Phosphaturia Health Dictionary

R. Br.

Family: Apocynaceae.

Habitat: Throughout moist regions of India, especially in West Bengal and west-coast forests of southern India.

English: Devil's tree, Dita Bark tree.

Ayurvedic: Saptaparna, Sapta- chhada, Saptaparni, Saptaahvaa, Vishaaltvak, Shaarada, Visham- chhada.

Unani: Chhaatim, Kaasim (Kaasim Roomi, Anjudaan Roomi is equated with Myrrhis odorata Scope.)

Siddha/Tamil: Ezhilamippalai, Mukkampalai.

Folk: Chhitavan, Sataunaa.

Action: Bark—febrifuge, antiperi- odic, spasmolytic, antidysenteric, uterine stimulant, hypotensive; used for internal fevers.

Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of stembark in phosphaturia and recommends it as a blood purifier.

Alstonia sp. is known as Fever Bark. A. constricta is native to Australia; A. scholaris to Australia and Southeast Asia. The bark of both the species contains indole alkaloids. A. constric- ta contains reserpine (a hyptotensive agent). A. scholaris contains echita- mine, which has also demonstrated hypotensive effects. Though A. schol- aris produces fall in the temperature of human patients with fever, there are conflicting reports about the activity of echitamine against Plasmodium berghei.

Dosage: Stembark—20-30 g for decoction. (API Vol. I.)... alstonia scholaris

Boldingh.

Synonym: O. aristatus (Blume) Miq. O. spiralis (Linn.) Merrill O. stamineus Benth.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Manipur, Naga and Lushai hills, Chota Nagpur, Western Ghats.

English: Kidney Tea Plant, Java Tea.

Folk: Mutri-Tulasi (Maharashtra).

Action: Leaves—diuretic, used in nephrosis and severe cases of oedema. An infusion of leaves is given as a specific in the treatment of various kidney and bladder diseases including nephrocirrhosis and phosphaturia, also in rheumatism and gout.

Key application: In irrigation therapy for bacterial and inflammatory diseases of the lower urinary tract and renal gravel. (German Commission E.) Flower tops and leaves (samples from Indonesia) contained methyl ri- pariochromene A. In another sample, leaves also yielded several phenolic compounds including lipophilic flavones, flavonol glycosides and caf- feic acid derivatives. Rosmarinic acid and 2,3-dicaffeoyl-tartaric acid (67% of total phenolics, 94.5% in hot water extract) were major compounds of caffeic acid derivatives.

The leaves also contain a high percentage (0.7-00.8) of potassium salts. Presence oforthosiphonin and potassium salts help in keeping uric acid and urate salts in solution, thus prevents calculi and other deposits. The leaf extract lowers blood sugar in diabetics, but not consistently.

Orthosiphon pallidus Royle, equated with the Ayurvedic herb Arjaka and Shveta-Kutherak and known as Ajagur and Naganda-baavari in folk medicine, is used for dysuria and colic.... orthosiphon grandiflorus