Scent leaf which is popularly called Ocimum gratissimum as its botanical name has numerous health benefits aside from using it as a mosquito and another insect repellent. This article is focused on Scent Leaf: Its chemical makeup and health benefits. A lot of research shows it has the potential to produce antioxidants due to its chemical, vitamins, and minerals composition.
Chemical Makeup of Scent Leaf and its medical importance
According to Comparative Screening of Phytochemical analysis conducted by 1 Open Access publisher and international conference dot org. Revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, steroids, tannins, and carotenoid in Recent leaf. Medical Research also testified that these important chemicals are very beneficial to human health.
1. Alkaloids.
The medical importance of Alkaloids
Alkaloids are said to be “secondary metabolites, which keep one or more nitrogen atoms, mostly in their ring structures”— Prof. Dr. Michael Wink.
Alkaloids are very important chemical compounds that can be helpful in the treatment of morphine and some illnesses like quinine in malaria, also plays a vital role in the therapy of cancer, treatment of parasitic diseases, pathogenic bacteria, and neuronal disorders.
2. Flavonoids.
Flavonoids are phytochemicals or phytonutrients, (antioxidant) which helps fight toxins in our body, they have a very powerful anti-inflammatory effect and as well fight “free- radicals” from oxidation which can damage our cells. Hence it protects the cell and helps to curb cardiovascular and cognitive diseases.
3. Steroid.
Steroids have an anti-inflammatory effect on the body and are useful for the treatment of inflammation of the blood vessels and other systems of vasculitis.
4. Tannins.
As potential as it sounds, Tannins does the following thing in the body.
> Have anti-inflammatory trait, hence helping to reduce inflammation and redness of the skin.
> Help to replenish and reduce cell damage.
> Have anti-oxidant effect this fight free radicals.
> Helps to Prevent skin dryness.
> Helps to enhance blood clotting.
> Helps lower blood pressure
> Enhance the production of liver necrosis
Carotenoids are like the rest mentioned above have antioxidant traits which help in reducing the risk of certain diseases like Cancer and eye disease.
Bottom Line: From the above-mentioned chemical compounds found in Scent leaf which mostly have antioxidants effect in the body, therefore, Scent leaf is a good source of antioxidants.
Scent Leafs: Uses at home
1. Cooking
The scent is very beneficial in the kitchen, it serves as spices that give out aromatic flavor which is used in preparing African foods, pepper soup, Yam sauce, porridge yam, it serves as vegetables for Banga soup.
2. It Helps To Repel Insects Like Mosquitos
Fragrance from scent leaf is no doubt poses a great threat to mosquitoes and other insects at home.
Its leaves can be collected and sun-dried before grinding to dust before it can serve this purpose.
3. Serves As Home Remedies for some illnesses and bacteria infections.
Mouth odor, bad breathe all came as a result of bacterial infection. Scent leaf a which has a potential antibacterial effect can be used for the treatment of mouth odor and bad breathe.
Furthermore, other illnesses like stomach ache, chronic dysentery, diarrhea can be controlled with Scent leaf.
Scent Leaf: Side Effects
As the saying goes, “too much of everything is bad”, same applies to scent leaves when consumed too much. Hence it's wise to take some precautions.
1. Adverse Reaction from Blood-thinning Drug: Scent Leaf contains a quantity of vitamin K which is responsible for blood clotting, therefore, much intake of it may bring about adverse effects on blood-thinning drugs like “Apixaban (Eliquis)
Dabigatran (Pradaxa), Dalteparin (Fragmin), Edoxaban (Savaysa), Enoxaparin (Lovenox), Fondaparinux (Arixtra), Heparin (Innohep), Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)”.
2. Not too Good if you have an upcoming Surgery:
People with bleeding disorders or people who may undergo a surgical operation in the nearest future should curtain the intake of Scent leaf because Its blood-thinning properties.
3. Increased Risk of liver Cancer:
Scientific publication from “ScienceDirect dot comScienceDirect dot com” indicates that oil extract from Scent leaf contains “Estragole”. Estragole is one of mutagenic alkenyl benzene, which can be found in other species like nutmeg, fennel, and black pepper. These studies revealed that estragole has the potential to increase liver weight which may increase the risk of liver Cancer
Scent Leafs: Planting, Harvesting, and Preparation
Planting:
Scent can be planted through its tiny seed. It could be through nursery seed to be transplanted letter or planting the seed directly.
Harvesting:
The most edible part of Scent Leaf is the leaf which you use your hand and cut out from its stems.
Preparation:
After harvesting of Scent Leaf, use clean water and salt and wash it, then cut the leaves and add them to your food and use it as you wish.
Other Amazing benefits of Scent Leaf
1. It can be used for the treatment of skin diseases
Scent leaf is no doubt contains a good quantity of antioxidants, which help in the fight against common skill diseases like “Dandruff”, “Ring Worm” etc.
> It helps to fight off Fungus and bacterial infection.
2. It Helps In Food Digestion
Scent leaf plays a wonderful role in the human digestive system due to its antioxidant content which helps to lower some inhibitors that may affect your food digestion. It plays a role in bowel evacuation
3. It Helps In Reducing The Sugar Level In Your Blood.
4. Helps in tissues restoration
Damages did to the body by nicotine for smokers, or the one resulted in the formation of smoked food or fish, Scent leaf has a very important role to play in the rehabilitation of those damages.
5. Scent Leaf With The Combination Of other Elements Help To Inhibit The Growth Of Cancerous Cells.
6. It Helps In The Prevention And Treatment Of Infectious Diseases.
Infections like urinary infections, vaginal douches for vaginitis, and gonorrhea, and others can be treated with it.
7. It Plays An Inhibitory Role In Neurodegenerative Diseases And Brain Disorders. ( More research needed in this regard)
8. Study also reveals that it helps to stop painful menstruation and correct irregular menstruation circle.
9. Immune booster. Help to boost the human immune system, with the help of its component.
10. For Eyesight Care And Improvement.
It is no false claim that Scent leaf has a composition of vitamin A which helps to maintain and improve our eyesight and you know when you last vitamin A, it can lead to night blindness.
11. Helps To Improve Heart Function And Blood Circulation.
It's a good source of arginine which helps in blood circulation. The calcium and magnesium content of the Scent leaf plays a vital role in lowering bad cholesterol which may obstruct the flow of blood when there is clogging of an artery due to bad oil or fat.
12. Oil extract from it helps to preserve foods.
13. Colon pains, and headache relief.
14. Study also revealed that it can help in the treatment of respiratory diseases, and as well as in making anti-inflammatory drugs.
15. It serves as a cooking spice with a unique aromatic flavor when added to most African dishes.
Comments
Post a Comment