Remedies of the Arab World

[Sir Aman-ud-Din Ghassan Sayyid]

Natural Remedies of the Arab World

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[/b]hen you step into an herbal medicine shop or wander through the traditional suqs (markets), you will find vendors of herbs, spices, bark, twigs, rocks and salt intended for culinary, cosmetic or medicinal purposes. These fascinating items whisper tales of the ancient trade routes, for many still come to Arabia from India, China, Indonesia, Egypt, Syria and other exotic locations, and are distributed across the Peninsula through existing commercial networks, which in turn have made their way to the European world by the Pilgrim and Silk Road. Others are harvested right in Arabia, some under harsh desert conditions. The people of the Arabian Peninsula have, for centuries, combined goods obtained by trade and barter with a prudent use of local plants and have developed a rich heritage of folk medicine. Here is a listing of some of the used various herbs, spices and other substances in natural healing. Also specific remedies for conditions such as headache, colds and coughs, sore throats, hair loss, general fatigue, childbirth and so on.[/font][/center]

ALUM
A crystal-white mineral often imported from China. Alum is a compound of several metals, including aluminum. It is an astringent, widely used in the Middle East to control bleeding and to clean and heal wounds.

• Shabba powder is mixed with henna for skin decoration, and when applied to the underarms, it acts as a deodorant.
  
• Physicians used alum in a mouthwash, as a styptic, as a pessary for menorrhagia, as a nasal douche, and as a treatment for itchy scabs, gonorrhea and purulent ophthalmia and for the treatment of leprosy, bad gums, pustules and ear trouble.
  
• Alum is not ingested, nor is it used in cooking.

ANISE
From cookies to colds, this tiny, aromatic, gray-brown seed—often called aniseed—serves families across the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi merchants import much of their aniseed from Syria and India. Anise also grows in Egypt, Cyprus, Crete and on the Eastern Mediterranean coast. It is used to treat general abdominal pain, colic, indigestion, menstrual cramping, coughs and headaches. It is also believed to clean the urinary system and prevent inflammations. Anise has aromatic, diaphoretic, relaxant, stimulant, tonic, carminative and stomachic properties.

• For tea: simmer aniseed in a cup of water for 10 minutes. Strain and drink.
  
• For baking: grind seeds to powder.
  
• Chew the seeds to freshen the mouth and aid digestion.
  
• Licorice-flavored aniseed provides subtle flavor to cookies and other sweets.

ARAK
The arak is a short evergreen tree that grows in sandy and arid areas of the Middle East and Africa. A miswak (plural: masawik) is a fibrous stick prepared from the root of the arak tree. It has antiseptic and astringent properties which help clean and protect the teeth and gums. A high-quality miswak has a strong, pungent smell. It is pale yellow or cream in color. It is moist and flexible.




ASAFETIDA
Foul-smelling gum resin of the asafetida plant. It works mainly to improve the digestive system, but it’s also used as a pain-reliever, a cough medicine and a blood thinner. Despite its sulfurous smell, asafetida, when cooked, imparts a surprisingly pleasant flavor to many foods. Use in small amounts and can be found in the form of resin and powder. Asafetida is thought of as a “last-resort” treatment for coughs, colds, fevers and stomach discomfort. It is not the most popular home remedy; parents must coach their children to hold their nose and swallow quickly in order to tolerate the strong smell and bitter taste.

• Melt in hot water and drink.
  
• Grind or crush the lump resin into powder or melt it in liquid and use sparingly as a cooking spice.

BANANA
The banana plant is the world’s largest herb. It is often mistaken for a tree, but does not have a woody trunk or boughs. It springs from an underground rhizome to form a false trunk three to six meters (10–20') high and is crowned with a rosette of 10–20 beautiful, oblong banana leaves. Bananas are rich in potassium, riboflavin, niacin and dietary fiber, contain vitamins A and C and some calcium and iron, and are a quick source of energy.

• vegetables and spices are sometimes wrapped in banana leaves and then steamed.
  
• Bananas can be eaten fresh or dried. The dried fruit can be ground into a nutritious banana flour.
  
