Siddha/Tamil Kuruvingi, Kattuvet tilai.
Folk Pala.
Action Root—alterative in cachexia and syphilis; an antidote to vegetable poisoning. Dried leaves—pectic and stomachic.
The plant contains microphyllone. EtOH (50%) extract of aerial parts showed low anti-inflammatory and cardiovascular activities.
Ehretia Iaevis Roxb. var. aspera (Willd.) C.B. Clarke.
Synonym E. aspera Willd. E. obtusfolia Hochst. ex DC.
Family Ehretiaceae.
Habitat Throughout India, also grown along roadsides.
Ayurvedic Charmi-vrksha.
Siddha/Tamil Addula.
Folk Chamror (Punjab). Kuptaa, Datarangi (Maharashtra.)
232 Eichhornia crassipes Soims Laub.
Action Root—used in venereal diseases. A decoction of bark is used internally and as gargle in throat infections.
The plant contains tannins, saponins and allantoin, and monomethyl ethers of cyclitols. Leaves yielded a pyrrolizidine alkaloid, creatinine.
Eichhornia crassipes Solms Laub.
Synonym E. speciosa Kunth.
Family Pontederiaceae.
Habitat Native to tropical South
America; naturalized all over India.
English Water-Hyacinth, Bengal Terror, Blue Devil, The Million Dollar Weed.
Ayurvedic Wrongly equated with Jalakumbhi (Pistia stratiotes Linn., Tropical Duckweed.)
Siddha/Tamil Akasa thammarai.
Action Flower—antifungal. Used in skin diseases.
The plant gave stigmasterol, roots gibberellins, flowers delphinidin glucoside.
The leaves contain a good amount of protein (18% on dry wt basis). The content of water soluble pectins in leaf, petiole and root is: 1.3—5.8, 1.5—7.2 and 1.0—2.5% respectively.
Research shows that Water-Hyacinth can be used as a source to remove minerals, organic substances and even heavy metals like Cd, Cr, Cu, Zn and Ni present as pollutants from domestic or industrial
