Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

A
38 Alpinia speciosa (Wendl.) K.Schum.
Ayurvedic ◮ Kulanjan (var.).
Unani ◮ Khulanjaan (smaller var.).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Chitrarattai.
Action ◮ Rhizome—a circulatory
stimulant and carminative.
Key application ◮ As a carminative.
(The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.)
Aqueous and methanolic extracts of
the rhizome, on oral administration,
exhibited significant decrease in gastric
secretioninrabbitsandshowedanticholinergic
effect in pylorus-ligated
rats.
Flavones from rhizomes are strongly
antifungal against a wide variety
of pathogenic fungi, responsible for
major skin diseases in eastern India.
Flavones were also found to be active
against a number of Gram-positive and
Gram-negative bacteria.
The gingerols and diaryheptanoids
constituents of the rhizome are potent
inhibitors of PG synthetase (prostaglandin
biosynthesizing enzyme); they
can also be active against 5-lipoxygenase,
an enzyme involved in leukotriene
biosynthesis. (Natural Medicines
Comprehensive Database, 2007.)
Alpinia speciosa
(Wendl.) K.Schum.
Synonym ◮ A. Zerumbet Burtt and
R.M. Smith
Family ◮ Zingiberaceae.
Habitat ◮ Native to East Indies.
Occurs in the eastern Himalayas
from West Bengal eastwards.
English ◮ Light Galangal.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Chitraraththai.
Action ◮ Rhizomes are used as
a substitute for A. galanga and
even for ginger; antiulcerative,
spasmolytic.
The leaves and rhizomes yield an
essential oil which contains alpha-and
beta-pinene, borneol, campene and cineole
as major constituents.
Alstonia scholaris R. Br.
Family ◮ Apocynaceae.
Habitat ◮ Throughout moist regions
of India, especially in West Bengal
and west-coast forests of southern
India.
English ◮ Devil’s tree, Dita Bark tree.
Ayurvedic ◮ Saptaparna, Saptachhada,
Saptaparni, Saptaahvaa,
Vishaaltvak, Shaarada, Vishamchhada.
Unani ◮ Chhaatim, Kaasim (Kaasim
Roomi, Anjudaan Roomi is equated
with Myrrhis odorata Scope.)
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Ezhilamippalai,
Mukkampalai.
Folk ◮ Chhitavan, Sataunaa.
Action ◮ Bark—febrifuge, antiperiodic,
spasmolytic, antidysenteric,
uterine stimulant, hypotensive; used
for internal fevers.
Along with other therapeutic applications,
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia
of India indicates the use of stembark
in phosphaturia and recommends it as
a blood purifier.