• For diarrhea, use cornstarch and water; yogurt; tea leaves; mashed potatoes; bananas.

BLACK SEED
Native to the Mediterranean and grown throughout the Middle East and parts of Asia, Nigella sativa is cultivated for its seeds, which are known as the “seeds of blessing.” For the Arabs, black seed is not only a food but also a valued traditional medicine that has long been used to treat such ailments as asthma, flatulence, polio, kidney stones, abdominal pain and so on. Black seed is aromatic with a slight peppery flavor. It is one of the distinct flavors of Arab pastries. It is often sprinkled on breads and cheese. It is heated with milk for flavor. It is eaten ground with honey or with cakes and pastries. It has served as an important health and beauty aid for thousands of years.

• Eat black seeds plain.
  
• Eat black seeds mixed with honey.
  
• Boil black seed with water. Strain and drink.
  
• Heat black seed and warm milk until it just begins to boil. Remove from heat. Cool, then drink.
  
• Grind black seed and swallow it with water or milk.
  
• Sprinkle on bread and pastries.
  
• Burn black seed with bukhoor (incense) for a pleasant scent.

In Arabia, black seed remains a traditional remedy for asthma, coughs, stomach aches, abdominal pain, colic, general fatigue, rheumatism, mouth and larynx diseases, skin diseases and cancer. It is also believed to strengthen a mother after childbirth; stimulate menstruation, urination and liver functions; aid digestion; dissolve kidney stones; and increase intelligence. Black seed is used to beautify skin, nourish hair and stimulate hair growth.




CARAWAY
Caraway is the world’s oldest known herb. Caraway is grown throughout Europe, the Mediterranean area, North Africa, Asia and North America. It grows as a small green plant the first year and then up to 60 centimeters (2') tall the second year, producing small white and apple-green flowers and fruit. The fruit, commonly called seeds, can be separated from the plant when ripe and then dried in the sun. A physician in the first century, recommended oil of caraway be rubbed into skin to improve a pale complexion.




CARDAMOM
Native to India and Sri Lanka, cardamom is a well-loved spice in the Arabian Peninsula. Arab coffee is heavily flavored with it. In fact, cardamom is a valuable ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisine: in beverages, sweets, pastries and main dishes. A member of the ginger family, cardamom is a carminative and a stimulant. It warms the body and helps relieve indigestion and gas.

• Bruise cardamom pods until partially open; remove cardamom seeds from their pods; gently bruise seeds or dry-fry over gentle heat to release their flavor.
  
• Grind seeds into powder.
  
• Cardamom is a vital ingredient in Arabian coffee making. Its flavor can be added to the beverage by grinding cardamom pods and adding the powdered cardamom to already brewed coffee.

CAMOMILE
The flower heads of the camomile plant are used to brew a medicinal tea. Many families keep camomile readily available. To make camomile tea, boil water and then pour one cup of the water over a handful of dried flowers. Infuse for five to 10 minutes and then strain. Add honey for a sweeter taste and drink the tea warm. Camomile is a valued nervine, carminative and general tonic. Camomile tea is well-known for settling the stomach and aiding digestion after a meal. It is also relaxing and can help promote sleep. Camomile is also used in perfumes, soaps, bath oils, skin-care products and in shampoos to add luster to blonde hair.




CUCUMBER
Cucumbers originated in Asia, probably in India, and spread into Europe about 3000 years ago. Today Indian medicine prescribes cucumber juice for an array of ailments, including constipation, stomach disorders, urinary problems, rheumatism and even cholera. It can be a soothing lotion and skin cleanser. Additionally, cucumber slices are put on swollen eyes, to reduce the swelling. Cucumbers have long been known in eastern and western traditional medicine as one of the best natural diuretics. The effect is in the seeds, which are rich in sulfur, silicon and potassium.

• Slice or finely chop the cucumber to add to salads.
  
• Eaten plain.
  
• Slice, grate or mash the cucumber for use in skin-care applications.

