Is hay only for horses?

I think that we have all heard the old cliché, "Hay is for horses." And for the most part, that is probably true. But let's not leave out all the other herbivores, grazers, browsers, and omnivores, including humans.
If you have a pet dog or cat, have you ever noticed that on occasion, your pet will eat little bits of grass? Upon close inspection you may find that the herb of choice among our four-legged friends is usually going to be the tender end-blades of Bermuda grass. This is the fine-leafed grass that somehow finds its way into your flowerbed when you don't want it there. Different varieties are sold for use as turf in landscaping, golf fairways and greens, and as source of hay production for livestock. What we know as Bermuda grass is actually a species of tropical grass called Cynodon dactylon. It is one of our native species of grass that you can find along creeks and rivers, or in areas where there is enough moisture to sustain it.
As a traditional indigenous medicine in Mexico, it is known as grama. Like all other herbs, it has many common names as well, including bramilla, gallitos, gramilla, grana, pata de gallo, zacate, cunapoarisha, tsakam tom, etc.
Grama is used as a diuretic and to treat kidney and bladder disorders and conditions including kidneystones and bladder and kidney inflammation. It is also used to treat gastrointestinal and digestive problems including diarrhea and stomach ache, as well as for liver disorders and gallstones and "bilis." Other uses include treating mouth sores, headache, minor wounds, snakebite, for hypertension, as a laxative, as a blood tonic, for spleen disorders, diabetes, and as an anti-abortive.
Grama has been shown to have vulnerary benefits in treating skin disorders, as well as anti-viral and anti-convulsive properties. An extract of this plant also induced phagocytosis in human blood against Micrococcus citreus.
Grama has estrogenic properties as well, which may very well explain how it functions as an anti-abortive. This is due to the fact that it contains the isoflavones daidzein and genistein, which are phyto-estrogens. Phyto-estrogens function as estrogen replacements, and are often used by women who are experiencing menopausal symptoms. These plant compounds can be a viable alternative to Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) for some women. There are numerous products on the market for this purpose that are derived from soy, clover, black cohosh, chaste tree, and other isoflavone-rich plant sources. It is important to note that daidzein and genistein at low concentrations were found to actually stimulate breast tumor growth both in vivo and in vitro animal studies, and to antagonize the anti-tumor effect of tamoxifen in vitro. However, at high concentrations, genistein actually inhibited tumor growth and enhanced the effect of tamoxifen in vitro. Therefore, women with current or past breast cancer should be aware of the potential risks when taking these products.
That will cover things for this month. As always, consult with your physician or healthcare provider before using any herbal remedy. For questions or comments on this column, I can be reached at glorioso@netscorp.net.