Volutarella ramosa Health Dictionary

Roxb.

Synonym: V. divaricata Benth & Hook. f., in part.

Tricholepis procumbens Wight. Amberboa divaricata Kuntge.

Family: Compositae.

Habitat: All over India, except West Bengal and eastwards.

Unani: Baadaavard, Al-baavard, Shukaayi.

Folk: Bhu-dandi, Sukaayi (Maharashtra).

Action: Plant—deobstruent, aperient, febrifugal, styptic. Used for disorders of the liver. The mucilage is used in coughs.

The plant yielded a glucoside pro- cumbenin A which yields an aglycone procumbenidine and glucose on hydrolysis. Fructose, surcose, lactose and maltose are also present in the plant.

Shukaayi of Unani medicine is also known as Al-shukaayaa, Al-shaukat- ul-arabia and Arabian Thorn. The fruit and root are used in Unani medicine in chronic fevers and diseases of liver and intestines.

Baadaavard has also been equated with Tricholepisprocumbens Wight and Carduus bendictus. Tricholepis sp. are known as Brahmadandi in Ayurvedic medicine. Carduus nutans Linn. is known as Gul-Baadaavard in Kashmir and is used as febrifuge.