Green Chili (Capsicum annuum) - an immune booster and many more health benefits

Summer season and corona (COVID -19) both are at a peak in India. Where dusty, gusty, hot, and dry summer wind (Loo) is making dehydration to the person who has to go for work outside at the same time person should wear a facemask and hand gloves, etc. to protect themselves from the COVID-19; a pandemic viral disease.  It is also well known that a good immune system only can protect the human body from several diseases.

Though, all the people now taking the utmost precautions to escape from summer wind as well as Corona disease but adding small things in the routine life can give more benefit to a person to overcome from the risk of the aforesaid trouble. It is nothing but adding green chili (Capsicum annuum) to the routine diet. It was observed that two numbers of medium-sized green chili fruit are quite enough for a person to maintain good health by eating along with salads or in another form like green chili sauce, green chili chutney, green chili pickle but practically it is found more effective if eaten with food as raw green chili. If it is not comfortable to eat green chili along with food in this situation, the green chili water may be preferred. 

Preparation of Green chili water:  Take two medium-sized fully green and healthy chili fruit. Soak it with one tumbler of drinking water overnight. Remove the soaked chili fruit from tumbler in the morning and drink the water before or after breakfast. This may be taken daily for initially two weeks to boosting the immune system. It may be taken daily also as it works as a green vegetable to the body and there is no side effect reported so far.  

Health benefits: The Main health benefits of green chilies are as under-

1. The green chili provides Vitamin C, Vitamin A, Vitamin B6, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Iron, and other micronutrients that a human body requires on a daily basis to maintain the Immune system. While eating green chili, more saliva secretion occurs that regulates the digestive system of the human body. 

2. It has more antioxidants, anticancerous anti-infectious and anti-inflammatory properties that help to release toxicity, inhibit cancer cell formation, kill microbes like bacteria & viruses, and relax in pain respectively. 

3. It Regulates metabolic activities to the human body.

4. It has anticoagulation properties and helps to stop blood clotting to avoid the risk of a heart attack.

5. Daily use of green chilies prevents ulcer formation and balance the blood sugar level in the body that cause diabetics.

6. It helps in the good formation of Red Blood corpuscles in the human body.

7. It repairs the broken tissues and maintains glory skin.

8. In man, prostate cancer is a very common disease. Eating green chili reduces the enlargement of the prostate gland and prostate cancer.

9. It helps to maintain good cholesterol in the body also in the formation of Endorphin hormone OR "Feel good" to make your mood happy.       

Overthinking may lead to depression

Overthinking may lead to depression

Nowadays depression becomes a very common disorder, especially to the growing youngsters. In simple words, depression is nothing but deep thinking and more expectation to gain something with the least resources or unavailable resources, and that also within a short time. It may also happen when an assignment has been taken with inappropriate planning and expected outcome not achieved. 

Depression is another word- 

" Thinking without planning,

   Planning without action,

   Action without thought,

   The result is confusion and,

   Ultimately, occur frustration." 

If a person has the least resources then, he has to plan accordingly as in the building of strong carrier, the first step in any field seems very tough but it is then eased by the second step and so on..It has ever been listening to many famous people they have selected a field as a carrier and then turned to other work. Everyone has some unique characters and talent. Only, it should be taken from the mind and polished well before its launch on the public platform. 

Lose and gain, success and failure are complementary to each other. A winner has to face more challenges to maintaining their top-level graph in society in order not to defeat by others at the same time a loser has multiple opportunities to try and win. Life itself a challenge and nothing is perfect in the world. The competition should be between the person who has equal caliber to fight. High expectations always push to a person to down if the attempt not made in time and in correct directions. Life never like short cut pathways. It is true while traveling on the true path, many obstacles may come in the way but it may shorten out as problems are everywhere at the same time solution is also available only the thing, person has to search very calmly and with patience. 

A person must try to be positive towards his mind and soul because negative thoughts can also play an important role to push a person towards depression as it makes a person hollow internally. If anything not coming to hand and slipping even on a continuous attempt, then it must be thought that something is going to happen better than the present. Might, this work not allotted by GOD to him. 

