Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Amaryllideæ

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Vern. : — Rakas patta, banskeora, barakanwar, kantala, (Hind.); Jungli or Bilati-ananash, bilatipat, koyan, murga (Beng.) ; Jangli-kunvara, parkanda (Bomb.) ; Rakas-patta (Dec); Anaik-kat razhai, pithakalabuntha (Tam.); Rakashi-matalu (Tel.) ; Wilyatu kaitalu (Pb.) ; Janglikunvâra (Guz.) ; Panam-katrâzua (Mal.) ; Bhuttâle budukattalenaru (Kan.).

Habitat: — Originally a native of America, naturalized in many parts of India.

Leaves lanceolate, many, in a lax rosette, from a short stout prostrate or ascending trunk which is usually hidden by their thick bases, deep green, often variegated with white or pale yellow longitudinal stripes or borders, sometimes rather glaucous ; at base spreading, then ascending, tips sometimes recurved, 4 to 6ft. long, and as much as half a foot broad above the middle ; sharply constricted just above the base ; margins armed with strong dark brown prickles, mostly pointing ​ downwards, leaf edge between the prickles concavely indented, terminal spine slightly grooved, dull-brown, 1 to 2in. long derived from the upper leaf margins which for about three inches from the top are involute and horny ; scape with the panicle 15 to 25ft. in height, primary branches of the inflorescence almost horizontal, fascicles of blossoms crowded at the ends of subsidiary ascending branches ; germen faintly sulcate, about equalling the perianth or shorter than it, perianth lobes ovate-lanceolate, tips obtuse, amber-coloured as are also the filaments, pollen orange-yellow, style faintly three-lobed, capitate ; capsule bluntly trigonous or oblong-cylidrical, rather broader up warps. — (Agricultural Ledger, 1907. No. 7.)

Uses : — The roots are diuretic and anti-syphilitic, and are said to find their way to Europe mixed with Sarsaparilla. (Lindley).

The expressed juice of the leaves is administered by American doctors as a resolvent and alterative, especially in syphilis, scrofula and even cancers.

Diuretic and alterative properties are assigned to its roots by the Mexicans. Dr. Æ. Ross reports having employed them in this character, in decoction (in the proportion of four ounces to one pint of water), in secondary syphilis, with great apparent benefit. Dr. R. F. Hutchinson regards this remedy as well worthy of further trials ; he mentions, also, that a thin slice of the large fleshy leaves constitutes a good poultice.

The sap is said to be laxative, diuretic and emenagogue. Very useful in scurvy (U. S. Dispens.) Genl. Sheridan is reported to have used the juice with great success amongst his men who were suffering from scurvy, in a small isolated post on the Texas border (Year-book of Phar. 1875 ; 232). The large, moist, fleshy leaves used with much advantage as poultice ; the fresh juice applied to bruises and contusions. The gum found exuding from the leaves and lower part of the stem is used in Mexico as a cure for tooth-ache. " The pulp of the leaves placed between folds of muslin and applied to the eye in conjunctivitis ; and also used mixed with sugar, in gonorrhœa, twice a day. (H. S. P. Kinsley,Madras). ​ A vegetable soap was prepared from the leaves which was found as detergent as Castille soap for washing linen, and had the superior quality of uniting and forming a lather with salt water as well as fresh.

The Agave Americana is extensively grown in Mexico for the sake of the juice of the stalk, from which a fermented intoxicating drink called pulque is made. The substance yielding the alcohol is a sugar, which may be isolated by the following process : — The juice is first treated with alcohol (2 Vols. 90 per cent.) and filtered ; basic lead acetate is next added to the solution, which is again filtered, the excess of lead being subsequently removed from the filtrate by means of hydrogen sulphide ; the clear liquid is now evaporated to a syrup under diminished pressure, and left to crystallise in a warm place.

Agavose,C₁₂H₂₂O₁₄, is an inactive sugar, which reduces alkaline copper tartrate, and yields a laevogyrate sugar ([a] y= —14.43) on inversion. It is oxidised by nitric acid, but not to mucic acid, and forms a soluble lime compound, which is precipitated by alcohol or by heating.— J. ch. S. LXIV., pt., I. (1893) p. 64.

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Sans. : — Mushali.

Vern. : — Kâli-mûsli, siyâh. mûsli (Hind.); Kâli-mûsli (Guz.); Nilap-tali-gaddalu (Tel.) ; Nelappanakizhanna (Mal.) ; Talura (Beng.); Musar Kand (Gond.).

