Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Action ◮ Leaf—haemostatic. Essential
oil—antibacterial, antifungal (in
1:1000 dilution).
The major components of the essential
oil from leaves and flowering tops
are alpha-terpinene, thujyl alcohol, terpenyl
acetate, nerol, phellandrene, cineol,neral,thujylacetate,beta-thujone
and artemisol.
Related sp., known as Gangaa Tulasi,
are Artemisia lacrorum Ledeb. and
A. parviflora Wight.
Artemisia vulgaris Linn. var.
nilagirica Clarke.
Synonym ◮ A. nilagirica (Clarke)
Pamp.
Family ◮ Compositae; Asteraceae.
Habitat ◮ The hilly regions of India,
also in Mount Abu in Rajasthan, in
western Ghats, and from Konkan
southward to Kerala.
English ◮ Indian Wormwood,
Fleabane, Dungwort, Mugwort,
Wild Wormwood.
Ayurvedic ◮ Damanaka, Pushpachaamara,
Gandhotkata. (Related sp.:
A. siversiana Ehrh. ex Willd.)
Unani ◮ Afsanteen-e-Hindi. (National
Formularly of Unani Medicine
clubbed it with Baranjaasif.)
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Maasipattiri.
Folk ◮ Daunaa, Damanaa.
Action ◮ Leaf—emmenagogue, menstrual
regulator, nervine, stomachic
(in anorexia and dyspepsia), anthelmintic,
choleretic, diaphoretic.
Artocarpus integrifolia Linn. f. 65
An infusion of flower tops is administered
in nervous and spasmodic
affections. The herb is also used
as an antilithic. Oil from leaves—
antibacterial, antifungal in 1:1000
dilution.
Key application ◮ As emmenagogue.
(The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)
The plant yields about 0.34% of an
essential oil. Plants at lower altitude
had more percentage of cineol, thujone,
thujyl and citral, whereas from
higher altitude terpenes are in higher
percentage. The highest amount of
cineol was reported to be 30%.
The plant is also used as an inferior
substitute for cinchona in fevers.
Artocarpus integrifolia Linn. f.
Synonym ◮ A. heterophyllus Lam.
Family ◮ Moraceae.
Habitat ◮ Cultivated throughout the
hotter parts of India.
English ◮ Jackfruit, Jack tree.
Ayurvedic ◮ Panasa, Kantakiphala,
Ativrihatphala, Aamaashayaphala.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Murasabalam.
Folk ◮ Katahal, Phanasa.
Action ◮ Latex—bacteriolytic,
promotes healing of abscesses.
Juice of the plant—applied to
glandular swellings and abscesses
for promoting suppuration. Root—
used for diarrhoea, asthma, skin
diseases. Unripe fruit—acrid,
astringent. Ripe fruit—cooling,
laxative, difficult to digest. Seeds—
diuretic. Lactin extraction showed
A