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.
22• Calotropis gigantae
23• Camellia sinensis
24• Cannabis sativa
25• Capsicum frutesscens
26• Cassia angustifolia
27• Cassia fistula
• Cassia alata
28• Cassia occidentalis
39• Centelia asiatica
30• Chenopodium ambrosoides
31• Cinchona ledgeriana
32• Cinnamomum camphora
33• Cinnamomum zeylanicum
34• Cissampelos pareira
35• Clerodendron infortunatum
36• Coriandrum sativum
37• Crocus sativus
38• Croton oblongifolius
39• Croton tiglium
40• Curcuma longa
41• Cymbopogon citratus
42• Cyperus rotundus
Synonyms: Gigantic Swallow Root
Vernacular name: Mayo
Botanical origin: Calotropis gigantae R.Br.
Family: Asclepiadaceae
Part used: Roots
Distribution: Throughout Burma
Plant: A tall shrub, 2-3 m high with stout branches, the younger branches are covered with fine cottony hairs, the older ones with less hair, leaves cuneate-obovate, base cordate axils bearded, smooth above, cottening beneath, Umbels peduncled, simple or compound, bracts long, flowers pale purple
Constituents:
1. Proteolytic enzyme
2. Glycosides - calotropin, uscharin and calotoxin (3)
Uses: Skin diseases, enlargement of abdominal viscera, intestinal works, cough, ascites, small doses cause vomitting and diarrhoea
Preparation: Pulvis Calotropis, Tinctura Calotropis (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: Tea Leaves
Vernacular name: La-phet
Botanical origin: Camellia sinensis (L) O. Kuntze
Family: Terustroemiaceae
Part used: Prepared leaves and leaf buds
Distribution: Upper Burma Hills, Shan States, Kachin State, Wa State
Plant: Evergreen shrubs 3-5 feet high with alternate elliptical or oblong-lanceolate, shiny, coriaceous, short petioled, serrated leaves, white axillary flowers and capsular fruits
Constituents:
1. Caffeine - up to 4 %
2. Callotannic acid
3. Gallic acid
4. Resin
5. Volatile oil (7)
6. Traces of Theobromine, Theophylline, Adenine
Uses: Astringent, cerebral and cardiac stimulant
Preparation: Caffeina et Sedil Salicylas (I.P.)
Synonyms: Hemp
Vernacular name: Se-chauk
Botanical origin: Cannabis sativa Linn
Family: Urticaceae
Part used: Dried flowering tops of pistillate plants
Distribution: Tharawaddy, Prome
Plant: A tall roughish annual diocious herb with palmately divided leaves
Constituents:
1. Cannabin or Cannabinone
2. Cannabinol, C21H26O2, a toxic phenolic substance
3. Alkaloid - Choline (7)
Uses: Cerebral stimulant, analgesic, narcotic, delirifacient. Sedative in migraine, neuralgia, hysteria, cramps of summer diarrhoea, spasmodic cough and asthma
Preparation: Tinctura Cannabis, Extractum Cannabis (I.P.)
Synonyms: Chili, Red pepper
Vernacular name: Nga-yok
Botanical origin: Capsicum frutescens Linn
Family: Solonaceae
Part used: Dried ripe fruit
Distribution: Takon, Yamethin, Meiktila, Pakokku, Dry Zone
Plant: A small shrubby perennial with angled stem and branches, broadly ovate-acuminate leaves and axillary greenish-white or white flowers
Constituents:
1. Capsacin - pungent substances about 0.1 %
2. An alkaloid (volatile in nature)
3. Vitamin C
4. Rsin, fixed oil, etc. (7)
Uses: Stimulant, counter-irritant, stomachic carminative, rubefacient, condiment
Preparation: Tinctura Capsici (I.P.), Emplastrum Capsici (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: Indian Senna
Vernacular name: Pwe-gaing
Botanical origin: Cassia angustifolia Vahl
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Part used: Dried leaflets
Distribution: Shwebo, Minhla, Minbu, Pakokku, Yaw, Dry Zone
Plant: A low growing shrub with branched whitish stems, paripinnate stipulate leaves with pale green leaflets and large yellow flowers borne in axillary racemes
Constituents:
1. 1.3 to 1.5 % of anthraquinone derivatives, aloe-emedin and rhein (Tutin 1913)
2. Glucosides - Sennoside A and Sennoside B (Stoll et al)
3. Phytesterol glycoside
4. Yellow coloring matters: Kaempferol, Kaempferin and Isorhamnetin
5. Mucilage, resin, starch, calciium oxalate (7)
Uses: Purgative
Preparation: Extractum Sennae, Syrupus Sennae, Infusum Sennae Concentratum, Infusum Sennae, Mistura Sennae Compositan (B.P., U.S.P.)