FRANKINCENSE
Frankincense is crystallized tree sap—a hardened gum or resin exuded by a small tree that grows in the coastal regions of the southern Arabian Peninsula and nearby coastal East Africa. Frankincense comes in five main colors: white, pale lemon, pale amber, pale green and dark amber. The color of the gum resin is influenced by its harvest time. A whiter gum is collected closer to autumn, whereas a darker color is harvested closer to spring. Frankincense is commonly used in treatments for tumors, ulcers, vomiting, dysentery and fever. Western herbalists regard frankincense essential oil as an anti-inflammatory, antiseptic and astringent, and say it is useful as a uterine tonic during pregnancy and labor. Charred frankincense has been used to make kohl, the black powder traditionally used by women in the Middle East to paint their eyelids.

• Chew as a gum. This is a popular use as frankincense has a mild, pleasant taste and helps to eliminate bad breath.
  
• Suck on a granule to relieve nausea.
  
• Soak frankincense granules in water and drink the strained liquid.
  
• Burn as incense for a pleasant scent or waft on clothing.

GARLIC
Garlic, a bulbous perennial, probably originated in Central Asia, the only place where it grows wild. (There are other plants in other lands referred to as “wild garlic”; they are part of the Allium genus but are not true garlic, A. sativum. Garlic has edible flowers but it is primarily grown for its bulbs, each of which contains 12 to 20 cloves. Garlic was the potherb par excellence of the East—not only was it used in a dizzying array of culinary dishes, but it also aided digestion and was a gastric stimulant.

• Crush, chop or use garlic cloves whole to flavour dishes.
  
• Bake, roast or grill a bulb of garlic. When softened, squeeze out the pulp from the individual cloves to eat.
  
• Mash the softened pulp of baked garlic to form a smooth paste and use it in soups, sauces and dips. Alternatively, grind fresh garlic to a paste with a mortar and pestle.

Use garlic for ant bites and bee stings. Use an ointment made of ground garlic on a wound even if it hurts, since this prevents gangrene. Also, you can clean wounds by mixing ground garlic in warm water and washing the wound with it to kill the microbes. Use garlic clove to kill warts and prevent them from reappearing.




MYRRH
Myrrh is collected from the stems of bushy shrubs found growing in southern Arabia and Somalia. A granular secretion exits the stem through natural fissures, or cuts, as a pale yellow liquid. It then hardens to a reddish-brown mass. It can be found in different sizes in the marketplace, most pieces being the size of large marbles or walnuts. Myrrh is one of the best antiseptics known, an astringent and a stimulant. Although it doesn’t taste very good because it is so bitter, myrrh is used to alleviate inflammation in the body. Myrrh to possesses significant antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Myrrh water is an excellent mouthwash and is helpful for mouth sores or blisters, sore throats, bronchial congestion and other conditions requiring an antiseptic astringent. For burns, soak myrrh in a small amount of water. It is put on burns to reduce scars and to help in quickly healing wounds and to remove warts of simple surgical operations.

• Soak myrrh granules in water for two to three days and then drink the strained liquid.
  
• Swallow small granules like pills.
  
• Burn as incense.

NAKHWA
Used as medicine by the ancient Greeks and Arabs, nakhwa is still considered a natural remedy. You can buy the aromatic seeds as well as a distillate. Nakhwa is sometimes added to traditional Arab coffee. In addition to providing a unique flavor, it is believed to soften the impact of coffee on the stomach and reduce the effects of caffeine. Nakhwa seeds yield 40 to 55 percent thymol, a valuable crystalline phenol extracted for medicinal purposes and some cough medicines. It was also used as a preparation for hemorrhoids.

• Release the aroma of the seeds before use by rubbing between your fingertips, crushing with a mortar and pestle or gently stirring while warming in a pan.
  
• Use seeds whole or grind them into powder form.

