(African) Born during a steady rain Markah
Habitat: A grain crop of Karnataka; also grown on large scale in Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
English: Finger Millet, African millet, Ragi.Ayurvedic: Madhuuli, Markata- hasta-trna.Siddha/Tamil: Ragi, Kezhvaregu.Action: Seeds—cooling, astringent. Nutritive value of ragi is higher than that of rice and equal to that of wheat. White ragi is superior to the pigmented type. A nourishing food for infants, growing children, expectant mothers and aged people. Ragi is considered an ideal food for diabetics because of slow release of sugars to the body. A decoction of leaves and stems is drunk to ease vaginal bleeding.
The protein content of ragi is 813%, with P 250, Fe 7.6, thiamine 0.18— and riboflavin 0.1 mg/100 g. Ragi has high glycemic index value. It reduced plasma cholesterol, total serum cholesterol and LDL cholesterol by 9% each, and triglycerides by 15%, and increased HDL cholesterol, thus exhibited a sig- nificantbeneficial effect on plasma profile. The lipemic index for ragi is 55, taking isocaloric wheat-supplemented background diet (control) at 100.... eleusine coracanaHabitat: Throughotu India, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
English: Cowhage, Horse-eye Bean.Ayurvedic: Aatmaguptaa, Kapikac- chuu, Rshabhi, Adhigandhaa, Ajadaaa, Kacchuraa, Laan- guli, Rshyaproktaa, Svaguptaa, Shyaamguptaa, Markati, Kanduraa, Kevaanch, Shuukashimbi.Unani: Konchh.Siddha/Tamil: Poonaikkaali.Action: Seed—astringent, nervine tonic, local stimulant, used in impotence, spermatorrhoea, urinary troubles, leucorrhoea, traditionally used for male virility. Also used in depressive neurosis. Hair on fruit— vermifuge, mild vesicant; used for diseases of liver and gallbladder. Leaf—applied to ulcers. Pod— anthelmintic. Root and fruit—spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic. Root— CNS active.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the seed in impotence and paralysis agitans; the root in vaginal laxity.The seeds contain the alkaloids, mu- cunine, mucunadine, mucunadinine, prurieninine, pruriendine and nicotine, besides beta-sitosterol, gluthione, lecithin, vernolic and gallic acids. They contain a number of bioactive substances including tryptamine, alky- lamines, steroids, flavonoids, cou- marins and cardenolides. L-DOPA is present in the seed as well as in the stem, leaves and roots.Major constituents of the hairs on the pod are amines such as 5-hydroxy- tryptamine (serotonin), and a proteolytic enzyme mucuanain. (Serotonin was present only in pods.)Prurieninine slowed down heart rate, lowered blood pressure and stimulated intestinal peristalsis in experiments carried out on frogs. The spas- molysis of smooth muscles was caused by indole bases.Seed diet produced hypoglycaemic effect in normal rats, however, such diet had insignificant effect on alloxan- treated rats.There is some evidence that Cow- hage might be useful for chlorproma- zine-induced hyperprolactinemia in men. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.) (Males with hy- perprolactinemia frequently face im- potency.) (Cured seeds are used in Indian medicine for male sexual dysfunction.)Mucuna cochinchinensis Cheval.; synonym M. nivea (Roxb.) DC.; Sti- zolobium niveum Kuntze (cultivated in Bengal and Bihar for edible pods and seeds) is known as Lyon Bean (Khamach in Bengal). The pod yielded L-DOPA (0.06%).Dosage: Cured seed—3-6 g (API, Vol. III); root—3-6 g powder for decoction (API, Vol. IV.)... mucuna pruritaHabitat: A small, aromatic tree occurring wild or grown throughout the country for edible fruits.
English: Hog-Plum, Wild Mango. Great Hog-Plum is equated with S. cytherea Sonn, synonym S. dulcis Soland. ex Forst. f.Ayurvedic: Aamraataka, Aamraata, Aamadaa, Madhuparni, Kundalini, Kapitana, Markataamra.Siddha/Tamil: Mambulichi, Kat- tuma.Folk: Jangali Aam.Action: Fruits, leaves, bark— astringent, antidysenteric, anti- speptic, antiscorbutic. Bark paste applied externally to articular and muscular rheumatism. Root—used for regulating menstruation.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends stem bark in haem- orrhagic diseases.The fruit contains beta-amyrin, olea- nolic acid and amino acids—glycine, cystine, serine, alanine and leucine; polysaccharides are also present.Aerial parts gave lignoceric acid, 24-methylenecycloartanone, stigmast- 4-en-3-one, beta-sitosterol and its glu- coside.Dosage: Stem bark—5-10 g powder for decoction (API, Vol. II); 1-3 g powder (API, Vol. III).... spondias pinnata
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