It is processed serpentine, or magnesium silicate. It is a nervine, cardiac and liver tonic, useful in palpitation and cardio-muscular debility. It also reduces irritability and tetany, and relieves muscle cramps.

Nardostachys jatamansi is an erect and perennial herb.

Its principal constituents are jatamansone, jatamanshic acid and virolin. It has analgesic and stimulant properties. The oil possesses antiarrhythmic and hypotensive activity. It promotes hair growth and imparts a black color to the hair.

Jatamansone, an active principle of N. jatamansi, brings forth a significant reduction in hyperactivity, restlessness and aggressiveness in hyperactive children.

It is alterative, expectorant, cholagogue and purgative. It is useful in fever, liver and spleen disorders, etc.

An erect or ascending herb, with blue purple flowers.

The main constituent of the plant is a triterpenoid aldehyde nepehinal. Other terpenoids found in it include nepetidone, nepedinol, and triterpenic acid. The plant is used in various cardiovascular complaints such as angina pectoris, cardiac thrombosis, trachycardia, and weakness of the heart. Some of its other uses are in cardiac asthma, syncope, pyrexia and anxiety.

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.

A small herb. The seeds give on steam-distillation a yellowish brown volatile oil with an unpleasant odor. The oil contains carvone, d -limonene, and a carbonyl compound, nigellone.

Preliminary clinical trials indicate its possible therapeutic use in some conditions of cough and bronchial asthma. The alcoholic extract of the seeds is reported to prevent dental caries. It contains nourishing amino acids such as cysteine, lysine, valine and leucine. The seed oil showed antibacterial, insecticidal, bronchiodilatory, hypotensive, and immunostimulant activities. The seed contains saponins which have good cleansing properties. The oil also exhibited CNS depressant and potent analgesic effects on experimental animals. Intraperitoneal administration of the oil of black cumin seeds (50mg/kg) to fasting normal and alloxan diabetic rabbits produced significant hypoglycemic effects.