Jammu and Kashmir train/timetable

Crataegus oxyacantha berries for sale

Buy Howthorn berries

Howthorn
Bot. name : Crataegus oxyacantha
Family: Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Habitat : Pulwama, Sonamarag, Gulmarag, Pampore, Kishtwar, Dawar, Naranag (Kashmir Himalaya), Murree (Azad J&K), Gilgat (Pakistan), Afghanistan, IRAN, W. Siberia.
Status : Common
Ecological notes : Prefers open forest areas
Part used : Ripe fruits
Ethnomedicinal uses in Himalaya : Used as a harmless, mild heart tonic, used in making herbal tea, Leaves sometimes used to adulterate tea.
Medicinal use of Hawthorn : Hawthorn is an extremely valuable medicinal herb. It is used mainly for treating disorders of the heart and circulation system, especially angina. Western herbalists consider it a "food for the heart", it increases the blood flow to the heart muscles and restores normal heart beat. This effect is brought about by the presence of bioflavonoids in the fruit, these bioflavonoids are also strongly antioxidant, helping to prevent or reduce degeneration of the blood vessels. The fruit is antispasmodic, cardiac, diuretic, sedative, tonic and vasodilator. Both the fruits and flowers of hawthorns are well-known in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic and modern research has borne out this use. The fruits and flowers have a hypotensive effect as well as acting as a direct and mild heart tonic. They are especially indicated in the treatment of weak heart combined with high blood pressure, they are also used to treat a heart muscle weakened by age, for inflammation of the heart muscle, arteriosclerosis and for nervous heart problems. Prolonged use is necessary for the treatment to be efficacious. It is normally used either as a tea or a tincture. Hawthorn is combined with ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) to enhance poor memory, working by improving the blood supply to the brain. The bark is astringent and has been used in the treatment of malaria and other fevers. The roots are said to stimulate the arteries of the heart.

Buy Howthorn berries/plants/seeds for cultivation/R&D purpose only at:

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre

"Ginkgo House", Azizabad, (Via Wuyan-Meej Road), Pampore PPR JK 192121
Or
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR Jammu and Kashmir 190001
Ph: 09858986794/01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home :http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Human rights situation in Kashmir

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HR groups file petition for re-probe into unmarked graves

Srinagar, June 02 : In  Kashmir, two human rights Groups filed a petition in State Human Rights Commission seeking re-investigation in 2,683 FIRs related to unidentified dead bodies buried in different unmarked graves in Kupwara, Baramulla and Bandipora in North Kashmir.

In the petition filed by International Peoples Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in Kashmir (IPTK) and Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP), it has been submitted that the HRC should re-investigate these 2,683 FIRs to ascertain how many bodies are buried in the graves as per these FIRS.

“Besides, we have asked that the HRC direct for identifying the places of burial of these unidentified people registered in these 2,683 FIRs registered in 28 different police stations. Ascertain what procedures have been followed for the burial of these unidentified persons and also investigate what identification profile has been maintained for these unidentified persons registered in these 2683 FIRs by the concerned police’, Convener, IPTK, Khurram Parvez, told media men.

He said: “In the report from the inquiry conducted by the Police Investigation Wing of SHRC, the Police have stated that there are only 464 unidentified graves in north Kashmir. However, the records recently acquired through the RTI procedure suggests that there are 2,683 FIRs filed in various Police Stations of Baramulla, Kupwara, and Bandipora.”

It merits mentioning here that, the HRC of  Kashmir, which is also hearing a petition related to unmarked mass graves in occupied Kashmir including Poonch and Rajouri on May 28, gave final opportunity to the authorities to file their reports within a month about the presence of such graves in Poonch and Rajouri areas of the  Kashmir, failing which the Commission shall order an independent and impartial enquiry into the issue by next date.

Unmarked graves in Kashmir

Viola-Odorata seed

Police say 2,683 FIRs about unmarked graves in Kashmir registered

Srinagar, June 02 In Kashmir, after the human rights commission, now police have disclosed to have registered 2,683 FIRs about unidentified bodies in unmarked graves in three districts.

The number of FIRs registered by police is 500 more than the figure given by the human rights commission.

The disclosure was made in response to an RTI (right to access information) application filed by the Association of Parents of Disappeared Persons (APDP) and International People’s Tribunal on Human Rights and Justice in the disputed territory.

“These are damning disclosures,” Khuram Parvez of IPTK said.

He said this shows how the authorities have been sitting on this information for many years, and trying to obfuscate the truth.” The police said that of the 2,683 FIRs, the largest number — 492 — were registered at Handwara police station. This was followed by Kupwara (396), Trehgam (326), Lalpora (298) and Vilgam (155). All these police stations are in Kupwara district.

In Baramulla district, 110 FIRs have been registered in Sopore police station, and 103 in Baramulla.

The number of unidentified bodies given by the police is 527 more than what was revealed in an independent investigation by the commission.

UN deplores India’s response to human rights abuses

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Geneva, June 02  The Human Rights Council of the United Nations has deplored that India has been dodging the implementation of the recommendations for repeal and review of the draconian law Armed Forces Special Powers Act.

A statement from the UN said that India’s human rights record was reviewed by the UN Human Rights Council under the mechanism of the Universal Periodic Review, early this week in Geneva.

The review was marked by a general lack of acceptance of human rights challenges in India and a mere reiteration of domestic laws, policies and constitutional provisions by the Indian Government. The statement said answers of the government did not address the critical issues related to gaps in implementation of laws and enjoyment of rights by the people.

Miloon Kothari, the Convenor of the Working Group on Human Rights in India maintained that by employing a defensive and largely self-righteous position at the Human Rights Council the Government of India had once again lost the opportunity to constructively engage with the UN human rights system and in accepting the enormous   human rights challenges it was faced with. Vrinda Grover, a human rights lawyer and member of the Group expressed serious concern at India’s misleading response to the Human Rights Council and said India was   camouflaging the systematic impunity enjoyed by its armed forces for human rights abuse in the Northeast of   the country and Jammu and Kashmir.

Phytolacca acinosa in India

Phytolacca acinosa seed/fruit/whole plant/root/leaf for sale
Family: Phytolaccaceae (Pokeweed Family)

Other Names : Phytolacca decandra, American cancer, American nightshade, American spinach, bear's grape, cancer-root, coakum, garget, inkberry, inkweed, pigeonberry, poke, pokeberry, pokeroot, pokeweed, red-ink plant, skoke berry, Virginia poke.

Medicinal use of Phytolacca acinosa: The root is antiasthmatic, antibacterial, antidote, antifungal, antitussive, diuretic, expectorant, laxative and vermifuge. The plant has an interesting chemistry and it is currently (1995) being investigated as a potential anti-AIDS drug. It contains potent anti-inflammatory agents, antiviral proteins and substances that affect cell division. These compounds are toxic to many disease-causing organisms, including the water snails that cause schistosomiasis. The root is used internally in the treatment of urinary disorders, nephritis, oedema and abdominal distension. Externally, it is used to treat boils, carbuncles and sores. The roots are harvested in the autumn and dried for later use. All parts of the plant are toxic, this remedy should be used with caution and preferably under the supervision of a qualified practitioner.

