Nutritional values and health benefits of agathi spinach (அகத்திக் கீரை)
Nutritional values and health benefits of agathi spinach (அகத்திக் கீரை)
By Dr. Kanthimathi
Nutritional values of agathi Keerai
Major nutrients are:
vitamins B1 B2 B9 and C
Iron
Selenium
Tryptophan
Phosphorus
Isoleucine
Health benefits :
-Reduces body heat
-Promotes foetal development
( folate present in this is needed for spinal and cognitive development)
-Improves immunity (good for healing ulcers - examples : gastric ulcer, ulcers in and around mouth)
-Helps for healthy skin
-Useful in migraine
-Prevents Alzheimer's disease
As per research carried by the college of pharmacy, Nasik, the following points were found out:
- anti convulsive property - triterpene containing fraction of the leaves exhibit wide spectrum of anti convulsive property
-Anxiolytic property- reducing anxiety
As per research conducted by departments of Bio-chemistry and molecular biology , life sciences Pondicherry university, the alcoholic preparation of these leaves have:
-Anti proliferative property- prevents the growth of human cancer cells- especially lung cancer cells and
-Apoptosis mode of cell death - death of abnormal cells (cancer)
Pharmacological activities:
CNS depressant
Hypertensive
Cardiac depressant
Diuretic
Anti inflammatory
Antibacterial
Analgesic
Hypoglycaemic
Cytotoxic effects