Habitat

Principal Constituents

The seeds yield an oil. They also contain 1, 8-dihydroxy-2- methylanthraquinone, 1, 4, 5-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-3- methylanthraquinone, physcion, its glucoside, rhein, aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, its glycoside, N-methylmorpholine, glucosides of campesterol and ß-sitosterol, and a galactomannan¹.

Pharmacology

The seed powder is externally applied in cutaneous diseases and eruptions. The extracts showed positive response on guinea pig-ileum, rat-uterus, rabbit-heart, and a depressor-effect on the blood-pressure of dogs².

Indications

The seed is bitter and has tonic, febrifugal and purgative properties. It is considered to be a blood tonic and excellent diuretic. The seeds are useful in cough and whooping cough, convulsions and in heart diseases.

• Whooping cough

Product Range

References

1.       Kirtikar & Basu, II, 861; Budhiraja & Garg, loc. cit.; Watt & Breyer- Brandwijk, 572; Stewart, 62; Haines, Pt III, 305; Feng et. al. , J Pharm Pharmacol, 1962, 14, 556; Durand et. al., ibid, 1962, 14, 562; Dixit & Tripathi, Curr Sci, 1975, 44, 279; Farooq et. al., J Amer Oil Chem Soc, 1956, 33, 21; Lal & Gupta, Experientia, 1974, 30, 850; 1973, 29, 141; Shah & Shinde, Indian J Pharm, 1967, 29, 342; Kim et. al., J agric Fd Chem, 1971, 19, 198; Rizvi et al, Phytochemistry, 1971, 10, 670; Rai & Shok, loc.cit.; Gupta & Mukherjee, Indian J Chem, 1973, 11, 505; 1975, 13, 1152.

2.       Kirtikar & Basu, II, 861; Budhiraja & Garg, loc. cit.; Watt & Breyer- Brandwijk, 572; Stewart, 62; Haines, Pt III, 305; Feng et. al., J Pharm Pharmacol, 1962, 14, 556; Durand et. al., ibid, 1962, 14, 562.  top