Linn.
Family: Polygonaceae.
Habitat: The Himalayas up to 300 m, and in the plains from Assam to Western and Southern India.
Folk: Jangali Paalak.
Action: Plant—astringent; used in cutaneous disorders.
The leaves contain vitamin C 115 mg and vitamin A value 11,700 IU/100 g and are a rich source of calcium and beta-carotene. The dried leaves contained 7.8% of flavonoids and 0.04% of anthraquinone derivatives. Flavonoids include rutin, avicularin, quercitrin, quercetin. Roots contain chrysophan- ic acid and emodin, the total an- thraquinone content being 0.13%.
Rumex hastatus D. Don.
Folk: Amlora, Chumlora (Kumaon); Khattimal, Katambal (Punjab).
Action: Astringent.
The root and bark yield 21-23% tannin.
Linn.
Family: Polygonaceae.
Habitat: The temperate Himalayas, Assam, Bengal, Western Ghats and the Nilgiris.
English: Golden Dock.
Ayurvedic: Kunanjara.
Unani: Seeds—Beejband, (siyah or safed), Jangali Paalak.
Action: Leaves—catharitic; externally applied to burns. Seeds— incorporated in sex-tonics as aphrodisiac. (Seeds of Sida cordifolia and Abutilon indicum are also used as Beejband.) Roots are used as a substitute for rhubarb.
The leaves contain anthraquinones both in free and bound forms. The fruits contain rumarin (0.12%) rutin and hyperin. The seeds contain 5.1% tannin.
The roots are purgative; contain chrysophanic acid, saccharose and tannin (6%).
The seeds and leaves contain ru- marin, rutin, hyperin, chrysophanic acid, charose, tannin, emodin and its monoethyl ether, beta-sitosterol and its glucoside.
Habitat: The temperate Himalayas, Western Ghats and the Nilgiris.
Folk: Kulli (Kumaon).
Action: Root—purgative. A substitute for Rheum palmatum. Leaves— an infusion is given in colic, externally applied to syphilitic ulcers.
The roots contain nepodin, chryso- phanic acid, also 12.8% tannin.... rumex maritimus
Linn.
Family: Polygonaceae.
Habitat: Western Himalayas up to an altitude of 2,400 m.
English: French Sorrel.
Action: Plant—refrigerant, astringent; given in dysentery. Juice of leaves—antiscorbutic.
The roots contain oxymethyl an-
Action: Plant—astringent antiscorbutic, stomachic, diuretic, used for disorders of lymphatic and glandular system; for bronchitis, asthma; constipation, dyspepsia, diseases of liver and spleen; urinary and renal disorders; alcoholism. Seeds—antidysenteric.
Anthraquinone glucosides, emodin and chrysophanol, have been reported from leaves, root and seeds. The leaves contain large amounts of oxalate (21.8% on dry basis); vitamin C content is 12 mg and vitamin A 6,100 IU/100 g.
The leaves of Rumex species are eaten in salad or cooked like spinach. They contain protein, carbohydrates, potassium, magnesium, phosphorus, calcium, manganese, copper, zinc, (iodine, in some samples), ascorbic acid, beta-carotene and thiamine; also oxalic acid, potassium binoxalate and some tartaric acid.... rumex scutatus
Health Encyclopedia