Leucoderma Health Dictionary

Cassia senna

Caesalpiniaceae

San: Svarnapatri;

Hin: Sanay, Sana Ka Patt;

Ben: Sonamukhi;

Mal: Sunnamukki, Chonnamukki, Nilavaka;

Tam: Nilavirai, Nilavakai;

Tel: Netatangedu

Importance: Indian Senna or Tinnevelly senna is a shrub very highly esteemed in India for its medicinal value. The leaves are useful in constipation, abdominal disorders, leprosy, skin diseases, leucoderma, splenomegaly, hepatopathy, jaundice, helminthiasis, dyspepsia, cough, bronchitis, typhoid fever, anaemia, tumours and vitiated conditions of pitta and vata (Warrier et al,1994). It is used in Ayurvedic preparations; “Pancha Sakara Churna”, “Shat Sakara Churna” and “Madhu Yastyadi Churna” used for constipation. Its use is widespread in Unani system and some of the important products of this system containing senna are “Itrifal Mulayyin”, “Jawarish Ood Mulayyin”, “Hab Shabyar”, “Sufuf Mulliyin”, “Sharbat Ahmad Shahi”, etc. used as a mild laxative (Thakur et al, 1989).

Distribution: The plant is of Mediterranean origin. It is found in Somalia, Saudi Arabia, parts of Pakistan and Kutch area of Gujarat. It is largely cultivated in Tirunelveli, Ramanathapuram, Madurai and Salem districts of Tamil Nadu.

Botany: The genus Cassia, belonging to the family Caesalpiniaceae, comprises of a number of species, namely,

C. senna Linn. syn. C. angustifolia Vahl.

C. absus Linn.

C. alata Linn.

C. auriculata Linn.

C. burmanni Wight. syn. C. obovata (Linn.) Collad.

C. glauca Lam.

C. javanica Linn.

C. mimosoides Linn.

C. obtusifolia Linn. syn. C. tora Linn.

C. occidentalis Linn.

C. pumila Lam.

C. slamea Lam.

C. acutifolia Delile.

C. sophera Linn.

C. senna is a shrub or undershrub, 60-75cm in height with pale subterete or obtusely angled erect or spreading branches. Leaves are paripinnate. Leaflets are 5-8 in number, ovate-lanceolate and glabrous. Flowers are yellowish, many and arranged in axillary racemes. Fruits are flat legumes, greenish brown to dark brown and nearly smooth (Chopra et al,1980, Warrier et al,1994).

In commerce, the leaves and pods obtained from C. senna are known as “ Tinnevelly Senna” and those from C. acutifolia Delile. as “Alexandrian Senna”. The leaves of C. acutifolia are narrower than C. senna, otherwise both resemble to a large extent (Thakur et al, 1989). All the true Sennas have the portions of their leaves unequally divided. In some kinds the lower part of one side is reduced to little more than a line in breadth, while the other is from a quarter to half an inch in breadth. The drug known under the name of East Indian Senna is nearly free from adulteration; and as its properties appear identical with those of the Alexandrian and the price being less, it probably will supersede it in general practice. Its size and shape readily identify it (Graves, 1996).

Agrotechnology: The plant requires a mild subtropical climate with warm winters which are free from frost for its growth. Semiarid areas with adequate irrigation facilities are ideal for cultivation. Areas having high rainfall, humidity and poor drainage are not suitable. Light or medium loamy soils with adequate drainage and pH varying from 7.0-8.2 are preferable. In South India both summer and winter crops are possible. The plant is propagated by seeds. The seed rate required is 15-20kg/ha. Seeds are sown in October-November (winter rainfed crop) or in February-March (irrigated crop). Higher seed rate is required for unirrigated crop. Seeds are sown in lines 30cm apart. Application of 5-10t of FYM/ha before planting or raising a green manure crop is beneficial. About 40kg N and 25-50kg P2O5/ha applied as basal dressing and 40kg N/ha applied in 2 split dozes as top dressing gave better yield. While the rainfed crop is grown without irrigation, the irrigated crop requires 5-8 light irrigations during the entire growing season. The crop requires 2-3 weedings and hoeings in order to keep it free from weeds. Alternaria alternata causes leaf spot and dieback but the disease is not serious. In North India, the plant is attacked by the larvae of butterfly Catopsilia pyranthe which can be controlled by planting the crop in March-April instead of June-July. Under irrigated conditions, the first crop is obtained after 90 days of planting. The leaves are stripped by hand when they are fully green, thick and bluish-green in colour. The second crop is taken 4 weeks after the first harvest and the third 4-6 weeks after the second one. The last harvest of leaves is done when the entire crop is harvested along with the pods. Yield under irrigated conditions is nearly1.4t of leaves and 150kg pods/ha and under unirrigated conditions is 500-600kg leaves and 80-100kg pods/ha. The leaves are dried in thin layers under shade so as to retain the green colour and the pods are hung for 10-12 days to get dried. The leaves and pods are cleaned, graded and marketed (Husain et al, 1993).

Properties and Activity: Leaves contain glucose, fructose, sucrose and pinnitol. Mucilage consists of galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and galacturonic acid. Leaves also contain sennoside-C(8,8’- diglucoside of rhein-aloe-emodin-dianthrone). Pods contain sennosides A and B, glycoside of anthraquinones rhein and chrysophanic acid. Seeds contain -sitosterol (Husain et al, 1992). Leaves and pods also contain 0.33% -sterol and flavonols-kaempferol, kaempferin, and iso-rhamnetin. Sennoside content of C. acutifolia is higher ranging from 2.5% to 4.5% as compared to C. angustifolia ranging from 1.5 % to 2.5%.

The purgative activity of Senna is attributed to its sennosides. The pods cause lesser griping than the leaves. Leaf and pod is laxative. The leaves are astringent, bitter, sweet, acrid, thermogenic, cathartic, depurative, liver tonic, anthelmintic, cholagogue, expectorant and febrifuge.... indian senna

Willd.

Synonym: A. sundra DC.

Family: Mimosaceae.

Habitat: Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh on dry and rocky soils.

English: Red Cutch.

Ayurvedic: Khadira (related sp.).

Siddha/Tamil: Katthakkaambu (heartwood extract).

Folk: Laal Khair.

Action: Uses similar to those of A. catechu heartwood extract.

The bark and leaves are used for ulcerated abscesses and toothache; wood for leucoderma.

EtOH (50%) extract—spermicidal and spasmolytic.... acacia chundra

(Roxb.) Boivin

Family: Mimosaceae.

Habitat: Throughout southern India in dry forests, up to 900 m, and in some parts of Madhya Pradesh.

Ayurvedic: Shirish (bark—grey or greenish).

Siddha/Tamil: Thuringil.

Action: Leaf and flower—anti- inflammatory, used for boils and ulcers. Leaf—used for erysipelas. Seeds—astringent, antidiarrhoeal, antibacterial.

The seed extract showed DNA binding activity, which has been found to be due to pithecolibine alkaloids, bud- munchiamines. Budmunchiamines are antibacterial, and they inhibit platelet aggregation and human lymphocyte transformation. They also show anti-inflammatory and cytotoxic activity.

The leaves contain prodelphinidins, myricitrin, hyperin, quercitrin, trans- p-coumaric acid, cis-p-coumaric acid and trans-ferulic acid.

The seeds contain echinocystic acid and taxifolin-3-O-beta-D xylopyrano- syl-beta-D-arbinopyranoside.

The oil from the seeds is said to cure leprosy and leucoderma.... albizia amara

Noronha

Family: Altingiaceae.

Habitat: Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

English: Storax, Oriental Sweet Gum.

Ayurvedic: Shilaarasa, Turushka, Silhaka (substitute for Liquidamber orientalis, Hamamelidaceae).

Siddha/Tamil: Neriyurishippal.

Action: Resin—carminative, stomachic, antiscorbutic expectorant, antipyretic, anti-inflammatory, antistress, hepatoprotective. Externally used in scabies and leucoderma.

The ethyl acetate extract of the root of A. excelsa was studied for antistress effect in a variety of biological models of stress; also in stress-induced ulcers and CCl4-induced hepatotoxicity. Antistress was the most significant pharmacological property of the Storax.... altingia excelsa

Kuntze

Synonym: Volutarella divaricata Benth. and Hook. F.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Distributed in the Mediterranean region, extending to Central Asia and India.

Ayurvedic: Brahmadandi (Tri- cholepis glaberrima DC. of the same family is also equated with Brahmadandi.)

Unani: Baadaavard.

Action: Deobstruent, aperient, febrifuge, nervine (used in debility), antiseptic (used in leucoderma).... amberboa divaricata

Linn.

Family: Umbelliferae; Apiaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated in Jammu and Himachal Pradesh.

English: Biship's Weed-Amee, Greater Ammi.

Unani: Itarilaal, Khalah.

Action: Source of xanthotoxin, a drug employed in the treatment of leucoderma. Dried fruit powder or extract of the plant is used topically in vitiligo.

The fruits contain ammoidin (xan- thotoxin), ammidin (imperatorin) and majudin (bergapten). All the three compounds are used in leucoderma. Maximum xanthotoxin content (1%) is found in green fruits from Jammu.

The 8-MOP, methoxypsoralen constituent of the weed is one of the first agents used along with UVA radiation to treat psoriasis. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... ammi majus

Cucurbitaceae

The family Cucurbitaceae includes a large group of plants which are medicinally valuable. The important genera belonging to the family are Trichosanthes, Lagenaria, Luffa, Benincasa, Momordica, Cucumis, Citrullus, Cucurbita, Bryonopsis and Corallocarpus. The medicinally valuable species of these genera are discussed below.

1. Trichosanthes dioica Roxb.

Eng: Wild Snake-gourd; San: Meki,Pargavi, Parvara, Patola;

Hin: Palval, Parvar

Ben: Potol;

Mal: Kattupatavalam, Patolam;

Tam: Kombuppudalai;

Tel: Kommupotta

Wild snake-gourd is a slender-stemmed, extensively climbing, more or less scabrous and woolly herb found throughout the plains of N. India, extending to Assam and W. Bengal. Tendrils are 2-4 fid. Leaves are 7.5x5cm in size, ovate-oblong, cordate, acute, sinuate- dentate, not lobed, rigid, rough on both surface and with a petiole of 2cm. Flowers are unisexual. Male flowers are not racemed but woolly outside. Calyx tube is 4.5cm long, narrow, teeth linear and erect. Anthers are free. Fruit is 5.9cm long, oblong or nearly spherical, acute, smooth and orange-red when ripe. Seeds are half-ellipsoid, compressed and corrugated on the margin (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988). The unripe fruit of this is generally used as a culinary vegetable and is considered very wholesome and specially suited for the convalescent. The tender shoots are given in decoction with sugar to assist digestion. The seeds are useful for disorders of the stomach. The leaf juice is rubbed over the chest in liver congestion and over the whole body in intermittent fevers (Nadkarni, 1998). The fruit is used as a remedy for spermatorrhoea. The fresh juice of the unripe fruit is often used as a cooling and laxative adjunct to some alterative medicines. In bilious fever, a decoction of patola leaves and coriander in equal parts is given. The fruit in combination with other drugs is prescribed in snakebite and scorpion sting (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988).

Fruits contain free amino acids and 5-hydroxy tryptamine. Fatty acids from seeds comprise elaeostearic, linoelic, oleic and saturated acids. The aerial part is hypoglycaemic. Leaf and root is febrifuge. Root is hydragogue, cathartic and tonic. Unripe leaf and fruit is laxative (Husain et al, 1992). The plant is alterative and tonic. Leaves are anthelmintic. Flower is tonic and aphrodisiac. The ripe fruit is sour to sweet, tonic, aphrodisiac, expectorant and removes blood impurities.

The other important species belonging to the genus Trichosanthes are as follows.

T. palmata Roxb. T. cordata Roxb. T. nervifolia Linn.

T. cucumerina Linn.

T. anguina Linn.

T. wallichiana Wight. syn. T. multiloba Clarke

2. Lagenaria vulgaris Ser. syn. Cucurbita Lagenaria Linn. ; Roxb.

Eng: Bottle gourd San: Alabu Hin: Lauki, Jangli-khaddu

Ben: Lau, Kodu

Mal: Katuchuram, Churakka

Tam: Soriai-kay

Tel: Surakkaya

Bottle gourd is a large softly pubescent climbing or trailing herb which is said to be indigenous in India, the Molucas and in Abyssinia. It has stout 5-angled stems with bifid tendrils. Leaves are ovate or orbiculate, cordate, dentate, 5-angular or 5-lobed, hairy on both surfaces. Flowers are large, white, solitary, unisexual or bisexual, the males long and females short peduncled. Ovary is oblong, softly pubescent with short style and many ovules. Fruits are large, usually bottle or dumb-bell-shaped, indehiscent and polymorphous. Seeds are many, white, horizontal, compressed, with a marginal groove and smooth. There are sweet fruited and bitter-fruited varieties (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988). The fruit contains a thick white pulp which, in the cultivated variety (kodu) is sweet and edible, while in the smaller wild variety (tamri) it is bitter and a powerful purgative. The seeds yield clear limpid oil which is cooling and is applied to relieve headache. The pulp of the cultivated forms is employed as and adjunct to purgatives and considered cool, diuretic and antibilious, useful in cough, and as an antidote to certain poisons. Externally it is applied as a poultice. The leaves are purgative and recommended to be taken in the form of decoction for jaundice (Nadkarni, 1998). In the case of sweet-fruited variety, the stem is laxative and sweet. The fruit is sweet oleagenous, cardiotonic, general tonic, aphrodisiac, laxative and cooling. In the case of bitter-fruited variety, the leaves are diuretic, antibilious; useful in leucorrhoea, vaginal and uterine complaints and earache. The fruit is bitter, hot, pungent, emetic, cooling, cardiotonic, antibilious; cures asthma, vata, bronchitis, inflammations ulcers and pains.

3. Luffa acutangula (Linn.) Roxb.

Eng: Ridged gourd; San: Dharmargavah, Svadukosataki;

Hin: Tori, Katitori;

Ben: Ghosha

Mal: Peechil, Peechinga;

Tam: Pikangai, Prikkangai;

Tel: Birakaya;

Kan: Kadupadagila

Ridged gourd or ribbed gourd is a large monoecious climber cultivated throughout India. It is with 5-angled glabrous stems and trifid tendrils. Leaves are orbicular-cordate, palmately 5-7 lobed, scabrous on both sides with prominent veins and veinlets. Flowers are yellow, males arranged in 12-20 flowered axillary racemes. Female flowers are solitary, arranged in the axils of the males. Ovary is strongly ribbed. Fruits are oblong-clavate with 10-sharp angles 15-30cm long, tapering towards the base. Seeds are black, ovoid-oblong, much compressed and not winged (Warrier et al, 1995). The leaves are used in haemorrhoids, leprosy, granular-conjunctivitis and ringworm. The seeds are useful in dermatopathy. The juice of the fresh leaves is dropped into the eyes of children in granular conjunctivitis, also to prevent the lids from adhering at night on account of excessive meihomian secretion (Nadkarni, 1998). Fruits are demulcent, diuretic, tonic, expectorant, laxative and nutritive. The seeds are bitter, emetic, cathartic, expectorant and purgative.

The other important species of the genus Luffa are:

L. aegyptiaca Mill.

L. acutangula var. amara Clarke

L. echinata Roxb.

4. Benincasa hispida (Thumb.) Cogn. syn. B. cerifera Savi.

Eng: Ash gourd, White gourd melon; San: Kusmandah;

Hin: Petha, Raksa;

Ben: Kumra

Mal: Kumpalam;

Tam: Pusanikkai;

Kan: Bile Kumbala;

Tel: Bodigummadi

Ash gourd or White gourd melon is a large trailing gourd climbing by means of tendrils which is widely cultivated in tropical Asia. Leaves are large and hispid beneath. Flowers are yellow, unisexual with male peduncle 7.5-10cm long and female peduncle shorter. Fruits are broadly cylindric, 30-45cm long, hairy throughout and ultimately covered with a waxy bloom. The fruits are useful in asthma, cough, diabetes, haemoptysis, hemorrhages from internal organs, epilepsy, fever and vitiated conditions of pitta. The seeds are useful in dry cough, fever, urethrorrhea, syphilis, hyperdipsia and vitiated conditions of pitta (Warrier et al,1993). It is a rejuvenative drug capable of improving intellect and physical strength. In Ayurveda, the fresh juice of the fruit is administered as a specific in haemoptysis and other haemorrhages from internal organs. The fruit is useful in insanity, epilepsy and other nervous diseases, burning sensation, diabetes, piles and dyspepsia. It is a good antidote for many kinds of vegetable, mercurial and alcoholic poisoning. It is also administered in cough, asthma or respiratory diseases, heart diseases and catarrah. Seeds are useful in expelling tapeworms and curing difficult urination and bladder stones. The important formulations using the drug are Kusmandarasayana, Himasagarataila, Dhatryadighrita, Vastyamantakaghrita, Mahaukusmandakaghrita, etc. (Sivarajan et al, 1994).

