Icterus Health Dictionary

Linn.

Family: Olaeaceae.

Habitat: Native of Mediterranean region; cultivated in Jammu and Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

English: Olive.

Unani: Zaitoon.

Action: Leaves and bark— febrifugal, astringent, diuretic, antihypertensive.

Oil—preparations are used for cho- langiitis, cholecystitis, cholelithiasis, icterus, flatulence, meteorism, lack of bacteria in the intestines. Demulcent and mild laxative. Externally used for wound dressing and for minor burns, psoriasis and pruritus. (Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.)

Chemical investigations of two varieties—Ascotrinia and Ascolina— grown in Jammu region have shown that the characteristics of fruits and their oils are similar to those of European varieties.

Leaves of Olea europaea gave iri- doid monoterpenes including oleu- ropein and oleuroside; triterpenes including oleanolic and maslinic acids; flavonoids including luteolin and api- genine derivatives. The oil contains glycerides of oleic acid about 70-80%, with smaller amounts of linoleic, palmitic and stearic acid glycerides.

The leaves exhibited hypotensive, antiarrhythmic and spasmolytic activities in animal studies. The oil exhibited contraction of gallbladder due to raising of the cholecystokinin level in the plasma.

India's requirements of olive oil are met by imports.... olea europaea

A rare, inherited condition in which the skin is dry, thickened, scaly, and darker than normal due to abnormal production of keratin. It usually appears at or shortly after birth and improves during childhood. Commonly affected areas are the thighs, arms, and backs of the hands. Lubricants, emulsifying ointments, and bath oils are helpful. icterus A term for jaundice. ICSI See intracytoplasmic sperm injection. id One of the 3 parts of the personality (together with the ego and superego) described by Sigmund Freud. The id is the primitive, unconscious energy store from which come the instincts for food, love, sex, and other basic needs. The id seeks simply to gain pleasure and avoid pain. (See also psychoanalytic theory.)... ichthyosis

n. a yellow discoloration of the skin or whites of the eyes, indicating excess bilirubin (a bile pigment) in the blood. Jaundice is classified into three types. Obstructive jaundice occurs when bile made in the liver fails to reach the intestine due to obstruction of the *bile ducts (e.g. by gallstones or a tumour) or to *cholestasis. The urine becomes dark in colour and the stools become pale. Hepatocellular jaundice is due to disease of the liver cells, such as *hepatitis, when the liver is unable to utilize the bilirubin, which accumulates in the blood. The urine may be dark but the faeces retain their colour. Haemolytic jaundice occurs when there is excessive destruction of red cells in the blood (see haemolysis). Urine and faeces retain their normal colour. Medical name: icterus.... jaundice