Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

502 Plumeria acuminata Ait.
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and regressed atheromatous plaques
and abdominal aorta. The chloroform
extract of the root showed significant
activity against pencillin-resistant (also
non-pencillin resistant) strains of Neisseria
gonorrhoea. (The root is used for
treating sexually transmitted diseases
in traditional Indian medicine.)
In Siddha medicine, in Tamil Nadu,
the plant is an ingredient in anumberof
drug formulations for treating cancers
of the uterus, breast, lungs and oral
cavity, in addition to haemorrhoids.
Plumbagin is abortifacient, antiovulatory;
causes selective testicular lesions
in dogs; in lower doses it behaves
like a spindle poison, in higher concentration
exhibits radiomimetic nucleotoxic
and cytotoxic effects.
Dosage ◮ Detoxified root—1–2 g
powder. (API, Vol. I.)
Plumeria acuminata Ait.
Family ◮ Apocynaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to Mexico;
cultivated in Indian gardens.
English ◮ Pagoda tree.
Action ◮ Root bark—used in herpes,
sexually transmitted diseases.
Bark—stimulant, emmenagogue.
Root—violent cathartic. Latex—
purgative, rubefacient.
Iridoids are present in the leaf, stem,
flower and root. Plumieride glucoside
has been isolated from all parts of the
plant. The plumeric acid, isolated from
leaves, exhibits promising cytotoxic activity.
Fulvoplumierin (a pigment) inhibits
the growth of various strains of Mycobacterium
tuberculosis.
Plumeria alba Linn.
Family ◮ Apocynaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to West Indies;
cultivated in Indian gardens.
English ◮ White Champa.
Ayurvedic ◮ Kshira Champaka
(white-flowered var.).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Perumal Arali,
Seemai Arali.
Action ◮ Root bark—used in blennorrhagia.
Bark and latex—used
externally in herpes, syphilitic ulcers
and scabies. Seed—haemostatic.
The root gave iridoids—iso-plumericin,
plumericin, plumieride, plumieride
coumarate and its glucoside.
The bark gave alpha-and beta-amyrin
and their acetates, beta-sitosterol, scopoletin
and plumieride. The flowers also
contain plumieride coumarate and
its glucoside, in addition to quercetin
derivatives.
Plumeria rubra Linn.
Family ◮ Apocynaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to Mexico; grown
throughout India.
English ◮ Red Jasmine.
Ayurvedic ◮ Kshira Champaka
(red-flowered var.).