A small to medium-sized, evergreen semi-parasitic tree, with slender branches, valued for its heartwood.

Both the wood and the oil have long been employed in medicine. The main constituent of sandalwood oil is santalol. It is used to alleviate itching and inflammation. It is credited with cooling, diaphoretic, diuretic and expectorant properties, and sandalwood finds several applications in household remedies.

A medium-sized deciduous tree found wild in south India, usually with 2-3 pairs of leaves and with partially united 2-3 smaller (pea sized) drupes.

The saponins A and C and sapindosids A and B extracted from the rind of the fruit showed antifungal activity. The pericarp contains two new triterpenoid saponins, emarginatoside-B and emarginatoside-C. The fruits possess tonic and astringent properties.

A deciduous tree found wild in north India, usually with 5-10 pairs of leaves, solitary with large drupes.

The fruit is valued for the saponins (10.1 %) present in the pericarp which constitutes up to 56.5 per cent of the drupe. The fruits are credited with expectorant and emetic properties and are used in the treatment of excessive salivation, epilepsy and chlorosis. The powdered seeds are said to possess insecticide properties. They are employed in the treatment of dental caries. It cleanses the skin of oily secretion and is even used as a cleanser for washing hair and a hair tonic, and forms a rich, natural lather. Its detergent action, which cleanses the hair and removes, accumulated debris and a sebaceous material further more imparting speculiar reflection and hair luster.

Saraca asoca is a small evergreen tree.

Its principal constituents are a steroid component and a calcium salt. The bark of Saraca indica contains the estrogenic compound ketosterol. The bark has a stimulating effect on the endometrium and ovarian tissue, is useful in menorrhagia due to uterine fibroids, in leucorrhea and in internal bleeding, where ergot is indicated. It is well established for its effectiveness in menorrhagia and dysmenorrhea. It also has a stimulatory effect on the ovarian tissue and may produce an oestrogen-like effect that enhances the repair of the endometrium and stops bleeding.

An erect robust perennial herb, the dried roots of which constitute the drug.

The roots contain resinoids, essential oil, alkaloid, inulin, a fixed oil and other minor constituents like tannins and sugars. The essential oil of the roots has strong antiseptic, disinfectant and anti-inflammatory properties. An alcoholic extract of the herb has been found very useful in the treatment of bronchial asthma.

A perennial herb with stout rootstock.

The dried rhizomes constitute the drug that contains an active principle, bergenin, as well as gallic acid, glucose, mucilage and wax. The presence of ß-sitosterol and four flavonoids is also reported. The drug is reported to possess astringent, tonic, antiscorbutic, and laxative properties. It is given in pulmonary affection, dysentery, ulcers, dysuria, spleen enlargement, cough and fever. It is helpful in dissolving kidney stones.

It is the calcinated conch shell of Turbinella pyrum. It mainly consists of calcium, iron and magnesium. It is well known for its antacid and digestive properties. It is useful in hyperchlorhydria, sprue, colic, and hepato- splenomegaly.

It has astringent and anti-inflammatory properties and is used in the treatment of painful, bleeding piles and varicose veins. It has anti-stress, hypolipidemic, anxiolytic and nootropic activity.

This sulfide occurs in nature as a fine grained, dark-red, very heavy mineral ore of mercury called Cinnabar in many parts of the world. This substance, except for slight impurities, which it may contain, has the same chemical composition as "Makaradhvaja". In ayurvedic practice, however, ‘Hingula’ and ‘Makaradhvaja’ are claimed to possess entirely different properties. Not only is it considered different from ‘Makaradhvaja’ (the prepared red sulfide of mercury), but it is also believed to be different from the other sulfide of mercury like ‘Kajjali’ and ‘Krishnaparpati’ (both of which are black sulphides of mercury) and ‘Rasa-sindhura’ (red sulfide of mercury).

Shuddha Hingula (Purified Cinnabar) is prepared by grinding cinnabar with goat’s milk for over 6 hours, followed by grinding this mixture with lime juice for one hour. This process is repeated 7 times till a fine powder is obtained. The small doses of mercury diminish the amount of oxidation of the tissues, as evidenced by the variations in the gaseous interchange. The administration of small doses of mercury to rabbits, dogs and men causes an increase in the number of red blood corpuscles while the body gains in weight and the general nutrition is improved.

Mercury is tonic, alterative, purgative, indirect cholagogue, antiphlogistic, antiseptic and sialagogue. In small doses it acts as a blood tonic by increasing the number of red blood corpuscles and thus in syphilis it counteracts the effects of toxins in the blood. In large doses it impoverishes the blood and lessens its coagulability and therefore it should not be used in hemorrhagic diathesis and cases of repeated attacks of menorrhagia.

Red sulfide of mercury is extremely efficacious in liver complaints, such as commencing cirrhosis of the liver, dyspepsia, chronic dysentery and similar and other allied diseases, such as chronic diarrhea.

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A large sub-deciduous tree, which on tapping yields an oleoresin, which contains triterpenoids, the derivatives of ursonic and oleanane and a new triterpene acid.

The resin is used in the indigenous systems of medicine as an astringent and detergent and is given in diarrhea and dysentery. It is also used as an ingredient of ointments for skin diseases and in ear troubles.

