Unani Kaaju.
Siddha/Tamil Mindiri.
Action Leaves and bark—fungicidal, vermicidal, protozoicidal, antimicrobial (used for toothache, sore gums). Karnel—eaten for its high protein content. Cashew apple—antiscorbutic. Resinous juice contained in the seeds—used in cases of mental derangement, memory disturbances, palpitation
of heart, rheumatic pericarditis, sexual debility.
The nut contains 45% fat and 20% protein. Leaves contain flavonoids, mainly glycosides of quercetin and kaempferol, and hydroxybenzoic acid. The bark contains a balsam-containing anacardic acid, anacardol, cardol and ginkgol. The caustic liquid in the shell contains about 39% anacardic acid, a mixture of alkyl salicylic acid derivatives. The leaves are febrifuge. Anacardic acid is bactericidal, fungicidal, vermicidal and protozoicidal. The leaves and bark exhibited hypotensive activity in rats.
The phenolics of the cashew-nut shell oil have inhibited the enzymic activity of alpha-glucosidase, invertase and aldose reductase (anacardic acids being the most potent). Cardols have also shown antifflarial activity in vitro. Anacardic acids, cardols and methyl cardols have been found to exhibit moderate cytotoxic activity.
Anacyclus pyrethrum DC.
Synonym A. officinarum Hayne Family Compositae; Asteraceae.
Habitat Native to the Mediterranean region; cultivated in Algeria.
English Spanish, Pellitory, Pyrethrum Root.
Ayurvedic Aakaarakarabha,
Aakallaka, Aakulakrit, Agragraahi.
Unani Aaqarqarhaa.
Siddha/Tamil Akkiraakaaram.
Anamirta cocculus (Linn.) Wight and Am. 47
Action Stimulant, cordial, rubefacient.A gargle of infusion is prescribed for relaxed vulva. Root— used for toothache, rheumatic and neuralgic affections and rhinitis.
Roots, along with the root of Withania somnfera and Vitis vinifera, are used in epilepsy.
Along with other therapeutic ap plications, Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India indicates the use of the root in sciatica, paralysis, hemiplegia and amenorrhoea.
The root contains anacycline, isobutylamide, inulin and a trace of essential oil.
The local anaesthetic activity of the alcoholic (2%) extract of the root was found to be comparable to that of xylocaine hydrochloride (2%) in dental patients.