Fruits contain lupeol, -sitosterol, n-triacontanol, vitamin B, mannitol and amino acids. The fruit is alterative, laxative, diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac and antiperiodic. Seed and oil from seed is anthelmintic (Husain et al, 1992).

5. Momordica charantia Linn.

Eng: Bitter gourd, Carilla fruit San: Karavellam

Hin: Karela, Kareli

Mal: Kaypa, Paval

Tam: Pavakkai, Paval, Pakar

Tel: Kakara

Bitter gourd or Carilla fruit is a branched climbing annual which is cultivated throughout India. It is a monoecious plant with angled and grooved stems and hairy or villous young parts. Tendrils are simple, slender and elongate. Leaves are simple, orbicular, cordate and deeply divided into 5-7 lobes. Flowers are unisexual, yellow and arranged on 5-10cm long peduncles. Fruits are 5-15cm long with 3-valved capsules, pendulous, fusiform, ribbed and beaked bearing numerous triangular tubercles. Seeds are many or few with shining sculptured surface. The roots are useful in coloptosis and ophthalmopathy. The leaves are useful in vitiated conditions of pita, helminthiasis, constipation, intermittent fever, burning sensation of the sole and nyctalopia. The fruits are useful in skin diseases, leprosy, ulcers, wounds, burning sensation, constipation, anorexia, flatulence, colic, helminthiasis, rheumatalgia, gout, diabetes, asthma, cough, dysmenorrhoea, impurity of breast milk, fever and debility. Seeds are useful in the treatment of ulcers, pharyngodynia, and obstructions of the liver and spleen. The leaves and fruits are used for external application in lumbago, ulceration and bone fractures and internally in leprosy, haemorrhoids and jaundice (Warrier et al, 1995). The drug improves digestion, calms down sexual urge, quells diseases due to pitta and kapha and cures anaemia, anorexia, leprosy, ulcers, jaundice, flatulence and piles. Fruit is useful in gout, rheumatism and complaints of liver and spleen (Nadkarni, 1954; Aiyer and Kolammal, 1966; Mooss, 1976; Kurup et al, 1979). Kaccoradi taila is an important preparation using the drug (Sivarajan et al, 1994).

The seeds give triterpene glycosides, named momordicosides A, B, C, D and E, which are glycosides of cucurbit-5-en-triol, tetraol or pentaol. Leaves and vines give tetracyclic triterpenes-momordicines I, II and III (bitter principles). Immature fruits give several non-bitter and 2 bitter cucurbitacin glycosides. Four of the non-bitter glycosides, momordicosides F1, F2, G and I and the bitter momordicosides; K and L have also been characterized. Fruits, seeds and tissue culture give a polypeptide which contained 17 types of amino acids and showed hypoglycaemic activity. Fruits also give 5-hydroxy tryptamine and a neutral compound charantin (a steroidal glucoside), diosgenin, cholesterol, lanosterol and -sitosterol. Leaf is emetic, purgative and antibilious. Fruit is stomachic, tonic, carminative, febrifuge, antirheumatic and hypoglycaemic. Root is astringent. Fruit and leaf is anti-leprotic. Fruit, leaf and root are abortifacient and anti-diabetic. Leaf and seed is anthelmintic. Seed oil possesses antifeeding and insecticidal properties. Unsaponifiable matter from seed oil exhibited pronounced inhibitory activity against gram negative bacteria. Seed and fruit are hypoglycaemic, cytotoxic and anti-feedant (Husain et al, 1992).

Other important species belonging to the genus Momordica are as follows.

M. dioica Roxb.

M. cochinchinensis Spreng.

M. tuberosa Cogn.

M. balsamina Linn.

6. Cucumis melo Linn. syn. C. melo Linn. var. cultis Kurz., C. pubescens

Willd., C. callosus (Rottl.) Cogn.

Eng: Sweet melon San,

Hin: Kharbuja

Ben: Kharmul

Mal: Mulam

Tam: Chukkari-kai, Thumatti-kai, Mulampazham

Tel: Kharbuja-doshavSweet melon is a creeping annual extensively cultivated throughout India, found wild in India, Baluchistan and tropical Africa. The stem is creeping, angular and scabrous. Leaves are orbicular-reniform in outline, 5-angled or lobed, scabrous on both surfaces and often with soft hairs. Lobes of leaves are not very deep nor acute and with 5cm long petiole. Female peduncle is 5cm. Fruit is spherical, ovoid, elongate or contorted, glabrous or somewhat hairy, not spinous nor tuberculate.

Cucumis melo includes two varieties, namely,

C. melo var. momordica syn. C. momordica Roxb.

C. melo var. utilissimus Duthie & Fuller. syn. C. utilissimus Roxb.

The fruit is eaten raw and cooked. Its pulp forms a nutritive, demulcent, diuretic and cooling drink. It is beneficial as a lotion in chronic and acute eczema as well as tan and freckles and internally in cases of dyspepsia. Pulp mixed with cumin seeds and sugar candy is a cool diet in hot season. Seeds yield sweet edible oil which is nutritive and diuretic, useful in painful discharge and suppression of urine. The whole fruit is useful in chronic eczema (Kirtikar & Basu, 1988).

Seeds contain fatty acids-myristic, palmitic, oleic, linoleic; asparagine, glutamine, citrulline, lysine, histidine, arginine, phenylalanine, valine, tyrosine, leucine, iso-leucine, methionine, proline, threonine, tryptophan and crystine. Seed is tonic, lachrymatory, diuretic and urease inhibitor. Fruit pulp is eczemic. Fruit is tonic, laxative, galactagogue, diuretic and diaphoretic. The rind is vulnerary (Husain et al, 1992).

7. Cucumic sativus Linn.

Eng: Cucumber, Common cucumber; San: Trapusah;

Hin,

Ben: Khira;

Mal: Vellari

Tam: Vellarikkai, Pippinkai;

Kan: Mullusavte;

Tel: Dosekaya

Cucumber is a climbing annual which is cultivated throughout India, found wild in the Himalayas from Kumaon to Sikkim. It is a hispidly hairy trailing or climbing annual. Leaves are simple, alternate, deeply cordate, 3-5 lobed with both surfaces hairy and denticulate margins. Flowers are yellow, males clustered, bearing cohering anthers, connective crusted or elevated above the cells. Females are solitary and thickly covered with very bulbous based hairs. Fruits are cylindrical pepo of varying sizes and forms. Seeds are cream or white with hard and smooth testa. The fruits are useful in vitiated conditions of pitta, hyperdipsia, burning sensation, thermoplegia, fever, insomnia, cephalgia, bronchitis, jaundice, haemorrhages, strangury and general debility. The seeds are useful in burning sensation, pitta, constipation, intermittent fevers, strangury, renal calculus, urodynia and general debility (Warrier et al, 1994). The leaves boiled and mixed with cumin seeds, roasted, powdered and administered in throat affections. Powdered and mixed with sugar, they are powerful diuretic (Nadkarni, 1998). The fruits and seeds are sweet, refrigerant, haemostatic, diuretic and tonic. Other important species belonging to the genus are:

C. trigonus Roxb. syn. C. pseudo-colocynthis

C. prophetarum Linn.

8. Citrullus colocynthis (Linn.) Schrader. syn. Cucumis colocynthis Linn.

Eng: Colocynth, Bitter apple; San: Visala, Mahendravaruni;

Hin: Badi indrayan, Makkal

Ben: Makhal;

Mal: Kattuvellari (Valutu), Valiya pekkummatti;

Tel: Etti-puchcha

Tam: Paitummatti, Petummatti;

Colocynth or Bitter apple is found, cultivated and wild, throughout India in warmer areas. It is an extensively trailing annual herb with bifid tendrils angular branching stems and wooly tender shoots. Leaves are deeply divided, lobes narrow thick, glabrous or somewhat hairy. Flowers are unisexual, yellow, both males and females solitary and with pale-yellow corolla. Fruit is a globose or oblong fleshy indehiscent berry, 5-7.5cm in diameter and variegated with green and white. Seeds are pale brown. The fruits are useful in tumours, ascites, leucoderma, ulcers, asthma, bronchitis, urethrorrhea, jaundice, dyspepsia, constipations, elephantiasis, tubercular glands of the neck and splenomegaly (Warrier et al, 1994). It is useful in abnormal presentations of the foetus and in atrophy of the foetus. In addition to the above properties, the root has a beneficial action in inflammation of the breasts, pain in the joints; externally it is used in ophthalmia and in uterine pains. The fruit and root, with or without is rubbed into a paste with water and applied to boils and pimples. In rheumatism, equal parts of the root and long pepper are given in pill. A paste of the root is applied to the enlarged abdomen of children (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988). The fruit is useful in ascites, biliousness, jaundice, cerebral congestion, colic, constipation dropsy, fever, worms and sciatica. Root is given in cases of abdominal enlargement, cough, asthma, inflammation of the breast, ulcers, urinary diseases and rheumatism. Oil from seeds is used for poisonous bites, bowel complaints, epilepsy and also for blackening the hair (Nadkarni, 1954; Dey, 1980). The important formulations using the root and fruit are Abhayarista, Mahatiktakam kasaya, Manasamitravatakam, Cavikasava, Madhuyastyadi taila, etc. (Sivarajan et al, 1994). The powder is often used as an insecticide. The extract should never be given without some aromatic to correct its griping tendency (Nadkarni, 1998).

Fruit contains a glycoside- colocynthin, its aglycone- -elaterin, citrulluin, citrullene and citrullic acid. Unripe fruit contains p-hydroxy benzyl methyl ester. Roots contain - elaterin and hentriacontane (Husain et al, 1992). Colocynth is, in moderate doses, drastic, hydrogogue, cathartic and diuretic. In large doses, it is emetic and gastro-intestinal irritant and in small doses, it is expectorant and alterative. Colocynthin is a cathartic and intensely bitter principle. It has a purgative action. All parts of the plant are very bitter. The fruit has been described as cathartic (Nadkarni, 1982).

9. Citrullus vulgaris Schrad. syn. C. lanatus (Thunb.) Mats. & Nakai.

Eng: Water melon; San: Tarambuja;

Hin: Tarbuj;

Ben: Tarbuz

Mal: Thannimathan;

Tam: Pitcha, Dharbusini

Watermelon is an extensively climbing annual which is largely cultivated throughout India and in all warm countries. It has thick angular branching stems. Tendrils are bifid, stout and pubescent. Leaves are long, deeply divided or moderately lobed, glabrous or somewhat hairy and hardly scabrous. Petiole is a little shorter than the limb and villous. Calyx-lobes are narrowly lanceolate, equalling the tube. Corolla is yellow within, greenish outside and villous. Lobes are ovate-oblong, obtuse and prominently 5-nerved. Fruit is sub-globose or ellipsoid, smooth, greenish or clouded, often with a glaucous waxy coating. Flesh is juicy, red or yellowish white. Seeds are usually margined. C. vulgaris var. fistulosus Duthie & Fuller. syn. C. fistulosus has its fruit about the size of small turnip, the seeds of which are used medicinally. The fruit is tasteless when unripe and sweet when ripe. The unripe fruit is used to cure jaundice. Ripe fruit cures kapha and vata and causes biliousness. It is good for sore eyes, scabies and itching. The seeds are tonic to the brain and used as a cooling medicine. An emulsion of the seeds is made into a poultice with the pounded leaves and applied hot in cases of intestinal inflammations (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988). Fruit juice is good in quenching thirst and it is used as an antiseptic in typhus fever with cumin and sugar. It is used as a cooling drink in strangury and affections of urinary organs such as gonorrhoea; in hepatic congestion and intestinal catarrh. The bitter watermelon of Sind is known as “Kirbut” and is used as a purgative.

Seeds yield a fixed oil and proteids; citrullin. Seeds are cooling, demulcent, diuretic, vermifuge and nutritive. Pulp is cooling and diuretic. Fruit-juice is cooling and refreshing (Nadkarni, 1982).

10. Curcurbita pepo Linn. syn. Pepo vulgaris et P. verrucosus Moench

Meth.

Eng: Pompion, Pumpkin, Vegetable Marrow; San: Karkaru, Kurkaru, Kushmandi

Hin,

Ben: Kadimah, Konda, Kumra, Safedkkadu;

Mal: Mathan, Matha

Tel: Budadegummadi, Pottigummadi

Pompion or Pumpkin is a climbing herb which is considered to be a native of America and cultivated in many parts of India. The stem and leaves are with a harsh prickly armature. Foliage is stiff, more or less rigid and erect. Leaves are with a broad triangular pointed outline and often with deep lobes. Corolla is mostly with erect or spreading (not drooping) pointed lobes, the tube narrowing towards the base. Peduncle is strongly 5-angled and little or much expanding near the fruit. The fruit is cooling and astringent to the bowels, increases appetite, cures leprosy, ‘kapha and vata’, thirst, fatigue and purifies the blood. The leaves are used to remove biliousness. Fruit is good for teeth, throat and eyes and allays thirst. Seeds cure sore chests, haemoptysis, bronchitis and fever. It is good for the kidney and brain. The leaves are used as an external application for burns. The seeds are considered anthelmintic. The seeds are largely used for flavouring certain preparations of Indian hemp, and the root for a nefarious purpose, viz., to make the preparation more potent. The seeds are taeniacide, diuretic and demulcent. The fruit is cooling, laxative and astringent. The leaves are digestible, haematinic and analgesic.

The other important species belonging to the genus Cucurbita is C. maxima Duchena, the seeds of which are a popular remedy for tape-worm and oil as a nervine tonic (Kirtikar & Basu, 1988).

11. Corallocarpus epigaeus Benth. ex Hook. f. syn. Bryonia epigaea Wight.

San: Katunahi;

Hin: Akasgaddah;

Mal: Kadamba, Kollankova

Tam: Akashagarudan, Gollankovai;

Tel: Murudonda, Nagadonda

Corallocarpus is a prostrate or climbing herb distributed in Punjab, Sind, Gujarat, Deccan, Karnataka and Sri Lanka. It is monoecious with large root which is turnip-shaped and slender stem which is grooved, zigzag and glabrous. Tendrils are simple, slender and glabrous. Leaves are sub-orbicular in outline, light green above and pale beneath, deeply cordate at the base, angled or more or less deeply 3-5 lobed. Petiole is long and glabrous. Male flowers are small and arranged at the tip of a straight stiff glabrous peduncle. Calyx is slightly hairy, long and rounded at the base. Corolla is long and greenish yellow. Female flowers are usually solitary with short, stout and glabrous peduncles. Fruit is stalked, long, ellipsoid or ovoid. Seeds are pyriform, turgid, brown and with a whitish corded margin. It is prescribed in later stages of dysentery and old veneral complaints. For external use in chronic rheumatism, it is made into a liniment with cumin seed, onion and castor oil. It is used in case of snakebite where it is administered internally and applied to the bitten part. The root is given in syphilitic rheumatism and later stages of dysentery. The plant is bitter, sweet, alexipharmic and emetic. The root is said to possess alterative and laxative properties (Kirtikar and Basu, 1988). Root contains a bitter principle like Breyonin (Chopra et al, 1980).

Agrotechnology: Cucurbits can be successfully grown during January-March and September- December. For the rainfed crop, sowing can also be started after the receipt of the first few showers.

