Ipomoea nil (L.) ROTH.

English Name : Japanese Morning Glory

Family : Convolvulaceae


Origin : Tropics

Description

An annual herb. Stems twining, reaching 12 feet in length, slender, cylindrical, hairy with rather long deflexed hairs, branched. Leaves alternate, on very long hairy stalks, without stipules, blade variable in size and form, usually 2 to 3 inches long and about the same in width, deeply cordate at the base, more or less deeply cut into 3 acute lobes, margin entire, dark green, pale beneath, hairy, drowny or nearly smooth.

Habitat

Wastelands, cultivated fields and on hedges in India; common in tropical parts and warm areas of the world (including the United States).


Parts Used : Seed and plant

Herb Effects

The seed is anthelmintic, diuretic, antifungal and laxative; hypoglycemic (in rats) (plant); toxic to mice; anthelmintic, anticholinergic, antifungal, antispasmodic, antitumour, diuretic and laxative (seeds)

Active Ingredients
Chanoclavine, penniclavine, lysergol, isopenniclavine, pharbitisin and elymoclavine (seed).

Medicinal Use

It is used in the treatment of oedema, oliguria, ascariasis and constipation. The seed contains small quantities of the hallucinogen LSD. This is used medicinally in the treatment of various mental disorders.


Dosage
30 to 50 grains of powdered seeds; 5 to 8 grains of plant resin (for a laxative effect).


Reference

Hemidesmus indicus R. Br.

English Name : Indian Sarsaparilla, East Indian sarsaparilla

Family : Asclepiadaceae

Origin : India, the Moluccas and Sri Lanka

Description

A climbing slender plant with twining woody stems, and a rust-coloured bark, leaves opposite, petiolate, entire, smooth, shiny and firm, varying in shape and size according to their age. Flowers small green outside, deep purple inside, in axillary, sessile racemes, imbricated with flowers, followed with scale-like bracts. Fruit two long slender spreading follicles. The root is long, tortuous, rigid, cylindrical, little branched, consisting of aligneous centre, a brownish corky bark, furrowed and with annular cracks, odour aromatic, with a bitter, sweetish, feeble aromatic taste. One side of the root is sometimes separated from the cork and raised above the cortex and transversely fissured, showing numerous laticiferous cells in the cortex.

Habitat
Within India, it is found in moist deciduous forests, scrub jungles, hedges and degraded sites from Upper Gangetic plains of North India to Assam and Peninsular India.

Parts Used : Roots, rhizome, powder, leaves and whole Plant

Herb Effects
Demulcent (root), antibacterial (essential root oil), antiviral (plant), diaphoretic, diuretic, purifies blood and restores normal bodily functions, alterative, tonic, has antibacterial and antilithic activity.

Active Ingredients
Alpha-amyrin, beta-amyrin, beta-sitosterol, lupeol (root); hyperoside, rutin (flower)

Medicinal Use

Syphilis, leucorrhea and as a snakebite antidote (root); as a tonic, demulcent, diaphoretic, diuretic, in purifying blood, stomach disorders, fever, gonorrhea, nutritional maladies, kidney stones, gravel and other urinary problems, chronic rheumatism and skin diseases, for relieving inflammation in the eye (milky latex); in asthma, bronchitis, gonorrhea and for sore mouths of children (plant).

Dosage
30 - 60 ml per week
Extract (1:2): 3-6 ml per day
Infusion: use 2oz. of root boiled in 1 pint of water for an hour.

Reference

Heliotropium indicum L.

English Name : Indian heliotrope

Family : Boraginaceae

Origin : Tropical America

Description

An annual herb, 15-60(-100) cm tall, stem simple or with a few branches, hairy. Leaves ovate, (1.5-)2-10(-12) cm x 1-8(-9) cm, base truncate but narrowly long-decurrent, apex acute, with tubercules of mineralized cells and bristly hairs, petiole 1-9 cm long. Inflorescence consisting of 1 to several spike-like cyme(s), elongated, 5-20 cm long, ebracteate; calyx with patent, bristly, white hairs, corolla salver-shaped, tube 3-4.5 mm long, lobes rounded, about 1 mm long, pale-violet, blue or white, apex of carpels strongly bidentate, strongly divergent at anthesis. Fruit 2-3 mm long, fruit halves 2-celled, cells 2-locular, outer partition with one seed, inner one larger, empty.

