by U Hla Maw, B.Sc., Research Officer, Pharmaceuticals Section, Applied Chemistry, Research Department, Union of Burma Applied Research Institute, 1959.
Copied from the original (typewriter copy) by U Kyaw Tun (UKT) in 1985 August. HTML version by UKT, and staff of TIL for staff and students of TIL. Edited by UKT for incorporating into Myanmar Medicinal Plant Database. Not for sale.
Contents of this page:
01• Abrus pecatorius
02• Acacia catechu
03• Acorus calamus
04• Adhatoda vasica
05• Aegle marmelos
06• Allium sativum
07• Aloe barbadensus
08• Alpinia officinarum
09• Alstonia scholaris
10• Anacardium occidentale
11• Anadrographis panicalata
12• Antiaris toxicaria
13• Apium graveolens
14• Aristolochia indica
15• Arundo donax
16• Azadirachta indica
Synonyms: The Indian or Wild Liquorice; Crab's Eyes
Vernacular name: Ywe-nge, Ywe-gale
Botanical origin: Abrus pecatorius Linn
Family: Papilionaceae
Part used: Roots
Distribution: Pyinmana, Pyawbwe, Yamethin, Shan States
Plant: A creeping or climbing woody vine with pinnately compound leaves; rose or white flowers and bright scarlet red seeds.
Constituents:
1. 8% acrid resin. (1)
2. Toxic protein abrine. (2)
3. 1.5% of a substance resembling glycerrhizin. (1)
Uses: Aphrodisiac, tonic, fever, stomachic, head complaints, asthma, thirst, tuberculosis glands, caries of teeth, sore throat, and rheumatism.
N.B. Root substitute for glycyrrhiza
Synonyms: Black catechu or Black cutch
Vernacular name: Sha
Botanical origin: Acacia catechu Willd.
Family: Mimosaceae
Part used: Heart wood
Distribution: Prome, Minbu, Minhla, Dry Zone, etc.
Plant: A moderate-sized tree with dark brown bark peeling off in long strips; stipular spines short, recurved, brown, glossy.
Constituents: 1. 25% Phlobatannin called Catechu-tannic acid. (1)
Uses: Astringent
Preparation: Tincture catechu, Pulvis catechu compositus (I.P.)
Synonyms: Sweet Flag, Sweet Root, Sweet Cinnamom, Sweet Cane, Sweet or Grass Myrtle, Calamus Root, Radix Acori, Radix Calami Aromatica
Vernacular name: Lin-ne
Picture not available from Shin Naagathein
Botanical origin: Acorus calamus Linn.
Family: Araceae
Part used: Dried rhizome
Distribution: Rangoon, Taunggyi, Taunglelon, Mongnai (Southern Shan State), Bilin, Kyaikmaraw, Peinnegon, Yedwingon, Naunglon, Natsan, Mekaru (Moulmein)
Plant: A perennial herb with a horizontal aromatic rhizome.
Constituents:
1. Volatile oil - 1.5 to 3.5 %
2. Acorin - bitter, viscid, aromatic glucosidal principle
3. Choline - Trimethyl-oxyethyl-ammonium hydrate
4. Soft resin - about 2.3 %
5. Tannin, mucilage, starch and calcium oxalate. (3)
Uses: Emetic, nauseant, antispasmodic, carminative, chronic diarrhoea stimulant.
Preparation: Infusum calami, Tinctura calami (I.P.C.)
Synonyms:
Vernacular name: Mayagyi, Yemagyi, Mauksalun
Picture not available from Shin Naagathein
Botanical origin: Adhatoda vasica Nees
Family: Acanthaceae
Part used: Fresh and dried leaves
Distribution: Taunggyi, Taunglelon reserved forest (Southern Shan State), Hsipaw, Loikaw, Syriam, Kyaikmaraw, Kado (Moulmein)
Plant: A dense shrub with many long opposite ascending branches, stem with yellowish bark, terete, glabrous, leaves elliptic-lanceolate, acuminate, minutely pubescent when young, glabrous when mature, entire, inflor. a short dense axillary paniculate spike.
Constituents:
1. 0.25% of alkaloid vasicine
2. Odorous volatile principle of the nature of an essential oil. (4)
Uses: Expectorant, chronic and acute bronchitis
Synonyms: Bael fruit
Vernacular name: Okshit
Botanical origin: Aegle marmelos Corr
Family: Rutaceae
Part used: Fresh half ripe fruit
Distribution: Minbu, Minhla, Pakokku, Dry Zone, along Moulmein-Mudon road
Plant: A medium-sized deciduous tree armed with straight sharp axillary thorns; leaves alternate, trifoliate, flowers large, white in axillary panicles; fruit large, globose, ovoid or reniform, many seeds, rind woody.
