CALOTROPIS GIGENTA and C. Procera.

Sunday, 02 July 2006

Treatment for Leprosy, Constitutional Syphilis, Mercurial Cachexia Sans.----Arka; Alark; Mandarah, Eng.----Gigantic Swal-lowwort; Mudar. Hind.----Madar. Ben.----Akanda. Pers.----Khark. Guz.----Akado. Mah.----Ruvi; Akda. Tel.----Ekke; Jilledu; Arkamu. Tam.----Badabadam; Erukku. Can.----Ekke-male. Mal.----Erikka. Sind.----Byclospa. Habitat.----These shrubs are found chiefly in waste lands, the first variety in Lower Bengal and South India and the second in Upper Bengal and North India. Parts Used.----The root-bark, leaves, juice and flowers. Constituents----The various principles of the calotropis bark are.----Madar albun, Madar fluavil, black acid resin, Caoutchouc (free), yellow bitter resin (active principle). The sap of the madar plant contains in addition to Caoutchouc two principles analogous to the alban and fluavil of guttapercha. Therefore Madar guttapercha is recommended as a substitute for the Commercial article. Quantitative experiments by Drs. Hill and Sarkar have shown that the root-bark from the older plants has a higher percentage of acrid and bitter resinous matters than that from the younger plants. Therefore the older the plant the more active is its bark in its effects. Action.----This drug is acting like digitalis on the heart. The physiologically active substance is found in the milky juice of the plant. The root-bark is alterative, tonic, antispasmodic, expectorant, and in large doses emetic; as alterative 3 to 10 grains and as emetic 30 to 60 grains. This drug increases secretions especially the evacuation of bile and has a sedative action on the muscu-lar fibres of the intestines, especially the colon and the rectum allaying all pain, tenesmus and irritation and thus relieving all dysenteric symptoms. In syphilitic affections it is regarded as a great remedy so much so that it is called vegetable mercury. In intermittent fevers it is used as antiperiodic and diaphoretic as it relieves the hot stage of fever by producing perspiration. The flowers are digestive, tonic and stomachic in action. The juice is a violent gastrointestinal irritant. it is used for criminal purposes.----for producing abortion or causing the death of new-born infants. Preparations.----Paste or emulsion; Pills and powder of the root and leaves. Ash and fluid Extract of the leaves and Oil. Uses.----The root-bark and inspissated juice are used medicinally. The drug is used in leprosy, constitutional syphilis, mercurial cachexia, syphilitic and idiopathic ulcerations, dysentery, diarrhea and chronic rheumatism. The root-bark is useful in skin diseases, elephantiasis, enlargement of the abdominal viscera, ascites and anasarca. Reduced to a paste with sour conjee it is applied to elephantiasis of the legs and scrotum. The milky juice is recommended for ringworm of the scalp for sinuses and anal fistula and to destroy piles; mixed with honey ife is used in aphth‘ of the mouth and with a piece of cotton wool it is inserted into hollow tooth to cure tooth-ache. The dried juice is insoluble in water; it may be administered in the form of pills. For medicinal purposes the root-bark should be selected from plants as old as possible, in the hot or dry weather and the bark should not be removed as soon as the root is dug out, but 24 hours afterwards; the thick, rough, corky epidermis of the bark should be scraped off before the root-bark is reduced to powder. This powder is a substitute for ipecacunha in dysentery; in doses of 5 to 10 grains it may be safely substituted for ipec-ac, though double that quantity is generally required; with opium it forms a good representative of the officinal Dover?s powder; in chronic rheumatism it is given sus-pended in mucilage and water; with black pepper twice a day in jaundice; given in half a seer of whey of milk with half a drachm of sodium carbonate jaundice is said to be cured within a week. The powdered root-bark is smoked like tobacco in syphilis. The leaves of the plant are also useful in ascites and enlargement of the abdominal viscera; they are mixed with rock-salt, roasted in closed vessels and the ash thus produced is given with whey. A fluid extract of the leaves given in doses of 1 to 5 drops in intermittent fever during intermission is said to cut off the paroxysm more effectually than quinine. A powder of the dried leaves is dusted on ulcers to promote healthy action or mixed and boiled with sweet oil and turmeric added it is applied to eczema and other skin eruptions and to old sores and ulcers and to paralized parts. This drug is employed to cure all kinds of fits, epilepsy, hysteria, lock-jaw, convulsions in children, paralytic complaints, cold sweats, poisonous bites and venereal complaints. The flowers are used in cough, catarrh, asthma and loss of appetite. The dried flowers in 1 to 2 grain doses with sugar are given in leprosy, secondary syphilis and gonorrhoea with milk diet.

Last Updated ( Sunday, 02 July 2006 )

 

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