It has been seen that a person unable to tolerate criticism by the society or among the friends but if the criticism is being utilized in a positive manner it would become boon for next opportunity. Criticism is just like a centipede crawling which left sign over the soil to the identification. Likewise, criticism always remind not to repeat such activities again by making good and positive efforts until the targeted goal achieved.  

Disappointment is another reason for depression for the new generation for example if a person going to attend an interview with full preparation and thinking to success and by the chance, he or she unable to qualify the interview what should they do? Whether they should stop preparing for competitions or make further attempts with the rectification of the former lacunae that causes unsuccess. Absolutely the answer must be for a further attempt to the competition as - 

The END is not the end, in fact E.N.D. is "Efforts Never Dies" and if you get NO in answer, then, remember N.O. is " Next Opportunity". 

Always be positive.

Enhancing health graph while stay at home....

While visiting a town area in Covod - 19 essential duties, many people asking questions about maintaining their health in the lockdown period while staying at home as many of them are a senior citizen and unable to go to walk outside of the home due to many restrictions as well as fear of the COVID -19. School children are also getting less hunger and not good sleep because of less movement and more inactiveness of the body. Some of the children found to feel anxiety due to outdoor movement restricted. It is difficult to conduct indoor games to a high percentage of the population living in apartments.

Many of them, who have already been advised to have a minimum of three kilometers brisk walking daily to maintaining their diabetes and cholesterol etc. Nowadays, they are facing difficulties due to stay at home as some apartment associations even not allowing them to walk in the parking area too as the senior citizen is highly vulnerable to COvid -19. 

Maintaining health is a little bit difficult in the lockdown period but it is not impossible. This may be maintained easily by following some points -

1. Increase deep breathing and meditation timing.

2. Eat only when feeling appetite, not by timing like morning, noon, evening, and night for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and supper respectively. This may accumulate unnecessary fat to the body as our body is less active during the stay at home.

3. Eat less than a usual diet.

4. Avoid more spicy, grilled, fried non-vegetarian food as per mood but select light and easily digestible vegetarian food along with salad and citric fruit juice without adding sugar and ice cubes.

5. Always prefer to take hot water frequently.

6. Avoid more coffee and instead of the coffee, the green tea or tea added with black pepper, tulsi leaf, and fresh ginger may be preferred. It will help to boost immunity as well as inhibit the incubation of bacteria and viruses in our bodies. 

7. Do not try to lie in bed unnecessarily. When you feel sleepy then only go to bed. 

8. Engage to do some extracurricular activities as per your hobbies like art and craft, reading the book, playing musical instruments, etc. 

9. Avoid long sitting in one place and in one position.

10. Mild to normal exercise also helps to maintain a good mood and health.

I hope that the above-suggested points may help to maintain good health even in the lockdown period.        

Be aware but don't panic with Corona viruses

Awareness and fear are two simple words but have maximum involvement in everybody life. Awareness gives a solution to tackle the situation before it becomes worst. Whereas, fear attacks on sentiments of the person and create nervousness for a particular thing. Can we control fear by developing awareness within us?  Yes! It can be developed by knowing the actual fact in detail. The Coronaviruses become pandemic and have severely attacked human beings not only in a particular country but all over the world. But, everywhere one thing is very common and that was the "fear". Why? because, due to the active media and smartphone world, everybody knows that there is no vaccine invented so far for these viruses. In this situation, if anybody gets corona positive and doctors advise to admit in hospitals for certain days for medications, the patient unable to establish faith in doctors as he knows from various sources that the specific treatment is not available so far. This fear makes the patient down morally. As soon as fear triggers on moral (thinking) to the patients, the immune graphs of the patient get lowered and the recovery rate become slow. This may make a person metabolically unfit too. 

