Ave Health Dictionary

Geum urbanum. N.O. Rosaceae.

Synonym: Colewort, Herb Bennet.

Habitat: Hedges, woods and shady banks,

Features ? This slender, sparsely branched plant reaches a height of one to two feet. The stem leaves have two leaflets, with one margin-toothed terminal lobe. The root leaves are on long stalks with two small leaflets at the base. The yellow, erect flowers, with naked styles, appear between May and September. The root is short, hard and rough, with light brown rootlets.

Part used ? Herb and root.

Action: Astringent, tonic, antiseptic and stomachic.

The properties of Avens make for success in the treatment of diarrhoea and dysentery. The tonic effect upon the glands of the stomach and alimentary tract point to its helpfulness in dyspepsia. In general debility continued use has had good results. The astringent qualities may also be utilized in cases of relaxed throat Although wineglass-ful doses three or four times daily of the 1 ounce to 1 pint infusion are usually prescribed, Avens may be taken freely, and is, indeed, used by country people in certain districts as a beverage in place of tea or coffee.... avens

Oats, oatmeal, oatstraw (Avena sativa).

Plant Part Used: Seeds (oat grain), fruiting tops.

Dominican Medicinal Uses: Oats are traditionally boiled in water to make oatmeal or an oatmeal-like beverage and taken orally for high cholesterol, to stimulate lactation, for nutrition and strength and to relieve menopausal hot flashes.

Safety: Oats are commonly consumed and generally regarded as safe. They have shown low potential for allergic reaction in gluten-sensitive individuals.

Contraindications: In patients with celiac disease, oats may cause gastrointestinal irritation, but they have been shown to be well-tolerated in recent clinical studies.

Drug Interactions: Lovastatin and statin drugs (impaired absorption of HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors).

Clinical Data: The following effects of oats or oat extracts have been investigated in human clinical trials: anti-diabetic, cholesterol-lowering, hypoglycemic, hypocholesterolemic, smoking cessation (grain extract or oat bran); antihyperlipidemic, antihypertensive, reduced heart disease risk, stimulation of bile acid secretion and synthesis, tolerance in celiac patients (whole-grain and oat bran); anti-skin irritant, burn wound-healing, itch reduction (topical oil-based preparation).

* See entry for Avena in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... avena

A form of psychological treatment in which such an unpleasant response is induced to his or her psychological aberration that the patient decides to give it up. Thus the victim of alcoholism is given a drug that makes the subsequent drinking of alcoholic liquors so unpleasant, by inducing nausea and vomiting, that he or she decides to give up drinking. (See ALCOHOL; DISULFIRAM.) Aversion therapy may help in the treatment of alcoholism, drug addiction, sexual deviations such as transvestism, and compulsive gambling.... aversion therapy

Linn.

Family: Gramineae; Poaceae.

Habitat: A cereal and fodder crop of Europe and America; also cultivated in India.

English: Oat, Common oat.

Ayurvedic: Yavikaa. (Indian sp. is equated with A. byzantina C. Koch.)

Unani: Sult (Silt), Jao Birahnaa, Jao Gandum.

Action: Nervine tonic (used in spermatorrhoea, palpitation, sleeplessness), cardiac tonic (used in debility), stimulant, antispasmodic, thymoleptic, antidepressant (used in menopausal phase). Also used in diarrhoea, dysentery, colitis. Externally, emollient.

Key application: Oat straw— externally in baths for inflammatory and seborrhoeic skin diseases. (German Commission E.) The effect on blood sugar is less than that from most of the fiber-containing herbs and foods. (Sharon M. Herr.)

The seeds contain proteins and prolamines (avenins); C-glycosyl flavones; avenacosides (spirostanol glycosides); fixed oil, vitamin E, starch.

Silicon dioxide (2%) occurs in the leaves and in the straw in soluble form as esters of silicic acid with polyphenols and monosaccharides and oligosaccharides.

Oat straw contains a high content of iron (39 mg/kg dry weight), manganese (8.5 mg) and zinc (19.2 mg).

In an experimental study, oat straw stimulated the release of luteinizing hormone from the adenohypophysis of rats. (Expanded Commission E Monographs.)