Constituents:
1. Marmelosin. (5)
2. Mature bark contain ɣ-fragine 0.3%, umbelliferone 0.6% and marmesin 0.6%. (6)
Uses: Laxative, diuretic, chronic diarrhoea and dysenteries
Synonyms: Garlic
Vernacular name: Kyet-thun-phyu
Picture not available from Shin Naagathein
Botanical origin: Allium sativum Linn
Family: Liliaceae
Part used: Fresh bulb
Distribution: Taunglelon, Hsi-Seng, Shan States
Plant: A perennial strong smelling bulbous herb
Constituents:
1. Up to 0.9% of volatile oil containing diallyl disulphide and allylpropyl disulphide. (7)
2. Glucoside allin. (7)
3. Allicin. (8)
Uses: Diaphoretic, diuretic, expectorant, bronchitis, carminative
Preparation: Succus Allii, Syrupus Allii, Tictura Allii (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: Aloes, Curacae Aloe, Barbados Aloe
Vernacular name: Sha-zaung-let-pat
Picture not available from Shin Naagathein
Botanical origin: Aloe vera Linn syn. Aloe barbadensus Miller
Family: Liliaceae
Part used: Dried juice of the leaves
Distribution: Prome, Zigon, Mongnai, Taunglelon (Southern Shan State)
Plant: A perennial herb with an extensive fascicled root system and a rosette of 12-20 thick succulent lanceolate leaves and a raceme of flowers.
Constituents: 1. Glucoside Barbaloin, aloe-emedin bitter resin isobarbaloin (7)
Uses: Purgative in colon constipation, contraindicated in hemorrhoids, menstruation and pregnancy, antiseptic (U Nu, U.B.A.R.I.)
Preparation: Compound Benzoin Ticture (U.S.P., B.P.)
Extractum Aloes (I.P.)
Synonyms: The Lesser Galangal, Chinese Ginger, China Root, East Indian Root, Rhizome Galangae
Vernacular name: Padegaw-gale
Picture not available from Shin Naagathein
Botanical origin: Alhinia officinarum Hance
Family: Zingiberaceae
Part used: Rhizome
Distribution: Insein, Hanthawaddy, Hsi-seng, Yawnghwe, Heho, Kalaw, Hsu-ga (Southern Shan State)
Plant: A perennial herb bearing stems about 1 m. in height which are covered by the leaf sheaths of narrow laneolate leaves. The inflorescence is a short raceme of white flowers that are shaded and veined with dull red.
Constituents:
1. 0.5 to 1.0 % of a cineol containing volatile oil
2. Soft acrid resin containing a pungent principle, galangol
3. Three yellowish crystalline principles: Alpinin, Galangin and Kaemferid. (1)
Uses: Aromatic stimulant, condiment, carminative.
Synonyms:
Vernacular name: Lettok, Taung-mook
Not included in Shin Naagathein
Botanical origin: Alstonia scholaris R.Br.
Family: Apocynaceae
Part used: Dried bark
Distribution: Insein, Tharawaddy, Zigon, Lawksauk, Kalaw, Hsi-Seng (Southern Shan State), traces throughout Burma.
Plant: A tall evergreen tree with bitter milky juice and whorled leaves base often buttressed; leaves very coriaceous, whitish beneath, flowers pubescent, follicle very long and slender.
Constituents:
1. Bitter principle ditain
2. Alkaloids - ditamine, echitamine, alstonine
3. Acid and resinous substances. (9)
Uses: Malarial fever, chronic diarrhea (alternate spelling: diarrhoea) and advanced stages of dysentery
Preparation: Extractuas Alstoniae Liquidum, Tintura Alstoniae (I.P.)
Synonyms: Cashew nut
Vernacular name: Thiho-thayet
Botanical origin: Anacardium occidentale Linn
Family: Anacardiaceae
Part used: Fruits
Distribution: Mergui, Tavoy, Syriam
Plant: A small tree with ovate leaves and panicles of red flowers, fruit 1in. on a pyriform fleshy recepticle
Constituents:
1. Cardol (Mesocarp) - Yellowish or reddish oily vesicating substance
becoming darker on exposure to air
2. Anacardic acid - Pericarp
3. Tannic acid - Pericarp
4. 40 to 50 % of fixed oild - seed (1)
Uses: Vesicant, vermifuge, escharotic, leprosy
Synonyms: The Creat
Vernacular name: Se-ga-gyi
Botanical origin: Andrographis paniculata Nees
Family: Acanthaceae
Part used: Leaves
Distribution: Twante, Taunggyi reserved forest, Kalaw range (Southern Shan State), traces in Moulmein, Mudon, Rangoon, Hmawbi
Plant: An erect branched annual, 1-3 feet with quadrangular stems base not pubescent; leaves 2½ by ½ - ¾ in., narrowed at both ends, ovate at base, paler beneath, flowers in racemes
Constituents:
1. Bitter principle Andrographolide 0.8 - 2.5 % (10)
Uses: Relieve griping, irregular stools, loss of appetite, general debility, dysentery, dyspepsia, febrifuge
Preparation: Extractum Kalmegh Liquidum (I.P.)
