Sophora japonica Health Dictionary

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Sophora Japonica: From 1 Different Sources

Linn.

Family: Papilionaceae, Fabaceae.

Habitat: Kashmir; also introduced into forest Research Institute, Dehra Dun.

English: Japanese Pagoda tree, Chinese Scholar tree, Umbrella tree.

Action: Flower—bitter, astringent, styptic, antibacterial.

Flower buds are a very rich source of rutin (16.0-23.0% dry weight basis), several times more than that present in Buckwheat which is an important source of the flavonoid.

The plant is used for the treatment of bleeding due to hemorrhoids and ulcerative colitis. The antihaemorrhagic principle, quercetin, has been isolated from aqueous extract of dried buds.

The flower extract has been reported to exhibit hepato-protective activity.
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Eriobotrya Japonica

Lindl.

Family Rosaceae.

Habitat: Native to China; now cultivated mainly in Saharanpur, Dehradun, Muzaffarnagar, Meerut, Kanpur, Bareilly districts of Uttar Pradesh, Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur districts of Punjab.

English: Loquat, Japanese Medlar.

Ayurvedic: Lottaaka (non-classical).

Unani: Lokaat.

Siddha: Ilakotta, Nokkotta (Tamil).

Action: Leaves—used in China and India for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and skin diseases. Fruit— sedative, antiemetic. Flower— expectorant.

The plant contains lipopolysaccha- rides (LPS), which exhibit antirheu- matic activity. LPS is also found useful for treating diabetes mellitus and lowering high cholesterol level. The ethanolic extract of the leaves showed anti-inflammatory activity on carra- geenan-induced oedema in rats and significant hypoglycaemic effect in normal rabbits like the standard drug tolbutamide. The sesquiterpene gly- coside and polyhydroxylated triterpe- noids showed a marked inhibition of glycosuria in genetically diabetic mice; also reduced blood glucose level in nor- moglycaemic rats. The hypoglycaemic effect is mediated through the release of insulin from pancreatic beta cells.

The leaves gave ionone-derived gly- cosides and triterpenes. Maslinic and ursolic acids have also been isolated. Maslinic acid possesses significant anti-inflammatory activity. It also exhibits inhibitory effect on histamine- induced contraction in isolated ileum of guinea pig.

Hot aqueous extract of the leaves showed hepatoprotective activity experimentally.

The leaves yield an essential oil containing nerolidol (61-74%).

The presence of an antifungal compound, eriobofuran, is also reported.

The methanolic extract of the plant exhibits antioxidant and radical scavenging activity.... eriobotrya japonica

Lonicera Japonica

Thunb.

Family: Caprifoliaceae.

Habitat: Assam (Lushai hills); cultivated in gardens.

English: Japanese Honeysuckle.

Action: The plant is used in China as an antipyretic, stomachic and in dysentery, also as an antidote to consumption of poisonous mushroom. Dried flowers are considered diuretic.

The plant contains tannin and a sa- ponin; lutolin and i-inositol have been isolated from the flowers. The berries are rich in carotenoids of which cryp- toxanthin is the major component. Lonicera angustifolia Wall. ex DC. (the Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim at altitudes of 1,800-3,600 m), known as Geaang, Chulu and Mithik in Punjab; and L. glaucea Hook. f. Thoms. (the Himalayas from Kashmir to Ku- maon at altitudes of 3,600-4,800 m), known as Sheaa and Shevaa in Punjab and Kumaon, possess antispasmodic properties.

Lonicera periclymenum Linn., Woodbine Honeysuckle, cultivated in hill stations of India, possesses an- tispasmodic, diuretic and sudorific properties. Flowers are used in the form of syrup in diseases of the respiratory tract. The leaves contain an amorphous glycoside and salicylic acid. Sec- oiridoid and secoxyloganin have been isolated from the plant.

Lonicera quinquelocularis Hardw. is equated with Himalayan Honeysuckle, found in the Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan, up to an altitude of 4,000 m.

Honeysuckle, also known as Duch Honeysuckle, Goat's Leaf, is equated with Lonicera caprifolium Linn.... lonicera japonica

Sophora Mollis

Grah. ex Baker.

Synonym: Edwardsia moltis Royle.

Family: Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.

Habitat: Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal, up to an altitude of 2,100 m.

English: Himalayan Laburnum.

Action: Seeds—used for destroying vermin. Root—used for promoting hair growth.

The seeds contain an alkaloid cyti- sine. The root imparts dark colour to hair.

The seeds of S. secundiflora Lag. ex DC., known as Mescal-or Coral-Bean (Native to America, grown in Indian gardens) also contain substantial amounts of cytisine.

The alkaloid, (-)-N-methylcytisine, isolated from the seeds, exhibited hy- poglycaemic activity in mice.... sophora mollis

Sophora Tomentosa

Linn.

Family: Popilionaceae; Fabaceae.

Habitat: Grown in gardens for its bright-yellow flowers.

English: Sea coast Laburnum, Silver Bush.

Action: Seeds—dangerously emetocatharitc, toxic, febrifugal, stomachic. Seeds yield a fatty oil with expectorant properties. Decoction of seeds and roots is given in bilious disorders. Leaves— emetocathartic.

Constituents of the aerial parts include benzofurans; flavonoids including sophoraisoflavone A and B, sopho- ronol, iso-sophoranone-and iso-bava- chin. The leaves and seeds contain al- kaloids—matrine, cytisine and small amounts of methylcytisine. Cytisine is also present in the roots.

Cytisine possesses insecticidal and physiological properties similar to those of nicotine.

Sophoraisoflavone A exhibits anti- fungal activity.... sophora tomentosa

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