Habitat : — Common in most parts of India.

Boot-stock stout, or elongate, with copious, fleshy root-fibres. Leaves sessile, 6-18 by ½-lin., linear to lanceolate, acuminate, membranous, 5-veined ; tips sometimes rooting or reaching the ground, glabrous or softly sparsely hairy ; base sheathing ; scape very short, clavate, with the pedicels, bracts, and ovary hidden amongst the leaf-sheaths, flattened ; raceme subcorymbiform. Flowers bright-yellow, subdistichous, lowest in the raceme perfect, upper male ; bracts lanceolate, membranous ; perianth produced above the ovary in a filiform, hairy, very slender stripes 1/12-lin. long, which alone with the perianth segments appear above ground ; segments ½-⅔in., long, oblong-ovate, acute, dorsally hairy ; stamens small ; filaments short ; anthers linear ; ovary lanceolate ; cells 6-8-ovuled ; style short. Fruit oblong, ​ ½in., hypogaeous, 1-4-seeded ; septa spongy. Seeds oblong ; testa deeply grooved in wavy lines, black, shining (Trimen).

Trimen further observes thus : — " The long slender beak of the ovary resembles a pedicel or scape, and the raceme and ovary being concealed in the leaf-sheaths, the perianth segments assume the appearance of a whole flower."

Uses : — The tuberous roots are considered alterative, tonic, restorative, and useful in piles, debility and impotence. Also useful in gonorrhœa, dysuria and menorrhagia. (Hindu Mat. Med. Pharm. Ind.)

The roots of this small low-growing plant, common in most parts of India, are described by Ainslie (Mat. Ind., vol. ii., p. 242) as tuberous, wrinkled, about four inches long, having a slightly bitter and mucilaginous taste. How far they constitute a portion of the Safed Músli of the Native Materia Medica (as has been supposed) is undetermined. Dr. Birdwood (Products of Bombay, p. 92) agrees with Dr. Royle in referring this drug to Murdannia scapifolia, Royle (Illust., t. 95). Further inquiries are required to determine its botanical source. The roots of C. orchioides are held in the highest esteem by the Hindu doctors of Travancore, in gonorrhœa, dysuria, menorrhagia, &c; and from the unanimous testimony borne by them to their value in these and other allied affections, there is reason for supposing that they exercise some influence on the genitourinary system generally ; but there is no evidence based on European observation as to their value in these cases. (Ph. Ind.)

It is prescribed for asthma, piles, jaundice, diarrhœa, colic and gonorrhœa ; it is considered to be demulcent, diuretic, tonic and aphrodisiac, and is often combined with aromatics and bitters. (Dymock.)

Chemical composition.— A proximate analysis of the powdered roots was made with the following results :—

Caption text

Header text	Header text
Ether ext. (fat, &c )	1.28
Alcoholic ext. (resin, tannin)	4.14
Water ext. (mucilage)	19.92
Starch, &c, by difference	43.48
Crude fibre	14.18
Ash	8.60
Moisture	8.40
Total	100.00

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The resin was soluble in spirit and alkaline solutions, and gave a fine red colour with strong sulphuric acid. The tannin gave a green colour with ferric salts, and when determined separately amounted to 4-15 per cent, of the root. Oxalate of calcium was present.— (Phartmacogra. Ind. III. 465.)

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Syn. :— C. toxicarium, Roxb. 285.

Sans. : — Vishamandala.

Vern. : — Chindar, kanwal, pindar, kanmu (H.) ; Nagdamani (Guz.) ; Nágdavana (Mar.) ; Naginka-patta (Dec.) ; Bara-kanur, Nag-daun. bodakanod (Beng.); Vishamungil (Tam.) ; Kesar-chettu, visha mungali, lakshminárayanachettu (Tel.)

Habitat : — Cultivated in Indian gardens.

Herbs with large coated bulbs. Bulbs 2-3in. diam., narrowed into a neck, 3-12in. high, which is clothed with old leaf-sheaths. Roots from the short root-stock or base of the bulb numerous, vermiform. Leaves 3-5ft. by 5-8in., linear-lanceolate, shortly acuminate, flat, narrowed into the sheathing base, coriaceous, bright-green ; margins smooth. Scape from the axils of the old leaves 1½-3ft. up to lin. diam., compressed, solid, stout ; bracts 2, spathiform, 3-4in., long, oblong, acute, papery ; bracteoles filiform. Umbel 10-50-fid, somewhat bipartite, with a tuft of bracteoles in the sinus; pedicels ¼-lin. Perianth salver-shaped ; perianth tube 3-4in., cylindric, slender, green ; segments rather shorter, linear, recurved or revolute ; filament very slender, free, spreading, green, shorter than the perianth segments ; anthers reddish, ½-¾in. Flowers fragrant at night. Fruit rarely produced, subglobose, l-2in. diam., 1-rarely 2-seeded, beaked by the fleshy base of the perianth, dehiscing irregularly. (Trimen).

