MEDICINAL PLANTS OF PAKISTAN SPOGEL SEEDS/PLANTAIN (PLANTAGO ISPAGULA/P.) December 20, 1999. (1999-22)

 

Pakistan is endowed with the wealth of medicinal plants. These are the natural botanical source of medicines being manufactured by indigenous pharmaceutical houses in Pakistan. These are also the basic source of modern pharmaceutical market, although today it has become an entire medical world of synthetics, with elevated prices a common man cannot afford. It is therefore the most appropriate time to consider development and organization of our medicinal plants industry to become independent in the provision of common indigenous natural drugs that are being used to treat diseases in most of our rural areas. In our country there are grown wild or cultivated medicinal plants species which possess Great potentialities not in the light of their use from centuries in the Sub-continent in Greco-Arab (Unani or Eastern) system of medicine but also in the light of active principles or biodynamic compounds being isolated from them using ultra modern screening techniques available in our country.

SPANISH PLANT/P. OVATA FOR SK ISPAGHO/SPAGAL SEEDS

A nominee of family plantaginaceae, this famous herb of Persion locality is found in Hazara, Punjab and Sindh, also cultivated for its valuable seeds husk mainly used for its mucilegenous property as antidysenteric, cooling, demculcent, mild *astringent, emolient, laxative and diuretic actions. The husk is used as a common remedy for G.I tract complaints in the sub continent.

(Contributed by Director Research & Bait-al-Himat, Hamdard, Karachi)

To focus the attention of public on natural botanical source of medicines Pakistan Post Office is issuing a special postage stamp of Rs. 5/- denomination on December 20, 1999.