Habitat

Found in sunny places, on waste land, in periodically desiccating pools and ditches and other anthropogenic habitats, in general up to 800 m altitude.

Parts Used : Whole plant, leaf and root

Herb Effects
Applied as an antipyretic and anti-inflammatory (decoction of aerial parts)

Active Ingredients
Beta-sitosterol, campesterol, indicine, indicine N-oxide, stigmasterol, tannin (plant); heliotrine (seed).

Medicinal Use

Used against thrush, dysentery and haemorrhoids (decoction of leaves); to stop internal bleeding (leaf juice); used both internally and as a poultice to treat inflammation, swelling, sprain, contusion, pharyngitis, abscesses and rheumatism and externally for warts (whole plant); as a poultice in the treatment of herpes and rheumatism (leaves); to wash wounds and sores and taken as a gargle to relieve sore throat (infusion of leaves); used for eye diseases and as a poultice in the treatment of eczema and impetigo (roots).

Reference

Gmelina arborea L.

English Name : Candahar Tree and Coomb Teak

Family : Verbenaceae

Origin : Tropical moist forests from India, Burma, and Sri Lanka to southern China.

Description

It is an unarmed tree. The bark is smooth and whitish grey. The leaves are opposite, broadly ovate, cordate and glandular. The flowers are in terminal panicles and brownish yellow in color. The drupe is fleshy, ovoid with 1 or 2 seeds.

Habitat
Wet areas in forests of India

Parts Used : Bark, wood, root and leaf.

Herb Effects
Antiviral (stem bark); hypoglycemic (wood and bark); anthelmintic (leaf juice); laxative, blood purifier and hypothermic. It is bitter, appetiser, brain tonic, energiser, digestive, removes dropsy, alleviates thirst and burning sensation of body. Its fruits are unctuous, heavy, cooling, astringent, brain tonic, cardiotonic, aphrodisiac, increases semen, removes urinary troubles and impurities of blood. It is an antidote to snake bite and some other poisons.

Active Ingredients
Apigenin, quercetin, luteolin, beta-sitosterol and hentriacontanol (leaf); betulin, lignans (heartwood).

Medicinal Use

In rheumatism and stomach problems (root decoction); gonorrhea and as an anthelmintic (leaf juice); for cough (root decoction and leaf juice); making prosthetics (wood); increasing the secretion of gastric juices and as a tonic (bark); in fever (root decoction); for headache, anasarca, asthma, bronchitis, cholera, colic pain, diarrhoea, dropsy, dyspepsia, epilepsy, fever, phthisis, rheumatism, small pox, sore, spleen complaints, syphilis, throat swelling, urticaria, fever, urinary complaints, urticaria, consumption, wounds and leucorrhoea (herb).

Reference

Ficus hispida Linn.

Family : Moraceae

Description

A moderate-sized tree or shrub with large opposite leaves, 4-12 in. long, and obovoid or turbinate fruits, 1 in. long, borne in pairs or clusters on leafless, often trailing, branchlets.

Habitat
In shady places and along ravines, and flowers and fruits practically throughout the year.

Parts Used : Fruit, seed, bark

Herb Effects
Tonic, lactagogue and emetic (fruits); as purgative and emetic (fruits, seeds and bark).

Active Ingredients
Bergapten, psoralene, ß-amyrin, ß-sitosterol 2 and oleanolic acid (leaves)

Reference

Emilia sonchifolia (L.) DC.

English Name : Lilac Tassel-Flower

Family : Asteraceae

Origin : Eastern and southern Asia and western Pacific

Description

A slender, erect or diffuse annual herb up to 40 cm tall. Leaves very variable; the lower petiole, lyrate or obovate, toothed or entire; the upper more or less amplexicaul and auricled, usually acute. Flowers pink or purplish, borne in solitary or corymbose heads up to 1.3 cm long; peduncles very slender, nodding when young; involucre cylindrical; bracts almost equalling the corolla, linear-oblong, acute. Achenes 0.3 cm long, narrowly oblong, 5 ribbed, brown, scabrid on hte ribs, attached to a white, soft pappus.

