Health Benefits of Indian Silver Fir (Abies Webbiana)

Thalisapathiri is an evergreen tallest tree variety that is widely seen in mountain areas of Asia, Africa, Europe, and America. It comes under the family Pinaceae, but this tree is totally different from other pine family trees. The height of fir trees are about 60 m and has a trunk of 1-4 m in diameter. There are various species of fir that can be differentiated depending upon the size and shape of cones and needle leaves. Fir has a suction with a cup-like base structure in which needle-shaped leaves are arranged in perfect alignment which resembles the branches.

Leaves

The flatted and pressed fir leaves have a pair of white lines at the bottom. Usually, most of the species of fir leaves have greeny and shiny texture without pores that are distributed uniformly. In some other rare species of fir, leaves are dull, grey-green, coated with wax, and have a large number of pores. The tip of the Abies leaves varies depending on the species. It may be sharp or rounded.

Cones

Fir has cylindrical shaped cones with a length of 2 to 10 inches that contain seeds and are grown like candles. Mature cones of Abies are usually brown or green in color. In some other species, it may be purple or blue. The young cones are covered with tiny brown hair.

Flowers

Flowers of Abies are monoecious i.e, having both male and female in a single plant.

Table of Contents

Chemicals Components of Indian Silver Fir

Fir is a good source of phytochemicals such as Abiestin

• Bioflavonoid
• Bita-sitosterol
• n-triacontanol
• Two glycosides – betuloside and methylbetuloside

Abies also contains essential oils which have organic compounds like

• Alpha-pinene
• Beta-pinene
• Bornyl acetate
• Carvone
• Camphene
• Limonene
• Monoterpenes

Apart from that other chemicals are also present. These are steroids, tannins, amino acids, phytosterols, alkaloids like lipids and biflavonoid, etc

Ayurvedic Property

• Taste (Rasa) -Sweet and bitter (Madhura, Tikta)
• Potency (Virya)- Heat (Ushna)
• Property ( Guna)- Light, Piercing (Laghu, Teekshna)
• Karma (Pharmacological activity): Dipana, Hrdya, Vatakaphapham, Slesmapittajit

Commonly Used Parts for Medicinal Purpose

Leaves: It has cured various diseases. Thalisapathiri is one of the important medicinal leaves used in Ayurveda

Health Benefits of Thalisapathiri

Thalisapathiri possesses many medicinal properties such as febrifuge, anti-depressant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, mucolytic, antitumor, antispasmodic, antitussive, anxiolytic, and antifertility. For these properties, fir leaves are used in the ayurvedic medicinal system.  In ayurvedic medicine, fir is used to balance Kapha and Vata related issues. It aids in curing respiratory problems (swasa), cough (Kasa), tumor(gulma), vomiting(chhardi), etc. Detailed explanations are given below.

1] Cures Inflammation & Fever

Sudden change in your body temperature can make you a sick person. Fever blocks yourself from doing your daily duty and work. Inflammation means redness or swelling of the skin surface. Sometimes, inflammation can also be the reason for fever. It might happen due to White Blood Cells that fight against foreign antigens to protect your body. So fever may occur. Thalisapathiri leaves help in treating fever and inflammation.

2] Act as a Painkiller

Pain is an intolerable feeling in your body. It is stimulated by the nervous system when nociceptors diagnose any damage in your body cells. Consuming fir leaves will give you relief from body pains.

3] Treats Menstrual Cramps

As mentioned above, abies is one of the best pain relievers. It also treats pain during periods in an abdominal area. Almost all women experience menstrual cramps, which makes them uncomfortable during their periods. An increase in prostaglandin secretion leads to dysmenorrhea condition in which uterus muscles tighten and relax will cause severe pain.

4] Aids in Respiratory Problems

Excess mucus production causes breathing problems and difficulty in sleeping. Thalisapathiri cleans airways by dissolving mucus particles present in the lungs that help in decreasing asthma and bronchitis problems. Consuming Abies leaves powder with hot water ease the breathing process.

5] Treating Diarrhea & Sore Throats

Sore throat problems are due to bacterial or viral infection in your throat area. It causes irritation, itching, and pain. You will feel discomfort while swallowing food or water. Food poisoning and stomach viruses are the main reasons for diarrhea. Anti-microbial properties of Abies treat these problems.

