W. & A.Synonym: S. acidum Voigt.Family: Asclepiadaceae.
Habitat: Dry places in West Bengal, Bihar and Peninsular India.
English: Moon Plant, Soma Plant.Ayurvedic: Somavalli, Somalataa, Somakshiri, Saumyaa, Dwijpriyaa. (Not to be confused with Soma of the Vedas.) (Substitute: Ephedra gerardiana.)Siddha/Tamil: Somamum, Kodi- Kalli.
Action: Dried stems—emetic. Plant—insecticidal.
The plant contains malic acid, suc- cinic acid, reducing sugar, surcosa, traces of tannin, an alkaloid, a phytos- terol, alpha-and beta-amyrins, lupeol and lupeol acetate and beta-sitosterol. The milky exudate from the stem contains 4.1% of caoutchouc. Coagulum contains: caoutchouc 16, resins 68.1 and insolubles 15.9%.Related species, Sarcostemma bru- nonianum W. & A. (South India), known as Perumaattaan kodi in Tamil Nadu; S. intermedium Decne (Peninsular India), and S. stocksii Hk. f. (Peninsular India), are also said to have similar uses as those of S. acidum.Sarcostemma secamone (L.) Bennet, synonym S. esculentum (L. f.) Holm. (throughout the plains in semi marshy places) is known as Dughdhikaa or Duudhilataa in Northern India and Usippalai in Tamil Nadu. Whole plant is depurative, galactagogue and antiseptic (used as a gargle in sore throat and stomatitis; fresh root is prescribed in jaundice. A pregnane triglycoside, esculentin and cardenolide tetraglyco- sides have been isolated from the root.Dosage: Milky exudate from stem— 1-3 drops. (CCRAS.)... sarcostemma brevistigma
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