Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

An iridoid glycoside named amphicoside
is reported from the plant.
Amorphophallus campanulatus
(Roxb.) Blume ex Decne.
Family ◮ Araceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to tropical Asia;
cultivated throughout India.
English ◮ Elephant-foot Yam.
Ayurvedic ◮ Suurana, Kanduula,
Arshoghna, Kand-ayak, Kandala.
Unani ◮ Zamin-qand, Zamikand.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Chenaikkizhangu.
Kaathukarunai (wild var.)
Action ◮ Corm is prescribed in
bronchitis, asthma, abdominal pain,
emesis, dysentery, enlargement of
spleen, piles, elephantiasis, diseases
due to vitiated blood, rheumatic
swellings.
Along with other therapeutic applications,
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia
of India indicates the use of corm in
prostatic hyperplasia.
(Thecormisirritantduetothepresence
of calcium oxalate. It can be consumedafteritiswashedwellandboiled
in tamarind water or butter milk.)
The corm contains an active diastatic
enzyme amylase, betulinic acid,
tricontane, lupeol, stigmasterol, betasitosterol
and its palmitate and glucose,
galactose, rhamnose and xylose.
Intake of 3.6-7.2 g of konjac (Amorphophallus
konjac tuber) mannan for
90 days reduced the dose of insulin or
hypoglycaemic drugs (in human clinical
study). (Francis Brinker.)
Amygdalus persica Linn. 45
Amorphophallus sylvatius Kunth. is
equated with the wild var. of Suurana,
used especially in the treatment
of piles.
Dosage ◮ Dried corm—2–10 g
powder. (API Vol. III.) 3–5 g
powder. (CCRAS.)
Amygdalus communis Linn.
Synonym ◮ Prunus amygdalus Baill.
A. communis var. dulcis (sweet
almond).
A. communis var. amara (bitter
almond).
Family ◮ Rosaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to Asia Minor and
Persia; cultivated in India in cooler
parts of Punjab and Kashmir.
English ◮ Almond
Ayurvedic ◮ Vaataama, Vaataada.
Unani ◮ Badaam, Loz.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Vaadumai.
Action ◮ Sweet almonds—nutrient,
nervine tonic, demulcent. Oil—
externally for skin. Bitter almonds—
not used medicinally.
Almondflourandalmondbutterare
free from starch and used in foods for
diabetics and for patients with peptic
ulcers. Chief protein in kernels is globulin.
Amygdalus persica Linn.
Synonym ◮ Prunus persica Batsch.
Family ◮ Rosaceae.
A