The meaning of the symbols of rheum, spiciformae, royle seen in a dream.

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

DC.

Family: Compositae; Asteraceae.

Habitat: The Western Himalayas from Kashmir to Garhwal.

Unani: Daarunaj Aqrabi Hindi.

Action: The root is reported to prevent giddiness caused during high attitude ascents.

The root yields a gum-resin, used in gargle water as stimulant, astringent and in toothpaste. Root—used in rheumatism. Leaves—carminative.... doronicum roylei

Boiss.

Family: Euphorbiaceae.

Habitat: Western Himalaya from Kumaon to Nepal.

Ayurvedic: Snuhi, Snuk, Sehunda, Gudaa (Substitutes.) (Adhogudaa of Ayurvedic medicine and Bana- muuli of folk medicine have been equated with Euphorbia acaulis Rox.)

Unani: Thuuhar

Folk: Thor, Surai.

Action: Latex—cathartic, anthelmintic.

The latex yield euphol, cycloeu- calenol, an inseparable mixture of four tetra-and four tri-esters of macrocyclic diterpene ingenol, octacosanol, tetra- cosanol, beta-sitosterol, stigmasterol, alpha-amyrin and campesterol. The plant gave ingenol.

The latex is a valuable source of in- genol esters. Ingol is a macrocyclic diterpene and is of therapeutic interest due to its antileukemic properties. Fractionation of the latex gave ingol- 12-acetate and 8-tigloyl-12-acetate. The acylation of ingol-12-acetate yielded derivatives which inhibit the growth of the basophilic leukaemia cells in rats.... euphorbia royleana

Hook.

Family: Liliaceae.

Habitat: Western temperate Himalaya from Kashmir to Kumaon at 2,700-4,35 m.

Ayurvedic: Kshira-Kaakoli, Viraa, Kaayasthikaa, Vaaysoli.

Action: Used in the treatment of asthma, bronchitis and tuberculosis. (Withania somnifera is a substitute for Kaakoli and Kshira-Kaakoli.)

The bulbs gave alkaloids—peimine, peimisine, peimiphine, perminine, permidine and permitidine. The bulbs also gave neutral compounds—prope- imin and a sterol. The plant gave kash- mirine.

Dosage: Bulb—3-6 g powder. (CCRAS.)... fritillaria roylei

Wight.

Family: Asclepiadaceae.

Habitat: Western and Eastern Himalayas, Simla and Kumaon, hills of Assam.

Ayurvedic: Muurvaa (var.).

Folk: Maruaa-bel. Khaarchu (Garhwal).

M. hamiltonii Wight (sub-Himalayan tract and adjacent plains of Ut- tar Pradesh and Bihar) has also been equated with a Muurvaa var. It is known as Moran-adaa in folk medicine.... marsdenia roylei

Hook. f. & Th.

Family: Polygonaceae.

Habitat: The Himalayas from Nepal to Bhutan at 3,900-4,800 m.

Folk: Tehuka (Sikkim).

Action: The roots resemble those of Rheum emodi, but are spongy and inert. Stems are acidic, used as salad. Dried leaves are sometimes used as a substitute for tobacco.... rheum nobile

Royle.

Habitat: Western Himalayas. Folk: Archa.

Action: Antispasmodic, muscle relaxant, antiseptic.

The rhizomes contain desoxyrha- pontigenin. The compound, like papaverine, exhibited smooth muscle relaxant activity in a wide variety of in vitro and in vivo tests. Aqueous alcoholic extract showed papaverine-like non-specific spasmolytic activity.

The paste of fresh rhizomes is applied on burns, blisters and boils to prevent scar formation.... rheum webbianum

Roxb.

Family: Labiatae.

Habitat: Plain and hills of Kumaon and Punjab, extending westwards to Afghanistan. Imported into India from Persia.

Unani: Baalango, Tukhm-e- Baalango.

Folk: Tuut-malangaa.

Action: Seed—cooling, diuretic, sedative; given internally as a soothing agent during urinary troubles, also for cough. A poultice of seeds is applied to abscesses, boils and inflammations. (Seeds are not to be used as a substitute for Plantago sp.)

Seeds contain linoleic, oleic, palmitic and stearic acids; beta-sitosterol. Gum contains L-arabinose, D-galac- tose, L-rhamnose, pentosans, protein, uronic anhydride. Amino acids are also found in the plant.... lallemantia royleana

Wall. ex Meissn.

Synonym: R. australe D. Don.

Family: Polygonaceae.

Habitat: Sub-alpine Himalayas, from Kashmir to Sikkim at altitudes of 3,300-5,200 m.; also cultivated in Assam.

English: Indian Rhubarb, Himalayan Rhubarb.

Ayurvedic: Amlaparni, Pitamuuli, Gandhini Revatikaa. Revandachini (roots).

Unani: Revandchini.

Siddha/Tamil: Revalchinikattai, Nattirevaichini.

