Bambusa bambos (L.) Voss.
Synonym B. arundinaceae (Retz.) Roxb.
Arundo bambos L.
Family Gram ineae; Poaceae.
Habitat Wild throughout India, especially in the hifi forests of
Western and Southern India.
English Spiny or Thorny Bamboo.
Ayurvedic Vansha, Venu, Kichaka, Trinadhwaj, Shatparvaa, Yavphala. Vanshalochana, Vansharochanaa, Shubhaa, tugaa, Tugaakshiri, Tvakkshiri (Bamboo-manna). Starch of Curcuma angustfolia Roxb., Zingiberaceae, was recommended a substitute for Vanshalochana (Ayurvedic Form ularly of India, Part I, First edn).
Unani Qasab, Tabaashir (Bamboo- manna).
Siddha/Tamil Moongil; Moongiluppu, (Bambo-manna.)
Action Leaf bud and young shoots—used in dysmenorrhoea; externally in ulcerations.
Leaf—emmenagogue, antileprotic, febrifuge, bechic; used in haemoptysis.
Stem and leaf—blood purifier (used in leucoderma and inflammatory conditions).
Root—poisonous. Burnt root is applied to ringworm, bleeding gums, painful joints. Bark—used for eruptions.
Leaf and Bamboo-manna—emmenagogue. Bamboo-manna—pectoral, expectorant, carminative, cooling, aphrodisiac, tonic (used in debilitating diseases, urinary infections, chest diseases, cough, asthma).
The plant gave cyanogenic glucoside—taxiphyllin. Bamboo-manna contains siicious crystalline substances.
The starch obtained from Maranta arundinacea Linn., Marantaceae, is also used as Bamboo-manna (known as Koovai Kizhangu, Kookaineer and Araroottu Kizangu in Siddha medicine.
Dosage 2 to 3 gm.