It is commonplace for the medicinal part used of a plant to be the bark, leaves and roots; however, rarely are the flowers used as traditional medicine. Most people are familiar with Crepe Myrtle (Lagerstroemia indica & hybrids) as a vibrantly beautiful flowering street tree with mass displays of flowers. In traditional medicine, the main use of Crepe myrtle is for wound healing—the flowers can be applied as a poultice to cuts and wounds to enhance wound-healing.
Traditionally, the stem bark is also used to stop bleeding (styptic), as a stimulant, and also to reduce fever (febrifuge), while the bark, leaves and flowers are considered to be purgatives. The root is also used as an astringent and detoxifier. A decoction of the flowers also has a reported use for colds. In preclinical studies, the extract has shown potential in treating allergic disease, such as asthma, as it exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in an asthma model.
#MedicinalPlants #Ethnopharm #Ethnobotany #woundhealing #medicinalflowers #herbalism #horticulture
*This post is for educational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose, cure or treat any disease. Always seek medical advice directly through consultation with a health professional.