Ximenia americana Health Dictionary

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Ximenia Americana: From 1 Different Sources

Linn.

Synonym: X. spinosa Salisb.

Family: Olacaceae.

Habitat: Both the Peninsulas and the Andaman Islands.

English: Tallow-Wood, False Sandal-Wood.

Siddha/Tamil: Chiru-illantai, Kadaranji, Siruyilandai.

Action: Fruits—known as Wild Plum or Wild Olive, are used as a substitute for lemon. Fruits and seeds—laxative. Root and leaves— decoction given in jaundice, diarrhoea and during fevers. Root—used for venereal diseases. Bark—astringent, applied to sores. Wood—used as a substitute for sandalwood.

The root contains fat, rich in acety- lenic acids, including ximenynic acid. The bark contains 17% tannin. An extract of leaves gave positive test for presence of free triterpenoids.

Alcoholic extract of the plant showed antiviral and hypotensive activity in primary tests on animals.

A cyanogenic and antimicrobial constituent, sambunigrin, is present in the plant. Natural lignified products from the plant significantly stimulate iodination of human peripheral blood polymorphonuclear cells.

The fruit contains 60.3 mg/100 g ascorbic acid.
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Agave Americana

Linn.

Family: Agavaceae.

Habitat: Native to America; grown in gardens for ornamentation.

English: Century Plant, American Aloe.

Ayurvedic: Kaantala (related sp.).

Siddha/Tamil: Alagai.

Folk: Ban-Kevaraa.

Action: Leaf juice—used for warts, cancerous ulcers and putrid tumours. Leaves are also used as a resolvant in syphilis and scrofula.

The leaves contain ten steroidal sa- ponins (six of these are spirostanolic and four furostanolic), also hecogenin (0.20%) and piscidic acid. The seeds contain steroid sapogenins including hecogenin. The plant exhibits significant antibacterial activity.... agave americana

Persea Americana

Mill.

Synonym: P. gratissima Gaertn. f.

Family: Lauraceae.

Habitat: Native to Central America; introduced into India and grown for its fruit in Bangalore, Nandi Hills, Courtallam, Nagarcoil, Shevaroys, lower Palnis and the foothills of the Nilgiris; also in Pune.

English: Avocado, Alligator Pear, Butter Fruit.

Action: Fruit—hypocholestero- laemic. Leaf—bacteriostatic; potentially toxic to goats and sheep.

The fruit is highly nutritious. The fruit from Nilgiris contains 22.8% fat, 1.7% protein; also manganese, phosphorus, iron, potassium, vitamin E, vitamin C, beta-carotene, thiamine, ri- boflavin, nicotinic acid and foliate. It is relatively low in sodium and simple sugars.

American Avocado is rich in oil (1530 g/100 g fresh fruit) that is mainly monounsaturated and a good source of linoleic acid. Its high fiber content might be responsible for its cholesterol lowering effects.

Preliminary evidence suggests that unsaponifiable fractions of Avocado and soybean oils (combination) can inhibit cartilage degradation and promote cartilage repair in osteoarthritic chondrocytes. (Properties of Avocado cited in Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.) Avocado oil is used in cosmetic preparations, soaps and pharmaceuticals. The peel of immature fruit contains antifungal compounds. The fruit pulp is used topically to promote hair growth.... persea americana

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