Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Radermachera xylocarpa
(Roxb.) K. Schum.
Synonym ◮ Bignonia xylocarpa Roxb.
Stereospermum xylocarpum (Roxb.)
Wt.
Family ◮ Bignoniaceae.
Habitat ◮ Gujarat, Karnataka, Tamil
Nadu.
English ◮ Padri tree.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Vedanguruni, Pathiri.
Folk ◮ Paadiri. Kharsing, Kadashing,
Bairsinge (Maharashtra).
Action ◮ Plant—antiseptic. Resin—
used for the treatment of skin
diseases. Rootbark—bitter, astringent;
used as substitute for
Stereospermumpersonatum (Hassk.)
D. Chatterjee and S. suaveolens DC.
(Trumpet-Flower, Yellow Snake
tree, also known as Padri).
The leaves gave flavonoids, dinatin
and its glycoside. Roots yielded Oacetyl
oleanolic acid, stigmasterol and
a red pigment, radermachol.
Randia dumetorum Poir.
Synonym ◮ R. spinosa Poir.
R. brandisii Gamble.
R. longispina W. & A.
R. tomentosa W. & A. non Blume.
Xeromphis spinosa Keay.
Family ◮ Rubiaceae.
R
Habitat ◮ Assam, Naga and
Khasi Hills, Travancore and the
Andamans.
English ◮ Common Emetic Nut.
Ayurvedic ◮ Madana, Chhardana,
Pindi, Shalayaka, Vishapushpaka.
Unani ◮ Mainphal, Jauz-ul-Qai.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Marukkaaraikai,
Madkarai.
Folk ◮ Mainphal.
Action ◮ Fruit—nervine, calmative,
antispasmodic, emetic,
anthelmintic, abortifacient. Used as
a substitute for ipecacuanha.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India
recommends the dried fruit in
chlorosis, common cold, rhinitis and
obstinate skin diseases.
The activity of the drug is attributed
to the presence of saponins which occur
to the extent of 2–3% in fresh fruits
and about 10% in dried whole fruit.
The saponins are concentrated mostly
in the pulp. A mixture of two saponins,
viz. randialic or neutral saponin and
randialic acid or acid saponin has been
isolated from the pulp. On complete
hydrolysis both the saponins yield oleanolic
acid as sapogenin. Ursosaponin,
isolated from the ethanolic extract of
the dried whole fruit, gave ursolic acid
and glucose. Randianin, isolated from
the fruit, gave a haemolytic triterpenoid
saponin.