Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

646 Taraktogenos kurzii King.
T
Action ◮ Plant—anthelmintic, bitter
tonic, emmenagogue. Used for
migraine, neuralgia and nausea;
as a lotion for scabies. Toxicity
depends upon thujone content
of the part used. Tansy oil is
used as a liniment for gout and
rheumatism.
Aerial parts afforded terpenoids—
tanacetin, vulgarones A and B, tamirin,
tanacin and tanavulgarol; germacanolides,
stearic acid, and flavonoids—
apigenin trimethyl ether, apigenin,
luteolin, chrysoeriol, diometin, isorhamnetin,
quercetin and axillarin.
The leaves contain parthenolide, caffeic,
chlorogenic, iso-chlorogenic acids
and vibernitol.
Indian chemotype contains betathujone
(28.1%) as the major constituent
of the essential oil. Other
constituents are: beta-thujyl alcohol
8.7, l-camphor 10.0 and cineol 11.8%.
The leaves contain parthenolide, caffeic,
chlorogenic, isochlorogenic acid
and vibernitol.
Tanacetum parthenium (L.) Schultz
Bip. (native to Europe and British
Isles), known as Feverfew, is available
in India for prophylactic treatment
of migraine. The characteristic constituents
of the herb (dried, whole or
fragmented parts) are sesquiterpene
lactones of which parthenolide, a germacanolide,
is the major component.
(Indian species, T. vulgare leaf also
contains parthenolide).
ESCOP recommends the herb for
the management of migraine for at least
afewmonths.
(See ESCOP and WHO monographs.)
It has been shown that Feverfew
extract inhibits prostaglandin production
and arachidonic acid release (this
activity, at least partly, explains the
herb’s antiplatelet and antifebrile action).
The extracts also inhibit secretion
of serotonin from platelet granules
and proteins from polymorphonuclear
leucocytes (PMN’s). Since serotonin is
implicated in the aetiology of migraine
and PMN secretion is increased in
rheumatoid arthritis. Feverfew is used
in migraine and rheumatoid arthritis.
(Potter’s New Cyclopaedia.) Somehow,
beneficial effects were not observed
in a double-blind placebo-controlled
trial on 40 women with rheumatoid
arthritis. (WHO.)
Taraktogenos kurzii King.
Synonym ◮ Hydnocarpus Kurzii
(King.)Warb.
H. heterophyllus Kurx.
Habitat ◮ Throughout upper Assam
and Tripura in evergreen forests.
Folk ◮ Chaalmogra.
Action ◮ Kernel yields the true Chaalmoogra
Oil (Oleum Chaulmoograe),
used externally in leprosy.
Bark—astringent, rich in tannins,
also used as a febrifuge.
Taraxacum officinale
Weber ex Wiggers.
Family ◮ Compositae; Asteraceae.
Habitat ◮ Temperate Himalayas,
Khasi Hills, Mishmi Hills, Gujarat
and in hills of South India.
English ◮ Common Dandelion.