Habitat: Sikkim Himalayas, Assam.
Folk: Motaa-pasuti (Assam), Ramguwaa (Nepal).Action: Kino—astringent; used for dysentery; topically applied to mouth sores.
Kino contains 33.6% tannin and resembles kino from Pterocarpus mar- supium is appearance.Habitat: Native to Sudan and Arabia. Now cultivated mainly in Tirunelveli and Ramnathpuram districts and to a lesser extent in Madurai, Salem and Tiruchirapalli districts of Tamil Nadu. Also grown on a small scale in Cuddapah district of Andhra Pradesh and certain parts of Karnataka.
English: Indian Senna, Tinnevelly Senna.Ayurvedic: Svarna-pattri, Maarkandikaa, Maarkandi.Unani: Sannaa, Sanaa-makki, Senaai, Sonaamukhi, Sanaa-Hindi.Siddha/Tamil: Nilaavaarai.Folk: Sanaai.Action: Purgative (free from astringent action of rhubark type herbs, but causes gripe), used in compounds for treating biliousness, distention of stomach, vomiting and hiccups. Also used as a febrifuge, in splenic enlargements, jaundice, amoebic dysentery. Contraindicated in inflammatory colon diseases.
Key application: Leaf and dried fruit—in occasional constipation. (German Commission E.) As a stimulant laxative. (The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.) 1,8- dihydoxy-anthracene derivatives have a laxative effect. This effect is due to the sennosides, specifically, due to their active metabolite in the colon, rheinanthrone. The effect is primarily caused by the influence on the motility of the colon by inhibiting stationary and stimulating propulsive contractions. (German Commission E, ESCOP, WHO.) Seena has been included in I.P. as a purgative.Most of the Senna sp. contain rhein, aloe-emodin, kaempferol, isormam- netin, both free and as glucosides, together with mycricyl alcohol. The purgative principles are largely attributed to anthraquinone derivatives and their glucosides.Senna is an Arabian name. The drug was brought into use by Arabian physicians for removing capillary congestion (pods were preferred to leaves).The active purgative principle of senna was discovered in 1866.Cassia acutifolia Delile is also equated with Maarkandikaa, Svarna-pattri, Sanaai.Dosage: Leaves—500 mg to 2 g (API Vol. I.)... cassia angustifoliaHabitat: Central Himalaya, Bihar, West Bengal, Maharashtra and South India.
English: East Indian Arrowroot, Travancore Starch.Ayurvedic: Tvakshira, Tvakshiri.Unani: Tikhur, Tabaasheer.Siddha/Tamil: Ararut-gaddalu.Action: Starch—Cooling, demulcent, nutritious; used for asthma and bronchitis, as a substitute for Vansalochana (Bamboo-manna). Oil—antibacterial, antifungal, anthelmintic against tape worms. Rhizome—used for fever, diarrhoea, gravel, swellings and skin diseases.
The rhizomes yield 9.4% of an essential oil containing alpha-pinene 1.90, beta-pinene 17.92, d-ar-curcumene 27.84, d-camphor 12.20, d-alpha-terpi- neol 13.40, borneol 7.0, zingiberol 9.48 and a sesquiterpene alcohol 8.0%.Dosage: Rhizome—5-10 g powder. (CCRAS.)... curcuma angustifoliaHabitat: Native to Mediterranean region; cultivated in Jammu and Kashmir.
English: Lavender.Action: Herb—mildly sedative, antiflatulent and cholagogue. Essential oil—antiseptic, antibacterial, antispasmodic.
Key application: Internally, for mood disturbances, such as restlessness or insomnia; functional abdominal complaints (nervous stomach irritation and discomfort); for the treatment of functional circulatory disorders in balneother- apy. (German Commission E.) The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of Lavandula sp. for depressive states associated with digestive dysfunction.Major constituents of the essential oil are linalool and linalyl acetate. Others include borneol, camphor, lavan- dulyl, caryophyllene, limonene, beta- ocimene, terpene-4-ol-and alpha-ter- pineol.Aerial parts of the plant contains ursolic acid lactone, betulin, betulin- ic acid and 3 beta-formyl ursolic acid. The essential oil from flowering shoots showed neuro-depressive or anxiolytic activity in albino rats.... lavandula angustifoliaHabitat: Coastal regions of Kerala and Karnataka.
Ayurvedic: Brahmadandi (related species).Folk: Uuntakataaraa.Action: Diuretic, bechic.... tricholepis angustifolia
Habitat: Sub-tropical Himalaya from Kashmir to Bhutan.
Ayurvedic: Kiraata (sweet var.).Folk: Pahaari Kiretta, Mithaa (sweet) Kiryaat.Action: Used as a substitute for S. chirayita. (Inferior in bitter tonic properties.)
Aerial parts gave ursolic acid, xan- thones and beta-sitosterol. Several tetra-and pentaoxygenated xanthones have been isolated from the plant.... swertia angustifolia
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