As we know that corona is not the first time come in existence in 2019 but it was already present in nature since long back. The starting symptoms of corona is very much similar to the common cold and seasonal fever. A person suffering from common cold also has sneezing, fever, suffocation due to irritation in the throat, and formation of phlegm in the respiratory tract. Most of the cases this remained untreated and get automatically cleared after 5-7 days. This common cold itself making patients critical if they already have cardiac, renal, pancreatic, liver, respiratory and diabetic associated problems and they need intensive care for that disease too. Practically, it is seen that corona also affects those who had either weak immunity or suffering from a long illness of aforesaid diseases. 

Previously, it was suggested by many authentic resources that the corona patients shows dry cough, irritating throat and breathing difficulties symptoms and then, it was said by many responsible medical authorities that many patients do not show symptoms and remain as "asymptomatic" 

After corona come in existence, the common cold and other communicable viral disease rushed away? Absolutely No. It means they are also in the environment and we are facing the same. More people may have coughing, sneezing, etc. but not a corona patients but it is very difficult to distinguish among them. 

The Monsoon now started in Kerala , south India and slowly it will travel to North India within the month. The fluctuation in temperature will occur and many diseases like malaria, dengue, chikungunya, common cold, etc may come as usually it repeating every year but we were not panic as we accustomed about that. 

In our family, if any member gets affected by the common cold, very soon it will spread to all the family members because it is also communicable disease. If anybody in the family able to maintain social distancing and has strong immunity, he or she might suffer less. 

The same thing we, have to continue by following -

1. Maintain social distancing.

2. Avoid Physical Contact/Shaking hands

3. Wear Facemask

4. Wash hands with soap frequently.

5. Deep breathing (Anulom and Vilom) / Pranayam daily 20 minutes preferably morning time.

7. Avoid eating unhealthy food (junk foods)

8. Prefer Vegetarian foods with salads 

Generally, if a person have continuous fever for more than 12 hours due to viral infection, he or she loss the taste and smelling power during the fever and infection and after fever while recovering also. This is a common phenomenon of the body. For that, we should not be panic.

Here, I would like to suggest some tips to regain taste and smell within the hour- 

1. Just take a medium-sized lemon. Cut it into two equal half. Take a well cleaned flat pan or fry pan.  Put the lemon on a flat pan in a reverse manner so that the cutting surface of lemon touches the surface of the flat pan. Switch on gas stove with slow flame. Heat the lemon for 5 minutes. Now take the heated lemon and sprinkle one pinch of table salt and one pinch of black pepper powder on the cut surface of the lemon. Now gently rub over the tongue for 2-3 minutes by slight squeezing so that the lemon juices should also come out along with spicy salt. Yow will see the magic, all the taste buds of the tongue will be opening and you are enjoying the taste. If require the whole process may be repeated after a 4-5 hour interval once more.

2. Take a small cut pieces of neat and well-cleaned root of Alpinia officinarum (lesser galangal). Keep it in the mouth near premolar and molar teeth without chewing. Slowly the extract from the root will comes out and clear all the respiratory problems. Allow smooth breathing and regain taste and smell within the days.

Enjoy life without fear. Problem and struggle in life are everywhere and fear is not a solution. We must be aware so that we may be able to solve the problem without difficulties and ultimately we will be the winner.

This food prevents many infectious diseases

Ayurveda says a healthy and balanced diet works like medicines. If we able to regularise our routine lifestyle, there is no burden to the intake of more medicines. Intake of more medicines in any form may directly or indirectly affect our immune system. Nowadays, maintaining the immune system becomes a great challenge for all. A person with a strong immune system will be able to fight with a number of diseases. Is maintaining Immunity difficult? Absolutely No ! This can be maintained very easily by controlling our mood for eating unhealthy and junk food. Vegetarianism is also a good choice to maintain our immunity. A vegetarian meal in the form of a balanced diet is now the need of new normal life after unwanted entry of COVID -19 in the life of human beings.

