Leucoderma or white patches is a skin condition whose occurrence is shrouded in mystery. Despite the advancement in medical sciences, it’s not still clear what exactly triggers leucoderma.

Three months ago newspapers and TV channels the world over created a major public scare when they carried reports linking cellphones to cancers in human beings.

Hyderabad: India is close to eradicating yet another disease.
On September 19, the country completes the mandatory five-year waiting period for yaws, a skin disease that mostly affects tribal populations, to be declared as eradicated. If everything goes well, yaws will be the third disease to be eradicated in independent India.

Black turmeric or Curcuma caesia is an endangered medicinal plant that grows in the hilly areas of the country. It is fast dying out and thus needs to be conserved for future generations.

Holarrhena antidysenterica is popularly known as kutaja among Ayurveda doctors.

Coastal cities like Visakhapatnam, Mumbai, Kochi and Chennai are facing long-term threats from the sea as the average sea levels in these cities are going up by 1.30 mm every year.

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Barleria prionitis or the porcupine flower is an ornamental plant, however, some consider it a weed. Ayurveda, Unani and other traditional systems of medicine the world over recognise the importance of Barleria prionitis as far as our dental or oral health is concerned. Thanks to its unique properties of keeping teeth in good health and fighting tooth decay and gingivitis, this plant is popularly known as Vajradanti.

Few Hyderabadis know that they consume 0.14 to 9.50 micro gram per litre of Uranium when they drink water from the river Krishna.

Crinum latifolium or milk and wine lily is a wonderful plant thanks to its “double” properties. It works on prostate gland in men and ovaries in women. Known in Sanskrit as Madhuparnika, this herb finds a special place in the “royal medicine” of Vietnam, where kings and queens in the past used this herb for a long and healthy life. In India, Crinum is used in Ayurveda and Unani preparations for a variety of health issues, and as a general tonic. Readymade herbal formulations of Crinum latifolium are available in herbal stores.

Acorus Calamus or Sweet Flag is a wonder herb that has been in use in all systems of medicine including allopathy.