An alcoholic extract of green oats was tried on opium addicts. Six chronic opium addicts gave up opium completely, two reduced their intake and two showed no change following regular use of 2 ml three times daily (human clinical study). A significant diminish- ment of the number of cigarettes used by habitual tobacco smokers resulted from using 1 ml (four times daily) of fresh Avena alcoholic extract of mature plants; however, a few studies gave disappointing results. (Francis Brinker.)

Oat polyphenol composition prevented the increase of cholesterol and beta-lipoprotein of blood serum of fasting rabbits. Antioxidant property of the oat flour remains unaffected by heat. Homoeopathic tincture of seeds is used as a nervine tonic. Beta-glucan from the oats stimulated immune functions.

Avenacosides exhibit strong anti- fungal activity in vitro.... avena sativa

(Samoan) Resembling the rays of the sun... aveolela

(Hebrew) One who transgresses Averah, Avyra, Avira... avera

See “cost”.... average cost

The average number of hospital beds occupied per day. This measure provides an estimate of the number of inpatients receiving care each day at a hospital.... average daily census

The ratio of the number of new cases of the disease and the amount of population-time of follow-up (e.g. person-year) of the disease-free population.... average incidence density

A measure of how many days a patient, on average, spends in the hospital. Hence, this measure, when applied to individuals or specific groups of patients, may be an indicator of the severity of illness and resource use. It is often used as a comparison to assess efficiency of resource usage between hospitals.... average length of stay (alos)

(Latin) In mythology, the queen of the underworld Avernah, Avirna... averna

Linn.

Family: Oxalidaceae; Averrhoaceae.

Habitat: Native to Malaysia; cultivated throughout the country.

English: Bilimbi, Tree Sorrel.

Ayurvedic: Karmaranga (var.).

Unani: Belambu (a variety of Kamrakh).

Siddha/Tamil: Pilimbi, Pulichakkai.

Action: A syrup made from the fruits is used in febrile excitement, haemorrhages and internal haemorrhoids; also in diarrhoea, bilious colic and hepatitis. The fruit is used for scurvy. An infusion of flowers is given for cough.... averrhoa bilimbi

Linn.

Family: Oxalidaceae; Averrhoaceae.

Habitat: Native to Malaysia; cultivated throughout the warmer parts of India, especially in Kerala.

English: Carambola, Star Fruit, Chinese Gooseberry.

Ayurvedic: Karmaranga.

Unani: Khamraq, Karmal.

Siddha/Tamil: Tamarattai.

Folk: Kamarakh.

Action: Root—antidote in poisoning. Leaf and shoot—applied externally in ringworm, scabies, chickenpox. Flower—vermicidal. Fruit—laxative, antidysenteric, antiphlogistic, febrifuge, anti- inflammatory, antispasmodic (used in hepatic colic, bleeding piles). Seeds—galactogenic; in large doses act as an emmenagogue and cause abortion.

The fruits are a fairly good source of iron but deficient in calcium. They also contain oxalic acid and potassium oxalate. The presence of fluorine is also reported. A wide variation of vitamin-C content (0.3-23.0 mg/100 g) is recorded from different places in India. Sugar (3.19%) consists mainly of glucose (1.63%).... averrhoa carambola

(English) One who is a wise ruler; of ® the nobility

Avrie, Averey, Averie, Averi, Averee, Averea, Avereah... avery

(Celtic) In mythology, the goddess of childbirth and midwives Avetah, Avetta, Avettah... aveta

Linn.

Family: Betulaceae.

Habitat: Native to Europe and Western Asia; common in gardens on hill-station in India.

English: European Hazel, Filbert.

Unani: Funduq, Bunduq.

Action: Kernel—nutritive, astringent; used as an anabolic tonic and in sexual debility in Unani medicine. The oil is used to reduce cholesterol and as an antioxidant.

The kernel of the European Hazel Nut contains protein 12.7%, carbohydrate 17.7%, fat 60.9% and phosphorus 0.35%. The fatty acid components of the kernel oil are : oleic 88.1%, linoleic 2.9%, palmitic 3.1%, stearic 1.6% and myristic 2.2%.

The stem bark contains a biologically active cyanidanol glycoside.

The Turkish Hazel Nuts are rich in mono and polysaturated fatty acids— oleic 82% and linoleic 9%; also gave beta-sitosterol.

The Turkish Hazel Nuts are imported into India during the winter season.... corylus avellana