Linn.
Synonym: M.frondosa var. glabrata Hook. f. M. glabrata (Hook. f.) Hutch.
Family: Rubiaceae.
Habitat: Tropical Himalayas, Khasi Hills, Deccan Peninsula and the Andamans.
English: White Lady, White Rag Plant.
Ayurvedic: Shrivati.
Siddha/Tamil: Vellai-yilai, Velli- madandai.
Folk: Shrivara, Bedina, Bebina, Bhutakesha (Maharashtra), Naagaballi (Bengal)
Action: Flower—diuretic, anti- asthmatic, antiperiodic. Leaves and flowers—used in external applications for ulcers. Root—used in the treatment of white leprosy. White petiolate bract—prescribed in jaundice.
The flowers contain anthocyanins, hyperin, quercetin, rutin, ferulic and sinapic acids; beta-sitosterol glucoside.Mussaenda glabra Vahl (tropical Himalayas from Nepal eastwards, Bihar, Bengal and Assam) is known as Son- aaruupaa in Assam. An infusion of the leaves is used for cough, asthma, recurrent fevers; also as a diuretic in dropsy.
(Lam.) Taub.
Synonym: B. frondosa Koenig ex Roxb.
Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.
Habitat: Throughout India, up to 1,200 m except in very arid regions.
English: Flame of the Forest, Butea Gum, Bengal Kino.
Ayurvedic: Paalasha, Kimshuka, Raktapushpaka, Kshaarshreshtha, Brahmavriksha, Samidvar.
Unani: Dhaak, Samagh Dhaak, Kamarkas.
Siddha/Tamil: Palasam, Purasus.
Folk: Tesu.
Action: Bark—astringent, styptic (prescribed in bleeding piles, ulcers, haemorrhages, menstrual disorders), anthelmintic. Flowers— astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue (also given for leucorrhoea). A decoction of flowers is given in diarrhoea and haematuria, also to puerperal women. Seeds—clinical use of seeds as an anthelmintic drug is not considered safe in humans.
Leaves—antibacterial. Stem bark— antifungal.An aqueous extract of flowers has shown hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced liver injury in albino rats.Extracts of flowers have exhibited significant anti-oestrogenic activity in mice. The seed suspension, on oral administration to albino rats (175 and 350 mg/kg body weight), showed 38.46 and 68.75% cases, respectively, where pregnancy was not interrupted but foetus was malformed.Alcoholic extract of the whole plant produced persistent vasodepression in cats.The plant contains flavonoids and glucosides—butin, butrin, isobutrin and palastrin. Flowers contain butrin, coreopsin, monospermoside and their derivatives and sulphurein; also chal- cones.
Dosage: Stem bark—5-10 g powder (API Vol. II); flower—3-6 g powder; seed—3 g powder; gum—0.5-1.5 g (API Vol. IV.)... butea monosperma
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