Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Pittosporeæ
N. O. PITTOSPOREÆ.
111. Pittosporum floribundum, W. and A. h.f.b.i., i. 199.
Syn.:—Celastrus verticillata, Roxb. 209.
Vern.:—Tibilti (Nepal); Bongzam (Lepcha); Yekdi; Yekadi (Bomb.); Vehkali; Vikhari; Vehyenti; yekadi (Mar.).
Habitat:—Subtropical Himalaya, from Sikkim to Garwhal. Khasia hills and Mishmi; Western Peninsula, Concan to the Nilgiri.
A small evergreen tree, very handsome. "Bark very thin, light greenish-grey, with very prominent horizontal lenticels, up to nearly ½ in, long. Wood white, moderately hard, close-grained. Pores small, often sub-divided or in strings, scanty or irregularly distributed. Medullary rays fine to moderately broad" (Gamble). Branches often umbelled, glabrous. Leaves pale beneath, margin waved, 4-6 in. (Brandis). 2-8 by 1-3 in. (H. ƒ. and Th.), glabrous, shining, coriaceous, acute or acuminate, lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate. Flowers yellow, numerous, small, pubescent, in much-branched, terminal, compound, dense corymbs, sometimes leafy below; branches 1-3 in., spreading, glabrous or pubescent; sepals ovate, obtuse or acute, subciliate. Petals erect, claws connivent. Stamens 5, erect; anthers 2-celled, introrse, bursting by slits. Style glabrous. Ovary pubescent, sessile, incompletely 2-3-celled. Ovules 2 or more on each placenta. Capsule glabrous, ¼ in. diam.; pisiform, woody 2-rarely 3-valved; valves coriaceous, placentiform in the middle. Seeds 1-4, occasionally numerous, smooth, embedded in a pulp.
Uses:—The bark is bitter and aromatic, and is said by natives of the Western Ghats to possess narcotic properties. It is used in doses of 5 to 10 grs. as a febrifuge, and in doses of 50 grs., is believed to be a specific for snake poisoning; 5 to 10 grain doses of the dried bark given with benefit in chronic bronchitis. It is a good expectorant, but in one or two cases in which it was tried in Bombay, it gave rise to dysenteric diarrhœa (Pharmaco. Indica).
The late M. C. Periera of Bandra, an Assistant in the Bombay Medical Stores, used to prepare a tincture of the bitter bark. In exhibiting a specimen of the Tincture at the Therapeutical Section of the International Medical Congress of Australasia, held in Melbourne in January 1889, Surgeon Major K. R. Kirtikar said thus:—"The tincture contains a volatile oil which is said to act as an antiseptic and stimulant to the mucous membrane of the bronchi. The dose of the tincture is a drachm and a half, thrice daily in water or honey." (See p. 948, Proceedings of the Second Session of the Australasia Congress.)
In Travancore, half-a-teaspoonful doses are given internally in leprous affections, and the oil beaten up with the kernels and shells of castor oil seeds, is used as a remedy for itch, (Dymock.)
In physiological action, the oil is alterative, tonic, and a local stimulant, and appears also to have a specific effect on certain skin diseases. It has been recommended for trial as a local application in rheumatism, leprosy, sprains and bruises, sciatica, chest affections and phthisis, ophthalmia, and the various forms of skin diseases. Internally it may be prescribed in doses of from 15 minims to 2 drachms in cases of leprosy, various forms of cutaneous disease, secondary syphilis and chronic rheumatism. It must, however, be employed with caution, as in certain cases it is said to act as a gastro-intestinal irritant, producing vomiting and purging (Watt.)
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