Meconopsis aculeata Health Dictionary

Royle.

Family: Papaveraceae.

Habitat: Western Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon, between 3,300-4,500 m.

English: Blue Poppy.

Folk: Gul-e-Nilam (Kashmir), Gudi, Kunda, Kanderi (Punjab), Kalihaari (Himachal).

Action: Plant—diuretic. Root— narcotic.

In Garhwal Himalayas, the whole plant is used as a blood purifier and to reduce blood pressure. The natives apply the plant paste externally in rheumatic pains as anodyne.

Meconopsis horridula Hook, known as Tasargaun in Tibet, is used for cardiac and respiratory disorder.

Meconopsis napaulensis DC., synonym M. wallichii HK. (temperate and alpine Himalaya from Nepal to Bhutan at 2,700-5,200 m) also exhibits narcotic properties. The roots gave alkaloids— protopine, magnoflorine, cryptopine, coptisine, allocryptopine, rhoeadine, papaverrubines E and D, corysamine and2-methyl-6-methoxy-l,2,3,4-tetra- hydro-beta-carboline.