Tiruneveli, Tamil Nadu.
Cetraria islandica (Linn.) Ach.
Family Parmeliaceae.
Habitat Lichen found in the hills from Tehri Garhwal to East Nepal.
English Cetraria, Iceland Lichen, Iceland Moss.
Folk Charela (black var.)
Action A food and tonic in convalescence and exhausting
diseases. Used for chronic catarrh
and bronchitis.
Key application In irritation of the oral and pharyngeal mucous membrane and accompanying
dry cough. (German Commission E, ESCOP.) As demulcent. (The
British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.) As a bitter remedy for lack of appetite.
(ESCOP.)
The moss contains lichen acids (depsidones); mainly cetraric, protocetraric, fumarprotocetraric, lichesteric and usnic acids; polysaccharides about 50%—lichenin 40% and isolichenin
10%; also furan derivatives, fatty acid lactones and terpenes. Lichenin is a moss-starch. Demulcent, expectorant and antiemetic properties are due mainly to the polysaccharides.
The usnic acid and protolichesterinic acid in the lichen and its crude, aqueous extract showed antibacterial activity against several pathogenic bacteria.
Contraindicated in gastric or duodenal ulcers due to its mucosa irritating properties. (Sharon M. Herr.)
Lozenges containing 160 mg of an aqueous extract of Iceland moss, were determined to be positive in 86% cases with good gastric tolerance. (ESCOP 1997.)
Cheiranthus cheiri Linn.
Ayurvedic Shaileya (black var.)
Family Cruciferae; Brassicaceae.
Chenopodium ambrosioides Linn. 141
Habitat Native to South Europe, grown as an ornamental.
English Wall-flower, Gilli Flower. Unani Tudri (Surkh, Safed, Zard)
Action Flowers—cardioactive, tonic, antispasmodic, purgative, emmenagogue, deobstruent (used in liver diseases and sexual debility). Seeds— stomachic, diuretic, expectorant (in bronchitis and asthma); also goitrogenic. Juice of leaves and seeds—antibacterial.
Flowers contain flavonoids (quercetin and rhamnetin derivatives); seeds contain high levels of cardiac
