Habitat: Native to America (New York and Pennsylvania).
English: Black Willow.Unani: Bed-Siyaah.Action: Astringent, febrifuge, sedative, nervine tonic. Anaphrodisiac (used for reducing sexual activity; in spermatorrhoea). Largely used in the treatment of nocturnal emissions.
The bark contains tannin, about 1% of glucoside salinigrin. Once considered a substitute for potassium bromide, but without a depressant effect.Habitat: Cultivated in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu.
English: Black Mustard.Ayurvedic: Banarasi Raai, Raajika (var.).Unani: Khardal Siyah. Siddha/Tamil: Kadugu. Folk: Raai.Action: Seeds are used for treating coryza with thin excoriating discharge with lacrimation, sneezing and hacking cough, nostril blockage and dry and hot feeling of pharyngitis.
The seeds contain glucosinolate sin- igrin, which produces allyl isothio- cyanate when mixed with warm water. Allyl isothiocynate acts as a counterir- ritant when diluted (1:50).Brayera anthelmintica Kunth.Synonym: Hagenia abyssinica (Bruce) J. F. Gmelin.Family: Rosaceae.Habitat: Indigenous to north-east Africa. Imported into Mumbai.
English: Cusso, Brayera.Folk: Kusso.Action: Anthelmintic. Administered in the form of an infusion for the expulsion of tapeworm (ineffective against hookworm, roundworm, whipworm). Irritant to mucous membrane; produces nausea, vomiting and colic in large doses.... brassica nigra
Habitat: Native to West Asia; cultivated in Kashmir, also grown in Darjeeling.
English: Black Mulberry.Unani: Tuut Siyaah.Action: Berries and root bark— mild laxative and used in the treatment of respiratory catarrh. Berries—refrigerant, given during convalescence.
The fruit contains invert sugar, pectin, fruit acids (including malic and citric acid), ascorbic acid, and fla- vonoids (including rutin). Leaves contain flavonoids, including rutin (26%). Root bark contains calcium malate; the bark of branches contains tannins, phlobaphenes, a sugar, a phy- tosterol, ceryl alcohol, fatty acids and phosphoric acid.An infusion of leaves causes a drop in blood sugar, sometimes diuresis and a reduction in arterial pressure. It shows no effect on glucosuria.Morus acidosa Griff., M. australis Poir and Morus indica L. have also been equated with Tuut Siyaah of Unani medicine.... morus nigraHabitat: North-western Himalaya at 900-3,700 m.
English: Black Lombardy Poplar.Action: Bark and balsam from leaf bud— used for cold. Bark— depurative. Leaf bud—antiseptic, anti- inflammatory.
The bud exudate contains dimethyl- caffeic acid, which was found active against herpes simplex virus type 1.A 50% ethanol extract of a mixture of flowers and buds showed 11% inhibition of enzymatic conversion of testosterone into 5 alpha-dihydrotesterone and 4-androstene-3,17-dione. The extract was partitioned between ethylac- etate and water and the resultant ethy- lacetate fraction contained the active compounds, pinobanksin, demethyl- quercetin and pinocembrin. It exhibited 15% inhibitory activity on the enzyme. Pinocembrin was the most potent, almost equal to estradiol, which was used as a control.The bark of all Populus species contains, phenolic glycosides, salicin and populin (salicinbenzoate). Tannins are also present (5-9%).Both salicin and populin cause elimination of uric acid. Salicin is antiperi- odic and is used like quinine in intermittent fever, also in coryza, rheumatism and neuralgia.... populus nigraHabitat: Sub-Himalayan tracts from Uttar Pradesh westwards ascending to an altitude of 1,800 m.
Ayurvedic: Jala-vetasa.Action: Bark—febrifuge.... salix acmophylla
Habitat: North-western Himalayas, up to an altitude of 2,400 m.
English: White Willow, European Willow.Ayurvedic: Jalavetasa.Unani: Bed Saadaa.Folk: Vivir (Kashmir).Action: Analgesic, antiinflammatory, febrifuge. Used for rheumatic inflammation, painful muscles, spondylitis, lumbago, sciatica, neuralgia, gout and fever. (In 1838, chemists identified salicylic acid in the bark. Afterwards, synthesized it as acetylsalicylic acid, aspirin, in 1899.)
