A related species C. parthenium (Linn.) Berhh., Feverfew, synonym Tanacetum parthenium, used for the management of migraine in Western herbal, is found in Jammu and Kashmir. The plant extracts have a powerful and prostaglandin-independent inhibitory effect on the secretion of granule content by leucocytes and platelets. The inhibition of the agonist-induced serotonins release by platelets could be accounted for the benefit in migraine. The compound responsible for the anti-secretory activity has been identified as sesquiterpene alpha-methylenegamma-lactone derivatives; parthenolide being the main constituent of the lactones. (Two fresh or frozen leaves a day are chewed or capsules or pills containing 86 mg of the leaf material is taken for migraine. Fresh leaves may cause mouth sores.)
Chukrassia tabularis A. Juss.
Family Meliaceae.
Habitat Hills of Sikkim, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and the Andamans.
English Bastard Cedar, White Cedar, Indian Red Wood.
Siddha/TamiI Aglay, Melei Veppu. Folk Chikrassy.
Action Bark—astringent, febrifuge, antidiarrhoeic, spasmolytic, diuretic. The plant is used in skeltal fractures.
The bark contains sitosterol, melianone, scopoletin and 6,7-di-MeO- coumarin. The leaves gave quercetin galactoside, galloyl glucocide and tannic acid. The bark and young leaves contain 15 and 20% tannin respectively. Seeds contain tetranortriterpenoids.
EtOH (50%) extract of the stem bark exhibited spasmolytic, hypotensive and diuretic activity. The saline extract of seeds showed haemagglutinating activity.
Cicer arietinum Linn.
Family Papilionaceae; Fabaceae.
Habitat Cultivated in most parts of India.
English Bengal Gram, Chick pea.
Ayurvedic Chanaka, Chanakaa, Harimantha, Vajimantha, Jivan, Sakal-priya.
Unani Nakhud.
Siddha/Tamil Kadalai, Mookkukkadalai.
Action Antibilious, hypocholesteremic, antihyperlipidemic, antistress. Acid exudate from the plant—used in indigestion, diarrhoea, dysentery. Seed coat
146 Cichorium endivia Linn.
extract—diuretic, antifungal (externally). Dry leaf—refrigerant.
qSupplementation of gram in wheat based diet helps in lysine absorption which is otherwise a limiting
