quercitrin, leonurin, betaine, caffeic acid derivatives, tannins and traces of a volatile oil.
The herb is a slow acting adjuvant in functional and neurogenic heart diseases. Its sedative and spasmolytic properties combine well with Valeriana officinalis or other cardioactive substances.
The herb contains several components with sedative effects—alphapinene, benzaldehyde, caryophyllene, limonene and oleanolic acid. (Sharon M. Herr.)
Lepidagathis trinervis Nees.
Family Acanthaceae.
Habitat North-west Himalayas and Sil&im and from Bihar to central, western and southern India.
Folk Safed Raasnaa (Bihar).
Hiran-chaaro, Paniru (Gujarat).
Action Plant—bitter tonic. Used for rheumatic affections. (Raasnaa is equated with Pluchea lanceolata.)
Related species of Lepidagathis: L. cristata Willd., and L. ham iltoniana Wall. ex Nees. These are used as a bitter tonic in fevers and are applied to itchy affections of the skin. The leaves of L. incurva D. Don, synonymL. hyalina Nees are chewed to relieve cough.
Lepidium iberis Linn. var. alba.
Habitat Western Europe. Seeds are imported into India from Persia.
English Pepper-Grass.
Unani Bazr-ul-khumkhum, Todari (white var.).
Action Seeds—blood purifier; prescribed in bronchitis.
The fatty acid of the oil are: oleic 12.9, linoleic 47.87, linolenic 5.43, erucic
31.97, stearic 0.54 and palmitic 1.22%.
The seed mucilage on hydrolysis gave galactose, arabinose, rhamnose and galacturonic acid.
Flowering tops and seeds contain a bitter principle, lepidin.
The plant yield a sulphur-containing volatile oil.
Lepidium latifolium Linn.
Family Curciferace; Brassicaceae.
Habitat North-West Himalayas.
Folk Gonyuch (Ladakh).
Action Plant—depurative, antilithic, diuretic, stomachic, antiscorbutic. An infusion is given for liver and kidney diseases. Also used as a resolvent in skin affections.
The leaves show dose-dependent increase of diuretic activity; also increase in potassium excretion in