Uses : — The fresh root is officinal in the Pharmacopoeia of India and said to be an " emetic, in small doses nauseant, and diaphoretic, analogous to squill."

[The dried sliced roots are also an efficient emetic, but require to be given in double the dose of the recent article. Sir W. O'Shaughnessy remarks (Bengal Disp., p. 656) that this is the only indigenous and abundant emetic plant, of which he ​ has experience, which acts without producing griping, purging, or other unpleasant symptoms. In a communication to the Editor, he remarks that it is a good emetic and diaphoretic whenever ipecacuanha is not at hand, but that it should be regarded, not so much as a substitute for that article, as a resource in case of need] — Ph, Ind.

The leaves bruised and mixed with castor oil useful in whitlows and local inflammations. The juice of the leaves is used in ear-ache. In Java, it is used as an emetic. (Drury).

Syn. : — Crinum zeylanicum, Linn ; Roxb. 286.

Vern. : — Sukh-darsan (B. and H.) ; Gadâmbikanda (Bomb.) ; Vishamungil (Tam.).

Habitat : — Plentiful throughout the peninsula of India.

Perennial herbs, with large coated bulbs. Bulbs 5-6in. long, globose or ovoid, elongate ; neck stout, short. Leaves many, 2¾ft. by 3-4in., lorate or oblong-linear, acuminate, flat ; margin slightly scabrous. Scape inserted on the neck of the bulb, about as long as the leaves, stout, tinged with purple. Bracts 3-4in., oblong or broadly lanceolate, inner linear. Umbel 10-20-iid ; pedicels very short ; perianth-tube 3-6in., curved, cylindric, limb nodding, 3-4in. long, funnel-shaped ; segments about 3-4 by lin., oblong-lanceolate, acute. Stamens decimate, about ⅓ shorter than the perianth segment. Athers ½-¾in. long ; style longer than the stamens. Ovary cells 5-6 — ovuled. Fruit sub-globose, l½-2in. diam. Flowers white with purplish or pink stain down centre of perianth-segments. Trimen says this is an extremely variable plant.

Uses : --The bulb is extremely acrid, and is used for blistering cattle, a slice being bound upon the skin. When roasted, it is used as a rubefacient in rheumatism. The juice of the leaf is used in earache.

Rheede states that the crushed and toasted bulb is applied to piles and abscesses to cause suppuration, and that if given to dogs it causes their teeth to fall out. According to Loureiro, it has the properties of squills. ​

(Mr. C. B. Clarke writes of this plant that he is unable to name it, and presumes it may be an undescribed species ; in that case it should bear the discoverer's name — the Rev. A. Campbell.)

Vern. : — Sikyom baha (Santal).

Habitat : — High and dry situations in Chutia Nagpur, flowering during the hot season before the leaves appear. In some respects, this resembles C. latifolium as described in Roxburgh's Flora Indica.

Uses : — A decoction prepared from the bulb is given internally and pounded and made into a paste ; it is also applied externally by the Santals in dropsy. It is used for the diarrhœa of cattle. (Campbell) Watt ii. 591.

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Habitat :— The Concans, Central India.

Leaves 2-3ft. diam. ; tripartite segments 2-3-fid or irregularly pinnatifid or pinnate at the base ; petiole l-3ft., smooth. Scape tapering, longer than the petiole, striped, dark and light- green, 10-40-fid. Flowers drooping ; involucre leaves 4-12 or more, subequal, oblong, acuminate, lanceolate, recurved, striped with purple ; filiform bracts very numerous. Perianth greenish, subglobose, ⅔in. diam., fleshy ; lobes conniving, subequal, margined with purple. Fruit size of a pigeon's egg, 6-ribbed, yellow. Root-stock globose, 1ft. diam., under cultivation. (Hooker). Seeds angular. (Trimen.)

Uses : — The root-stock is intensely bitter when raw. It is full of starch, which, when prepared, is of excellent culinary properties, and is far preferable to that of any other arrowroot for dysentery.

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​PLATE No. 958.

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