in the young leaves of the mango tree that we find the most interesting elements to treat a wide variety of health problems, such as diabetes, fever, bronchitis, asthma, cough, stress, anxiety...

To discover all the benefits of the mango tree, consult our article:
The medicinal properties of the mango tree

Galangal, a rhizome with digestive, aphrodisiac and antiseptic properties

Galangal Rhizome

Thai name: Kha (ข่า)

Galangal is a rhizome plant of the Zingiberaceae family like ginger, used mainly for its aphrodisiac, digestive and antiseptic properties.

Scientific name: Alpinia officinarum

It is a rhizome often used in Thai cuisine such as Tom Kha Kai, see:
Recipe for Tom Kha Kai, chicken soup with lemon coconut milk

Medicinal properties

Galangal is traditionally used in Asia for its aphrodisiac properties.

The rhizome is also valued for its antispasmodic and anti-inflammatory properties (fights involuntary contractions and inflammation).

It is often used to treat digestive disorders (heaviness in the stomach, slow digestion) and to stimulate the appetite.

Galangal is also a good antiseptic.

It is used in the composition of Fioravanti alcoholate, a remedy that works effectively against skin infections (including those of the scalp) and irritations.

Some dentists recommend galangal to soothe toothaches.

Finally, its antitumor action is currently the subject of several studies.

Honey to heal wounds

A few years ago, I had a motorbike accident while driving down the road from Pai to Chiang Mai in the rain and suffered a pretty serious injury.

I followed the "modern" protocol for cleaning the wound, alcohol, betaine and bandage, but the wound did not heal, every day there was pus and it was painful.

And at that time I was reading Christian Jack's novels about Egypt where he said that the Egyptians used honey to heal wounds during wars.

So, since the injury hadn't improved after a week, I tried, I cleaned the injury with alcohol and put honey in the bandage before sticking it on.

And the next day I was really surprised, the wound was clean, without pus and healing well, a real miracle!

I put more honey on without cleaning it, because there was new skin and the next day I took off the bandage, the wound was well closed!

Then there are different qualities of honey in Thailand, but in all Seven Eleven, you can find very good quality honey linked to royal projects (photo), this is the one I used.

Some time later and for another smaller wound, I used cheap honey and it took longer for the wound to heal, so quality matters.