Galactogenic Health Dictionary

Linn.

Family: Amaranthaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated fields, waste places and along roadsides.

English: Spiny Amaranth, Thorny Amaranth, Spiny Pigweed.

Ayurvedic: Tanduliya, Tandulaka, Meghnaad, Megharava, Vishaghn, Alpamaarish.

Siddha/Tamil: Mullukkeerai.

Folk: Katili-chaulai.

Action: Galactogenic, laxative, emollient, spasmolytic, diuretic. Pollen extract—used for allergic asthma and allergic rhinitis. Root— used in menorrhoea.

Plant contains sterols. Leaves and stems contain alpha-spinasterol and hentriacontane. Leaves also contain amino acids with high content of lysine.

Dosage: Whole plant—10-20 ml juice; 400-800 mg powder. (CCRAS.)... amaranthus spinosus

Linn.

Family: Fabaceae; Papilionaceae.

Habitat: Found in the plains of Punjab.

English: Tonkin bean, Melilot, King's crown, King's clover.

Unani: Naakhunaa, Ikil-ul-Malik. (It is also equated with Melilotus alba Desv. and Trigonela uncata Boiss. in National Formulary of Unani Medicine.)

Action: Nervine tonic (used in nervous and catarrhal affections), antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, emollient, diuretic, galactogenic.

The callus of the plant contains amino acids; roots contain saponins and sterols. The leaves yield 3-nitro- propionic acid.... astragalus hamosus

Linn.

Family: Oxalidaceae; Averrhoaceae.

Habitat: Native to Malaysia; cultivated throughout the warmer parts of India, especially in Kerala.

English: Carambola, Star Fruit, Chinese Gooseberry.

Ayurvedic: Karmaranga.

Unani: Khamraq, Karmal.

Siddha/Tamil: Tamarattai.

Folk: Kamarakh.

Action: Root—antidote in poisoning. Leaf and shoot—applied externally in ringworm, scabies, chickenpox. Flower—vermicidal. Fruit—laxative, antidysenteric, antiphlogistic, febrifuge, anti- inflammatory, antispasmodic (used in hepatic colic, bleeding piles). Seeds—galactogenic; in large doses act as an emmenagogue and cause abortion.

The fruits are a fairly good source of iron but deficient in calcium. They also contain oxalic acid and potassium oxalate. The presence of fluorine is also reported. A wide variation of vitamin-C content (0.3-23.0 mg/100 g) is recorded from different places in India. Sugar (3.19%) consists mainly of glucose (1.63%).... averrhoa carambola

Koen.

Synonym: Madhuca longifolia (Linn.) Macbride.

Family: Sapotaceae.

Habitat: South India; common in the monsoon forests of Western Ghats.

English: Mowra Butter tree, South Indian Mahua.

Siddha/Tamil: Illupei, Elupa, Naatu, Iluppei, Iruppei.

Action: Flowers—laxative, bechic (used in coughs, colds and bronchitis), stimulant and nervine tonic. Seed oil—galactogenic, anticephalalgic, laxative in cases of habitual constipation and piles; used externally in rheumatism and skin affections. Bark, seed oil and gum—antirheumatic.

The herb contains 17% tannins and is used for bleeding and spongy gums, tonsillitis, ulcers, rheumatism and diabetes mellitus. Roots are applied to ulcers.

Seed kernel gave protobassic acid (a sapogenol) and two major saponins— Mi-saponins A and B. Mi-saponins (bisdesmosides of protobassic acid) exhibit anti-inflammatory activity in rheumatism.

The carollas are a rich source of sugars and contain an appreciable amount of vitamins and calcium (total sugars 72.9%, calcium 140 mg/100 g). Sugars are identified as sucrose, maltose, glucose, fructose, arabinose and rham- nose. Flowers are largely used in the preparation of distilled liquors. They constitute the most important raw material for fermentative production of alcohol.... bassia longifolia

(L.) R. Br.

Synonym: Periploca indica Linn.

Family: Asclepiadaceae, Periplo- caceae.

Habitat: Throughout India; common in Bengal, Maharashtra and extending to Travancore.

English: Indian Sarsaparilla (white var.). Sarsaparilla root is equated with Smilax sp. in Western herbal.

Ayurvedic: Shveta Saarivaa, Anant- muula, Gopi, Gopaa, Gopakanyaa, Gopavalli, Gopasutaa, Krishodari, Sphotaa, Utpalsaarivaa, Kapuuri, Dugdhgarbhaa.

Unani: Ushbaa Hindi.

Siddha/Tamil: Nannaari, Sugan- thipala.

Action: Blood purifier, antisyphilitic, antileucorrhoeic, galactogenic, antidiarrhoeal, antirheumatic, febrifuge, alterative. Roots used against gonorrhoea, leucoderma, bleeding piles, jaundice and dysentery.

Key application: Smilax sp.—in skin diseases and urinary infections. (German Commission E included Smilax sp. among unapproved herbs.)

