Pedilanthus tithymaloides Health Dictionary

Poir.

Family: Euphorbiaceae.

Habitat: Native to West Indies; cultivated as an ornamental.

English: Slipper Plant, Bird-Cactus.

Folk: Vilaayati-sher (Maharashtra), Naagaphani, Naagadaman (Madhya Pradesh).

Action: Latex—used for warts, leucoderma, venereal diseases. Root—emetic (used in West Indies as Ipecacuanha).

An extract of the air-dried and powdered whole plant contains oc- tacosanol, cycloartenone, oxime and beta-sitosterol.

The latex from the stem contains the proteolytic enzyme, pedilanthain. It exhibited anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and was more effective than the control drug phenylbutazone. The enzyme also showed anthelmintic property.

The leaves contain n-hentriaconta- nol and dehydrodammaronol-A. The root gave azafrin.