Basic Information
Species : Taxus baccata Linn.
Local Name : Dhengre Sala (Nep), Chyong bu (Lep)
Synonym : T Wallichiana Zucc.
Family : Taxaceae
Habitat : Dioecious tree up to 30 m tall. Found in evergreen and coniferous forest of
temperate Himalaya.
Distribution
:
Found in temperate Himalayas
at the elevation of 6,000-11,000 ft.
Sikkim : Lachung-Yumey Samdong, Yumthang, Zem 3rd-Thongu, Kupup, Dzongri-Tsokha, Tolung-Kishong.
Outside : Jammu and Kashmir (Srinagar, Kistuar, Babarishi), U.P (Nainital, Chamoli, Kedarganga, Hemkund, Gangharia, Pinswar,
Nandadevi, Almora, Dunagiri, Amritganga Valley), Himachal. Pradesh (Shimla, Narkunda, Kinaur, MahasuBashaahr,
Bharmour, Manali, Dalhousie, Chamba, Kulu) Meghalaya (Khasia, Iyantia hills), West Bengal (Darjeeling, Panchasari,
Alubari). It is also distributed in Nepal,
Afghanistan, Myanmar and China.
Morphological information
It is a dioecious tree, up to 30 m tall, stem fluted; bark thin, reddish brown. Leaves linear flattened, curved, spiny tipped, leathery, dark glossy green above, polar beneath male strobili in catkins, stamens 10, pollen sacs 5-9. Female strobili, solitary, axillary. Fruits red fleshy, 8 mm long, surrounded the olive green single seed.
Flowering : April-October
Fruiting : April-October
History
:
Parts
: Bark, leaves.
Status : Vulnerable.
Phytochemistry
Structure of cephalomammine confirmed by X-ray analysis; tanol and two cytotoxic taxane congeners also identified (J.Org. Chem. 1981,46,1469; C. R. Seances Acad. Sci. 1981, 293, 501; Chem Abstr. 1982, 96, 177920h); three new taxan derivatives-18 hydroxybaccatinIII, 10-deacetylcephalomamine and 10-deacetyltaxol isolated (J.Nat.Prod.1981, 44, 312;C.R Seances Acad.Sci.1981, 293, 501;Chem Abstr.1982, 96,177920h), taxineA isolated and its structure determined (Ann.Chem.1982, 376); taxagifin isolated from leaves and its crystal satructureelucidated; a tetrool (I) also isolated (C.R. Seances Acad. Sci.1981, 293, 501;Chem.Abstr 1982, 96,1779 20h;Chem Commun 1982,495); three lignans conidendrin hydroxymatairesonol and isoliovil-isolated from roots, stems and needles,strructure of isoliovil determined (J. Nat. Prod. 1982, 45, 78).
Ayurvedic
The leaves are
exclusively used in Ayurvedic preparation. Important preparation
is Talisadya churna, Talisadya Vati, Sudarshan Churna, Lavan
Bhaskar Churna and kanakasav. Talisadya Churna 1-3 g is given
with 4-6 g honey twice a day in case of length, fever and
bronchial asthma.
Traditional
The decoction of leaves
(100-250 ml) is orally administered during whooping cough and
cold cough. (Project Report 1999, Nepali System).
Other
Taxol and alkaloid extracted from Taxus
baccata is an effective drug against ovarian and breast cancers.
It is considered effective as emmenagogue, antiseptic,
expectorant and as sedative. It is prescribed in asthma,
bronchitis, hiccough, indigestion, and epilepsy and as an
aphrodisiac. It has also been shown effiective in the other
types of cancers melanoma and in certain lung cancers
Reference
1. Chopra, R.N.; S.L. Nayar; I.C. Chopra (1999). Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants, National Institute of Science Communication New Delhi. 240.
2. Kumar, Sushil; Janardhan Singh; N.C. Shah; Vinay Ranjan (1997). Indian Medicinal and Aromatic plants facing Genetic erosion CIMAP, Lucknow. 196-199.
3. Kirtikar, K.R.; B.D. Basu (1994). Indian Medicinal Plant (Vol. 3). Bishen Singh Mandendra Pal Singh, Dehradun. 2382-2385.
4. Progress Report of
the Project "Studies on Medicinal Plants of Sikkim" (1998-2001).
State Council of Science and Technology for Sikkim.