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Disinfecting drinking water
Water borne diseases are a serious threat, particularly to the poorer sections in the developing countries. Several methods of disinfecting water for drinking have been developed as a part of cultural development. While boiling and filtering water is a universal age old measure, chemical treatment is a modern practice. The use of plants to disinfect drinking water has interesting insights into the traditional wisdom that developed effective practices without any knowledge of microbiology or the chemistry of the plants used.
Disinfecting Water1 shows chips of the wood of Caesalpinia sappan L., (sappanwood tree, Caesalpiniaceae), roots of Vetiveria zizanioides (L.) Nash, (vetiver, Poaceae), fruits of Cuminum cyminum L., (cumin, Apiaceae) and powder of the rhizome of Curcuma longa L., (turmeric, Zingiberaceae), that are used to make water safe for drinking, in the coastal areas, particularly during the monsoon.
Sappanwood tree, a native of India and southeast Asia, yields a red dye called brasil from the heart wood. Wood decoction is used in dysentery and diarrhoea. It has also a recognised therapeutic potential in rheumatic conditions and in skin diseases, as well as an emmenagogue. When a few wood chips are boiled, the water is disinfected and a pleasant pink colour and mild flavour are imparted to it (Disinfecting Water2). This water is served for drinking at the large parties and functions and even in the high end hotels in Kerala.
Some households serve water boiled along with a few bits and pieces of vetiver roots to disinfect water and add flavour to it. This water is very pale yellow. (See Vetiveria zizanioides1 and the accompanying profile).
Cuminum cyminum is a native of southwesstern Asia and North Africa but cultivated in many tropical countries for the fruits used as a spice and condiment, in a variety of ways in foods (Cuminum cyminum1, and the accompanying profile). Cumin is carminative, stomachic, and astringent, useful in dyspepsia and diarrhoea, as it has strong antimicrobial activity. A little of cumin boiled in water, disinfects it and adds flavour to it. Cumin water is served in many households and hotels in Kerala. (See Cuminum cyminum1 and the accompanying profile).
Turmeric has a well established antimicrobial activity. Water boiled with a little turmeric disinfects and imparts light yellow colour and flavour to it. See photographs of Curcuma longa and the accompanying information. (See Curcuma longa1, Curcuma longa2 & Curcuma longa3 and the accompanying profile).
Some people use sappanwood and vetiver, or sappanwood, vetiver and cumin or cumin and turmeric, in combination, while boiling water.
The paste of seeds of Strychnos potatorum (Loganiaceae), or seeds or wood of Moringa oleifera (Moringaceae) (see Appendix 30), are used to clarify turbid water in many parts of India.