Indian Medicinal Plants/Natural Order Valerianeæ

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Indian Medicinal Plants (1918)
Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

Natural Order Valerianæ

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4539114Indian Medicinal Plants — Natural Order Valerianæ1918Kanhoba Ranchoddas Kirtikar and Baman Das Basu

N. 0. VALERIANEÆ.

619. Nardostachys Jatamansi, Dc iii. 211.

Sans. : — Jatamânsi.

Vern. : — Balchar (H} ; Billi-lotan (Dec.) ; Sumbul (Bom.).

Habitat : — Alpine Himalaya, from Kumaon to Sikkim.

An erect perennial herb. Root-stock woody, long, stout, covered with fibres from the petioles of withered leaves. Stem 4-24in., more or less pubescent upwards, often glabrate below subscapose. Radical leaves 6-8 by lin., longitudinally nerved, glabrous or slightly pubescent, narrowed into the petiole ; cauline leaves 1-2 pairs, l-3in. long, sessile, oblong or subovate. Flower-heads usually 1, 3-5 ; bracts ¼in., oblong, usually pubescent. Corolla-tube 1/6in. long, somewhat hairy within, as are the filaments below. Fruit -§-in. long, covered with ascending white hairs, crowned by the ovate, acute,, often dentate calyx-teeth. C. B. Clarke says : — " There are two forms of this plant : a large flowered, with usually glabrous bracts, and a smaller one, with Corolla-tube, scarcely 1/6in. long, and the bracts densely, shortly hairy ; various intermediates occur" (P. 211, Vol 111 H. F Bl).

Uses : — It is prescribed by Hindoo physicians as a nervine tonic and aromatic adjunct, in the preparation of medicinal oils and ghritas (butter) (Dutt).

The author of the Makhzan considers it to be deobstruent and stimulant, diuretic and emmenagogue, and recommends it in various disorders of the digestive and respiratory organs, and as a nervine tonic in hysteria. He also notices the popular opinion that it promotes the growth and blackness of the hair. In doses of 45 grains, it is often employed as an expectorant in coughs and colds (Dymock.)

Ainslie says that in Southern India, the Vytians prepare a fragrant and cooling liniment from this drug, to be applied to the head and used internally as a blood purifier.

According to Sir Win. O'Shaughnessy, it is a perfect representative for Valerian. The roots are aromatic and bitter in taste. They are supposed to possess tonic, stimulant, and antispasmodic properties, and are often employed in the treatment of epilepsy, hysteria, and convulsive affections (Watt). Used in palpitation of the heart (Thompson, in Watt's Dictionary).

620. Valeriana officinalis, Linn, h.f.b.l, iii. 211.

Vern. '— Jal-lakri (H.) ; Kálá vála (Mar.); Jalajakan, billi-lotan (Ajmere).

Habitat : — North Kashmir ; Sonaming ; Kunzlwan.

Perennial herbs, subglabrous. Rootstock short, suberect, hardly thicker than the stem, stoloniferous. Stem 1-3 ft., erect, corymbose above, nodes minutely hairy. Leaves pinnate, segments numerous, narrow, entire or toothed. Radical leaves at flowering time or pinnate. The leaves on lateral offsets in autumn near the root are often ovate, entire or slightly toothed. Cauline leaves several, all pinnate. Upper bracts 1/10 in., oblong-linear, shorter than the fruits.

Uses — The root is officinal, being stimulant and antispasmodic. It is useful as an antispasmodic in hysteria, epilepsy, chorea and allied affections. As a stimulant, it is used in the advanced stages of fevers, low asthenic inflammations, &c. (Pharm. Ind.) As an antispasmodic, it is much inferior to assafœtida. Tn excessive doses, it causes headache, mental excitement, indicating a deranged state of the nervous system. In intermittents, it has been useful when combined with cinchona bark or other tonics. Baths of Valerian have been found very useful in acute rheumatism. The volatile oil of Valerian is also a good form of administration (Bentley & Trimen

621. V. Wallichii, DC. h.f.b.i.,iii. 213.

Syn. : — V. Jatamansi, Roxb. 55.

Vern. : — Mush kwáli, bala (Pb).

Habitat:— Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir to Bhotan, and Khasia Mountains. A pubescent, perennial herb. Rootstock horizontal, thick, with thick descending fibres. Radical leaves several, l-3in. diam., deeply cordate or cordate-ovate, usually acute and toothed, long-petioled. Cauline leaves few or much smaller, entire or pinnate. Corymb l-3in. diam., not very lax even in fruit. Bracteoles oblong-linear, as long as the fruits. Fruit hairy or nearly glabrous.

Use :--The roots are exported to the plains, and are used medicinally, like V. Hardwickii (Stewart).

622. V. Hardwickii, Wall, h.f.b.i., iii. 213.

Vern.: — Tágger (H. and B.) ; Tagger-ganthoda (Bomb.); Chammaha (Nepal) ; Naháni, chár, bála, taggar (Pb.) ; Shumeo, asárun (Kumaon) ; Char (C. P.).

Habitat : — Temperate Himalaya, from Kashmir to Bhotan, and Khasia Mountains.

A perennial herb, pubescent below. Rootstock hardly thickened, descending, fibrous. Stem l-5ft., erect, usually simple or corymbose only upwards, above often glabrous, nodes little pilose. Leaves pinnate, pinnules 1-5 or lanceolate, acute. Radical leaves undivided, usually disappearing before fruit-time ; long-petioled, ovate acute. Cauline leaves several, leaflets often 3, rarely more than 5, upper smaller. Corymb in fruit lax, often 1ft., repeatedly dichotomous, ultimate branchlets very small ; upper bracteoles much shorter than the fruit. Fruit hairy.

Use :— The medicinal properties attributed to it by the author of the Makhzan resemble those of N. Jatâmânsi. Royle says that the drug is used medicinally in Nepal and Northern India. There can be little doubt that it would prove an efficient substitute for valerian (Dymock).

623. V. Leschenaultii, DC. Var. Brunoniana, w. & a. h.f.b.i., iii 214.

Habitat : — Neilgherry Mts., frequent.

A perennial herb, glabrous, or very slightly puberulous. Root- stock short, enveloped by thick fibres. Stem erect, with 1-2 pair of leaves near the root, and another small pair about the middle, slightly hirsute on the knots. Leaves opposite, stipulate, somewhat fleshy, lower ones quite entire, ovate bluntly acuminated, long-petioled, radical ones often emarginate at the base ; uppermost or small pair somewhat sessile, narrow oblong, entire or toothed along the margin. Corymb terminal, trichotomous, panicled, with a pair of foliaceous bracts, similar to the uppermost leaves subtending the principal branches, C. B. Clarke describes this plant in Hooker's F. B. L, Vol III, p. 214, as a variety of V. Leschenaultii, D.C., and says that the cauline leaves are small, undivided or hardly any, fruit glabrous. Clarke further observes thus : — The scapose form has sometimes hairy fruits and Wight has been unable in his own herbarium to settle what he would call V. Leschenaultii and what V. Brunoniana.

Use : — It affords a root which develops a strong odour of valeric acid when dry, and yields to distillation with water a considerable amount of volatile oil. Dr. G. Bidie has recommended it as a good substitute for European Valerian (Pharmacographia Indica II p. 240.)