Organic Terms Glossary

Adaptogen/Adaptogenic/Anti-stress Agent

An Adaptogen/Anti-stress agent improves the fighting capacity (adaptability) of the body against stress (physical, chemical, environmental, mental and emotional). If stress becomes prolonged and the organism cannot cope with it, i.e. cannot adapt, stress will result in disease. Depending upon the inherent strengths and weaknesses of the individual, the same stress can cause: allergies, arterial hypertension, arthritis, bronchial asthma, bronchitis, cancer, chronic fatigue syndrome, colitis, coronary heart disease including myocardial infarction, diabetes mellitus, gastrointestinal ulcers, etc. Different kinds of stress, for example, grief and anxiety (emotional stress), pollution and other toxins (environmental stress), pressure and tension (mental stress), poor diet and fatigue (physical stress) etc. will cause different diseases in different individuals. Thus, any plant that improves the adaptive processes of the body in fighting against stress is termed as an adaptogen (adaptogenic agent, anti-stress agent). Antioxidants & Free Radicals

Agro-chemicals

Agrichemical (or agrochemical), a contraction of agricultural chemical, is a generic term for the various chemical products used in agriculture. In most cases, agrichemical refers to the broad range of insecticides, herbicides, and fungicides, but it may also include synthetic fertilizers, hormones and other chemical growth agents, and concentrated stores of raw animal manure.

Most agrichemicals are toxic, and all agrichemicals in bulk storage pose significant environmental and/or health risks, particularly in the event of accidental spills.

Alcohol Tinctures

In medicine, a tincture is an alcoholic extract (e.g. of a herb) or solution of a nonvolatile substance (e.g. of iodine, mercurochrome).

Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease characterized in the brain by abnormal clumps (amyloid plaques) and tangled bundles of fibers (neurofibrillary tangles) composed of misplaced proteins. Symptoms of AD include memory loss, language deterioration, impaired ability to mentally manipulate visual information, poor judgment, confusion, restlessness, and mood swings. Eventually AD destroys cognition, personality, and the ability to function.

Antibiotics

Antibiotics (Greek anti: "against"; bios: "life") are chemical compounds used to kill or inhibit the growth of infectious organisms. Originally the term antibiotic referred only to organic compounds, produced by bacteria or moulds that are toxic to other microorganisms. The term is now used loosely to include synthetic and semi synthetic organic compounds. Antibiotic refers generally to antibacterial; however, because the term is loosely defined, it is preferable to specify compounds as being antimalarials, antiviral, or antiprotozoals. All antibiotics share the property of selective toxicity: They are more toxic to an invading organism than they are to an animal or human host. Penicillin is the most well known antibiotic and has been used to fight many infectious diseases, including syphilis, gonorrhea, tetanus, and scarlet fever.

Anti-Inflammatory

Reducing inflammation by acting on body responses, without directly antagonizing the causative agent.

Anti-Pyretic

Antipyretics are drugs that prevent or reduce fever by lowering the body temperature from a raised state.

Antioxidants & Free Radicals

Antioxidants are substances that slow down the process of excess oxidation and protect cells from the damage caused by free radicals. Exposure to air pollution, chemical and/or industrial toxins, pesticides, herbicides, tobacco smoke, heavy metals, alcohol, ultra-violet radiation, hydrogenated fats and chemical preservatives are all factors that put the body in danger of undesirable free radicals.

Free radicals are highly reactive, unstable molecules with a free electron in the cell membrane. When a free radical comes in contact with another cell, it will attack it, oxidize it and cause damage. If free radicals are not stopped, they can start a long chain reaction of free radical formation. When cells are attacked by free radicals, excess oxidation occurs (called lipid peroxidation) which can damage the cellular and intracellular membranes and even kill the cell.

Antioxidants stop this process. They have a free radical scavenging capacity and prevent cellular damage. An excess of free radicals can cause different medical conditions depending on which tissues are attacked. Free radicals have been strongly implicated in leading to premature aging, heart disease, respiratory problems and cancer. The cellular damage caused by free radicals can be responsible for causing and/or accelerating many diseases. If the body is in a healthy state, the formation and destruction of cells is normally balanced, but during aging and pathological conditions, the formation of free radicals markedly increases and cell destruction tends to dominate. Excess oxidation can be naturally controlled by diets that include natural antioxidants. All green vegetables which contain chlorophyll, orange and brightly colored vegetables which contain beta-carotene, foods that contain vitamin E, fruits that contain Vitamin C and as well as green tea and many Ayurvedic/medicinal herbs like Tulsi and Ashwagandha all contain natural antioxidants, which support endogenous (naturally occurring with the body) antioxidation. Tulsi and Ashwagandha are especially rich in certain phytochemicals (plant nutrients), which have free radical scavenging activities.