Habitat
Fields and forests of India.

Parts Used : Leaf, plant and its aerial part

Herb Effects
Antimicrobial (aerial part)

Active Ingredients
Senkirkine, doronine, kwempferol 3-beta-D-galactoside, rutin, quercitrin, quercetin and ursolic acid (aerial part).

Medicinal Use

Problems with the bowel, to treat infantile tympanites, to relieve cuts and wounds, breast abcesses (plant); to relieve sore ears, headache, night blindness and eye inflammations (leaf); to treat diarrhoea, cataracts and redness of the eyes (root).

Contraindication
Not in pregnancy

Reference

Desmodium gangeticum(L.) DC.

English Name : Ticktree

Family : Fabaceae

Description

A shrub, 06 to 1.2 m tall. Leaves unifoliate, petioles 1 to 2 cm long; stipules scarious, 6 to 8 mm long, apex acute, base round, margin wavy, glabrescent. Flowers violet or white, borne in fascicles of 2 to 5 flowers in lax, terminal and axillary racemes 15 to 30 cm long; pedicels 4 to 6 mm long, pubescent; bracts subulate 1.5 to 3.0 mm long; calyx 2 mm long, hairy, campanulate; corolla 3 to 4 mm long. Fruit pod linear to slightly curved, 1.2 to 2 cm long and 2 mm wide, indehiscent.

Habitat
Fields and forests on lower elevations (up to 1500 m) of India and the Himalayas.

Parts Used : Root, plant and its aerial part

Herb Effects
Analgesic and antiinflammatory (root), Astringent, diuretic, febrifuge, expectorant, laxative, nervine, tonic.

Active Ingredients
NB-methyltetra-hydroharman, indole-3-alkylamines and their NB-oxides and 6-methoxy-2-methyl-beta-carboline (aerial part); gangetinin. desmodin. gangetin and several alkaloids (pterocarpanoids of root).

Medicinal Use

Diarrhea and to prepare "dasmula koatha" (root); asthma (root and plant); cough and fever (plant). Used to treat haemorrhoids, bronchitis, cardiopathy, anorexia, dyspepsia, inflammations.

Dosage
Decoction (1 in 10) of the root is used in fevers.

Contraindication
Contraindicated during pregnancy

Reference

Calotropis procera R.BR.

English Name : Swallow Wart, Milkweed, Dead Sea Apple and Sodom Apple

Family : Asclepiadaceae

Origin : Native of India, but widely naturalized in the East and West Indies and Ceylon.

Description

Erect, tall, large, much branched and perennial shrubs or small trees that grow to a height of 5.4 m., with milky latex throughout. Bark is soft and corky. Branches stout, terete with fine appressed cottony pubescence (especially on young). Leaves sub-sessile, opposite, decusate, broadly ovate-oblong, elliptic or obovate, acute, thick, glaucous, green, covered with fine cottony pubescent hair on young but glabrous later and base cordate. Flowers in umbellate-cymes and tomentose on young. Calyx glabrous, ovate and acute. Corolla glabrous, lobes errect, ovate, acute, coronal scales 5-6, latterly compressed and equally of exceeding the staminal column. Folicles are sub-globose or ellipsoid or ovoid. Seeds broadly ovate, acute, flattened, minutely tomentose, brown coloured and silky coma is 3.2 cm long.

Habitat
Wastelands and along agricultural fields and railways of the warmer areas of India (up to 1000 m); also in Africa and Iran; introduced to Central America and the West Indies.

Parts Used : Root and its bark, leaf, flower, latex and plant

Herb Effects

Expectorant, stimulant and diaphoretic (root bark); anticancer and stimulates the cardiovascular system and respiration (root and leaf); induces vomiting (in large doses); tonic, appetiser, stomachic (flower).

Active Ingredients

Taraxasterol and its y-isomer, taraxasteryl isovalerate, taraxasteryl acetate, giganteol, gigantin, isogiganteol and a wax (root bark); calotoxin, uscharidin and uscharin (plant and latex); alpha and beta-amyrin and beta-sitosterol (root bark and plant).

