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Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. (Apocynaceae)

(Syn.: Periploca indica L.)

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Handbook of 200 Medicinal Plants

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Abstract

It is a slender, twining, sometimes prostrate or semi-erect shrub. Root is used to treat a wide variety of illnesses, including rheumatism, leprosy, impotence, urinary tract and skin infections, and is traditionally used by herbal practitioners for the treatment of snakebite in Tamil Nadu state of India. Muslim physicians of India called the Andalusian as the best Ushbah . It was found to have remarkable diuretic action; it also acts as a diaphoretic and tonic, and increases appetite. In Ayurveda, it is considered demulcent, alterative, and tonic, and is prescribed in dyspepsia, skin diseases, syphilis, fever and dysentery, generally in combination with bitters and aromatics. It contains tannins, saponins, flavonoids, glycosides, phenolic compounds, carbohydrates, proteins, and fragrant phenolic compounds, 2-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzaldehyde (HMBA) and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzaldehyde (vanillin). Vanillin is an efficient in vitro inhibitor of AChE , and HMBA is the major compound (>90%) of the root volatile oil. Aqueous root extract significantly decreased blood glucose in fed, fasted and glucose-loaded diabetic rats, and normalized electrolytes, glucose metabolizing enzymes, and corrected related metabolic alterations. β-amyrin palmitate was identified as the active antidiabetic constituent. Ethanol root extract also significantly decreased blood glucose, serum TC, TGs, FFAs and phospholipid of diabetic rats after four-weeks treatment. Root powder was protective against gentamicin-nephrotoxicity, and the aqueous extract protected against cisplatin- and bromobenzene-nephrotoxicity in rats. HMBA was suggested to be the active principle for hypolipidemic effect.

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  1. Stockton, CA, USA

    Shahid Akbar

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Akbar, S. (2020). Hemidesmus indicus (L.) R. Br. (Apocynaceae). In: Handbook of 200 Medicinal Plants. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16807-0_106

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