Habitat: Nepal, Khasi Hills, Deccan Peninsula and the Andamans.
Ayurvedic: Kaakaandolaa.Siddha/Tamil: Periyattalargai.Folk: Kaagadolia (Gujarat).Action: Seeds—sedative, restorative, expectorant; used in coughs, asthma.
Habitat: Throughout India, up to 1,200 m except in very arid regions.
English: Flame of the Forest, Butea Gum, Bengal Kino.Ayurvedic: Paalasha, Kimshuka, Raktapushpaka, Kshaarshreshtha, Brahmavriksha, Samidvar.Unani: Dhaak, Samagh Dhaak, Kamarkas.Siddha/Tamil: Palasam, Purasus.Folk: Tesu.Action: Bark—astringent, styptic (prescribed in bleeding piles, ulcers, haemorrhages, menstrual disorders), anthelmintic. Flowers— astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue (also given for leucorrhoea). A decoction of flowers is given in diarrhoea and haematuria, also to puerperal women. Seeds—clinical use of seeds as an anthelmintic drug is not considered safe in humans.
Leaves—antibacterial. Stem bark— antifungal.An aqueous extract of flowers has shown hepatoprotective activity against CCl4-induced liver injury in albino rats.Extracts of flowers have exhibited significant anti-oestrogenic activity in mice. The seed suspension, on oral administration to albino rats (175 and 350 mg/kg body weight), showed 38.46 and 68.75% cases, respectively, where pregnancy was not interrupted but foetus was malformed.Alcoholic extract of the whole plant produced persistent vasodepression in cats.The plant contains flavonoids and glucosides—butin, butrin, isobutrin and palastrin. Flowers contain butrin, coreopsin, monospermoside and their derivatives and sulphurein; also chal- cones.Dosage: Stem bark—5-10 g powder (API Vol. II); flower—3-6 g powder; seed—3 g powder; gum—0.5-1.5 g (API Vol. IV.)... butea monospermaHabitat: Throughotu India, including Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
English: Cowhage, Horse-eye Bean.Ayurvedic: Aatmaguptaa, Kapikac- chuu, Rshabhi, Adhigandhaa, Ajadaaa, Kacchuraa, Laan- guli, Rshyaproktaa, Svaguptaa, Shyaamguptaa, Markati, Kanduraa, Kevaanch, Shuukashimbi.Unani: Konchh.Siddha/Tamil: Poonaikkaali.Action: Seed—astringent, nervine tonic, local stimulant, used in impotence, spermatorrhoea, urinary troubles, leucorrhoea, traditionally used for male virility. Also used in depressive neurosis. Hair on fruit— vermifuge, mild vesicant; used for diseases of liver and gallbladder. Leaf—applied to ulcers. Pod— anthelmintic. Root and fruit—spasmolytic, hypoglycaemic. Root— CNS active.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the seed in impotence and paralysis agitans; the root in vaginal laxity.The seeds contain the alkaloids, mu- cunine, mucunadine, mucunadinine, prurieninine, pruriendine and nicotine, besides beta-sitosterol, gluthione, lecithin, vernolic and gallic acids. They contain a number of bioactive substances including tryptamine, alky- lamines, steroids, flavonoids, cou- marins and cardenolides. L-DOPA is present in the seed as well as in the stem, leaves and roots.Major constituents of the hairs on the pod are amines such as 5-hydroxy- tryptamine (serotonin), and a proteolytic enzyme mucuanain. (Serotonin was present only in pods.)Prurieninine slowed down heart rate, lowered blood pressure and stimulated intestinal peristalsis in experiments carried out on frogs. The spas- molysis of smooth muscles was caused by indole bases.Seed diet produced hypoglycaemic effect in normal rats, however, such diet had insignificant effect on alloxan- treated rats.There is some evidence that Cow- hage might be useful for chlorproma- zine-induced hyperprolactinemia in men. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.) (Males with hy- perprolactinemia frequently face im- potency.) (Cured seeds are used in Indian medicine for male sexual dysfunction.)Mucuna cochinchinensis Cheval.; synonym M. nivea (Roxb.) DC.; Sti- zolobium niveum Kuntze (cultivated in Bengal and Bihar for edible pods and seeds) is known as Lyon Bean (Khamach in Bengal). The pod yielded L-DOPA (0.06%).Dosage: Cured seed—3-6 g (API, Vol. III); root—3-6 g powder for decoction (API, Vol. IV.)... mucuna prurita
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