Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

660 Thlaspi arvense Linn.
T
Dosage ◮ Root—50–125 mg powder.
(CCRAS.)
Thlaspi arvense Linn.
Family ◮ Crucifereae; Brassicaceae.
Habitat ◮ The temperate and
sub-alpine Himalayas.
English ◮ Pennycress, Fanweed.
Folk ◮ Drekaa (Laddakh).
Action ◮ Astringent, diuretic, bloodpurifier.
Seeds—stimulant. Plant—
a good source of vitamin C (70–
469 mg/100 g). Ripe seeds are
poisonous (pouring boiling water
over the seeds before use prevents
poisoning).
Leaves as well as seeds contain a glucoside,
sinigrin.
Thuja orientalis Linn.
Synonym ◮ Biota orientalis Endl.
Family ◮ Cupressaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to China; planted
all over India in gardens.
English ◮ Oriental Arbor-Vitae.
Folk ◮ Morepankhi.
Action ◮ Leaves—diuretic, insecticidal
antipyretic.
The leaves contain rhodoxanthin,
amentoflavone, hinokiflavone, quercetin,
myricetin, carotene (20.8 mg/100 g
dry basis), xanthophyll and ascorbic
acid (68 mg/100 g). Essential oil, obtained
from twigs (0.32) and berries
(0.25%), contains alpha-thujene, (+)sabinene,
(+)-camphene, cedrol, cedrenol
and alpha-and beta-pinenes as
major constituents.
American Arbor-Vitae and White
Cedar has been equated with T. occidentalisandisusedasThuja.
It was introduced into India from
North America, and grows as a Christmas
tree in the plains of India.
Leaves—aninfusionisusedasauterine
stimulant, emmenagogue and diuretic.
Boiled in lard, are applied externally
for rheumatism. Bark—astringent,
emmenagogue, diuretic. Oil—
poisonous, disinfectant, insecticidal.
Seed and fruit— antibacterial; inhibited
the growth of Gram-positive microorganisms.
The leaves yields a volatile oil, containing
thujone as major component,
with iso-thujone, borneol, bornyl acetate,
l-fenchone, limonene, sabinene,
camphor, l-alpha-thujene; flavonoids,
mucilage, tannins.
The heartwood yields a non-toxic
antibiotic substance. It gave sesquiterpene
alcohols—occidentalol and occidol;
also alpha-beta-and gammaeudesmol.
Thuja is used in homoeopathy for
tissue degeneration and tumours, warts
and fungoid growths, both internally
and externally.
Thymus serpyllum Linn.
Family ◮ Labiatae; Lamiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to North America;
also found in temperate Himalayas
from Kashmir to Nepal; grown in
gardens in western India.