Use : — The pounded leaves are rubbed on the body during the cold stage of intermittent fever (Watt).
919. Blepharis edulis, Pers. h.f.b.i., iv. 479.
Vern. : — Uttangan (Pb.); Utanjan(H.) ; Utangan (Bomb.).
Habitat: — Punjab and Sindh.
A rigid shrub. Stems short or 1ft. or more ; branched. Leaves often ½in. broad, spinescent, elliptic or oblong, glaucous or pubescent. Bracts more than an inch long, spinous. Bracteoles linear, hairy, shorter than the bract. Heads few or many-fid. Corolla ⅔-¾in. Capsule 2-seeded. Seeds heart-shaped, flat, covered with long, coarse hairs.
Use : — Dr. Royle was the first to bring the seeds of the plant to the notice of the medical profession. He considered them to be the products of some Urtica. Honnigberger had these seeds examined by some botanists of: Vienna who deemed them to belong to Acanthacea. Dr. Burton Brown of: Lahore succeeded in correctly identifying these seeds as those of Acanthodium spicatum, Delile, which is a synonym of this plant. (B. D. Basu). The seeds are considered to be attenuant, resolvent, diuretic, aphrodisiac, expectorant, and deobstruent (Dymock).
Chemical composition. —The bitter principle of the seeds is a white crystalline body soluble in water, ainylic and ethylic alcohol, but insoluble in ether and petroleum ether. It gives a reddish colour with sulphuric acid, green at the margin if impure, and is best distinguished by the fine violet colour its solutions impart when brought into contact with ferric salts. With H2SO4 and K2Cr2O7 an agreeable odour of salicylous acid is evolved. It is associated with a substance which reduces Fehling's solution. Another white crystalline principle is present in the seeds which is not bitter, and does not give colour reactions with sulphuric acid and ferric salts. The latter crystals melted on the surface of heated mercury at 225°. The aqueous extract of the seeds contained much mucilage and vegetable albumen. The ash amounted to 7.1 per cent. (Pharma cogr. Ind., III. 41-42).
920. Acanthus ilicifolius, Linn, h.f.b.i., iv. 481 ; Roxb. 467.
Sans :— Harikasâ.
Vern. : — Harkuchkânta (H. and B.) ; Mârândi (Mar.) ; Moranna (Goa) : Nivgur (Bomb.). Kalutaimulli (Tam), Holeculli (Kan.) Payinaculli (Mal).