Habitat of the herb: alleys, hillsides, forest understories, forest margins and roadsides at elevations of 500 - 3400 metres. It is also found in cultivated land houses, moist fertile lands and as a weed.

Edible parts of Phytolacca acinosa : Leaves - they must be cooked, and are then used as a spinach. Only the young leaves should be used since the leaves become toxic with age. The young shoots are used as an asparagus substitute. They have an excellent flavour. Root - cooked. Must be leeched first. Only the white root of the white flowered form (if it exists!) should be eaten. See notes above.

Other uses of the herb : A red ink is obtained from the fruit.

Propagation of Phytolacca acinosa : Seed - sow autumn or spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. If you have sufficient seed, it might be worthwhile trying an outdoor sowing in a seed bed in early spring. Grow the plants on in the seedbed for their first year and plant them out the following spring. Division in March or October. Use a sharp spade or knife to divide the rootstock, making sure that each section has at least one growth bud. Very easy, larger divisions can be planted out direct into their permanent positions. We have found that it is better to pot up the smaller divisions and grow them on in light shade in a cold frame until they are well established before planting them out in late spring or early summer.

Cultivation of the herb herb: Valleys, hillsides, forest understories, forest margins and roadsides at elevations of 500 - 3400 metres. It is also found in cultivated land houses, moist fertile lands and as a weed.

Phytolacca acinosa seed/plant/leaves for sale (Open-pollinated.Untreated.NO GMO's

For more details:-
Sheikh GULZAAR
Head
The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
R&D division : Sonamarag (Kashmir)
Ph: (Resi) 01933-223705
Mob: 09858986794
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Salvia sclarea seeds/plants for sale

Clary has been perceived both as a weaker version of sage (Salvia officinalis) and also as a significant herb in its own right. An antispasmodic and aromatic plant, it is used mainly to treat digestive problems such as wind and indigestion. It is also regarded as a tonic, calming herb that helps relieve period pain and pre-menstrual problems. Owing to its oestrogen-stimulating action, it is most effective when levels of this hormone are low. The whole plant, and especially the leaves, is antispasmodic, appetizer, aromatic, astringent, balsamic, carminative, pectoral and tonic. It is useful in treating disorders of the stomach and kidneys and is a valuable remedy for complaints associated with the menopause, particularly hot flushing. It should not be prescribed for pregnant women. The leaves can be used fresh or dried, for drying they are harvested before the plant comes into flower. The seed forms a thick mucilage when it is soaked for a few minutes in water. This is efficacious in removing small particles of dust from the eyes. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is "Euphoric".

Propagation of Clary : Seed - can be sown in situ during spring. Alternatively seed can be sown in August/September to overwinter, it will then produce larger plants Thinnings can be transplanted. The seed remains viable for 3 years.

Salvia sclarea seeds for sale (Open-pollinated.Untreated. NO GMO's.

For more details about Salvia sclarea cultivation
Head, JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Ph: 09858986794
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
For more details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Saw palmetto seeds for sale

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) is a low-growing palm like tree with sharp, saw loke leaf stalks and deep red berries that grows in warm climates.

Price Rs. 2500/-50 seeds per packet
Other packages : 100, 200 seeds/per packet

OPEN POLLINATED SEEDS/Non-hybrid

Our seeds are nearly all open-pollinated and so are able to be grown again from seed you save yourself. Open-pollinated seeds are genetically diverse treasures that have been passed on from generation to generation. When you buy and plant open-pollinated seeds you are helping to protect this valuable resource for the future.

 

Saw palmetto (Serenoa repens) seeds are available at : 

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
"Ginkgo House", Azizabad, Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Nambalbal, Pampore PPR JK 192121
Mob: 09858986794
Ph: 01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Third Front in Offing in the off-stream camp

SRINAGAR: In a significant development that could shake the political skeletons of Pro-freedom politics in the state of Jammu & Kashmir, Kashmir Media Watch through its reliable sources has learnt that most probably a Third Front’ of pro-freedom camp is quite high on agenda in the off-stream political heads and is likely going to be actualised soon reports Kashmir Media Watch.

Pertinently, these developments come at a time when one of the main factions of Hurriyat (Hurriyat M) is witnessing tremendous internal strife after the controversial statement of Professor Abdul Gani Bhat with reference to United Nations Resolution and its contemporary relevance and applicability to the Kashmir imbroglio.

Kashmir Media Watch has also received inputs that prominent pro-freedom leaders like Azam Inquilabi, Shabir Ahmad Shah, Engineer Hilal Ahmad War, Nayeem Ahmad Khan, Javid Ahmad Mir, Hakeem Rashid, Mohammad Yousuf Naqash et al are going to be the prominent faces of the said ‘Third Front’.

It is to be reminded here that for quiet sometime now, there have been quite hectic political to float a pro-freedom Third Front in Jammu and Kashmir which as per the analysts is a consequence of the inertias of the two Hurriyat Factions and their failures to yield any positive results. The Third Front is hence expected to act as a more dynamic platform than the other two factions of Hurriyat.
 

The political analysts also suggest that finally for the first time in the pro-freedom history of Kashmir the ‘Third Front‘seems to be taking a concrete shape.

Lemon Balm-Melissa officinalis for sale

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Lemon Balm
Bot. name: Melissa officinalis
Family: Labiatae or  Mint Family
Parts used : Whole plant/Leaves
Chemical composition : The main chemical components are trans-ocimene, cis-ocimene, 3-octanone, methyl hepenone, cis-3-hexenol, 3-octanol, 1-octen-3-ol, copaene, citronellal, linalool, b-bourbonene, caryophyllene, a-humulene, neral, germacrene-D, geranial, geranyl acetate, d-cadinene, y-cadinene, nerol and geraniol.

Common Uses : Beauty , Cardiovascular, Colds, Depression, Herpes, Hypertension, Insect Bites, Nausea, Pregnancy,Sore Throat, Sunburns

Properties : Anodyne, Antispasmodic, AntiViral, Aromatic, Cardic tonic Cordial, Carminative, Diaphoretic/sudorific, Digestive, Emmenagogue, Febrifuge, Hypotensive, Nervine, Sedative, Stomachic, Uterine Tonic,Vermifuge.

Medicinal use of Lemon Balm : Lemon balm is a commonly grown household remedy with a long tradition as a tonic remedy that raises the spirits and lifts the heart. Modern research has shown that it can help significantly in the treatment of cold sores. The leaves and young flowering shoots are antibacterial, antispasmodic, antiviral, carminative, diaphoretic, digestive, emmenagogue, febrifuge, sedative, and tonic. It also acts to inhibit thyroid activity. An infusion of the leaves is used in the treatment of fevers and colds, indigestion associated with nervous tension, excitability and digestive upsets in children, hyperthyroidism, depression, mild insomnia, headaches etc. Externally, it is used to treat herpes, sores, gout, insect bites and as an insect repellent. The plant can be used fresh or dried, for drying it is harvested just before or just after flowering. The essential oil contains citral and citronella, which act to calm the central nervous system and are strongly antispasmodic. The plant also contains polyphenols, in particular these combat the herpes simplex virus which produces cold sores. The essential oil is used in aromatherapy. Its keyword is "Female aspects". It is used to relax and rejuvenate, especially in cases of depression and nervous tension.

