Medicinal Plants found in Indian Arid Zones

Medicinal plants in hot Indian arid zone enjoy considerable reputation as drugs and are used in different systems of medicine either as the active principle or crude systems of medicine either as the active principle ingredient or crude drug. The resources of the Indian arid zone are very limited.

There is a considerable pressure on the land and natural vegetation. The families are listed alphabetically and so are the genera and the species within a family for their medicinal uses. Every effort has been made to adjust the nomenclature of the plants according to latest findings on the subject.

Acanthaceae:

Bctrleria prionitis:

Local name: Chapri

Uses:

The leaves are chewed to relieve toothache. The juice of the leaves with little sugar and honey is used in catarrhal affections of children which are accompanied by fever and much phlegm.

Stem Bark:

The dried bark is useful in cough. Juice of the bark is useful in anasarca.

Root paste is applied to disperse boils and glandular swellings.

Plant decoction is given in dropsy. Blepharis edulis:

Local name: Dakhni-chappar

Uses:

The seeds are diuretic, aphrodisiac and expectorant.

Belpharis sindica:

Local name:

Bhongri, Billi-Khoja (Bikaner).

Uses:

The seeds are used as cure for earache. The plant when boiled with milk is taken as tonic.

Lepidagathis trinervis:

Local name: Unt-Katalia.

Uses:

The hairy mucilaginous seeds, soaked in water, form a cooling drink during summers. The plant is a bitter tonic.

Amaranth aceae:

Achyranthes aspera:

Local name:

Unda-Kanta, Untaghda, Kutia-Bharutia.

Uses:

The flowering spike and seeds ground into a paste. The paste is applied externally in insect bite. The seeds are emetic and used in hydrophobia. Infusion of the roots is astringent. The water in which the plant is crushed and boiled is useful in pneumonia.

Decoction of the plant possess diuretic and purgative properties. It is useful in renal dropsy, piles, boils, skin eruptions, colic, cough and stone in kidney. Aerva persica (Burm. f.) Merrill (= Aerva tomentosa Forsk.)

Local name:

Bui, Buida

Uses:

The wooly seeds, when stuffed in pillows, are said to relieve headache and protective against rheumatism. The plant is said to possess diuretic and demulcent properties and when taken in decoction, removes swelling.

Amaranthus tricolor:

Local name:

Lal-sag; Chumli-sag (Hindi).

Uses:

The roots are demulcent. The plant is astringent and useful in diarrhoea and dysentery. It is also useful in toothache, sore throat and as a cooling agent.

Apocynaceae:

Wrightia tinctoria:

Local name:

Metha-Indarjou (Hindi).

Uses:

The stem bark is useful in dysentery and dried and ground is rubbed over the body in dropsy. The seeds are aphrodisiac and anthelmintic. These are used in amoebic dysentery.

Aristolochiaceae:

Aristolochia bracteolata:

Local name: Hookiahbel;

Kiramar (Hindi);

Dhumrapatra (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The juice of the leaves is applied to foul and neglected ulcers. Bruised leaves, mixed with castor oil, are applied for eczema on children’s leg. Decoction of the root is used against roundworms. The plant is an­thelmintic, purgative and emmenagogue.

Asclepiadaceae

Calotropis procera:

Local name:

AK, Akra, Akda, Madar (Hindi) ; Alarka (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The leaves are used as a cure against guinae worms. Powered flowers in very small doses are useful in cold, cough, asthma and indigestion. The root bark is diaphoretic, expectorant, emetic and useful in dysentery; in the form of a paste is applied in elephantiasis.

Latex: It is rubbed over the body against pain in joints.

pergularia daemia:

Local name:

Ganderia-Ka-bel; Utran (Hindi); Yugaphala (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The Juice of the leaves is used as expectorant in catarrhal affections, in infantile diarrhoea, asthma and rheumatism. Root bark has a profound effect on the involuntary muscles. It has a profound effect on the circulatory system it raises the blood pressure. The tone and movement of the urinary bladder are also reported to be increased.

Asteraceae:

(See Compositae)

Bignoniaceae:

Tecotnella undulata:

Local name:

Rohera; Rugtrora (Hindi).

Uses:

The bark of young branches is used as a remedy for syphilis.

Boraginaceae:

Trichodesma indicum:

Local name:

Sal-Konta, Chota-kulpha (Hindi); Surasa (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The plant is diuretic.

Caesalpiniaceae

Cassia auriculata:

Local name:

Anwal, Awal, Tarawar, Tarwan.

