The following points highlight the top eleven types of drugs obtained from all parts of plants. The types are: 1. Absinthe 2. Neem Tree 3. Spiny Bamboo 4. Apple of Peru 5. Achyranthes 6. Pedalium 7. Black Nightshade 8. Indian Solanum 9. Chiretta 10. Heart-Leaved Moonseed 11. Lochnera.
Type # 1. Absinthe:
Artemisia absinthum Linn, of family Compositae (Asteraceae); Eng. Absinthe; Verna; Vilayati Afsanthin.
This is an aromatic, bitter, herbaceous hairy perennial herb. It is found in Kashmir from 5,000 to 7,000 feet elevation.
Uses:
The whole herb is used medicinally but the leaves are preferred. The fresh plant is more efficacious than the dry plant. It is a tonic, stomachic and anthelmintic. Small doses of its infusion are given for dispersing the yellow bile of jaundice from the skin. It is also given in the disease of the digestive system, nocturnal pollution, anaemia, wasting diseases, etc.
The poultice of its leaves is applied for fomentation to gouty or rheumatic joints. It is a useful antiseptic and detergent in skin diseases. An infusion of the leaves is given as an enema for killing worms in the rectum.
Type # 2. Neem Tree:
Azadirachta indica A. Juss., (Syn. Melia azadirachta Linn)., of family Meliaceae; Eng. Margosa tree, Neem tree; Hindi—Nim.
It is native of Myanmar but grown all over India.
Uses:
The leaves are carminative, expectorant, anthelmintic, antidotal, diuretic and insecticidal. The fresh juice of the leaves is given for intestinal worms; with honey the juice is prescribed for jaundice and skin diseases. An infusion of the fresh leaves is a bitter vegetable tonic and alterative, especially in chronic malarial fevers, because of its action on the liver.
Externally the leaves are applied over skin diseases as a discutient, stimulant and antiseptic; they are specially used for boils, chronic ulcers, eruptions of small pox, syphilitic sores, glandular swellings, wounds, etc.
The bark is also a bitter tonic, astringent, alterative, anthelmintic, antispasmodic and stimulant. It is used in the same way as the leaves. The root bark has the same properties as the bark of the stem. The nim gum is a stimulant and demulcent tonic. The fermented sap that exudes from the trunk is a refrigerant, nutrient, stomachic and alterative tonic.
The fruit is recommended for urinary diseases, piles, leprosy, intestinal worms, etc. The seeds are emetic, laxative and anthelmintic. Seed oil is applied as an antiseptic dressing in leprosy and chronic skin diseases.
Type # 3. Spiny Bamboo:
Bambusa bambos Voss., of family Gramineae (Poaceae); Eng. Spiny bamboo; Hindi—Bans.
This is a tall woody grass, found throughout India, particularly along river valleys and in moist situations.
Uses:
The leaf buds are administered for thread-worms. The leaf juice is given with aromatics in vomiting of blood. A decoction of the leaves is used to induce lochia after childbirth.
The young shoots contain hydrocyanic and benzoicc acids; they are stomachic and stimulant; they are used in lung diseases. A decoction of the joints of bamboo stem is a useful emmenagogue; it is also used as an abortifacient.
Banslochan, a silicious crystalline secretion found in the culms of the female plants, is a febrifuge, expectorant, tonic, aphrodisiac, demulcent and pectoral. It is given in hectic fever, phthisis, asthma, paralytic complaints, etc.
Type # 4. Apple of Peru:
Datura metel Linn., of family Solanaceae, Eng. Apple of Peru; UMi—Dhatura.
This is a herbaceous plant covered with fine, minute hairs. Commonly found throughout India.
Uses:
All parts of the plant are strongly intoxicant, narcotic, aphrodisiac, toxic, antispasmodic and anodynous. The young leaves and seeds contain the drugs hyoscine, hyoscyamine and atropine. The dried leaves and twigs of the plants are smoked as an antispasmodic in asthma, whooping cough, bronchitis, etc. The juice of the fruits is a useful dressing for the scalp to check dandruff and falling of the hair.
The seeds are astringent, antispasmodic, narcotic, anodynous, intoxicating, aphrodisiac, bitter, carminative and stomachic. The paste of seeds is used for decaying teeth, piles, fistula, tumors and parasitic skin diseases.
Type # 5. Achyranthes:
Achyranthes aspera Linn., Hindi―Chirchita, Latzira, Apamarg; family Amarantaceae.
This is a common roadside weed with spike inflorescence. Flowering throughout year. It is of common occurrence throughout India.
Uses:
The plants are used medicinally for several diseases such as piles, colic, boils, etc. It is pungent, purgative, diuretic and astringent. Roots are used for pyrrhoea. Also used in cough and fevers.
