Kakra Health Dictionary

(Roxb.) Kurz.

Synonym: B. glomerata DC.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Tropical Himalayas, and throughout the plains of Assam and Penninsular India.

Ayurvedic: Kukundara (var.).

Unani: Kakarondaa.

Action: Plant—diuretic. Essential oil—CNS depressant.

The steam non-volatile fraction of plant extract contained a mixture of n-alkanes.

Blumea lacera.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Throughout the plains of India, ascending to 700 m.

Ayurvedic: Kukundara, Kukuradru, Taamrachuuda.

Unani: Kakarondaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Narakkarandai, Kaatu Mullangi.

Folk: Kakranda.

Action: Plant—antipyretic. Leaf— astringent, febrifuge, diuretic, deobstruent, anthelmintic (particularly in case of thread worm). Root—anticholerin. Essential oil— antibacterial, antifungal.

The leaves on steam distillation yield 0.5% essential oil from which camphor is isolated.

The oil contains cineol 66, d-fen- chone 10 and citral about 6%. The plant gave a diester of coniferyl alcohol, acetylenic compounds, a thiophene derivative; aerial parts gave campes- terol, hentriacontane, hentriacontanol, alpha-amyrin and its acetate, lupeol and its acetate and beta-sitosterol.

The alcoholic extract of the plant showed marked anti-inflammatory activity in carrageenin and bradykinin- induced inflammation in rats.

Dosage: Root—5-10 g paste. (CCRAS.)... blumea fastulosa