It seems every year a new terrifying outbreak, a new disease, comes to light becoming a cause of concern for most of us. But this time nature seems to be there again to provide us with a solution, this time Rose petals seem to be the source of another natural active constituent able to fight bacterial infections from Escherichia coli.

But don´t overestimate it, some strains of this deadly bacteria, Scherichia coli, can cause your death if you get infected and don´t get appropriately treated, and infections outbreaks are already being reported in some areas of Germany. But let´s see what the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control has to say about it. Image: Rose petals by Andy Bullock under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

ROSA KORDESII

Family: Rosaceae
Genus: Rosa
Common name: Rosa

Azadirachta indica (Neem), an herb extensively used in Ayurveda, Unani and Homoeopathic systems of medicine [7] to treat many health related problems and ailments, and also known to exert anticancer, antioxidant, wound-healing, and antimicrobial properties [5,6,7] is also known to be one of these plants from which almost every part is used, from the Neem oil extracted from its seeds to the leaves and branches, to say the least neem benefits extend to various lines of health.

Neem health benefits are multiple but what can be the secret behind Neem benefits? As in other herbs, Neem beneficial effects are given by some of its active constituents, some of which the pharmaceutical industry have used as their primary source to build drugs against illnesses as important as cancer, for which already more than 400 active constituents derived from plants and herbs are used.

Herbs as Neem and Ginkgo biloba as well as many other well renown herbs, have been in the scope of pharmaceutical companies since long ago, mainly due to the properties and health benefits exerted by some of their active constituents known to act as health boosters. Image: Azadirachta indica (Neem) by Wendy Cutler under Creative Common license (CC BY 2.0).

AZADIRACHTA INDICA

Family: Meliaceae
Genus: Azadirachta
Common name: Neem, Indian lilac, Margosa tree.

Ginkgo biloba is already known for being one of the most resistant  tree species that ever existed on earth, being the living specie left from the ginkgoales, a group from which only fossils are left.

Ginkgo biloba belongs to a  group of trees, the ginkgoales, with an existence on earth dated more than 200 million years ago. Ginkgo biloba has resisted over the years to pests of insects, viruses, bacterias, fungi and many others without perishing, being able to live as long as 1,000 years, but how?

GINKGO BILOBA

Family: Ginkgoaceae
Genus: Ginkgo
Common name: Ginkgo biloba, 銀杏, イチョウ, pinyin, yín xìng, Hepburn, ichō or ginnan, Maidenhair Tree

Also known as Syzygium jambolanum, Eugenia cumini and Eugenia jambolana [2], black plum is a sweet fruit, rich in potassium, magnesium and phosphorus, that is also known for its many medicinal uses, some of them as important as the anti-cancer and anti-viral benefits that its extracts have exerted in some clinical trials and studies.

Eugenia jambolana seeds were used in Ayurvedic treatments to treat diabetic problems, and that's only the beginning, the medicinal uses of black plum fruit and its seeds go beyond, let's see some of them. Image left: Rose Apple flowers (Syzygium jambos) parque ceret sao paulo Brazil by Mauroguanandi under Creative Commons license (CC BY 2.0).

EUGENIA JAMBOLANA

Family: Myrtaceae
Genus: Syzygium
Common name: Jambu, Syzygium cumini, Naval pazham, Neredupandu, Jamblang, Jambolan, Jambula, Black Plum, jamun, Damson Plum, Duhat Plum, Jambolan Plum, Java Plum, Portuguese Plum, Syzygium jambolanum, Eugenia cumini and Eugenia jambolana [2].