Exacum bicolor Health Dictionary

  1. Health Encyclopedia
  2. Exacum Bicolor

Exacum Bicolor: From 1 Different Sources

Roxb.

Synonym: E. tetragonum Roxb. E. perrottetii Griseb.

Family: Gentianaceae.

Habitat: Upper Gangetic plains and tropical Himalaya, also in South India.

Ayurvedic: Ava-chiraayataa (bigger var. of chiraayataa).

Folk: Titakhana, Uudakiraayita (Maharashtra).

Action: Stomachic,febrifuge, antifungal, bitter tonic.

The leaves gave apigenin, luteolin, vanillic, p-hydroxybenzoic, protocate- chuic and p-coumaric acids.

A related species. Exacum pedun- culatum L., found throughout India, ascending up to 1,000 m, is also used as a substitute for Swertia chirayita and Gentiana lutea. Pounded plant is applied externally in rheumatism and gout. It also gave luteolin, diosmetin and phenolic acids.
Health Source: Indian Medicinal Plants
Author: Health Dictionary

Enicostemma Littorale

auct. non-Bl.

Synonym: E. hyssopifolium (Willd) I. C. Verdoorn. E. axillare (Lam.) Raynal. Exacum hyssopifolium Willd. Adenema hyssopifolium G. Don.

Family: Gentianaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India, from Punjab and Gangetic Plain to Kanyakumari up to 500 m.

English: Indian Gentian.

Ayurvedic: Naagjhvaa, Maamajjaka, Naahi, Tikshnapatra.

Unani: Naai, Naahi.

Siddha/Tamil: Vellargu.

Folk: Chhotaa Chirayataa.

Action: Bitter tonic, carminative, blood purifier, antirheumatic, anti-inflammatory, antipsychotic, anthelmintic, cardiostimulant.

The plant is used as a substitute for Swertia chirayita, and is reported to be effective against malaria. The plant contains ophelic acid which is also present in chiretta as a hydrolytic product of chiratin. The root extract showed antimalarial activity both in vitro and in vivo.

Whole plant gave alkaloids—gen- tianine, erythrocentaurin, enicoflavine and gentiocrucine; flavonoids—api- genin, genkwanin iso-vitaxin, swer- tisin, saponarin and 5-O-glucoside derivatives of sylwertisin and isoswer- tisin; glucosides—swertiamarin, a tri- terpene betulin. Swertisiode exhibited hypotensive activity.

The plant extracts inhibited carrage- enan-induced oedema and its anti- inflammatory activity was found comparable to that of hydrocortisone.

Enicostema verticellatum Blume, the smallar var. ofKiryaata, is also equated with Vellargu (Siddha/Tamil).

Dosage: Whole plant—3-5 g powder; 50-100 ml decoction. (CCRAS.)... enicostemma littorale

Health encyclopedia icon Health Encyclopedia

Recent Searches