Indian Medicinal Plants

Pyrus communis Linn. 529
tively. An additional glucoside, glucocleomin
has been identified in the seed
kernel, it affords a non-volatile mustard
oil, cleomin. A glycosidic pattern
similar to that in the seed is reported
in the shoots and roots.
The fruit pulp contains a large proportion
of mannitol and small quantities
of saponin glucosides and alkaloids.
The seed coat gave putranjivoside,
putranoside A, B, C and D, betasitosterol
and tis beta-D-glucoside.
The leaves gave amentoflavone and
its derivatives, beta-amyrin and its
palmite, polyphenols, putranjiva saponin
A,B,C, and D and stigmasterol.
The bark contains friedelin, friedelanol,
friedelanone, friedelan-3,7-dione
(putranjivadione), 3-alpha-hydroxy
friedelan- 7-one (roxburgholone),
carboxylic acid, putric acid, putranjivic
acid.
The essential oil from leaves showed
mild antifungal activity against Rhizoctonia
solani.
Pygmaeopemna herbacea
(Roxb.) Mold.
Synonym ◮
Family ◮
Premna herbacea Roxb.
Verbenaceae.
Habitat ◮ Andhra Pradesh, Tamil
Nadu and Orissa and in some parts
of Kerala.
Ayurvedic ◮
Siddha/Tamil ◮
Bhumi-jambu.
Siru Thekku.
Action ◮ Rootstock—antiasthmatic.
Leaf— bechic, febrifuge. Rootstock
and leaf—antirheumatic. (Sold in
South Indian market as Bhaarangi.)
A diterpenoid quinonemethide
(bharangin) is reported from the plant.
Pyrola rotundifolia Linn.
Family ◮
Pyrolaceae.
Habitat ◮ North-Western and
eastern Himalaya at altitudes of
2,700–3,000 m. and in Khasi and
Jaintia hills up to 1,500 m.
Action ◮ Plant—astringent and
antilithic. Used for healing
wounds. A decoction of the plant is
prescribed against profuse menses,
bloody stools, haemorrhages and
ulcers in urinary passages. The
whole herb is used in traditional
chinese medicine for the treatment
of arthritis.
The plant contains ursolic acid, chimaphilin,
hyperin, quercetin, myricetin
and gallic acid. Chimaphilin
and ursolic acid inhibit carrageenaninduced
oedema in rat paw. Other
constituents act as protective antioxidants.
Pyrus communis Linn.
Family ◮
Rosaceae.
Habitat ◮ Distributed in the
temperate regions of Europe and
West Asia. Grown in Punjab and
Kashmir.
English ◮ Common or European
Pear.
Folk ◮ Bagu-goshaa, Babbu-goshaa.
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