Page:Indian Medicinal Plants (Text Part 2).djvu/494

Sans. :— Rásná, vandáka, nákuli, gandha-nákuli.

Vern. :— Rásná, nái (H. & B.) ; Dare banki (Santal) ; Rásná (M. & Guz.) ; Kanapa chettu badanike, neardáu, chitteduru (Tel.).

Habitat .-—Bengal, Behar and westwards to Gnzerat and the Concan, and southwards to Travancore.

Stem epiphytic 2-3ft., climbing. Leaves praemorse, 6-8in. narrow, complicate. Peduncles 6-8in., 6-10-fid. Racemes sub-erect. Flowers l½-2in. diam., tesselated with brown. Sepals and petals subequal, clawed, obovate waved, yellowish-green or bluish, except from the clathrate brown nerves, margins white. Lip half as long as the sepals, or more. Side-lobes small acute, mid-lobe panduriform violet, tip dilated, truncate 2-lobed.

Uses : — Under the name of rásna the roots of this orchid and of Acampe papillosa, are indiscriminately used by native physicians.* " Rásná root is said to be fragrant, bitter and useful in rheumatism and allied disorders, in which it is prescribed in a variety of forms. It also enters into composition of several medicated oils for external application in rheumatism and diseases of the nervous system." (Hindu Mat Med.) It is also said to be a remedy for secondary syphilis. In Chutia Nagpur, the leaves pounded and made into a paste, are applied to the body during fever, and the juice is introduced into the aural meatus as a remedy for otitis media. (Campbell.)

* We have already stated (Vol. ii., p. 260) that we consider it probable that the original Râsna of the Arians was Inula Heleninm, as the two drugs, at the head of this article are notably deficient in the properties ascribed to Râsna by Sanskrit writers ; for instance, the plants under consideration cannot be described as Gandha-mula " having a strong smelling root." Dutt (Mat. Med., p. 258) remarks :— " Under the name of râsna, the roots of Vanda Roxburghii and Acampe papillosa are both indiscriminately used by native physicians. They are very similar in the appearance of their roots and leaves, though they differ much in their flowers and fruit. One native physician whom I consulted, pronounced both of these plants to be rasna ; when, however, I showed him the different flowers and fruit of the two species, he was puzzled." The description of the properties and uses of râsna will, we think, convince our readers that the original drug was not what is now used. (Pharmacogr. Ind. III. 392-393.)