The meaning of the symbols of pluchea seen in a dream.

Less.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Sundarbans, in salt marshes and mangrove swamps.

Folk: Kukarondh, Manjurukh (Bengal).

Action: Root and leaves—astringent, antipyretic; given in decoction as a diaphoretic in fevers. Leaf— juice is given for dysentery; an infusion for lumbago, also against leucorrhoea. Root—antiinflammatory, hepatoprotective.

The aerial parts contain terpenic glycosides. The root contains sesqui- terpenes, lignin glycosides, thiophene derivatives.

The extracts of defatted roots showed significant anti-inflammatory activity. The extracts inhibited protein exudation and leucocyte migration.

Neuropharmacological studies on different experimental models of rodents exhibited potent central nervous system depressant activity.

The methanolic fraction of the extract exhibited significant hepatopro- tective activity against induced hepa- totoxicity in rats and mice. The extract also caused significant reduction in the elevated serum enzyme levels and serum bilirubin content in acute liver injury.... pluchea indica

C. B. Clarke.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: Punjab, Upper Gangetic plains, Gujarat, Rajasthan.

Ayurvedic: Raasnaa, Rasanaa, Raas- nikaa, Rasaa, Yuktaa, Yuktrasaa, Suvahaa, Elaaparni.

Folk: Vaaya-surai (Uttar Pradesh), Raayasan.

Action: Aerial parts—smooth muscle relaxant. Stem—antiinflammatory. Pluchea lanceolata is the source of Raasnaa in Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat. Vanda roxburghii is used as Raasnaa in Bengal. Throughout South India, Alpinia galanga is accepted as Raasnaa.

The stem and leaves contain morete- nol, moretenol acetate, neolupenol, oc- tacosanoic, hexacosanoic and tetra- cosanoic acid, tetracosanol, hexaco- sanol, triacontanol, stigmasterol and beta-sitosterol-D-glucoside.

The petroleum extract of the stem and leaves and the chloroform-soluble portion of the methanolic extract exhibited 31.9% and 54.5% antioedema activity, respectively. The triterpenes, moretenol acetate, moretenol and ne- olupenol exhibited 55.2,32,8 and 39.7% anti-inflammatory activity respectively as against ibuprofen as standard exhibiting 65.5% activity.... pluchea lanceolata