Indian Medicinal Plants

Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach. 35
action). With crushing or chewing alliin
comes into contact with the enzyme
alliinase. Alliinase, in less than 6 s,
transforms alliin into allicin (strongly
medicinal), which breaks down into
a number of sulphur compounds including
ajoene, vinyldithin and diallyl
disulfide, and trisulfide. The antibiotic
effect is attributed to allicin; hypoglycaemic
effect to allicin and allylprophyldisulphide
(also to S-allyl cysteine
sulfoxide); anticarcinogenic activity to
diallyl monosulfide; platelet aggregation
inhibitory effect to diallyl-di- and
tri-sulphides. Ajoene inactivated human
gastric lipase, which is involved
in digestion and absorption of dietary
fats.
Diallyltetra, penta-, hexa- and heptasulphides
are potential antioxidants.
Allium leptophyllum Wall. is equated
with Vana Lashuna, Jangali Lahsun.
Dosage ◮ Bulb—3 g (API Vol. III.)
Allium schoenoprasum Linn.
Family ◮ Liliaceae, Alliaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to temperate
northern Europe and the U.S.;
distributed in the western Himalayas
from Kashmir to Kumaon at
altitudes of 2,400–3,000 m.
English ◮ Chives.
Action ◮ Used in place of young
onions.
An alcoholic extract of the bulbs
exhibited hypotensive and cardiac depressant
activity.
The aerial parts (chives) gave alliins
(alkylcysteine sulfoxides), particularly
methyl alliin and pentylalliin.
Allium tuberosum Rottl. ex Spreng,
found in eastern India and western
Himalayas, is equated with Chinese
Chives. It is available in Meghalaya.
Alocasia indica (Lour.) Spach.
Synonym ◮ A. macrorrhiza (Linn.)
G. Don
Family ◮ Araceae.
Habitat ◮ AgenusoftopicalAsia,
Malayasia and the Pacific. Found
wild and cultivated all over India.
English ◮ Giant Taro.
Ayurvedic ◮ Maanaka, Maana,
Maankanda, Kasaalu, Hastikarni.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Merukan kizhangu.
Action ◮ Rootstock—mild laxative,
diuretic (in anasarca); used in
inflammations and diseases of
abdomen and spleen. Leaf—astringent,styptic,antitumour.Rootand
leaf—rubefacient. Tubers—used as
vegetable after eliminating oxalate
content.
All parts of the plant, except tubers,
contain cyanogenic principle,
a mixture of triglochinin and isotriglochinin.
The tubers contain sterols
and high concentration of soluble oxalates
(prolonged use may lead to calcium
deficiency and oxaluria.) The
tubers contain a trypsin/chymotrypsin
inhibitor. The plant contains HCN
(0.0027%). It is found to be mitogenic
A