Ayurvedic Pinditaka. Madana or Mainphala is a misleading
synonym. It is equated with Randia
dumetorum Poir.
Folk Muyana, Moyana, Muduna. Siddha/Tamil Manakkarai.
(Madana or Mainphala is known as Marukkallankay.)
Action Fruit—cholagogue, a decoction used in biliary complaints and hepatic congestion. Dried
fruits—narcotic; used for boils.
Michelia champaca Linn.
Family Magnoliaceae.
Habitat Eastern Himalayas, lower hills of Ass am, hills of South India up to 1,000 m., cultivated in various parts of India.
English Champak, Golden Champa.
Ayurvedic Champaka, Svarna Champaka, Hemapushpa, Chaam peya.
Siddha/Tamil Sampagi.
Action Flowers—bitter, carminative, antispasmodic, demulcent, antiemetic, diuretic (used for dysuria), antipyretic. Fruits—used for dyspepsia and renal diseases. Bark—stimulant, diuretic and
febrifuge. Dried root and root bark—purgative and emmenagogue. Externally—flower oil is used as an application in cephalalgia, gout and rheumatism; fruits and seeds for healing cracks in feet.
The ethanolic extract of the stem bark showed hypoglycaemic activity in rats. The benzene extract of the anthers showed 67% post-coital anti- implantation activity in rats (1000 mg/ kg per day).
Stem bark and roots yielded an alkaloid liriodenine. Root bark yield ed sesquiterpene lactones (including parthenolide and micheliolide). Leaves gave a p olyisoprenoid, beta- sitosterol and liriodenine. Mono-and sesquiterpenes occur in essential oils isolated from the flowers, leaf and fruit ring.
The bark and root cortex of the Chinese plant gave magnosprengerine (0.41%) and salicifoline (0.39%). These active principles showed lasting muscle relaxant and hypotensive activity.
The bark of Michelia montana Blume (Eastern Himalayas and hills ofAssam)
Micromelum integerrimum (Buch-Ham.) Roem.
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is used as a bitter tonic in fevers. It bears white and fragrant flowers. The leaf and stem yield an essential oil, 0.95 and 0.36% on fresh basis, respectively. The flowers contains 75% safrole and the latter 76% sarisan.