Synonyms: Arrow poison
Vernacular name: Hmar-seik
Botanical origin: Antiaris toxicaria (Pers) Lesch
Family: Moraceae
Part used: Sap and seeds
Distribution: Pegu to Martaban
Plant: A majestic tree attaining 250 feet with oblong-acute entire leaves 3 - 6 by 1½ - 3", which are scabrid above and hirsutely tometose beneath, fruit like a fig, purple scarlet or crimson pyriform, velvety, intensely bitter, tipped with a few bracts
Constituents:
1. Glucosides - alpha-Antiarin, beta-Antiarin,
gamma-antiarin, antiaresin, toxicarin glucoside possesses
strong digitalis-like action on the heart, an amorphous body. alpha-Antiarin
with similar toxic effect has been isolated. (11)
7.5 mg of water-soluble extract per kg proved fatal to a cat in half an hour. (12)
Uses: Sap - arrow poison. Seeds - febrifuge, dysentery.
Synonyms: Celery seed, Celery fruit, Apii Fructus
Vernacular name: Tayok-nan-nan
Botanical origin: Apium graveolens Linn
Family: Umbelliferae
Part used: Dried ripe fruit
Distribution: Kachin States, Chin Hills (wild), Lawksawk, Mongnai, Taunglelon (Southern Shan State), Bauktaw, Kamayut (Rangoon) cultivated.
Plant: A biennial (sometimes annual) herb, leaves 6-15" long and possess 3 pairs and a terminal leaflet, all coarsely serrate and ternately lobed or divided, inflorescence compound umbell or small white flowers
Constituents:
1. Up to 3 % of a colorless volatile oil containing d-limone. (7).
Uses: Stimulant and condiment
Synonyms: Indian Birthwort
Vernacular name: Eik-thara-muli
Botanical origin: Aristolochia indica Linn
Family: Aristolochiaceae
Part used: Dried stem and bark
Distribution: Sagaing, Shwebo, Pa-an Division, Indu
Plant: A shrub with twining long stems which are slender and woody at the base, grooved and glabrous; leaves of various forms from linear-oblong to obovate-oblong or subpanduriform, usually obtuse acuminate, glabrous, subcordate or subtruncate or rounded, inflorescence, axillary few flowered racemes
Constituents:
1. iso-Aristolochic acid, allantoin, 0.05 % alkaloid aristolochin, essential oil containing carbonyl compounds (13)
Uses:
Preparation: Tincture Aristolachia (I.P.), Liquor Aristolochine Concentratus
(I.P.C.)
Synonyms:
Vernacular name: Alo-kyu
Botanical origin: Arundo donax Linn
Family: Graminaceae
Part used: Rhizome
Distribution: Naga Hills altitude 5000-8000 feet
Plant: A tall stout perennial grass, stem creeping below, leaf base amplexicaul, panicle erect thyrsiform, spikelets 3-4 flowered
Constituents:
1. 0.028 % graminine (donaxine)
2. A new alkaloid donaxarine (14)
Uses: Emollient, diuretic, stimulate menstrual discharge and diminish the secretion of milk
Synonyms: Margosa, Neem
Vernacular name: Tama
Botanical origin: Azadirachta indica A. Juss
Family: Meliaceae
Part used: Leaves and seeds
Distribution: Pakokku, Myingyan, Meiktila, along Pyinmana-Thazi railroad, Dry Zone
Plant: A glabrous deciduous tree 10-50 feet with pinnate 20-45 cm leaves crowded near the end of the branches, leaflets 9-15, opposite, subopposite or alternate lanceolate, acuinate, oblique, serrate, glabrous, short petioled
Constituents:
1. Margesine
2. Bitter amorphous resin
3. Margosic acid
4. Tannic acid (4)
Uses: Parasitotropic affections of the skin, eczema, scabies, prevent against small pox and other skin infections
Preparation: Extractum Neem Folii Liquidum, Infusum Neem, Sodium- and Potassium Margosates, Tinctura Neen (I.P.C.)
N.B. Substitute for gentian and quassia.
End of TIL file