Action: Purgative, astringent, aperient. Used for constipation and atonic dyspepsia. Not advised for patients suffering from gout, rheumatism, epilepsy. (When given internally, the root imparts a deep tinge to the urine.)

The root gave emodin, emodin- 3-monomethyl ether, chrysophanol, aloe-emodin, rhein. These occur free and as quinone, anthrone or dianthrone glycosides. The astringent principle consists of gallic acid together with small amounts of tannin. The drug also contain cinnamic and rhe- inolic acids, volatile oil, starch and calcium oxalate. Two major glyco- sidic active principles, sennoside A and B, are present along with free an- thraquinones.

At low doses, the tannin exerts astringent effect and relieves diarrhoea; at higher doses anthraquinones stimulate laxative effect and relieve constipation. (Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database, 2007.)

There are three main types of rhubarbs—Chinese, Indian or Himalayan, and Rhapontic.

The Chinese rhubarb consists of the rhizomes and roots of Rheum palma- tum and R. officinale.

The Indian rhubarb consists of dried rhizomes of R. emodi and R. web- bianum; rhizomes and roots of R. moorcroftianum and R. spiciforme are also reported to be mixed with the drug. R. rhaponticum is the Rhapontic rhubarb.

Rheum moorcroftianum Royle (the Himalayas at altitudes of 3,0005,200 m., chiefly in Garhwal and Ku- maon) possesses properties similar to those of R. emodi and the roots are mixed with the latter.

Rheum spiciforme Royle (drier ranges of Kumaon and Sikkim at altitudes of 2,700-4,800 m.) also possesses purgative properties. The rhizomes and roots are mixed up with Himalayan rhubarb.

Rheum webbianum Royle (the western and central Himalayas at altitudes of 3,000-5,000 m.) is the source of Himalayan rhubarb.

Rheum palmatum is esteemed as the best type of (Chinese) rhubarb. Two new stilbene glycosides, 4'-O- methylpiceid and rhapontin, isolated from the roots, exhibited moderate alpha-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Anthraquinone glucoside, pul- matin, isolated from the roots, along with its congeners, chrysophanein and physcionin, showed cytotoxic activity against several types of carcinoma cells. Polysaccharides, isolated from the roots and rhizomes, contained lyx- ose, glucose, galactose, xylose, rham- nose, mannose and ribose.

Dosage: Root—0.2-1.0 g powder. (CCRAS.)... rheum emodi

Baillon.

Family: Polygonaceae.

Habitat: Southeast Tibet, West and Northwest China.

English: Rhubarb.

Unani: Usaare Rewand.

Action: Astringent and cathartic (anthraquinones are laxative and tannins astringent), stomachic, aperient, cholinergic, gastric stimulant, antispasmodic, anti-inflammatory, antiseptic. Used for indigestion, diarrhoea, dysentery and disorders of liver and gallbladder.

Key application: In constipation. Contraindicated in acute intestinal inflammation and obstruction. (German Commission E, ESCOP, The British Herbal Pharmacopoeia, WHO.)

Rhubarb contains 1,8-dihydroxy- anthracene derivatives. The laxative effect of the herb is primarily due to its influence on the motility of the colon, inhibiting stationary and stimulating propulsive contractions. Stimulation of the chloride secretion increases the water and electrolyte content of stool. (German Commission E.)

The plant extract of R. officinale is found to be strong and effective scavenger of oxygen radicals in xan- thine/xanthine oxidase and other systems in vitro.

Rheum rhaponticum, known as Rha- pontic or English rhubarb, is extensively cultivated all over Europe and America; also cultivated to a small extent in India in the Khasi Hills, the Nilgiris and West Bengal.

Rhubarbs contain anthraquinones but English rhubarb contains only chrysophanic acid and some of its glycosides. Stilbene glycosides, present in other types, are also found in English rhubarb. The roots contain rhapontin. (1.42%), reported to restore oestrus cycle in castrated female rats.... rheum officinale

(D. Don) Baillon.

Synonym: R. elegans Wall. ex Benth. R. calycina (Roxb.) Briq.

Family: Lamiaceae.

Habitat: Himalaya from Kashmir to Nepal, at 1,200-3,700 m.

Folk: Patkarru; Titpaati, Karanoi, Karui (Kumaon); Kaur, Kauri (Punjab).

Action: Leaves—a decoction is used as a bitter tonic and febrifuge; also as a tonic in contusions. The leaves contain betulin, beta-sitosterol, beta-amyrin, stigmasterol, cetyl alcohol, glucose, fructose, arabinose and palmitic, stearic, oleic, gallic, oxalic and tartaric acids. The leaves and stems contain the diterpenes, calyenone, precalyone and calyone, and a triterpene, moronic acid. Precalyone exhibited antitumour activity against P-388 lymphocytic leukaemia.

Aerial parts exhibited spasmolytic and CNS-depressant activity.... roylea cinerea