Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

256 Evolvulus alsinoides Linn.
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Evolvulus alsinoides Linn.
Synonym ◮ E. hirtus Lam.
E. angustifolius Roxb.
Convolvulus alsinoides L.
Family ◮ Convolvulaceae.
Habitat ◮ Throughout India, as
a common weed in open and grassy
places; ascending to 2,000 m in the
Himalayas.
Ayurvedic ◮ Shankapushpi (blueflowered
var., Convolvus pluricaulis:
white-flowered var.)
Unani ◮ Shankhaahuli.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Vishnukrandi
(blue-flowered), Shivakrandi
(white-flowered).
Action ◮ Brain tonic, an aid in
conception, astringent, antidysenteric.
Leaf—antiasthmatic. Used in
nervine affections (epilepsy, insanity,spermatorrhoea),andduodenal
ulcers, also for uterine affections.
Flowers—used for uterine bleeding
and internal haemorrhages.
A decoction of the herb is given as
a blood purifier.
The plant contains alkaloid evolvine,
beta-sitosterol, stearic, oleic, linoleic
acids, pentatriacontane and triacontane.
The alkaloid evolvine exhibited
powerful stimulant activity on respiration
and blood pressure (possibly
analeptic).
Aqueous extract of the petal showed
antifungal property.
Evolvulus nummularius Linn.
Family ◮ Convolvulaceae.
Habitat ◮ A weed of grassy lawns.
Ayurvedic ◮ Aakhukarni,
Muusaakarni (substitute for
Merremia emarginata (Burm. f.)
Hallier f., synonym Ipomoea
reniformis Choisy).
Folk ◮ Muusaakaani, Chhinipatra
(Bihar).
Action ◮ Weak sedative, anthelmintic.
Exacum bicolor Roxb.
Synonym ◮ E. tetragonum Roxb.
E. perrottetii Griseb.
Family ◮ Gentianaceae.
Habitat ◮ Upper Gangetic plains and
tropical Himalaya, also in South
India.
Ayurvedic ◮ Ava-chiraayataa (bigger
var. of chiraayataa).
Folk ◮ Titakhana, Uudakiraayita
(Maharashtra).
Action ◮ Stomachic,febrifuge,
antifungal, bitter tonic.
The leaves gave apigenin, luteolin,
vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocatechuic
and p-coumaric acids.
A related species. Exacum pedunculatum
L., found throughout India,
ascending up to 1,000 m, is also used
as a substitute for Swertia chirayita and
Gentiana lutea. Pounded plant is applied
externally in rheumatism and
gout. It also gave luteolin, diosmetin
and phenolic acids.
Excoecaria agallocha Linn.
Family ◮ Euphorbiaceae.