Cuscuta reflexa Roxb.
Family Convolvulaceae.
Habitat A parasitic climber
common throughout India up to
3,000 m.
English Doddar.
Ayurvedic Amarvalli.
Unani Kasoos.
Action See C. epithymum.
The seeds contain amarbelin and kaempferol; stem gave cuscutin, cuscutatin, beta-sitosterol, luteolin, bergenin and kaempferol. The parasitic plant accumulates alkaloids from the host plant. The climber growing on Mangiera indica has been found to contain mangiferin.
Cyamopsis tetragonoloba
(Linn.) Taub.
Family Fabaceae; Papilionaceae.
Habitat Cultivated throughout India, particularly in Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Orissa.
English Cluster bean, Guar.
Ayurvedic Kshudra Shimbi, Gorakshaphalini, Guaar, Gwaalin.
Unani Guaar phali.
ars.
Siddha/Tamil Kothaveray.
190 Cydea arnotii Miers.
Action Laxative, antibiious. Gum—hypoglycaemic, hypolipidaemic, appetite depressor (weight loss not observed), reduces glycosuria during gum supplementation.
The administration of Guar gum (15 g!day) with normal diet for 6 weeks produced significant reduction in plasma, total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol. The gum (10 g daily) is reported to decrease blood-glucose level in normal and diabetic volunteers. The supplementation of the gum in the diet of insulin-dependent diabetics failed to improve the long-term diabetic control, but significantly reduced serum cholesterol levels.
Taking Guar gum orally with meals was found to lower post-prandial glucose levels in patients with type 1 diabetes. (Am I din Nutr, 56, 1992, 1056— 1060.)
