Ingredients
One page per botanical: what the plant is, which part is used, what it is called in Tamil, and how it has traditionally been prepared.
In short
THENVANAM documents 12 botanical ingredients. Each page gives the botanical name, the regional name where one is in use, the part of the plant used, and a description of traditional practice. No health or medical claims are made.
- MoringaMurungai (Tamil) · Moringa oleiferaMoringa is the leaf of Moringa oleifera, known in Tamil as murungai. The leaves are dried and finely ground into moringa leaf powder, which is used in food and in personal-care preparations.Part used: Leaf
- AmlaNellikai (Tamil) · Phyllanthus emblicaAmla is the fruit of Phyllanthus emblica, the Indian gooseberry, called nellikai in Tamil. The dried fruit is finely ground into amla powder, used in traditional food and personal-care practices.Part used: Fruit
- HibiscusSembaruthi (Tamil) · Hibiscus rosa-sinensisHibiscus is a flowering shrub known in Tamil as sembaruthi. Its flowers are dried and finely milled into hibiscus flower powder, traditionally used in natural hair and beauty routines.Part used: Flower
- Sangu PooSangu poo (Tamil) · Clitoria ternateaSangu poo is the Tamil name for the butterfly pea flower, Clitoria ternatea. The whole dried flower is steeped in hot water to prepare a naturally blue herbal infusion.Part used: Flower, whole and dried
- AvarampooAvarampoo (Tamil) · Senna auriculataAvarampoo is the Tamil name for the flower of Senna auriculata, also called avaram senna. The whole dried flowers are used in traditional bath and beauty preparations, typically boiled in water first.Part used: Flower
- NeemVembu (Tamil) · Azadirachta indicaNeem is the leaf of Azadirachta indica, called vembu in Tamil. The dried leaves are finely ground into neem leaf powder, used in traditional skin and personal-care preparations.Part used: Leaf
- TulasiThulasi (Tamil) · Ocimum tenuiflorumTulasi, or holy basil, is Ocimum tenuiflorum. Its leaves are dried and finely powdered into tulasi leaf powder, which has a long-standing place in Indian traditional practices.Part used: Leaf
- ShikakaiSheekai (Tamil) · Acacia concinnaShikakai is the dried pod of Acacia concinna, ground into a powder. It has traditionally been used as a natural hair-cleansing ingredient, mixed with water into a smooth paste.Part used: Pod
- ReethaPoovanthi / Soapnut · Sapindus speciesReetha is the soapnut, the dried fruit of Sapindus species. It is finely powdered and has traditionally been used in natural hair cleansing and personal-care preparations.Part used: Fruit
- BhringrajKarisalankanni (Tamil) · Eclipta prostrataBhringraj is the herb Eclipta prostrata, known in Tamil as karisalankanni. The dried whole herb is finely ground into bhringraj powder, a popular ingredient in traditional Indian hair-care preparations.Part used: Whole herb
- RoseRoja (Tamil) · Rosa speciesRose petal powder is made from carefully dried rose petals, finely milled. Its fine texture makes it suitable for traditional face and body preparations.Part used: Petal
- VettiverVettiver (Tamil) · Chrysopogon zizanioidesVettiver is the root of the grass Chrysopogon zizanioides. The dried root is finely ground into vettiver powder, traditionally valued in South Indian natural bathing and personal-care practices.Part used: Root