Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

380 Litsea glutinosa (Lour.) C. B. Robinson.
L
Folk ◮ Lubis firmun.
Action ◮ Leaves—sedative. Seeds—
diuretic, lithotriptic. A decoction of
rootsandtwigsisgivenintheform
of syrup in eruptive diseases, such
as smallpox and measles.
The aerial parts contain pyrrolizidine
alkaloids.
Saline extracts of the aerial parts
and roots, administered to experimental
animals by injection, inhibit oestrus
and the functioning of ovaries and
testes; the activity of the thyroid gland
is also reduced. The active principle is
formed from phenolic precursors like
caffeic,chlorogenic,rosmarinicacidas
well as luteolin-7 beta-glucuronide by
an oxidation step. Other constituents
are lithospermic acid and shikonin.
Shikonin and acetyl-shikonin, the
pigments of the root, exhibit antiinflammatory
activity comparable to
phenylbutazone.
An infusion of leaves is used in Spain
as sedative.
Litsea glutinosa
(Lour.) C. B. Robinson.
Synonym ◮ L. sebifera Pers.
L. chinensis Lam.
Family ◮ Lauraceae.
Habitat ◮ Punjab, Khasi Hills,
Bengal, Assam and South India.
English ◮ Common Tallow Lowrel.
Ayurvedic ◮ Medaasaka.
Unani ◮
Hindi.
Maidaa-lakdi, Maghaase-
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Mushaippeyetti,
Elumpurukki, Uralli.
Action ◮ Leaf—antispasmodic and
emollient. Bark—demulcent, emollient,
astringent, antidiarrhoeal,
anodyne. Root—decoction is
used as an emmenagogue. Oil
from berries—used in rheumatism.
Essential oil—antibacterial,
antifungal.
The bark is mucilaginous.
The plant contains a polysaccharide.
Leaves and stem contain aporphine alkaloids—boldine,
laurotetanine, actinodaphnine
and their derivatives. The
trunk bark gave sebiferine and litseferine.
Boldine produced dose-dependent
inhibition of induced microsomal peroxidation
in experimental studies.
Dosage ◮ Bark—3–5 g powder.
(CCRAS.)
Litsea monopetala (Roxb.) Pers.
Synonym ◮ L. polyantha Juss.
Family ◮ Lauraceae.
Habitat ◮ Assam and Eastern
Himalayas, also Tamil Nadu.
Ayurvedic ◮ Maidaa-lakdi (var.).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Maidalagadil, Picinpattai.
Action ◮ Bark—stimulant, astringent,
spasmolytic, stomachic,
antidiarrhoeal. Root—applied
externally for pains, bruises and
contusions.
The bark contains beta-sitosterol
and an aporphine alkaloid, actinodaphnine.