It is an astringent, hematinic, which is useful for diarrhea.

Sida cordifolia is a small, downy, erect shrub with tawny-yellow flowers.

Its principal constituent is Ephedrine which is one of the alkaloids reported to be present. It contains phytosterol and potassium nitrate. The phytosterols have estrogenic activity. It is used traditionally in cases of spermatorrhea, polyurea, leucorrhea and certain nervine disorders such as monoplegia, sciatica, palsy, etc.

An unarmed, spreading, pubescent herb with a strong characteristic odor and grayish green, curled, unevenly pinnate leaves, cultivated throughout the world for its fruit.

Tomato contains general tonic, folic acid, pantothenic acid, biotin, vitamin K and inhibitols which are related to vitamin E. The principal organic acid present in the tomato fruit is citric acid. Carotenoids, ß-carotene and lycopene, constitute the chief coloring matters of tomato. The alcoholic extract of tomato has central depressant and analgesic property.

Solanum nigrum is a suffrutescent weed. Its principal constituents are a- and b-solamargine and solasonine. The plant is effective in the treatment of cirrhosis of the liver and is also credited with emollient, diuretic, antiseptic and laxative properties.

It has a protective effect on the liver and has shown hepatoprotective activity in cases of toxicity induced by drugs and chemicals.

A very spiny diffuse herb with blue flowers and yellow, globose berries.

Solasonine is present in the fruits. The plant is employed for cough, asthma and pains in the chest. The plant is also credited with diuretic properties and is used to cure dropsy.

The term 'alum' is applied to a group of hydrated double salts, which are characterized by easy solubility in water and a strong astringent taste. Common alum refers to potassium aluminum sulfate. It is also known as potash alum. Medicinally, it has styptic and astringent properties.

An aromatic herb, with purple flower heads.

Flowers are credited with alterative, depurative, and tonic properties. The flowers contain albumins, a semi-drying fatty oil, reducing sugars, tannins, mineral matter, a volatile oil, and a glucoside.

An evergreen or deciduous tree with coin like seeds that contain the strongly toxic alkaloids strychnine and brucine.

In indigenous medicine, it is used as a tonic, stimulant and febrifuge and its preparations are prescribed for nervous disorders.

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It is an unsublimed tin preparation having a golden luster and flaky texture. It is useful in complaints of the reproductive organs. It is indicated as a rejuvenator and a tonic of high potency which induces health, vigor, improves appetite, increases memory, generates semen of high quality, cures gonorrhea, spermatorrhea, and leukorrhea.

Suvarnavanga has been used as an aphrodisiac, brain tonic, antiemetic and in skin diseases, night sweats, diseases caused by the derangement of ‘vata’ and ‘kapha’. It improves the complexion. It also has anthelmintic property in addition to the above mentioned uses.

It is prepared from chalcopyrites, the main ore of copper. It contains copper, iron, calcium, sodium and potassium. It is a tonic, alternative and useful in rheumatism, gonorrhea, heart disease, anemia, leukorrhea, eye diseases, etc.

An erect annual with a four angled stem.

Chiretta is reported to contain a yellow bitter acid, ophelic acid, two bitter glucosides, chiratin and amarogentin, gentiopicrin, two yellow crystalline phenols and a new xanthone, swerchirin. lt is particularly useful as a tonic or mild febrifuge. In Indian medicine, chiretta is prescribed in a variety of forms and combinations in chronic fevers and anemia. It is credited with tonic, febrifuge, laxative, stomachic, anthelmintic, and anti diarrhoeal properties. It also exhibits hypoglycemic activity.

It is an evergreen tree or shrub, with white flowers turning yellow and purplish black drupes.

Its principal constituents are the three alkaloids, viz. loturine, loturidine and colloturine. The astringent bark is given for the treatment of diarrhea, dysentery and liver complaints. It is recommended in the treatment of menorrhagia and other uterine disorders. The stem bark is having anti-inflammatory property as well as hypothermic properties.

A pyramidal or conical evergreen tree with gland dotted leaves cultivated mainly for the flower buds (cloves).

The clove bud oil contains free eugenol, eugenol acetate, Gallic acid and caryophyllene as its main constituents that are good antioxidants. The cloves are aromatic, stimulant and carminative. They are used in various forms of gastric irritation and dyspepsia. They are administered to relieve nausea and vomiting, to correct flatulence and to excite languid digestion. The oil is used as a local analgesic for hypersensitive dentine and carious cavities; a mixture of oil and zinc calx is used as a temporary filling for tooth-cavities. Used externally, the oil is rubefacient and counterirritant; internally, it is carminative and antispasmodic.

Syzygium aromaticum is useful in coughs and other respiratory disorders. It improves the breath and is a popular remedy for sore throat, headaches and coryza.

It is a large, evergreen tree.

Its seeds have b-sitosterols, its fruits contain citric, malic and Gallic acids. Its fruit, powdered seed-kernel and its aqueous extract have all been shown to lower the level of blood sugar in diabetes mellitus. It diminishes the level of sugar in the urine and allays the unquenchable thirst typical in diabetes. The bark and leaf are used in diarrhea.