Latin Name : Ocimum basilicum
English Name: French Basil, Sweet Basil, Common Basil
Sanskrit / Indian Name: Vanatulasi, Munjariki, Surasa, Varvara
Arabian Name :
An erect, almost glabrous herb. It yields a volatile oil (Oil of Basil).

The seeds of the plant are odorless with an oily, slightly pungent taste. When steeped in water, they liberate a mucilage which is semi-transparent and nearly tasteless. The mucilage (9.3%) yields on hydrolysis uronic acid, glucose, xylose and rhamnose. The seeds contain a drying oil with the following fatty acid composition. The unsaponifiable fraction is reported to contain ß-sitosterol, oleonolic acid and ursolic acid.

The plants are considered stomachic, anthelmintic, alexipharmic, antipyretic, diaphoretic, expectorant, carminative, stimulant and pectoral. An infusion of the plant is given for cephalalgia and gouty joints and used as a gargle for foul breath. The juice of the leaves has a slightly narcotic effect and allays irritation in the throat. The roots, bark and leaves are cyanogenetic. Alcoholic extracts of leaves and aqueous extracts of flowers possess antibacterial activity against Micrococcus pyogenes var. aureus. The seeds possess demulcent, stimulant, diuretic, diaphoretic and cooling properties; useful in diarrhoea and dysentry.

It is also useful in various types of coughs, headaches, earaches, nasal catarrh and croup.

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A perennial roughly hairy herb, the dried leaves of which are used as the drug.

The drug is used as a tonic, alterative, demulcent, diuretic and refrigerant; it is useful as a spasmolytic.

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Latin name: Operculina turpethum
Syn. Ipomoea turpethum
English name:
Sanskrit / Indian name: Nishotra, Triputa, Trivruth
Arabian Name :
A large evergreen shrub with milky juice, frequently grown in gardens for its fragrant showy flowers.

The active principle of the leaves is a cardiotonic substance named oleandrin. It has anti-inflammatory and stimulant properties. The roots, bark and seeds contain cardio-active glycosides, formerly designated as neriodorin, neriodorein and karabin, which are anti-inflammatory and stimulant, good pain relievers.

A paste of the root is used as an external application in hemorrhoids, chancres and ulcerations. An oil extracted from the root bark is used in skin diseases of a scaly nature. The fresh juice of leaves is dropped into the eyes for inducing lachrymation in ophthalmia.

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Latin name:Orchis mascula
English name: Salep Orchid
Sanskrit / Indian name: Salabmisri
Arabian Name :

A genus of terrestrial orchids which yield the Salep of commerce.
Preliminary clinical trials indicate its possible therapeutic use in some.

The tubers contain a bitter principle and a volatile oil. They are used as a farinaceous food, nervine tonic and aphrodisiac. They yield a lot of mucilage with water and form a jelly that is supposed to be nutritious and useful in diarrhea, dysentery and chronic fevers.

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Latin name:Oroxylum indicum
English name:
Sanskrit / Indian name: Shyonaka
Arabian Name :

A small to medium sized deciduous tree with a light greyish brown, soft, spongy bark.

The root bark is tonic and astringent and useful in diarrhea and dysentery; it is diaphoretic and is used in rheumatism. The stem and root barks contain three flavone-coloring matters, viz. oroxylin-A, baicalein and chrysin. The bark also contains traces of an alkaloid, tannic acid, sitosterol and galactose.