Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

178 Crinum asiaticum Linn.
C
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Uppu Sanaga.
Folk ◮ Khardi.
Action ◮ Expectorant, stomachic,
antibilious, alterative.
Air-dried, powdered whole plant
gave n-octacosanol, scopoletin, umbelliferone,
isopimpinellin, beta-sitosterol
and its –D(+)-glucoside and quercetin.
Crinum asiaticum Linn.
Family ◮ Amaryllidaceae.
Habitat ◮ Wild as well as cultivated
as an ornamental.
English ◮ St. John’s Lily, Poison Bulb.
Ayurvedic ◮ Naagadamani, Naagapatra,
Sudarshana (var.). C.
defixum Ker.-Gawl, is equated with
Sukhadarshana.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Vishamoongil.
Action ◮ Bulb—laxative (a substitute
for ipecacuanha), expectorant. Used
in biliousness, and in strangury
and other urinary affections. Also
used for the treatment of burns,
whitlow and carbuncle. Fresh
root—diaphoretic, emetic. Leaves—
expectorant; externally, antiinflammatory
(used in skin diseases
and for reducing inflammations).
Seed—emmenagogue, diuretic.
The bark gave sterols and triterpenoids.
Seeds contain alkaloids—
lycorine, crinamine and crinasiatine.
Crinum latifolium Linn.
Family ◮ Amaryllidaceae.
Habitat ◮ Wild as well as cultivated
as an ornamental.
English ◮ Wide-leaved Crinum.
Ayurvedic ◮ Sudarshana, Sukhadarshana,
Chakraangi, Somvalli,
Madhuparnikaa.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Vishamoongil.
Action ◮ Bulb—rubefacient, antirheumatic.
Also used for piles and
tubercular fistula.
The alkaloids, crinafoline and crinafolidine,
have been isolated from the
plant. These along with crinafoline
methochloride exhibited significant
tumour-inhibiting activity in vivo. The
plant extract in also used in allergic
condition. This activity is attributed
to the presence of glucan A and phosphatidyllycorine.
A related species, C. zeylanicum, is
known as Milk-and-Wine Lily.
Dosage ◮ Leaf, root—5–10 g paste.
(CCRAS.)
Crocus sativus Linn.
Family ◮ Iridaceae.
Habitat ◮ Cultivated in Kashmir up
to 2,000 m and in Chaubattia in
Uttar Pradesh.
English ◮ Saffron, Crocus.
Ayurvedic ◮ Kumkuma, Rudhira,
Vadrika, Kaashmira, Kaashmiraka,
Vaalhika, Agnishikhaa, Ghrusrrn,
Rakta, Kshataja. Keshara (usually
Keshara indicates Naagakeshara,
Mesua ferrea Linn.)
Unani ◮ Zaafraan.