Key application: In diseases accompanied by fever, headache, rheumatic ailments. (German Commission E.) The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia reported anti- inflammatory action. The British Herbal Compendium additionally reported analgesic, antipyretic, antirheumatic and astringent actions of the willow bark.The bark contains phenolic glyco- sides; salicin, picein and triandrin with esters of salicylic acid and salicyl alcohol, acetylated salicin, salicortin and salireposide; tannins; catechin; p- coumaric acid; flavonoids and polysac- charides.Salicylic acid inhibits prostaglandin production, relives pain and brings down fever.... salix albaHabitat: North India, along the banks of rivers nad water-courses.
English: Weeping Willow.Siddha/Tamil: Aatru Paalai.Folk: Giur (Kashmir). Bed.Action: Leaves and bark— astringent, antipyretic. Used in intermittent and remittent fevers. Bark—anthelmintic. Biological activity of aerial part—antiviral, CNS active, hypothermic.
The leaves are reported to contain delphinidin and cyanidin, fragilin, salicin, salicortin, salidroside, tremu- loidin, triandrin and vimalin. Salicin content in the stems and leaves is reported to be 3 to 4%. The bark yields phenolics—triandrin, salicin, gallocat- echol, catechol.... salix babylonicaHabitat: Kashmir, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
English: Sallow, Goat Willow, Common Willow.Ayurvedic: Vetasa, Vaanira, Vidula, Vanjula, Vaanjulaa. In Kerala Homonoia riparia Lour., Euphorbiaceae, is used as Vetasa or Jalavetasa.Unani: Bed Mushk.Action: Distilled water from flowers—cordial, stimulant; externally applied to headache. Stem and leaves—astringent. Leaves—decoction used as febrifuge. Bark and twigs—astringent, applied to piles. Ash of wood—used in haemoptysis; mixed with vinegar, applied to piles.
Alkaloids, glycosides and saponins of male racemes increase the amplitude and slow the heartbeat and act more rapidly than digitalis on isolated frog heart.Flavonoids present in the male racemes are: diometin, isorhamnetin, cap- reoside and salicapreoside.Phenol glycosides present in the bark are: delphinidin, cyanidin, pipe- colic acid, fragilin, picein, salicin, sal- icortin, salireproside, triandrin and vimalin. Tannin content is reported to be 8-13%.Salix daphnoides Vill. and Salix ele- gans Wall. (The Himalayas from Kash mir to Nepal) are also known as Jalave- tasa.Dosage: Leaf, bark, root—50- 100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... salix capreaHabitat: Cultivated in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
English: Crack Willow, Kashmir Willow.Folk: Tilachaang (Himachal Pradesh).Action: Bark—antirheumatic.
Key application: For relief of low back pain; symptomatic relief of mild osteoarthritic and rheumatic complaints. (ESCOP.) The bark contains salicin 0.23%, salicase and tannin (6-12%).The phenol glycosides reported from the plant include fragilin, glycosmin, grandidentatin, picein, populin, sali- cin, salireposide, salicyloyl tremuloi- din, triandrin and tremuloidin.Willow bark consists of the dried bark or twigs of various species of the genus Salix, including S. purpurea L. and S. daphnoides Vill.Salicylate concentrations vary greatly among Salix sp. Salix alba bark is reported to contain 0.49-0.98% salicin; Salix purpurea bark 3-9%, Salix daphnoides bark 4.9-5.6% and Salix fragilis bark 3.9-10.2%. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... salix fragilisHabitat: Throughout the greater part of India, along the banks of rivers and streams.
English: Indian Willow.Ayurvedic: Jalavetasa, Naadeya, Niketan, Baishi.Siddha/Tamil: Attupalai.Folk: Vaanira, Vaalunja.Action: Dried leaves—antiinflammatory, given in rheumatism, swellings, piles. Bark—febrifuge.
The bark is reported to contain 6.5% tannin, also salicin A.... salix tetrasperma
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