Macroscopic identification
The tree grows from 50 to 80 feet high, has a furrowed trunk, oblong stalked leaves up to 6 inches long and 4 inches wide, dispersed in four to six whorls round the stem, their upper side glossy, under side white, nerves running at right angles to the mid-rib. The bark is almost odorless and very bitter
Parts used
The bark, leaves, milky juice.
Pharmacological action
Stimulant, carminative, stomachic, bitter tonic, astringent, aphrodisiac, expectorant, febrifuge, alterative and anti periodic. Ditamine possesses anti periodic activity equivalent to quinine without its disagreeable secondary symptoms.
Action and uses in Ayurveda
Vishamjvaraghna, raktshodhak, yakritbalya, sula, gulma, krimiroga, kustha
Indications
Malarial fever
Photochemical
Alstonia Scholaris seeds are rich in hallucinogenic indole-alkaloids (alstovenine, venenatine, chlorogenine, reserpine, ditamine, echitamine) and chlorogenic acid. Chlorogenic acid is a mild bladder and urethra irritant, resulting in increased sensitivity of the genital region. The only alkaloids present in the bark and latex are ditamine, echitamine and echitenine
Properties and action
Rasa: tikta, kasaya
Guna: laghu, snigdh
Virya: usna
Vipaka: katu
Karma: vishamjvaraghna
Preparations
Tincture, extract, powder and decoction
Therapeutic classification inde
- Digestive system: bark is useful in chronic diarrhea, dysentery and catarrhal fever.
- Skin: is used as a replacement to quinine in malarial fever
The anti malarial effect of Alstonia Scholaris
Equal doses of Ditamine and sulphate of quinine were aid to have the same medicinal effect as quinine in malaria and other malignant tertian fevers, as in Manilla Hospitals results of trial obtained in malaria were very satisfactory; and when tried in 14 cases of malaria in India, in all cases it caused the temperature to fall steadily to normal in short time. No perspiration and over exhaustion of the patients were induced. Treatment for few days was enough to cure patient
The report of the indigenous drugs committee, madras, 1921, states that the drug Alstonia Scholaris seems to produce good effects in cases of catarrhal condition of mucus membrane of intestines. It did not produce diarrhea
The protective effect of Alstonia Scholaris on acute liver damage induced due to hepatotoxins.
in SC, Lin CC, Lin YH, Supriyatna S, Pan SL.
Department of Pharmacology, Taipei Medical College, Taiwan.
The hepatoprotective effect of Alstonia Scholaris is on liver injuries induced by carbon tetrachloride (CCl4). b> -D-galactosamine, acetaminophen and ethanol were investigated by means of serum-biochemical and histopathological examinations. Post treatment of Alstonia Scholaris reduced dose-dependently the elevation of serum transaminase level and histopathological changes such as cell necrosis, inflammatory cell infiltration, which were caused by the single administration of 32 micro liters/kg CCl4 or 600-mg/kg acetaminophen in mice. Alstonia Scholaris significantly lowered 288-mg/kg beta-D-galactosamine induced serum transaminase elevation in the serum-biochemical analysis in rats. A tendency was also shown to inhibit cell necrosis and inflammatory cell infiltration caused by beta-D-galactosamine in histopathological examination.
Dose: Fresh juice 50-100 ml
Powder-5-10 grains
Capsule Saptparn contains pure and concentrated Saptparn.
Dosage: one capsule twice a day, after meals.
Package size: 60 capsules.
References
- Dr.KM Nadkarni, The Indian Materia Medica, Vol.I, pg 80
- Prof P.V Sharma, Dravya Guna Vigyana, Vol II, pg 702
- The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia Of India, Part I, Vol.I, pg 97
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