Nowadays, eating nonvegetarian food becomes a fashion and a sign of prosperity for middle and high society people without considering health. Meat either it is pork, mutton, beef, or chicken, it will be served by grilling, roasting, or frying with more spices and oil will not going to give any good health benefit except bulk storage of animal protein, spices and oil in our body. This is also very important to consider the health condition of an animal while killed for obtaining meat. Whether the animal used for obtaining meat was in stress, in fear, suffering from any microbial contamination, or suffering from any life-threatening diseases like tumors, cancers, etc. Whether any fitness certificate was obtained before its killing for meat? 

As we know that many psychrophilic microbes can survive below -5 degrees Celcius temperature. In this way, if meat refrigerated will remain holding microbes. Some of the thermophilic microbes may survive 41 - 120 degrees Celsius temperature. Such microbes will not be killed on grilling, roasting, or frying the meat and they will remain in the living conditions in the food.  Though the gastric juices and other secretary substances present our body is working to kill the utmost microbes which are entering our body along with food but it will not be sufficient and as a result, many more infectious diseases may occur. 

It does not mean that a pure vegetarian will not be sick but chances are comparatively less than the person who fully or partly opting to eat non-vegetarian food.

Is there any compulsion to eat only Non - vegetarian food ? Surely answer will be - No. We should make a passion to eat vegetarian food and avoid frequent eating of non-veg food. Vegetarian food will give more strength, boost the  immunity and maintain longivity by minimising risk of frequent infection to the body.

This is not in the purview of my suggestions to hurt anybody's emotion but in my opinion, opting vegetarian food is now a good choice considering the worldwide situation because health only becomes wealth and also the best survival criteria in the world. 

Party cake, ceremony and COVID - 19: Attention please ...

Any country cannot prolong the lockdown beyond a certain period as there are many reasons involves that directly associated with public welfare.  It has been seen that many countries started to give relaxation in the lockdown based on the country's situations. In one way relaxation in lockdown may help the citizen of the particular country to survive with the new normal condition but on the other hand, there is many chances to spread COVID - 19 an invisible and communicable spreading disease.

It has also been observed that after getting relaxation, people forgetting to follow the guidelines given in order to safeguard themselves from COVID -19. On many occasions, I have personally experienced that people were not following the social distancing, neither wearing facemask nor sanitizing their hands frequently. The rate of spreading of the aforesaid disease is still increasing day by day. The awareness and alertness is the only key to make us remain healthy and uninfected. 

As soon as lockdown relaxed, many of the rituals as well as common functions started to organize. the gathering has been seen without social distancing. Everybody wants to return back in normal life but normalcy is not greater than a healthy life. If health can be obtained even with some condition, also it is good only I think so.

As we know that the COVID -19 symptoms to the patient most of the time not appeared in advance. The infected persons seem to be very normal and this is why such a patient now named "Asymptomatic" These asymptomatic patients are safe and look like a normal person it may be due to strong immunity. But, it does not mean that they will not be the causal factor for others. Whenever they come in contact with such a person who already had some health issue might get severe infection and may or may not be cure. No one asking not to attend function in the community but consciousness should be in priority for all. I would like to bring the attention to the person who feels compulsory to go to attend party or any ritual ceremony should first take care of his or her health. Traditionally, any party looks incomplete without cutting the cake. We know that while cutting cake there is a small system involve to blow out a candle through the mouth. This may be stopped in order to avoid contamination. Pasting of other person faces with cake also an unhealthy way nowadays. If the cake party is necessary, we may avoid putting candles on the cake. If putting candles on the cake is very much required then it may be blow out with sanitized hands but not by mouth.   Or otherwise, the cake may remain be without candles. 

It is not my objective to hurt anybody's emotions but being a responsible person of health Deptt., I feel my duty to add a small suggestion to the public interest considering that it might be helpful to public health. 

Origin of natural substances used in aushadhi (Medicines)

On the basis of their origin, substances have been classified in the following four categories - 

1. Jangam (Movable) - the substances obtained from such creatures that can move from one place to others eg. gorochan (a yellow color, fragrant substance obtained from the bile of cow), Kasturi - musk  (obtained from musk deer), milk, butter, ghee, honey, wax, etc. 

2. Jada or Sthavar (Non-Movable)-  They come to existence from the underground of the earth such as trees, creepers, vegetations., etc.

