Kita Health Dictionary

Aristolochia bracteolata

Aristolochiaceae

San: Kitamari

Hin: Kiramar, Kitamar Mal: Attuthottappala, Atuthinnappala

Tam: Atutinnappalai

Importance: The bracteated birthwort or worm killer is a perennial prostrate herb. As the name suggests it is a killer of intestinal worms especially roundworms. It is also used in vitiated conditions of kapha and vata, constipation, inflammations, amenorrhoea, dysmenorrhoea, foul ulcers, boils, syphilis, gonorrhoea, dyspepsia, colic, skin diseases, eczema, artheralgia and intermittent fevers. The plant is an insect repellent due to the presence of aristolochic acid, which is poisonous to man and livestock. Plant is also used against scorpion sting. Seeds ground in water to form a lotion and used for softening hair. Powdered root is used in fertility control.

Distribution: The plant is found in Sri Lanka, Arabian countries and tropical Africa. In India, the plant is grown in Deccan and Carnatic Plateau.

Botany: Aristolochia bracteolata Lam. syn. A. bracteata Retz. belongs to the family Aristolochiaceae. It is a perennial prostrate herb with weak, glabrous stems. Leaves are simple, alternate, reniform or broadly ovate, cordate at the base with a wide sinus upto 7.5cm in diameter, reticulately veined. Flowers are solitary with a large sessile orbicular bract at the base. Perianth tube is cylindric with dark purple tip having revolute margins. Fruits are oblong-ellipsoid 12-ribbed glabrous capsules. Seeds are deltoid with slightly cordate base (Warrier et al, 1993) Another important species belonging to the genus Aristolochia is A. indica Linn. The plant grows wild throughout the low hills and plains of India from Nepal to West Bengal and South India. It is a valuable anti-dote to snake bite and to bites of poisonous insects as scorpion, etc. It is given in cases of cholera and diarrhoea after macerating with black pepper corns. The juice of the leaves has stimulant, tonic and antiperiodic properties.

Agrotechnology: Shady areas and well-drained soils are most suited to Aristolochia. The plant can be seed propagated. 3-month-old seedlings raised in polybags are required for transplanting. Pits of size 50cm cube are to be taken at a distance of 3m and filled with sand, topsoil and dried cowdung. To these pits, the seedlings are to be transplanted. Regular irrigation and organic manure application is beneficial. The plant is to be trailed on iron wires tied to poles. The plant is not attacked by any serious pests or diseases. Plant attains good spread within one year. Leaves can be collected for the next 10 years. Roots and leaves constitute the economi c parts (Prasad et al, 1997).

Properties and activity: Leaves and fruits yield ceryl alcohol, -sitosterol and aristolochic acid. Root contains aristolochic acid. Seeds give an alkaloid magnoflorine, aristolochic acid, fatty oil comprising palmitic, stearic, lignoseric and oleic acids and -sitosterol.

The plant is anthelmintic, cathartic, antiperiodic and emmenagogue. Leaf is antigonorrhoeic, larvicidal and used in eczema on children’s leg and ulcers. The plant is oxytocic (Husain et al,1992).... worm killer

Burm.

Synonym: A. philippense Linn.

Family: Adiantaceae.

Habitat: Throughout the greater part of India, up to an altitude of 1,200 m.

English: Walking Maidenhair Fern. Black Maidenhair (A. venustum G. Don is also known as Hansaraaja.)

Ayurvedic: Hansapadi, Hansapaadi, Raktapaadi, Kitamaataa, Tri- paadikaa, Hansaraaja; a substitute for Taamrachuda-paadikaa.

Siddha/Tamil: Seruppadai.

Folk: Raajhans, Mubaaraka.

Action: Febrifugal, antidysenteric, soothing agent in erysipelas. The rhizome is also prescribed for strangury, atrophy, emaciation or cachexy, muscular pain; emetic in large doses.

Along with other therapeutic applications, The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of the dried whole plant in psychosis-related fear. (It is one of the ingredients of the classical drug Maanasamitra Vataka, prescribed for mental disorders.)

The chemical constituents are chlorophyll-degradation products and higher carotenoids.

Dosage: Whole plant-1-3 g (API Vol. III.)... adiantum lunulatum

Lam.

Synonym: A. bracteata Retz.

Family: Aristolochiaceae.

Habitat: Uttar Pradesh, Bengal, Madhya Pradesh and western peninsular India.

English: Bracteated Birthwort.

Ayurvedic: Kitamaari, Dhumrapa- traa, Naakuli.

Unani: Kiraamaar.

Siddha/Tamil: Aadutheendaappaalai, Kattusuragam.

Action: Oxytocic, abortifacient, emmenagogue.