Synonyms: Indian Laburnum, Purging Cassia
Vernacular name: Ngu
Botanical origin: Cassia fistula Linn
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Part used: Dried fruit
Distribution: Throughout Burma
Plant: A tree about 15 m. high with gray bark and paripinnate leaves with 3-7 pairs and paripinnate leaves with 3-7 pairs of ovate leaflets and racemes of yellow flowers that appear from April to June
Constituents:
1. Pulp contains up to 60 % of sugar
2. Mucilage
3. Proteins
4. Volatile oil (7)
5. About 1 % anthraquinone substance
Uses: Laxative
Preparation: Cassia Pulpa (I.P.)
Synonyms: Negro Coffee, Stinking Weed
Vernacular name: Kazaw, Shan Kazaw, Kalan
Botanical origin: Cassia occidentalis Linn
Family: Caesalpiniaceae
Part used:
Distribution: Throughout the Shan States
Plant: An annual diffuse undershrub with purplish furrowed and subglabrous branches 0.6 to 1.5 m. high, leaves 6 inches long, leaflets glabrous or fine pubescent. Racemes short-peduncled, few flowered, corymbose, axillary and forming a terminal panicle; flower 1/2 in., pale lilac, conspicously veined
Constituents:
1. Resinous substance
2. Tannin
3. Emodin
4. Oxymethyl anthraquinones
5. Oxalbumin. (3)
Uses: Useful in ring-worm, elephantiasis, scorpian sting, snake bite, tonic, stomachic, diuretic
Synonyms: Asiatic Pennyworth
Vernacular name: Myin-khwa
Botanical origin: Centella asiatica (L) Urban syn. Hydrocotyle asiatica Linn
Family: Umbellliferae
Part used: Fresh and dried leaves
Distribution: Rangoon, Insein, Pegu, Pyinmana, Mandalay, traces throughout Burma
Plant: A slender herbaceous creeping plant with long prostate stems coming off from the leaf axils of a vertical root-stock
Constituents:
1. Alkaloid - Hydrocotyline
2. Glucoside - asiaticoside (in fresh leaves) (4)
Uses: Brain tonic, skin diseases, nervous system and blood trouble, leprosy and syphilitic affections
Preparation: Cataplasma, Centellae, Decoctum Centellae, Extractum Centellae Liquidum, Pulvis Centellae, Succus Centellae (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: American Wormseed, Wild Wormseed, Jersusalem Tea, Mexican Tea, Goose-foot, Jerusalem Oak
Vernacular name: Myu
Botanical origin: Chenopodium ambrosoides (L) var. anthelminticum Al Gray
Family: Chenopodiaceae
Part used: Dried fruits
Distribution: Maymyo
Plant: An aromatic annual or perennial weed with a lanceolate or oblong, strongly serrate leaves, the lower being nearly lanciniate-pinnatifid
Constituents:
1. Volatile oil containing 60-80 % of Ascaridole (anthelmic principle) liable to explode when heated
2. p-Cymene about 20 %
3. l-Limonene and d-Camphor
4. Saponins. (7)
Uses: Anthelmintic, especially for round worms but also for hook worms and intestinal amoebae
Preparation: Chenopodium Oil capsules (U.S.P.)
Synonyms: Cinchona Bark, Peruvian Bark, Red Cinchona
Vernacular name: Kwi-nine
Botanical origin: Cinchona ledgeriana (Howard) Meens et Trimen
Family: Rubiacea
Part used: Dried bark of the stem or of the root
Distribution: Old plantation area in Leikpok 12 miles from Tenasserim
Plant: An evergreen tree attaining a height of 24 m and having a trunk diameter of upto 0.6 m. at the base, leaves elliptical, elliptic-lanceolate, petiolate and show lateral interpetiolar stipules, flowers pentamerous, tubular and cymose, fruits septicidally dehiscent capsules
Constituents:
1. A number of alkaloids (about 6-7 %) - Quinine, Quinidine, Cinchonine, Cinchonidine
2. Cinchotannic acid, quinic acid, cinchona red etc. (7)
The alkaloids occur in combination with organic acids.