Pits of 60cm diameter and 30-45cm depth are to be taken at the desired spacing. Well rotten FYM or vegetable mixture is to be mixed with topsoil in the pit and seeds are to be sown at 4-5/pit. Unhealthy plants are to be removed after 2 weeks and retained 2-3 plants/pit. FYM is to be applied at 20-25t/ha as basal dose along with half dose of N (35kg/ha) and full dose of P (25kg) and K (25kg). The remaining dose of N (35kg) can be applied in 2 equal split doses at fortnightly intervals. During the initial stages of growth, irrigation is to be given at an interval of 3-4 days and at alternate days during flowering and fruiting periods. For trailing cucumber, pumpkin and melon, dried twigs are to be spread on the ground. Bitter gourd, bottle gourd, snake gourd and ash gourd are to be trailed on Pandals. Weeding and raking of the soil are to be conducted at the time of fertilizer application. Earthing up may be done during rainy season. The most dreaded pest of cucurbits is fruit flies which can be controlled by using fruit traps, covering the fruits with polythene, cloth or paper bags, removal and destruction of affected fruits and lastly spraying with Carbaryl or Malathion 0. 2% suspension containing sugar or jaggery at 10g/l at fortnightly intervals after fruit set initiation. During rainy season, downy mildew and mosaic diseases are severe in cucurbits. The former can be checked by spraying Mancozeb 0.2%. The spread of mosaic can be checked by controlling the vectors using Dimethoate or Phosphamidon 0.05% and destruction of affected plants and collateral hosts. Harvesting to be done at least 10 days after insecticide or fungicide application (KAU,1996).... cucurbits

Curcuma spp.

Zingiberaceae

The genus Curcuma belonging to the family Zingiberaceae comprises of a number of species which are medicinally very important. Among them, the most important species are described below.

1. C. amada Roxb.

English: Mango ginger San: Amrardrakam, Karpuraharida Hin: Ama -haldi

Mal: Mangainchi

Tam: Mankayinci

Tel: Mamidi Allam

Mango ginger is cultivated in Gujarat and found wild in parts of West Bengal, U. P, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. It is a rhizomatous aromatic herb with a leafy tuft and 60-90cm in height. Leaves are long, petiolate, oblong-lanceolate, tapering at both ends, glabrous and green on both sides. Flowers are white or pale yellow, arranged in spikes in the centre of tuft of the leaves. Lip is semi -elliptic, yellow, 3-lobbed with the mid lobe emarginate. The rhizomes are useful in vitiated conditions of pitta, anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, bruises, wounds, chronic ulcers, skin diseases, pruritus, fever, constipations, strangury, hiccough, cough, bronchitis, sprains, gout, halitosis, otalgia and inflammations (Warrier et al, 1994). The fresh root possesses the smell of green mango and hence the name mango ginger. The rhizomes are used externally in the form of paste as an application for bruises and skin diseases generally combined with other medicines. Tubers rubbed with the leaf- juice of Caesalpinia bonduc is given for worms (Nadkarni, 1982).

The essential oil contains -pinene, -and -curcumene, camphor, cuminyl alcohol, myristic acid and turmerone. Car-3-ene and cis-ocimene contribute the characteristic mango odour of the rhizome. Rhizome is CNS active, hypothermic and it shows potentiation of amphetamine toxicity. Tuber is trypsin inhibitor and is effective against Vibrio cholerae (Husain et al, 1992). The rhizomes are bitter, sweet sour, aromatic, cooling, appetiser, carminative, digestive, stomachic, demulcent, vulnerary, febrifuge, alexertic, aphrodisiac, laxative, diurectic, expectorant, antiinflammatory and antipyretic (Warrier et al, 1994).

2. C. aromatica Salisb.

Eng: Wild turmeric; San: Aranyaharidra, Vanaharidra;

Hin: Ban-haridra, Jangli-haldi;

Ben: Ban Haland; Mal,

Tam: Kasturimanjal, Kattumanjal;

Tel: Adavi-pasupu;

Kan: Kadarasina

Wild turmeric or Cochin turmeric or Yellow zeodoary is found wild throughout India and cultivated in Bengal and Kerala. It is a perennial tuberous herb with annulate, aromatic yellow rhizome which is internally orange-red in colour. Leaves are elliptic or lanceolate- oblong, caudate-acuminate, 30-60cm long, petioles as long or even longer, bracts ovate, recurved, more or less tinged with red or pink. Flowers are pink, lip yellow, obovate, deflexed, sub-entire or obscurely three lobed. Fruits are dehiscent, globose, 3-valved capsules. Rhizomes are used in combination with astringents and aromatics for bruises, sprains, hiccough, bronchitis, cough, leucoderma and skin eruptions (Warrier et al, 1994). The rhizomes have an agreeable fragrant smell and yield a yellow colouring matter like turmeric, and the fresh root has a camphoraceous odour. The dried rhizome is used as a carminative and aromatic adjunctant to other medicines (Nadkarni, 1998).

Essential oil contains -and - -curcumene, d-camphene and p-methoxy cinnamic acid. The colouring matter is curcumin. Numerous sesquiterpenoids of germacrone and guaiane skeletons have been identified recently. Rhizome has effect on respiration. It is spasmolytic and shows antagonism of amphetamine hyperactivity. Rhizome is an anti-dote for snakebite and carminative (Husain et al, 1992).

3. C. longa Linn. syn. C. domestica Valeton.

Eng: Turmeric; San: Haridra, Varavarnini;

Hin: Haldi, halda;

Ben: Haldi;

Mal: Manjal, Pachamanjal, Varattumanjal;

Tam: Mancal;

Kan: Haldi, Arasina;

Tel: Pasapu

Turmeric is cultivated all over India, particularly in W. Bengal, T. N and Maharashtra. It is a perennial herb, 60-90cm in height, with a short stem and tufts of erect leaves. Rhizome is cylindric, ovoid, orange coloured and branched. Leaves are simple, very large, petiole as long as the blade, oblong-lanceolate, tapering to the base upto 45cm long. Flowers are pale yellow, arranged in spikes concealed by the sheathing petioles and flowering bracts are pale green (Warrier et al, 1994). Turmeric occupies an important position in the life of Indian people as it forms an integral part of the rituals, ceremonies and cuisine. Due to the strong antiseptic properties, turmeric has been used as a remedy for all kinds of poisonous affections, ulcers and wounds. It gives good complexion to the skin and so it is applied to face as a depilatory and facial tonic. The drug cures diseases due to morbid vata, pitta and kapha, diabetes, eye diseases, ulcers, oedema, anaemia, anorexia, leprosy and scrofula. It purifies blood by destroying the pathogenic organisms. A paste of turmeric alone, or combined with a paste of neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves, is used to cure ringworm, obstinate itching, eczema and other parasitic skin diseases and in chicken pox and small pox. The drug is also useful in cold, cough, bronchitis, conjunctivitis and liver affections (Nadkarni, 1954; Kurup et al,1979; Kolammal, 1979). The rhizome is the officinal part and is an important ingredient of formulations like Nalpamaradi taila, Jatyadi taila, Narayana gula, etc. (Sivarajan et al, 1994).

Turmeric paste mixed with a little limejuice and saltpetre and applied hot is a popular application to sprains and bruises. In smallpox and chickenpox, a coating of turmeric is applied to facilitate the process of scabbing. The smoke produced by sprinkling powdered turmeric over burnt charcoal will relieve scorpion sting when the part affected is exposed to the smoke for a few minutes. Turmeric and alum powder in the proportion of 1:20 is blown into the ear in chronic otorrhoea (Nadkarni, 1998). “Haridra Khand”, a compound containing powdered turmeric, sugar and many other ingredients is a well-known preparation for cold, cough and flu, and for skin diseases. In Unani system, roasted turmeric is an ingredient of “Hab Narkachur”, used as antidysenteric for children (Thakur et al, 1989).

Essential oil contains ar-turmerone, and ar-curcumene as ma jor constituents. Some of the other compounds are -and -pinene, sabinene, myrcene, -terpinene, limonene, p- cymene, perillyl alcohol, turmerone, eugenol, iso-eugenol, eugenol methyl ether and iso- eugenol methyl ether. Curcumin and related compounds have also been reported as major constituents of the rhizomes. Recently a number of sesquiterpenes have been reported from C. longa, viz., the sesquiterpenoids of germacrane, bisabolane and guainane skeletons (Husain et al, 1992). The study of sesquiterpenes has revealed a new compound curlone (Kisoy et al, 1983). The crystalline colouring matter curcumin (0. 6%) is diferuloyl methane (Mathews et al, 1980). Stigmasterol, cholestrol, -sitosterol and fatty acids, mainly straight chain dienoic acids are reported (Moon et al, 1977). Curcumin, the colouring agent and major constituent of C. longa, is said to possess local as well as systemic antiinflammatory property which has been found to compare favourably with phenylbutazone (Srimal and Dhawan, 1973). An extract of the crude drug ‘akon’ containing the rhizomes exhibited intensive preventive activity against carbon tetrachloride induced liver injury invivo and invitro. The liver protecting effects of some analogs of ferulic acid and p-coumaric acid, probable metabolites of the curcuminoids have been also evaluated (Kiso et al, 1983). Curcumin is antiinflammatory. Rhizome is antiprotozoal, spasmolytic, CNS active, antiparasitic, antispasmodic, antibacterial, antiarthritic, anthelmintic, carminative, antiperiodic, emo llient, anodyne, laxative, diruretic, expectorant, alterative, alexertive, febrifuge, opthalmic and tonic.

4. C. zedoaria (Berg.) Rosc. syn. C. zerumbet Roxb; Amomum zedoaria

Christm.vEng: Round zedoary; San: Kachura, Shati;

Hin: Kakhur;

Ben: Sati;

Kan: Kachora

Mal: Manjakoova, Adavi-kacholam;

Tam: Kichilikizhangu, Nirvisham;

Tel: Kacheramu

The round zedoary or Zerumbet is mostly found in India and S. E. Asia. The plant has 4-6 leaves with 20-60cm long lamina. The leaf lami na is oblong-lanceolate, finely acuminate and glabrous on both the surfaces. Flower stalk is 20-25cm long, emerging before the leaves. Flowers are yellow, while the flowering bract is green tinged with red. Calyx is 8mm long, corolla tube is twice as long as the calyx. Capsule is ovoid, trigonous, thin smooth and bursting irregularly. Tubers are palmately branched and camphoraceous (Thakur et al, 1989). The identity of the plant sources of the drug Karcura is a matter of debate. There is difference of opinion among men of Ayurveda, as to whether Sati and Karcura are the same drug or different. Many authors consider them different and equate Sati with Hedychium spicatum Smith. and Karcura with C. zedoaria, both belonging to Zingiberaceae (Kurup et al,1979; Chunekar 1982; Sharma, 1983). Some others treat them to be the same and equate it with C. zedoaria (Kirtikar and Basu, 1918; Vaidya, 1936; Nadkarni, 1954; Kapoor and Mitra, 1979). However, the source of Karcura in Kerala in the recent times has been Kaempferia galanga of the same family. The rhizome of C. zedoaria is used as appetiser and tonic, particularly prescribed to ladies after childbirth. In case of cold, a decoction of long pepper (Piper longum), cinnamon (Cinnamomum verum), zedoary and honey is given. In Ayurveda it is an ingredient of “Braticityadi kwatha”, used in high fever (Thakur et al, 1989). Root is useful in flatulence and dyspepsia, and as a corrector of purgatives. Fresh root checks leucorrhoeal and gonorrhoeal discharges. Root powder is a good substitute for many foreign foods for infants. For worms, the juice from the tubers is given to children. Juice of the leaves is given in dropsy (Nadkarni, 1982). It is an odoriferous ingredient of the cosmetics used for the cure of chronic skin diseases caused by impure or deranged blood (Nadkarni, 1998).

Essential oil from rhizomes contains -pinene, d-camphene, cineole, d-camphor, sesquiterpenes and sesquiterpene alcohols (Husain et al, 1992). The novel sesquiterpenoids which have been isolated and characterised are cuzerenone, epi-cuzerenone, iso- furanogermerene, curcumadiol, curcumol, curcumenol, iso-curcumenol, procurcumenol, dehydrocurdione (Hikino et al, 1968, 1971, 1972), germacrone-4, 5-epoxide, germacrone, germacrone furanodienone, curcumenol, iso-curcumenol, curcumanolides A and B and curcumenone (Shiobara et al, 1985). The starch left after the extraction is purified and sold as a commodity of cottage industry in West-Bengal under the name ‘Shoti’ (Rao et al, 1928). Ethyl-p methoxy-cinnamate has been isolated from the alcoholic extract of the plant (Gupta et al, 1976). Rhizome is stomachic, diuretic, and carminative and gastrointestinal stimulant.

Other important species of Curcuma genus are

C. angustifolia Roxb. (Vellakoova)

C. caesia Roxb. (Black ginger)

C. leucorhiza Roxb.

C. pseudomontana Grah.

C. rubescens Roxb.

Agrotechnology: Curcuma species are tropical herbs and can be grown on different types of soils both under irrigated and rainfed conditions. Rich loamy soils having good drainage are ideal for the crop. The plant is propagated by whole or split mother rhizomes. Well developed, healthy and disease free rhizomes are to be selected. Rhizomes are to be treated with copper oxychloride fungicides and stored in cool, dry place or earthen pits plastered with mud and cowdung. The best season of planting is during April with the receipt of pre-monsoon showers. The land is to be prepared to a fine tilth during February-March. On receipt of pre- monsoon showers in April, beds of size 3x1.2m with a spacing of 40cm between beds are to be prepared. Small pits are to be taken in the beds in rows with a spacing of 25-40cm.

Finger rhizomes are to be planted flat with buds facing upwards and covered with soil or dry powdered cattle ma nure. The crop is to be mulched immediately after planting and 50 days after first mulching. Cattle manure or compost is to be applied as basal dose at 20-40t/ha at the time of land preparation or by spreading over the beds after planting. Application of NPK fertilizers is beneficial and found to increase the yield considerably. Weeding is to be done twice at 60 and 120 days after planting, depending upon weed intensity. Earthing up is to be done after 60 days. No major incidence of pest or disease is noticed in this crop. Leaf blotch and leaf spot can be controlled by spraying Bordeaux mixture or 0.2% Mancozeb. Shoot borers can be controlled by spraying 0.05% Dimethoate or 0.025% Quinalphos. Time of harvest usually extends from January-March. Harvesting is generally done at about 7-10 months after planting depending upon the species and variety. Harvested rhizomes are to be cleaned of mud and other materials adhering to them. Good fingers separated are to be used for curing (KAU, 1996).... curcuma

Piper longum

Piperaceae: San: Pippali;

Hin, Ben, Pun: Piplamul; Kan, Mal:Thippali ;

Tam: Thippili; Mar: Pimpli;

Tel: Pipppaloo; Ass: Piplu.

Introduction: Long pepper is a slender aromatic climber whose spike is widely used in ayurvedic and unani systems of medicine particularly for diseases of respiratory tract. Pipalarishta, Pippalyasava, Panchakola, Pippalayadilauha, and Lavana bhaskar churan are common ayurvedic preparations made out of the dry spikes of female types. Ittrifal fauladi, Angaruya-i-kabir and Majun khadar are well known unani preparations of long pepper. Its roots also have several medicinal uses. The root is useful in bronchitis, stomach ache, diseases of spleen and tumours. Fruit is useful in vata and kapha, asthma, bronchitis, abdominal complaints, fever, leucoderma, urinary discharges, tumours, piles, insomnia and tuberculosis. Root and fruit are used in gout and lumbago. The infusion of root is prescribed after parturition to induce the expulsion of placenta. The root and fruit decoction are used in acute and chronic bronchitis and cough. It contains the alkaloid piperine which has diverse pharmacological activities, including nerve depressant and antagonistic effect on electro- shock and chemo -shock seizures as well as muscular incoordination.

Distribution: The plant is a native of Indo-Malaya region. It was very early introduced to Europe and was highly regarded as a flavour ingredient by the Romans. The Greek name “Peperi”, the Latin “Piper” and the English “Pepper” were derived from the Sanskrit name “Pippali”. It grows wild in the tropical rain forests of India, Nepal, Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri lanka, Rhio, Timor and the Philippines. In India, it is seen in Assam, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Kerala, Karnataka.and Tamil Nadu. It is also cultivated in Bengal, Chirapunchi area of Assam, Akola-Amravati region of Maharashtra, Anamalai hills of Tamil Nadu, Orissa, Uduppi and Mangalore regions of Karnataka. Bulk of Indian long pepper comes from its wild growth in Assam, Shillong and West Bengal, supplemented by imports from Sri Lanka and Indonesia (Viswanathan,1995)

Botany: Piper longum Linn. is a member of Piperaceae family. The plant is a glabrous perennial under-shrub with erect or sub-scandent nodose stem and slender branches, the latter are often creeping or trailing and rooting below or rarely scandent reaching a few metres height. Leaves are simple, alternate, stipulate, and petiolate or nearly sessile; lower ones broadly ovate, cordate; upper ones oblong, oval, all entire, smooth, thin with reticulate venation; veins raised beneath. It flowers nearly throughout the year. Inflorescence is spike with unisexual small achlamydeous densely packed flowers and form very close clusters of small greyish green or darker grey berries. Female spikes with short thick stalk varying from 1.5 to2.5 cm in length and 0.5 to 0.7 cm in thickness.

