Chir Health Dictionary

See “podiatry”.... chiropody

A system of skeletal manipulation to restore balance and normality in cases of structural derangement. A feature is their “high velocity: low amplitude thrust.” A number of herbal lotions and massage oils assist the Chiropractor to relax muscles and prepare tissues for manipulation. See: ROSEMARY AND ALMOND OIL. STIFF NECK SALVE, GOLDEN FIRE.

Chiropractors stress the importance of X-raying patients before applying manipulation. “Patients treated by chiropractors,” reported the Medical Research Council in the British Medical Journal, “were not only no worse off than those treated in hospital but almost certainly fared considerably better and maintained their improvement for two years.” ... chiropractic

Swertia chirata. N.O. Gentianaceae.

Synonym: Brown Chirata, Chirayta, Griseb.

Habitat: Northern India.

Features ? Stem purplish-brown, cylindrical below, becoming quadrangular higher up, pithy, nearly quarter-inch thick. Leaves opposite, three to seven longitudinal ribs, entire. Fruit (capsule) one-celled, two valved. Extremely bitter taste.

Part used ? Whole plant.

Action: Bitter tonic.

In all cases where a tonic is indicated. With suitable hepatics and laxatives, sometimes forms part of prescriptions for liver complaints, dyspepsia and constipation.

Dose, two to four tablespoonfuls of 1/2 ounce to 1 pint infusion.... chiretta

Andrographis paniculata

Acanthaceae

San: Bhunimbah, Kiratatiktah

Hin: Kakamegh, Kalpanath

Ben: Kalmegh

Mal: Nilaveppu, Kiriyattu Tam: Nilavempu Kan: Kreata

Importance: Kalmegh, the Great or Green Chiretta is a branched annual herb. It is useful in hyperdipsia, burning sensation, wounds, ulcers, chronic fever, malarial and intermittent fevers, inflammations, cough, bronchitis, skin diseases, leprosy, pruritis, intestinal worms, dyspepsia, flatulence, colic, diarrhoea, dysentery, haemorrhoids and vitiated conditions of pitta (Warrier et al, 1993). It is used to overcome sannipata type of fever, difficulty in breathing, hemopathy due to the morbidity of kapha and pitta, burning sensation, cough, oedema, thirst, skin diseases, fever, ulcer and worms. It is also useful in acidity and liver complaints (Aiyer and Kolammal, 1962). The important preparations using the drug are Tiktakagheta, Gorocandi gulika, Candanasava, Panchatiktam kasaya, etc. (Sivarajan et al, 1994). A preparation called “Alui” is prepared by mixing powdered cumin (Cuminium cyminum) and large cardamom (Amomum subulatum) in the juice of this plant and administered for the treatment of malaria (Thakur et al, 1989). It is also a rich source of minerals.

Distribution: The plant is distributed throughout the tropics. It is found in the plains of India from U.P to Assam, M.P., A.P, Tamil Nadu and Kerala, also cultivated in gardens.

Botany: Andrographis paniculata (Burm.f.) Wall ex.

Nees belongs to the family Acanthaceae. It is an erect branched annual herb, 0.3-0.9m in height with quadrangular branches. Leaves are simple, lanceolate, acute at both ends, glabrous, with 4-6 pairs of main nerves. Flowers are small, pale but blotched and spotted with brown and purple distant in lax spreading axillary and terminal racemes or panicles. Calyx-lobes are glandular pubescent with anthers bearded at the base. Fruits are linear capsules and acute at both ends. Seeds are numerous, yellowish brown and sub-quadrate (Warrier et al,1993).

Another species of Andrographis is A. echioides (Linn.) Nees. It is found in the warmer parts of India. The plant is a febrifuge and diuretic. It contains flavone-echiodinin and its glucoside-echioidin (Husain et al, 1992).

Agrotechnology: The best season of planting Andrographis is May-June. The field is to be ploughed well, mixed with compost or dried cowdung and seedbeds of length 3m, breadth 1/2m and 15cm height are to be taken at a distance of 3m. The plant is seed propagated. Seeds are to be soaked in water for 6 hours before sowing. Sowing is to be done at a spacing of 20cm. Seeds may germinate within 15-20 days. Two weedings, first at one month after planting and the second at 2 month after planting are to be carried out. Irrigation during summer months is beneficial. The plant is not attacked by any serious pests or diseases. Flowering commences from third month onwards. At this stage, plant are to be collected, tied into small bundles and sun-dried for 4-5 days. Whole plant is the economic part and the yield is about 1.25t dried plants/ha (Prasad et al, 1997).

Properties and activity: Leaves contain two bitter substances lactone “andrographolid” and “kalmeghin”. The ash contains sodium chloride and potassium salts. Plant is very rich in chlorophyte. Kalmeghin is the active principle that contains 0.6% alkaloid of the crude plant. The plant contains diterpenoids, andrographolide, 14-deoxy-11-oxo-andrographolide, 14-deoxy-11,12-dihydroandrographolide, 14-deoxy andrographolide and neoandrographolide (Allison et al, 1968). The roots give flavones-apigenin-7,4-dio-O-methyl ether, 5-hydroxy-7,8,2’,3’- tetramethoxyflavone, andrographin and panicolin and -sitosterol (Ali et al, 1972; Govindachari et al, 1969). Leaves contain homoandrographolide, andrographosterol and andrographone.