Uses: Bitter, tonic, anti-malarial and anti-pyretic, usually in the form of its preparations of alkaloids
Preparation: Extractum Cinchona, Tinctura Cinchonae Composita (I.P.), Decoctum Cinchoae Concentratus (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: Gum Camphor, Laurel Camphor
Vernacular name: Pa-yok
Botanical origin: Cinnamomum camphora (L) Nees
Family: Lauraceae
Part used: A ketone C10H16O obtained from Cinnamum camphora
Distribution: Shan States, Maymyo
Plant: A large much branched evergreen tree attaining a height of 60-100 feet, leaves alternate, broadly lanceolate, entire, coriaceous, acuminate at both ends, shiny on upper surface and glaucous beneath
Constituents:
1. Leaves contain camphor 0.73 %, camphorol 0.97 % (18)
2. Chiefly a saturated ketone, C10H16O (7)
Uses: Externally as a liniment and rubefacient. Internally as an antiseptic and carminative. Hypodermically in the form of a sterile solution in oil as a cardiac stimulant.
Preparation: Ammoniated Liniment of Camphor, Camphor Water, Camphorated
Tincture of Opium, Liniment of Camphor, Liniment of Soap, Liniment of Turpentine (B.P.)
Synonyms: True Cinnamon, Cortex Cinnamoni
Vernacular name: Na-lin-gyaw
Botanical origin: Cinnamomum zeylanicum Nees
Family: Lauraceae
Part used: Dried inner bark of the shoots of copiced trees
Distribution: Tavoy, Mergui, forests of Tanasserim.
Plant: A tree with ovate to lance-ovate, 3-5 nerved evergreen, coriaceous, aromatic leaves which are shiny green on the upper surface, glaucous and reticulate below
Constituents:
1. Volatile oil up to 1 % containing 55-65 % Cinnamic aldehyde
2. 4-8 % Eugenol
3. Caryophyllene, 1-Phellandrene, p-Cymene, Benzaldehyde, Pinene,
Methyl-n-amyl ketone, Nonylic aldehyde, l-Linalool, resin, mucilage,
starch, tannin, Calcium oxalate.
Uses: Aromatic, mild astingent (7)
Preparation: Aqua Cinnamoni Concentrata, Aqua Cinnamomi Distillata, Pulvis Cinnamomi Compositus, Tinctura Cinnamomi, Tinctura Cinnamomi Composita. (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: False Pareira, False Preira Brava
Vernacular name: Kywet-na-baung
Botanical origin: Cissampelos pareira Linn
Family: Menispermaceae
Part used: Stems and roots
Distribution: Maymyo, Zigon, Toungoo
Plant: A lofty climber, branches very rarely glabrous, leaves orbicular, reniform or chordate, 2.5 to 10 cm in diameter, usually peltate, obtuse and mucronate
Constituents:
1. Amorphous alkaloid - Pelosine
2. Saponin
3. Ammonium salts
4. Hayatin and Hayatinin. (9)
Uses: In febrile conditions, dysentery, heart trouble and urinary disorders
Preparation: Decoctum Cissampeli, Extractum Cissampeli Liquidus (I.P.C.)
Synonyms:
Vernacular name: Ka-aung-gyi
Botanical origin: Clerodendron infortunatum Linn
Family: Verbonaceae
Part used: Dried leaves
Distribution: Insein, Tharawaddy, Lower Burma
Plant: A gregarious shrub forming a dense vegetation with branches bluntly quadrangular and covered with silky hairs
Constituents:
1. Bitter principle Clerodin C13H18O3
2. Resinous matters
3. Tannin
4. Fixed oil (4)
Uses: Tonic and antipyretic, anthelmintic, bitter efficient febrifuge N.B. Substitute for Chiretta
Synonyms: Coriander Seed, Coliander
Vernacular name: Nan-nan
Botanical origin: Coriandrum sativum Linn
Family: Umbelliferae
Part used: Dried ripe fruit
Distribution: Throughout Burma
Plant: An annual foetid smelling herb with erect slender smooth stem, branched in the upper part. The lower leaves are long-petioled, pinnate with nearly sessile, ovate to suborbicular deep lobed leaflets, crenate dentate on margin, upper leaves nearly sessile bi- or tri-pinnate with ultimate segments strap-shaped or linear. Inflor. compound umbels of white or pink flowers. Fruit is nearly spherical cremocarp.
Constituents:
1. Up to 1 % volatile oil containing Coriandrol
2. Fixed oil
3. Calcium oxalate
4. Tannin (7)
Uses: Aromatic stimulant, carminative
Preparation: An ingredient of Confectie Sennae, Infusum Gentianae Compositum, Tintura Rhei Composita (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: Saffron, Spanish Saffron, True Saffron
Vernacular name: Gon-ga-man {koän-ku.män}
Botanical origin: Crocus sativus Linn
Family: Iridaceae
Part used: Dried stigma
Distribution: Mount Popa, Po-oo-taung, Prome, Setawya, Minbu
Plant: A perennial, low growing bulbous plant with an underground globular corm producing 6-9 sessile leaves surrounded in its lower part by 4 or 5 broad membranous scales.
