Action Used for gout, rheumatism, also for bronchitis and asthma; as a tonic in enlargement of heart to allay excited action of the heart.
The seeds contain a mustard oil and a glycoside, glucoiberin. The plant contains sulphur- containing glucosinolates; also contains bitter and toxic tetracycloterpenoids, cucurbitacin E and I.
The seed extract exhibited cytotoxicity against renal and brain tumours and melanoma cell lines. The activity may be attributed to the presence of cucurbitacins E and I.
Ichnocarpus frutescens R. Br.
Family Apocynaceae.
Habitat Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Assam and the Sunderbans.
English Black Creeper.
Ayurvedic Gopavalli, Krishna Saarivaa (var.), Krishna-muuli, Shyaamalataa.
Siddha/Tamil Karunannari, Makalikilanzhu.
Action Root—demulcent, diuretic, alterative, diaphoretic; used in
fevers, dyspepsia and cutaneous affections. The roots of the plant are used as a substitute for Indian sarsaparilla and are often mixed with the roots of Hemidesmus
indicus (their therapeutic properties for use as sarsaparilla have bot been established).
The root gave 2-hydroxy-4-meth- oxybenzaldehyde.
Alkaloids and flavonoids were present in the roots but not in the leaves and fruits. Saponins were absent in these parts. The whole plant gave n-butyl sorboside, kaempferol and its glucoside.
hex aquifolium Linn.
Family Aqufolilaceae.
Habitat Native to Europe; grown occasionally in gardens at hill
stations.
English English Holly, Common Holly.
Action Leaves—diaphoretic,
febrifuge. Used in catarrh, pleurisy, intermittent fever, smallpox and
rheumatism. Also in jaundice. Berries—violently emetic and purgative; employed in dropsy. Powdered berries are used as astringent to check bleeding.
324 hex paraguariensis St-Ru.
(Berries possess totally different
qualities as compared to leaves.)
The plant contains ilicin (a bitter principle), ilexanthin, theobromine (only in the leaf) and caffeic acid.
