Casearia esculenta Health Dictionary

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  2. Casearia Esculenta

Casearia Esculenta: From 1 Different Sources

Roxb.

Synonym: C. ovata (Lamk) Willd. C. zeylanica (Gaertn.) Thw.

Family: Samydaceae; Flacourtiaceae

Habitat: Peninsular India, up to 1,800 m.

Ayurvedic: Saptachakraa.

Siddha/Tamil: Kakkaipilai, Kilar, Kottargovai.

Folk: Saptrangi (root and root bark).

Action: Root—antidiabetic (used in milder chronic diabetic cases), astringent, liver tonic. Frequently adulterated with the roots of Salacia chinensis Linn. and S. macrosperma Wight.

The crude aqueous extract of the roots has shown hypoglycaemic activity.

The root gave leucopelargonidin, beta-sitosterol, dulcitol, a flavonoid and arabinose.
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Casearia Tomentosa

Roxb.

Synonym: C. elliptica Willd.

Family: Samydaceae; Flacourtiaceae.

Habitat: The Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal, ascending to 1,000 m; throughout tropical India.

Ayurvedic: Chilhaka.

Siddha/Tamil: Kadichai.

Folk: Chillaa, Saptrangi.

Action: Root—hypoglycaemic. Root bark is used as a tonic in anaemic conditions.

Fruit pulp—diuretic, purgative, Leaves—anti-inflammatory. Fruit pulp —diuretic.

Ethanolic (80%) extract of the leaves showed significant anti-inflammatory activity in rats. Oil extracted from the seeds in rubbed on sprains. Various plant parts are used in neuralgia. and bladder. Chaksine has ganglion- blocking property. Chaksine and iso- chaksine possess a local anaesthetic effect intradermally. It produces a sustained fall in blood pressure of anaesthetized animals and produces a weak anti-acetylcholine effect. Roots also contains anthraquinones and aloe- emodin.

Dosage: Seed—3-6 g powder. (CCRAS.)... casearia tomentosa

Colocasia Esculenta

(Linn.) Schott.

Synonym: C. antiquorum Schott.

Family: Araceae.

Habitat: Cultivated throughout India.

English: Taro, EdibleYam.

Ayurvedic: Pindaaluka, Aaluki.

Siddha/Tamil: Chaembu, Shaeppam- kizhangu.

Folk: Arvi, Ghuiyaa.

Action: Juice from petiole—styptic, rubefacient. Juice of corn—used in alopaecia.

The leaves contain flavones, api- genin and luteolin, also anthocyanins. Leaves cause severe irritation in mouth. Cooked leaves are a source of dietary fibre for diabetics helping in lowering post-prandial blood glucose level. A significant increase in total lipids, total cholesterol and triglyceride levels was observed in hypercholesterolaemic rats when fed with dried leaf powder.

The pressed juice of the petioles is used as an astringent and styptic. All parts of the plant show an acridity. The acridity is removed by boiling and by addition of baking soda.

From the tubers two dihydroxys- terols, besides beta-sitosterol and stig- masterol, have been isolated. Five novel aliphatic compounds have been reported. Trypsin inhibitors are isolated from the tubers.

The total amino acids recorded in the tubers range from 1380 to 2397 mg/ 100 g. The lysine concentration was relatively low. Besides starch, the tubers contain natural polysaccharides with 56% neutral sugars and 40% anionic components. Steamed corms contain 30% starch and 3% sugar.... colocasia esculenta

Dioscorea Esculenta

Burkill.

Synonym: D. aculeata Linn. D. faciculata Roxb. D. spinosa Roxb ex Wall.

Family: Dioscoreaceae.

Habitat: Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Orissa, Bengal, Assam and the Andamans.

English: Lesser Yam, Karen Potato.

Ayurvedic: Madhvaaluka.

Siddha/Tamil: Musilam, Valli kilangu, Siruvalli Kilangu.

Folk: Suthani.

Action: Tubers are starchy and free from dioscorine, contain 71.29% carbohydrates, 10.82% albuminoids.... dioscorea esculenta

Manihot Esculenta

Crantz.

Family: Euphorbiaceae.

Habitat: Native to Brazil. Major crop in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

English: Manioc, Tapioca, Cassava.

Siddha/Tamil: Maravalli kizhangu, Ezhalai kizhangu.

Folk: Tapioca.

Action: Staple food for poorer section of the population in many tropical countries. The starch is used for the manufacture of dextose, liquid glucose. The bitter variety is used for treating scabies and weeping skin.

The tuber is a good source of provitamin A carotenoids. It contains 0.1-3.0 mg/kg (fresh weight) of beta- carotene and 0.05-00.6 mg/kg (fresh weight) of lutein. The bitterness of the tuber is related to the cyanoglu- coside content which ranges from 320 to 1,100 mcg cyanide/g in very bitter tubers and from 27.5 to 77.5 mcg is non-bitter tubers. Boiling, crushing and sun-drying reduce bitterness and also cyanoglucoside content. The tannin equivalent content in the clones varies from 0.31 to 0.34% and saponin equivalent varies from 0.18 to 0.29%.

Feeding tapioca significantly reduced the plasma cholesterol profile experimentally in cats and rats.... manihot esculenta

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