Vika Health Dictionary

Vika: From 1 Different Sources


(Scottish) From the creek Vikah, Veeka, Veecka, Vicka, Vicca
Health Source: Medical Dictionary
Author: Health Dictionary

Flacourita Indica

(Burm. f.) Merr.

Synonym: F. ramontchi L'Herit.

Family: Flacourtiaceae.

Habitat: Cultivated in Assam, Maharashtra and Bengal.

English: Ramontchi, Madagascar Plum, Mauritius Plum, Governor's Plum.

Ayurvedic: Vikankata, Yajnya- vrksha, Gopakantaa, Sruva-vrksha.

Siddha/Tamil: Sottai-kala, Katukala.

Folk: Poniol (Assam), Kataaya, Kakaiyaa.

Action: Gum—anticholerin. Used as a gargle. Applied to eczema and skin diseases. Bark—antidysenteric, astringent, diuretic. Seed— antirheumatic. Fruit—stomachic. Root—applied externally in skin diseases. Leaves and young shoots— astringent and stomachic.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the use of the leaf and stem bark in jaundice, oedema and diseases due to vitiated blood.

The bark contains a phenolic gluco- side ester, (-)-flacourtin. The heart- wood contains the steroid, ramonto- side, beta-sitosterol and its beta-D- glucopyranoside.

The fruits contain 3.9-7.2% protein, vitamin C and mineral matter 0.39%; calcium 24.1 and phosphorus 12.5 mg/100 g. Fruits are given in jaundice and enlarged spleen.

Dosage: Leaf—50-100 g for decoction. (API Vol. IV.) (Also bark—CCRAS.)... flacourita indica

Flacourtia Sepiaria

Roxb.

Family: Flacourtiaceae.

Habitat: Kumaon and n the dry forests of Bengal, Bihar, Orissa and South India.

Ayurvedic: Vikankata (related species), Kinkini (provisional classical synonym).

Folk: Kondai, Kondari.

Action: The bark of the plant, triturated in sesame oil, is used as liniment in gout and rheumatism.... flacourtia sepiaria

Gmelina Asiatica

Linn.

Synonym: G. parvifolia Roxb.

Family: Verbenaceae.

Habitat: South India; planted in gardens in Maharashtra and West Bengal.

English: Small Cashmere tree.

Ayurvedic: Gambhaari (related species), Gopabhadra, Vikarini.

Siddha/Tamil: Kumizham

Action: Root and leaf—demulcent, alterative, blood purifier (used in venereal diseases), anticatarrhal, astringent, antirheumatic.

The plant contains lignans of the furofuran series.... gmelina asiatica

Gymnosporia Spinosa

(Forsk.) Fiori.

Synonym: G. Montana (Roth) Benth.

Maytenus senegulensis Exell. M. emarginata Ding Hou.

Family: Celastraceae.

Habitat: Throughout the drier parts of India.

Ayurvedic: Vikankata (substitute) Sruva-Vrksha (substitute), Vyaaghrapaadi.

Siddha/Tamil: Kattangi, Nandunarai, Valuluvai.

Folk: Baikal.

Action: Plant—antispasmodic. Root—used in gastroenteritis and dysentery.

The bark is ground to a paste and applied with mustard oil to kill lice in the hair. A decoction of leafy twigs is used as a mouth wash to relieve toothache.

The leaves contain celacinnine, al- pha-and beta-amyrin, beta-amyrone, beta-sitosterol and its 3'-O-glucoside and kaempferol. The extracts of the plant show cytotoxic effect on some cancers. An ointment, prepared by mixing leaf ash and purified butter, is used for sores.... gymnosporia spinosa

Victoria

(Latin) Victorious woman; winner; conqueror

Victoriah, Victorea, Victoreah, Victorya, Victorria, Victoriya, Vyctoria, Victorine, Victoreana, Victoriana, Victorina, Victoryna, Victoreena, Viktoria, Vicktoria, Viktorina, Vyctoria, Vyktoria, Vyctorina, Vyktorina, Vyctoryna, Vyktoryna, Victoryn, Vyctorine, Vyctoryn, Vyktorine, Vyktoryn, Vyktoryne, Vitoria, Vicki, Vickie, Vicky, Vickey, Vikki, Vicka, Vika, Victriv, Victriva... victoria

Rubia Cordifolia

Linn.

