Monday, February 23, 2009

Holoptelea integrifolia (ROXB.) PLANCHON


English Name : Indian Elm

Family : Ulmaceae

Description
A large spreading, deciduous tree up to 18 m tall, with grey, pustular bark that is smooth when young, exfoliating in corky scales on older trees. Leaves alternate, elliptic-ovate, 8 to 13 cm long and 3.2 to 6.3 cm wide, glabrous, margins entire, apex acute or acuminate, base rounded or cordate, main nerves 5 to 7 pairs; stipules lanceolate. Flowers usually male and hermaphrodite mixed, small, greenish-yellow to brownish, pubescent, borne in short racemes or fascicles at the scars of fallen leaves; sepals often 4, pubescent. Fruit an orbicular samara, 2.5 cm in diameter, with membranous, reticulately veined wings; seed flat. The crushed bark and leaves emit an unpleasant odour.


Parts Used : Bark, leaf and seed

Herb Effects
Antirheumatic (bark)

Active Ingredients
Friedelin, friedelan-2-beta-ol and beta-sitosterol (bark); hexacosanol, beta-amyrin and octacosanol (leaf).

Medicinal Use
In rheumatism (stem bark) and ringworm (seed and paste of stem bark); for treating oedema, diabetes, leprosy and other skin diseases, dyspepsia, intestinal disorders, piles and sprue (bark and leaves).

Reference

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