3. Parthiv (Born by Earth )- These substances are obtained by the deformation of the soil in raw form such as salt, metals, shilajit., etc.

Jada (Non - Movable) substances further divided into four categories - Vanaspati (Cryptogams - non-flowering and seedless plants), Vanaspatya (Phanerogams - flowering plant and having seeds), Aushadhi (it includes those plants that is either annual (complete their life cycle within the year or in a season) or biennial (they will complete their life cycle within two years or two seasons) Such annual and biennial plants become dry after completing their lifecycle. these are cereals, legumes, and all other herbaceous plants)

4. Virudhi - It includes various types of creepers. 

Among the above four categories annual and biennial plants are used in plenty in the preparations of medicines. Nowadays, these plants are being cultivated and attracts very good market too. Mentha (Mentha piperata), Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), Kalmegh (Andrographis paniculata) etc. are the few examples given here. 

As we know the medicinal plant can be cultivated along with other crops. Now, awareness towards utilization of traditional medicine rising day by day and the demand of traditional medicine becomes high not only India but also in the world and therefore, it is very much required to start cultivation of medicinal and aromatic plants in bulk so that it can be utilized in the manufacturing of traditional medicine (Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha) as the traditional medicines demands very high and in comparison to present requirement, the production of medicines seems very least due to scarcity of raw materials. There are many know-how for cultivation and other guidelines have already been published by various institutes. Only the things to approach and move ahead.     

Do we have to live with COVID-19?

Do we have to live with COVID -19? It is a very big puzzle. Whether will it be solved in the future? or we have to adjust to this disease and adopt the same in our regular and routine life? There are many more questions vibrating in our mind. There are many diseases like HIV, AIDS, Influenza, H1N1, dengue, malaria etc.,  and many more seasonal and communicable disease making guest appearances in our life every year and human beings become accustomed by using precautionary measures for instance, when mosquitos breedings started in May to October every year in India, we are making alert ourselves to avoid infection of dengue, chikungunya, and zika like seasonal diseases and for that, we are maximum taking safety measures in order to avoid mosquito bites. Many seasonal and infectious may not severely harm human beings because of our alertness and the following of correct guidelines made for every citizen. Apart from that many vaccines also invented and now are being given compulsorily at a particular age by hospitals. Many diseases often enter to our life but no one harm like COVID -19. It is the matter of investigations that what particular lacunae from human beings giving favorable conditions to spread the corona. Why we are not able to create a check post for it. Why figures increasing day by day. Why it occurs repeatedly? These are the questions that are now being frequently asked by the public. At present, wearing the face mask and making social distancing and avoid physical contact etc., the recommended precautions are beings adopted but what are the guarantees that even an alert people will not commit any mistake. We have to find out proper solutions in this regard. Many research laboratories in the world keep on trying to invent a vaccine for this pandemic but it will take time. We have to come forward to think seriously on this issue to avoid further spread of Corona so that we may come back to our normal life as we had earlier. 

CORONA - an unwanted guest in human life

CORONA has totally disturbed the routine life of not only any individual country but also the whole world. It is true, it will not come in our ways with its own but if we invite it to bring home, then, it will act just like an unwanted guest. Many of us might have experienced such guest appearances minimum one time in our life certainly that some gust will come to our house and we will also give them good hospitality considering that the Guest is just like GOD but we cannot tolerate them for long time. however, among our family, some of our family members supporting such guests, and that's why they try to stick with us. 

More or less CORONA also behaves like an unwanted guest.  If we consider entire world like our family, then, we will be able to see two categories of people. One, who trying to send back to CORONA by following proper guideline of the particular states or countries like washing hands frequently, wearing a face mask and maintaining social distancing, etc and another who won't like to send this CORONA from their home and providing it favorable conditions to survive by common gathering, shaking hands, spitting on public places, not maintaining social distances, not wearing mask properly. If they wear masks, it is just a show to escape from the police or other corona warriors because they will put mask over their chin even though knowing that the main entry of corona in our body is through the nose and mouth. 

