Burm. f.
Synonym: S. carpinifolia auct. non Linn f.
Family: Malvaceae.
Habitat: Throughout the warmer parts of India.
English: Hornbeam-Leaved Sida.
Ayurvedic: Balaa (white-flowered var.).
Folk: Jangali Methi.
Action: Root—astringent, cooling, stomachic, febrifuge, diuretic; used for nervous and sexual debility, haemorrhoids, biliary disorders. Leaves—demulcent; applied to testicular swellings and elephantiasis.
The root contains alkaloids—phen- ethylamine, ephedrine (major), si- ephedrine, vasicinol, vasicinone, va- sicine, choline, hypaphorine and betaine. (These alkaloids are also present in aerial parts.) The root also contains alpha-amyrin and an hormone, ecdys- terone. Whole plant, as well as the root, contains an alkaloid cryptolepine. Cryptolepine exhibits hypotensive and antimicrobial activity.The seeds contain 0.26% of the alkaloids and roots 0.066%.The water-soluble portion of the alcoholic extract of the plant exerts spasmodic action of the smooth muscles of ileum, trachea, uterus and heart of experimental animals. (The activity bears similarity to that of acetylcholine.)
(Linn.) Gaertn.
Synonym: Eugenia acutangula L.
Family: Lecythidaceae; Barringtoni- aceae.
Habitat: Sub-Himalayan tracts from the Ganges eastwards to Assam and Madhya Pradesh.
English: Indian Oak. (Oak is equated with Quercus robur L.)
Ayurvedic: Nichula, Hijjala, Ijjala, Vidula, Ambuj. (Central Council for Research in Ayurveda & Siddha has wrongly equated Hijjala, Nichula and Vidula with Argyreia nervosa, Elephant Creeper.)
Unani: Samandarphal. (Saman- darphal is also equated with Rhus parviflora Roxb. in National Formulary of Unani Medicine.)
Siddha/Tamil: Kadappai, Samudra- phullarni.
Action: Leaf juice—given in diarrhoea. Fruit—bitter, acrid, anthelmintic, haemolytic, vulnerary; prescribed in gingivitis as an expectorant. Powdered seeds— emetic and expectorant. Bark— astringent, used in diarrhoea and blennorrhoea. Febrifuge. Wood— haemostatic (in metrorrhagia).
Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicated the use of the fruit in goitre; also in psychological disorders.The bark contains tannins (16%), also ellagic acid.The fruits contain triterpenoid sa- pogenins. Saponins possess haemolyt- ic properties.A related sp. B. racemosa (L.) Roxb., found in Assam, eastern and western coasts of India and the Andaman Islands, is also equated with Samu- draphala and Hijjala.European Oak (Quercus robur) contains 15-20% tannins, consisting of phlobatannin, ellagitannins and gallic acid. The bark is used as astringent, antiseptic and haemostatic.
Dosage: Fruit—1-3 g (API Vol. III.)... barringtonia acutangula
Linn.
Family: Malvaceae.
Habitat: Throughout India in moist places.
English: Country Mallow.
Ayurvedic: Balaa (yellow-flowered var.), Sumanganaa, Khara- yashtikaa, Balini, Bhadrabalaa, Bhadraudani, Vaatyaalikaa.
Unani: Bariyaara, Khirhati, Khireti, Kunayi.
Siddha/Tamil: Nilatutti.
Action: Juice of the plant— invigorating, spermatopoietic, used in spermatorrhoea. Seeds— nervine tonic. Root—(official part in Indian medicine) used for the treatment of rheumatism; neurological disorders (hemiplegia, facial paralysis, sciatica); polyuria, dysuria, cystitis, strangury and hematuria; leucorrhoea and other uterine disorders; fevers and general debility. Leaves—demulcent, febrifuge; used in dysentery.
Ephedrine and si-ephedrine are the major alkaloids in the aerial parts. The total alkaloid content is reported to be 0.085%, the seeds contain the maximum amount. In addition to alkaloids, the seeds contain a fatty oil (3.23%), steroids, phytosterols, resin, resin acids, mucin and potassium nitrate.The root contains alkaloids—ephed- rine, si-ephedrine, beta-phenethyl- amine, carboxylated tryptamines and hypaphorine, quinazoline alkaloids— vasicinone, vasicine and vasicinol. Choline and betaine have also been isolated.A sitoindoside, isolated from the plant, has been reported to exhibit adaptogenic and immunostimulatory activities. Alcoholic extract of the plant possesses antibacterial and antipyretic propeptide. Ethanolic extract of the plant depresses blood pressure in cats and dogs.... sida cordifolia
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