Retz.Synonym: L. speciosa (L.) Pers. L. reginae Roxb.Family: Lythraceae.
Habitat: Tropical Himalaya, and Assam, Western and Eastern Ghats, up to 1,000 m.
English: Pride of India, Queen's Flowers, Queen Crape Myrtle.Siddha/Tamil: Kadalai, Pumaruttu.Folk: Jaarul. Kramuk and Arjun are confusing synonyms.
Action: Seed—narcotic. Root— astringent, stimulant, febrifuge. Fruit—used for aphthae of the mouth. Leaves—purgative, diuretic, deobstruent. Bark—an infusion is given in diarrhoea and abdominal pain.
A decoction of the leaves, also of dried fruits, is used like tea for diabetes mellitus in Philippines. Mature leaves and fruits, in fresh condition, exhibit hypoglycaemic activity experimentally The potency decreases on storing the material.The leaf extract, when administered as powder and as tannin-free extract, showed hypoglycaemic activity in mice. Amino acids constitute the insulin-like principle. The plant contains triterpenoids, colocolic acid and maslinic acid. Colocolic acid is known to possess hypoglycaemic activity.Leaves contain lageracetal and sitos- terol. Ellagitannins have been isolated from fruits and leaves.... lagerstroemia flos-reginae
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