Indian Medicinal Plants An Illustrated Dictionary

Ayurvedic ◮ Identified as Soma of
Rigveda (controversial). (Sushruta
described 24 varieties of Soma and
18 other drugs as its substitutes.)
Intensely poisonous; used for
intoxication.
The fungus has been used in Russia
for preparing an intoxicating drink.
Toxic principles arecholine, muscarine
and mycetoatropine (muscaridine).
Muscarine stimulates postganglionic,
cholinergic and neuroeffector
junctions. The isoxazole constituents
are psychoactive.
2–4 Fly Agaric (more than 10 g fresh)
are toxic; 20 (more than 100 g fresh) are
lethal. (Francis Brinker.)
A. pantherina is used in Japan for
intoxication.
Agaisnotatruehallucinogen.The
illusions are a misinterpretation of sensory
stimuli due to isoxazole, ibotenic
acid, muscimol, muscazone and traces
of muscarine. (Natural Medicines
Comprehensive Database, 2007.)
Amaranthus blitum Linn. var.
oleraceus Duthie
Family ◮ Amaranthaceae.
Habitat ◮ Throughout India.
English ◮ Trailing Amaranth, Wild
Blite.
Ayurvedic ◮ Maarisha.
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Aarumathathandu,
Kiraitandu.
Folk ◮ Marasaa.
Action ◮ Cooling, stomachic,
emollient. Used in biliousness,
haemorrhagic diathesis.
Amaranthus spinosus Linn. 41
Amaranthus caudatus Linn.
Family ◮ Amaranthaceae.
Habitat ◮ Grown as vegetable in
northern India.
English ◮ Love-Lies-Bleeding, Tassel
Flower.
Ayurvedic ◮ Raam-daanaa (grain).
Siddha/Tamil ◮ Pungikeerai, Sirukeerai.
Folk ◮ Chuko.
Action ◮ Blood-purifier, diuretic;
used in piles, strangury, dropsy
and anasarca; tea has been used
for relieving pulmonary conditions;
also given in scrofula and applied
to scrofulous sores. Antimicrobial
peptides have been isolated from
seeds.
In Western herbal medicine, Love-
Lies-Bleeding is equated with Amaranthus
hypochondriacus, andisusedfor
ulcers, diarrhoea, as well as inflammation
of the mouth and throat.
Preliminary evidence suggests that
Amaranth seed can reduce total cholesterol
and LDL, while increasing HDL,
but Amaranth muffins failed to reduce
cholesterol levels in hypercholesterolemic
adults beyond the reduction
achieved by low-fat diet. (Natural
Medicines Comprehensive Database,
2007.)
Amaranthus spinosus Linn.
Family ◮ Amaranthaceae.
Habitat ◮ Cultivated fields, waste
places and along roadsides.
A