Myristica malabarica Health Dictionary

  1. Health Encyclopedia
  2. Myristica Malabarica

Myristica Malabarica: From 1 Different Sources

Lam.

Family: Myristicaceae.

Habitat: Western Ghats, Kanara and Malabar.

English: Malabar Nutmeg, False Nutmeg, Bombay Nutmeg, Bombay Mace.

Ayurvedic: Paashikaa, Raamapatri, Ku-Jaavitri. Pashupaashi (Kerala).

Siddha/Tamil: Pathiri, Kattu Jhadi.

Action: Topically stimulant; applied to indolent ulcers.

The fruit rind yielded diarylno- nanoids and a lignin, malabaricanol. Leaves gave beta-sitosterol, myristic acid and its triglyceride, trimyristin.

Fat and resin are the major constituents of the Bombay mace. The crude fat (Pundi oil) is used as an embrocation in rheumatism. The bark yields a kino. Ripe fruits form the source of Bombay Nutmeg and Bombay Mace, used as adulterant of Myristica fragrans.

Dosage: Seed kernel—1.5 g powder; oil—1-3 drops. (CCRAS.)
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Ailanthus Malabarica

DC.

Synonym: A. triphysa (Dennst.) Alston.

Family: Simaroubaceae.

Habitat: The evergreen forests of western Ghats from Konkan southwards.

Siddha: Perumaram.

Folk: Guggul-dhuupa. (Maharashtra.)

Action: Bark—febrifuge, carminative (given in typhoid, dyspepsia and constipation). Oleo resin— used for dysentery and bronchitis.

The bark and roots give a number of beta-carboline alkaloids. The resin- uous exudates from trunk give several triterpenoids, including malabaricol and malabaricanediol.... ailanthus malabarica

Anisomeles Malabarica

(Linn.) R. Br. ex Sims

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: The western Ghats from Maharashtra to Karnataka; Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

English: Malabar Catmint.

Ayurvedic: Sprikkaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Irattaipeyameratti.

Action: Antispasmodic (used in dyspepsia, colic), antipyretic, diaphoretic, antiperiodic, emme- nagogue, antirheumatic. The oil is used externally as an embrocation in rheumatic arthritis.

The plant contains beta-sitosterol, letulinic acid, ovatodiolide and ani- somelic acid. The essential oil from tops and flowers yield a terpene hydrocarbon, citral and geranic acid.... anisomeles malabarica

Bauhinia Malabarica

Roxb.

Family: Caesalpiniaceae.

Habitat: South India, Assam and Bengal.

English: Malabar Mountain Ebony.

Ayurvedic: Ashmantaka var., Kaanchanaara var. (in the South).

Siddha/Tamil: Malaiyatti.

Folk: Aapataa (Maharashtra), Amli, Amlosaa.

Action: Antidysenteric.

The plant contains flavonoid gly- cosides—quercitroside, iso-quercitro- side, rutoside, taxifoline rhamnoside, kaempferol glycosides and quercetol glycoside.... bauhinia malabarica

Myristica Fragrans

Houtt.

Family: Myristicaceae.

Habitat: Native to the Moluccas Islands; grown in the Nilgiris, Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal.

English: Nutmeg, Mace.

Ayurvedic: Jaatiphala, Jaatishasya, Maalatiphala (seed kernel).

Jaatipatri, Jaatipatra, Jaatipatraka, Jaatikosha (mace).

Unani: Jauzbuwaa (seed), Bisbaasaa (mace).

Siddha/Tamil: Jaathikkai, Saadikai (nutmeg); Saadippatthiri, Jaadip- patiri (mace).

Action: Nutmeg—carminative, spasmolytic, antiemetic, orexi- genic; topically anti-inflammatory. Mace—stimulant carminative. Narcotic in high doses.

Nutmeg is used in flatulency, diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. Mace is used in rheumatism, chronic bowel complaints and asthma. When roasted, both nutmeg and mace are used for diarrhoea, colic, flatulence and dyspepsia.

Key application: Dried seed and aril—included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E. Following actions have been considered: antispasmodic, MAO inhibition, inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the kernel of the fruit in spermatorrhoea.

An aqueous extract of nutmeg is reported to show anti-secretory activity against E. coli heat-labile enterotoxin; the hexane soluble fraction of the alcoholic extract inhibited the heat-labile and heat-stable-enterotoxin-induced secretory response in animal studies.

