Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Pittosporum napaulense (DC.) Rehder & E.H. Wilson [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu. "Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian Medicinal Plants. (1918)].
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Pittosporum napaulense (DC.) Rehder & E.H. Wilson [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
111. Pittosporurn floribundum, W. and A.
H.F.B.I., I. 199.
Syn. : — Celastrus verticillata, Eoxb. 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 * 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 nrnbelled, glabrous.
Leaves
pale beneath, margin waved, 4-6 in. (Brandis). 2-8 by J -3
in. (H. /. 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
17
130 INDIAN MEDICINAL PLANTS.
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, | 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
diarrhoea (Pharmaco. Indica).
The late M. 0. 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 Thera-
peutical 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."
(Seep. 948, Proceedings of the Second Session of the
x^ustrala-
sia CongressJ
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,
scia-
tica, 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
N. O. POLYGALACE^E. 131
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.)
[Pankaj
Oudhia’s Comment: Through Ethnobotanical surveys I have collected
information about over 40,000 Herbal Formulations for Diabetes complications in
which Pittosporum bark is added as primary, secondary, tertiary and nonary
ingredients. In over 25000 Formulations for Diabetes complications Pittosporum
bark and roots mixed in different proportion are used. In treatment of
respiratory diseases the Traditional Healers use it after purification. The
purification process takes 1 to 7 days. In over 23000 Herbal Formulations for
respiratory diseases Pittosporum parts are added as quaternary ingredient. In
treatment of different types of wound Pittosporum is added in over 55000
Formulations in form of different types of ingredients. Please see Tables
Pitto-1 to Pitto-350 for details.]
E-documents on Pittosporum
Citation
Oudhia, Pankaj (2013).
Pankaj Oudhia’s Notes on Pittosporum
napaulense (DC.) Rehder & E.H. Wilson [Kirtikar, Kanhoba Ranchoddas, and Baman Das Basu.
"Indian Medicinal Plants." Indian
Medicinal Plants. (1918)]. www.pankajoudhia.com
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