VINCA (Catharanthus roseus)

VINCA (Catharanthus roseus)

  June 01, 2017    Unknown

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VINCA

Synonym: Catharanthus, Periwinkle.

Biological source: It consists of  dried entire part of  Catharanthus roseus. It is also called Vinca rosea. It belongs to family Apocynaceae.

Geographical source: It is indigenous to Madagascar. It is cultivated in South Africa, India, USA, Europe, Australia, Nepal as an ornamental part as well as for its medicinal use.

Macroscopic characteristics:
-Color: Green(leaves), pale grey(roots), violet, pink,white or calamine red flowers.
-Odor: Slight or characteristic
-Taste: Bitter
-Leaves: simple, petiolate ovate or oblong, entire with acute glossy appearance.

Microscopic characteristics:
-Presence of unicellular covering trichomes.
-Spongy cell 5-8 layered.
-Mid rid shows presence of collenchyma.
-Absence of Ca-oxalate crystals

Chemical constituents: Important alkaloid present are Vincristine and Vinblastin, others are Serpentine, Ajmalincine, Lochnerine etc.

Uses:
-The chemotherapeutic agent Vincristine and Vinblastin are used to treat various forms of cancers.
-The extracts form plant have been used against numerous diseases like malaria, diabetes, Hodgkin's lymphoma etc.

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RAUWOLFIA (Rauwolfia serpentina)

RAUWOLFIA (Rauwolfia serpentina)

  June 01, 2017    Unknown

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RAUWOLFIA

Synonym: Sapagandha, Indian snake root.

Biological source: It consists of  dried rhizomes and roots of  Rauwolfia serpentina belonging to family Apocynaceae.

Geographical source: The plant is native to India, Burma, Malaysia etc. It is also found in Nepal and Pakistan.
Macroscopic characteristics:
-Color: Grayish yellow to light brown externally and pale yellow internally.
-Shape: Sub cylindrical, slightly tapered.
-Size: 2-10 cm long and 5-22 mm in diameter.
-Odor: Odorless
-Taste: Bitter

Microscopic characteristics:
-Cork is stratified followed by phelloderm.
-Phloem parenchyma contains Ca-oxalate crystals and starch grains.

Chemical constituents: It contains more than 60 indole alkaloids out of these Reserpine and rescinnamine is pharmacologically important.

Uses:
-Rauwolfia is used as anti-hypertensive.
-It is also used to treat insomnia.
-It is used as an antidote for snake venom.

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BERBERIS ( Berberis aristata)

BERBERIS ( Berberis aristata)

  June 01, 2017    Unknown

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BERBERIS

Synonym: Chutro, Mountain grape, Berberry

Biological source: It consists of  dried rhizomes and roots of  Berberis aristata and other species of  berberis belonging to family Berberidaceae.

Geographical source: The plants are found in rocky mountain range of North America. Some species are also found in Nepal, India and Bhutan.

Macroscopic characteristics:
-Color: Light yellow brown externally and brownish green internally.
-Shape: Simple or branched cylindrical with longitudinal wrinkles.
-Size: variable, upto 45 mm in diameter
-Odor: Slight
-Taste: Bitter

Microscopic characteristics:
-Cork contains some collapsed cells.
-Cortex contains yellowish amorphous contents.
-Starch grains are present in pith region.

Chemical constituents: Berberine, oxcanthine and berbamine. It also contains resins and starch.

Uses:
-It is used as bitter tonic.
-It shows anti-inflammatory activity.
-It is useful in intestinal and hepatic amoebiasis.

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EPHEDRA (Ephedra sinica)

EPHEDRA (Ephedra sinica)

  May 31, 2017    Unknown

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EPHEDRA

Synonym: Somlata, horse tail

Biological source: It consists of  dried stem and other aerial parts of  Ephedra sinica and other species of  ephedra like Ephedra gerardiana.

Geographical source: Ephedra are found in Nepal, India and other South Asian countries. In Nepal Ephedra gerardiana is found at altitude of  Western Himalayas.

Macroscopic characteristics:
-Color: Grey to greenish
-Odor: Slight
-Taste: Bitter and astringent
-Fracture: Fibrous
-Extra features: The stem nodes are at a distance of about 3-3.5 cm. It bears scaly leaves from nodes in a whorl of 2. The leaves are joined o all sides of the node forming a sheath.

Microscopic characteristics:
-Epidermis is surrounded b thick cuticle.
-Ca-oxalate crystals are found in cortex.
-Vascular bundles are arranged in circles encircling parenchymatous pith.
-Sclerenchymatous pateneues are found beneath epidermis.

Chemical constituents: It contains proto-alkaloid among which Ephedrine is important. Others are nor-ephedrine, n-methyl ephedrine, pseudoephidrine etc.