Medicinal Use

Dysentery, diarrhea, indigestion, reducing fever, leprosy, skin diseases and eczema (root bark); cough, cold and asthma (flower and root bark); toothache (latex); rheumatism and syphilis; to relieve stomach pain (leaves); cures piles, asthma, cholera and wounds (flowers).

Dosage
Tincture: 1/2 to 1 fluid drachm.
Powder: 3 to 12 grains.

Contraindication
Large doses cause vomiting and diarrhoea.

Reference

Berberis aristata DC.

English Name : Indian Barberry and Turmeric Tree

Family : Berberidaceae

Origin : Himalayas

Description

An evergreen thorny shrub reaching as high as 8 ft with yellow wood and thin, brittle, pale and yellowish-gray bark. The flowers are hermaphrodite (have both male and female organs) and are pollinated by insects.

Habitat : Himalayan forests (from 2000 to 3500 m).

Parts Used : Root and its bark and fruit

Herb Effects

Anticancer, hypoglycemic, antiinflammatory and stimulates the cardiovascular system (root); antiamoebic, antibacterial, anticoagulant and hypotensive (root bark); diaphoretic, laxative, antipyretic, antiseptic, aids in opening the natural ducts and pores.

Active Ingredients

Berberine, berberine chlorides, palmative chloride, berbamine, pendulin, aromoline, oxyacanthine, oxyberberine, karachine and taxilamine (root bark).

Medicinal Use

Jaundice, diarrhea and skin diseases (root bark juice); sporadic fever and malaria (root bark decoction); in amenorrhea, menorrhagia and leucorrhea (root bark); hemorrhoids, eye and stomach maladies, cholera, stimulating the secretion of gastric juices.

Dosage
Infusion: 25 to 75 grams (2-3 times per day)
Decoction: 150 grams between bouts of fever; 33 to 100 cg with butter (for hemorrhoids); 13 to 25 cg (menorrhagia and skin diseases).

Contraindication

Standardized Barberry extracts can cause stomach upset and should be used for no more than 2 weeks at a time. Exceeding berberine intake could cause lethargy, nose bleed, skin and eye irritation, and kidney irritation. Barberry should not be used by young children, particularly infants, pregnant or nursing women, or those with severe liver or kidney disease. If you are taking Doxycycline or Tetracycline, consult with your physician before taking Barberry.

Reference

Aerva lanata (L.) JUSS. EX SCHULT

Family : Amaranthaceae

English Name : Aerva, Polpala, Sunny Khur

Origin : Africa, India, southeast Asia, Australia, Madacascar

Description

This herb is described as "one of the best known remedies for bladder and kidney stones." Perennial herb, frequently woody (0.1-) 0.3-2 m, branched from the base and often also above. Stem and branches terete, striate with whitish or yellowish shaggy hairs. Leaves alternate, suborbicular to lanceolate-elliptic, cuneate at the base, rounded and apiculate to acute at the apex. Flowers (in Asia) hermaphrodite. Outer 2 tepals hyaline, oval-oblong, abruptly contracted at the tip to a distinct mucro formed by the excurrent nerve, 0.75-1.25 mm, inner 3 slightly shorter and narrower, acute with a broad central green vitta along the midrib, which extends for about three-quarters of their length and is furnished with a thickened border of two lateral nerves; all tepals densely lanate dorsally. Style and two short, divergent stigmas together subequalling the ovary in length at anthesis.

Habitat : In the Flora Zambesiaca area in open forest on mountain slopes, on waste and disturbed ground, deserted cultivation and coastal scrub sea-level–1490 m. Wastelands of the warmer areas of India.

Parts Used : Root and plant

Herb Effects : Diuretic and anthelmintic (plant); tonic (root decoction).

Active Ingredients
Palmitic acid, beta-sitosterol, betulin, alpha-amyrin (plant).

Medicinal Use

In strangury (root); as a snakebite antidote (plant), to cure headache (roots and flowers); for removing kidney stones and gonorrhea, as a poultice for minor skin inflamations (root decoction)

Reference