Allium sativum is a perennial bulbous plant growing to a height of about 2 ft. The plant is strong smelling when crushed and the underground portion consists of compound bulb with many fibrous rootlets. The bulb gives rise to a number of narrow keeled grass-like leaves above the ground. Leaf blade is linear, flat, solid 1–2.5…
The ethanolic extract of the plant was found to reduce total serum cholesterol, triglycerides, phospholipids and nonesterified fatty acids after oral administration in hyperlipidaemic rats. Besides, high-density lipoprotein was elevated in the animals. The ethanolic extract of the plant when administered to rats through gastric intubation at different time intervals showed enhanced neuro-peptide synthesis. The…
The plant is a small procumbent herb found in open grassy places almost throughout India, ascending to 6,000 ft., in the Himalayas. It is a fulvous hairy herb, woody at the base and leaves are linear to oblong, small and sub-sessile with trichomes on both surfaces. One to three pink flowers occur together, which are…
The root, leaves, and different extracts of the plant exhibit many pharmacological properties. The plant is reported with adaptogenic, hypoglycemic, anti-amoebic and immunomodulant activity. It possesses potent anti-fibrinolytic, anti-inflammatory properties and has demonstrated reduction of IUCD-induced menorrhagia in experimental animals. Punarnavoside is an anti-fibrinolytic agent and liridodendron and hypoxanthine-9-arabinofuranoside are antihypertensive agents (calcium channel blocker).…
Highly branched stem is greenish purple, swollen at nodes, prostrate, or ascending to a height of up to 1m. Leaves silvery on the undersurface are simple, thick and glabrous. Flower is small pink or white on long axillary peduncled umbellate clusters. Root is stout fusiform with a woody rootstock and has a bitter nauseous taste.…
Punarnava Punarnava refers to Boerrhavia diffusa Linn Family: Nyctaginaceae. The dried, mature whole plant is used in traditional medicine. The plant is an herbaceous perennial growing all over India as a common creeping weed and is specially abundant during the rains. Synonym B. repens Linn, B. procumbens Roxb, B. verticillata Figure 9.1 Boerhaavia diffusa Figure 9.2 Boerhaavia verticillata Common vernacular names English: Spreading Hogweed,…
Worldwide re-emergence of utilization of plant-based therapies has opened up a huge potential for the herbal drug industry. There is expansive commercialization of plant-derived products for use as health foods, cosmaceuticals, nutritional supplements and as fast-moving consumer goods. It is time to take classical recipes of ayurveda, siddha, and other indigenous medical systems also to…