Habitat: Western Himalayas from Garhwal, westwards to Kashmir.
Ayurvedic: Saatala, Saptalaa. (Substitute).Action: Purgative, emetic. Root— used in fistulous sores.
Prostratin, isolated from the roots of var. cornigeria Hook. f., was found to be pro-inflammatory.Habitat: Throughout India in gardens, waste places and tea plantations.
Folk: Phutium (Gujarat), Kuri (Garhwal).Action: Plant—cytotoxic. Leaf— applied to ulcers and swollen glands.
The plant contains a number of poly- acetylenes which are toxic to bacteria, fungi and human fibroblast cells. Phenylheptatriyne is the major constituent of the leaves and stems.B. pilosa Linn. var. minor (Blume) Sherff, synonym B. pilosa Linn. var. bi- pinnata Hook. f. in part, gave phytos- terin-B, which like insulin, showed hy- poglycaemic activity both in normal and diabetic rats. B. pilosa auct. non Linn., synonym B. chinensis Willd., is used for leprosy, fistulae, pustules, tumours.... bidens pilosaHabitat: The warmer regions of India; often cultivated for hedges.
English: Triangular Spurge.Ayurvedic: Snuhi (Substitute), Vajra-kantaka, VajratundiSiddha/Tamil: Chathurakkali.Folk: Tridhaari, Tidhaaraa Sehunda.Action: Latex—purgative. Applied on burns. Plant—used in dropsy, anasarca, sores, venereal sores, syphilis; also in dysentery, bronchitis, asthma. Root—anthelmintic. Fresh stems—used for skin sores and scabies. A decoction of stems is given in gout.
The stems yielded friedelan-3 alpha- ol and 3 beta-ol, taraxerol and taraxe- rone. The roots yielded taraxerol. Latex gave beta-amyrin, cycloartenol, euphol (70%) and alpha-euphorbol.... euphorbia antiquorumHabitat: Throughout India in the plains and low hills.
Ayurvedic: Saatalaa, Saptalaa, Sapralaa, Viduraa, Charmasaahvaa, Charmakashaa.Unani: Thuhar.Siddha/Tamil: Tillakada, Thusimul- lai.Folk: Titali.Action: Fruit—removes warts topically. Plant extract—cholinergic. The aerial parts are used as a vegetable for maintaining smooth and regular movement of bowels.
The alcoholic and aqueous extracts of aerial parts showed significant action on gastro-intestinal motility in rats. The activity is more pronounced in alcoholic extract than in aqueous extract.The extract of air-dried plant exhibits cholinergic action and direct stimulation of different muscle preparations. Plant gave euphorbol, surcose, glycosides, sterols and kaempferol.Dosage: Root—3-5 g powder. (CCRAS.)... euphorbia dracunculoidesHabitat: Throughout warmer regions of India.
English: Euphorbia, Australian Asthma Weed, Pill-bearing Spurge.Ayurvedic: Dudhi, Dudhikaa, Naagaarjuni, Vikshirini.Unani: Dudhi Khurd.Siddha/Tamil: Amman pachharisi.Action: Pectoral, antiasthmatic, antispasmodic. Used for asthma, laryngitis, chronic nasal and bronchial catarrh; diarrhoea, dysentery, intestinal parasitosis Also used in postnatal complaints, failure of lactation. Latex— vermifuge. Used in diseases of urinogenitory tract.
The herb contains several terpenes, anthocyanins, alcohols and steroids. Aerial parts also gave shikimic acid, choline, L-inositol and free sugars.Antiasthmatic activity is attributed to choline and shikimic acid. Shikimic acid and choline showed relaxant and contracting properties on guinea-pig ileum.The aqueous extract of the herb exhibited sedative, anxiolytic, analgesic, antipyretic and anti-inflammatory activities; exerted an inhibitory effect on platelet aggregation.Quercitrin is reported to be responsible for antidiarrhoeal activity.Methanolic extract of the leaves exhibits antibacterial and antifungal activities.Dimeric hydrolysable tannins, eu- phorbains, have been isolated from the plant.... euphorbia hirtaHabitat: Kashmir, above 2,350 m.
Ayurvedic: Hiyaavali, Svarnakshiri (also equated with Argemone mexicana L., Papaveraceae.), Kanchanakshiri, Pitadugdhaa, Katuparni.Folk: Hiravi (Kashmir). Titari (Himachal Pradesh).Action: Root—purgative. Latex— used in eruptions and other skin diseases.... euphorbia thomsoniana
Habitat: Kashmir to Sikkim and Nilgiri hills at 1,500-2,100 m.
Unani: Banafashaa (related species)Folk: Thungtu (Kumaon).Action: Uses same as those of V odorata. A medicinal oil of Unani medicine, Roghan-e-Banafashaa, is prepared from the plant. Flowers, as tea, are used for treating headache.
Active principle of the herb is an alkaloid, violine.... viola pilosaHabitat: Throughout warmer regions of India, up to 1,500 m in the Himalaya.
Ayurvedic: Dugdhikaa.Action: Plant—used in colic, diarrhoea and dysentery. Leaf— astringent, antidysenteric, antileuc- orrhoeic (also used in menorrhagia).
The plant contains taraxerol, oc- tacosanol, campesterol, stigmasterol, beta-sitosterol, quercetin, quercitrin, ellagic acid, rhamnetin-3-galactoside, rhmnetin-3-rhamnoside and kaempferol.... euphorbia hypericifoliaHabitat: Grown as a field and boundary fence and as curious on rockeries in gardens.
