Azadirachta indica A. Juss. 75
English Carambola, Star Fruit, Chinese Gooseberry.
Ayurvedic Karmaranga.
Unani Khamraq, Karmal.
Siddha/Tamil Tamarattai.
Folk Kamarakh.
Action Root—antidote in poisoning. Leaf and shoot—applied externally in ringworm, scabies, chickenp ox. Flower—vermicidal. Fruit—laxative, antidysenteric, antiphlogistic, febrifuge, anti- inflammatory, antispasmodic (used in hepatic colic, bleeding piles). Seeds—galactogenic; in large doses act as an emmenagogue and cause abortion.
The fruits are a fairly good source of iron but deficient in calcium. They also contain oxalic acid and potassium oxalate. The presence of fluorine is also reported. A wide variation of vitamin-C content (0.3—23.0 mg/100 g) is recorded from different places in India. Sugar (3.19%) consists mainly of glucose (1.63%).
Avicennia off icinalis Linn.
Synonym A. alba Blume
Family Verbenaceae; Avicenniaceae.
Habitat A tree occurring in salt marshes and tidal creeks.
English White mangrove.
Ayurvedic Tuvara.
Siddha/Tamil Kandal.
Folk Tivaria (Gujarat), Upattam (Tamil Nadu).
Action Stem/bark—astringent. Pulp of unripe fruit—used for healing skin lesions of smallpox; fruits and immature seeds, used as cicatrizant of abscesses and ulcers.
The bark contains 5% tannin, tnacontanol and triterpenoids. Kernels contain lapachol, which possesses antitumour activity. Aerial parts yield beta- sitosterol, friedelin, lupenone, lupeol, betulinic and ursolic acids.
Azadirachta indica A. Juss. Synonym Melia azadirachta Linn. Family Meliaceae.
Habitat Native to Burma; found all over India.
English Neem tree, Margosa tree.
Ayurvedic Nimba, Nimbaka, Arishta, Arishtaphala, Pichumarda, Pichumanda, Pichumandaka, Tiktaka, Sutiktak, Paaribhadra.
