Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

A
26 Agrimonia eupatoria auct non L.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Gnaazhal. (Dried
flowers of Myristica malabarica
Lam. are also used as Priyangu.)
Action ◮ Fruit—cooling (in febrile
complaints), antipyretic, astringent,
antidiarrhoeal, antidysenteric,
anti-inflammatory (seeds used for
painful micturition). Fruits are
also used for treating obstinate skin
diseases and tumours.
Bisamide alkaloids of the leaves exhibit
anticancer activity (by inhibiting
the growth of vinblastine-resistant KB
cells).
Agrimonia eupatoria auct non L.
Synonym ◮ A. pilosa Hook.f. non
Ledeb.
A. pilosa Ledeb. var. nepalensis (D.
Don) Nakai
Family ◮ Rosacae.
Habitat ◮ The Himalayas from
Kashmir to West Bengal at 900–
3,000 m, and in Arunachal Pradesh,
Nagaland and Meghalaya.
English ◮ Agrimony, Stickle Wort.
Unani ◮ Ghaafis.
Folk ◮ Belu.
Action ◮ Astringent, antiinflammatory,
hepatic, cholagogue,
diuretic, mild haemostatic, antibacterial.
Used for irritations and
infections of the intestinal tract,
gallbladder diseases, hyperacidity,
colic, urinary disorders (bedwetting,
incontinence), sluggish
liver, mucus membrane inflammations;
externally for ulcerated
and discharging skin, psoriasis and
seborrhoic eczemas.
Key application ◮ In mild, nonspecific,
acute diarrhoea and
in inflammation of oral and
pharyngeal mucosa; as astringent.
(German Commission E, The British
Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)
The herb contains condensed tannins
up to 8%, coumarins, flavonoids
(glucosides of luteolin, apigenin and
quercetin), polysaccharides, volatile
oil. Luteolin 7-glucoside shows a cholegogic
action. Aqueous extracts inhibited
Mycobacterium tuberculosis, also
strains resistant to streptomycin and
p-aminosalicylate. Essential oil is antibacterial,
active against Bacillus subtilis.
The ethanolic extracts of the herb
are used for their antiviral properties.
(Natural Medicines Comprehensive
Database, 2007.)
Coumarins interact with anticoagulants,
and drugs that increase the risk
of bleeding Furanocoumarin content
increase photosensitivity. (Sharon M.
Herr.)
Agropyron repens Beauv.
Synonym ◮ Triticum repens L.
Family ◮ Gramineae; Poaceae.
Habitat ◮ The western Himalayas and
Kashmir at altitudes between 2,700
and 3,600 m.
English ◮ Couch grass, dog grass,
wheat grass.
Action ◮ Demulcent (used in
cystitis, nephritis), aperient,