English: Holy Milk Hedge, Dog's Tongue.Ayurvedic: Snuhi, Samant-dugdhaa, Sehunda, Singhtunda, Snuk, Gudaa, Sudhaa, Vajra, Vajjri, Vajjradram, Thuuhar.Siddha/Tamil: Ielaikkali, Perumbu- kalli.Action: Latex—purgative, diuretic, antiasthmatic, expectorant, rube- facient. Used in ascites, polyuria, anasarca, chlorosis, tympanitis; externally on warts, cutaneous eruptions, scabies, unhealthy ulcers.
A succus compounded of equal parts of the juice and simple syrup is said to be used for giving relief in asthma.The triterpenoids, euphol, 24-meth- ylenecycloartenol, euphorbol hexa- cosonate, glut-5 (10)-en-1-one, glut-5- en-3 beta-yet-acetate, taraxerol, friede- lan-3 alpha-ol and -3 beta-ol have been reported from the plant.... euphorbia neriifoliaBuch.-Ham.
Family: Euphorbiaceae.
Habitat: Northern and central India, often planted in dry areas.Ayurvedic: Snuhi (substitute), Patra-Snuhi.Siddha/Tamil: Kalli, Naga-kalli.
Action: Latex—used for treating jaundice, dropsy, enlargement of liver and spleen; colic; syphilis, leprosy; applied to haemorrhoids. Coagulated latex is used for bronchitis. Leaf—juice is used as a purgative. Warmed in mustard oil, applied in cold and headache.The latex gave cycloart-25-en-3 beta-ol, and cyclolaudenol; stem contained cyclolaudenol and sitosterol; leaves gave sitosterol. (None of these triterpenes have been reported from E. neriifolia.) These triterpenes exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli.
... euphorbia nivuliaHabitat: Native to Morocco.
English: Euphorbium.Unani: Farfiyuun, Afarbiyuun.Action: A drastic purgative, irritant, vesicant and toxic, proinflammatory. Internal use of the drug has been abandoned.
Dried latex gave diterpene esters; derivatives of 12-deoxyphorbol, which are pro-inflammatory, tumour promoting and cause platelet aggregation; exhibit co-carcinogenic activity.... euphorbia resiniferaHabitat: Western Himalaya from Kumaon to Nepal.
Ayurvedic: Snuhi, Snuk, Sehunda, Gudaa (Substitutes.) (Adhogudaa of Ayurvedic medicine and Bana- muuli of folk medicine have been equated with Euphorbia acaulis Rox.)Unani: ThuuharFolk: Thor, Surai.Action: Latex—cathartic, anthelmintic.
The latex yield euphol, cycloeu- calenol, an inseparable mixture of four tetra-and four tri-esters of macrocyclic diterpene ingenol, octacosanol, tetra- cosanol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, alpha-amyrin and campesterol. The plant gave ingenol.The latex is a valuable source of in- genol esters. Ingol is a macrocyclic diterpene and is of therapeutic interest due to its antileukemic properties. Fractionation of the latex gave ingol- 12-acetate and 8-tigloyl-12-acetate. The acylation of ingol-12-acetate yielded derivatives which inhibit the growth of the basophilic leukaemia cells in rats.... euphorbia royleanaHabitat: Smaller var., equated with E. thymifolia, is found in tropical plains and low hills of India, ascending to 1,750 m. Bigger var., E. pilulifera/E. hirta Linn. is found in warmer parts of India from Punjab eastwards, and southwards to Kanyakumari.
Ayurvedic: Dudhi (smaller var.), Dugdhikaa, Naagaarjuni, Swaaduparni.Siddha/Tamil: Sittrapaladi.Action: Plant—antispasmodic, bronchodilator, antiasthmat- ic (used in bronchial asthma), galactagogue (also used for spermatorrhoea). Root—used in amenorrhoea. Latex—used in ringworm, dandruff. Leaf, seed and latex—purgative. A decoction of the plant, with honey, is given to treat haematuria.
Aerial parts gave epitaraxerol, n- hexacosanol, euphorbol, two derivatives of deoxyphorbol-OAC, 24-meth- ylene cycloartenol and quercetin galactoside. Co-carcinogenic activity is due to phorbol derivatives. The plant exhibits antimicrobial activity due to alkaloids.Dosage: Whole plant—10-20 g paste. (CCRAS.)Family: Euphorbiaceae.Habitat: Native to Africa; naturalized in the warmer parts of India.
English: Milk-Bush, Milk Hedge, Indian tree Spurge, Aveloz, Petroleum PlantAyurvedic: Saptalaa, Saatalaa.Siddha/Tamil: Tirukalli.Folk: Angulia-thuuhar.Action: Purgative, emetic, antiasthmatic, bechic. Used for whooping cough, asthma, dyspepsia, biliousness, jaundice, enlargement of spleen, leucorrhoea. Latex—applied externally on warts.
Used as a purgative and for rheumatism and neuralgia. Stem bark—used for gastralgia, colic, asthma.The latex contains an ingol ester besides triterpenoids, euphorbinol and cycloeuphordenol.Presence of a number of ingenol and phorbol esters (diterpenoids), and tri- terpenoids are reported from the plant. The stem gave hentriacontane, hentri- acontanol, beta-sitosterol, Me-ellagic and ellagic acids and kaempferol glu- coside.The latex is a weak tumour promoter.... euphorbia thymifolia
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