|
Pterocarpus Marsupium
Gum, bark,
heart-wood.
DESCRIPTION :
A large deciduous
tree with a stout crooked stem and widely spreading branches,bark thick,
yellowish grey, the outer layer like cork.Leaves 15-23 cm, long,
bipinnately compound.Leaflets 5-7, coriaceous. Flowers in short,
terminal racemes. Fruit pods 2.5-5 cm. Seeds small.
PHYTOACTIVE :
The bark contains
1-epicatechin and a reddish brown colouring matter. The heartwood yields
flavones-liquiritigenin. Marsupol and other iso-flavonoids are present.
The tree yields a gum, kino, exuding from the bark which contains 75%
tannic acid; kino also contains a non-glucosidal tannin, kino tannic
acid, kinonin and kinored in addition to a small quantity of catechol (polycatechin),
protocatechic acid, resin, pectin and gallic acid.Carpusin is also
present'. Phytosterols, alkaloids and sesquiterpenes have been detected.
DIRECTIONS FOR USE :
Alcoholic and
aqueous extracts of the plant produced a significant reduction in the
blood sugar level in rabbits. The decoction of bark has significant
effect on scrum cholesterol in hyper- cholesterolemic rabbits.
Propterols, isolated from the plant, show antibacterial activity against
gram-positive bacteria.Epicatechin was tested for antidiabetic activity
in albino rats; it protected against alloxan-induced diabetes(8).
A clinical trial
with Vijayasar - Sgmst.i.d. after meals was carried out in 20 diabetic
patients. Hypoglycaemic activity was observed, with no side
effects(9). It was observed that the drug under trial could control
polyuria and polydypsia equally well(10). It is also used in urticaria.
The gum is used in dysentery.
Email:
|