A number of geographical races are available in different agroclimatic regions of India; the most popular being Assam, West Bengal and Nepal races. Piper officinarum DC; syn. Chavica officinarum Miquel, Piper pepuloides and Piper chaba Hunter are the other related species of importance.

Agrotechnology: Long pepper is a tropical plant adapted to high rainfall areas with high humidity. An elevation of 100-1000 m is ideal. It needs partial shade to the tune of 20-30% for best growth. The natural habitat of the plant is on the borders of streams. It is successfully cultivated in well drained forest soils rich in organic matter. Laterite soils with high organic matter content and moisture holding capacity are also suitable for cultivation.

Long pepper is propagated by suckers or rooted vine cuttings.15-20 cm long 3-5 nodded rooted vine cuttings establishes very well in polybags. The best time for raising nursery is March-April. Normal irrigation is given on alternate days. The rooted cuttings will be ready for transplanting in 2 months time. With the onset of monsoon in June the field is ploughed well and brought to good tilth. 15-20 cm raised beds of convenient length and breadth are taken. On these beds, pits are dug at 60 x 60 cm spacing and well decomposed organic manure at 100 g/pit is applied and mixed with the soil. Rooted vine cuttings from polybags are transplanted to these pits. Gap filling can be done after one month of planting.The crop needs heavy manuring at the rate of 20 t FYM/ha every year. Application of heavy dose organic matter and mulching increase water retention in the soil and control weeds. Small doses of chemical fertilisers can also be used. The crop needs irrigation once a week. Sprinkler irrigation is ideal. With irrigation the crop continues to produce spikes and off-season produce will be available. However, it is reported that unirrigated crop after the onset of monsoon grows vigorously and shows much hardiness than the irrigated crop.

Crop losses can be heavy due to pests and diseases. Mealy bugs and root grubs, attack the plant particularly during summer. Infested plants show yellowing and stunted growth. Application of systemic insecticides like nuvacron or dimecron will control the pests. Adults and nymphs of Helopeltis theivora severely feeds on the foliage which can be controlled by 0.25% neem kernel suspension. Rotting of leaves and vines during monsoon season is caused by Colletotrichum glorosporiodes and necrotic lesions and blights on the leaves during summer is caused by Colletotrichum and Cercospora spp. These diseases can be controlled by spraying of 1% Bordeaux mixture repeatedly. A virus like disease characterised by yellowing and crinkling of leaves, stunted growth and production of spikes of smaller size and inferior quality was also recently reported.

The vines start flowering six months after planting and flowers are produced almost throughout the year. The spikes mature in 2 months time. The optimum stage of harvest is when the spikes are blackish green. The pungency is highest at this stage. Spikes are hand picked when they become mature and then dried. The yield of dry spike is 400 kg /ha during first year, increases to 1000kg during third year and thereafter it decreases. Therefore, after 3 years the whole plant is harvested. The stem is cut close to the ground and roots are dug up. Average yield is 500 kg dry roots/ha (Viswanathan,1995).

Piper longum can also be cultivated as an intercrop in plantations of coconut, subabul and eucalyptus.

Post harvest technology: The harvested spikes are dried in sun for 4-5 days until they are perfectly dry. The green to dry spike ratio is 10:1.5 by weight. The dried spikes have to be stored in moisture proof containers. Stem and roots are cleaned, cut into pieces of 2.5-5 cm length, dried in shade and marketed as piplamool. There are three grades of piplamool, based on the thickness. The commercial drug consists 0.5-2.5 cm long ,0.5-2.5 mm thick, cylindrical pieces dirty light brown in colour and peculiar odour with a pungent bitter taste, producing numbness to the tongue.

Properties and activity: The spike of long pepper contains 4-5% piperine, piplartin, piperolactam, N-isobutyl deca trans-2-trans-4-dienamide and piporadione alkaloides, besides 0.7 % essential oil. Roots gave the alkaloids piperine, piperlongumine (piplartine) and piperlonguminine; sesamine, methyl 3, 4, 5-trimethoxy cinnamate. Stem gave triacoutane 22, 23 - dihydrostigmasterol. Fruit essential oil contains piperidine, caryophyllene and sesquiterpene alcohol (Atal et al, 1975).

The root is plungent, hot, stomachic, laxative, anthelmintic and carminative. The fruit is sweetish, pungent, hot, stomachic, aphrodisiac, alterative, laxative, antidysenteric, emmenagogue, abortifacient, diuretic and tonic. The essential oil is antimicrobial and anthelmintic.

N-isobutyl-deca-trans-2-trans-4-dienamide is antitubercular.

Piperine is hypotensive, antipyretic, analeptic, and nerve stimulant (Warrier et al, 1995).... long pepper

Terminalia spp.

Combretaceae

The genus Terminalia includes a large group of medicinally valuable trees. They belong to the family Combretaceae.

The most important medicinal species of the genus Terminalia are the following.

1) T. arjuna (Roxb.ex DC) Wight & Arn.

San: Arjunah, Kakubhah;

Hin: Arjun, Kahu, Kahua;

Mal: Marutu, Nirmarutu, Venmarutu, Attumarutu, Pulamatti;

Tam: Attumarutu, Nirmarutu, Vellaimarutu, Marutu;

Kan: Maddi.

It is a large evergreen tree commonly found in Madhya Pradesh, Bihar and Peninsular and India. It has buttressed trunk and spreading crown with drooping branches. Bark is smooth, grey outside and flesh coloured inside, flaking off in large flat pieces. Leaves are simple, sub-opposite, oblong or elliptic, coriaceous, crenulate, pale dull green above, pale brown beneath, often unequal sided, nerves 10-15 pairs and reticulate. Flowers are white, arranged in panicles of spikes with linear bracteoles. Fruits are ovoid or oblong with 5-7 short, hard angles or wings, the lines on the wings oblique and curving upward (Warrier et al 1996).

The bark is useful in fractures, ulcers, urethrorrhoea, leucorrhoea, diabetes, vitiated conditions of pitta, anaemia, cardiopathy, fatigue, asthma, bronchitis, tumours, internal and external haemorrhages, cirrhosis of the lever and hypertension. It is used in fractures and the powdered bark is taken with milk. The bark powder is diuretic and has a general tonic effect in cases of cirrhosis of liver. The bark has been considered by the ayurvedic physicians as well as by modern practitioners as a cardiac tonic. It is given as a decoction with milk (NRF, 1998). In Ayurveda, “Arjunaghrita” and “Arjunarishta” are two important cardiotonic preparations of this drug.

Fruits contain flavanones - arjunone and 5,7,2’, 4’ - tetramethoxy flavone and a chalcone - cerasidin. Other constituents are -sitosterol, friedelin, methyloleanolate, gallic acid, ellagic acid and arjunic acid. Bark gave a triterpene arjungenin, triterpene glucosides I, II and III. Stem bark gave flavones - baicalein and arjunolone characterised as 6,4’ - dihydraxy - 7-methoxy flavone. Stem bark yields oxalic acid and tannins besides complex glycosides (Bhatra et al, 1980). Bark is alexertic, styptic, antidysenteric, astringent, antiasthmatic, febrifuge, expectorant, cardiotonic aphrodisiac and diuretic. Fruit is deobstruent. Stem-bark is CVS and CNS active, diuretic and abortifacient. Aerial part is CNS depressant and semen coagulant.

2) T. alata Heyne ex Roth. Syn. T. tomentosa (Roxb. Ex. Dc.) W & A.

San: Dharaphala, Saradru, Sajada;

Hin. Ain;

Ben: Asan, Paishal;

Mal: Tehmbara;

Tam: Karramarda, Karu Murutha, Marudam, Pudavam.

This tree is distributed in Himalaya from Kangra eastwords to Goalpara in Assam and southwards throughout the Peninsular India, upto 1200 m. The bark of the tree is widely used in ulcers, fractures, bronchitis and diarrhoea. Hydrolysis of the gum gives oligosaccharides, disaccharides and monosaccharides. Leaves and fruits give -sitosterol. Bark is diuretic, antihaemorrhagic, styptic, cardiotonic and semen coagulant.

3) T. bellirica (Craertn.) Roxb.

San: Aksha, Anilaghanaka, Baheduka, Harya, Kalinda;

Hin: Bulla, Sagona;

Ben: Bahera, Baheri;

Tam: Akkam, Kalanduri, Tani;

Tel: Bhutavasamu Tadi, Tandra, Vibhutakamu.

Belliric Myrobalan is distributed throughout India, upto 900 m. Its bark is used in anaemia and leucoderma. The fruit is used in bronchitis, strangury, sore throat, diseases of eye, nose, heart and bladder, hoarseness and piles. It forms an important constituent of the ayurvedic drug ‘triphala’. Furits contain -sitosterol, gallic and ellagic acids, ethyl gallate, galloyl glucose, chebulagic acid and a cardiac glucoside bellaricanin. Alcoholic extract of the fruit possesses bile-stimulating activity. Alcoholic extract, 30 mg/kg does not affect blood pressure and respiration, but a higher dose of 60 mg/kg produces a fall in blood pressure. Furit has anticancerous and flower has spermicidal activity. Bark is mild diuretic. Fruit is astringent, antidropsical, antileprotic, antiinflammatory, antidiarrhoeal, antibilious, stomachic, antiasthmatic, tonic, anticephalgic, bechic, anthelmintic and attenuant. Kernel is narcotic. Semi -ripe fruit is purgative. Gum is demulcent (Husain et al, 1992)

4) T. bialata steud.

White Chugalam or silver grey wood is a common tree of Andaman Islands. Its bark is used as a cardiac stimulant.

5) T. Catappa Linn.

San: Grahadruma;

Hin: Badam;

Ben: Bangla Badam:

Tam: Natuvdom, Vadhamkottai;

Tel: Vedam, Voda Movettilla; Mar: Jangli Badama, Nat Badam.

Indian Almond or Tropical Almond is a popular tree cultivated throughout the warmer parts of India including Andaman Islands and other adjacent island. Oil from the kernel is a substitute for almond oil. The leaf is used in scabies and colic. Husk and endocarp contain tannins and pentosans. Oil from kernel contains oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids. Heart wood and stem bark contains -sitosterol and its palmitate. Heartwood in addition contains terminolic acid and triterpenic methyl esters. The aerial part of the plant is diuretic. The bark is astringent, mild diuretic, cardiotonic and antidysenteric. Leaf is sudorific, antirheumatic, antileprotic and anticephalalgic.

6) T. Coriacea (Roxb.) syn. T. tomentosa (Roxb. ex. DC.) W. & A. var. coriacea (Roxb.) C. B. Clarke

Tam: Anaimikkuvam, Sadagam;

Kan: Banapu;

Tel: Tani.

Leathery Murdah is a tree commonly used as a cardiac stimulant. It is widely distributed in the drier and warmer parts of Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu upto 1350 m and in Central India. Its bark is mainly used as a cardiac stimulant and in atonic diarrhoea and callous ulcer. It is also CVS active.

7) T. myriocarpa Heurck. & Muell. Arg.

Ben: Panisaj; Ass: Hollock, Jhalna.

Hollock is a tree of the Himalayas widely distributed from Nepal to Arunachal Pradesh and in Assam at 1000 m. The bark is cardiac stimulant and mild diuretic. Bark give -sitosterol, fructose and 4,4’,5,5’,6,6’ - hexadydroxy diphenic acid dilactone. Bark also contains tannis - ellagic, gallic, chebulinic and chebulagic acids.

8) T. Pallida Brandis.

Tam: Vellai Kadukkay;

Tel: Tella Karaka, Velama Karka.

The plant is distributed throughout south India, upto 600m. Its bark is a mild diuretic.

9) T. Paniculata Roth.

Mal: Marutu, Pe Marutu, Ven Marutu;

Tam: Pei Kadukai, Ven Maruthu, Ilai Kadukkay, Marudu, Pullatti;

Tel: Nimiri, Pulamaddi, Putamanu, Pulanallamanu;

Kan: Maruva, Matti.

Flowering Murdah is a tree which is widely used in opium poisoning. It is distributed in the Western and Eastern Ghats, upto 1200m. The bark is used in parotitis and flowers in opium poisioning. Heart wood give 3, 3’-0-di-methylellagic acid and 3,4,3’0-trimethyl flavellagic acid, -sitosterol, an uncharacterized triterpene carboxylic acid; a glycoside -3,3’ di-0 - methyl ellagic acid - 4 - monoglucoside and 0 - penta methyl flavellogic acid. The stem bark is anticancerous, diuretic, cardiotonic CVS active and shows antagonism of amphetamine hyperactivity. Flower is anticholerin (Husain et al, 1992)

10) Terminalia chebula Retz. Syn. Myrobalanus chebula (Retz.) Gaertner

Eng: Chebulic myrobalan;

San,

Ben: Haritaki;

Hindi:Harara, Harir,

Har; Mal:Kadukka; Ass:Hilikha; Kan:Alale;

Mar:Habra,

Hirada;

Ori:Harida;

Guj: Hirdo;

Pun:Helela;

Tam:Amagola;

Tel: Karaka

Chebulic myrobalan is a medium deciduous tree, the fruit of which is a common constituent of “Triphala” capable of imparting youthful vitality and receptivity of mind and sense. It is a major constituent in the ayurvedic preparations like Abhayarishta, Abhaya modak, Haritaki khand, Triphaladi churnam and Agastya rasayanam. In allopathy it is used in astringent ointments. In unani system, it is used as a blood purifier. The pulp of the fruit is given in piles, chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, costiveness, flatulence, asthma, urinary disorders, vomiting, hiccup, intestinal worms, ascites and enlarged spleen and liver. Powder of the fruit is used in chronic ulcers and wounds, carious teeth and bleeding ulceration of the gums. The bark is a good cardiac tonic. The fruit is valuable for its tannins and dyes. The wood is used for building purposes, agricultural implements, plywood and match box industries. It is also grown as a shade tree.

The plant is found throughout India chiefly in deciduous forests, on dry slopes upto 900m especially in Bengal, Tamil Nadu, West coast and Western Ghats. The plant is also reported in Sri Lanka, Nepal and Burma.

Terminalia chebula Retz. syn. Myrobalanus chebula (Retz.) Gaertner comes under family Combretaceae. It is a medium sized deciduous tree with a cylindrical bole, rounded crown, spreading branches with dark brown bark and brownish gray heartwood. Leaves are simple, alternate or subopposite, ovate or elliptic ovate with short petioles bearing 2 glands below the blades. Flowers pale yellow or white in 4-10cm long axillary spikes. Calyx tube hairy pale yellow and 5 lobed; no petals. Stamens consist of 10 filaments subulate, anthers small; ovary inferior, 1-celled with 2-3 pendulous ovule. Fruit is a drupe, ovoid glossy, glabrous, faintly angled and yellow to orange brown in colour. Seeds are hard and pale yellow.

Kernel oil of Chebulic myrobalan contains 6 fatty acids viz. Palmitic, stearic, oleic, linoleic, arachidic and behenic acid. The fruits contain chebulinic acid, tannic acid, gallic acid, chebulin and tannin. Leaves contain terpenes and saponins and -sitosterol is present in the bark (Beri, 1970; Khalique and Nizamuddin, 1972; Miglani and Chawla, 1974). Fruits are astringent, purgative, tonic, carminative, alternative and antispasmodic. Flowers and fruits are antiviral and hypoglycaemic. Wood is oxytocic and hypothermic (Husain et al, 1992).

Agrotechnology: Terminalia species are, in general, subtropical trees. Young plants prefer shade while the matured plants tolerate light frost and drought. It grows well in hilly areas. This is propagated by seeds. Natural multiplication happens rarely due to the poor seeds germination. Seeds soaked in water for 48 hours before sowing in seedbeds which should be covered with straw after sowing. It is watered immediately. Usually it takes 3-5 months to germinate. It can be transferred to polybags at two-leaf stage. One-year-old seedlings are ready for transplanting. For transplanting, pits are made of 50cm cube at a spacing of 4m. Organic manure, added regularly, promotes growth. Irrigation is required during first year. Weeds should be removed regularly. This plant grows slowly. It fruits within 6-7 years. This is continued for many years. It is coppiced well. Fruits are collected immediately after falling down or covered with soil to protect it from pests. Fruits dried well in sun and used or stored. The hard seed coat is removed before sowing.... terminalia

DC.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Peninsular India.

