Linn.
Synonym: S. prinoides DC.
Family: Hippocrateaceae; Celas- traceae.
Habitat: A large, climbing shrub or small tree occurring throughout India, including the Andaman Islands.
English: Saptrangi.
Ayurvedic: Saptachakraa, Swarn- muula, Saptarangi.
Folk: Ingali (Maharashtra), Modhuphal (Bengal), Cherukuranti (Kerala).
Action: Roots—used in diabetes. Also used for amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and genito-urinary and venereal diseases.
The root bark contains proantho- cyanidins, consisting of monomeric leucopelargonidin, its monomer, dimer and tetramer; triterpenoids (friedelin and its derivatives), mangi- ferine, phlobatannin, and glucosidal tannins.
The stem yielded gutta, dulcitol and proanthocyanidin consisting of dimer of leucopelargonidin.
Dosage: Root—50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)
(Gaertn.) Sonn.
Synonym: Nephelium litchi Cambess.
Family: Sapindaceae.
Habitat: Native to China; now cultivated mainly in Northern Bihar, particularly in Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga districts, and Saharanpur, Dehra Dun, Muzaffar- nagar, Gorakhpur, Deoria, Gonda, Basti, Faizabad, Rampur, Bareil- ly, Bahraich, Kheri and Pilibhit districts of Uttar Pradesh.
English: Litchi, Lychee.
Action: Fruit—refrigerant during summer. Leaf—used in bites of animals.
Litchi aril contains: total sugars (as invert sugar) 12.1-14.8; reducing sugar 9-13.7; non-reducing sugar 1.0-3.4; acidity (as citric acid) 0.22-0.36%; and ascorbic acid 34.5-45.4 mg/100 g.
The plant contains levulinic, malic, citric, lactic, malonic, fumaric, suc- cinic, phosphoric and glutaric acids.
The Bark contains friedelin and stig- masterol.
Litchi seeds are prescribed in Malaya for neurological disorders and orchi- tis. In seed lipids, fatty acids cyclo- propanoic 42.0; oleic 27.0, palmitic 12.0 and linoleic 11.0%, have been determined.... litchi chinensis
Auct. Non Linn.
Synonym: P. arvensis Willd.
Family: Polygalaceae.
Habitat: Throughout India and the Andamans.
English: Senega.
Folk: Meradu, Maraad, Negali (Maharashtra). Maraad (Nepal).
Action: Root—antiasthmatic; used as a substitute for Senega obtained from the American plant Polygala senega. (In Chinese medicine Senega refers to P. tenuifolia Willd.)
Key application: Senega Root— in productive cough, catarrh of the respiratory tract and chronic bronchitis. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO.)
Senega yielded lactonic lignans, their glycosides and flavonol glycosides. The root gave arctiin, afzelin, myricitrin and rutin. A triterpenic saponin was also obtained from the plant. The root contains salicylic acid, methyl salicylate and senegin (a sapo- nin mixture).
Senega is used for chronic bronchitis, catarrh, asthma and croup, as an infusion.
Related species are: P. chinesis Linn., synonym P. glomerata Lour; P. tele- phioides Willd., synonym P. brachys- tachya DC. non-Bl., found throughout the plains of India. Both the plants are used as expectorant, antiasthmatic and anticatarrhal.
Toxic constituents of Polygala senega root are: triterpene saponins—6- 16% senegasaponins A-D with agly- cone presenegenin or senegin. Sapo- nins irritate GI tract mucosa and cause reflex secretion of mucous in the bronchioles.
A French patent is used against graft rejection, eczema and multiple sclerosis as an anti-inflammatory drug.... polygala chinensis
(Latin) In mythology, a sea goddess Salaciah, Salacea, Salasea, Salaciya, Salasia, Salasiya... salacia
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