Hemidesmus indicus does not contain the same saponins or other principal constituents which are found in sarsaparilla. (Tyler's Honest Herbal.)

The root contains coumarino-lig- noids, hemidesmine, hemidesmin-1, 2. The stem contains pregnane glyco- sides, hemidine, hemidescine, emidine and indicine, a triterpene lactone, a lu- panone, besides lupeol acetate, sitos- terol and hexadecanoic acid and several hydroxy- methoxybenzaldehydes.

Aqueous extract of the root is bacteriostatic against Mycobacterium leprae.

Dosage: Root—20-30 g for decoction. (API Vol. I.) palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linoleic and arachidic. Pyrocatechol, tannins, fla- vonoids and amino acids were also present.... hemidesmus indicus

Hemidesmus indicus

Asclepiadaceae

San: Anantamulah, Sariba;

Hin: Anantamul, Magrabu;

Ben: Anantamul;

Mal: Nannari, Naruninti, Narunanti;

Tam: Nannari, Saribam;

Tel: Sugandipala;

Kan: Namadaballi

Importance: Indian Sarasaparilla or Country Sarasaparilla is a climbing slender plant with twining woody stems and a rust-coloured bark. The roots are useful in vitiated conditions of pitta, burning sensation, leucoderma, leprosy, skin diseases, pruritus, asthma, bronchitis, hyperdipsia, opthalmopathy, hemicrania, epileptic fits, dyspepsia, helminthiasis, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids, strangury, leucorrhoea, syphilis, abcess, arthralgia, fever and general debility. The leaves are useful in vomiting, wounds and leucoderma. The stems are bitter, diaphoretic and laxative and are useful in inflammations, cerebropathy, hepatopathy, nephropathy, syphilis, metropathy, leucoderma, odontalgia, cough and asthma. The latex is good for conjunctivitis (Warrier et al, 1995). The important formulations using the drug are Saribadyasava, Pindataila, Vidaryadi lehya, Draksadi kasaya, Jatyadi ghrita, etc. (Sivarajan et al, 1994). The Hemidesmus root powdered and mixed with cow’s milk is given with much benefit in the case of strangury. In the form of syrup, it has demulcent and diuretic proportions. The root, roasted in plantain leaves, then beaten into a mass with cumin and sugar and mixed with ghee is a household remedy in genito-urinary diseases. The hot infusion of the root-bark with milk and sugar is a good alterative tonic especially for children in cases of chronic cough and diarrhoea (Nadkarni, 1998). It has been successfully used in the cure of venereal diseases where American Sarasaparilla (Aralia nudicaulis Linn.) has failed. Native doctors utilize it in nephritic complaints and for sore mouths of children (Grieve and Leyel, 1992).

Distribution: Hemidesmus is distributed throughout India, the Moluccas and Sri Lanka.

Botany: Hemidesmus indicus (Linn.) R. Br. syn. Periploca indica Linn. belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae. It is a perennial, slender, laticiferous, twining or prostrate, wiry shrub with woody rootstock and numerous slender, terete stems having thickened nodes. Leaves are simple, opposite, very variable from elliptic-oblong to linear-lanceolate, variegated with white above and silvery white and pubescent beneath. Flowers are greenish purple crowded in sub-sessile cymes in the opposite leaf-axils. Fruits are slender follicles, cylindrical, 10cm long, tapering to a point at the apex. Seeds are flattened, black, ovate-oblong and coma silvery white. The tuberous root is dark-brown, coma silvery white, tortuous with transversely cracked and longitudinally fissured bark. It has a strong central vasculature and a pleasant smell and taste (Warrier et al, 1995).

The Ayurvedic texts mention two varieties, viz. a krsna or black variety and a sveta or white variety (Aiyer, 1951) which together constitute the pair, Saribadvayam. The drug is known as Sariba. Svetasariba is H. indicus. Two plants, namely, Ichnocarpus fructescens (Apocynaceae) known as pal-valli in vernacular and Cryptolepis buchanani (Asclepidaceae) known as Katupalvalli (Rheeds, 1689) are equated with black variety or Krsnasariba (Chunekar, 1982; Sharma, 1983).

Agrotechnology: Hemidesmus is propagated through root cuttings. The root cuttings of length 3-5cm can be planted in polybags or in the field. They can be planted in flat beds or on ridges. Planting is done usually at a spacing of 50x20cm. Heavy application of organic manure is essential for good growth and root yield. Inorganic fertilizers are not usually applied. Frequent weeding and earthing up are required, as the plant is only slow growing. Provision of standards for twining will further improve the growth and yield of the plant.