Type # 6. Pedalium:
Pedalium murex Linn., of family Pedaliaceae: Hindi—Bada gokru.
This is a low, thick stemmed succulent annual herb; found in Gujarat, Konkan and Andhra Pradesh.
Uses:
Fresh plants infused in water or milk become mucilaginous. This infusion is diuretic and demulcent; it is given in disorders of urinary system, such as ardour urine, dysuria, gonorrhoea, spermatorrhoea, impotence, nocturnal seminal emission, calculous affections and dropsy. If the fresh plant is not available the dried fruits are used for the diseases for which the mucilaginous infusion of the leaves is recommended.
Type # 7. Black Nightshade:
Solanum nigrum Linn., of family Solanaceae; Eng. Black Nightshade; Hindi—Makoy.
This herb is found throughout India.
Uses:
The herb is a cardiac tonic, alterative, diuretic, sedative, diaphoretic. cathartic, anodyne, expectorant and hydragogue. It is used as a decoction in dropsy; enlargement of the liver and jaundice. The syrup of herb is given as an expectorant. In fevers it is given as a cooling drink.
The leaf juice is given in inflammation of the kidneys and bladder and in gonorrhoea, dropsy, heart diseases, piles and enlargement of spleen. Hot leaves are applied over the swollen and painful testicles. The berries are alterative, and tonic. They are given in fevers, diarrhoea and heart diseases.
Type # 8. Indian Solanum:
Solarium xanthocarpum Schrad & Wendl., of family Solanaceae; Eng. Indian Solanum; Hindi—Kateli.
A common prickly herb found throughout India.
Uses:
The herb is expectorant, bitter, stomachic, astringent, diuretic, alterative and anthelmintic. Its decoction is given in fevers, coughs, asthma, dropsy, flatulence, gonorrhoea, pain in the chest and heart disease.
Type # 9. Chiretta:
Swertia chirata Buch-Ham., of family Gentianaceae; Eng. Chiretta; Hindi—Charayatah.
This is a shrub commonly found in temperate Himalayas from Kashmir to Bhutan and the Khasia hills.
Uses:
The shrub contains two bitter principles ophelic acid and chiratin. It is a bitter tonic, stomachic, febrifuge, appetizer, anthelmintic, alterative, laxative, antidiarrhoeic, and antiperiodic. It makes a good drug for skin diseases, intermittent fevers, intestinal worms, bronchial asthma and regulating the bowels. It is given as an infusion or tincture.
Type # 10. Heart-Leaved Moonseed:
Tinospora cordifolia (Willd.) Miers of family Menispermaceae; Eng. Heart-leaved moonseed; Hindi—Gulancha.
A common climbing shrub (liane). Found throughout tropical India and the Andamans.
Uses:
The fresh plant is antiperiodic, alterative, tonic, hepatic, stimulant and diuretic; its watery extract is very effective in fevers. The plant is commonly used in rheumatism, urinary diseases, dyspepsia, general debility, syphilis, skin diseases, piles, bronchitis, impotence, gonorrhoea and jaundice.
The fecula prepared from the roots and stem, known as sat giloe is a valued drug for intermittent fevers, chronic diarrhoea, chronic dysentery, jaundice and rheumatism.
Type # 11. Lochnera:
Lochnera rosea (Linn.) Reichb.,—Catharanthus roseus G. Don. Syn. Vinca rosea Hindi—Sadabahar, family Apocynaceae.
An erect annual or perennial herb; native of Madagascar but now commonly grown in India as an ornamental plant. Leaves opposite, oval, obovate or oblong, glossy; flowers usually 2-3, in cymose axillary clusters; fruit a cylindrical follicle, many seeded. Flowers white or pink.
Alkaloids:
All parts of the plant, particularly the root bark contain alkaloids, these include three alkaloids of the Rauvolfia group; viz., ajmalicinc, serpentine and reserpine. The alkaloids of this plant possess hypotensive, sedative and tranquillizing properties. They also cause relaxation of plain muscles and depression of the central nervous system.
Uses:
The plant has been used as a folk remedy for diabetes in various parts of South Africa and also in India and Sri Lanka. It is reported to be toxic to cattle. The juice of the leaves is used as an application for wasp stings. An infusion of the leaves is given in the treatment of monorrhagia. The root is considered tonic and stomachic. The alkaloids possess hypotensive, sedative and tranquillizing properties.
The alkaloids inhibit the growth of Vibrio cholerae and Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. Vindoline and the other alkaloids from leaves are active against M. pyogenes var. aureus and var. albus. Streptococcus haemolyticus, Corynebacterium diphtheriae and a few other bacteria; leaf extracts form a useful anti-bacterial agent for the treatment of staphylococcal and streptococcal infections.