Description of the plant
Plant : Perennial
Height : 70 cm (2 feet)
Flovering : June to October
Scent : Scented
Edible parts of Lemon Balm : Leaves - raw or cooked. A pleasant lemon-like aroma and flavour, they are used mainly as a flavouring in salads and cooked foods. A lemon-flavoured tea can be made from the fresh or dried leaves. A bunch of the leaves can be added to china tea, much improving the flavour, the leaves are also added to fruit cups etc. They are used as a flavouring in various alcoholic beverages including Chartreuse and Benedictine.

Other uses of the herb : The growing plant is said to repel flies and ants. It is also rubbed on the skin as a repellent, though the essential oil would be more effective here. An essential oil is obtained from the plant (the exact part is not specified, it is probably the entire plant and especially the flowering stems). It is used medicinally. The whole plant is very pleasantly aromatic, the aroma lasting for a long time after the plant has been harvested. It is therefore a very useful ingredient in pot-pourri.

Propagation of Lemon Balm : Seed - sow spring or autumn in a cold frame. Germination can be slow. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots as soon as they are large enough to handle and plant out into their permanent positions when the plants are at least 15cm tall. If there is plenty of seed it can be sown in an outdoor seed bed in April. Plant out into their permanent positions the following spring. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring. Cuttings in July/August.

Cultivation : Planting is usually 40,000 plants/Ha. with propagation from seed or cuttings. The plants have a life of 10 years but are usually replaced every five years with crop rotation to rejuvenate the soil. Propagation in the northern hemisphere is from April to July.

Harvesting period : In the first year the crop is in August, thereafter two crops are experienced. The first in June and the second in August.

Harvesting methods : Usually by hand on a clear warm day as the leaves will turn black if harvested wet. For good appearance leaves should not be left in the sun.

Pre-Treatment : Weed control is recommended (Pank). It has been reported that, in Egypt, irradiating seeds has an effect on growth, essential oil content and composition. The quantity of herb was reduced but the oil content was increased, with the irradiation dosage varying the proportion of the constituents.

Preservation and Storage : The oil should be stored in filled sealed containers, out of light and kept cool. The oil is subject to oxidation.

Lemon Balm -Melissa Officinalis seeds/leaves are available at :
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
Meet to us at :"Ginkgo House", Azizabad, Nambalbal, (Via Wuyan-Meej Road), Pampore PPR JK 192121
Or
Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Mob: 09858986794
Ph: 01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Anti-Cancer and Medicinal Plants

Taxus baccata Linn

Plants (Rare from Kashmir Himalaya)
Available : Size of plant : 10-15 inch
Min. order : 50 plants
Taxus  leaves
Available  : 500/1000/5000 grams
Podophyllum hexandrum
Available :Plants/Roots/Seeds

For more details : http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
"Ginkgo House" Azizabad, Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Nambalbal, Pampore PPR JK 192121
Or
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Ph: 0193--223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com

Kashmir Is Killing India’s Military and Democracy

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By Pankaj Mishra
More details: http://www.bloomberg.com
In July 1995, an Islamic fundamentalist group called Al Faran kidnapped six foreign tourists, including two Americans, in Kashmir. For a few weeks, the world’s attention was fixed on the Himalayan valley as the allegedly Pakistan-backed militants negotiated with Indian security officials and foreign diplomats.

Eventually, one of the Americans escaped. Another hostage, a Norwegian, was beheaded. The other four were never found.

“The Meadow: Kashmir 1995 -- Where the Terror Began,” a staggeringly well-researched new book by two respected journalists, Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark, concludes that the hostages were killed by local mercenaries funded and controlled by Indian army and intelligence.

The authors argue that the drawn-out negotiation, during which Indian intelligence allegedly knew the hostages’ whereabouts, was a charade, part of India’s larger effort to portray Pakistan as a sponsor of Islamist terror, thereby delegitimizing the Kashmiri struggle for freedom.

Certainly, India today no longer needs to highlight the role of the Pakistani army and intelligence in sponsoring extremist groups. It has also succeeded in shifting international attention away from the appalling facts of its counter-insurgency operations in Kashmir -- tens of thousands killed, and innumerable many tortured, mutilated and orphaned. The tallying in 2009 of 2,700 unmarked graves containing the remains of people (often buried in groups) killed by security forces barely provoked any comment in the international media, let alone expressions of concern by Western leaders.

Killers in Khaki
But India’s diplomatic and public relations success has been achieved at considerable costs: the rise of militaristic nationalism, the assault on civil liberties, and a dangerously enhanced role in politics for men in uniform.

Most of the million-plus men and women in the Indian military still manifest what Shashi Tharoor once described as “increasingly rare” qualities in India: “high standards of performance, honesty, hard work, self-sacrifice, incorruptibility, respect for tradition, discipline, team spirit.” As a child, I had myself wanted, like many Indians of my generation and class, to acquire the virtuous glow of an army officer’s uniform, and even attended a military school.

It was therefore shocking and demoralizing to encounter, during a visit to Kashmir in 2000, accounts of extrajudicial killings and torture and rape by Indian soldiers -- stories that, though commonplace in Kashmir, were largely kept hidden from the Indian public by a patriotic media.

But to those who reported from Kashmir in the past decade and a half -- as opposed to the many more who were content to disseminate briefings from Indian army and intelligence officials -- “The Meadow” presents a disturbingly familiar picture.

I was there when, during Bill Clinton’s visit to South Asia in March 2000, Indian army officers allegedly kidnapped and killed five Kashmiri villagers and presented their mutilated corpses to the international news media as the Pakistani killers of the 35 Sikhs who had been murdered by unidentified gunmen just hours before Clinton’s scheduled arrival in India. It has taken 12 years for India’s legal system even to acknowledge this well-documented atrocity: Last week, the Supreme Court gingerly asked the army how it wishes to prosecute the officers suspected of the coldblooded murder.

Since 2000, the number of armed militants has steadily decreased in Kashmir. But the human rights situation has not improved. Under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in effect in Kashmir and the northeastern states (where the Indian army was first deployed in counter-insurgency), soldiers can kill on the basis of mere suspicion while continuing to enjoy near-total legal immunity.

Regime of ImpunityThe result is a regime of impunity. A coalition of Indian human rights groups in a report to the United Nations this year documented 789 extrajudicial killings in the northeastern state of Manipur alone between 2007 and 2010.

In recent years, the army has also been dragged into Operation Green Hunt, the Indian state’s extraordinarily big, armed offensive against Maoist insurgents in central India. Predictably, the use of scorched-earth tactics once deployed in border areas has undermined the general rule of law in the states of Jharkhand, Chattisgarh and West Bengal.

The widened powers of the military against the new electronic media’s background chorus of hypernationalism have given army officers a public role they never had. Breaking with old protocols, the previous army chief openly speculated about a “limited” war under a “nuclear overhang” with Pakistan.

It is also not at all clear if there is any proper governmental oversight of the Indian intelligence agencies, which, mimicking the doomed Pakistani quest for “strategic depth,” have been trying out potentially useful proxies in Pakistan’s Balochistan province as well as Afghanistan. These adventurist spies and the perennially belligerent men in uniform now seem to constitute as formidable a lobby against peace between India and Pakistan as the Islamic zealots on the other side of the border.