6] Helps to Eliminate Toxins from Body

Normally toxins are excreted from the human body as urine or sweat. The kidney and liver play an important role in the process of removing toxic substances. The presence of toxic substances in your body will damage your internal organs. Consuming over medicinal and chemical products will toxify your body. So it is important to detoxify your body for a long lifespan. Intaking Thalisapathiri will remove all the impurities from your body.

7] Used to Treat Rheumatism

Rheumatoid arthritis is caused by our own immune system. Normally, the immune system will secrete antibodies to fight against microbes like bacteria and viruses. Thereby preventing the infection caused by a foreign antigen. But in Rheumatism, our immune system sends antibodies mistakenly to the bone joints. Here, antibodies attack and damage the cells around the joints. Consuming fir tea will reduce the secretion of antibodies and thereby helps in treating Rheumatoid.

8] Good for Heart

The efficiency of the heart function is improved by drinking Abies as a cardiac tonic. The expansion and contraction process can be enhanced to maintain the correct flow of blood to various parts of the body. It also eliminates bad cholesterol.

9] Relief in Vomiting

Forcefully discharging undigested food through the mouth creates an irritating sensation. Sometimes over vomiting may lead to the dehydration of the body which will make you feel weak. Before the situation gets worse, consume correct medicine to prevent vomiting. Food poisoning, pregnancy, and over bile juice secretions leads to vomit. Thalisapathiri is the best choice for controlling vomit and then hydrates your body.

10] Treat Dental Problems

The antibacterial properties of Talisa Patra relieves from toothaches and removes unpleasant odor from the mouth. It also strengthens your tooth root and treats other dental problems.

11] Relief from Spasm of Involuntary Muscles

Doing over-exercise, stress, and anxiety cause involuntary muscle spasms. It may sometimes lead to serious problems. Fir has antispasmodic properties that aid in treating spasms of involuntary muscles.

12] Help to Increase Appetite

Appetite is caused by various reasons like depression, diabetics, and hyperthyroidism. Loss of appetite triggers other health issues. So it is important to control your appetite issue. Consuming fir will trigger hunger to eat food.

13] Reduces Stress

Depression is a mental issue that creates loss of interest in daily life. Talisa Patra possesses anti-depressant property. It relaxes and calms your mind. Nowadays suicides happen because of over depression. Mental health gets affected due to psychological and social issues. Depression changes the function of the brain.

14] Treats Headache

Headache may happen due to various reasons like stress, eyesight problems, etc. It is due to pain around the skull and brain region. It creates discomfort while doing work. Applying Thalisapathiri paste over the forehead will give you relief from head pain.

How to Consume Thalisapathiri

Internally

• Add about 5 g of Thalisapathiri leaves or leaves powder with 100 ml of water. Then, boil it for a few minutes and after that, the boiled mixture should be filtered. Drink this water 2 times a day on an empty stomach.
• Prepare a churna by boiling Talisa with Black pepper, Long pepper, ginger, cardamom, cinnamon, and sugar or honey.
• You can also make a paste of Talisa with honey or sugar syrup and consume it as a small ball.

Externally

Make a paste with Thalisapathiri and apply it on the forehead. It gives you immediate relief from a sudden headache.

How Talisa Patra Grown & Preserved

As we have known that fir is a wild tree, most of the herb leaves are obtained from the forest region and rarely from local areas. Talisa Patra leaves are 100% organic and preserved without any preservatives. The chemical-free Talisa Patra leaves are dried and then powdered for ease of use.

Side Effects of Overdose Abies

Abies is one of the most powerful ayurvedic herbs which may cause minor health issues such as heartburn, stomach burn, and ulcer in the mouth while the herb gets overdosage. One should consult their medical consultants before intaking medicine during pregnancy and milk feeding.

Summary

The ayurvedic medicinal system is always better than other medicinal systems. Because medicines used in treating diseases are 100% natural. These medicines improve the health conditions of many people over thousands of years. It will not create any problem when consumed in the right quantity. Talisa Patra leaves have various medicinal benefits. It can be consumed in different ways both internally and externally. It helps in treating issues that arise due to body heat. It helps in curing fever, cough, body pains, arthritis, removing toxins, and improving heart, oral, lungs, and stomach health. You have to consume the correct dosage of herbs. Remember that overdosage of any medicinal herbs will always lead to a dangerous issue. Better take a prescription from your doctor.