MEDICINAL PLANTS OF SIKKIM

 

 

Basic Information

 

Species                                    : Stephania japonica (Thumb.) Miers

Local Name                             : Tambarki (Nep), Kanthey (Lep)

Synonym                                 : Stephania hernandifolia (WiIId.) WaIp.

Family                                     : Menespermaceae

Habitat                                   : A slender twining shrub.

Distribution                            :

Sikkim                                     : Rongli, Gangtok-Bhusuk, Subaney Dara, Dikchu-Hee-Gyathang,

                                                                                                           Legshep-Tashiding, Bay, Melli-Jorethang.

Out side                                          : West Bengal (Kalimpong, Jaldhaka, Labung, Sungh, Shelphu, Latpanjar), Punjab, Dehradun, Bihar, Assam, East and

                                                       West Coast, Burma, Terai Forest, Orissa, Northern parts of Andhra Pradesh, India, Myanmar, China, Australia

                                                       Malaysia.        .

General                                           : Myanmar, China, Australia, Malaysia.

Morphological information

A widely climbing plant characterized by thread like hanging aerial roots. Bark grey corky; with lenticels, shoots glabrous. Leaves 2-4 in diameter, cordate, acute or acuminate; petiole 1.5-3 inches. Racemes exceeding the leaves, axillary terminal or on the old wood; bracts subulate. Flowers yellow, males fascicled, females usually solitary, glabrous. Petals cunate. Anthers oblong. Drupes in diameter  of the size of a pea or small cherry red.

Flowering                     : June-July

Fruiting                       : September-December

History                       :

Parts                          : Leaves, bark and root.

Status                        : Vulnerable.

Phytochemistry         : Two new hasubanan alkaloids-stephanaberrine and prostephanaberrine- isolated from fruits and their structure established.

 

Ayurvedic                  : The bitter root enters into the composition of a good many Ayurvedic preparations as a substitute for that of Cissampelos

                                  pariera Linn.

Traditional                : Leaves extract applied on boils and septic inflammations. Roots used for stomach disorders. The diabetes and the stomach colic

                                  are treated by the oral administration of the raw or dried root.

 

Reference

 

1. Anonymous (1961). The Wealth of India (Vol. 10). Publications and Information Directorate,CSIR, New Delhi. 42-43.

2. Anonymous (1992). The Useful Plants of India. Publications and Information Directorate, CSIR, New Delhi. 599.

3. Bhujel, R.B. (1996). Studies on the Dicotyledonous Flora of Darjeeling District. Unpublished Ph.DThesis University of North Bengal. 72.

4. Chatterjee, Asima; Satyesh Chandra Pakrashi,. The Treatise on Indian Medicinal Plants (Vol. 4) Publications and Information Directorate, New Delhi, 134-135.

5. Kirtikar, K.R.; B.D. Basu (1993). Indian Medicinal Plants (Vol. 1). Bishen Singh Mahendra Pal Singh Dehradun. 92-94.

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