Backed by Hindu nationalist leaders, they even dare to overrule elected politicians such as Omar Abdullah, Kashmir’s chief minister, who has been pleading in vain for a withdrawal of the much-despised special powers act.

Their jingoism, echoed by hawkish think tanks and websites (India’s own military-intellectual complex), goes necessarily together with dubious arms purchases. India is now the world’s biggest arms market; a series of scandals have not stopped spending sprees that, as the recent outbursts of the outgoing army chief reveal, do little to prepare India for any conceivable war.

No Banana Republic
Things are about to get worse. The next Indian army chief comes into office later this month, trailed by allegations of his involvement in an extrajudicial killing in Kashmir. He was also in charge of Indian peacekeeping soldiers accused in 2008 of sexual misconduct in the Congo.

Unlike its Pakistani rival, the Indian army remains firmly under civilian control. A sensationalist recent story in a major Indian newspaper claimed that unauthorized movements of soldiers near New Delhi earlier this year had “spooked” the government. But it is hard to imagine the foolhardy army officers who would attempt a coup in India. Although beset by internal wars and draconian laws and chaotic governance, India is very far from degenerating into, as an exasperated Ratan Tata feared last year, a “banana republic.”

Yet there are plenty of reasons for alarm and dismay over a process that, starting in obscure battles in the northeastern states in the 1960s, was accelerated during the two previous decades in the valley of Kashmir. Levy and Scott-Clark’s book mainly excavates one of the many murky incidents of the 1990s. But its revised draft of history also sheds light on the present -- how a democratic state’s addiction to colonial-style dirty wars has damaged not so much the Kashmiri cause of freedom as India’s frail democracy and one of its last uncompromised institutions.

(Pankaj Mishra, whose new book, “From the Ruins of Empire: The Revolt Against the West and the Remaking of Asia,” will be published in August, is a Bloomberg View columnist, based in London and Mashobra, India. The opinions expressed are his own.)

Today’s highlights: the View editors on bank-capital rules and force-placed insurance; William D. Cohan on e-mails from the fall of Lehman; Albert R. Hunt on congressional elections; Michael Ross on Vladimir Putin’s oil-money machinations.

About Pankaj Mishra
Pankaj Mishra is the author of "Temptations of the West: How to be Modern in India, Pakistan, Tibet and Beyond," "The Romantics: A Novel" and "An End to Suffering: The Buddha in the World."
To contact the writer of this article: Pankaj Mishra at pmashobra@gmail.com.

Crocus bulbs for sale

World's most expensive Saffron bulbs are vailable for trail purpose.
Beset quality.Open-pollinated.Untreated.No GMO's @ 55/per bulb.
Interested buyers can contact us at

Sheikh GULZAAR 
Head
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
"Ginkgo House". Azizabad, Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Nambalbal, Pampore PPR JK 192121
Ph: 9858986794
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Rudraksha seeds for sale

Elaeocarpus ganitrus -Rudraksha seeds for sale
Botanical Name: Elaeocarpus Ganitrus Roxb.
English name : Woodenbegar
Tamil : Akkamrudrakai
Sanskrit/Hindi/Marathi : Rudraksha
Bengali    : Rudrakaya
Kannada : Rudrakshi
Kingdom : Plantae
Division : Magnoliophyta
Class : Magnolipsida
Family : Eleocarpaceae
Genus : Elaeocarpus
Type : E. serratus Linn, Eganitrus, Roxb, etc.

Distribution : Kashmir, Gilgat, Afghanistan, South Eastern Asian Islands of Java, Sumatra, Borneo, Bali, Iran, Java, Timor (Indonesia) and parts of South Asian Kingdom of Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Myanmar, Tibet, Thailand, Malaysia, India, and northern parts of Australia, New Zealand, New Calidonia, Fiji, Philippines, South China, Japan and Hawaii.

Details : According to Hindu tradition, rudraksha seeds serve as sacred beads that bring peace of mind as well as lower blood pressure and body heat. Each seed has a certain number of sections around a hollow center. The more sections a seed has, the more sacred it is. Mala beads often feature rudraksha seeds because of their sacred reputation and convenient central holes. When fresh, rudraksha seeds sit inside bright blue berries that give the rudraksha tree the name "blue marble tree." The rudraksha tree is a subtropical evergreen with rough grey bark and broad glossy leaves. Though it takes time for the rudraksha to bear fruit, you can grow one of these sacred trees in your home. Just have patience and pay the seeds plenty of attention.According to Hindu tradition, rudraksha seeds serve as sacred beads that bring peace of mind as well as lower blood pressure and body heat. Each seed has a certain number of sections around a hollow center. The more sections a seed has, the more sacred it is. Mala beads often feature rudraksha seeds because of their sacred reputation and convenient central holes. When fresh, rudraksha seeds sit inside bright blue berries that give the rudraksha tree the name "blue marble tree." The rudraksha tree is a subtropical evergreen with rough grey bark and broad glossy leaves. Though it takes time for the rudraksha to bear fruit, you can grow one of these sacred trees in your home. Just have patience and pay the seeds plenty of attention.

Rudraksha seed (Kashmir Himalaya from the original tree grown in our medicinal introduction centra)
FOR SALE. 100's Pack Rs.10,000 only.
For more details:

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre

"Ginkgo House" Azizabad, Pampore PPR Jammu and Kashmir 192121
Ph: 01933-223705
Mob: 09858986794
e.mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home : http://jkmpic.blogspot.com
Head : Sheikh GULZAAR

NATO is a real threat to Russia: Iranian ambassador

TEHRAN - The Iranian ambassador to Moscow has said that efforts to make it appear that the Islamic Republic is a threat to Russia do not help reduce the real threat posed to the country by NATO.   

Ambassador Mohammad Reza Sajjadi made the remarks during a recent interview with RosBusinessConsulting, which is a Russian information agency, in response to the remarks by Army General Nikolai Makarov, the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russia, about NATO’s plan to establish a shield against ballistic missiles in Europe. 

In an interview with the RT network on April 25, Makarov was asked if there is a growing nuclear threat from Iran and North Korea, and replied, “The threat is always there.” 

The Russian official added, “We conducted a joint assessment with our U.S. counterparts, which proved that this threat is a realistic one.”  

“The very fact that we agreed to produce a joint anti-missile system implies that we recognize that the threat is there,” Makarov stated. 

Ambassador Sajjadi, according to the Persian service of the Mehr News Agency, said, “I am so sorry that the real threat to Russia’s security by NATO is being compared with such a fake threat.”  

Makarov’s remarks were “a matter of surprise” to Iran, he stated, adding, “Portraying Iran, which is a friend of Russia, as an enemy does not help reduce NATO’s threat to it.” 

BILAWAL BHUTTO INVITED ON WAR’S WEDDING

SRINAGAR: Peoples Political Party (PPP) Chairman, Engineer Hilal Ahmad War has invited Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman, Bilawal Bhutto on his wedding that falls on May 13, 2012 at War’s ancestral residence, in historic Maisuma locality. War, who is also the Chief Patron of Bhutto Memorial Trust sent an invitation card, to Bilawal requesting him to grace the occasion.

