Folk Bidhaaraa, Nishoth (black
Action Purgative. Used as a supporting herb for diseases of the nervous system.
Dosage Leaf, root—3—6 g powder; leaf juice—5—l0 ml. (CCRAS.)
Ipomoea purga Hayne.
Synonym I. jalapa Scheide and Deppe.
Exogonium purga (Hayne) Benth.
Family Convolvulaceae.
Habitat Cultivated in the Nilgiris and Poona.
English Jalap.
Folk Jalaapaa.
Action Strong cathartic and purgative. Usually used with carminatives.
Resin from dried root (commercial jalap) contains beta-D-quinovoside of 1l-OH-tetradecanoic acid. The glycosidal resin is known as “convolvulin’
lpomoea purpurea (Linn.) Roth.
Family Convolvulaceae.
Habitat Native of tropical America; found throughout greater part of India, grown in gardens.
English Tall Morning-Glory. Folk Karakatiyaa (seeds). Action Purgative. Seed extract— antibacterial.
The stem contains a soft resin (4.8%), essential oil (0.08%) and tannin. The
var.)
Ipomoea vitifolia Blume. 335
resin is the active principle, it contains ipuranol, which is identical with sitosterol glucoside, ipurolic acid, dmethyl acetic acid, hydroxylauric acid and glucose.
Ipomoea quamoclit Linn. Synonym Quamoclitpinnata Bojer. Family Convolvulaceae.
Habitat Native to tropical America;
grown as an ornamental.
English Cypress Vine, Indian Pink. Ayurvedic Kaamalataa.
Siddha/Tamil Kembumalligai,
Mayirmanikkam.
Folk Sitaakesh.
Action Powdered root is given as a sternutatory. Pounded leaves are applied to bleeding piles.
The leaves and stems are reported to contain small amounts of alkaloids. Traces of hydrocyanic acid are present also in roots, stems and flowers.
