KAHU
English : Lettuce/Garden lettuce
Urdu : Kahu/Salad
Telugu : Kavu/Shallattu/Salattu
Description :
There are several species available in the world. About 25 species are found in India. All theSpecies contain a milky latex which yields lactucarium also known as lettuce opium.Garden lettuce is grown as a winter crop in the plains of India; however in the hills, it can be grown any time during the spring or early summer.It is an errect, glabrous and herbaceous annual 0.5-12 m high, having 12.5-25 cm long and thin leaves and flower heads of yellow rays.
Other variety which is known as Lactuca indica syn Lactuca brevirostris, champ.,and also used as vegetable, is a tall annual with long linear-lanceolate leaves and 12-20 flower heads.European variety is bitter lettuce
Action and Uses:
Lactuca sativa syn L.Scariola is valued more for the seeds than leaves. It is also valued for leaves to be eaten as salad and for its lactucarium which is used in bronchitis and asthma. The seeds are used in powder form for cough and in decoction form in insomnia.Lactuca indica syn L.brevirostris is valued more for leaves which are reported to possess tonic, digestive and depurative properties.Generally, the seeds arecooling,diuretic,sedative,hyptonic,diaphoretic ,demulcent, expectorant , and anti-billious. They are used in powder form in fevers,cough,rhinitis , asthma and pertussis and also used in decoction form in insomnia, wakefulness due to mental over-work , rheumatism , insanity and spermatorrohoea.
Oil extracted from the seeds, mixed with sesame oil, is used externally and applied on head to include sleep , to strengthen hairs and to stop their falling and to cure severe headache especially due to worries and tensions.
Lettuce opium is mild hypnotic and sedative. It is better than poppy opium as lettuce opium does not upset digestion nor produces constipation and laziness or weakness.
Lettuce leaves are usually used as salad in food but they are cooling , anti-billious , hypnic, diuretic, stomachic, and galacatagogue. They are considered suitable for those persons who have sanguine and billious temperments. They are also useful in acute cough, jaundice and acute fevers.
Ibn Sina’s view:
It is useful in acute inflammations and applied on sprains. It is hypnotic and cures insomnia. Also useful in delirium , thrist , gastric heat and inflammation.