Ayurvedic: Brahmadandi.

Action: Antiseptic (used in leucoderma), nervine tonic (used in seminal debility), urinary tract disinfectant. Root—bechic.

The plant contains betulin, spinas- terol, stigmasterol, stigma-7-enol and a triterpenoid—cycloart-23-en-3beta, 25-diol.... tricholepis glaberrima

Heracleum brunonis benth, (umbellifera). Contains coumarins. Related to Angelica.

Action. Photosensitiser, antifungal, tuberculostatic. (Journal of Natural Products 1987, 50(5), pp997-8) Uses. Leucoderma. Vitiligo. Reputed fading of coloured areas of skin. ... cow parsley, himalayan

Abelmoschus moschatus

Malvaceae

San: Latakasturika Hin, Guj,

Ben: Mushkdana Mal: Kasthurivenda Mar: Kasthuri- bhendi

Tel: Kasturi benda

Tam: Varttilaikasturi

Kan: Kasturi bende Ass: Gorukhiakorai

Importance: Ambrette, also popularly known as musk or Muskmallow, is an erect annual herb which yields musk-like scented seeds and woos everybody through its sensuous musky fragrance. Every part of this medicinal plant is used in one or the other way. Seeds are effective aphrodisiac and antispasmodic, and used in tonics. They check vomiting and cure diseases due to kapha and vata and are useful in treating intestinal disorders, urinary discharge, nervous disorders, hysteria, skin diseases, snake bites, pruritus, leucoderma and general debility. Flower infusion is contraceptive. The leaves and roots are used for gonorrhoea and to treat boils and swellings.

Ambrette oil of commerce is extracted from the seeds and is used in perfumery, flavouring, cosmetic and agarbathi industries. The essential oil is employed in non-alcoholic beverages, ice-creams, candies and baked foods. The aromatic concrete and absolute, extracted from seeds are used as base material for preparing high grade perfumes, scents and cosmetics. It is also known for exalting, amplifying and diffusing effects it imparts to perfumes. It blends well with rose, neroli, and sandal wood oil and aliphatic aldehydes.

The flowers are in great demand for making ‘zarda’ a flavoured tobacco in India. The seeds are mixed with tea and coffee for flavour. The seed is rich in essential amino acids and is used as cattle or poultry feed. The stem bark yields a good quality fibre. Seeds are used to protect woollen garments against moth and it imparts a musky odour to sachets, hair powder, panmasala and incense. Its tender shoots are used in soups, green pods as vegetable and seed husk in flower arrangements. From perfumes to panmasalas and tonics, it is the musky musk all the way. In addition to internal consumption, its seeds are exported to Canada, France and UK because of its diversified uses (Srinivasan et al, 1997).

Distribution: The musk plant is a native of India and it grows in the tropical subtropical and hilly regions of the country; particularly in the states of Maharashta, Gujarat, Madhyapresh, Tamil Nadu and Kerala. More than 50 collections of the plant are maintained by the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR), New Delhi and its regional station in Akola, Maharashtra.

Botany: Abelmoschus moschatus Medicus syn. Hibiscus abelmoshus Linn. belongs to Family Malvaceae. Muskmallow is an erect annual or biennial hirsute or hispid herb of 60-180 cm height. The leaves are simple polymorphous, usually palmately 3-7 lobed; lobes narrow, acute or oblong-ovate, crenate, serrate or irregularly toothed, hairy on both surfaces. Flowers are large and bright yellow with purple centre. Fruits are fulvous, hairy and capsular. Seeds are many, subreniform, black or greyish - brown and musk scented (Husain et al, 1992).

Agrotechnology: Ambrette is a hardy plant which can be grown in varied climate under tropical and subtropical conditions. It can be grown both as a rainfed crop and as an irrigated crop. It grows on well drained loamy and sandy loam soils. Loamy soils with neutral pH and plenty of organic matter are ideal for its cultivation.

Musk of propagated through seeds. The optimum time of sowing is June-July with pre- monsoon showers. The land is prepared well by ploughing, harrowing and levelling. Well decomposed FYM or compost is incorporated into the soil at 10 - 15 t/ha. Ridges and furrows are formed giving a spacing of 60 - 100 cm. Seed rate is 2-3 kg/ha. Seeds are soaked in water before sowing for 24 hours. Two to three seeds are sown per hole at 60 cm spacing on one side of the ridge at a depth of 1 cm and covered with a pinch of sand or loose soil. It takes 5-7 days for proper germination. After germination, extra seedlings are thinned out leaving one healthy growing plant per hole within 20 days. Fertilisers are applied at 120:40:40 kg N, P2O5, K2O/ha generally. However, a dose 160:80:80 kg/ha is recommended for best yields of seed and oil. Phosphorus is applied fully as basal. N and K are applied in 3 equal doses at planting, 2 and 4 months after planting. Fertilizers are applied 10 cm away from the plants. For irrigated crop, field is irrigated soon after sowing. Irrigation is given twice a week during the initial period and once a week thereafter. The field is kept weed free by regular weeding during the growing period (Farooqi and Khan, 1991).

Musk plants suffer from pests like spider mites, fruit bores and leaf eating caterpillars. Diseases like powdery mildew and wilt are also observed on the plant. Spider mites and powdery mildew are controlled by spraying 30g wettable sulphur in 10 litres of water. Pod borers can be controlled by spraying 20ml oxydemeton methyl in 10 litres of water.

The crop starts flowering about 75 days after sowing. The flowers set into fruits in 3-4 days and the pods take nearly a month to mature. Flowering and fruit setting extends from October to April. Harvesting is arduous. Fruits have to be plucked as soon as they attain black colour; otherwise, they split and seeds scatter. Therefore, weekly collection of pods is necessary and in all 20-25 pluckings may be required as it is a 170-180 days duration crop. The fruits are further dried and threshed to separate seeds. The seed yield is 1-1.5 /ha

Postharvest technology:. The oil is extracted from seed by steam distillation followed by solvent extraction.

The concrete of solvent extraction is further extracted with alcohol to get the absolute, that is, the alcohol soluble volatile concentrate.

Properties and activity: The fatty oil of seeds contain phospholipids as 2 - cephalin, phosphatidylserine and its plasmalogen and phosphatidyl choline plasmalogen. Absolute contains farnesol and ambrettolic acid lactone. - sitosterol and its - d - glucosides are isolated from leaves. Petals contain -sitosterol, flavonoid myricetin and its glucoside. Anthocyanins like cyanidin - 3 - sambubioside and cyanidin - 3 - glucoside are present in the flowers. (Chopra and Nayar, 1980) Seeds are aphrodisiac, antispasmodic, diuretic, demulcent, antiseptic, stomachic, tonic, carminative, antihysteric, antidiarrhoeal, ophthalmic, cardiac and antivenum.... ambrette

(Linn.) Delile,

Synonym: B. roxburghii Planch.

Family: Simaroubaceae; Balani- taceae.

Habitat: Drier parts of India, particularly in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh and Deccan.

English: Desert Date.

Ayurvedic: Ingudi, Angaar Vrksha, Taapasadrum, Taapasa vrksha, Dirghkantaka.

Unani: Hingan, Hanguul.

Siddha/Tamil: Nanjunda.

Folk: Hingol, Hingota, Hingothaa.

Action: Seed—expectorant, bechic. Oil—antibacterial, antifungal. Fruit—used in whooping cough; also in leucoderma and other skin diseases. Bark—spasmolytic.

The plant is reported to be a potential source of diosgenin (used in oral contraceptives). The fruit pulp contains steroidal saponins. The dios- genin content of the fruit varies from 0.3 to 3.8%. Aqueous extract of fruits showed spermicidal activity without local vaginal irritation in human up to 4%; sperms became sluggish on contact with the plant extract and then became immobile within 30 s; the effect was concentration-related.

Protracted administration of the fruit pulp extract produced hypergly- caemia-induced testicular dysfunction in dogs. An aqueous extract of meso- carp exhibited antidiabetic activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetes in mice.

The seed contains balanitins, which exhibit cytostatic activity.

Dosage: Leaf, seed, bark, fruit— 50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... balanites aegyptiaca

(L.) Voss.

Synonym: B. arundinaceae (Retz.) Roxb.

Arundo bambos L.

Family: Gramineae; Poaceae.

Habitat: Wild throughout India, especially in the hill forests of Western and Southern India.

English: Spiny or Thorny Bamboo.

Ayurvedic: Vansha, Venu, Kichaka, Trinadhwaj, Shatparvaa, Yavphala. Vanshalochana, Vansharochanaa, Shubhaa, tugaa, Tugaakshiri, Tvak- kshiri (Bamboo-manna). Starch of Curcuma angustifolia Roxb., Zingiberaceae, was recommended a substitute for Vanshalochana (Ayurvedic Formularly of India, Part I, First edn).

Unani: Qasab, Tabaashir (Bamboo- manna).

Siddha/Tamil: Moongil; Moongilup- pu, (Bambo-manna.)

Action: Leaf bud and young shoots—used in dysmenorrhoea; externally in ulcerations. Leaf—em- menagogue, antileprotic, febrifuge, bechic; used in haemoptysis. Stem and leaf—blood purifier (used in leucoderma and inflammatory conditions). Root—poisonous. Burnt root is applied to ringworm, bleeding gums, painful joints. Bark—used for eruptions. Leaf and Bamboo-manna—emmena- gogue. Bamboo-manna—pectoral, expectorant, carminative, cooling, aphrodisiac, tonic (used in debilitating diseases, urinary infections, chest diseases, cough, asthma).

The plant gave cyanogenic glu- coside—taxiphyllin. Bamboo-manna contains silicious crystalline substances.

The starch obtained from Maranta arundinacea Linn., Marantaceae, is also used as Bamboo-manna (known as Koovai Kizhangu, Kookaineer and Araroottu Kizangu in Siddha medicine).

Dosage: Manna—1-3 g (CCRAS.)... bambusa bambos

Linn.

Cassia absus Linn.

Family: Caesalpiniaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India.

Ayurvedic: Chakshushyaa, Aranya- kulathhikaa, Kataka.

Unani: Chaaksu.

Siddha/Tamil: Muulaipalyirai, Kaattukollu.

Folk: BanKulathi.

Action: Seed—bitter, blood-purifier, astringent, stimulant, diuretic. Used topically for leucoderma, ringworm, venereal ulcers and other skin diseases. Roots—purgative.

Seeds gave sitosterol-beta-D-gluco- side and alkaloids—chaksine and iso- chaksine. Chaksine is found to be antibacterial against Micrococcus pyo- genes var. aureus and Streptococcus haemolyticus. It stimulates contraction of different tissues of plain muscles, like uterus, intestine, bladder, and muscles in blood vessels. It depresses the parasympathetic nerve- endings of certain organs like intestine

Family: Caesalpiniaceae.

Habitat: Native to the West Indies. Found wild almost throughout India.

English: Ringworm Cassia.

Ayurvedic: Dadrughna, Dadrumar- dana.

Siddha: Malanthakerai, Seemai agathi (Tamil).

Folk: Daadmaari.

Action: Leaf—used in skin diseases like herpes, blotch, eczema, mycosis (washerman's itch). Dried leaves— in leprosy. A strong decoction is used for ringworm, eczema and herpes. Leaves are also used as a purgative.

Young pods contain rhein, emodin and aloe-emodin. The antibacterial activity of the leaves is reported to be due to rhein. The roots contain an- thraquinone. Emodin, aloe-emodin and anthraquinone contribute to the purgative activity of the leaves and roots. Crushed leaves or roots are rubbed on to the skin to cure ringworm and to control Tinea imbricata, a skin fungus.... cassia alata

Bacopa monnieri

Scrophulariaceae

San: Brahmi, Sarasvati;

Hin: Barami, Jalnim;

Ben: Boihim-sak;

Mal: Brahmi , Nirbrahmi;

Tam: Nirpirami, Piramiyapundu; Kan, Mar: Nirbrahmi

Importance: Brahmi or Thyme leaved gratiola is an important drug in Ayurveda for the improvement of intelligence and memory and revitalisation of sense organs. It clears voice and improves digestion. It is suggested against dermatosis, anaemia, diabetes, cough, dropsy, fever, arthritis, anorexia, dyspepsia, emaciation, and insanity. It dispels poisonous affections, splenic disorders and impurity of blood. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, biliousness, neuralgia, ascites, flatulence, leprosy, leucoderma, syphilis, sterility and general debility. The whole plant is used in a variety of preparations like Brahmighrtam, Sarasvataristam., Brahmitailam, Misrakasneham, etc. In unani Majun Brahmi is considered as a brain tonic.

Distribution: The plant grows wild on damp places and marshy lands in the major part of the plains of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and other tropical countries.

Botany: Bacopa monnieri (Linn.) Pennell. syn. Monniera cuneifolia Michx., Herpestis monniera (Linn.) H.B. & K. belongs to the family Scrophulariaceae. It is a prostrate, juicy, succulent, glabrous annual herb rooting at the nodes with numerous ascending branches. Leaves are simple, opposite, decussate, sessile, obovate-oblong or spatulate, entire, fleshy, obscurely veined and punctate. Flowers are pale blue or whitish, axillary, solitary, arranged on long slender pedicels. Fruits are ovoid, acute, 2-celled, 2-valved capsules and tipped with style base. Seeds are minute and numerous (Warrier et al, 1993).

Agrotechnology: The plant grows throughout the warm humid tropics upto 1200m elevation. Brahmi gets established well in water logged fields. The plant is propagated vegetatively by stem cuttings. Land is prepared by ploughing 2 or 3 times. Two to three tonnes/ha of cowdung or compost is applied and the field is again ploughed and levelled. Stem cuttings, 10cm long are spread at a spacing of 20cm. Waterlogging to height of 30cm is always required. Rooting may start within 15-20 days. It will spread over the field within 6 months. Regular application of organic manure will take care of the manurial requirement. Weeding once in a month is required. Care should be taken to maintain water level at a height of 30cm during the growth period. No serious pests or diseases are noted in this crop. Harvesting commences from sixth months onwards. Brahmi leaves can be collected once a month. After 3 years, the whole crop is harvested and removed. Fresh cultivation can be carried out in the same field.

Properties and activity: Earlier workers have reported the isolation of the alkaloids brahmine and hespestine and a mixture of 3 alkaloids from the leaves. Mannitol and saponins were reported later. Subsequent work described isolation of some C27, C29, and C31 hydrocarbons and betulic acid from this plant material. A systematic examination has resulted in the isolation and identification of two saponins designated as bacosides A and B. Bacoside A has chemical structure represented as 3-(-L-arabinopyranosyl)-O- - D-glucopyranoside-10, 20-dihydroxy-16-ketodammar-24-ene. The mixture of bacosides A and B on hydrolysis give four sapogenins, glucose and arabinose. The constitution of bacogenin A, has been established as 3 -30-dihydroxy-20(5)-25-epoxy-22-methyl-24-nor-dammar-22-en-16-one. Bacogenin A2 has been shown to be an isomer of bacogenin A, differing in configuration at C-20. Bacogenin A4 has been identified as ebelin lactone.

The plant is reported to have shown barbiturate hypnosis potentiation effect. The plant is anticancerous and improves learning ability. It is used as a tranquilliser. The plant is astringent, bitter, sweet, cooling, laxative, intellect promoting, anodyne, carminative, digestive, antiinflammatory, anticonvulsant, depurative, cardiotonic, bronchodialator, diuretic, emmenagogue, sudorfic, febrifuge and tonic (Basu et al, 1947; Rastogi et al 1960).... brahmi

Willd.

Family: Celastraceae.

Habitat: Sub-Himalayan tract up to 2,000 m and South Indian hills.

English: Staff tree, Intellect tree.

Ayurvedic: Jyotishmati, Paaraavat- padi. Kangunikaa, Kanguni, Vegaa, Maalkaanguni, Svarnalatikaa, Kaakaandaki, Katuveekaa.

Unani: Maalkangani.

Siddha/Tamil: Vaaluluvai.

Action: Seeds—nervine and brain tonic, diaphoretic, febrifugal, emetic. Seed-oil—used for treating mental depression, hysteria and for improving memory; also used for scabies, eczema, wounds, rheumatic pains, paralysis. A decoction of seeds is given in gout, rheumatism, paralysis and for treating leprosy and other skin diseases. Leaves— antidysenteric, emmenagogue. Root—a paste of root-bark is applied to swollen veins and pneumonic affections.

