Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Paederia foetida Linn.
Family ◮ Rubiaceae.
Habitat ◮ Central and Eastern
Himlayas extending to Assam, West
Bengal,Bihar,Orissa.
Ayurvedic ◮ Talanili, Gandhaprasaarini.
(Prasaarini is also
equated with Raaja-balaa, Sida
veronicaefolia.).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Talanili, Mudiyar
Kundal.
Folk ◮ Gandhabhaaduli (Bengali).
Action ◮ Leaf—carminative, antiinflammatory,
astringent, spasmolytic,
antidiarrhoeal, diuretic, antilithic.
Root— anti-inflammatory.
Used for rheumatic affections, piles,
inflammations of the liver, spleen
and chest.
Aerial parts contain epi-friedelanol,
embelin and beta-sitosterol. Leaves
and stems gave iridoid glycosides, sitosterol,
stigmasterol, campesterol, ursolicacid,hentriacontane,hentriacontanol,
ceryl alcohol, palmitic acid and
methyl mercaptan. The foetid smell is
due to methyl mercaptan.
All parts of the plant have been employed
for rheumatic affections.
A related species, Paederia scandens
(Lour.) Merill, synonym P. tomentosa
Blume, is known as Gandha Prasaarini.
The iridoid glucosides, paederoside,
paederosidic acid and scandosides
have been isolated from the plant.
P
Dosage ◮ Plant—10–20 ml juice; 50–
100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)
Paeonia emodi Wall. ex Royle.
Family ◮ Paeoniaceae.
Habitat ◮ Northwestern Himalaya
from Kashmir to Kumaon at 2,000–
3,000 m.
English ◮ Himalayan Paeony.
Unani ◮ Ood Saleeb, Ood Gharqi,
Phaavaaniaa.
Folk ◮ Root—used in nervous affections,
uterine diseases, as a blood
purifier. Flower—antidiarrhoeal.
Seed—emetic, cathartic. Plant—
CNS depressant, hypothermic,
diuretic, anti-inflammatory.
The root contains an essential oil,
with salicylaldehyde as the chief component,
a fixed oil, benzoic acid and
sucrose. The plant gave Gallo tannin
and glucogallin.
Paeonia officinalis Linn.
Family ◮ Paeoniaceae.
Habitat ◮
Britain.
Indigenous to Great
English ◮ Paeony.
Unani ◮ Ood Saleeb, Ood Gharqi.
Action ◮ Root—antispasmodic,
sedative, smooth muscle relaxant,
vasodilatory, hypotensive,