Uses:

The leaves are anthelmintic. The flowers are useful in diabetes and other urinary disorders. The seeds are useful in opthalmia and conjunctivitis, in diabetes and chylous urine.

Cassia tora:

Local name: Chakaunda, Takla, Tankil.

Uses:

Decoction of the leaves is laxative and useful in skin diseases. The seeds contain glucosides and are laxative.

Capparidiaceae:

Cadaba fruticosa:

Local name:

Dabi, Kodhab (Hindi).

Uses:

Leaves are anthelmintic, antiseptic, purgative, emmenagogue and often prescribed in decoction to relieve urine obstructions.

Capparis decidua:

Local name:

Kair, Ban; Karer (Hindi); Karira (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Leaves and branches when chewed relieve toothache. The fruits are astringent and useful in cardiac troubles and biliousness when prepared as vegetable. The root bark is pungent and given in cases of intermittent fever, asthma, inflammations and rheumatism. The bark is acrid, laxative, diaphoretic, alexeteric and anthelmintic. It is useful for cough, asthma and inflammations.

Cleome viscosa:

Local name:

Hulhul, Hurhur (Hindi), Arkakanta (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The leaves are rubefacient, vesicant, sudorific and useful lm earache, fever, dysentery, paratyphoid, bronchitis and gonorrhoea. Juice of the leaves is used to relieve earache. The seeds are carminative, anthelmintic rubefacient and vesicant and useful in piles and for removing worms and roundworms.

Chenopodiaceae:

Chenopodium album:

Local name:

Goela, Chill, Bethu-sag (Hind); Vastuk (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The plant is laxative and anthelmintic.

Asteraceae (Compositae)

Ageratum conyzoides:

Local name: Dochuntry, Uchunty (Hindi).

Uses:

Juice of the root is anti-lithic.

Eclipta prostrata:

Local name:

Jal-bhangra, Bhangra (Hindi); Bhringraja (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The leaves are used as a dye for hair and to cool brain after bath; also against boils. The plant is tonic and useful in hepatic and spleen enlargements, jaundice and catarrh in infants. Externally the plant is useful in skin diseases.

Convolvulaceae:

Convolvulus arvensis:

Local name:

Hiranpadi (Hindi).

Uses:

Roots are cathartic and purgative, regarded as poisonous, because of the marked gastro-intestinal irritation, it produces.

Evolvulus alsinoides:

Local name:

Shankhpushpi (Hindi).

Uses:

The leaves are made into cigarettes and smoked in chronic bronchitis and asthma. The plant is bitter tonic and vermifuge, useful in dysentery.

Cucurbitaceae:

Citrullus colocynthis:

Local name:

Tartumba, Tumba; Indrayan (Hindi).

Uses:

The roots are purgative and useful in jaundice, urinary diseases and rheumatism. Dried pulp of the ripe fruit, freed from rind, constitutes the commercial drug colocynth, which is drastic hydragogue, cathartic and providing large watery evacuations. Small fruits are taken out during the rainy season and stuffed with common salt and Ajwain, which is used as a cure for acute stomachache.

Cucumis melo:

Local name:

Jangli-Kharbuja.

Uses:

Pulp of the fruit is diuretic and useful in chronic eczema.

Cyperaceae:

Cyperaceae is rotundus:

Local name: Motha.

Uses:

Tubers are diuretic, emmenagogue, anthelmintic, diaphortic, ent, stimulant and useful in disorders of the stomach and irritation bowels.

Ehretiaceae:

Cordia gharaf:

Local name: Goondi (Hindi).

Uses:

Decoction of the bark is astringent and used as gargle. When with catechu is chewed as a substitute for betel leaves to redden lips. The fruits are useful in constipation stomach worms, piles and toothache.

Euphorbiaceae:

Euphorbiaceae hirta:

Local name:

Dudhi (Hindi).

Uses:

Plant is useful in diseases of children, in worm, colic, bowel plaints, cough and asthma.

Phyllanthus niruri:

Local name: Gugerati-bawal.

Uses:

The leaves are useful as stomachic. Infusion of young shoots is given in dysentery. Plant is diuretic and used in dropsical affections, Thoea and other genito-urinary diseases.

Fabaceae:

Alhagi pseudoalhagi:

Local name:

Jawasa.

Uses:

Oil from the leaves is used for rheumatism. The plant is laxative, tic and expectorant. Its infusion is diaphoretic.

Butea monosperma:

Local name:

Dhak, Palas.