Key application: As a tranquilizer (Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia) and brain tonic (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India). The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicated the use of ripe seed in leucoderma and vitiligo.

The seeds are reported to contain the alkaloids, celastrine and paniculatine, which are the active principles of the drug.

In experimental animals, the drug showed lowering of leptazol toxicity, motor activity and amphetamine toxi- city, and raising the capacity for learning process. It showed significant CNS depressant effect and a clear synergism with pentobarbital. The seed extract showed hypolipidaemic effect and prevented atherogenesis in rabbits.

The seed oil showed tranquillizing effect and hastened the process of learning in experimental animals. It produced fall in blood pressure in anaesthetized dog, depressed the heart of frog, and was found to be toxic to rats.

In addition to the seed, 70% alcoholic extract of the plant showed sedative, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic, anti-ulcerogenic effect in experimental animals.

Methanolic extract of flowers showed both analgesic and anti- inflammatory activities experimentally.

Dosage: Ripe seed, devoid of capsule wall—1-2 g; oil—5-15 drops. (API Vol. II.)... celastrus paniculatus

Acacia catechu

Mimosaceae

San:Khadirah;

Hin:Khair, Khaira;

Ben: Kuth;

Mal: Karingali;

Tam: Karunkali;

Tel: Sandra, Khandiramu;

Kan: Kaggali

Importance: Catechu is a medium deciduous tree commonly used as a blood purifier and for leoprosy and leucoderma. Catechu or Cutch tree bark is useful in melancholia, conjunctivitis and haemoptysis. It is useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and pitta, catarrh, cough, pruritus, leprosy, leucoderma, skin diseases, helminthiasis, anorexia, diarrhoea, dysentery, foul ulcers and wounds, haemoptysis, haematemesis, haemorrhages, intermittent fever, inflammations, odontopathy, anaemia, diabetes, splenomegaly and pharyngodyna. The gummy extract of the wood (kath) is useful in laryngopathy, flatulence, anorexia, ulcers, wounds, helminthiasis, leucoderma, leoprosy, skin diseases, urorrhea, colporrhagia, erysipelas and odontopathy. For leprosy, root, leaf, flower, bark and fruits are made into a decoction which is given orally as well as for external dressing. In Unani system it is used in “Marham Kharish Jadid” for skin diseases. “Khadirarisht” is an oral medicine, while “Marham” is for external application.

Distribution:It is widely distributed in tropical countries. In India, it is observed from the Indus eastwards to Assam and throughout Peninsular India.

Botany: The genus Acacia belonging to the family Mimosaceae consists of a number of species. The important ones are listed as below:

A. catechu Willd. A. caesia Willd. A. arabica Willd. A. concinna DC.

A. farnesiana Willd.

A. ferruginea DC.

A. instia W. & A. syn. A. caesia Willd.

A. jacquemontii Benth. A. leucophloea Willd. A. modesta Wall.

A. pinnata (Linn.) Willd.

A. pycnantha Benth.

A. senegal Willd.

A. suma Buch-Ham. syn. A. suma Kurz.

A. catechu is a moderate sized deciduous tree, 9-12m in height with dark greyish or brown rough bark and hooked short spines. Leaves are bipinnately compound, leaflets 30-50 pairs, main rachis pubescent with a large conspicuous gland near the middle of the rachis. Flowers are pale yellow, sessile in peduncled axiallary spikes. Fruits are flat brown pods, shiny and with a triangular beak at the apex and narrowed at the base. Seeds are 3-10 per pod.

The gummy extract of the wood is commercially known as ‘ Kath’ or ‘Cutch’. The cutch available in the market is brittle, of different shapes and dark brown in colour. On breaking, it is found to be shiny and form crystal like pieces (Warrier et al, 1993).

Agrotechnology: Catechu is suited to hilly areas and rocky places. The plant is propagated by seeds.

Seeds are soaked in water for 6 hours and sown in seedbeds. Seeds germinate within a month. At four-leaf stage, seedlings are planted in polybags. Two months old seedlings from the polybags are used for transplanting. Pits of size 50cm cube are taken at a distance of 4-5m between plants and filled with topsoil, sand and dried cowdung in 1:1:1 ratio. Seedlings are planted in these pits. Application of organic manure every year during the rainy season is beneficial. Regular weeding is to be carried out. Pruning of branches and tender shoots developing from the base of the plant can be done from second year onwards. Tree is to be grown as single stemmed one. Flowering and fruiting commences from fourth year onwards. At the end of tenth year, the tree can be cut and heartwood collected (Prasad et al, 1997).

Properties and Activity: Heartwood contains kaempferol, dihydro kaempferol, taxifolin, iso rhamnetin(+)- afzelchin, a dimeric procyanidin, quercetin, (-)epi-catechin, (-)catechin, fisetin, quercetagetin and (+)-cyanidanol. The main constituent of heartwood is catechin and catechu tannic acid. Catechin is a mixture of at least four isomers and L(-)epicatechin has been isolated and characterised (Rao et al,1948; Husain et al,1992).

The bark is anthelmintic, antipyretic, antiinflammatory and antileprotic. The flowers are antigonorrhoeic. The cutch from wood is anthelmintic, tonic and aphrodisiac. Bark and cutch are antidiarrhoeal, astringent and stomachic. Cyanidanol is hepatoprotective. The wood is hypoglycaemic, antiinflammatory and hypotensive. The stem is spasmolytic and antiviral (Husain et al, 1992).... catechu

Vahl ex DC.

Synonym: C. vahliana Farsen.

Family: Capparidaceae.

Habitat: Northwestern Rajasthan, Punjab plains and Delhi.

Unani: Panwaar.

Folk: Madhio (Rajasthan).

Action: Anti-inflammatory, antirheumatic, antidermatosis (used in scabies, also in leucoderma).

The plant contains trinortriterpe- noids and cabralealactone, besides ur- solic acid.... cleome brachycarpa

Coleus spp.

Lamiaceae

The genus Coleus of the family Lamiaceae (Labiatae) comprises a number of herbaceous medicinal plants which are particularly employed in home remedies for various ailments. Three species are most popular and commonly cultivated. They are Coleus aromaticus, C. vettiveroides and C. forkoshlii.

1. Coleus aromaticus Benth. syn. C. amboinicus Lour., Plectranthus amboinicus (Lour.) Spreng.

Eng: Country borage, Indian borage;

San: Karpuravalli, Sugandhavalakam;

Hin: Patharchur;

Ben: Paterchur;

Mal: Panikkurkka, kannikkurkka;

Tam: Karpuravalli;

Kan: karpurahalli;

Tel: Sugandhavalkam.

It is found through out the tropics and cultivated in homestead gardens. It is a large succulent aromatic perennial herb with hispidly villous or tomentose fleshy stem. Leaves are simple, opposite, broadly ovate, crenate and fleshy. Flowers are pale purplish in dense whorls at distant intervals in a long slender raceme. Fruits are orbicular or ovoid nutlets. The leaves are useful in cephalagia, otalgia, anorexia, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, diarrhoea, cholera, halitosis, convulsions, epilepsy, cough, asthma, hiccough, bronchitis, strangury, hepatopathy and malarial fever (Warrier et al,1995).

2. Coleus vettiveroides K.C. Jacob, syn. Plectranthus vettiveroides (Jacob) Singh & Sharma.

San: Valakam, Hriberam;

Hin: Valak;

Mal: Iruveli;

Tam: Karuver;

Tel: Karuveru,

It is seen in tropical countries and cultivated in gardens. It is a small profusely branched, succulent aromatic herb with quadrangular stems and branches and deep straw coloured aromatic roots. Leaves are glandular hairy, broadly ovate with dentate margins and prominent veins on the bark. Blue flowers are borne on terminal racemes. Fruits are nutlets. The whole plant is useful in hyperdipsia, vitiated conditions of pitta, burning sensation, strangury, leprosy, skin diseases, leucoderma, fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, ulcers and as hair tonic.

3. Coleus forskohlii Briq. syn. C. barbatus Benth.

Hin: Garmai

Kan: Maganiberu, Makandiberu

Guj: Maimul

It is a perennial aromatic herb grown under tropical to temperate conditions for its carrot-like tubers which are used as condiments in the preparation of pickles. Its tuberous roots are an exclusive source of a diterpenoid forskolin which has the unique property of activating almost all hormone sensitive adenylate cyclase enzymes in a biological system. It is useful in the treatment of congestive heart failure, glaucoma, asthma, cancer and in preventing immature greying of hair (Hegde,1997).

Agrotechnology: The Coleus group of plants grows in tropical to subtropical situations and in warm temperate climatic zone on mountains of India, Nepal, Burma, Sri Lanka, Thailand and Africa. It comes up well on the sun exposed dry hill slopes from 300m to 1800m altitude. A well drained medium fertile soil is suitable for its cultivation. it is propagated vegetatively through stem and root cuttings. Vine cuttings to a length of 10-15cm from the top portion are most ideal for planting. The land is ploughed or dug to a depth of 15-20cm and ridges are formed 30cm apart. Vine cuttings are planted on the ridges at 30cm spacing after incorporating basal manure. 10t of FYM and NPK at 50:50:50kg/ha are incorporated into the soil. Top dressing of N and K is also suggested for improved yields. Weeding and earthing up at 45 days after planting along with topdressing is highly beneficial. Bacterial wilt and root knot nematode are reported in the crop. Drenching the soil with fungicide, deep ploughing in the summer, burning of crop residues and crop rotation are helpful to tide over the disease and pest problem. The crop can be harvested after 5-6 months.

Properties and activity: The medicinal property of Coleus amboinicus is attributed to codeine, carvacrol, flavones, aromatic acids and tannins present in the plant. The essential oil from the plant contains carvacrol, ethyl salicylate, thymol, eugenol and chavicol. Leaves also contain cirsimaritin, -sitosterol- -D-glucoside and oxalacetic acid. Leaves are bitter, acrid, thermogenic, aromatic, anodyne, appetising, digestive, carminative, stomachic, anthelmintic, constipating, deodorant, expectorant, diuretic and liver tonic.

Coleus vettiveroides is bitter, cooling, diuretic, trichogenous and antipyretic.

Coleus forskohlii roots are rich in diterpenoids like forskolin, coleonols, coleons, barbatusin, cyclobutatusin, coleosol, coleol, coleonone, deoxycoleonol, 7-deacetylforskolin and 6-acetyl-7-deacetylforskolin. Its root is spasmolytic, CNS active, hypothermic and diuretic. Forskolin is bronchodialative and hypotensive (Hussain et al,1992). Forskolin is also useful in preventing the clotting of blood platelets, in reducing intraocular pressure in glaucoma and as an aid to nerve regeneration following trauma (Sharma, 1998)... coleus

(Linn.) Swingle.

Synonym: F. elephantum Corr.

Family: Rutaceae.

Habitat: Indigenous to South India; cultivated throughout the plains of India up to 500 m in the western Himalaya.

English: Wood Apple.

Ayurvedic: Kapittha, Dadhittha, Dadhiphala, Surabhichhada, Dantshatha, Kapipriya.

Unani: Kuvet.

Siddha/Tamil: Vilamaram, Vilangai, Narivila.

Folk: Kaith.

Action: Fruit—antiscorbutic, carminative, stimulates the digestive system bark. Pulp is included in a paste to tone the breast. Leaves— astringent; used for indigestion, flatulence, diarrhoea, dysentery and haemorrhoids.

Unripe fruit—prescribed in sprue, malabsorption syndrome. (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.)

The leaves and stem bark contain the coumarins, luvangetin, xanthotoxin and limonin and the steroids, sitosterol and sitosterol-O-beta-D-glucoside.

Antifungal compounds, psoralene from stem bark; xanthotoxin and os- thenol from root bark and 2,6-dimeth- oxybenzo-quinone from the fruit shell are reported. Roots contain xanthotoxin and bergapten, used for the treatment of leucoderma, characterized by vitiligo.

Dosage: Dried pulp of mature fruit—1-3 g powder. (API Vol. II.)... feronia limonia

Linn. f.

Synonym: F. daemona Koen. ex Vahl. F. Oppositifolia Roxb.

Family: Moraceae.

Habitat: Outer Himalaya from Chenab eastwards to West Bengal Assam, Central and South India and the Andaman Islands.

Ayurvedic: Kaakodumbara, Kaashtodumbara, Phalgu, Malayu, Malapu.

Unani: Anjir Dashti.

Siddha/Tamil: Peyatti, Chona Atthi.

Action: Syconium—galactagogue. Bark and seed—purgative, emetic.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the fruit in jaundice, oedema and anaemia; fruit and root in leucoderma, vitiligo.

The fruits, seeds and bark contain beta-sitosterol, beta-amyrin, n- triacontanyl acetate, gluacol acetate, hispidin, a phenanthraindolizidine alkaloid, bergapten and psoralen. A leu- cocyanin has been isolated from the root; oleanolic acid from the leaves.

Dosage: Fruit—10-20 g; root—1- 3 g powder. (API Vol. III.)... ficus hispida

(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

Allium sativum

Liliaceae

San: Lasunah, Rasonah;

Hin:Lasun, Lahasun;

Ben: Lashan;

Mal: Vellulli;

Kan: Belluli;

Tam: Vellaipuntu; Mar: Lasunas; Ass: Naharu; Tel:Vellulli, Tella-gadda;

Guj: Lasan

Importance: Garlic is one of the important bulb crops used as a spice or condiment with medicinal value throughout the world. It possesses high nutritive value. Its preparations are useful in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, cough, whooping cough, bronchitis, asthma, fever, facial paralysis, flatulence, colic, constipation, atonic dyspepsia, helminthiasis, duodenal ulcers, pulmonary and laryngeal tuberculosis, opthalmopathy, cardiopathy, fatigue, leucoderma, leprosy, hysteria, haemorrhoids, sciatica, otalgia, lumbago, swellings, splenopathy, hepatopathy, pneumonopathy, anthralgia, sore eyes, ear ache and dental caries (Kumar et al, 1997).

Distribution: Garlic is a native of Southern Europe and it is cultivated all over the world.. It is grown throughout India; Gujarat and Orissa being the leading states.

Botany: The genus Allium of Liliaceae family comprises a number of species. The important ones are the following:

A. sativum Linn. syn. A. porrum Linn.

A. cepa Linn.

A. ampeloprasum Linn.

A. ascalonicum Linn. A. leptophyllum Wall. A. macleanii Baker.

A. schoenoprasum Linn.

A. tuberosum Roxb.

Allium sativum is a scapigerous foetid perennial medicinal herb with underground compound bulbs covered over by outer white thin scales and with simple smooth, round stem, surrounded at the bottom by tubular leaf sheath. The leaves are simple, long, flat and linear. The flowers are small and white arranged in rounded umbels mixed with small bulbils. The entire umbel is enclosed in a tear-drop-shaped membranous spathe. Flowers are usually sterile (Warrier et al, 1993).

Agrotechnology: Garlic can be grown under a wide range of climatic conditions. It prefers moderate temperature in summer as well as in winter. Short days are very favourable for the formation of bulbs. Garlic requires well drained loamy soils rich in humus, with fairly good content of potash. Garlic is propagated by cloves or bulblets. In the hills, sowing is done in April and May. Types with bold and compact cloves and thick white covering sheath are preferred for planting. Ootty-1 garlic is an improved variety by clonal selection released from TNAU, Coimbatore. Garlic may be broadcast, planted in furrows or dibbled at the rate of 150-200kg cloves/ha. In furrow planting, cloves are dropped 7.5-10cm apart in furrows 15cm deep and covered lightly with loose soil. Cloves may be dibbled 5 to 7.5cm deep and 7.5cm apart in rows which are 15cm apart with their growing end upwards and then covered with loose soil. A basal dose of 60kg N and 50kg each of P2O5 and K2O are applied along with 25t/ha of FYM. 60kg N is given as topdressing 45 days after planting. First irrigation is given immediately after sowing and subsequent irrigations are given at 10-15 days interval depending upon the soil moisture availability. The last irrigation should be given 2-3 days before harvesting to facilitate easy harvest and minimum damage to bulbs. First weeding and hoeing is to be done at one mo nth after sowing followed by a second weeding one month after first interculture. Hoeing at about two and a half months from sowing loosens the soil and helps in setting of bigger and well-filled bulbs. Garlic is attacked by Thrips tabacii which causes withering of leaves. Application of methyl demeton 25EC or dimethoate 30EC at 1ml/l will check the pest incidence. Leaf spot caused by Alternaria solanii can be controlled by spraying Dithane M.45 at fortnightly intervals at 2.5g/l of water. Garlic is harvested when the tops turn yellowish or brownish and show signs of drying up. The plants are uprooted, tied into small bundles and kept in shade for 2-3 days for curing. Average yield of garlic is 6-8t/ha. (Kumar et al, 1997.)

