Health Encyclopedia Xeromphis And Spinosa

Capparis Spinosa

Linn.

Capparis moonii Wight.

Family: Capparidaceae.

Habitat: Indigenous to New Zealand. Now distributed in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu.

Ayurvedic: Rudanti.

Action: Fruit—used in puerperal sepsis and septic wounds, also for debility and cough.

EtOH (50%) extract of aerial parts is CNS depressant.

Fruits contain l-stachydrine, rutin and beta-sitosterol.... capparis spinosa

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

Lasia Spinosa

(L.) Thw.

Synonym: Lasia aculeata Linn.

Family: Araceae.

Habitat: Tropical Sikkim Himalayas, Assam, Bengal and Southwards to Sri Lanka.

Siddha: Kantakachoramu, Mulasari (Telugu.)

Folk: Kantakachu (Bengal), Kaantaasaru. Lakshmanaa and Indiver-kand are doubtful synonyms.

Action: Plant—used for colic and intestinal diseases. Leaves—used for stomachache. Rootstock and fruits—for affections of the throat.... lasia spinosa

Sida Spinosa

Linn.

Synonym: S. alba Linn.

Family: Malvaceae.

Habitat: Throughout the hotter parts of India, ascending to an altitude of 1,350 m.

English: Prickly Sida.

Ayurvedic: Naagabalaa, Balaa- kantakini, Gangaati.

Siddha/Tamil: Arivalmanai-poondu.

Folk: Gulasakari, Gangeti, Jangali- methi.

Action: Root—nervine tonic and diaphoretic; used in debility and fevers. Decoction given as a demulcent in irritability of bladder and genitourinary tract. Leaves—demulcent and refrigerant; used for scalding urine.

The root contains alkaloids—beta- phenethylamine, ephedrine, si-ephed- rine, vasicinol, vasicinone, vasicine, choline, hypaphorine, methyl ester, hy- paphorine and betaine. These alkaloids are present in aerial parts as well.

Ethanolic extract of the plant exhibits hypoglycaemic activity. It depressed the normal blood pressure and lowered the activity ofsmooth muscles of the ileum of experimental animals.... sida spinosa