Uses:

Leaves are astringent and tonic. The flowers are astringent, diuretic, depurative and aphrodisiac. Butea gum, locally called ‘Kamarkas’ is given in many forms of chronic diarrhoea and round worms.

Phaseolus trilobus:

Local name:

Jangli-moth; Mungani (Hindi), Mudgaparni (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Leaves are tonic, sedative and used as cataplasm for weak eyes. Its decoction is administered in intermittent fevers.

Tephrosia purpurea (Linn.):

Local name:

Dhamasia; Sarponkha (Hindi), Sharapunkha (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Leaves are useful in leprosy. Roots are bitter, useful in dyspepsia and chronic diarrhoea, enlarged liver, colic and stomach troubles.

Gentianaceae:

Enicostemma littorale:

Local name:

Chota-Chirayata (Hindi).

Uses:

Crushed plant mixed with water is taken internally against exhaustion. Dried and powdered plant is used with honey as blood purifier and in dropsy, rheumatism, abdominal ulcers, hernia, swellings, itches and insect poisoning.

Poaceae (Gramineae):

Cynodon dactylon:

Local name: Dub, Dob; Hariali.

Uses:

The rhizome is useful in genito-urinary disorders. Plant decoction, is diuretic and considered useful in dropsy.

Lamiaceae (Labiatae):

Ocimum americanum:

Local name: Bapji; Kali-tulsi (Hindi).

Uses:

The leaves are made into a paste and used in parasitical skin diseases, flowers are used as remedy for cold and cough. Plant is stimulant and insecticide.

Malvaceae:

Abutilon asiaticum:

Local name: Kanghi (Hindi).

Uses:

Leaves are demulcent and diuretic; useful in gonorrhoea and in stone of the bladder.

Sida cordifolia:

Local name: Kungyi (Hindi).

Uses:

The root is astringent, cooling, tonic and useful in nervous and urinary diseases. The root bark is said to be effective in curing cases of facial paralysis and sciatica.

Mimosaceae:

Acacia nilotica:

Local name:

Babul, Bambul, Bawal; Kikar (Hindi).

Uses:

Pods soaked in cow’s milk and dried in shade, when ground and mixed with sugar, are given with milk in sexual impotency and other diseases of urinogenital system. The gum, inferior to gum Arabic, with honey, one tola each, latex of Calotropis procera (1/4th of the tola) and fine earth are mixed and administrated in the form of pills thrice daily for cure against asthma.

The gum is also useful in diarrhoea, dysentery and diabetes. In about 1 litre of water, 200 gm. of babul thorns are boiled and the water is allowed to evaporate to 1/4th of a litre. This decoction is taken as a cure against pain in the joints. It is reported to cause heavy sweating and 1-3 such doses completely cures the patient.

Acacia leucophloea:

Local name: Reonja, Safed-Kikar (Hindi).

Acacia senegal:

Local name: Kumat; Sevtakhadira (Sanskrit).

Uses:

The gum is demulcent, emolient and is the true gum Arabic. It is used as a emulsifying agent and used internally for intestinal mucous and externally to cover the inflamed surfaces such as burns and sores.

Prosopis cineraria:

Local name: Khejri, Jhand (Hindi).

Uses:

Flowers are pounded and mixed with sugar and eaten by women during pregnancy as a safe guard against miscarriage. The bark is useful as a remedy in rheumatism.

Nyctaginaceae:

Boerhaaviavia diffusa:

Local name: Santa (Hindi).

Uses:

The roots, crushed and boiled, are considered to be useful in night blindness. These are diuretic, laxative and expectorant and useful in asthma, stomachache, anaemia, jaundice, intestinal inflammations, fever, etc.

Papaveraceae:

Argemone Mexicana:

Local name:

Satyanashi, Unt-Kantalia; Shialkanta (Hindi).

Uses:

Seeds are laxative, emetic, expectorant and demulcent. Yellow juice of the plant is used for dropsy, jaundice and cutaneous affections; when rubbed on effected parts it relieves rheumatic pain.

Poaceae:

(See Gramineae)

Polygonaceae:

Calligounum polygonoides:

Local name: Phog.

Uses:

Small leaves when crushed give a juice, which is used for washing the eyes as a cure against the latex of Calotropis procera (Aak).

Rhamnaceae:

Zizyphus nuiuritiana:

Local name: Ber, Bor; Badari (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Bark is considered as remedy in diarrhoea. Fruit are mucilaginous, pectoral, styptic and considered to purify blood and improve designation.

