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.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: 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.... euphorbia pilosaHabitat: The temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim at altitudes of 1,800-3,000 m.
Unani: Banafashaa (related species).Action: Leaves—laxative, emollient. Flowers—antiseptic, pectoral, diaphoretic. Root—emetic.
The herb is used as a substitute for Banafashaa obtained from V. odorata.The leaves are used for treating skin eruptions and the flowers for skin irritation.... viola bifloraHabitat: Punjab, Western Rajasthan, Gujarat.
Unani: Banafashaa (related species).Folk: Jinkobanafashaa (Gujarat).Action: Root—emetic. Used as a substitute and adulterant of ipecac. The herb is sold in the market as
Action: Expectorant, anti- inflammatory, diaphoretic, antipyretic, diuretic. Used for catarrhal and pulmonary affections, also for diseases of liver and intestines.
Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E, but it has been mentioned that the traditional use of sweet violet root as an expectorant for the respiratory tract is well documented.The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes expectorant activity of the leaf.The flowers (var. maxima) are a source of rutoside. The flowers also contain anthocyanin, violanin chloride, which on hydrolysis yields glucose, delphinidin, rhamnose and p- coumaric acid. High content of tocopherol is also reported from flowers.Dried flowers contain anthocyanin 4.0, total flavonoids 1.1, rutoside 0.4, mucilage 18, and ash 8.5%.The leaves contain friedelin and beta-sitosterol.The essential oil from the entire plant consists of methyl salicylate. A di- C-glycoside, violanthin, has been reported from the plant.... viola cinereaHabitat: Native to Europe; cultivated in Kashmir.
English: Sweet Violet.Unani: Banafashaa, Banafsaj, Kakosh, Fareer.... viola odorataHabitat: The Himalayas, Eastern and Western Ghats.
Unani: Banafashaa (related species).Action: Dried flowers—used for coughs and colds. Herb— bruised and applied to ulcers; also prescribed in syphilis and scrofula. (In Chinese medicine, recommended against cancerous growths.)... viola patrinii
Habitat: Kashmir at 1,200-2,400 m.
English: Pale Wood Violet, Wood Violet.Unani: Banafashaa (related species).Action: Plant—pectoral, bechic; used in chest troubles. Stem, leaf and flower—applied to foul sores and wounds.
Habitat: Native to Europe; grown as an ornamental.
English: Heartsease, Wild Pansy.Unani: Banafashaa (related species).Action: Herb—anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, expectorant, diuretic, antirheumatic, alterative. Used for bronchitis, rheumatism, chronic skin disorders and for preventing capillary haemorrhage when under corticosteroid therapy. Root— antidysenteric; used as a substitute for Cephaelis ipecacuanha.
Key application: Externally in mild seborrheic skin diseases and milk scall in children. (German Commission E.) The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia recognizes the herb as an expectorant and dermatological agent.The herb contains rutin, violin and salicylic acid. The flower contains rutin, quercetin, violanthin (6,8-digly- coside of apigenin), violaxanthin, p- hydroxycinnamic acid and delphini- din. A flavone C-glycoside-saponarin has also been obtained from flowers. Flowers, in addition, contain 15-cis- violaxanthin.The herb exhibits anticoagulant property and diminishes the aggregation of platelets. It can be used as a preventive measure against thrombosis.Habitat: Temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Nepal between 1,200 and 2,700 m (a semiparasitic plant).
English: European Mistletoe.Ayurvedic: Bandaaka, Suvarna- bandaaka. Vrikshaadani (substitute).Unani: Kishmish Kaabuli.Action: Vasodilator, cardiac depressant, tranquiliser, stimulates the vagus nerve which slows the pulse, anti-inflammatory, diuretic, immune enhancer, antineoplas- tic. Used for hypertension and tachycardia, as a nervine tonic.
The extract of leafy twigs is anti- inflammatory exerting an action upon capillary permeability and oedema. It stimulates granulation and the neoformation of connective tissue.Key application: For treating degenerative inflammation of the joints by stimulating cuti- visceral reflexes following local inflammation brought about by intradermal injections; as palliative therapy for malignant tumour through non-specific stimulation. (German Commission E.)Mistletoe contains glycoproteins; flavonoids, usually quercetin-derived (dependent on host tree to some extent); polypeptides; phenylcarboxylic acids; polysaccharides (including viscid acid); alkaloids; lignans.Cardiotonic activity is due to the lig- nans. The polysaccharides stimulate the immune response. Antineoplas- tic activity is claimed to be responsible for prolongation of survival time in cancer patients. Polypeptides (visco- toxins) inhibit tumours and stimulate immune resistance. (For uses of lectin from Mistletoe in cancer, see Eur J cancer, 2001, Jan, 37(1), 23-31; Eur J Cancer 2001, 37 (15), 19101920.) (For application in hepatitis, see Fitoterapia, 70, 2001.)... viola sylvestris
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