Constituents:
1. A red coloring substance of glycosidal character called Crocin
2. A colorless glycoside Picrocrosin
3. Volatile oil (trace only)
4. Dextrose (7)
Uses: Stimulant, diaphoretic (in measles), antispasmodic and emmenagogue
Preparation: Tinctura Croci (I.P.), Glycerinum Croci, Syrupus Croci (I.P.C.)
Synonyms:
Vernacular name: Thet-yin-gyi
Botanical origin: Croton oblongifolius Roxb
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Part used: Roots, bark and seeds
Distribution: Tenasserim
Plant: A small deciduous tree, branches rather stout, leaves oblong, elliptic-oblong or ovate or lanceolate acute more or less repand, toothed or serrate penninerved, very pale green when dry, nerves 12-26 pairs, racemes often fascicled, erect, pedicels long or short
Constituents:
1. Seeds contain a fatty oil similar to Cronton tiglium (19)
Uses: Purgative, liver diseases, high blood pressure.
Synonyms: Purging Croton
Vernacular name: Ka-na-ko, Wet-tha-wa-raw (Mon)
Botanical origin: Croton tiglium Linn
Family: Euphorbiaceae
Part used: Seeds
Distribution: Shan States, Pyinmana, wild sources in Upper Burma, moderately abundant in Tenasserim
Plant: An small evergreen tree about 15-20 feet producing capsules similar to those of castor, but devoid of spines, leaves 2-4 in. yellowish when dry, rarely elliptic or oblong, sometimes glandular beneath, nerves 2-3 pairs above the basal long-petioled flowers in racemes, small, stamens 15-20 ovary stellately hispid
Constituents:
1. The kernel contains about 50 % of fixed oil
2. Very albuminous substance Croton, a mixture of croton albumin and
croton globulin and comparable to Ricin
3. Croton oil is composed of the glycerides of the following acids: stearic,
palmatic, myristic, lauric, oleic, tiglic, acetic, butyric, formic and valeric. (1)
Uses: Drastic purgative
Synonyms: Tumeric rhizome, Yellow Root, Saffron
Vernacular name: Hsa-nwin
Botanical origin: Curcuma longa Linn
Family: Zingiberaceae
Part used: Prepared rhizome
Distribution: Dry Zone, Chin Hills
Plant: A perennial herb whose underground portion consists of an erect, ovate or pyriform fleshy rhizome which gives rise to less fleshy elongated branches (secondary rhizomes) roots and leaves.
Constituents:
1. About 5 % volatile oil
2. 0.3 % Curcumin, a yellow crystalline substance which dissolves in alcohol forming a deep yellow solution
3. Starch - 30 to 40 %
4. Resin (7)
Uses: Stimulant, condiment
Preparation: Tinctura Curcuma (I.P.), Pulvis Curcumae (I.P.C.)
Synonyms: Lemon Grass
Vernacular name: Sabalin
Botanical origin: Cymbopogon citratus Stapf.
Family: Graminaceae
Part used: Fresh and dried leaves
Distribution: Lower Burma, Moulmein, Thaton, Mudon
Plant: A tall perennial herb with sparingly branched rhizome but occasionally gives rise to a stout erect clum up to 1.8 m high, leaf blades linear, long attenuated towards the base and tapering to a long setaceous point.
Constituents:
1. Lemon grass oil - important constituent Citral
2. An aldehyde C10H16O
3. Geranic acid C16H20O2
4. Cymol (4)
Uses: Carminative in flatulence colic and obstinate vomiting. Decoction made from the leaves a diaphoretic in fever. Good embrocation in rheumatism, lumbago and sprains.
Synonyms: Nut Grass
Vernacular name: Wet-mye-u, Mon-hnyin-u-pin
Botanical origin: Cyperus rotundus Linn
Family: Cyperaceae
Part used: Rhizomes and roots
Distribution: Pegu, Rangoon, Kalaw Range, Mongnai, Kyaington (Southern Shan State), Moulmein
Plant: Herb with elongate, slender stolons, 10-20 cm long bearing hard ovoid tunicate black fragrant tubers 0.8-2.5 cm in diameter
Constituents:
1. An essential oil which have a good perfume (3)
Uses: Astringent, appetiser, stomachic, anthelmintic, leprosy, thirst, fever, blood diseases, biliousness, pain, vomiting, epilepsy, diuretic, emmennagogue, diaphoretic, vulnenary dyspepsia.
End of TIL file