Mussaenda glabra Vahl (tropical Himalayas from Nepal eastwards, Bihar, Bengal and Assam) is known as Sonaaruupaa in Assam. An infusion of the leaves is used for cough, asthma, recurrent fevers; also as a diuretic in dropsy.
Mycrotomia benthami C. B. Cl.
Family Boraginaceae.
Habitat Garhwal, Tibet.
Folk Dimok (Tibet), Ratanjot (Garhwal).
Action Topically antiseptic.
National Formulary of Unani Medicine has equated Onosma echioides Linn. (Boraginaceae) with Ratanjot. Geranium wallichianum D. Don. (Geraniaceae); Clausena pentaphylla DC. (Rutaceae); and Anemone obtusiloba D. Don. (Ranunculaceae) are also known as Ratanjot.
Ratanjot should be equated with the root of Alkanna tinctoria (Boraginaceae), known as Dyer’s or Spanish Bugloss.
428 Myrica nagi Hook. f. non-Thunb.
Myrica nagi Hook. f. non-Thunb.
Synonym M. esculenta Buch.-Ham ex Don.
Family Myricaceae.
Habitat Subtropical Himalayas from the Ravi eastwards at 900— 2,100 m.
English Box Myrtle.
Ayurvedic Katphala, Kushbhikaa, Shriparnikaa, Mahaavallcal, Bhadraa, Bhadravati.
Unani Kaayaphal.
Siddha/Tamil Marudam.
Action Bark—carminative, antiseptic. Used in fever, cough and asthma; also as a snuff in catarrh with headache. Fruit wax— used externally for ulcers. Fruit— pectoral, sedative.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the stem bark and fruit in anaemia and polyuria.
The stem bark gave myricanol, a proanthocyanidin. The root bark yielded beta- sitosterol, taraxerol and myricadi ol The stem bark exhibited analgesic, spasmolytic, hypotensive and antiarrhythmic activity.
Dosage Fruit—3—5 g, stem bark— 3—5 g. (API, Vol. III.)
Myristica fragrans Houtt.
Family Myristicaceae.
Habitat Native to the Moluccas Islands; grown in the Nilgiris, Kerala, Karnataka and West Bengal.
