an abnormal condition of the eye in which the iris bulges forward towards the cornea. It is due to pressure from the aqueous humour behind the iris when its passage through the pupil to the anterior chamber of the eye is blocked (pupil-block glaucoma).
Linn.
English: Orris, Iridis Rhizome, German Iris.
Ayurvedic: Paarseeka Vachaa, Haimavati, Shveta Vachaa (also considered as Pushkarmuula), Baal-bach.
Action: Demulcent, antidiarrhoeal, expectorant. Extract of the leaf is used for the treatment of frozen feet.
Key application: In irritable bowel, summer diarrhoea in children, in stubborn cases of respiratory congestion. (Folk medicine.) (Claims negatively evaluated by German Commission E: "blood-purifying," "stomach-strengthening" and "gland-stimulating.")The rhizomes gave triterpenes, beta- sitosterol, alpha-and beta-amyrin and isoflavonoids; an essential oil, about 0.1-2%, known as "Orris butter," consisting of about 85% myristic acid, with irone, ionone, methyl myris- tate. Isoflavonoids include irisolidone, irigenin and iridin. In volatile oil, chief constituents are cis-alpha and cis-gamma-irones. Triterpenes include iridal and irigermanal. Rhizomes also gave xanthones C. glucosylxanthones (Orris root is the root of Iris germanica. In homoeopathy, Iris versicolor is used.)Related species ? I. florentina Linn.; I. pallida Lam.
Habitat: The Himalayas from Garhwal to Arunachal Pradesh at 2,400-3,600 m.
Folk: Karkar, Tezma (Punjab).
Action: Diuretic, spasmolytic, febrifuge; antidote for opium addiction.
The rhizomes contain isoflavones— iridin, iriskumaonin and its methyl ether, irisflorentin, junipegenin A and irigenin.... iris germanica