Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

176 Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm.
C
3.5–5% and jatorrhizine. Stems contain
ceryl palmitic acid and oleic acid.
The plant is also used against fractures;
for dressing wounds and ulcers
and in cutaneous leishmaniasis.
The stems are used in South India as
a substitute for Berberis (Daaruharidraa);
also as an Indian substitute
for True Calumba (Jateorhiza palmata
Miers).
Dosage ◮ Root—3–5 g powder;
decoction—50–100 ml. (CCRAS.)
Costus speciosus (Koenig) Sm.
Family ◮ Zingiberaceae.
Habitat ◮ Assam, North Bengal,
Khasi and Jaintia Hills, sub
Himalayan tracts of Uttar Pradesh
and Himachal Pradesh and Western
Ghats.
English ◮ Canereed, Wild Ginger.
Ayurvedic ◮ Kebuka, Kembuka.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Krrauvam, Malai
Vasambu, Ven Kottam.
Folk ◮ Kebu.
Action ◮ Astringent, purgative,
depurative, anti-inflammatory
(used in gout, rheumatism; bronchitis,
asthma, catarrhal fevers,
dysuria), anthelmintic, antivermin,
maggoticide, antifungal.
The rhizomes contain saponins—
dioscin, gracillin and beta-sitosterolbeta-D-glucoside.
The alkaloids show
papaverine-like smooth-muscle-relaxant
activity, cardiotonic activity like
that of digitalis and antispasmodic,
CNS-depressant, diuretic and hydrocholeretic
activities. Saponins show
significant anti-inflammatory and antiarthritic
activity.
The seeds also contain saponins and
exhibit potent and sustained hypotensive
and bradycardiac activities in dogs
with low toxicity and without any
haemolytic activity; also weak spasmolytic
activity on isolated guinea-pig
ileum.
All parts of the plant yield steroidal
sapogenin, diogenin (quantity varies
from 0.32 to 4%).
(Not to be confused with Kushtha of
Indian medicine, Saussurea lappa.)
Crataegus crenulata Roxb.
Family ◮ Rosaceae.
Habitat ◮ The Himalayas from
Sutluj to Bhutan at altitudes of 800–
2,500 m.
Folk ◮ Ghingaaru.
Action ◮ See Cratageus oxyacantha.
Crataegeus oxyacantha Linn.
Family ◮ Rosaceae.
Habitat ◮ British and European
hedge plant, met with in the
temperate Himalayas of Kashmir
and Himachal Pradesh at an altitude
of 1,800–3,000 m. (The plant does
not thrive in the plains of India.)
English ◮ English Hawthorn.
Folk ◮ Ring, Ringo, Pingyat, Phindak,
Ban Sanjli (Punjab hills).