Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

A
60 Argemone mexicana Linn.
Seeds are toxic at 8–10 g, fluid extract
at 3.7 ml; and arecoline hydrobromide
at 4.3–6.5 mg. (Francis Brinker.)
Dosage ◮ Dried ripe fruit—1–2 g
powder. (API Vol. I.)
Argemone mexicana Linn.
Family ◮ Papaveraceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to America;
naturalized throughout India.
English ◮ Prickly Poppy, Mexican
Poppy.
Ayurvedic ◮ Katuparni, Svarnkshiri,
Kaanchan-kshiri, Pitadugdhaa.
Hemaahvaa, Himaavati, Hemavati.
(Not to be equated with Brahmadandi—Tricholepis
glaberrima.)
Unani ◮ Satyaanaashi.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Piramathandu,
Kudiyotti.
Action ◮ Seed—responsible for
epidemic dropsy. Causes diarrhoea
and induces toxicity. Oil, leaf
juice and root—used externally for
indolent ulcers and skin diseases.
The herb contains isoquinoline alkaloids.
The fresh latex contains proteindissolving
constituents and is used externally
to treat warts, tumours and
cancer. Latex contains alkaloid berberine
(0.74%), protopine (0.36%) and free
amino acids. Sanguinarine is the toxic
factor in seeds.
Argyreia speciosa Sweet.
Synonym ◮ A. nervosa (Burm. f.) Boj.
Family ◮ Convolvulaceae.
Habitat ◮ Found all over India,
ascending to 300 m.
English ◮ Elephant Creeper.
Ayurvedic ◮ Vriddhadaaruka,
Vriddhadaaru, Vriddhadaaraka,
Bastaantri, Sthavira, Sthaviradaaru,
Atarunadaaru, Samudrashosha.
(Seeds of Salvia plebeia R. Br. are
also known as Samudrashosha.)
Unani ◮ Samunder sokh.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Ambgar, Samuddirapacchai
Folk ◮ Bidhaaraa.
Action ◮ Root—aphrodisiac (considered
as a rejuvenator), nervine
(used in diseases of nervous system,
sexual disorders), diuretic
(used in strangury), antirheumatic.
Seeds—hypotensive, spasmolytic.
Leaves—used externally in skin
diseases (ringworm, eczema, boils,
swellings); rubefacient, topically
stimulant.
The seeds contain hallucinogenic
ergoline alkaloids, the main ones being
ergine and isoergine. EtOH (50%)
extract of seeds exhibits hypotensive
activity. (Seeds of all species of Argyreia
contain ergoline alkaloids and
are hypotensive.) Leaves of Argyreia
sp. contain sitosterol and are antiphlogistic.
In Indian medicine, A. speciosa is
not used as a single drug for sexual
disorders in men, but as a supportingdrugforexertingitsantiphlogistic,
spasmolytic and hypotensive actions
on the central nervous system. The