Peltophorum pterocarpum Health Dictionary

Backer ex K. Heyne.

Family: Caesalpiniaceae.

Habitat: Coastal forests of the Andaman Islands.

English: Copper Pod, Rusty Shield-Bearer.

Siddha/Tamil: Ivalvagai, Perun- gondrai.

Action: Bark—used for dysentery; also used as a constituent of gargles, tooth-powders and lotions for sores and muscular pains.

The bark contains 20.8% of a catechol type of tannin and 9.5% non-tans. The wood and leaves also contain tannin.

The pods contain bergenin which exhibits anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenan-induced rat paw oedema and is found to be equipotent to phenylbutazone.

Aqueous extract of leaves and etha- nolic extract of flower exhibit antifun- gal activity.

Family: Asclepiadaceae.

Habitat: West Bengal, Gujarat and Peninsular India.

Ayurvedic: Kaakanaasaa, Kaakanaasikaa, Kaakaangi, Kaak- tundphalaa, Shringiritti.

Siddha/Tamil: Uppilankodi.

Folk: Singarauti (Gujarat). Amarvel.

Action: Plant—antifungal, antiseptic, keratolytic; used in various skin conditions.

The plant gave n-octacosanol, alpha- amyrin, friedelin, beta-sitosterol. An appreciable amount of salicyclic acid has been isolated from the plant. The plant also yields a cardiac glycoside.

Dosage: Plant—50-100 ml. decoction. (CCRAS.)