Dr.S.Revathi's Blog

Merremia Emarginata is a creeping plant that has roots at its nodes. The leaves are dark green in colour and resemble the shape of the ears of rat that earns it a name called Elikaadhu ilai (literally, rat's ears) in tamil. These leaves have curvy edges and are slightly bitter in taste. This plant bears very little yellow flowers and ovoid shaped tiny fruits containing 2-4 seeds. Other vernacular names of this plant are as follows: Kidney leaf morning glory in English, Musakani in Hindi, Elikajeemudu in Telugu, Elikaadhu ilai, Elikaadhu keerai in Tamil and Elichevi in Malayalam. This plant is native to India and is widely found in China, Indonesia and South East Asia, Madagascar and other African countries. This plant is abundant and is present throughout rainy season. Nutrients present: Alkaloids, flavanoids, glycosides, amino acids, tannin, caffeic acid, ferulic acid, etc. Properties: Anti-cancer, anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, vermifuge, analgesic, ...

Moringa seeds are obtained from the pods of moringa olifera which is commonly known by the name of drumstick. The fresh seeds are quite tender, but when dried these bomes hard like small beans. These seeds are grayish white in color. They can be steamed, boiled, roasted, popped like popcorn, cooked like peas and also can be consumed with other food items. These seeds have been used to purify river or stream water from earlier times. A handful of these seeds provides enough nutrient supplement required to for a single day. The nutrients present in these seeds are Vitamins C, E, A, B complex, iron, essential amino-acids, oleic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, linoleic acid, linolineic acid, pterygospermin, calcium and other essential macro and micro-nutrients. The phytochemicals present in these seeds are tannin, saponin, phenolic compounds, phylate, flavanoids, terpenoids, lectins, etc. This is regarded as the powerhouse of antioxidants as it contains 30 antioxidants which boosts the immunit...

Immune system of our body is like a wall which protects the fortress ( our body ) from the attacks of the enemies ( antibodies )! A strong immune system is needed for a person to lead a healthy life. Immune system fights against many harmful disease-causing microbes like bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.,.  But the level of  immunity varies with person. Lesser the immunity, more the person is prone to diseases.  To reduce this risk, one has to improve their immunity which can be done easily through their diet. The food we take in itself acts as a medicine to our body if taken in proper proportions. That's why, we should eat highly nutritious and immune enhancing foods.  During this period of pandemic, we should include to our diet, foodstuffs rich in vitamin C, D, B complex, E, protein and zinc. This will help to boost our immunity against the attack of bacteria and virus. In general, plant based foods like fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices are good for our immune s...

Mimusops elengi , commonly known as Magila maram (மகிழ மரம்) is an important medicinal herb belonging to Sapotaceae family. Its usage as traditional medicine traces back to the beginning of the history of medicine.  It is a medium sized evergreen, wide-spreading tree found in tropical forests of India, South Asia, Thailand, Burma, Malaysia, China, N orthern Australia, etc.  This tree is very famous for its shade and fragrance. These trees are mainly grown in home gardens and botanical parks. Leaves are glossy and dark green in color, flowers are star-shaped, creamy white in color with pleasant fragrance. These flowers are used to make garlands. This is a sacred tree for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains. Raw fruits are green in color, when it ripens it turns into a yellow to orange color. These eatable fruits are oval shaped, having little flesh with sweetish taste like  Sapodilla.  Seeds are thick greyish black in color. All parts of this plant are used to cu...

About Corona Virus Infection According to World Health Organization (WHO), Corona virus is a family of virus, that causes illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as SARS and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome). These viruses are inherently zoonotic, i.e., originally transmitted from  animals to humans. Now, this infection spreads through direct or indirect with the infected person. Name of this virus is derived from Latin word 'corona', meaning crown or Halo owing to the shape of this virus. The first instance of identification of Corona viruses traces back to the 1960s. But, the novel Corona Virus (2019-nCoV) was identified as the source of the illness in early 2020 as an infection traced to Wuhan seafood market that also sold live animals. Signs and symptoms of infection   Running nose Fever Sneezing Cough Sore throat Shortness of breath Difficulty in breathing Nose sinuses  Upper throat infection In advanced st...