“Bilawal is scion of a family that has played a pivotal role in shaping the destiny of Pakistan and making it a Nuclear Power. Late Z.A. Bhutto was my role model and political mentor and Bilawal’s presence at my wedding would give me a feeling that late Z.A. Bhutto’s blessings are with me”, said an emotional Hilal War. (KMW NEWS)

Saffron-Crocus sativus bulbs

Saffron bulbs for sale

Saffron Cultivation
Family: Iridaceae (Iris Family)

Distribution : Native of S. Europe and West Asia.Iran, Spain, Greece, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Spain, and Italy. Cultivated in disputed region of Kashmir and Kishtwar of Himalaya, Greece, Heerat (Afghanistan), The cultivation of saffron also in the Americas was begun by members of the Schwenkfelder Church in Pennsylvania. In recent decades cultivation has spread to New Zealand, Tasmania, and California. Despite numerous cultivation efforts in such countries as Pakistan, India, Austria, England, Germany, and Switzerland, only select locales continue the harvest in northern and central Europe. Among these is the small Swiss village of Mund, in the Valais canton, whose annual saffron output amounts to several kilograms. Microscale cultivation occurs in Tasmania,China, Egypt, France, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, UAE, Turkey (especially Safranbolu), California, and Central Africa.

Botanical features : Corms of walnut size with fibrous scales remaining upto 30 cm deep in soil. Flowers stalkless with a long slender corolla tube and 6 equal perianth lobes of deep blue-violet colour. Stamens 2; style 3-lobed deep brick-red.

Medicinal use of Saffron:  Saffron is a famous medicinal herb with a long history of effective use, though it is little used at present because cheaper and more effective herbs are available. The flower styles and stigmas are the parts used, but since these are very small and fiddly to harvest they are very expensive and consequently often adulterated by lesser products. The styles and stigmas are anodyne, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, appetizer, carminative, diaphoretic, emmenagogue, expectorant, sedative and stimulant. They are used as a diaphoretic for children, to treat chronic haemorrhages in the uterus of adults, to induce menstruation, treat period pains and calm indigestion and colic. A dental analgesic is obtained from the stigmas. The styles are harvested in the autumn when the plant is in flower and are dried for later use, they do not store well and should be used within 12 months. This remedy should be used with caution, large doses can be narcotic and quantities of 10g or more can cause an abortion.

Other uses : Dye obtained from flower petals is used to flavour and colour food material. Corms/bulbs have been used as a scarcity food. Despite its high cost, saffron has been used as a fabric dye, particularly in China and India. In India It is the favoured colouring for the cloth of Indian swamis who have renounced the material world. It is in the long run an unstable colouring agent; the imparted vibrant orange-yellow hue quickly fades to a pale and creamy yellow. Even in minute amounts, the saffron stamens yield a luminous yellow-orange; increasing the applied saffron concentration will give fabric of increasingly rich shades of red. Clothing dyed with saffron was traditionally reserved for the noble classes, implying that saffron played a ritualised and status-keying role. It was originally responsible for the vermilion-, ochre-, and saffron-hued robes and mantles worn by Buddhist and Hindu monks. In medieval Ireland and Scotland, well-to-do monks wore a long linen undershirt known as a léine, which was traditionally dyed with saffron.In histology the hematoxylin-phloxine-saffron (HPS) stain is used as a tissue stain to make biological structures more visible under a microscope.

There have been many attempts to replace saffron with a cheaper dye. Saffron's usual substitutes in food—turmeric and safflower, among others—yield a garishly bright yellow that could hardly be confused with that of saffron. Saffron's main colourant is the flavonoid crocin; it has been discovered in the less tediously harvested—and hence less costly—gardenia fruit. Research in China is ongoing.In Europe saffron threads were a key component of an aromatic oil known as crocinum, which comprised such motley ingredients as alkanet, dragon's blood (for colour), and wine (again for colour). Crocinum was applied as a perfume to hair. Another preparation involved mixing saffron with wine to produce a viscous yellow spray; it was copiously applied in sudoriferously sunny Roman amphitheatres—as an air freshener.

Edible parts of Saffron :  The flower styles are commonly used as a flavouring and yellow colouring for various foods such as bread, soups, sauces, rice and puddings. They are an essential ingredient of many traditional dishes such as paella, bouillabaisse, risotto milanese and various other Italian dishes. The styles are extremely rich in riboflavin. Water soluble. Yields per plant are extremely low, about 4000 stigmas yield 25g of saffron. Saffron is the world's most expensive spice, it takes 150,000 flowers and 400 hours work to produce 1 kilo of dried saffron. About 25 kilos of styles can be harvested from a hectare of the plant. Fortunately, only very small quantities of the herb are required to impart their colour and flavour to dishes. Because of the cost, saffron is frequently adulterated with cheaper substitutes such as marigold flowers and safflower. The flower styles are used as a tea substitute. Root - cooked. The corms are toxic to young animals so this report of edibility should be treated with some caution.

Propagation of Saffron :  Seed - according to some reports this species is a sterile triploid and so does not produce fertile seed. However, if seed is obtained then it is best sown as soon as it is ripe in a cold frame. Stored seed can be sown in the spring in a cold frame. Germination can take 1 - 6 months at 18°C. Unless the seed has been sown too thickly, do not transplant the seedlings in their first year of growth, but give them regular liquid feeds to make sure they do not become deficient. Divide the small bulbs once the plants have died down, planting 2 - 3 bulbs per 8cm pot. Grow them on for another 2 years in a greenhouse or frame and plant them out into their permanent positions when dormant in late summer. It takes 3 years for plants to flower from seed. Division of the clumps in late summer after the plant has died down. The bulbs can be planted out direct into their permanent positions.

Buy saffron corms, plant them in pots or directly in the soil from June to September and they will bloom in the following October.

Crocus sativus corms/bulbs
The corms are available from June to September (Every Year)
Packaging : 100,200,500,1000 corms

Order them from now on

For more details:
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
"Ginkgo House" Azizabad, (Via Wuyan-Meej Road), Pampore PPR JK 192121
(Via New Delhi-India)
Mob :+91-9858986794
Ph: +91-1933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Asparagus racemosus seed

Asparagus racemosus
Regional Syn : (S) Shatavari (H) Satavari, Shahakul
(B) Satamuli (G) Satavari (T) Kilwari
(Per) Satavari (Kashmiri) Wan Gaazar.
Part Used : Root, Leaf.
Constituents : Asperagin, Mucilage, Saccharine matter.
Action/Uses : Refrigerant, demulcent, aphrodisiac, galactagogue,
tonic, antidiarrhoeal,antispasmodic.
Used in; Root; worms, applied on maggot wounds.

Asparagus racemosus seed/root for sale

Min 50 seeds/packet
Orgain. Open-pollinated.untreated.No GMO's

For more details:
Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Ph: 09858986794/01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Ginkgo biloba in India

The Jammu Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre has launched Ginkgo Project  for propagation of Ginkgo saplings and during current plantation season and 13373 saplings are available for distribution.

Visit: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Director of this institution said that anybody who is interested in plantation of Ginkgo  tree can contact the concerned Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre and obtain Ginkgo plants.