Properties and activity: The twigs of the plant give a pregnane ester diglycoside named desinine. Roots give -sitosterol, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxy benzaldehyde, -amyrin, -amyrin and its acetate, hexatriacontane, lupeol octacosonate, lupeol and its acetate. Leaves, stem and root cultures give cholesterol, campesterol, -sitosterol and 16-dehydro-pregnenolone. Leaves and flowers also give flavonoid glycosides rutin, hyperoside and iso-quercitin (Husain et al,1992). “Hemidesmine”- a crystallizible principle is found in the volatile oil extracted from roots. Some suggest that it is only a stearoptene. It also contains some starch, saponin and in the suberous layer, tannic acid (Grieve and Leyel, 1992). The root is alterative, febrifuge, antileucorrhoeic, antisyphilitic, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic, tonic, galactogenic, antidote for scorpion-sting and snake-bite, antidiarrhoeal, blood purifier, antirheumatic and aperitive. Essential oil from root is anti-bacterial and the plant is antiviral (Husain et al, 1992).... indian sarasaparilla

J. F. Gmel.

Madhuca butyracea Macr.

Synonym: Aisandra butyracea (Roxb.) Baehni.

Family: Sapotaceae.

Habitat: Found in sub-Himalayan tract from Kumaon to Bhutan.

Ayurvedic: Madhuuka (related species).

Synonym: M. longifolia (Koen.) Macb. var. latifolia (Roxb.) Cheval. Bassia latifolia Roxb.

Family: Sapotaceae.

Habitat: A large tree, cultivated mainly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar.

English: Mahua tree, Moha.

Ayurvedic: Madhuuka, Madhu- pushpa, Madhusrav, Gudapushpa.

Unani: Mahuaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Ieluppai.

Action: Flowers—stimulant, demulcent, laxative, anthelmintic, bechic. Seed oil—galactogenic, anticephalgic, emetic. Used in pneumonia, skin diseases, piles. Bark—astringent, emollient. Used for tonsilitis, gum troubles, diabetes, ulcers. Bark, seed oil and gum— antirheumatic.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the flower without stalk or calyx in asthma and pthisis.

The fruit pulp yielded a number of triterpenoids (including alpha- and beta-amyrin acetate); also n-hexaco- sanol, beta-D-glucoside of beta-sitos- terol and free sitosterol.

Nut shell gave beta-sitosterol gluco- side, quercetin and dihydroquercetin.

The carollas are rich source of sugars, vitamins, phosphorus, calcium and iron; magnesium and copper are also present. The sugars identified are sucrose, maltose, glucose, fructose, ara- binose and rhamnose.

The seeds yielded saponins—2,3- di-O-glucopyranoside of bassic acid (saponin A and saponin B). Mixture of saponins from seeds exhibits spermi- cidal activity.

Trunkbarkcontainedlupeol acetate, beta-amyrin acetate, alpha-spinasterol, erythrodiol monocaprylate, betulinic acid and oleanolic acid caprylates.

Dosage: Flower—10-15 g (API, Vol. II.); flower-juice—10-20 ml; bark— 50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... madhuca indica

Linn.

Family: Polygonaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India in wet places.

English: Water Pepper, Pepperwort, Smartweed.

Folk: Paakur-muula, Paani-maricha (Bengal).

Action: Haemostatic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, lithotriptic, emmenagogue (used as infusion for delayed menses and amenorrhoea), antifungal (root and leaf used externally). Contraindicated during pregnancy.

The herb contains sesquiterpenes, including warburganal and polygodial, in the leaves; polygonal, isodrimeni- nol, isopolygodial and confertifolin in the seeds; and flavonoids including quercetin, kaempferol, isorhamnetin and rhamnesin; polygonolide (an iso- coumarin).

Isoquercitrin exhibited significant anti-oxidative activity. Polygodial and warburganal possess significant an- tifungal property. Warburganal also possesses potent cytotoxic and antibiotic activity. (The herb is used against cancer.)

Folk: Muniyaaraa (Bihar), Raani- phool, Macheti, Dubiaa Saaga.

Action: Galactogenic, antidiar- rhoeal. Powdered herb is given in pneumonia.

The whole plant yields 11% tannin. The rootstock contains oxymethylan- thraquinone.

Flowers gave oleanolic acid, betulin- ic acid, epi-friedelanol, beta-sitosterol, and flavonoids—quercetin, quercetin- 3-arabinoside and quercetin-3-rutino- side.... polygonum hydropiper

Jacq.

Synonym: T. angulata Lam.

Family: Tiliaceae.

Habitat: Throughout tropical and subtropical India, up to 1,200 m in the Himalayas.

English: Burbush, Burweed.

Ayurvedic: Jhinjhireetaa, Gippit.

Siddha/Tamil: Ottupullu.

Folk: Chikti, Biriyaaraa.

Action: Leaves and bark—astringent, anticholerin, demulcent. Used in diarrhoea and dysentery. Root— styptic, diuretic, galactogenic. Hot infusion facilitates childbirth and hastens parturition. Pounded roots are given for the treatment of ulcers. Leaves and flowers—used against leprosy.

T. rotundifolia Linn., known as Mu- dappondu in Tamil Nadu and Banki- tutturi in Andhra Pradesh and Kar- nataka, is used as a demulcent. Alcoholic extract of the root showed antiinflammatory activity and reduced cotton pellet granuloma formation in albino rats. Alcoholic extract of the whole plant exhibited antimicrobial activity.... triumfetta rhomboidea