Habitat: Monastery gardens of Europe. Now cultivated in India.
English: Globe Artichoke.Unani: Harshaf.
Action: Herb—antitoxic, liver restorative, hypocholesterolaemic. Water soluble extract is used for liver and renal diseases for its cholagogic and choleretic action (flow of bile increases up to 60 per cent). Artichokes assist digestion of fats, are known as diabetic's potato in Europe.
Key application: In dyspeptic problems. (German Commission E.) The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia reported hepatic action.All parts of the plant contains ses- quiterpene lactone cynaropecrin and inulin. The leaves contain cynarin. Hepatic activity of the leaves is due to polyphenols such as cynarin, caf- feoylquinic acid derivatives and flavon- oids. Cynarin and caffeic acid exhibited hepatoprotective activity in CCl4-treated rats. (A minimum of 1% polyphenols and 0.2% flavonoids in the dried leaves is required for the activity.)The plant is included in indigenous compound formulations recommended for viral and drug-induced hepatitis. All parts of the plant stimulate digestive secretions, especially bile, and are used for the treatment of gallbladder problems. Plant is used as a diuretic in dropsy. The plant is also used against atherosclerosis and for lowering cholesterol levels.The extract gave mixed results in preventing alcohol-induced hangover. (CMAJ, 169, 2003, 1269-73; Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... cynara scolymus
Habitat: Native to China; now grown in Himachal Pradesh, Kumaon, the Nilgiris and West Bengal for edible fruits.
English: Japanese Persimmon.Ayurvedic: Tinduka (var.).
Action: Hypotensive, hepatopro- tective, antidote to poisons and bacterial toxins. Calyx and peduncle of fruit—used in the treatment of cough and dyspnoea. Roasted seeds—used as a substitute for coffee.
The fruit, in addition to sugars, glucose, fructose, ascorbic acid, citric acid, contains (% of fresh weight) 0.20-1.41 tannins, 0.21-10.07 total pectins, 0.67 pentosans and 0.16-0.25 polyphenols. The fruit also contains 2.4 mg/100 g carotenoids; carotene expressed as vitamin A 2200-2600 IU. The carote- noids identified in the pulp include cryptoxanthine, zeaxanthin, antherax- anthin, lycopene and beta-carotene. (Many carotenoids originally present in the fruit decompose during ripening.The fruit pulp is an antidote to bacterial toxins and is used in the preparation of a vaccine for pertussis.Condensed tannins from the fruits effectively inhibited 2-nitrofluorene mutagen.The immature leaves contain a ster- oidal saponin, lignin and phenolic compounds. Eugenol and dihydroac- tinidiolide are reported from fresh leaves.The leaves are reported to exhibit hepatoprotective activity. Leaves also contain hypotensive principles. Astra- galin and isoquercitrin have been isolated from leaves.... diospyros kaki
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