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The following points highlight the top three types of drugs obtained from stems and woods. The types are: 1. Ephedrine 2. White Sandal Wood 3. Catechu.
Type # 1. Ephedrine:
Ephedra gerardiana Wall., of family Gnetaceae or Ephedraceae; Eng. Ephedrine; Hindi—Khanda.
A small shrub, found in the drier regions of the temperate and Alpine Himalayas from Kashmir to Sikkim at 7,000 to 16,000 feet elevation.
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Uses:
The stems are the source of famous drug ephedrine. The liquid extract of stem is used for controlling asthma. The tincture of the plant is cardiac and circulatory stimulant. The decoction of stems and roots is used as a remedy for rheumatism and syphilis in Russia. Juice of berries is used in affections of the respiratory passages. The stems contain the alkaloids— ephedrine and pseudo-ephedrine.
Type # 2. White Sandal Wood:
Santalum album Linn., of family Santalaceae; Eng. White sandalwood; Hindi—Safed chandan.
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A tree, found in the Western Peninsula, Kamataka, Tamil Nadu, and forests of Kerala.
Uses:
The wood is cooling, astringent, bitter, sedative, cardiac, tonic and diuretic. It is given in fevers and thirst. The powder of wood is given in gonorrhoea, fevers and bilious disorders. A paste of wood is a cooling dressing in inflammatory eruptive skin diseases.
The paste is also applied to the temple in headache and fever. The essential oil of wood is stimulant, antiseptic demulcent and diuretic. It is used in gonorrhoea, chronic catarrh of the bladder, urethral haemorrhage, chronic bronchitis and intermittent fevers. The oil is applied over scabies and other skin diseases.
Type # 3. Catechu:
Acacia catechu Wild., of family Mimosaceae; Eng.. Catechu tree; Verna. Kattha, Khair.
Uses:
It is a valuable astringent. It is generally used for disorders in which a mild, non- irritating and powerful astringent is required, such as chronic diarrhoea, dysentery, bleeding piles, uterine haemorrhage, leucorrhoea, etc.
It is very efficacious for mercurial salivation bleeding or ulcerated or spongy gums, hypertrophy of the tonsils, enlarged uvula, aphthous ulceration of the mouth etc., It may be used as lozenge made with the addition of gum arable and sugar.
A powder of catechu is used for plugging the cavity of an aching tooth to relieve pain. A tincture of catechu is useful for bed sores and painful mammary glands. A mixture of catechu and myrh, known as Kathbol is used as a tonic, as a galactagogue for nursing mothers.
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Khersal or catechuic acid found in small fragments in cavities of the wood, is a useful drug for chest diseases. The juice of the fresh bark is given with asafoetida in haemoptysis.