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| Latin Names |
English Name |
Sanskrit Name |
Hindi Names |
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Vanda roxburghii
R.Br. (Orchidaceae) /
Vanda tessellata
Lodd. ex Loud. /
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Vanda Orchid
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Rasna |
Banda, Persara
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| History |
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Rasna was said
to be bitter and useful in treating rheumatism. It was an ingredient
in oils prepared for rheumatism.
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| Habitat |
It grows from
Uttar Pradesh to West Bengal and extends to the south of India.
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| Morphology
Description (Habit) |
It is an epiphytic
orchid with special whitish grey coloured velamen roots for the absorption
of water. The leaves are thickly coriaceous, recurved, complicate
obtusely keeled, and 15-20 cm. x 1.3-2.0 cm in size. The flowers are
in 6-10-flowered racemes. Sepals are tessellated with brown lines
and white margins. Petals are yellow with brown lines and yellow margins,
shorter than the sepals. Lips are bluish, dotted with purple and side
lobes are rising from the mouth of the spur. The spur is straight
and conical. The capsules are narrowly clavate-oblong, with acute
ribs and a short pedicel.
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| Principal
Constituents |
Heptacosane (C27H56)
containing traces of the higher homologue (C29H60)
and octacosanol (C28H58O) containing traces
of higher homologue (C30H62O), (C32H66O) were
identified.
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| Pharmacology |
Heptacosane and
octacosanol show anti-inflammatory activity. The observations are
interesting as the anti-inflammatory activity of the long-chain alkanes
and alkanols range from C27 to C32 which are ubiquitous in plants1.
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| Toxicology |
No adverse effect
was reported on usage of this plant as drug.
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| Indications |
The roots are used
in bronchitis and rheumatism. It enters into the preparation of medicated
oils, used externally in rheumatism and nervous troubles.
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| Product
Range |
Reosto, Muscle &
Joint Rub.
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| References |
-
Gupta et. al., Indian J. med. Res., 1946, 34,
253; Basu et. al., Curr. Sci., 1971, 40, 86.
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