lost@www [waltzing a world of wonders]: Miracle plants?

PROBABLE MIRACLE PLANTS

On this subject we found, that besides the plant named “miracle berry” (synsepalum dulcificum) which has the ability to alter the perceived sweetness of foods, there are some other plants with spread out amazing effects for human health. If some consider these effects a real miracle, others bet on research to find more about them. Just because we have heard or read some benefit or advantage of any of these plants, please bear in mind that the consumption of these plants or their fruits may bring also side effects and even toxic effects for your health. Before ingestion of any of these plants or fruits always consult your healthcare provider. Remember that for some fruit or plant or a simple tea from leaves of some plant, there may be side effects that may even lead to death. Although for some we can find recommended dosages, for others nobody knows enough to tell you if it can bring good or bad effects for your health. Nevertheless we always hope that in the future some of these apparent “miracle” effects on human health can be truly proved, so we can trust their benefits and know at the same time their side effects.

If we look only at the potential anticancer activity, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) has screened approximately 35,000 plant species and among them about 3,000 plant species which have demonstrated reproducible anticancer activity (data available at http://www.ars-grin.gov/duke/).

But many other benefits of these “probable miracle” plants will eventually be discovered in the future. We chose to list the following twenty five plants as a tiny fraction of the plantae kingdom as an example of the possible richness of benefits for human health that they may conceal. Please bear in mind that very little research has been done in people concerning the health effects of many of these plant´s components being the fruit, leaves, root, oil, resin or any other part of the plant. But do not feel sad, the plantae kingdom has given us already thousands of plants that today we know have incredible benefits for the human health.

Carissa spinarum

Phyllanthus emblica

Kalanchoe pinnata

Annona muricata

Morinda citrifolia

Handroanthus impetiginosus

Eugenia jambolana

Garcinia mangostana

Ananas comosus

Mappia foetida

Trifolium pratense

Curcuma longa