Holarrhena antidysenterica Health Dictionary

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Holarrhena Antidysenterica: From 1 Different Sources

(Linn.) Wall.

Synonym: H. pubescens (Buch.- Ham.) Wall. ex G. Don.

Family: Apocynaceae.

Habitat: The tropical Himalayas, going up to an altitude of 1,100 m. Also found throughout many forests of India, in Travancore, Assam and Uttar Pradesh.

English: Easter tree, Ivory tree, Tellicherry Bark.

Ayurvedic: Kutaja, Girimallikaa, Kaalinga, Kalingaka, Indravrik- sha, Shakra, Vatsa, Vatsaka, Shakraahvya. Indrayava, Indrabija, Vatsabija (seed). Kurchi (bark).

Unani: Inderjo talkh, Teewaaj-e- Khataai.

Siddha/Tamil: Kudasappaalai-pattai, -vidai (bark, seed).

Action: Root and bark—used in amoebic dysentery. Bark—astringent, anthelmintic, amoebicidal, diuretic. Used in colic, dyspepsia, piles, diseases of the skin and spleen. Seed—antibilious. Used for promoting conception, also for toning up vaginal tissues after delivery.

The bark contains the alkaloids, regholarrhenine-A, -B, -C, -D, -E and -F; pubescine, norholadiene, pubes- cimine, kurchinin, kurchinine, kur- chinidine, holarrifine, holadiene, kurchilidine, kurchamide, kurcholes- sine, kurchessine, conessine, cones- simine and isoconessimine, and the steroidal compounds kurchinicin and holadyson.

The alkaloid conessine is used as a therapeutic drug for the treatment of dysentery and helminthic disorders. Conessine and conimine inhibited the growth of Shigella sonnei, S. flexneri and Salmonella enteritidis strains in vitro. In chronic amoebiasis, Bi-iodide compound of total alkaloids, given orally, compare favourably with emetine Bi-iodide.

The plant possesses potent immuno- stimulant property.

The Kurchi seeds are sold as a substitute for Strophanthus sp. seeds in Indian market. (Seeds of Strophanthus sp. contain a toxic glucoside, strophan- thin, and are poisonous.)

Dosage: Stem bark—20-30 g for decoction. (API Vol. I); seed—3- 6 g powder; 20-30 g for decoction. (API Vol. III.)
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Ailanthus Excelsa

Roxb.

Family: Simaroubaceae.

Habitat: Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat, Orissa and southern India.

English: Tree of Heaven, Maharukh.

Ayurvedic: Aralu, Katvanga, Dirghavranta, Puutivrksha, Bhallu- ka. (Mahaanimba is a synonym of Melia azedarach Linn.)

Siddha: Perru, Perumaruttu, Peruppi.

Action: Bark—bitter, astringent, febrifuge, anthelminitic, antispas- modic, expectorant (used in asthma, bronchitis). Also used for dysentery as a substitute for Holarrhena antidysenterica.

Bark and leaves—used as tonic in debility, especially after childbirth. Leaves—used as adulterant for Ad- hatoda zeylanica leaves.

Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of stembark in high fevers and giddiness.

The bark contains several quassi- noids including ailanthone derivatives. They exhibit antitumour activity against P-388 lymphocytic leukaemia and are cytotoxic against KB test system.

Dosage: Stembark—1-3 g (API Vol. III.) Decoction—50-100 ml. (CCRAS.)... ailanthus excelsa

Woodfordia Fruticosa

Kurz.

Synonym: W. floribunda Salisb.

Family: Lythraceae.

Habitat: Throughout North India, rather scarce in South India.

English: Fire-flame Bush, Shiran- jitea.

Ayurvedic: Dhaataki, Dhaatri, Kun- jaraa, Taamrapushpi, Bahupushpi, Vahnijwaalaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Velakkai.

Action: Dried flower—purifies blood, heals ulcers, astringent, prescribed in haemetemesis, erysipelas, dysentery, diarrhoea, menorrhagia, leucorrhoea. Flowers are used in alcohol-based tonics for fermentation (a yeast strain, saccharomyces cerevisiae, has been isolated). Bark—uterine sedative.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the flower in acute diarrhoea, haemorrhages, ulcerations and erysipelas.

