Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

D
210 Desmodium gangeticum DC.
Action ◮ Leaf and flower—astringent,
antiscorbutic. Seed—expectorant,
anti-inflammatory, febrifuge,
antidysenteric. Aerial parts—
antiviral, hypoglycaemic.
The plants has been used externally
for ulcers, seeds are used as substitute
or adulterant of the seeds of
Sisymbrium iro Linn. (Thesourceof
Khaakasi, Khubb, Tukhm-e-Shahuh,
Khuubkalaan of Unani medicine,
known as Hedge Mustard or London
Rocket.)
Desmodium gangeticum DC.
Synonym ◮ Hedysarum gangeticum
Linn.
Family ◮ Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.
Habitat ◮ Ascending to 1,500 m on
the Himalaya; common on lower
hills and plains throughout India.
Ayurvedic ◮ Shaaliparni, Shaalaparni,
Sthiraa, Somyaa, Guhaa, Triparni,
Vidaarigandha, Anshumati. Also
used as Prshniparni. (Uraria picta
Desv., Prshniparni, is used as
a substitute for Shaalaparni.)
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Pulladi, Sirupulladi
Moovilai (root).
Folk ◮ Sarivan.
Action ◮ Root—antipyretic, diuretic,
astringent (used in irritable
bowel syndrome, diarrhoea and
dysentery), anticatarrhal (used
in post-natal care, chronic fever,
cough, biliousness, vomiting),
diuretic, anthelmintic, laxative and
nervine tonic. Desmodium spp.:
Roots—carminative, mildly purgative,
stomachic, emmenagogue,
diuretic. Leaves—galactagogue;
a poultice of leaves is used for
lumbago. Bark—used in diarrhoea
and haemorrhages.
Roots afforded pterocarpanoids—
gangetin, gangetinin, desmodin and
several alkaloids. The aerial portion
gave indole-3-alkylamines and their
derivatives.
Gangetin showed significant antiinflammatory
activity in 50 and
100 mg/kg p.o. in rats.
Dosage ◮ Root—5–10 g powder; 10–
20 g for decoction. (API Vol. III.)
Desmodium triflorum
(Linn.) DC.
Synonym ◮ Hedysarum triflorum
Linn.
Family ◮ Fabaceae.
Habitat ◮ Throughout India, in
the plains ascending to 1,200 m in
Kumaon and 1,800 m in Kashmir.
Ayurvedic ◮ Tripaadi, Hamsapaadi
(Kerala).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Seruppadi.
Folk ◮ Jangali Methi, Ran-methi.
Action ◮ Fresh leaves—used
internally as galactagogue and for
diarrhoea; applied externally to
wounds and abscesses. Root—
diuretic. Also used for cough,
asthma.
The leaf contains alkaloids (0.01–
0.15%), major being beta-phenylethyl-