The plant is vulnerary, antipyretic, antiperiodic, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, depurative, sudorific, anthelmintic, digestive, stomachic, tonic, febrifuge and cholagogue. The plant is antifungal, antityphoid, hepatoprotective, antidiabetic and cholinergic. Shoot is antibacterial and leaf is hypotensive(Garcia et al, 1980). This is used for the inflammation of the respiratory tract. In China, researchers have isolated the andrographolide from which soluble derivative such as 14-deoxy-11, 12-dehydro-andrographolide which forms the subject of current pharmacological and clinical studies. Apigenin 7,4’-O-dimethyl ether isolated from A. paniculata exhibits dose dependent, antiulcer activity in shay rat, histamine induced ulcer in guinea pigs and aspirin induced ulcers in rats. A crude substance isolated from methanolic extract of leaves has shown hypotensive activity. Pre-treatment of rats with leaf (500mg/kg) or andrographolide (5mg/kg) orally prevented the carbon tetrachloride induced increase of blood serum levels of glutamate-oxaloacetate transaminase in liver and prevented hepatocellular membrane.... green chiretta

(African) One who is triumphant Chyriga, Chyryga, Chiryga... chiriga

(American) Form of Shirley, meaning “from the bright clearing” Chirly, Chirli, Chirlie, Chirleigh, Chirlee, Chirlea, Chirleah... chirley

Jellyfish members of the Class Cubozoa with more than one (and up to 15) tentacles in each corner. The jellyfish group causing more morbidity and mortality than any other in the world. At present there are 5 common species acknowledged, but current research may change this.... chirodropids

A multi-tentacled box-jellyfish present on the western coast of tropical Africa. Has the potential to cause human death, although none have been reported to date.... chirodropus gorilla

A multi-tentacled box-jellyfish present in tropical Australian waters and responsible for at least 63 deaths since first reported in 1883. Specimens have recently been discovered in Borneo, and are currently believed to be even more widespread in the Indo-Pacific.... chironex fleckeri

A family of biting flies known as “biting midges”.... chironomid

A system of medicine based on the theory that disease is caused by malfunction of the nervous system, and that normal function of the nervous system can be achieved by manipulation and other treatment of the structures of the body, primarily the spinal column. A practitioner is a chiropractor, Doctor of Chiropractic (DC).... chiropractice

A person who practises chiropractic – mainly a system of physical manipulations of minor displacements of the spinal column. These minor displacements (see SUBLUXATION) of the spine are believed to affect the associated or neighbouring nerves and so cause malfunctions of the muscles throughout the body. By manipulating the affected part of the spinal column the patient’s complaint, whatever it may be – for example, backache – is relieved.... chiropractor

A multi-tentacled box-jellyfish present in the tropical eastern Indian Ocean, but particularly common around south India, Sri Lanka and eastwards towards Java.... chiropsalmus buitendijki

A multi-tentacled box-jellyfish present throughout the Indo-Pacific, and currentlybelieved to be responsible for regular deaths in many Indo-Pacific countries, amounting to many thousands of deaths over time. Looks similar to Chironex, leading to some difficulties in identification.... chiropsalmus quadrigatus

A multi-tentacled box-jellyfish present on the eastern coastline of tropical America. It has caused at least one documented death in Texas, U.S.A.... chiropsalmus quadrumanus

(Roxb. ex Flem.) Karst.

Synonym: S. chirata (Wall.) C. B. Clarke.

S. tongluensis Burkill. Gentiana chirayita Roxb. ex Flem. G. chirata Wall. Ophelia chirata Griseb.

Family: Gentianaceae.

Habitat: Temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan and in Khasi Hills.

English: Chiretta.

Ayurvedic: Kiraata, Kairaata, Kiraataka, Kandatikta, Kiraatatikta, Kiraatatiktaka, Katutikta, Trin- nimba, Bhuunimba, Aranyatikta, Raamasenaka. Bhuunimba (also equated with Andrographis paniculata).

Unani: Chiraitaa.

Siddha: Nilavembu.

Action: Blood purifier and bitter tonic (The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India); used in skin diseases. Other properties: antiinflammatory (experimentally, the benzene extract was comparable with phenylbutazone and betamethasone in induced arthritis); hypoglycaemic (xanthone, swerchirin, lowers blood sugar), astringent, stomachic (in dyspepsia and diarrhoea); antimalarial (before the discovery of Peruvian bark), anthelmintic; antiasthmatic, bechic; and as a liver tonic (several active principles are hepatoprotective).

The herb contains oxygenated xan- thone derivatives, including decus- satin, mangiferin, swerchirin, swer- tianin, isobellidifolin; iridoids including chiratin, alkaloids including gen- tianine, gentiocrucine, enicoflavine and glycosyl flavones.

Antitubercular activity has been claimed in xanthones. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)

Green chiretta is equated with Andrographis paniculata Nees, Acantha- ceae.

Dosage: Whole plant—1-3 g powder; 20-30 g for decoction. (API, Vol. I.)... swertia chirayita