A country cannot prolong lockdown beyond a certain limit in order to save their countrymen, their business and other necessary work like education, transport, hospital, etc., Now, whether, is it not our duty to cooperate that family member who really want to eradicate the corona from our life? 

Why we are unable to control our mood and mind? Why we allow our mind to overrule us and compel us to do such activities that are favorable for corona spreading? These activities are going to cinema, visit the mall, restaurant, barbershop, bar shop, conducting public functions, etc. at least one year. Is it not our duty to follow all precautionary measures that are being given by our Government from time to time.

The government is still trying to make our nation free from corona, then is it not our moral duty to follow the Government guidelines and also teach the persons who are not aware? We should not blame our Government but it is time to correct ourselves.

Let us come forward together to fight with COVID -19 a terrible pandemic and pray to GOD, it will never come back to our life.

Alpinia officinarum acts as internal mask against communicable diseases.

Nowadays, COVID-19 becomes a great challenge for human life. Lacks of people died all over the world. Previously, it was announced by the World Health Organization about spreading of disease from one person to others through physical contact like shaking hands, hugging, etc. later on, it was told that this virus is lived in the air for more than three hours. It is unknown that whether people in our surroundings are well or affected with corona. It is very difficult to identify infected persons. If symptoms like coughing, sneezing, body temperature, etc appear in a person, we may get awareness and make social distancing and avoid physical contact of such people but recently it was reported that some person whom there were no symptoms appeared but found corona positive and that is why they have been categorized in to two categories, a person who showed symptoms, named as “Symptomatic patient” and the person not showing any symptoms for corona but carrying viruses is named as “ Asymptomatic” Might this virus unable to harm such asymptomatic person due to strong immunity but if any person comes in contact to the asymptomatic person, the corona may jump up to the other human body and once it gets new host, it may start multiplication base on position of the immune system of the body as a result it makes ready again symptomatic or asymptomatic patient and then such a chain may continue. Many countries are continuously trying to prepare a a suitable vaccine to treat this pandemic disease but still not a success because of the typical structure of the corona and its tendency to continuous changing its spike protein nature based on that it adheres to the host. Anyway, it will again take more than a year to come a conclusion to decide vaccine till then, two precautionary measures only will work. The first precaution is to maintain social distancing very honestly and the other is our awareness and alertness.

I have given many points in my previous blogs to avoid the infection of the corona by using traditional medicines. In continuation, I would like to inform a magical single drug that really works well and I practically experienced the same. This drug is very useful to those people who cannot opt stay home and has to go to attend essential services in lockdown period like our doctors, paramedical staff, medicine manufacturing staff, bankers, police department and others who have to compulsorily attend their duty for public welfare. The importance of this drug is well known to all people and I just make a reminder for its utility. 

Alpinia officinarum -Rhizome

Botanically, this is called Alpinia officinarum; family- Zingiberaceae, widely used in Siddha Medicines and culinary in the name of Sittrarattai in Tamil, Lesser Galangal in English and Kulanjan in Hindi. The the horizontal underground stem (rhizome) is used to make medicine. This drug popularly used for fever, muscle spasms, intestinal gas, and swelling (inflammation) to kill bacteria and viruses and as a stimulant. This spice is also used to improve certain ailments, as it's believed to help treat many infections, reduce inflammation, boost male fertility, and even fight different types of cancer. Wearing a mask and making social distancing is necessary before going out to work in order to avoid infection of corona a communicable disease. The rhizome of Alpinia officinarum would help to add one more safety measures along with face mask and social distancing and minimize risk by killing viruses if it crosses face mask and reaches in the mouth by chance. It is very simple to use the lesser galangal. Just take a dried and mature rhizome of lesser galangal. Cut a small piece of the rhizome of about 1.5 -2.0 cm long and 1.0-1.5 cm wide. Clean with drinking water and keep inside the mouth near premolar teeth and then wear face mask too. The cut pieces of lesser galangal will start work immediately. It is to be noted that the piece of lesser galangal neither crushes with teeth not swallow it. The saliva of the mouth will moist the drug and as a result, the extract of the drug will come out. The extract mixed saliva will not allow viruses to settle in the mouth cavity for multiplication but kill the viruses and bacteria before entering to the throat. On swallowing, it will go to the stomach and then the remaining portion of the virus will be destroyed there. This practice will work like an internal protective mask that will add one more layer of protection. After 4-5 hours, the piece of the drug should spit out and may be taken new pieces if it still requires during field duty. Staying at home, this practice is not necessary but if any shore throat or infection observed, it may be taken at homestay period too.

