MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

                 

Species                                   : Premna herbacea Roxb

Local Name                             :

Synonym                                 :

Family                                      : Verbenaceae

Habitat                                   : A small under shrub or sometimes a herb.

Distribution                            : Distributed in sub-tropical Himalayas at an altitude of 200-1000 m.

Sikkim                                     : Damthang, Dentam to Pemayangtse and other part of region.

Outside                                   : From kumaoun eastward to Bhutan, Assam extending southwards through WestBengal, Bihar, Orissa into

                                                 the Deccan Peninsula.

Morphological information

A small undershrub; stem hardly any; flowering branches 2.5-10 cm springing up after the junglefires. Leaves 10 by 5-7.5 cm sessile, obovate, obtuse, mature, and pubescent on the nerves,microscopically dotted above, minutely deciduously pubescent beneath, nerves 5 pairs. Corymbs 3.8cm diameter, pubescent somewhat dense; peduncle 0-3.8 cm. Calyx 2.5 mm, sub equally 5-toothed,closely pubescent; lobes ovate, obtuse. Corolla 4 mm greenish white hairy in the throat 4-lobedobscurely 2 lipped. Drupe 6 mm diameter, globose.

Flowering                     : March-April

Fruiting                        : April-June

History                        :

Parts                           : Leaves and root.

Status                         : Low risk.

Phytochemistry          : A novel diterpenoid quinonemthide-bharangin- isolated and characterized.

 

Medicinal

Leaves-alternative, prescribed in fever, cough and rheumatism; poultice in boils. Roots- alternative, bitter, stomachic, tonic, stimulant; beneficial in asthma, cough, fever and scrofulous diseases.

Traditional

The leaves and roots (10-15 ml) extract is administered orally in case of fever, asthma. The paste is applied on rheumatism and boils.

 


Reference

1. Anonymous. (1961). The Wealth of India. Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 250-251.

2. Bhujel, R.B. (1996). Studies on the Dicotyledonous Flora of Darjeeling District. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis University of North Bengal. 651.

3. Chatterjee, Asima; Satyesh Chandra Pakrashi. The Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants (Vol. 4) Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi. 237-238.

4. Grierson, A.J.C. & D.G. Long (1999). Flora of Bhutan (Vol. 2, Part 2). Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 924.

5. Kirtikar, K.R.; B.D. Basu (1993). Indian Medicinal Plants. Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Dehradun. 1931. 6. Progress Report of the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998-2001). State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim.