Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Quassia indica Nooteboom.
Synonym ◮ Samadera indica Gaertn.
S. indica var. lucida Blatter.
S. lucida Wall.
Family ◮ Simaroubaceae.
Habitat ◮ West Coast, along
back waters and evergreen forests
from Maharashtra southwards to
Trivandrum.
English ◮ Niepa Bark tree.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Nibam, Niepa,
Karinjottei.
Folk ◮ Lokhandi (Maharashtra).
Action ◮ Bark—febrifuge; juice
applied to skin diseases. An
infusion of wood and bark is
given as emmenagogue. Seed—
emetic, purgative; used for bilious
fevers. Seed oil—applied in
rheumatism. Leaves— externally in
erysipelas.
The bark contains the quassinoids,
indaquassin, A, D, E and F; samaderine
B to E, dihydrosamaderine B, brucein
D, soulameolide, cedronin and
canthin-2, 6-dione.
Brucin D showed activity against
Walker’s carcinoma. Samaderine E,
isolated from the plant, exhibits antileukaemic
activity.
Q
Quercus ilex Linn.
Family ◮ Fagaceae.
Habitat ◮ The Himalayas, from
the Sutlej valley westwards and
in Kashmir at altitudes of 900–
2,600 m.
English ◮ Holly or Holm Oak.
Ayurvedic ◮ Maayaaphala (var.)
(galls).
Action ◮ Leaves—antioxidant.
Galls—contain 41% tannin. The
bark contains 7–13%; leaves 2.1%
tannin and 1.8% non-tannin.
The leaves contain alpha-tocopherol
as main antioxidant. The mature leaves
contain proanthocyanidins 3.3, and
leucoanthocyanidins 3.4 mg/g (on dry
matter basis).
Quercus incana Roxb.
Synonym ◮ Q. leucotrichophora A.
Camus ex Bhadur.
Family ◮ Fagaceae.
Habitat ◮ Kashmir and Western
Himalayas up to Nepal at altitudes
of 1,000–2,400 m.
English ◮ Grey Oak.
Unani ◮ Baloot.
Folk ◮ Shilaa Supaari (Kashmir),
Phanat (Garhwal), Shiddar
(Kashmir).