More details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.in/2011/01/ginkgo-ginkgo-biloba-l-in-hindi-india.html

Howthorn in India

Hawthorn-Crataegus oxyacantha
Synonyms: Crataegus oxyacantha, Crataegus oxyacanthoides
Family : Rosaceae (Rose Family)
Medicinal use of Crataegus oxyacantha : Hawthorn-Crataegus oxyacantha  is an extremely valuable medicinal herb. It is used mainly for treating disorders of the heart and circulation system, especially angina. Western herbalists consider it a "food for the heart", it increases the blood flow to the heart muscles and restores normal heart beat. This effect is brought about by the presence of bioflavonoids in the fruit, these bioflavonoids are also strongly antioxidant, helping to prevent or reduce degeneration of the blood vessels. The fruit is antispasmodic, cardiac, diuretic, sedative, tonic and vasodilator. Both the fruits and flowers of hawthorns are well-known in herbal folk medicine as a heart tonic and modern research has borne out this use. The fruits and flowers have a hypotensive effect as well as acting as a direct and mild heart tonic. They are especially indicated in the treatment of weak heart combined with high blood pressure, they are also used to treat a heart muscle weakened by age, for inflammation of the heart muscle, arteriosclerosis and for nervous heart problems. Prolonged use is necessary for the treatment to be efficacious. It is normally used either as a tea or a tincture. Hawthorn is combined with ginkgo (Ginkgo biloba) to enhance poor memory, working by improving the blood supply to the brain. The bark is astringent and has been used in the treatment of malaria and other fevers. The roots are said to stimulate the arteries of the heart.

Hawthorn-Crataegus oxyacantha seed/plant for sale
Minimum 150 seeds packed
Organic open-pollinated. Untreated.No GMO's


More details can be obtained from:
The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
(R&D plant introduction centre)
Silik Road, Sonamarag, Kashmir
Registerd office: "Ginkgo House,Via Wuyan-Meej Road, Pampore PPR JK 192121
Ph: 09858986794, 01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home:http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Hypericum perforatum-St. John's Wort in India

Buy St. John's Wort

Hypericum perforatum-St. John's Wort in India
Synonyms : Hypericum vulgare
Family : Hypericaceae (St. John's Wort Family)
Other names : Tipton's weed, chase-devil, Klamath weed, Saint Johns Wort, Hypericum peroratum
Distribution : Japan, China, Afghanistan, Iran, Gilgat, Muzaffarabad (Pakistan), Phalgham, Pulwama, Kulgam, Sonamarag, Ramban, Aru (Jammu and Kashmir)
Ecological notes : Uncommon

Medicinal use of  Hypericum perforatum-St. John's Wort : St. John's wort has a long history of herbal use. It fell out of favour in the nineteenth century but recent research has brought it back to prominence as an extremely valuable remedy for nervous problems. In clinical trials about 67% of patients with mild to moderate depression improved when taking this plant. The flowers and leaves are analgesic, antiseptic, antispasmodic, aromatic, astringent, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, nervine, resolvent, sedative, stimulant, vermifuge and vulnerary. The herb is used in treating a wide range of disorders, including pulmonary complaints, bladder problems, diarrhoea and nervous depression. It is also very effectual in treating overnight incontinence of urine in children. Externally, it is used in poultices to dispel herd tumours, caked breasts, bruising etc. The flowering shoots are harvested in early summer and dried for later use. Use the plant with caution and do not prescribe it for patients with chronic depression. The plant was used to procure an abortion by some native North Americans, so it is best not used by pregnant women. See also the notes above on toxicity. A tea or tincture of the fresh flowers is a popular treatment for external ulcers, burns, wounds (especially those with severed nerve tissue), sores, bruises, cramps etc. An infusion of the flowers in olive oil is applied externally to wounds, sores, ulcers, swellings, rheumatism etc. It is also valued in the treatment of sunburn and as a cosmetic preparation to the skin. The plant contains many biologically active compounds including rutin, pectin, choline, sitosterol, hypericin and pseudohypericin. These last two compounds have been shown to have potent anti-retroviral activity without serious side effects and they are being researched in the treatment of AIDS. A homeopathic remedy is made from the fresh whole flowering plant. It is used in the treatment of injuries, bites, stings etc and is said to be the first remedy to consider when nerve-rich areas such as the spine, eyes, fingers etc are injured.

Chemical Constituents :  hypericin, pseudohypericin, hyperforing, flavonoids, essential oil, carotene, vitamin C, tannin, and resin.

Habitat of the herb :  Open woods, hedgebanks and grassland, in dry sunny places, usually on calcareous soils.

Edible parts of St. John's Wort : The herb and the fruit are sometimes used as a tea substitute. The flowers can be used in making mead.

Other uses of the herb : Yellow, gold and brown dyes are obtained from the flowers and leaves. A red is obtained from the flowers after acidification. A red dye is obtained from the whole plant when infused in oil or alcohol. A yellow is obtained when it is infused in water. The plant is said to contain good quantities of tannin, though exact figures are not available.

Propagation of St. John's Wort: Seed - sow in a greenhouse as soon as it is ripe in the autumn or in the spring. It normally germinates in 1 - 3 months at 10°C. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and plant them out into their permanent positions in the summer. Division in spring or autumn. Very easy, larger clumps can be replanted direct into their permanent positions, though it is best to pot up smaller clumps and grow them on in a cold frame until they are rooting well. Plant them out in the spring.

Cultivation of the herb : Open woods, hedgebanks and grassland, in dry sunny places, usually on calcareous soils.

Hypericum perforatum-St. John's Wort plants and seeds are available at

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Contact : "Ginkgo House" Azizabad, (Via Wuyan-meej Road), Pampore PPR JK 192121
PIC's : Ramban, Kishtwar, Sonamarag
Ph: 09858986794, 01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com
home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Asparagus officinalis seeds for sale

Buy Aspaagus seed

Asparagus officinalis

Family : Asparagaceae

English name : Asparagus/Mary Washington

Distribution : (Under research)

Status : Not common

“Ginkgo House” Azizabad, Via-Wuyan-Meej Road, Pampore (Planted) For more details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Asparagus officinalis is a perennial growing to 1.5 m (5ft) by 0.8 m (2ft 7in).

It is in flower in August, and the seeds ripen from Sep to October. The flowers are dioecious (individual flowers are either male or female, but only one sex is to be found on any one plant so both male and female plants must be grown if seed is required) and are pollinated by Bees.The plant is not self-fertile.

It is noted for attracting wildlife.

Medicinal use of Asparagus : Asparagus has been cultivated for over 2,000 years as a vegetable and medicinal herb. Both the roots and the shoots can be used medicinally, they have a restorative and cleansing effect on the bowels, kidneys and liver. The plant is antispasmodic, aperient, cardiac, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic, sedative and tonic. The freshly expressed juice is used. The root is diaphoretic, strongly diuretic and laxative. An infusion is used in the treatment of jaundice and congestive torpor of the liver. The strongly diuretic action of the roots make it useful in the treatment of a variety of urinary problems including cystitis. It is also used in the treatment of cancer. The roots are said to be able to lower blood pressure. The roots are harvested in late spring, after the shoots have been cut as a food crop, and are dried for later use. The seeds possess antibiotic activity. Another report says that the plant contains asparagusic acid which is nematocidal and is used in the treatment of schistosomiasis.

Medicinal Properties : Asparagus is a bitter, restorative, and cleansing herb that acts on the kidneys, bowels, and liver. It contains asparagusic acid, which is nematocidal (destroys unsegmented internal parasitic worms).

