Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

H
316 Hura crepitans Linn.
spasmodic effect is stronger than the
sedative, and hops also possess antihistaminic
and anti-oxytocic properties.
(Cases of amenorrhoea and dysmenorrhoea
are treated with hops.)
Hop extracts exert different effects
on CNS in mice. They show hypothermic,
hypnotic, sedative, muscle relaxing
and spontaneous locomotor activities,
besides potentiating pentobarbital
anaesthesia in mice.
Humulone inhibited induced inflammation
in mice.
The dried strobila containing humuloneandlupuloneshowedantidiabetic
activity in experimental rats.
Hop mash or extract is used in the
preparation of toothpaste for inhibiting
Gram-positive bacteria and in hair
preparations for preventing dandruff
formation. It is also used in skinlightening
creams.
Hura crepitans Linn.
Family ◮ Euphorbiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to tropical America;
introduced into India.
English ◮ Sandbox tree, Monkey
Dinner-bell.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Mullarasanam.
Action ◮ Seed, bark and fresh latex—
emetocathartic, antileprotic. Seed—
insecticidal, piscidal.
In South America, a poultice made
from the latex is used for treating cutaneous
leishmaniasis. Highly irritant
and tumour-promoting deterpene esters
(DTC) have been detected in the
latex. Latex gave the triterpenes, 24methylene
cycloartanol, cycloartanol
and butyrospermol. Sap of the plant
gave a diterpene hexaol ester, huratoxin,
and a glycolipoprotein, crepitin.
Hydnocarpus kurzii (King) Warb.
Synonym ◮ H. heterophylla auct.
non-Bl.
Taractogenos Kurzii King.
Family ◮ Flacourtiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Assam and Tripura.
English ◮ Chalmogra.
Ayurvedic ◮ Tuvaraka (related
species, substitute for H. laurifolia.)
Unani ◮ Chaalmograa, Tukhm-e-
Biranj Mograa.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Niradi-muttu.
Action ◮ Antileprotic, dermatic,
febrifuge, sedative. Used parenterally
for leprosy; also for psoriasis,
eczema and dermatitis.
The plant is a source of chaulmoogra
oil (Oleum Chaulmoograe which contains
hydnocarpic, chaulmoogric, gorlic,
oleic, palmitic acids and lower homologues
of hydnocarpic acid. The oil
mixed with neem oil or oil of Psoralea
corylifolia is used in leprosy.
In mice, intraperitoneal and subcutaneous
administration of chaulmoogra
fatty acids demonstrated antimicrobial
activity against Mycobacterium
leprae. (PDR.)
Hydnocarpus laurifolia
(Dennst.) Sleumer.
Synonym ◮ H. wightiana Blume.