Synonym: R. munjesta Roxb.

Family: Rubiaceae.

Habitat: Throughout India, ascending to an altitude of 3,700 m.

English: Indian Madder, Bengal Madder.

Ayurvedic: Manjishthaa, Vikasaa, Samangaa, Yojanavalli, Kaalameshi- ka, Raktaangi, Raktayashtikaa, Arunaa, Gandira, Jingi.

Unani: Manjeeth.

Siddha/Tamil: Manjitti.

Action: Roots and dried stem— blood purifier, astringent, diuretic, emmenagogue, deobstruent, antidysenteric, antiseptic, alterative.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia recommends the use of the dried stem in blood, skin and urinogenital disorders; dysentery; piles, ulcers, inflammations; erysipelas, skin diseases and rheumatism. (Roots, leaves and seeds of R. cordifolia, R. tinctorum and allied species are used in amenorrhoea, liver diseases, gall and spleen complaints.) (Mutagenic and carcinogenic aspects of the drug are under investigation.)

It is reported that after oral administration of the root decoction, the urine and bones of the patient show a red tinge.

The roots are rich in anthraquinones and their glycosides (around 20), the important ones include purpurin (tri- hydroxy anthraquinone), munjistin (xanthopurpurin-2-carboxylic acid); besides xanthopurpurin, peudopur- purin (purpurin-3-carboxylic acid), free alizarin as well as its glucoside.

Whole plant yielded pentacylic tri- terpenic acids—rubicoumaric and ru- bifolic acids.

Antitumour cyclic hexapeptides have been isolated from the root (while lucidin is thought to be carcinogenic).

The root extracts of R. sikkimensis Kurz, known as Naaga-Madder (Nepal eastwards to Assam, Nagaland and Ma- nipur); are very similar to those of R. cordifolia.

Dosage: Stem—2-4 g. (API, Vol. III.)... rubia cordifolia

Taxus Baccata

Linn.

Family: Taxaceae.

Habitat: Temperate Himalayas, Khasi Hills and Manipur.

English: European Yew. Himalayan Yew is equated with Taxus wal- lichiana Zucc., synonym T. baccata Linn. subspecies wallichiana (Zucc.) Pilgoe, T. baccata Hook. f.

Ayurvedic: Thunera, Sthauneya, Sthauneyaka, Shukapushpa, Dhaatri-patra, Vikarna. (Not a substitute for Taalisapatra.)

Unani: Zarnab.

Siddha/Tamil: Taaleespatri Bhedam.

Folk: Birmi, Thuno.

Action: Herb—CNS depressant; reduces motor activity; analgesic, anticonvulsant. Leaf used in nervousness, epilepsy, hysteria, asthma, chronic bronchitis. Leaf and fruit—antispasmodic, sedative, emmenagogue.

Berry—used in chronic bronchitis. Taxol—antimitotic; also being tried for the treatment of severe drug-resistant human malaria. (Chem Abstr, 1994, 21, 124674 j.) (The taxol content in Himalayan Yew varied with season and location from 0.045-0.130%.)

The needles contain diterpene esters of taxane-type (mixture is known as taxine 0.6-2.0%). Taxine consists of 11 compounds of which only tax- ine A and B have been characterized. Taxol, the diterpene amide, is found active against ovarian cancer in humans. (clinical results showed 24-30% response). The ester alkaloids in higher doses are cardiotoxic.

Dried needles contain biflavonoids, including sotetsuflavone, sequoifla- vone, sciadopitysin, ginkgetin, kayafla- vone, amentoflavone, beta-sitosterol, heptacosanol and surcose.

The needles gave several phenolics. Betuloside (rhododendron) exhibited hepatoprotective activity against hepa- totoxins in rats.

The seeds are poisonous and contain taxine.

The aqueous extract of leaves showed a depressant effect on the central nervous system in rats.

The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia ofIn- dia attributed antirheumatic, anticatar- rhal, insecticidal and wound-healing properties to the dried needles of Himalayan Yew and indicated the use of the drug in powder form (1-3 g) in disorders due to vitiated blood, tumours, dermatosis and helminthiasis.

Dosage: Leaf—1-3 g powder. (API, Vol. III.) Leaf, bark—3-5 g powder. (CCRAS.)... taxus baccata



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