Doctor Bon

Chili is a perennial plant of tropical countries. The fruit is green or red and various in sizes. It is a many-seeded pod, the more tropical the climate, the more pungent the fruit. Most of the Indian curries have at least a pinch of the powdered Chili to give it the ‘right’ taste. Foreigners who taste the pungent Indian curries state that “they have had a foretaste of hell!”

Herbal use

1. Chili helps in digestion if used in very small quantities.
2. Chili stimulates appetite.
3. It purifies the blood.
4. Alters the process of nutrition and excretion and restores the normal function of the body.
5. It reduces or eliminates fever.
6. Strengthens and gives tone to the stomach.
7. Gives tone and vitality to the body.
8. Externally used to give relief from rheumatism, arthritis, chest pain and inflammation of the pericardium.
9. For relief from toothaches, inflamed tonsils and early stages of throat diseases in children.

Instructions

1. Taken in infusion it helps stomach and bowel cramps.
2. Consumption of small quantities of fresh fruit will stimulate appetite.
3. Externally used, it can be applied as a plaster to afflicted areas for treating rheumatism, arthritis, chest pain and inflamed pericardium i.e., the lining of the heart.
4. The decoction of the leaves is good for gargling.
5. For toothache, extract the juice from the fruit, dip a cotton ball in it, and after cleaning the cavity introduce the juice.
6. In early stages of certain throat diseases and inflamed tonsils the application of around the neck. At the same time a small amount of infusion can be taken internally.
7. Powdered fruit may be used in pill form or capsules.

Major Parts used

The leaves and fruit.