The hexane extract contains myris- ticin, an anti-inflammatory principle, and licarin-B and dehydro di- isoeugenol which exhibited CNS depressant properties. The extracts of nutmeg decreased kidney prostaglan- din levels in rats. They also inhibited platelet aggregation (due to eugenol and isoeugenol). The anti-inflammatory activity observed in carrage- enan-induced oedema in rats and enhanced vascular permeability in mice, are attributed to myristicin present in mace.

Mace also activates hepatic detoxification process. Monomeric and dimer- ic phenyl propanoids (myristicin, de- hydro diisoeugenol) from mace, on p.o. administration in mice, produced suppression of lipid peroxidation in liver.

Seeds contain about 0.24% myris- ticin, whereas volatile oil about 3.12%.

The resorcinols, malabaricones B and C, isolated from the seed coat (mace) exhibited strong antibacterial and antifungal activities. Neoplasm inhibitors, phenylpropyl derivatives, have been isolated from pulverized mace.

Dosage: Endosperm of dried seed (kernel of fruit)—0.5-1.0 g powder. (API, Vol. I.)... myristica fragrans

Salmalia Malabarica

(DC) Schott & Endl.

Synonym: Bombax ceiba Linn. Bombax malabaricum DC. Gossampinus malabarica (DC.) Merr.

Family: Bombacaceae.

Habitat: The hotter parts of India, up to 1,350 m.

Ayurvedic: Shaalmali, Mochaa, Mochaahva, Pichhila, Raktapushpa, Sthiraayu, Kankataadhya, Tuulini. Shaalmali-veshtaka (gum).

Unani: Semal. Mochras (gum).

Siddha: Mul Ilavam. Ielavampisin (gum).

Folk: Semar.

Action: Young roots (Semul- musali)—astringent, (used for dysentery) stimulant, demulcent. Fruits—stimulant, diuretic, expectorant. Used for chronic inflammation of bladder, kidney also for calculus affections. Flowers— astringent and cooling, applied to cutaneous affections. Leaves— anti-inflammatory. Stem bark— demulcent, styptic. Aqueous extract with curd is given for blood- dysentery. Bark—paste is applied to skin eruptions, boils, acne, pimples. Seeds used for chickenpox, smallpox, catarrhal affections, chronic cystitis and genitourinary diseases. Gum—astringent, demulcent, styptic. Used for diarrhoea, dysentery, haemoptysis, bleeding piles, menor- rhagia, spermatorrhoea. Root and pod—used for the treatment of low vitality and debility.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the stem bark in bleeding disorders and in acne vul- garis.

All parts of the plant gave beta- sitosterol and its glucosides; seeds, bark and root bark, lupeol; flowers, hentri- acontane, hentriacontanol; root bark, in addition, gave 7-hydroxycadalene. The seed oil yields arachidic, linoleic, myristic, oleic and palmitic acids; seeds contain carotenes, n-hexacosanol, et- hylgallate and tocopherols; the gum contains gallic and tannic acids, yields L-arbinose, D-galactose, D-galacturo- nic acid and D-galactopyranose.

Younger roots contain more sugars (arabinose and galactose 8.2%) and peptic substances (6.0%) than the older ones. They contain mucilage, starch (71.2%), mineral matter (2.1%), tannins 0.4 and non-tannins 0.1%, along with other constituents.

The Musali compares favourably with the nutritive value of Pueraria tuberosa, Dioscorea bulbifera, Ipomoea digitata and Butea monosperma (all used in sexual debility).

A related species, Salmalia insig- nis (Wall.) Schott & Endl., synonym Bombax insigne Wall. (Assam, Western Ghats and the Andamans); is known as Semul; Dumboil (Assam), Didu (Andamans) and Kal-ilavu (Tamil Nadu).

Dosage: Stem bark—5-10 g powder. (API, Vol. III.) Flower, bark root— 3-5 g powder. (CCRAS.)... salmalia malabarica

Tinospora Malabarica

Miers ex Hook. f.

Synonym: T. sinensis (Lour.) Merrill.

T. tomentosa (Colebr.) Miers.

Family: Menispermaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India, ascending to an altitude of 1,000 m.

Ayurvedic: Kandodbhava-guduchi, Vatsaadani, Padma-Guduuchi.

Folk: Gurch.

Action: Fresh leaves and stem are used in chronic rheumatism. Known as "muscle-relaxing vine" in China.

Used as a substitute for T. cordifolia. The plant is an inferior substitute as it contains less of carbohydrates, sterols, alkaloids and tannins.

Alkaloid magnoflorine shows hy- potensive as well as curare-like effect in animals.... tinospora malabarica

Health encyclopedia icon Health Encyclopedia

Recent Searches