The herb is used medically for

cystitis

pyelitis

kidney disease

rheumatism

gout

and edema from heart failure

Asparagusic acid contained in asparagus is used to treat schistosomiasis.

Asparagus spears are steamed and served as hot or cold vegetables or pureed/finely chopped in soups.

Edible parts of Asparagus: Young shoots - raw or cooked. Considered a gourmet food, the shoots are harvested in the spring. We find them very acceptable raw in salads, with a hint of onion in their flavour. They are normally boiled or steamed and used as a vegetable. Male plants produce the best shoots. Do not over-harvest the plant because this would weaken it in the following year. The shoots are a good source of protein and dietary fibre. Roasted seeds are a coffee substitute.

Other uses of the herb : The plant contains asparagusic acid, which has nematocidal properties.

Propagation of Asparagus : Seed - pre-soak for 12 hours in warm water and then sow in spring or as soon as the seed is ripe in early autumn in a greenhouse. It usually germinates in 3 - 6 weeks at 25°C. Prick out the seedlings into individual pots when they are large enough to handle and grow them on in a sunny position in the greenhouse for their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer. Division in early spring as the plant comes into growth.

Minimum 50 seeds. Packed for 2012

For more details:

Sheikh GULZAAR

Head

The JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre

POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001

“Ginkgo House”, Azizabad, (Via Wuyan-Meej Road), Pampore PPR JK 192121

Ph: 09858986794, 01933-223705

e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com

home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Herbal seeds for sale

The  Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC, is a pioneer institution to start cultivation of important indigenous medicinal plants and introduce many from other parts of the world. A preliminary study on cultivation of medicinal plants in Jammu and Kashmir was from this institution. Subsequently lot of work on cultivation and improvement was done on selected plants by different   scientists and a consolidated account on cultivation and utilization of these plants was published (Sheikh GULZAAR, 2002 & 2007).

Availability of  Seed/Planting material for research purpose only

Medicinal/fruit seeds  and planting material is available for distribution/purchase for Research institutions, universities, associations and NGOs)

More details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

Cyber war with indians. SMS service banned, International media banned, Curbs on local print media, phone calls are taped, public gatherings banned and now facebook users are targeted. WELCOME TO THE STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR.

Cyber war with indians. SMS service banned, International media banned, Curbs on local print media, phone calls are taped, public gatherings banned and now facebook users are targeted. WELCOME TO THE  STATE OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR.

Ashwagandha seeds for sale

Bot. name: Withania somnifera
Sanskrit Name: Ashwagandha Balada, Vajini, Pushtida, Vataghni
Hindi name : Ashwagandha
Urdu name : Asgandh
English Name: Winter Cherry
Family Name: Solanaceae
Parts used: Leaves, roots, seeds

Always buy organic!

Medicinal uses of  Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) :Ashwgandha has long been considered as an excellent rejuvenator, a general health tonic and a cure for a number of health complaints. It is a sedative, diuretic, anti-inflammatory and generally respected for increasing energy, endurance, and acts as an-adaptogen that exerts a strong immunostimulatory and an-anti-stress agent.

Ashwagandha is taken for treating cold and coughs, ulcers, emaciation, diabetes, conjunctivitis, epilepsy, insomnia, senile dementia, leprosy, Parkinson’s disease, nervous disorders, rheumatism, arthritis, intestinal infections, bronchitis, asthma, impotence and a suppressant in HIV/AIDS patients.

According to Indian Herbal System (Ayurveda), Ashwagandha is considered one of the most important herbs and the best adaptogenic. It contains constituents like cuseohygrine, anahygrine, tropine, and anaferine, glycosides, withenolide with starches and amino acid. Withanolide consists of steroidal molecules which is said to fight inflammation.

Ashwagandha stimulates the immune system, combats inflammation, increases memory, and helps maintain general health and wellness. Ashwagandha is known to increase the production of bone marrow, semen, and acts anti-aging. Ashwagandha anti-tumor and anti-inflammatory agents are approved in several studies. Its steroidal is much higher than that of hydrocortisone which is a common treatment in cancer cases.

Diseases like TB, chronic upper respiratory diseases and HIV have been added to the list of Ashwagandha due to its strong immunostimulatory activity, and it is recognized as a blood tonic, especially in gynecological disorders including anemia and irregular menstruation.

Patients with anxiety can also benefit from Ashwagandha. During clinical trials, 30 sufferers of anxiety were given 40ml of Ashwagandha twice a day and after 30 days, all anxiety symptoms including panic attacks and paranoia had virtually disappeared.

Ashwagandha effects on the Brain Chemicals:
    GABA-mimetic activity having anxiolytic effect.
     Inhibiting Cholinesterase and thereby retaining Acetylcholine for longer time.
    Slowing down of tolerance of the analgesic effects of morphine.
    Induction of axon and dendrite outgrowth, there by resulting in neuritis regeneration and synaptic     reconstruction.

Ashwagandha Immunostimulatory effect:

    Immunity stimulating effect through Macrophages.
    Raised antibody titer against Bordetella pertusis strains (Combats Diphtheria).
    Protective effect in Cyclophosphamide induced myelosuppression.
    Beneficial in Ageing and Copper induced lipid peroxidation.
    Ashwagandha helping in Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.

Ashwagandha as an adaptogenic and Anti-Stress agent:

    Respected as Ginseng in Chronic stress models.
    Protective effect in stress induced neuronal degeneration.
    Helping to achieve better state to fight against stress.
    Prevents stress related ulcer.

Ashwagandha Rejuvenative and Reproductive action:
    Increases libido and sexual function.
    Supports female reproductive system, and increases ovarian weight and folliculogenesis.
    Ashwagandha is approved as a greatest rejuvenative herb in Indian Herbal System.
    Useful in treating arthritis, diabetes and hypertension.
    Ashwagandha is a potent inhibitor of angiogenesis and it is respected for its phytochemical

 Ashwagandha in Cancer Patients:

    Acts as anti-carcinogenic.
    Growth inhibitor of human tumor cell lines.
    Counteracting mutagenic effect.
    Ashwagandha possesses anti-proliferative agent.
    Respected as a natural source of potent radiosensitizer in chemotherapy.
    Recommended in Ascitic Sarcoma.
    Useful in Melanoma induced metastasis.
    Supports DMBA induced Squamous cell carcinoma.
    Enhances cellular immune response to mitogens.
    Reversing Paclitaxel induced Neutropenia.

 Ashwagandha in Parkinson's and Alzheimer's disease:

    An L-dopa in an herbal formulation found in Ashwagandha.
    Enhances memory through cholinergic channels.
    Stabilizes mood, improves learning ability.

Ashwagandha as a Free Radical Scavenger & Antioxidant:

     Increases the three natural antioxidants in brain.
    Stimulates Immune system through Nitric oxide production in Macrophage.
    Dose dependent free radical scavenging and protective effect on DNA cleavage.
    It has a good effect in Iron overload and Lead toxicity.
    Prevents Neuroleptic induced extra pyramidal side effects.

Ashwagandha on Anxiety and Depression:

    Ashwagandha is comparable to Bacopa Monnieri in anxiety and depression
    Anxiolytic effect comparable to Lorazepam.
    Antidepressant effect comparable to Imipramine.
    Found nontoxic in doses up to 100 mg per kg of body weight.
    As calming, anticonvulsant and antispasmodic effect.
    Able to stimulate endocrine glands.

