Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

A
54 Anogeissus latifolia Wall. ex Bedd.
Fruit—invigorating, sedative to
heart, antibilious, antiemetic,
expectorant. Dried, powdered
unripe fruits—used for treating
ulcers. Ripe fruit made into paste
withbetelleavesisappliedto
tumour to hasten suppuration.
Leaves, bark, unripe fruit—strongly
astringent; used for diarrhoea and
dysentery.
A fraction of total alkaloid from
roots exhibits antihypertensive, antispasmodic,
antihistaminic and bronchodilatory
properties. Leaves contain
a cardiotonic alkaloid, quinoline.
Squamone and bullatacinone were selectively
cytotoxic to human breast carcinoma.
In Cuban medicine, leaves are taken
to reduce uric acid levels.
Anogeissus latifolia
Wall. ex Bedd.
Family ◮ Combretaceae.
Habitat ◮ Central and southern India.
English ◮ Axle-wood, Button tree,
Ghatti tree.
Ayurvedic ◮ Dhava, Dhurandhara,
Shakataahya. Indravrksha
(A. acuminata Wall. ex Bedd. is
a related sp. of Dhava).
Unani ◮ Dhaawaa.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Vellaynaga.
Folk ◮ Ghatti (Gum).
Action ◮ Astringent, cooling, used
in diarrhoea, dysentery, ulcers,
piles, urinary disorders and dysuria.
Gum—used as a tonic after delivery.
The leaves, bark and heartwood
yield quinic and shikmik acids; leaves
contain gallotannin (90–95% of the
tannins). The young leaves and shoots
contain 50% tannins (dry basis). The
bark contains 12–18% tannins. Heartwood
contains gallic acid, ellagic acid,
its derivatives, quercetin and myricetin.
Thegumismainlythecalciumsalt
of a complex, high molecular weight
polysaccharic acid (ghattic acid). The
gum is a substitute for Gum arabic.
Anthemis nobilis Linn.
Synonym ◮ Chamaemelum nobile (L.)
Allioni.
Family ◮ Asteraceae.
Habitat ◮ The temperate regions of
the Himalayas. Wild at several
places.
English ◮ Roman Chamomile, Double
Chamomile.
Unani ◮ Gul-e-Baabuuna.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Shimai chamantipu.
Action ◮ Mild sedative, anticonvulsant,
antispasmodic, antiinflammatory,
mild analgesic;
used externally for skin disorders,
poultice of flowers in sprains and
rheumatism.
Key application ◮ Used mainly
in France for mild spasmodic
gastrointestinal disturbances and
sluggishness of bowels, also for
nervousness. (PDR.) (German
Chamomile has been included
by German Commission E among
approved herbs, whereas Roman