Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Picrasma quassioides (D. Don) Benn. [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu.
"Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian
Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia
Introduction
Based on Ethnobotanical
surveys since year 1990 in different parts of India Pankaj Oudhia has
documented vital information about Medicinal Plants mentioned in the famous
publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918). Through this research document Pankaj
Oudhia has tried to present original document with additional notes. For
complete paper with pictures, Interactive Tables, Video and Audio clips please
visit pankajoudhia.com
For original publication by Kirtikar and Basu (1918) please visit https://archive.org/details/indianmedicinalp01kirt
248. — Picrasma quassioides, Benn. H. F. B. I.,
i. 520.
Syn. : — Simaba quassioides, Ham. Nima quassioides, Ham.
mss.
Vern. : — Bharangi or baringi (H.) ; Puthorin, bera, mathu,
bering, pesho, kashbar, birgo (Pb. Himalayan names, ; Shama
baringi (Nepal).
N. 0. SIMARUBEiE. 287
Habitat: — Sub-tropical Himalaya, from Jammu to Nepal.
Garwhal and Bhutan.
A tall, scrambling tree, witli stout, often spotted,
branches.
Bark very bitter ; light brown, rather smooth, shining, thin.
Wood bright yellow, moderately hard ; sapwood white. Annual
rings well-marked by a line of pores in the autumn wood.
Pores
moderately sized, unevenly scattered, except on the line of
the
annular rings. Medullary rays fine to moderately broad,
short,
distant, forming on a radial section a pretty silver-grain
(Gamble).
Leaves pubescent, a foot or more long, of 9-15 leaflets, the
lowest
pair much smaller and stipuliform ; leaflets 6-4 pair,
obovate,
acuminate, serrate, opposite, nearly sessile. Flower
polygamous,
in pubescent panicles ; small greenish, generally
pentamerous.
Calyx-segments small, imbricate. Petals ovate or obovate,
persistent in female and hermaphrodite flowers. Much enlarged
and coriaceous in fruit ; filaments strap-shaped, equalling
the
petals, villous, about the size of a pea, iin diam., black,
each
containing one erect seed.
Parts used : —The bark, root and leaves. [Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: All parts are used as medicine.]
Use : — Dr. Royle draws attention to the bark, wood and root
of this plant as quite as bitter as the quassia of the West
Indies,
for which it would doubtless prove an excellent substitute.
The Pharmacopoeia Indica regards this bark as worthy of
further attention.
The leaves, according to Stewart, are applied to itch.
248a. — P. javaniea, Bl. h. f. b. i., i. 520.
This large tree is common in the Ataran Forest Division,
Tenasserim
where it is called by the Karens "Napaw-ow." The
bark is exceedingly
bitter and is used by the Karens as a febrifuge instead of
quinine. The bark
contains a bitter principle allied to quassin, and has an
advantage in contain-
ing no tannin. There is no alkaloidal principle such as
quinine in the bark.
[Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: Picrasma parts are an integral part of hundreds of cancer
formulations in India. I have documented information about over 200,000
Traditional Herbal Formulations in which Picrasma is added as primary,
secondary, tertiary to nonary ingredient. It is use as cancer medicine
throughout India. In places where it is not available in forest the Traditional
Healers depend on Herb Traders and vendors. In different parts of India
different cancer herbs are used with this medicinally important species. The
Healers are well aware of its overdose, excess and toxicity. I have documented
information about hundreds of Formulations used to nullify the harmful effects
of Picrasma overdose, excess and toxicity. The Healers of Chhattisgarh, Orissa
and Jharkhand use it with Kalmegh and different types of Medicinal Orchids. It
is also used in combination with Traditional Medicinal Rice and Millets. Please
see Tables Picra-1 to Picra-350 for exhaustive and interesting information
about this species.]
E-documents on Picrasma
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Picrasma
quassioides (D. Don) Benn. [Kirtikar,
Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
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