A diet rich in a combination of natural antioxidants is highly recommended to guard against free radicals and protect cells from damaging excess oxidation.

Antigens

An antigen is a molecule that stimulates an immune response. The word originated from the notion that they can stimulate antibody generation. Often antigens are foreign proteins (or parts of them) that enter the body via an infection. Sometimes, however, the body's own proteins, expressed in an inappropriate manner (where or when they are not usually seen), are treated like antigens by the immune system. It is important to recognize that bacteria or viruses are not themselves antigens but they contain antigens both on their surface and inside them.

Amalaki

Botanical name of this plant is Emblica officinalis (Greek), Phyllanthus emblica (Latin), and the other names being Indian gooseberry, Dhatri the nurse. Amalaki is also known as a rasayana (having restorative and balancing effects on the 3 constitutional elements that govern human life: Vat, Pit, Kaph). It belongs to family Euphorbiaceae. Emblica officinalis is a deciduous tree with exfoliating bark. It is used in Ayurveda as a cardiotonic, aphrodiasic, antipyretic, antidiabetic, cerebral and gastrointestinal tonic. It raises the total protein level and increases the body weight due to positive nitrogen balance. It has been found to have an anabolic effect.

Arjun

Botanical name of this plant is Terminalia arjuna. Arjun is one of India's sacred tree, named for Arjuna.Its bark is considered an important cardiac aid, used in treating many types of cardiovascular disorders. Its effect on the ovarian tissue may produce an estrogen like activity that enhances the repair of endometrium and stops bleeding.

Ashwagandha :: Ashwagandha Formula

The botanical name of Ashwagandha is Withania somnifera, the other names are Winter Cherry, Indian ginseng, Ajgandha, Kanaje Hindi and Samm AL Ferakh. This plant belongs to family Solanaceae. Normally, both roots and leaves of this plant are used for medicinal purposes; however it is roots which are used most. Ashwagandha is a very powerful Adaptogen/Anti Stress agent, improves sexual vitality, anti arthritic, immuno modulator and mild sedative. There are number of formulae containing Ashwagandha in Ayurveda including Ashwagandha containing alcoholic beverage. There is mention of Ashwagandha wine used by Alexander The Great.

Ascites

Ascites is defined as an excessive amount of fluid built up within the peritoneal cavity. Both the abdominal organs and the abdomen itself are lined with membranes called the peritoneum. Between these two linings is a space referred to as the peritoneal cavity. In pathological conditions that result in edema, or excessive fluid accumulation in bodily tissues, fluid can build up in the peritoneal cavity. Smaller abdominal fluid amounts usually do not produce symptoms. However, larger accumulations can cause:

• rapid weight gain
• abdominal discomfort and distention
• shortness of breath and actual dyspnea, or difficulty in breathing
• swollen ankles

Auto Immune Disorders

Auto immune disorders are conditions in which a person's immune system attacks the body's own cells, causing tissue destruction. Autoimmunity is accepted as the cause of a wide range of disorders, and it is suspected to be responsible for many more. Autoimmune diseases are classified as either general, in which the autoimmune reaction takes place simultaneously in a number of tissues, or organ specific, in which the autoimmune reaction targets a single organ.

Ayurveda

Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a form of traditional medicine in use primarily in the Indian subcontinent. The word "Ayurveda" is a tatpurusha compound of ayus "life" and veda "knowledge", and would roughly translate as the "Science of Life".

Ayurveda deals with the measures of healthy living, along with therapeutic measures that relate to physical, mental, social and spiritual harmony. Ayurveda is also one among the few traditional systems of medicine involving surgery.

Azamgarh

Azamgarh district is one of the eastern district of U.P. covering an area of 4234 sq.km. It lies along the Tons river, a tributary of the Ghaghara. Azamgarh was founded around 1665, by a powerful landlord named Azam Khan. The portion of the district lying along the banks of the Gogra is a low-lying tract, varying considerably in width; south of this, however, the ground takes a slight rise.