Leaves and fruit contain ceryl alcohol, aristolochic acid and beta-sitos- terol. Aristolochic acid is insecticidal, poisonous, nephrotoxic. Leaf juice— vermifuge. Seeds—strong purgative. Products containing aristolochic acid are banned in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, European countries and Japan.

The seed compounds, aristolochic acid and magnoflorine, induce contractions in the isolated uterus of pregnant rat and stimulate the isolated ileum of guinea pig. They also activate the muscarinic and serotoner- gic receptors in a variety of organs. Magnoflorine decreases arterial blood pressure in rabbits, and induces hypothermia in mice.

See also A. longa.... aristolochia bracteolata

Linn.

Synonym: D. tatula Linn.

Family: Solanaceae.

Habitat: The Himalaya from Kashmir to Sikkim up to 2,700 m, hilly districts of Central and South India.English: Thornapple, Jimsonweed, Stramonium.Ayurvedic: Krishnadhattuura, Dhuurta (black seed var.), Unmatta, Kitav, Tuuri, Maatul, Madan.

Unani: Dhaturaa.

Action: Spasmolytic, antiasthmatic, anticholinergic, cerebral depressant, nerve-sedative. Controls spasms of bronchioles in asthma. Anticholinergic. Effects of overdose are similar to those of atropine. Temporary relief from Parkinsonian tremor recorded. (Contraindicated with depressant drugs.) Applied locally, stramonium palliates the pain of muscular rheumatism, neuralgia, also pain due to haemorrhoids, fistula, abscesses and similar inflammations. Prevents motion sickness.

Key application: In diseases of the autonomic nervous system. (Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.) The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia reported antispasmodic action of the leaf; Indian Herbal Pharmacopoeia accepted it as expectorant and antispasmodic. Whole plant contains 0.26% alkaloids (seeds 0.98% and stem 0.08%); also flavonoids, withanolides, cou- marins and tannins; the major alkaloid is hyoscyamine (44-67%), hyoscine (13.2-25.3%) and atropine (0.01-0.1%). The tropane alkaloids are similar to those found in Atropa belladonna. Hyoscine is five times as active as atropine in producing mydriasis, but its main use is as antimotion sickness drug; and in combination as a sedative.Toxic constituents include anti- cholinergic alkaloids.

Dosage: Leaf—60-185 mg powder; seed—60-120 mg powder (CCRAS.)

... datura stramonium

Benth. Derris indica (Lamk.) Bennet.

Synonym: Pongamia pinnata Pierre.

Family: Fabaceae.

Habitat: Native to the Western Ghats. Found all over India on the banks of rivers and streams.

English: Indian Beech. Pongamia oil tree.

Ayurvedic: Naktmaal, Guchpush- pak, Ghritpuur, Udkirya, Karanja.

Siddha/Tamil: Pungu.

Action: Used for skin diseases— eczema, scabies, leprosy, and for ulcers, tumours, piles, enlargement of spleen, vaginal and urinary discharges. Juice of root—used for closing fistulous sores and cleaning foul ulcers. Flowers— used in diabetes. Powder of seeds— used for whooping and irritating coughs of children. Seed oil—used in cutaneous affections, herpes and scabies.

The tree is rich in flavonoids and related compounds. These include simple flavones, furanoflavonoids, chro- menoflavones, chromenochalcones, coumarones, flavone glucosides, sterols, triterpenes and a modified pheny- lalanine dipeptide.

Synonym: D. trifoliate Lour.

Family: Fabaceae.

Habitat: Costal forests of India and the Andamans.

Folk: Paan-lataa (Bengal), Kitani (Maharashtra).

Action: Stimulant, antispasmodic, counter-irritant. Bark—alterative in rheumatism. An oil prepared from the plant is used externally as an embrocation.

The roots contain dehydrorotenone, lupeol and a ketone. Bark contains 9.3% tannic acid. Stems contain tan- nic acid, hexoic, arachidic and stearic acids, ceryl alcohol, isomerides of cholesterol, potassium nitrate, gums and resins.... derris uliginosa

Planch.

Family: Ulmaceae.

Habitat: The North Western Himalayas.

English: Himalayan Elm. Slippery Elm is equated with Ulmus fulva.

Folk: Hemar, Kitamaara.

Action: Bark—astringent, demulcent, emollient, expectorant, diuretic.

The bark contains 0.76% tannins. Ulmus fulva Michx, though known as Indian or Sweet Elm, is an American plant and does not occur in India.

Powdered bark of Ulmus fulva gives a mucilage, composed of galactose, 3- methyl galactose, rhamnose and galac- turonic acid residues. As a gruel it is prescribed for patients with gastric or duodenal ulcers. Coarse powdered bark is applied as poultice to burns and skin eruptions.

The mucilages cause reflex stimulation of nerve endings in the GI tract and lead to mucous secretion which protects the GI tract against ulceration and excess acidity. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... ulmus wallichiana