subject: TROPICAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN USM [print this page] TROPICAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN USM TROPICAL MEDICINAL PLANTS IN USM
Tropical countries are a treasure house of a wide variety of medicinal plants. Somespecies are found wild, while a number of species have been domesticated by the farmers.Many species have been grown in homesteads and become part of traditional home remedies.A limited number of species are commercially cultivated though a few more have potentialfor large-scale production. The important tropical and subtropical medicinal plants arediscussed here highlighting the importance, medicinal and other uses, distribution, botany,agrotechnology, chemical constituents and activity. For practical convenience of thediscussion in this book, they are classified under the following four broad groups.a) Medicinal herbsb) Medicinal shrubsc) Medicinal climbersd) Medicinal treesAMBRETTE Abelmoschus moschatusMalvaceaeSan: Latakasturika Hin, Guj, Ben: Mushkdana Mal: Kasthurivenda Mar: Kasthuri- bhendiTel: Kasturi benda Tam: Varttilaikasturi Kan: Kasturi bende Ass: GorukhiakoraiImportanceAmbrette, also popularly known as musk or Muskmallow, is an erect annual herbwhich yields musk-like scented seeds and woos everybody through its sensuous muskyfragrance. Every part of this medicinal plant is used in one or the other way . Seeds areeffective aphrodisiac and antispasmodic, and used in tonics. They check vomiting and curediseases due to kapha and vata and are useful in treating intestinal disorders, urinarydischarge, nervous disorders, hysteria, skin diseases, snake bites, pruritus, leucoderma andgeneral debility. Flower infusion is contraceptive. The leaves and roots are used forgonorrhoea and to treat boils and swellings.Ambrette oil of commerce is extracted from the seeds and is used in perfumery,flavouring, cosmetic and agarbathi industries. The essential oil is employed in non-alcoholicbeverages, ice-creams, candies and baked foods. The aromatic concrete and absolute,extracted from seeds are used as base material for preparing high grade perfumes, scents andcosmetics. It is also known for exalting, amplifying and diffusing effects it imparts toperfumes. It blends well with rose, neroli, and sandal wood oil and aliphatic aldehydes.The flowers are in great demand for making zarda' a flavoured tobacco in India.The seeds are mixed with tea and coffee for flavour. The seed is rich in essential amino acidsand is used as cattle or poultry feed. The stem bark yields a good quality fibre. Seeds areused to protect woollen garments against moth and it imparts a musky odour to sachets, hairpowder, panmasala and incense. Its tender shoots are used in soups, green pods as vegetableand seed husk in flower arrangements. From perfumes to panmasalas and tonics, it is themusky musk all the way. In addition to internal consumption, its seeds are exported toCanada, France and UK because of its diversified uses (Srinivasan et al, 1997).