Precaution: In pregnancy and infant milk feeding, this drug may be taken under the supervision of Ayurveda or Siddha Physician only. Children under age 5 years may be avoided giving this medicine without proper consultancy of concerned doctors.          

Easiest method to identify adulterated saffron

Saffron, a well known spices attract the people due to its high medicinal as well as confectionary properties. The saffron use had been reported since Vedic periods. In ancient days, it was used for gaining the natural color of many sweets and condiments, applied as tilaka (red dot on the forehead). Saffron is a small bulbous perennial, 15- 25 cm high, and cultivated by corms. Therapeutically, it had been reported to use in the preparation of many Ayurveda, Siddha and Unani formulations. It is a powerful antioxidant, relaxing mood, treating depressive symptoms, reduce premenstrual syndrome (PMS), aphrodisiac, reduce appetite, and aid to weight loss and also has anti-cancerous properties. The stigmas are also reported to use to making medicine for asthma, cough, whooping cough (pertussis), and to loosen phlegm (as an expectorant). Saffron is also good for colds and coughs, stomach issues, uterine bleeding, insomnia, flatulence and heart trouble; it is also great for the skin. It is rich in manganese, which regulates blood sugar and in turn gives you glowing skin. 

Saffron (Kumkuma or Keshar) is the most expensive spice in the world due to its labor-intensive harvesting method, making the production costly. Saffron is harvested by hand from the flower of Crocus sativus (Family - Iridaceae) and commonly known as the “saffron crocus.” The term “saffron” applies to the flower's thread-like structures, or stigma.

The greater demand of saffron is attracting high profitable business at the same time chances of adulteration is more? One thing should be noted that once the saffron gets adulterated or substituted, it is very difficult to segregate from good materials and thus the efficacy of drugs cannot be determined. It is clearly mentioned in the Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India that the saffron must be free from safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) and florets of marigold (Tagetes erecta). When we start identification of saffron as per the specification mentioned in aforesaid Pharmacopeias, we will often try to check the adulteration in the form of safflower and marigold florets. This makes alertness to those people who try to adulterate the original saffron and therefore, the adulteration catches other path and start mixing some other materials that are not able to catch easily due to more similarity in morphology. This becomes more troublesome when both natural and artificial saffron found mixed together in the same packet.

A. Original Saffron

B. Artificial Saffron

C. Original Saffron (Close view)

D. Artificial Saffron (Close view)

Following two main observations may make it easy to identify the adulteration even on the spot of the arrival of the material and if is found adulterated, may be sent back to the supplier for its replacement without further delay so as to get good material in time in order to avoid interruption in the productions of medicines.

1. The original saffron has dark red or reddish-brown trifid stigma and cornucopia shaped. The margin of stigma is fimbricate (hair-like projection at the margin of stigma) whereas; the artificial stigma has a sharp cutting edge and smooth margin. The color of stigma may slightly show differences and remain in dark pink color when seen with a hand lens (Image A & C).

2. Under Microscope, thin-walled parenchyma cells found containing coloring matter; at the upper end numerous cylindrical trichomes are seen. Some of the pollen grains either adhering to stigma or occasionally germinated and exhibiting pollen tubes. Whereas in artificial saffron stigma will not show such characters except thin-walled parenchyma cells (Image B&D).

The above identification is practically enough to decide the prime quality for authentication whether the supplied material is real saffron. After that other tests may be performed to access its potency and efficacy of the saffron.