The dried flowers are powdered and sprinkled over ulcers and wounds. The flowers also enter into an ointment used on pustules of smallpox.

In small doses the plant stimulates, while in large doses depresses the central nervous system.

The flowers and leaves gave polyphe- nols—ellagic acid, polystachoside and myricetin-3-galactoside. Flowers also gave anthocyanins—pelargonidin- 3,5-diglucoside and cyanidin-3,5-di- glucoside; octacosanol, chrysopha- nol-8-O-beta-D-glucopyranoside and beta-sitosterol. Hecogenin, mesoinos- itol and flavone glycosides—quercetin- 3-rhamnoside, naringenin-7-glucoside and kaempferol, have been reported from flowers.

The bark contains C-glucoside, ber- genin.

The flowers, leaves and bark contain tannins—24.1, 12-20 and 20-27% respectively. Dimeric hydrolyzable tannins—woodfordins A, B and C, and trimeric tannins woodfordin D and oenothein A and B have been isoalt- ed from dried flowers. A new tannin monomer, isoschimawalin A and five oligomers—woodfordin E, F, G, H and I, have also been isoalted.

Oenothein A and B exhibited remarkable host-mediated antitumour activity. Woodfordin C and D also showed antitumour activity. Woodfordin C showed inhibitory activity toward DNA topoisomerase II.

Dosage: Flower—3-6 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)

English: Pala Indigo Plant.

Ayurvedic: Shveta Kutaja. (white- flowered), Punkutaja, Indrayava (seeds).

Unani: Inderjao Shireen.

Siddha/Tamil: Irum-paalai, Nila- paalai.

Action: Bark—antidysenteric. Also used in piles and skin diseases. Seeds—antidysenteric, astringent, febrifuge, anthelmintic. Bark and seeds—prescribed in flatulence and bilious affections.

Pods, without seeds, contain the cycloartanes, cycloartenone and cy- cloeucalenol along with alpha- and beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, oleanolic acid and the terpene, wrightial. The leaves contain beta- amyrin. Stem bark gave beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol and lupeol.

The seeds, leaves and roots have been shown to contain an indigo- yielding glucoside.

The flowers gave 3-O-rhamnogluco- side which exhibited significant anti- inflammatory activity in carrageenan- induced hind paw oedema.

The bark is commonly used as an adulterant of Kurchi Bark (obtained from Holarrhena antidysenterica).... woodfordia fruticosa

Wrightia Tomentosa

Roem. & Schult.

Family: Apocynaceae.

Habitat: A tree, found in Rajasthan,

Synonym: W arborea (Dennst.) Mabberley.

Habitat: Punjab, Rajasthan, Bihar, Assam and Western Peninsula.

Ayurvedic: Kutaja (red-flowered). Indrayava (seeds).

Siddha/Tamil: Pala.

Action: Two varieties—male and female—are mentioned in Ayurvedic texts. Mostly, Holarrhena is supposed to be the male and Wrightia the female. In Unani medicine, Inderjao Talkh (bitter) is equated with Holarrhena antidysenterica (Conesse Bark) and Inderjao Shireen (sweet) with Wrightia tinctoria (known as Dyer's Oleander, Blue Dyeing Roseberry).

Dried bark is used as a substitute for Holarrhena antidysenterica bark. Alkaloid conessine is the active principle of both the barks.

Besides conessine, other alkaloids present in the bark are conessine di- hydrate, holarrhine, kurchicine and a very minute quantity of conkurchine. The bark contains beta-sitosterol, lupe- ol, alpha-amyrin and reducing sugars besides alkaloids.

The isoflavone, wrightiadione, isolated from the stem bark, displayed cytotoxic activity. Two aliphatic compounds, n-tritriacont-16-one and hexa- consan-3, 6-diol-12-oic acid, have also been isolated from the bark.

See Wrightia tinctoria and Holar- rhena antidysenterica.... wrightia tomentosa

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