Botanical Description.--A shrub 5-6° high, stem straight, branches
smooth, obscurely 4-angled. Stems and leaves violet color, emitting
a disagreeable odor (Blanco). Leaves opposite, lanceolate, acute,
glabrous, obtusely serrate. Flowers terminal, white-green, in
racemes of 3 sessile flowers with lanceolate bracts. Calyx, 5 long
teeth. Corolla, short tube, 2-lipped, upper lip notched, lower lip
broad with palate, ending in 3 lobules. Seed vessel with 4 seeds in
its lower part.
Habitat.--Luzon, Mindanao, Panay.
_Adhatoda vasica_, Nees. (_Justicia Adhatoda_, L.)
Nom. Vulg.--(?)
Uses.--The Filipinos are but slightly familiar with this plant and it
has no place in their therapeutical armamentarium. In India, however,
it is very common and enjoys much reputation in the treatment of
catarrhs, the grip, asthma and non-febrile, especially chronic,
bronchial affections. The flowers, leaves and roots, but especially
the flowers, possess antispasmodic properties and are prescribed
in certain forms of asthma; they are bitter and slightly aromatic,
and are given in infusion or electuary.
Drs. Jackson and Dott have testified from their own experience to
the usefulness of the drug in chronic bronchitis, asthma and afebrile
catarrh. Dr. Watt states that the natives of Bengal find relief for
asthma in smoking the leaves. In Bombay its expectorant action is
commonly known and its juice is used, mixed with borax and honey.
The dose of the aqueous extract made by evaporating the juice of the
leaves, is .25-1 gram. The tincture is preferable, made by dissolving
this extract in alcohol; dose 2-4 grams. Its efficiency is increased
by the addition of pepper seeds (Waring). The Sanscrit writers
recommend for cough, 3.80 grams of the leaf juice with honey. "It is
very desirable that further trials be made to test the value of this
remedy."--Pharmacopoeia of India.
Botanical Description.--A shrub with straight, smooth, ashy-gray
trunk. Branches of same color but smoother. Leaves opposite,
lanceolate, acute, smooth on both faces, 12-15 cm. long by 3-4 broad,
petioles short. Flowers irregular and hermaphrodite in axillary spikes
with long peduncles, opposite, large, white, covered with rusty spots,
the lower part of the 2 lips purple. Calyx gamosepalous, regular,
five deep clefts. Corolla gamopetalous, irregular, short tube, limb
2-lipped, the lower lip ending in a spur. Ovary free, 2-celled, each
cell containing 2 ovules. Style filiform, long, inserted in a sort of
canal formed by the upper lip of the corolla. Stigma bilobulate. Seed
vessel depressed, 4 flattened, lenticular seeds.
Habitat.--Luzon and Panay.
_Rhinacanthus communis_, Nees. (_Justicia nasuta_, L.)
Nom. Vulg.--_Tagaktagak_, Tag.; _Nagamulli_, Indo-Eng.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account