Plantago major Health Dictionary

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Plantago Major: From 1 Different Sources

Linn.

Family: Plantaginaceae.

Habitat: The temperate and alpine Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan at altitudes of 600-3,500 m.

English: Broadleaf Plantain.

Ayurvedic: Ashvagola (var.).

Folk: Isabgol.

Action: Plant—haemostatic, antihistaminic, antibacterial, wound-healing in burns and inflammation of tissues. Leaves— cooling, astringent, diuretic, vulnerary, febrifuge. Used for diarrhoea, bacillary dysentery, hepatitis, urinary diseases, piles, ulcers and skin diseases. Leaves are used for cystitis with blood, haematuria and other bladder disorders.

The aqueous extract of the leaves showed anti-inflammatory activity in mice.

The aerial parts contain an iridoid glucoside, majoroside. The leaves contain a phenylpropanoid glycoside, plantamajoside, exhibiting antibacterial activity against several pathogenic bacteria including E. coli and Staphy- lococcus aureus. (The glycoside is less inhibitory than the free acids, caffeic, ferulic, and rosmarinic and esculetin.)
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Origanum Majorana

Linn.

Family: Orchidaceae.

Habitat: Kashmir to Nepal at altitudes of 2,500-5,000 m in damp places.

English: Orchis, Salep.

Ayurvedic: Munjaataka, Saalam- misri, Saalam-panjaa. (Eulophia campestris Wall. is also equated with Munjaataka.)

Unani: Saaleb, Khusyaat-us-Saalab, Saalab Misri.

Siddha: Silamishri.

Action: Considered aphrodisiac and nervine tonic by Unani physicians. Tuber—nutritive, demulcent, restorative. Given

Synonym: Majorana hortensis Moench.

Family: Labiatae; Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Native to Europe and Great Britain.

English: Sweet Marjoram. (Origanum vulgare Linn., Wild Marjoram, occurs in Simla hills and in Kashmir valley.)

Ayurvedic: Sukhaatmaka, Maruba- ka, Phanijjaka. (Ocimum basilicum is used as a substitute for Phanijjaka.)

Unani: Marzanjosh.

Folk: Maruae. Santhraa. Jangali Maruaa (Origanum vulgare Linn.).... origanum majorana

Plantago Amplexicaulis

Cav. var. bauphula (Edgew.) Pilger.

Family: Plantaginaceae.

Habitat: Punjab, Rajasthan and Delhi.

English: Brown Ispaghula.

Unani: Aspaghol.

Action: Seed—astringent. Seed coat—demulcent.

See Plantago ovata.... plantago amplexicaulis

Plantago Lanceolata

Linn.

Family: Plantaginaceae.

Habitat: Western Himalayas, from Kashmir to Garhwal and Simla.

English: Rib Grass, Ribwort Plantain, English Plantain, Buckhorn Plantain.

Unani: Baartang, Aspaghol.

Folk: Balatang.

Action: Leaf and root—astringent, bechic, antiasthmatic, anti-inflammatory, hypothermic, diuretic. Seed—cathartic, diuretic, haemostatic.

Key application: Internally, for catarrhs of the respiratory tract and inflammatory alterations of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa; externally for inflammatory reactions of the skin. (German Commission E, ESCOP.)

Globularin and methyl ester of de- sacetyl asperulosidic acid were isolated from the plant along with cat- apol. A crude mucilage, isolated from the leaves, contains L-arabinose 26.0, D-galactose 35.8, D-glucose 21.9, D- mannose 4.6, L-rhamnose 4.6 and uronic acid 6.9%. Alpha-D-glucan was separated from this mucilage.

Leaves gave aucubin and esculetin, in addition to polysaccharides. The whole plant yielded rhamnosidoglyco- side of caffeic acid. Seeds contain 1.1% aucubin. Aucubin exhibits antibacterial activity. Hepatoprotective effect is also attributed to the aucubin content.

Alcoholic extract of young leaves exhibit antibacterial action against Streptococcus betahaemolyticus, Micrococ- cus pyogenes var. aureus and Bacillus subtilis, thus confirming their wound- healing properties.... plantago lanceolata

Plantago Ovata

Forsk

Synonym: P. Ispaghula Roxb.

Family: Plantaginaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated In Parts Of Rajasthan And Maharashtra.

English: Ispaghula, Spogel Seeds, Blond Psyllium.

Ayurvedic: Ashvagola. Ashwakarna (Also Equated With Shorea Robusta).

Unani: Aspaghol.

Siddha/Tamil: Isapppa.

Folk: Isabgol.

Action: Seed And Husk—Laxative, Diuretic, Demulcent, Bechic, Cholinergic. Used In Inflammatory Conditions Of The Mucous Membrane Of Gastrointestinal And Genitourinary Tract, Chronic Amoebic And Bacillary Dysentery; Also In Hypercholesterolemia.

Key Application ? In Chronic Constipation And Irritable Bowel. (German Commission E.) Also In Constipation Due To Duodenal Ulcer Or Diverticulitis (Who.) German Commission E Also Noted That Blond Psyllium Seed Lowers Serum Cholesterol Levels. It Has Also Been Shown To Slow Sugar Absorption Thereby Reducing Blood Glucose. (Escop.) Use Of Blond Psyllium Husk Up To Six Months Did Not Clinically Alter Vitamin Or Mineral Status In A Review Of Eight Human Trials. It Did Not Reduce Absorption Of Calcium. (J Am Geriatr Soc, 43, 1995; Am J Clin Nutr, 71, 2000; Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)

The Seed Contains Amino Acids Including Valine, Alanine, Glutamic Acid, Glycine, Cystine, Lysine, Leucine And Tyrosine; And A Mucilage Consisting Of A Mixture Of Polysaccharides Composed Mainly Of Xylose, Arabinose And Galacturonic Acid; Rhamnose And Galactose Are Also Present. The Seeds Also Gave Aucubin, The Antibacterial Principle. The Seed Coat Contains Fatty Acids Mainly Linoleic, Oleic And Palmitic Acids In Decreasing Concentrations.

The Seeds Show A Liver Protective Effect On Induced Hepatotoxicity In Mice. In China, The Plant Is Used Clinically To Treat Certain Types Of Hepatitis (Activity Due To Aucubin Content).

Dosage: Husk—5-10 G. (Ccras.)... plantago ovata

Major Histocompatibility Complex

see MHC.... major histocompatibility complex

Vinca Major

(Linn.) Pich.

Synonym: V pubescens Urv.

Family: Apocynaceae.

Habitat: Native to Europe. Found in the Himalayas, West Bengal and Palni Hills.

English: Green Periwinkle, Greater Periwinkle.

Action: Astringent, antihaemor- rhagic, hypotensive. Used to treat menorrhagia and leucorrhoea.

The herb contains indole alkaloids; majdine, isomajdine, majoridine, aku- ammine, akuammigine, carpanaubine, irvine, reserpine, serpentine, sarpagi- ne, tetrahydroalstonine, vincamajine and vincamajoreine; and tannins.

The cytotoxic dimeric alkaloids present in Vinca rosea L., used in the treatment of certain types of cancer, have not been found in Vinca major.... vinca major

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