MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

               

 

Species                              : Rhus succedanea Linn.

Local Name                        : Rani bhalayo (Nep), Sukung (Lep)

Synonym                            : R. aalminata

Family                                 : Anacardaceae

Habitat                                : A medium sized deciduous tree grows in dry hot slopes of the Himalayas.

Distribution                : Distributed in the warm temperate regions of both hemisphere.

Sikkim                         : Lingtham, Chungthang, Lachung road, Ringdam, Perna yangtse, Pandam, Melli Reserve Forest, Pangolakha-Padamchen,

                                       Jorethang, Tashiding, Rongli, Renock, Bay-Leek, Hee-Gyathang and others parts of the state.

Out side                      : West Bengal (Darjeeling), Bhutan (Chukka district, Punakha and Tashigang districts, upper Mo-chu district),

                                   Kashmir 3,000-4,000 ft, Khasia hills 2000-6000 ft, Japan, Burma, China.

Morphological information

A shrub or a tree. Young shoots glabrous. Leaves pinnate, 30-60 cm long, rhachis terete, glabrous. Leaflets 7-15, the lateral opposite or sub opposite, 6.3-15 an long, ovate oblong or lanceolate, long acuminate, entire, thin membranous, glabrous or nearly so, usually oblique; petioles of the lateral leaflets 5-10 mm long slender. Flowers 3.8 mm across in lender, drooping rather lax, axillary panicles, half as long as the leaves; pedicels 2.5-5 mm long, often puberulous; bracts caduceus. Calyx glabrous or nearly so, lobes ovate. Petals thrice as long as the calyx, oblong, obtuse with numerous dark veins. Styles connate at the base. Drupes nearly 7.5 mm diameter compressed, glabrous, shining, light brown, mesocarp fibrous and waxy.

Flowering                     : April-June

Fruiting                        : June-August

History                        :

Parts                           : Leaves, gall and fruit.

Status                         : Low risk

 

 

Phytochemistry

  Rhus flavanone, hinokiflavone, amentoflavone, agathisflavone, cupressuflavone and mesuaferrones A and B isolated (Tai-wan Wo Hsueh 1973, 26, 100; Chem. Abstr. 1973, 79, 15857 q; Tetrahedron Lett.1973, 4747; Phytochernistry 1974, 13, 276, 657); structure of rhusfiavone determined as 6, 8" -from seed kernel and characterized as 6, Vmbinaringenin (Phytochemistry 1975, 14, 1644); neorhusflavanone isolated and structure assigned as 8, 8'~-binaringenin (Heterocyloes 1978, 9, 663).

 

Medicinal

Galls on the branch are astringent, tonic, expectorant and stimulant used in diarrhoea and dysentery. Ethanol extract of leaves shows anti cancer and anti viral action. Fruits are used in the treatment of phthisis.

 


Reference

1. Anonymous (1992). The Useful Plants of India. Publications and Information Directorate, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 524.

2. Anonymous. (1994). The Wealth of India (Vol. 9) Council of Scientific Industrial Research, New Delhi. 20-22.

3. Bhujel, R.B. (1996). Studies on the Dicotyledonous Flora of Darjeeling District. Unpublished Ph.D Thesis University of North Bengal. 229

4. Grierson, A.I.C.; D.G. Long (1991). Flora of Bhutan (Vol. 2 part 1) Royal Botanic Garden, Edinburgh. 56.

5. Kirtikar, K.R.; B.D. Basu (1980). Indian Medicinal Plants (Vol. 2) Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh, Dehradun. 648-650.

6. Progress Report of the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998-2001). State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim.