Latin
Name :
: Raphanus sativus 
English Name: Radish
Sanskrit / Indian Name:
Mulaka kshara
Arabian Name :
An annual or biennial
bristly herb with a white
or brightly coloured tuberous
tap root and coarsely
toothed leaves.
Radish
is a good source of ascorbic
acid. It is credited with
refreshing and depurative
properties. Radish preparations
are useful in liver and
gall bladder troubles.
In homeopathy they are
used for neuralgic headaches,
sleeplessness and chronic
diarrhea. The roots are
said to be useful in urinary
complaints, piles and
in gastrodynia. A salt
extracted from roots that
are dried and burnt to
white ash is used in stomach
troubles.
Latin
name: Rajavarta
bhasma
Sanskrit / Indian Name:
English Name:
Lapis Lazuli Calx
Arabian Name :
It
is the calcinated powder
of Lapis lazuli, mineralogically
called ‘Ultra marine’.
It is a silicate of
aluminum and sodium.
It is a general tonic,
used in clinical conditions
of diabetes, anemia
and gastro-intestinal
diseases.
Latin
name: Rauwolfia serpentina
English name: Rauwolfia
Sanskrit / Indian name:
Sarpagandha
Arabian Name :
An
erect, evergreen perennating
undershrub.
The pharmacological
activity of Rauwolfia
is due to the presence
of several alkaloids
of which reserpine is
the most important.
Rauwolfia has been employed
for centuries for the
relief of various central
nervous system disorders,
both psychic and motor,
including anxiety states,
excitement, maniacal
behaviour associated
with psychosis, schizophrenia,
insanity, insomnia and
epilepsy. Extracts of
the roots are valued
for the treatment of
intestinal disorders,
particularly diarrhea
and dysentery. It is
also used as an anthelmintic.
Latin
name: Ricinus communis
English name: Castor
Sanskrit / Indian name:
Eranda, Gandharva hasta
Arabian Name :
An annual or perennial
bush or occasionally a
soft wooded small tree.
Castor
oil consists principally
of ricinoleic acid. The
oil is used externally
to relieve various inflammatory
conditions of the skin
and mucus membrane.
Small
quantities of castor seed
are used in the villages
as a mild laxative for
children. The seeds made
into a paste or poultice
are reported to be applied
to sores, boils and gouty
or rheumatic swellings.
In veterinary practice,
castor oil is a safe and
effective purgative for
most animals and may be
given also to pregnant
animals. Castor oil is
commonly used for the
preparation of hair-oils,
hair fixers and aromatic
perfumes. It is used as
an ingredient in hair
lotions and tonics in
concentrations of 0.5-20
per cent.
Latin
name:Rosa damascena
English name: Persian
Rose
Sanskrit / Indian name:
Satapatri / Satapatrika
Arabian Name :
An
erect shrub, with red,
pink or white flowers,
which contain an essential
oil.
The
flowers also contain a
bitter principle, tanning
matter, fatty oil, and
organic acids. The flower
buds are astringent and
are used in cardiac troubles,
and as a tonic and aperient.
The stamens and the fruit
are astringent
Latin
name: Rosmarinus officinalis
English name: Rosemary
Sanskrit / Indian name:
Rusmari
Arabian Name :
An
exotic leafy evergreen
shrub, cultivated in gardens
in cool places for its
pleasantly fragrant leaves.
The
leaves of rosemary yield
1-2 per cent of a volatile
oil (Oil of Rosemary)
used in perfumery and
medicine. In addition,
the leaves contain a saponin,
tannin, ursolic acid,
carnosic acid, amyrins,
betulin and rosmarinic
acid. A phenolic fraction
possessing antioxidant
properties has been isolated
from the leaves and also
from the oil. A new triterpenoid,
rofficerone, has been
isolated from the aerial
parts along with a-and
ß-amyrenones, 3-O-acetyloleanolic,
and 3-O-acetylursolic
acids. The root contains
diterpene quinones, taxodione,
7-a-hydroxyroyleanone
and cryptotanshinone.
The foliage contains (Z,
E) and (E, E) isomers
of the enol ester.
Rosemary
is mildly irritant and
has been used as a carminative.
Internally, the oil may
be taken as a stimulant
in doses of a few drops:
a 5 per cent tincture
is used as a circulatory
and cardiac stimulant.
The oil is useful in headache
and in tardy menstruation.
It is a diaphoretic and
is employed with hot water
in chills and colds. An
emulsion prepared from
the oil is used as a gargle
for sore-throat. The oil
exihibits antibacterial
and protistocidal activity.
All parts of the plant
are astringent and serve
as a nervine tonic and
an excellent stomachic.
An infusion of the plant
with borax is employed
as a hair wash and is
said to prevent premature
baldness, treats dandruff
and other scalp infections.
The plant has been found
useful in atonic dyspepsia.
The flowering tops and
leaves are considered
carminative, diaphoretic,
diuretic, aperient, emmenagogue,
stimulant and stomachic
and possess a strong antibacterial
action.
Latin
name: Rubia cordifolia
English name: Indian
Madder
Sanskrit / Indian name:
Manjishtha, Samanga
Arabian Name :
Rubia
cordifolia is a prickly
creeper or climber with
rootstocks.
Its
principle constituents
are purpurin, munjistin,
xanthopurpurin or purpuroxanthin
and Pseudopurpurin. The
roots are credited with
tonic, antiseptic, astringent
and deobstruent properties.
They are used in rheumatism.
It is useful in skin infections,
ulcers, inflammation and
other skin disorders.
It also has antibacterial,
anti-inflammatory and
antiallergic action.
Latin
name: Rumex maritimus
English name: Golden
Dock
Sanskrit / Indian name:
Chukra bheda
Arabian Name :
A
stout erect annual.
The
fruit contain rumarin,
rutin and hyperin. Seeds
contain 5.1 per cent tannin.
Roots contain chrysophanic
acid, saccharose and tannin.
They are purgative, refrigerant
and antipruritic.
