(Linn.) Roxb. var. amara (Roxb.) C. B. Clarke.
Family: Cucurbitaceae.
Habitat: Throughout India.
English: Ribbed or Ridged Gourd (bitter var.).
Ayurvedic: Katukoshataki, Tik- takoshtaki.
Action: Plant—purgative, diuretic. Used for oedema, splenic enlargement, cough and asthma. Seeds— emetic, expectorant.
The plant contains the oleanane type triterpene saponins. It is reported to exhibit antitumour activity.The fruit juice is used as a homoeopathic drug in hepatic congestion, irritation and inflammation of gastric mucosa.
Dosage: Leaf, fruit, root—10-20 ml juice. (CCRAS.)
(Linn.) Gaertn.
Synonym: Eugenia acutangula L.
Family: Lecythidaceae; Barringtoni- aceae.
Habitat: Sub-Himalayan tracts from the Ganges eastwards to Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
English: Indian Oak. (Oak is equated with Quercus robur L.)
Ayurvedic: Nichula, Hijjala, Ijjala, Vidula, Ambuj. (Central Council for Research in Ayurveda & Siddha has wrongly equated Hijjala, Nichula and Vidula with Argyreia nervosa, Elephant Creeper.)
Unani: Samandarphal. (Saman- darphal is also equated with Rhus parviflora Roxb. in National Formulary of Unani Medicine.)
Siddha/Tamil: Kadappai, Samudra- phullarni.
Action: Leaf juice—given in diarrhoea. Fruit—bitter, acrid, anthelmintic, haemolytic, vulnerary; prescribed in gingivitis as an expectorant. Powdered seeds— emetic and expectorant. Bark— astringent, used in diarrhoea and blennorrhoea. Febrifuge. Wood— haemostatic (in metrorrhagia).
Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicated the use of the fruit in goitre; also in psychological disorders.The bark contains tannins (16%), also ellagic acid.The fruits contain triterpenoid sa- pogenins. Saponins possess haemolyt- ic properties.A related sp. B. racemosa (L.) Roxb., found in Assam, eastern and western coasts of India and the Andaman Islands, is also equated with Samu- draphala and Hijjala.European Oak (Quercus robur) contains 15-20% tannins, consisting of phlobatannin, ellagitannins and gallic acid. The bark is used as astringent, antiseptic and haemostatic.
Dosage: Fruit—1-3 g (API Vol. III.)... barringtonia acutangula
Luffa cylindricaDescription: The luffa sponge is widely distributed and fairly typical of a wild squash. There are several dozen kinds of wild squashes in tropical regions. Like most squashes, the luffa is a vine with leaves 7.5 to 20 centimeters across having 3 lobes.Some squashes have leaves twice this size. Luffa fruits are oblong or cylindrical, smooth, and many-seeded. Luffa flowers are bright yellow. The luffa fruit, when mature, is brown and resembles the cucumber.Habitat and Distribution: A member of the squash family, which also includes the watermelon, cantaloupe, and cucumber, the luffa sponge is widely cultivated throughout the Tropical Zone. It may be found in a semiwild state in old clearings and abandoned gardens in rain forests and semievergreen seasonal forests.Edible Parts: You can boil the young green (half-ripe) fruit and eat them as a vegetable. Adding coconut milk will improve the flavor. After ripening, the luffa sponge develops an inedible spongelike texture in the interior of the fruit. You can also eat the tender shoots, flowers, and young leaves after cooking them. Roast the mature seeds a little and eat them like peanuts.... wild gourd or luffa sponge
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