Salacia Health Dictionary

Linn.

Synonym: S. prinoides DC.

Family: Hippocrateaceae; Celas- traceae.

Habitat: A large, climbing shrub or small tree occurring throughout India, including the Andaman Islands.

English: Saptrangi.

Ayurvedic: Saptachakraa, Swarn- muula, Saptarangi.

Folk: Ingali (Maharashtra), Modhuphal (Bengal), Cherukuranti (Kerala).

Action: Roots—used in diabetes. Also used for amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea and genito-urinary and venereal diseases.

The root bark contains proantho- cyanidins, consisting of monomeric leucopelargonidin, its monomer, dimer and tetramer; triterpenoids (friedelin and its derivatives), mangi- ferine, phlobatannin, and glucosidal tannins.

The stem yielded gutta, dulcitol and proanthocyanidin consisting of dimer of leucopelargonidin.

Dosage: Root—50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... salacia chinensis

Wight.

Family: Hippocrateaceae; Celas- traceae.

Habitat: The Western Ghats, from Konkan southwards.

Folk: Lendaphala (Maharashtra), Anakoranti (Kerala).

Action: Root—decoction is given after parturition. Leaves—applied to eczema.

A decoction of the roots of S. grandiflora Kurz, synonym S. longifolia Hook. (the Andamans) and S. macrophylla Blume, synonym S.flavescens Kurz and S. ovalis M. Laws. (Konkan and the An- damans) is also given after parturition.... salacia macrosperma

Wall. ex Wight & Arn.

Family: Hippocrateaceae; Celas- traceae.

Habitat: Rain forests of Western Ghats from Konkan to Kerala.

Folk: Chundan (Tamil Nadu), Ponkoranti (Kerala).

Action: Root bark—used for the treatment rheumatism; also for gonorrhoea, swellings and skin diseases. Plant—mildly antiseptic.... salacia oblonga

Wt.

Family: Hippocrateacea; Celas- traceae.

Habitat: Orissa, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala.

Folk: Ekanyakam, Koranti (Kerala, South India), Anukudu-chettu (Andhra Pradesh)

Action: Plant—mild antiseptic. Root bark—used against gonorrhoea, skin diseases and inflammations. The root bark exhibits hypoglycaemic activity.... salacia reticulata