Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

H
314 Homonoia riparia Lour.
Homonoia riparia Lour.
Synonym ◮ Adelia neriifolia Heyne
ex Roth.
Family ◮ Euphorbiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Eastern, Central and
Peninsular India, up to 700 m.
Ayurvedic ◮ Paashaana-bheda
(substitute), Kshudra Paashaanabheda.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Kattu Alari.
Action ◮ Root—diuretic, spasmolytic,
antilithic. Used for urinary
discharges. Leaf and stem—
depurative. Leaf and fruit—used in
skin diseases.
The roots gave alpha-spinasteryl acetate.
The fatty acid from the fat of
roots gave myristic, palmitic, stearic
and oleic acids.
Hordeum vulgare Linn.
Family ◮ Gramineae; Poaceae.
Habitat ◮ Cultivated as food crop
in Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal,
Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan,
Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh
and Jammu and Kashmir.
English ◮ Barley
Ayurvedic ◮ Yava, Hayeshtha,
Hayapriya, Shuka-dhaanya, Tikshnashuka.
Unani ◮ Barley, Jao Shaeer.
Siddha ◮ Yavam. Saambaluppu (ash).
Action ◮ Barley—nutritive and
demulcent during convalescence
and in cases of bowel inflammation
and diarrhoea. Protects immune
system.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India
recommends barley in urinary disorders,
muscular rigidity, chronic sinusitis,
cough, asthma, lipid disorder
and obesity.
Juice of young barley leaves—7 times
richer in vitamin C than oranges, 5
timesricherinironthanspinach,25
times richer in potassium than wheat;
high in SOD (superoxide dismutase),
an enzyme that slows ageing of cells.
The nutritional quality of the barley
depends on beta-glucan fraction of
the grain. Beta-glucan-enriched fraction
produced cholesterol-lowering effect
in hamsters.
Naked barley extracts have been
found to selectively inhibit cyclohexanase
activity and may be useful as
a therapeutic drug for treating thrombosis
and atherosclerosis.
Ethanol extract of young green
leaves exhibits antioxidant activity attributed
to a flavonoid, 2 ′′ -O-glucosylisovitexin.
It also exhibits anti-inflammatory
and antiallergic activities. The
leaves contain an indole alkaloid, gramine,
which exhibits antibacterial
properties.
Dosage ◮ Dried fruit—100–200 g.
(API Vol. II); dried plant—10–20 g.
(API Vol. IV.)
Hovenia dulcis Thunb.
Synonym ◮ H. acerba Lindl.
Family ◮ Rhamnaceae.