The meaning of the symbols of picrorhiza, kurroa, royle, ex, benth seen in a dream.

(Wall. ex G. Don) Johnston.

Synonym: Macrotomia benthamii A. DC.

Family: Boraginaceae.

Habitat: The alpine Himalayas from Kashmir to Kumaon, at altitude of 3,000-3,900 m, and in Nepal.

Folk: Kashmiri Gaozabaan, Kashmiri Kahzabaan.

Action: Stimulant, cardiac tonic, expectorant, diuretic (syrup and jam, used in diseases of the mouth and throat, also in the treatment of fevers and debility.) The roots possess antiseptic and antibiotic properties.... arnebia benthamii

Lindl.

Synonym: A. belladonna auct. non L.

Family: Solanaceae.

Habitat: Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh up to 2,500 m.

English: Indian Belladonna, Indian Atropa.

Ayurvedic: Suuchi.

Unani: Luffaah, Luffaah-Barri, Yabaruj, Shaabiraj.

Action: Highly poisonous; sedative, narcotic, anodyne, nervine, antispasmodic (used in paralysis); parkinsonism; encephalitis; carcinoma; spastic dysmenorrhoea; whooping cough, spasmodic asthma; colic of intestines, gall bladder or kidney, spasm of bladder and ureters; contraindicated in enlarged prostate.

Key application: In spasm and colic-like pain in the areas of the gastrointestinal tract and bile ducts. (German Commission E, The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.) It is contraindicated in tachycardiac arrhythmias, prostate adenoma, glaucoma, acute oedema of lungs.

A. belladonna L. (European sp. Belladonna, Deadly Nightshade) is cultivated in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.

The herb contains tropane (tropine) or solanaceous alkaloids (up to 0.6%), including hyoscamine and atropine; flavonoids; coumarins; volatile bases (nicotine).

Tropane alkaloids inhibit the para- sympathetic nervous system, which controls involuntary bodily activities; reduces saliva, gastric, intestinal and bronchial secretions, and also the activity of urinary tubules. Tropane alkaloids also increase the heart rate and dilate the pupils. These alkaloids are used as an additive to compound formulations for bronchitis, asthma, whooping cough, gastrointestinal hy- permotility, dysmenorrhoea, nocturnal enuresis and fatigue syndrome.

Atropine provides relief in parkin- sonism and neurovegetative dystonia.

The root is the most poisonous, the leaves and flowers less, and the berries the least. (Francis Brinker.)

Dosage: Leaf, root—30-60 mg powder. (CCRAS.)... atropa acuminata royle ex

C. B. Cl.

Family: Boraginaceae.

Habitat: Garhwal, Tibet.

Folk: Dimok (Tibet), Ratanjot (Garhwal).

Action: Topically antiseptic.

National Formulary of Unani Medicine has equated Onosma echioides Linn. (Boraginaceae) with Ratanjot. Geranium wallichianum D. Don. (Geraniaceae); Clausena pentaphylla DC. (Rutaceae); and Anemone obtusilo- ba D. Don. (Ranunculaceae) are also known as Ratanjot.

Ratanjot should be equated with the root of Alkanna tinctoria (Boraginaceae), known as Dyer's or Spanish Bugloss.... mycrotomia benthami

Pennell.

Family: Scrophulariaceae.

Habitat: Eastern Himalayan in Nepal and Sikkim.

Action: Properties similar to those of Picrorhiza kurroa.

The root contains the iridoid glyco- sides, amphicoside, catalpol, aucubin and androsin; also cucurbitacin glyco- sides.

Action: Stimulant (excites most glands), expectorant, powerful diaphoretic. Used in hair tonics to stimulate hair growth. (Irritates stomach and causes vomiting in overdose.)

The leaf contains a parasympathetic stimulant pilocarpine (0.5%). It is an obsolete medicinal herb, but is used in the production of pilocarpine. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)... picrorhiza scrophulariaeflora