PETROLEUM
Natural deposits of thickened petroleum (also called “bitumen”) seeped from openings on land or floated to the surface of lakes. It was easy to gather and was used as a building material, waterproofing material, lubricant, adhesive, medicine, fuel, illuminant and fumigant, and even as a weapon. Oil was commonly sold as medicine and as a fuel for lighting. It is sometimes used in bakery products as a release agent. Petrolatum has been approved for medicinal, cosmetic-formula and animal-feed use, and for direct contact with food. Oil-and-water baths were supposed to strengthen the body. Ointments of bitumen and other chemicals were often applied to sores or broken bones. Other petroleum preparations acted as antidotes to poison, fumigants, disinfectants or laxatives. When ingested in small doses, is excellent for suppressing cough, for asthma, bladder discomfort and arthritis. It can soothe skin rashes and infections.




POMEGRANATE
While native to Iran and its neighboring countries, the pomegranate was cultivated in ancient times all around the Mediterranean and throughout the Arabian Peninsula. It is a deciduous tree or large shrub that produces excellent fruit under semiarid conditions. Pomegranate seeds have a sweet-sour taste. Powdered pomegranate peelings are used on burns and to treat infection on external cuts and wounds. Soaked pomegranate peelings are used for sore throats, stomach aches and indigestion. To treat indigestion, pomegranate peelings are dried, then boiled, and the water drunk. Rose water can be added for flavor. Pomegranate soaked in boiled water is used with honey for heart trouble.

• Eat the fleshy seeds to enjoy a delicious, slightly tart flavor,
  
• Dry the seeds and use in cooking.
  
• Extract the juice from the seeds for a refreshing drink or as a flavoring agent in cooking.
  
• Dry the outer peelings and crush them for culinary, cosmetic or medicinal purposes.
  
• Boil pomegranate peelings in water, then strain and drink the liquid; if more concentrated, the liquid can be used as a dye for clothes.
  
• Dry the peelings, then grind and mix with henna to make it darker and provide skin nourishment.

SAFFRON
Saffron refers to the dried, red stigmas collected from the flowers of Crocus sativus. Its high price is better understood when we learn that some 75,000 flowers are required to make one pound of dried saffron. Saffron was introduced to Europe by the Muslim Arabs and Berbers of northwest Africa, who conquered most of Spain in the eighth century. From Spain, known as al-Andalus to the Arabs, saffron was carried to Italy and France, where it became popular. Although not completely new to the British Isles, saffron was brought back to England by the crusaders of the 13th century. Historically, saffron has been used for medicine, perfume, dye and as a cooking spice. The stigmas produce a bright yellow or orange color when added to water.




THYME
common thyme, Thymus vulgaris, and some other species that are used as culinary herbs or for medicinal purposes. Thyme is widely cultivated for its strong flavour, which is due to its content of thymol. Thyme is best cultivated in a hot sunny location with well drained soil. It is generally planted in the spring and thereafter grows as a perennial. It can be propagated by seed, cuttings, or by dividing rooted sections of the plant. It tolerates drought well. Thyme retains its flavour on drying better than many other herbs. A general remedy for colds, flu, fevers, coughs and bronchitis is to take four to five cups of thyme tea a day. Thyme is antiseptic, antispasmodic and antifungal. It is also an expectorant and vermifuge (worm expeller).




TERMERIC
Often called “Indian saffron,” turmeric rhizome was one of the ancient trade products brought by sea from India. Today turmeric is widely used as a spice, cosmetic and dyestuff, and remains part of traditional medicine from Egypt to Iran. Al-Kindi used turmeric in a medicine for throat and mouth pustules, and in a dentifrice to strengthen the gums.

• Slice, grate, chop or grind turmeric to a paste with other ingredients. Then use it as you would fresh ginger root.
  
• Grind dried turmeric into powder.
  
• Use whole pieces of dried turmeric in pickling.

WALNUT BARK
Walnut trees were introduced into Italy from Persia, and Varro, who was born in 116 BC, mentioned that walnut trees were growing in Italy during his lifetime. The bark of the walnut tree is astringent and cleansing. It strengthens the gums and acts as an anti-inflammatory. It has been used to treat gum disease.

• Chew the end of the bark until soft.
  
• Rub the bark vigorously on lips for a natural dark brown lipstick.
  
• Use the bark as a toothbrush to clean teeth and gums.