 Ashwagandha as a Cardiovascular Protector

    Able to protect Cardiovascular system against ischemic and reperfusion injury.
    Beneficial in Focal ischemia.
    Supports anti-atherogenic activity in polyherbal formula.
    Possesses a mild hypoglycemic, diuretic and an anti-hypercholesterolemic agent.
    Supports Streptozotocin induced diabetes.
    Withania somnifera-Ashwagandha

Withania somnifera seeds/Leafs/Roots are available for personal use only
For more details: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC
POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001
Ph: 09858986794/01933-223705
e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com

Crataegus oxyacantha plants in India

Buy Howthorn seed/plant

Crataegus oxyacantha 

Family  : Rosaceae

English name : Howthorn

Cashmerian name : Reng

Other names : Aubepine, Hawthorn, Hawtorn, May tree, Rundhagtorn

Trade name : Aubepine

Regions distribution : Kashmir, Mirpur, Muzafarabad, Gilgat, Murree, Kishtwar, Kokernag, Phalgam, Aferica,USA, Afghanistan, Pakistan. W.Siberia.

Part Used : Ripe Fruit  Berries and flowers

Other uses : Agricultural implements, Boat building (general), Carvings, Flooring, Furniture, Heavy construction, Joinery, Millwork, Mine timbers, Musical instruments, Plywood, Poles, Sporting Goods, Tool handles, Turnery, Vehicle parts, Veneer: decorative

Chemical Constituents : Cynogenetic glycosidesCrategin. Amines viz. O-methoxy phenethylamine. Tyramine. Rutin HyperosideVitexin glyxcosidesOrientin glycoside Procyanidins Citric tartaric and crataegus acids

Medicinal uses : Used as a blood purifier, for :High blood pressure.Arteriosclerosis, cardiac disease including dyspnoea, its hypertrophy Valvular insuffieicny Paroxysmal tachycardiaRemoves crustaceous and calcareous deposits from inside of arteriesUsed for toning or treating : Heat muscles Myocarditis Irregular heartbeat Painful sensation of pressure in left side of chest below clavicle Pain in back of head and neckCardiac dropsy with fatty degeneration Extreme dysponea on least exertion with much increase in pulse Dialated heart with first sound dull Vulvular murmursAngina pectoris Skin blueness of finger snadtoesGreat insomnia.

Crataegus oxyacantha (Hawthorn) planting materials are available at:

The Jammu and Kashmir Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre-JKMPIC

"Ginkgo House" Azizabad, (Via Wuyan-Meej Road), Pampore PPR JK 192121

Or

Mailing address: POB: 667 GPO Srinagar SGR JK 190001

Plant/R&D Centre at: Sonamarag

Mob: 09858986794

Ph: 01933-223705

e-mail: jkmpic@gmail.com

Home:http://jkmpic.blogspot.in

Melissa officinalis india

Buy Melissa officinalis

Bot. name Melissa officinalis
Family : Labiatea
Other names: Balm, Lemon Balm, Melissa Balm (USA), Balm Mint

CULTIVATION CONDITIONS
Distribution : Sonamarag, Ramban (Kashmir Himalayas), Iran, USA, Pakistan. Egypt, Italy, Ireland.
Ecological notes : Grows on rich soils
Status : Not so common

The herb is commercially produced in Hungary and the oil in Ireland.
Melissa grows best in alluvial soil, excess water is harmful, while yields diminish in light and dry soils (Guenther).

Major producing countries : Hungary, Egypt, Italy, for herb Ireland for essential oil

Yield and description : Genuine Melissa oil is a pale yellow sweet smelling oil with an odour of aromatic lemon. Yields are as low as 0.014% for distillation of the fresh herb to 0.112% for dried herb, increasing to 0.13% using cohobation. True oil is extremely expensive. The oil is held in high esteem for its use in aromatherapy, it is reported to have a sedative effect. There is little use for the oil in perfumery, where the odour is readily suggested by blends of the very cheap oils of Lemon, Lemongrass and fortified by Citronella oil. According to Arctander the plant is known in Europe as "Hearts Delight" since infusions of the herb were supposed to cure heart disease and melancholia and this led to the late 1930's perfume "Cosur-Joie", which had a melissa like top note.

Uses : Infusions are made from the herb; the oil has several names (Oil of Balm, Oil of Lemon Balm, Oil of Melissa Balam, Oil of Balm Mint, Oil of Melissa Officinalis) and is used as a sedative in alternative medicine.

Cultivation details: Planting is usually 40,000 plants/Ha. with propagation from seed. The plants have a life of 10 years but are usually replaced every five years with crop rotation to rejuvenate the soil. Propagation in the northern hemisphere is from April to July.

Harvesting period : In the first year the crop is in August, thereafter two crops are experienced. The first in June and the second in August.

Harvesting methods : Usually by hand on a clear warm day as the leaves will turn black if harvested wet. For good appearance leaves should not be left in the sun.

Post harvest treatment, preservation, storage pre-treatment : Weed control is recommended (Pank). It has been reported that, in Kashmir and Egypt, irradiating seeds has an effect on growth, essential oil content and composition. The quantity of herb was reduced but the oil content was increased, with the irradiation dosage varying the proportion of the constituents.

Preservation and storage : The oil should be stored in filled sealed containers, out of light and kept cool. The oil is subject to oxidation.

Processing method : Stainless Steel steam distillation retorts equipped for cohobation should be used to increase the yield.

Composition of oil : Many reports exist regarding the composition. An analysis, from New Zealand, given for Melissa officinalis L. subsp altissima (Dawson) not only gives a yield 0.33% but constituents totally different from those of Melissa officinalis L. subsp officinalis.

A summary of the composition is given by Lawrence as follows:
Compounds Percentage range
Methyl Heptenone 2.2 - 8.6
Citronellal 1.0 - 8.4
Linalool 0.5 - 2.7
Neral 19.6 - 36.1
Geranial 25.3 - 47.5
Geranyl Acetate 1.2 - 6.2
1.9 - 9.7
Carophyllene oxide 0.5 - 9.0
EQUIPMENT
Forage Harvester
Stainless steel distillation equipment

Melissa officinalis - Lemon Balm seedlings are available

Courtesy of http://plantoftheweek.org

Melissa officinalis
Herbaceous perennial. Native to the Kashmir, egypt. This is a classic medicinal tea herb. Assists in controlling high blood pressure, migraines, hysteria, melancholia, goiter, hyperthyroidism and Grave’s disease.

Cultivation: Extra care. Light-dependent germinator. Sow outdoors in the fall or very early spring or provide 2 weeks of cold conditioning. Germ. in 10-40 days. Prefers full sun or shade; normal garden soil and minimal water. Plant 1.5 feet apart. Flowers yellow to 2 feet tall.
100 seeds/pkt., Certified Organically Grown

Melissa officinalis
[Approx. 1800 seeds/gram]
Rare, Open-pollinated & Heirloom Garden Seeds
Melissa officinalis seedlings/plants are also available

For more details:-
Sheikh GULZAAR
Head
JK Medicinal Plants Introduction Centre
Home: http://jkmpic.blogspot.com