(Linn.) Hassk.
Synonym: E. prostrata Roxb.
Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.
Habitat: Throughout India, up to 2,000 m on the hills.
English: Trailing Eclipta Plant.
Ayurvedic: Bhringaraaja, Bhringa, Bhringaja, Bhrngaaraka, Bhrngaara, Maarkava, Kesharaaja, Keshranjana.
Siddha/Tamil: Karisalaankanni.
Folk: Bhangaraa.
Action: Deobstruent, antihepato- toxic, anticatarrhal, febrifuge. Used in hepatitis, spleen enlargements, chronic skin diseases. Leaf—promotes hair growth. Its extract in oil is applied to scalp before bed time in insomnia. The herb is also used as an ingredient in shampoos.
Key application: As hepatoprotec- tive. (Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia; The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.)The herb should be dried at room temperature under shade. Its active principles are lost due to aerial oxidation during sun drying or drying under reduced pressure below 40°C. The herb contains wedelolactone and demethyl- wedelolactone, which showed a dose- dependenteffectagainstCCl4, d-galac- tosamine- or phalloidin-induced cyto- toxicity in primary cultured rat hep- atocytes, and exhibited potent anti- hepatotoxic property. The whole plant shows effect on liver cell regeneration. Immunoactive property has been observed against surface antigen of hepatitis B-virus. The plant is also reported to be effective in the treatment of peptic ulcer, inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, diseases of the gallbladder and skin infections.Aqueous extract of leaves exhibits myocardial depressant and hypoten- sive activity (unrelated to cholinergic and histaminergic effects).The roots are very rich in thio- phene acetylenes. Thiophene derivatives show activity against nematodes.
Dosage: Whole plant—3-6 ml fresh juice; 13-36 g for decoction. (API Vol. II.)
Eclipta prostrataAsteraceaeSan: Bhrngarajah, Tekarajah;Hin: Bhamgra, Mocakand, Babri;
Ben: Kesutthe, Kesraj;
Mal: Kannunni, Kayyonni, Kayyunnni;Tam: Kayyantakara, Kaikeri;Kan: Kadiggagaraga;Tel: Guntagalijeran; Arab: Kadim-el-bintImportance: Eclipta is one of the ten auspicious herbs that constitute the group dasapuspam which is considered to destroy the causative factors of all unhealthy and unpleasant features and bestow good health and prosperity. The members of this group cure wounds and ulcers as well as fever caused by the derangement of the tridosas - vata, pitta and kapha. It is used in hepatitis, spleen enlargements, chronic skin diseases, tetanus and elephantiasis. The leaf promotes hair growth and use as an antidote in scorpion sting. The root is used as an emetic, in scalding of urine, conjuctivitis and as an antiseptic to ulcers and wound in cattle. It is used to prevent abortion and miscarriage and also in cases of uterine pains after the delivery. The juice of the plant with honey is given to infants for expulsion of worms. For the relief in piles, fumigation with Eclipta is considered beneficial. A decoction of the leaves is used in uterine haemorrhage. The paste prepared by mincing fresh plants has got an antiinflammatory effect and may be applied on insect bites, stings, swellings and other skin diseases. In Ayurveda, it is mainly used in hair oil, while in Unani system, the juice is used in “Hab Miskeen Nawaz” along with aconite, triphala, Croton tiglium, Piper nigium, Piper longum, Zingiber officinale and minerals like mercury, sulphur, arsenic, borax, etc. for various types of pains in the body. It is also a constituent of “Roghan Amla Khas” for applying on the hair and of “Majun Murrawah-ul-arwah”.Distribution: This plant is widely distributed in the warm humid tropics with plenty of rainfall. It grows commonly in moist places as a weed all over plains of India.Botany: Eclipta prostrata (Linn) Linn. syn. E. alba Hassk. is an annual, erect or postrate herb, often rooting at nodes. Leaves are sessile, 2.5-7.5cm long with white appressed hairs. Floral heads are 6-8 mm in diameter, solitary and white. Fruit is an achene, compressed and narrowly winged. Sometimes, Wedelia calendulacea, which resembles Eclipta prostrata is used for the same purpose.Properties and activity: The leaves contain stigmasterol, -terthienylmethanol, wedelolactone, dismethylwedelolactone and dismethylwedelolactone-7-glucoside. The roots give hentriacontanol and heptacosanol. The roots contain polyacetylene substituted thiophenes. The aerial part is reported to contain a phytosterol, -amyrin in the n-hexane extract and luteolin-7-glucoside, -glucoside of phytosterol, a glucoside of a triterpenic acid and wedelolactone in polar solvent extract. The polypeptides isolated from the plant yield cystine, glutamic acid, phenyl alanine, tyrosine and methionine on hydrolysis. Nicotine and nicotinic acid are reported to occur in this plant.The plant is anticatarrhal, febrifuge, antidontalgic, absorbent, antihepatic, CVS active, nematicidal, ovicidal and spasmolytic in activity. The alcoholic extract of entire plant has been reported to have antiviral activity against Ranikhet disease virus. Aqueous extract of the plant showed subjective improvement of vision in the case of refractive errors. The herbal drug Trefoli, containing extracts of the plant in combination with others, when administered to the patients of viral hepatitis, produced excellent results.... eclipta
(Latin) From the highlands Albia, Alby, Albina, Albah, Allba, Allbah... alba
Basil (Ocimum basilicum).Plant Part Used: Aerial parts: leaf, stem, flower.Dominican Medicinal Uses: The aerial parts or leaves are traditionally prepared as a tea and taken orally for stomach ache, indigestion, gastro-intestinal pain, internal cleansing and women’s health conditions.Safety: This herb is generally regarded as safe for human consumption in moderate amounts and widely used as a culinary seasoning.Contraindications: The essential oil should not be used during pregnancy, lactation or in small children.Drug Interactions: Synergistic effects may occur with drugs that share similar pharmacological activities as those described for this plant in the “Laboratory and Preclinical Data” section; metabolism of one of basil’s active constituents, estragole, may be hindered by concomitant use of medications metabolized by UGT2B7 or UGT1A9 phase II enzymes.Clinical Data: No human clinical trials of this plant have been identified in the available literature.Laboratory & Preclinical Data: The following biological activities of this plant have been investigated in laboratory and preclinical studies (in vitro or animal models): analgesic, antifungal, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, anti-ulcerogenic, gastric anti-ulcerogenic, glutathione S-transferase and smooth muscle relaxant.* See entry for Albahaca in “Part 3: Dominican Medicinal Plant Profiles” of this book for more information, including references.... albahaca
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