 |
|
|
|
| Latin Name |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Hindi Name |
Abutilon indicum
Malvaceae
|
Country Mallow |
Atibala |
Kanghi |
|
| |
|
|
| History |
 |
The leaves,
bark and seeds of the plant seem to have been long in use among
the Hindus; on account of their mucilaginous and diuretic properties.
Reference to it are also found in Arabic and Persian books.
|
|
| Habitat |
The plant grows
as a weed, and is found abundantly in wastelands from the seashore
to 1,200 meters high in India and in the sub-Himalayan tracts.
|
|
 |
|
|
| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
|
It is a herbaceous or shrubby, softly tomentose plant. Stem is
round, often tinged with purple color. The leaves are petiolate,
ovate to orbicular-cordate, acuminate and toothed. Flowers are borne
solitary in long, jointed and axillary pedicels. Calyx lobes divided
in the middle, ovate and apiculate. Corolla is yellow or orange-yellow
and opens in the evening. Carpels are 15-20 in number. Fruits are
hispid, scarcely longer than the calyx and the awns are erect. Seeds
are three to five, kidney-shaped, dark brown or black, tubercled
or with minutely stellate hairs. The plant is variable and divided
into many subspecies, but these subspecies are not distinguished
for economic or medicinal purposes1.
|
|
|
| Principal
Constituents |
|
Alantolactone, isoalantolactone2 and gallic acid from
the roots3 were isolated.
|
|
|
| Pharmacology |
|
Helenin (a mixture of alantolactone and isoalantolactone, q.v.)
shows antibacterial, antifungal activities4. Gallic acid
showed analgesic activity in animal models5.
|
|
|
|
| Toxicology |
|
It is not a poisonous plant and there are no reports of any adverse
effects.
|
|
| Indications |
|
|
It is tonic and rejuvenating. It is used as an expectorant, cholagogue,
as an antiseptic in urinary tract infections and as a drug stimulating
intestinal secretion. An infusion of the root is prescribed in fevers
as a cooling medicine, and is considered useful in strangury and
hematuria.
|
|
| Product
Range |
|
|
Diabecon (GlucoCare).
|
|
| References |
|
-
Bot. Surv. India, 1970, 12, 276.
-
Phytochemistry, 1989, Vol. 28, pp. 3225.
-
Indian Drugs, 1989, Vol. 26, pp. 333.
-
Harborne et. al., 1999, Phytochemical Dictionary, Taylor
and Francis Ltd., London.
-
Indian Drugs, 1989, Vol. 26, pp. 333.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