Uses:
-Ephedra is a bronchodilator so it is used in the treatment of asthma.
-It is also used to lower blood pressure.
-It is used in the treatment of allergic conditions like rhinitis.

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COCA (Erythroxylum coca, Erythroxylum truxillense)

COCA (Erythroxylum coca, Erythroxylum truxillense)

  May 31, 2017    Unknown

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COCA LEAVES

Synonym: Coca

Biological source: It consists of  dried leaves of Erythroxylum coca and Erythroxylum truxillense

Family: Erythroxylaceae

Geographical source: It is native to South American countries like Bolivia and Peru. Commercially it is cultivated in its native countries and Columbia, Sirlanka and India.

Macroscopic characteristics:
-Color: Greenish brown(Erythroxylum coca), Pale green(Erythroxylum truxillense)
-Odor: Aromatic
-Taste: Bitter
-Size: Oval and elliptical
-Extra features: The leaves bear prominent mid rib with two curve line one on the each side.

Microscopic characteristics:
-Midrib is encircled by high amount of collenchyma.
-Lower epidermis show numerous paracytic stomata.
-Absence of trichomes.
-Pericycle is found surrounding the vascular bundle.


Chemical constituents: Cocaine is the major constituent. Others are cinnamyl cocaine, tropocaine, benzyl tropane etc.

Uses:
-Cocaine is used as local anaesthetic.
-It shows CNS stimulant property.
-It is used as stimulant in respiratory depression.
-Due to its hallucinogenic and addictive property, it is not widely used expect in surgery of eye, ear, nose and throat.

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STRAMONIUM (Datura stramonium)

STRAMONIUM (Datura stramonium)

  May 31, 2017    Unknown

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STRAMONIUM

Synonym: Thorn apple leaf, datura

Biological source: It consists of dried leaves and flowering tops of Datura stramonium belonging to family Solanaceae. It should contain not less than 0.25% of the alkaloid (hyoscyamine).

Geographical source: It is indigenous to Caspian region. It is cultivated in United state, South America, France, Germany and Hungary.

Macroscopic characters: 
-Leaves are very thin, brittle, shortly petiolate with unequal base. Apex is accumulate, margin is dentately lobed. It is grayish green in color with unpleasant odor and bitter taste.The shape is ovate or triangular ovate.

Microscopic characters:
-Leaf is dorsiventral
-Epidermal cells of both sides shows anisocytic stomata.
-Epidermal cells are covered with thin cuticle and glandular and non glandular trichome.
-Palisade is single layered, spongy cells 6-8 layered.
-Spongy cells contain calcium oxalate crystal.


Chemical constituents: l-hyosciamine, hyosine, atropine.

Uses:
-Stramonium leaves are used in the treatment of asthma.
-It is used to control salivation, muscular rigidity and tremors in Parkinson's disease.
-Due to sedative property of hyosciamine it is used to control motion sickness.

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BELLADONNA (Atropa acuminata)

BELLADONNA (Atropa acuminata)

  May 31, 2017    Unknown

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BELLADONNA

Synonym: Deadly Nightshade leaf

Biological source: It consists of  dried leaves and other aerial parts of Atropa acuminata or mixture of both species. It belongs the family Solanaceae.
The plants are collected when the parts are in flowering condition. It contains not less than 0.3% of the alkaloid L-hyosciamine.

Geographical source: It is indigenous to Europe, North Africa and Western Asia and cultivated in England and other European countries.

Macroscopic characteristics:
-Color: Green to brownish green
-Odor: Slight and characteristic
-Taste: Bitter
-Size: 5-25 cm long and 2.5-12 cm wide
-Shape: Ovate, broadly ovate with acuminate apex, petiolate, brittle, entire margin.

Microscopic characteristics:
-Cuticle is striated
-Anisocytic stomata
-Presence of multi-cellular covering trichomes are less in number
-Glandular trichomes are found with unicellular heads
-Palisade ratio is 5-7.

Chemical constituents: L-hyosciamine and atropine are the major constituents. It also contains bellodonine, hyoscine, pridine etc.

Uses:
-It is used to reduce the secretions such as sweat, saliva and gastric juice.
-It is used as an antidote in opium, organophosphate and chloral hydrate poisoning.
-It is used as antispasmodic.

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GURJO (Tenospora sinensis)

GURJO (Tenospora sinensis)

  May 31, 2017    Unknown

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GURJO

Vernacular name: Gurjo, sudarsan, guduchi
English name: Chinese Tinospora
Botanical name: Tenospora sinensis

Family: Menispermaceae

Parts used: Stem

Habitat: Plant is distributed throughout the tropical regions of Nepal and China.

Chemical constituents: Polyphenols, catechins etc.

Morphology: 
-It is perennial plant with weak and fleshy stem. 
-Leaf is heart shaped and smooth.
-Flowers are yellowish in color and emerges in bunch in rainy season.
-Fruits are like pea.