Properties and activity: Garlic bulb is reported to contain volatile oil, alliin (S-allyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide), S-methyl-L-cysteine sulfoxide and allinase. It is rich in vitamins like thiamine, riboflavine and niacin. Volatile oil contains allicin (diallyl thiosulphinate), an active odour principle of garlic. Other major compounds present are diallyl disulphide, diallyl trisulphide, allyl methyl trisulphide and allyl methyl disulphide (Husain et al., 1992).

Garlic bulb is antirheumatic, stimulant, diaphoretic, expectorant, diuretic, antispasmodic, astringent, antiparalytic, antileprotic, aperient, febrifuge, carminative, stomachic, alterative and emmenagogue. The essential oil is hypocholestrolemic, hypotensive, antitumour and antidiabetic. Diallyl disulphide and diallyl trisulphide from essential oil have larvicidal action. Bulbs also have anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal activity.... garlic

Ammi majus

Apiaceae

Importance: Greater Ammi, also known as Bishop’s weed or Honey plant is an annual or biennial herb which is extensively used in the treatment of leucoderma (vitiligo) and psoriasis. The compounds responsible for this are reported to be furocoumarins like ammoidin (xanthotoxin), ammidin (imperatorin) and majudin (bergapten) present in the seed. Xanthotoxin is marketed under the trade name “Ox soralen” which is administered orally in doses of 50 mg t.d. or applied externally as 1% liniment followed by exposure of affected areas to sunlight or UV light for 2 hours. It is also used in “Suntan lotion”. Meladinine is a by-product of Ammi majus processing, containing both xanthotoxin and imperatorin sold in various formulations increases pigmentation of normal skin and induces repigmentation in vitiligo. Imperatorin has antitumour activity. Fruit or seed causes photosensitization in fouls and sheep.

Distribution: The plant is indigenous to Egypt and it grows in the Nile Valley, especially in Behira and Fayoom. It is also found in the basin of the Mediterranean Sea, in Syria, Palestine, Abyssinia, West Africa, in some regions of Iran and the mountains of Kohaz (Ramadan, 1982). It grows wild in the wild state in Abbottabad, Mainwali, Mahran and is cultivated in Pakistan. The crop was introduced to India in the Forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun, in 1955 through the courtesy of UNESCO. Since then, the crop has been grown for its medicinal fruit in several places in Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Kashmir and Tamil Nadu.

Botany: Ammi majus Linn. belongs to the family Apiaceae (Umbelliferae). A. visnaga is another related species of medicinal importance. A. majus is an annual or beinnial herb growing to a height of 80 to 120 cm. It has a long tap root, solid erect stem, decompound leaves, light green alternate, variously pinnately divided, having lanceolate to oval segments. Inflorescence is axillary and terminal compound umbels with white flowers. The fruits are ribbed, ellipsoid, green to greenish brown when immature, turning reddish brown at maturity and having a characteristic terebinthinate odour becoming strong on crushing with extremely pungent and slightly bitter taste.

Agrotechnology: Ammi is relatively cold loving and it comes up well under subtropical and temperate conditions. It does not prefer heavy rainfall. Though the plant is biennial it behaves as an annual under cultivation in India. A mild cool climate in the early stages of crop growth and a warm dry weather at maturity is ideal. It is cultivated as a winter annual crop in rabi season. A wide variety of soils from sandy loam to clay loam are suitable. However, a well drained loamy soil is the best. Waterlogged soils are not good. Being a hardy crop, it thrives on poor and degraded soils.

The plant is seed propagated. Seeds germinate within 10-12 days of sowing. The best time of sowing is October and the crop duration is 160-170 days in north India. Crop sown later gives lower yield. The crop can be raised either by direct sowing of seed or by raising a nursery and then transplanting the crop. Seed rate is 2 kg/ha. The land is brought to a fine tilth by repeated ploughing and harrowing. Ridges and furrows are then formed at 45-60 cm spacing. Well decomposed FYM at 10-15 t/ha and basal fertilisers are incorporated in the furrows. Seeds being very small are mixed with fine sand or soil, sown in furrows and covered lightly with a thin layer of soil. A fertilizer dose of 80:30:30 kg N, P2O5 and K2O/ha is generally recommended for the crop while 150:40:40 kg/ha is suggested in poor soils for better yields. The furocoumarin content of Ammi majus is increased by N fertiliser and the N use efficiency increases with split application of N at sowing, branching and at flowering. For obtaining high yields it is essential to give one or two hoeings during November to February which keeps down the weeds. If winter rains fail, one irrigation is essential during November to January. As the harvesting season is spread over a long period of time, two irrigations during March and April meets the requirements of the crop (Chadha and Gupta, 1995).

White ants and cut worms are reported to attack the crop which can be controlled by spraying the crop with 40g carbaryl in 10 l of water. Damping off and powdery mildew are the common diseases of the crop. Seed treatment with organomercuric compounds is recommended for damping off. To control powdery mildew the crop is to be sprayed with 30g wettable sulphur in 10 l of water whenever noticed.

The crop flowers in February. Flowering and maturity of seed is spread over a long period of two months. The primary umbels and the early maturing secondary umbels are the major contributors to yield. A little delay in harvesting results in the shattering of the seed which is the main constraint in the commercial cultivation of the crop and the main reason for low yields in India. Sobti et al (1978) have reported increased yield by 50 - 60% by the application of planofix at 5 ppm at flower initiation and fruit formation stages. The optimum time of harvest is the mature green stage of the fruit in view of the reduced losses due to shattering and maximum contents of furocoumarins. The primary umbels mature first within 35-45 days. These are harvested at an interval of 2-4 days. Later, the early appearing secondary umbels are harvested. Afterwards, the entire crop is harvested, stored for a couple of days and then threshed to separate the seeds. The seed yield is 900-1200 kg/ha.

Postharvest technology: The processing of seed involves solvent extraction of powdered seeds, followed by chilling and liquid extraction and chromatographic separation after treatment with alcoholic HCl. Bergapten, xanthotoxin and xanthotoxol can be separated. Xanthotoxol can be methylated and the total xanthotoxin can be purified by charcoal treatment in acetone or alcohol.

Properties and activity: Ammi majus fruit contains amorphous glucoside 1%, tannin 0.45%, oleoresin 4.76%, acrid oil 3.2%, fixed oil 12.92%, proteins 13.83% and cellulose 22.4%. This is one of the richest sources of linear furocoumarins. Ivie (1978) evaluated the furocoumarin chemistry of taxa Ammi majus and reported the presence of xanthotoxin, bergapten, imperatorin, oxypencedanin, heraclenin, sexalin, pabulenol and many other compounds. Furocoumarins have bactericidal, fungicidal, insecticidal, larvicidal, moluscicidal, nematicidal, ovicidal, viricidal and herbicidal activities (Duke, 1988).... greater ammi

Gymnema sylvestre

Asclepiadaceae

San: Mesasrngi, Madhunasini;

Hin: Gudmar, Merasimgi;

Ben: Merasingi;

Mal: Chakkarakolli, Madhunasini;

Tam: Sirukurumkay, Sakkaraikkolli;

Kan: Kadhasige;

Tel: Podapatra; Mar: Kavali

Importance: Gymnema, Australian Cowplant, Small Indian Ipecacuanha or Periploca of the woods is a woody climber. It is reported to cure cough, dyspnoea, ulcers, pitta, kapha and pain in the eyes. The plant is useful in inflammations, hepatosplenomegaly, dyspepsia, constipation, jaundice, haemorrhoids, strangury, renal and vesical calculi, helminthiasis, cardiopathy, cough, asthma, bronchitis, intermittent fever, amenorrhoea, conjuctivitis and leucoderma. The fresh leaves when chewed have the remarkable property of paralysing the sense of taste for sweet and bitter substance for some time (Warrier et al, 1995). The drug is described as a destroyer of madhumeha (glycosuria) and other urinary disorders. Root has long been reputed as a remedy for snakebite. Leaves triturated and mixed with castor oil are applied to swollen glands and enlargement of internal viscera as the liver and spleen (Nadkarni, 1954). The drug is used to strengthen the function of heart, cure jaundice, piles, urinary calculi, difficult micturition and intermittent fevers (Sharma,1983). The drug enters into the composition of preparations like Ayaskrti, Varunadi kasaya, Varunadighrtam, Mahakalyanakaghrtam, etc. They suppress the activity of taste of tongue for sweet taste and for this reason it was considered that it destroys sugar, hence the name Madhunashini or Gurmar and has been prescribed as an anti-diabetic. The crude drug as well as its dried aqueous extract is mainly used in bronchial troubles.

Distribution: It is a tropical climber. It mainly grows in Western Ghats, Konkan, Tamil Nadu and some parts of Bihar. The plant is cultivated in plains of India but the drug is mainly important from Afghanistan and Iran.

Botany: Gymnema sylvestre (Retz.)R. Br. syn. Asclepias germinata Roxb. belonging to the family Asclepiadaceae is a large, woody much branched climber with pubescent young parts. Leaves are simple, opposite, elliptic or ovate, more or less pubescent on both sides, base rounded or cordate. Flowers are small, yellow and arranged in umbellate cymes. Fruits are slender and follicles are upto 7.5cm long (Warrier et al, 1995).

Two allied species, G. hirsutum found in Bundelkh and Bihar and Western Ghats and G. montanum growing wild in Eastern Ghats and Konkan are also used for the same purpose and are also called “Gurmar” (Thakur et al, 1989).

Agrotechnology: The plant can be propagated both by seeds and stem cuttings. Seedlings are to be raised in polybags. Pits of size 50cm cube are to be taken, filled with 10kg dried cowdung or FYM and covered with topsoil. On these pits about 3-4 months old seedlings are to be transplanted from polybags. Trailing can be facilitated by erecting poles and tying the plants to the poles. The plant will attain good spread within one year. Regular weeding, irrigation and organic manure application are beneficial. The plant is not attacked by any serious pests or diseases. Leaves can be collected from the first year onwards at an internal of one week. This can be continued for 10-12 years. Fresh or dried leaves can be marketed (Prasad et al, 1997).

Properties and activity: Nonacosane and hentriacontane were isolated from the hexane extract of leaves. An attempt to isolate nitrogenous compounds led to the isolation of amino acids such as leucine, iso-leucine, valine, allanine and - amynobutyric acid. Isolation of trimethyl amine oxide was of particular interest. An alkaloid gynamine which is a trace constituent was isolated and identified (Sinsheimer et al, 1967). Antisweet constituent of the leaves has been found to be a mixture of triterpene saponins. These have been designated as gymnemic acids A,B,C and D which have the gymnemagenin and gymnestrogenins as the aglycones of gymnemic acid A and B and gymnemic acid C and D respectively. These are hexahydroxy triterpenes the latter being partially acylated. The sugar residues are glucuronic acid and galacturonic acid while ferulic and angelic acids have been attached as the carboxylic acid.

Chewing of leaves reduces sensitivity to sweet substances. Effects of gymnema extracts had been variable. While verifying the effect of G. sylvestre leaves on detoxification of snake venom, it has been reported that a toxic component of venom ATP and gymnemate bind at the same site inhibiting venom ATP-ase. The active principles which have been identified as glycosides (7 gymnemic acids) suggest that the topical and selective anaesthetic effect of the plant might result from the competition of the receptor sites between glycosides and the sweet substances (Warren et al, 1969). The leaves are antidiabetic and insulinotropic. Gymnemic acid is antiviral. The plant is bitter, astringent, acrid, thermogenic, antiinflammatory, anodyne, digestive, liver tonic, emetic, diuretic, stomachic, stimulant, anthelmintic, alexipharmic, laxative, cardiotonic, expectorant, antipyretic and uterine tonic.... gymnema

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

Plumbago spp.

Plumbaginaceae

The genus Plumbago belonging to the family Plumbaginaceae is a popular and medicinally very important group of medicinal plants. Three species, namely P. rosea, P. zeylanica and P. auriculata have been identified. Among these P. rosea and P. zeylanica are important ones.

Plumbago, in general is an esteemed remedy for leucoderma and other skin diseases. The synonyms of fire like agnih, vahnih, etc. are attributed to this drug to indicate the very burning action of the root, causing blisters on the skin (daranah). The drug is used only after adequate curing and purification. Root is the officinal part and it enters into the composition of preparations like Citrakasavam, Dasamularista, Gulgulutiktaka kasaya, Yogarajachurna, etc.

1. P. rosea Linn. syn. P. indica Linn.

Eng: Rosy-flowered Leadwort; San: Citrakah, Dhahanah;

Hin: Lalcitra, Raktacitra;

Ben: Lalchita;

Mal: Kotuveli, Chettikkoduveli, Chuvannakotuveli;

Tam: Chenkotuveli, Cittiramulam;

Kan: Kempacitramula;

Tel: Yerracitramulam

Rosy-flowered leadwort or Fire plant is a native of Coromandel Coast. It is found throughout India, in moist situations as well as cultivated. The roots are useful in dyspepsia, colic, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, helmenthiasis, haemorrhoids, elephantiasis, chronic and intermittent fever, leprosy, leucoderma, ringworm, scabies, hepatosplenomegaly, amenorrhoea, odontalgia, vitiated conditions of vata, kapha and anaemia. It is a pretty subscandent perennial shrub with semi -woody striate stems and flexible branches. Leaves are simple, alternate oblong, short cuneate at the base passing into a very short amplexicaul, exauriculate, and reddish petiole. Flowers are bright red, arranged in long terminal spikes. The calyx ribs are covered with stipitate, bifarious and subsessile gland. Corolla tube is slender and four times as long as the calyx. The stout roots are cylindrical, irregularly bent, light yellowish brown with smooth surface having short transverse shallow fissures at the regions of the bents. A light yellowish juice excudes from the cut surface. A healthy plant may produce 18-20 stout roots (Warrier et al, 1995).

The chemical constituents include plumbagin and sitosterol glucoside. Clinical trials have demonstrated that plumbagin oil from P. indica is useful in common wart (Satyavati et al, 1987). The roots are acrid, astringent, thermogenic, anthelmintic, constipating, expectorant, antiinflammmatory, abortifacient, alterant, anti-periodic, carminative, digestive, sudorific, narcotic, gastric, nervous stimulant and rejuvenating. Root is a powerful sialogogue and vesicant.

2. P. zeylanica Linn.

Eng:White flowered Leadwort; San:Chitraka;

Hin, Ben:Chitarak, Chitra; Mal:Vellakotuveli

Tam: Sittragam, Chittiramoolam;

Kan: Vahini; Mar: Chitraka;

Tel: Chitramulam

White flowered Leadwort or Chitarak is found wild in peninsular India and mostly in West Bengal. Root is used externally in leprosy and other skin diseases or obstinate character, aphthae, abscesses, influenza, piles and anasarca. Juice is used externally in scabies and ulcers. One of the important preparations of Chitrak is “Yograjguggal”, prescribed for arthritis, rheumatism, etc. The other well known preparations are “Chitrak Adivati” and “ Chitraka Haritaki”. In Unani system it is an ingredient of “Aqaruva-i- Kabir”, “Hab Ashkhar”, “Ma’jun Baladur”, “Ma’jun Raig Mahi”, etc. It is a branched undershrub. Roots are long and tuberous. Stem is striate. Leaves are simple, alternate, short petioled, ovate or ovate-oblong, acute with entire or wavy margin, 7x3.8cm and glabrous. Flowers are white, arranged in terminal spikes. Calyx is tubular, glandular-hairy. Corolla tube is slender; limb rotate and 5 lobbed. Stamens are 5 on a disc. Style is slender with 5 stigmatic branches. Fruit is membranous capsule enclosed within the persistent calyx.