Zizyphus nummularia:

Local name:

Ber, Bordi, Bori, Jharber (Hindi); Bhubadari (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Fruit are cooling, astringent and useful in bilious affections.

Salvadora oleoides:

Local name: Jal; Badapilu (Hindi); Pilu (Sanskrit) also for fruits.

Uses:

Leaves are used as purgative and as a cure for cough. Root bark is vesicant. Fruit are aphrodisiac and sweet in taste. Oil from the seeds is useful for application in rheumatism and affections after child birth. The seeds contain a fatty and an ethereal oil.

Salvadora persica:

Local name:

Jal; Chota-pilu (Hindi); Brihatpilu (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Root bark is vesicant. Fruit is carminative, diuretic and de-obstruent.

Simaroubaceae:

Balanites aegyptiaca:

Local name:

Hingote; Hingan (Hindi); Ingudi (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Leaves are purgative and anthelmintic. Bark is rich in saponisides with diosgenin predominant, which can be extracted by hydrolysis. Diosgenin can be used for the manufacture of cortisones and sex hormones. Fruit is considered useful for boils, leucoderma and other skin diseases. Kernel of seeds yield 43 per cent of bland yellow oil, which in Uganda is used as a remedy for sleeping sickness and in Spain as purgative. The seeds are expectorant and useful in whooping cough.

Commiphora mukul:

Local name: Gugul.

Uses:

The gum is astringent, antiseptic, carminative and expectorant, aphrodisiac, demulcent, apetite, stimulant and digestion improver. The resin is also used in the form of lotion for indolent ulcers and as gargel in Pyrrhoea alveolaris, chronic tonsilitis and pharyngitis. Inhalation of the fumes from the burning gum is recommended in hay fever, chronic bronchitis, chronic nasal catarrh, laryngitis and phthisis.

Solanaceae

Datura metal:

Local name:

Dhatura, Dhola; Sadah-dhatura (Hindi).

Uses:

Seeds are used in insanity, fever and cerebral complications, diarrhoea and skin diseases. These are also used in asthma, hydrophobia and malaria fever. They also render the liquor more intoxicating.

Solanum nigrum:

Local name:

Chirpoti, Makko, Kakamachi (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Decoction of the levels is diuretic and laxative. Fruit are useful in fever, diarrhoea, eye diseases and hydrophobia.

Withania somnifera:

Local name:

Argan, Chirpotam, Asgand (Hindi); Asvagandika (Sanakrit).

Uses:

Root is tonic, diuretic, narcotic, abortifacient and useful in rheumatism, consumption and debility from old age.

Tiliaceae:

Corchorus depressus:

Local name:

Hadera-khet; Baphuli (Hindi), Bahuphali (Gujarati).

Uses:

Infusion of the leaves is demulcent, laxative, carminative, stimulant, apetiser, and bitter tonic, useful in dysentery, dyspepsia and liver disorders. The entire plant is dried in shade and powered. This is taken with goat’s milk in sexual impotency and it has been reported ‘hat in about week the weakness is made up.

Verbenaceae:

Clerodendrum multiflorum:

Local name: Ami, Yerna.

Uses:

Juice of the leaves is alternative and given in neglected syphilis complaints. Roots is bitter tonic.

Zygophyllaceae:

Fogonia cretica:

Local name:

Damasa; Damahan (Hindi); Dusparsha (Sanskrit).

Uses:

Plant is bitter, astringent, tonic, febrifuge, prophylactic against small-pox and useful in dropsy, delirium and any disorder which is caused by poisoning. It is also useful in cough, fever, asthma, dysentery, skin diseases and as cooling agent. Boiled residue of the plant in water is used for abortion.

Peganum harmala:

Local name:

Hurmal; lsband (Hindi).

Uses:

The decoction of leaves is given in rheumatism. Seeds are narcotic, given in fever and colic; also used as remedy for tapeworm in man.

Tribulus alatus:

Local name:

Bakda; Gokhuri-kalan (Hindi).

Uses:

Fruits are cooling, diuretic-tonic, aphrodisiac and useful in urinary diseases. In the form of infusion they are useful in gout and kidney diseases.

Tribulus terrestris:

Local name:

Gokhru, Kanti, Konti; Chota-gokhru (Hindi).

Uses:

Fruits are diuretic, tonic, aphrodisiac, useful in urinary discharges and impotence; in the form of infusion useful as diuretic in gout and kidney diseases.