Indian Medicinal Plants

Santalum album Linn. 579
Sanicula europaea Linn.
Family ◮
Umbelliferae.
Habitat ◮ Europe, including Britain.
The Himalayas from Kashmir to
Bhutan, Assam, Western Ghats and
Palni hills in South India.
English ◮ Wood Sanicle.
Action ◮ Plant—astringent, alterative,
vulnerary. Used in leucorrhoea,
menorrhagia, bleeding piles; also in
diarrhoea and dysentery. The herb
is also employed as an ingredient of
an ointment used for septic ulcers.
The herb contains saponins based on
saniculogenins; allantoin; chlorogenic
and rosmarinic acids. The flowers contain
3.1 and fruits 1.1% rosmarinic acid.
The leaves contain 0.6% chlorogenic
acid. The roots contain 23.1, leaves 12.8,
flowers 6.0 and fruits 5.2% surcose.
Rhizome contains chlorogeni acid 1.2
and sucrose 13.9%.
Sansevieria hyacinthoides
(Linn.) Druce.
Synonym ◮
Family ◮
S. zeylanica (L.) Willd.
Liliaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to Sri Lanka; found
along coastal regions of India from
Bengal to Tamil Nadu.
English ◮ Ceylon Bowstring Hemp.
Ayurvedic ◮ Naagadamani (related
species) (also known as Muurvaa).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Marul, Motta manji.
Action ◮ See S. roxburghiana. Leaves
and rhizomes are applied externally
in high fever with delirium.
Rhizomes—diuretic, diaphoretic,
expectorant.
The leaf contains aconitic acid; the
root yielded an alkaloid sansevierine
(0.018%).
Sansevieria roxburghiana
J. & J. Schultes
Synonym ◮ S. zeylanica auct.
non-(L.) Willd.
Family ◮ Liliaceae.
Habitat ◮ The eastern coast of India
from West Bengal to Tamil Nadu in
South.
English ◮ Indian Bowstring Hemp.
Ayurvedic ◮ Naagadamani, Takshaki.
Used in West Bengal as a substitute
for Muurvaa.
Siddha ◮ Marul, Motta Manji
(Tamil).
Action ◮ Rhizomes—mucilaginous,
used for cough. Tender shoots—
juice given to children for clearing
phlegm from the throat. Whole
plant—finds application in glandular
enlargement and rheumatism.
Care must be taken that the herb
does not accumulate in the system.
The plant must not be confused with
Indian Hemp (Cannabis indica).
Santalum album Linn.
Family ◮
Santalaceae.
Habitat ◮ Dry regions of Peninsular
India from Vindhya mountains
S