The roots of P. zeylanica have been exhaustively studied and naphthaquinones have been isolated, namely, plumbagin, 3-chlroplumbagin, droserone (Sidhu et al, 1971; Padhye et al, 1973), 3,3’-biplumbagin(Chitranone), zeylanone and iso-zeylanone and a coumarin, elliptinone (Sankaram et al, 1976, 1979). It also contains 1,2(3)-tetrahydro-3,3’-biplumbagin and plumbazeylanone. The leaf is antirheumatic. Root is appetiser, sudorific, relieves pain, vasicant, diuretic, caustic, antidiarrhoeal and expellent of phlegmatic tumours. Root is uterine stimulant. Root and fruits have antiimplantation activity. Plumbagin induces antiimplantation, has abortifacient and antiovulatory activity and causes selective testicular lesions in dogs. It is also a mitotic inhibitor. In lower concentration it behaves like a spindle, poison but in higher concentration it exhibits radiomimetic, nucleotoxic and cyclotoxic effects. It also has antibacterial, antifungal and anticoagulant activities and shows antagonism to amphetamine hyperactivity in mice.

3. P. auriculata Lam. syn. P. capensis

Eng: Blue flowered Leadwort;

Mal: Neelakotuveli

The blue flowered Leadwort is often grown in gardens throughout India (Moos, 1976; Chunekar, 1982; Sharma, 1983). It is a native of Cape Province in South Africa. It is a constituent of many Ayurvedic drugs (KAU, 1991). The plant is a subshrub growing to a height of 1-1.5m. Leaves are elliptic to obovate, 3-4 x 1.5-2cm. Inflorescence is a raceme of length 3-4cm. Corolla is blue to violet. Stamens are 5 in number. Flowers and fruits may be upto 12 in number (Matthew, 1995).

Agrotechnology: The plant is grown in tropical to subtropical ecosystems. Warm humid tropical climate is most suited. They come up well in almost all types of deep and well drained soils. It is propagated vegetatively by stem cuttings. Three stem cuttings of size 15cm long are planted in polybags of size 14x10cm. IAA and IBA treatments will improve rooting of cuttings. The land is to be ploughed well. About 4 tonnes of FYM are to be applied, mixed thoroughly and seed bed of size 50cm breadth, 1.5cm height and convenient length are to be prepared. On these beds pits are taken at a distance of 25cm and the rooted plants are transplanted from the polybags. Regular irrigation and weeding are to be carried out. In the second year with the onset of monsoon, seedbeds are again refreshed after adding about 4 tonnes of FYM. At the end of second year tubers are collected. Care should be taken to wear gloves, else the chemical plumbagin present in the roots will cause burning sensation. The collected tubers are washed, tied into bundles and marketed. Plumbago yields about 7-10t tubers/ha with good management (Prasad et al, 1997).... leadwort

Poir.

Family: Euphorbiaceae.

Habitat: Native to West Indies; cultivated as an ornamental.

English: Slipper Plant, Bird-Cactus.

Folk: Vilaayati-sher (Maharashtra), Naagaphani, Naagadaman (Madhya Pradesh).

Action: Latex—used for warts, leucoderma, venereal diseases. Root—emetic (used in West Indies as Ipecacuanha).

An extract of the air-dried and powdered whole plant contains oc- tacosanol, cycloartenone, oxime and beta-sitosterol.

The latex from the stem contains the proteolytic enzyme, pedilanthain. It exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and was more effective than the control drug phenylbutazone. The enzyme also showed anthelmintic property.

The leaves contain n-hentriaconta- nol and dehydrodammaronol-A. The root gave azafrin.... pedilanthus tithymaloides

Pierre.

Synonym: P. glabra Vent. Derris indica (Lam.) Benett.

Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.

Habitat: Western Ghats, tidal forests up to 1,200 m.

English: Pongam Oil tree, Indian Beech.

Ayurvedic: Karanja.

Siddha/Tamil: Pungam.

Action: Oil—applied in scabies, herpes, leucoderma and other cutaneous diseases; over chest in pneumonia and cold; also used internally as cholagogue in sluggish liver. Leaves—juice is prescribed in flatulence, dyspepsia, diarrhoea and cough. An infusion is given for leprosy and gonorrhoea. Root— a paste is used in scrofulous enlargements; juice is used for cleaning foul ulcers and closing fistulous sores. Stem bark—given internally in bleeding piles. Rind of pod and seed—prescribed in bronchitis and whooping cough. Leaf and seed—antileprotic. Leaf and seed oil—antirheumatic.

The tree is rich in flavonoids and related compounds. These include simple flavones, furanoflavonoids, chro- menoflavones, chromenochalcones, coumarones, flavone glucosides, sterols, triterpenes and a modified phenyl- alanine dipeptide. Seeds and seed oil gave karanjin, pongamol, pongapin and kanjone.

The aqueous extract of stem bark shows significant sedative and antipyretic effects in rats, and antispas- modic effect in vitro on smooth muscles.

In Indonesia, a decoction ofthe bark is drunk after child birth.

The aqueous extract of seeds showed significant antiviral activity against herpes simplex viruses HSV-1 and 2 cell lines experimentally. Albino rats, treated with the aqueous extract of seeds, recovered faster from induced infection and skin-burn than the untreated ones.

Dosage: Seed—250 mg powder; 510 g for decoction. (API, Vol. I.)... pongamia pinnata

Batsch.

Synonym: Persica vulgaris Nutt. Amydgala persica Linn.

Family: Rosaceae.

Habitat: Native to China; cultivated in Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Kumaon.

English: Peach.

Ayurvedic: Aaluka, Aaruka, Aru, Pichuka.

Action: Fruit—mild tranquillizer, expectorant, diuretic, antipyretic. Bark or leaves—used as tea for morning sickness, dry and hard cough, whooping cough and bronchitis. Leaves—used in leucoderma.

Flowers—galactagogue. Peach seeds are a constituent of a traditional Chinese herbal drug which has been used for the treatment of gynaecological disorders such as hypermen- orrhea, dysmenorrhoea and infertility.

Peach fruit extract containing nitrile glycosides, such as prunasin and amyg- dalin, has been reported to inhibit the growth of Sarcoma-180 cells in culture.

Fast-acting, wrinkle-eliminating cosmetic formulations contain peach kernel extract as one of the components.

The heartwood contains beta-sitos- terol and its D-glucoside, hentriacon- tane, hentriacontanol, and the flavo- noids naringenin, dihydrokaempferol, kaempferol and quercetin.... prunus persica

Linn.

Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.

English: Babchi, Purple Fleabane.

Habitat: Rajasthan., eastern districts of Punjab and adjoining areas of Uttar Pradesh.

Ayurvedic: Somaraaji, Somavalli, Somavallik, Soma, Chaandri, Vaakuchi, Baakuchi, Avalguja. (Somaraaji and Avalguja have also been equated with Centratherum anthelminticum.)

Unani: Baabchi, Bakuchi.

Siddha/Tamil: Karpoogaarisi.

Action: Seed—used in leucoderma, vitiligo, leprosy, psoriasis and inflammatory diseases of the skin, both orally and externally. (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India.)

The seed and roots contain chal- cones, flavones, isoflavones, furano- coumarins and coumesterol group of compounds. These include psoralen, isopsoralen, bavachinin.

A mixture of psoralen and isopso- ralen, in a ratio of 1:3, is recommended for topical application in leucoderma. These furanocoumarins initiate transformation of DOPA to melanin under the influence of UV light. Seeds are powdered and administered orally with warm water (5 g/day) in cases of eczema.

Psoralen was found to be cytotoxic in vitro. The combination therapy of psoralen and UV irradiation has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumours in vivo.

Bavachinin-A, isolated from the fruits, exhibited marked anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and mild analgesic properties similar to those of oxyphenylbutazone and hydrocortisone. It demonstrated better antipyretic activity than paracetamol experimentally.

Oral administration of the powdered seeds has generally resulted in side reactions (nausea, vomiting, purging); external application generally proved highly irritant to the skin.

Dosage: Seed—1-3 g powder (CCRAS.); 3-6 g powder (API, Vol. I).... psoralea corylifolia

Linn. f.

Family: Anacardiaceae.

Habitat: Punjab, Assam, Khasi Hills, Madhya Pradesh and Peninsular India.

English: Marking-Nut.

Ayurvedic: Bhallaataka, Bhallata, Arushkara, Agnik, Agnimukha, Sophkrit, Viravrksha.

Unani: Balaadur, Bhilaayan, Bhilaavaan.

Siddha/Tamil: Shenkottei, Erimugi. (Kattu shen-kottai is equated with S. travancorica Bedd., found in evergreen forests of Tinnevelly and Travancore.)

Folk: Bhilaavaa.

Action: Toxic drug, used only after curing. Fruit—caustic, astringent, anti-inflammatory, antitumour. Used in rheumatoid arthritis and for the treatment of tumours and malignant growths.

A decoction, mixed with milk or butter fat, is prescribed in asthma, neuralgia, sciatica, gout, hemiplegia, epilepsy. Kernel oil—antiseptic; used externally in gout, leucoderma, psoriasis and leprosy. Bark gum—used for nervous debility; in leprous, scrofulous and venereal affections.

Bigger var. is equated with S. kurzii Engler.

The nut shells contain biflavonoids, including tetrahydrobustaflavone, tet- rahydroamentoflavone and anacardu- flavanone; nallaflavone; anacardic acid; aromatic amines and bhilawanol. Bhi- lawanol is a mixture of phenolic compounds, including cis and trans isomers of urushenol (3-pentadecenyl-8' catechol), monohydroxy phenol and semicarpol. These are the major constituents of the shell liquid, isolated from the nuts (about 46% of the weight of extract).

A mixture of closely related pentade- cyl catechols exhibits anticancer activity. Extracts of the fruit was found effective against human epidermoid carcinoma of the naso-pharynx in tissue culture.

Milk extract of the nut showed anti-inflammatory activity against car- rageenin, 5-HT and formaldehyde- induced rat paw oedema in acute anti- inflammatory studies. (About 20% animals developed gangrene of limbs, tail and ears.)

Dosage: Detoxified fruit—1-2 g in milk confection. (API, Vol. II.)... semecarpus anacardium

Strobilanthes ciliatus

Acanthaceae

San: Sahacarah, Sairyakah;

Hin: Karvi, Kara;

Mal: Karimkurunji, Kurunji;

Tam: Kurunji, Sinnakurunji

Importance: Strobilanthes is an important shrub used in the treatment of rheumatism. The roots are useful in rheumatalgia, lumbago, siatica, limping, chest congestion, strangury, fever, leucoderma, skin diseases, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, odontalgia and general debility. The leaves and bark are useful in whooping cough, fever, bronchitis, dropsy, leucoderma, leprosy, pouritus, inflammations, scrofula and fever (Warrier et al, 1995).

Distribution: It is distributed in tropical countries, such as India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and in a few subtropical countries. It is observed in India, throughout the evergreen forests of Western Ghats upto 1200m. It is also cultivated.

Botany: The genus Strobilanthes belonging to the family Acanthaceae consists of 3 species namely,

S. ciliatus Nees.,syn. Nilgirianthus ciliatus (Nees) Bremek

S. auriculatus Nees. and

S. callisus Nees.

S. ciliatus is a slender shrub with subquandrangular white dotted dark green or purple stems and branches. Leaves are dark green, elliptic, accuminate at both ends, serrate, glabrous with 6-7 pairs of main nerves. Flowers are white to lilac, arranged in axillary slender glabrous spikes. Fruits are very rarely formed. Adventitious roots arise from a few basal nodes also. The main roots as well as the nodal roots are used as raw drugs (Warrier et al, 1995).

Agrotechnology: Strobilanthes prefers silty loam soil, mixed with sand, for good growth. It grows abundantly in river banks, lowlands and plains. The best season of planting is May-June. The field is to be ploughed to a fine tilth and mixed with 5-7t/ha of FYM/compost/dried cowdung. Seed beds of size 3m length, 0.5m width and 15cm height are to be made in which 10cm long stem cuttings are to be planted at a spacing of 30cm between plants. Rooting occurs within 20 days. Two weedings should be carried out at 2 months and 4 months after planting, followed by organic manure application. Irrigation is not a must but during summer months it is beneficial. The plant is not attacked by any serious pests or diseases. Harvesting can be done at the end of the second year. For this the plants are to be cut, roots dug out and collected. Roots are to be washed well, dried in sun and marketed. Roots, leaves and bark constitute the economic parts (Prasad et al, 1997).

Properties and activity: The leaves and stem yield essential oil which is of good medicinal value. The roots are bitter, sweet, thermogenic, emollient, diuretic, febrifuge, diaphoretic, depurative, antiinflammatory and tonic. Leaves and bark are diaphoretic, expectorant, depurative and febrifuge.... strobilanthes

(G. Don) Seem.

Synonym: Tecoma undulata G. Don.

Bignonia undulata Sm.

Family: Bignoniaceae.

Habitat: North-West and Western India, and in the outer Himalayas.

English: Rohida tree.

Ayurvedic: Rohitaka, Rohi, Daadimpushpaka, Daadimchhada, Plihaghna. (Amoora rohituka is also known as Rohitaka.)

Action: Bark—relaxant, cardiotonic, choleretic. (Heartwood toxic due to lapachol.) Used for the treatment of leucorrhoea, diseases of the liver and spleen, leucoderma, syphilis and other skin diseases.

The bark contains tecomin (veratryl beta-D-glucoside), alkanes, alkanols and beta-sitosterols. The bark also yielded chromone glycosides—undu- latosides A and B, and iridoid glu- cosides—tecomelloside and tecoside.

A quinonoid—lapachol, veratric acid and dehydrotectol are also reported from the bark.

Water soluble portion of the alcoholic as well as chloroform extracts of the bark shows smooth muscle relaxant, mild cardiotonic and chloretic activities.

Dosage: Flower, bark—50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... tecomella undulata

Less.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Distributed throughout India. Common in waste places and road side.

English: Ash coloured Fleabane, Purple Fleabane.

Ayurvedic: Sahadevi, Uttamkanya- ka, Dandotpalaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Naichotte Poonde.

Action: Plant—febrifuge, diaphoretic (infusion of herb, combined with quinine, is used against malaria). Used as a specific herb for leucor- rhoea, dysuria, spasm of bladder, strangury and for haematological disorders, as a blood purifier and styptic. Also used in asthma. Seeds—anthelmintic, antiflatulent, antispasmodic; used in dysuria, leucoderma, psoriasis and other skin diseases. Roots—anthelmintic; decoction used for colic.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the plant in inter mittent fever, filariasis, pityriasis versi- colour (tinea versicolor), blisters, boils, vaginal discharges and in cases of psy- choneurosis.

Aerial parts gave luteolin-7-mono- beta-D-glucopyranoside. Whole plant gave triterpene compounds—beta- amyrin acetate, lupeol acetate, beta- amyrin and lupeol; sterols—beta-sito- sterol, stigmasterol and alpha-spinaste- rol; phenolic resin and potassium chloride.

Dosage: Whole plant—10-20 ml juice; 5-10 g powder for external use. (API, Vol. III.)... vernonia cinerea

Linn.

Synonym: X. indicum Koenig. ex Roxb.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Tropical India.

English: Cocklebur, Burweed.

Ayurvedic: Shankheshwara, Arishta, Aartagala.

Siddha/Tamil: Maruloomatham, Marlumutta.

Folk: Bana-okraa.

Action: Plant—used for leucoderma, ulcers, abscesses, strumous and malignant diseases.

Root—antitumour. Leaves and shoots—applied externally on venereal sores, herpes and scrofula.

Leaves contain seaquiterpene lac- tones—xanthinin, xanthumin, xan- thanol and iso-xanthanol. Leaves also contain isohexacosane, chlorobu- tanol, stearyl alcohol, beta-sitosterol and palmitic acid. A highly toxic compound, carboxyatractyloside, has been isolated from the plant.

Beta-sitosterol glucoside is anti-inflammatory, xanthumin is a central nervous system depressant. Alcoholic solution of xanthinin shows strong antibacterial activity against Gramnegative bacteria and fungi. A cy- totoxic compound, xanthatin (a seco- 4,5-guaianolide) has been detected in the resin.

The root gave n-heptacosanol, stig- masterol, 3,4,-dihydro oxycinnamic acid, beta-sitosterol and its D-gluco- side, and campesterol.

Xanthium spinosum Linn. (introduced from Europe into West Bengal and Assam), known as Spiny Clotbur, is used as a diuretic, antiperiodic (also in intermittent fevers), sudorific, antidiarrhoeal and styptic.

The whole plant gave several xan- thanolides. The sesquiterpene lac- tones, xanthinin, solstitialin and sti- zolicin, isolated from the plant, demonstrated limited antitumour action in vitro. Xanthatin has also been isolated.... xanthium strumarium