Uses:
-It is used in relieving pain and cramps.
-It is useful in stiffness with heat signs in the knees, legs, back and joints.

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SUGANDHA KOKILA ( Cinnamomum glaucescens)

SUGANDHA KOKILA ( Cinnamomum glaucescens)

  May 31, 2017    Unknown

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SUGANDHA KOKILA

Vernacular name: Sugandha kokila

English name: Sugandha kokila
Botanical name: Cinnamomum glaucescens

Family: Lauraceae

Parts used: Fruits

Habit: This plant is indigenous to Nepal. It is widely distributed in western part of Nepal.

Chemical constituents: Methyl cinnamate

Morphology: 
-It is a evergreen tree. Bark is rough, leaves are alternate or in cluster. 
-The color of leaf is green, glossy with tapened pointed tip and wavy edges. The leaf underside is not glossy. -Flowers are small and occur in cluster. Fruits are black, fleshy berry.

Uses:

-Its oil is used as flavouring agent and perfumes.
-It shows anti-inflammatory effect.

Banned to export in crude form.

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BARRO (Terminalia belerica)

BARRO (Terminalia belerica)

  May 30, 2017    Unknown

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BARRO

Vernacular name: Barro
English name: Beleric myrobalan
Botanical name: Terminalia belerica

Family: Combretaceae

Parts used: Fruits

Habitat: The tree is found in all decidious forest of Nepal upto altitude of 100 m.

Chemical constituents: Tannins, phyllemblin, ellagic acid etc.

Morphology: Fruits are dark brown to black in color. They are odorless and the taste is astrigent. The fruits are globular and 1.3-2 cm in length. The fruits are pulpy with hard and stony seeds.

Uses:
-It is used as laxative and in the treatment of dyspepsia.
-The gum of barro is used as demulcent.
-It is an important ingredient of Ayurvedic preparation Triphala Churna.

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HARRO (Terminalia chebula)

HARRO (Terminalia chebula)

  May 30, 2017    Unknown

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HARRO

Vernacular name: Harro
English name: Chebulic myrobalan
Botanical name: Terminalia chebula

Family: Combretaceae

Parts used: Fruits

Habitat: The tree is found in the Sub-Himalayan tracts and all deciduous forests of Nepal.

Chemical constituents: Tannins, chebulagic acid, gallic acid etc.

Morphology: The fruits are yellowish brown and odorless. The fruits are ovate and wrinkled longitudinally. The size is about 20-25 mm long and 15-25 mm wide. The taste is slightly bitter and sweetish at the end. The fruits are hard and stony with single seed. The pulp of the fruits is non-adherent to the seed.

Uses:
-It is used as astringent, laxative and tonic.
-It is used in the treatment of piles.
-It is one of the constituent of important Ayurvedic preparation Triphala.

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PANCH AUNLE (Dactylorhiza hatagirea)

PANCH AUNLE (Dactylorhiza hatagirea)

  May 30, 2017    Unknown

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PANCH AUNLE

Vernacular name: Panchaunle
English name: Salep
Botanical name: Dactylorhiza hatagirea

Family: Orchidaceae

Parts used: Roots

Habitat: Panch Aunle is distributed in Himalayan region of Nepal. It is found at an altitude of 2800-3800 m.

Chemical constituents: Volatile oil, sugar, starch etc

Morphology: The word Dactylorhiza hatagirea is derived form Greek word 'Daktylos' meaning finger like and 'rhiza' meaning root i.e finger like roots. The underground steam is thickened which can stored large amount of water to survive in arid condition. The flowers are all shades of  pink to red. Leaves are lancedate.

Uses:
-It is used as an expectorant, astringent, nerve tonic and aphrodisiac.
-It gives mucilage with water which is used in diarrhea.

Banned to export in crude form outside of the country.

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TIMUR (Zanthoxylum armatum)

TIMUR (Zanthoxylum armatum)

  May 30, 2017    Unknown

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TIMUR

Vernacular name: Timur
English name: Prickly ash, fire berry bush, toothache tree.
Botanical name: Zanthoxylum armatum

Family: Rutaceae

Parts used: Fruits

Habitat: It is found distributed in hot valleys of Himalayas at an altitude of 100-2100 m. It is found in Nepal, China and Japan.

Chemical constituents: Pipervine, citral, limonene etc.

Morphology: 
-The plant is a shrub or a small tree upto 6 m height.
- it is with dense foliage, straight prickles are found on stems
-leaf is compound with 5-11 leaflets
-fruits are reddish black in color, seeds are solitaire and shining black
-flowers are polygamous and the color is yellow or green.

Uses:
-It is used in asthma, cold, cough, diarrhea, dyspepsia and toothache.
-It is also used as sedative and anti-infective.
-It is considered to be carminative and stomachic drug.

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