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Herbs useful in bilious disorders

Jamayet Ali: Swarnalata is a wonderful extensive herbaceous climber, germinating in the soil, but becoming parasitic on the trees on which met with. It is chiefly found on Ziziphus, Adhatoda, Ficus including other small and medium sized plants by the side of the zig-jag ways in the villages and roads in the towns and suburb areas of Bangladesh. It is a parasitic twining plant with slender threadlike golden stems, rudimentary leaves (or leafless), small scented pale pink flowers and no roots grows all over the country as parasites clinging and whirling heavily on other plants. The natives having observed that the plant serves its connection from the earth, and not having discovered the existence of parasitic roots, have a proverb that he who finds the roots of this plant will become possessed with boundless wealth and of the power of invisibility. The plant however is rich in medicinal properties. Botanical name of this plant is Cuscuta reflexa roxb. Medicinal Properties: The plant is acrid, bitter; astringent to the bowels, aphrodisiac, alterative, tonic; useful in diseases of the eye and of the heart, in biliousness and "kapha" (Ayurveda). The herb has a bitter sharp taste; expectorant, carminative, tonic, anthelmintic, purgative; diaphoretic, diuretic and purifies the blood and cleanses the body; lessens inflammation; useful in jaundice, pains in the muscles and the joints, heat of the brain, headache, paralysis, diseases of the spleen, vomiting, lumbago. The seeds have a bitter bad taste; sedative, emmenagogue, diuretic; useful In diseases of the leaver and the spleen, chronic fevers, griping hic cough; purify the blood and cleanse the the bowels; the infusion is given in ophthalmia, the decoction in biliousness as a purgative (yunani). The seeds are regarded as carminative, and for this purpose are boiled and placed over the stomach. They are also applied as an anodyne. A cold infusion is given as a depurative. They constitute part of the Kasus or purgative medicine sold in the Punjab. The native doctors of Sind and the Punjab regard the seeds of this plant as alterative, used along with Sarsaparilla to purify the blood. The plant is purgative. It is used externally against itch, and internally in protracted fevers, retension of wind, and induration of the leaver. The stems are specially useful in bilious disorders. In Lakhimpur, an infusion of the plant is said to make an excellent wash for sores. The natives say that it cleanses and brings about rapid healing (Indian Medicinal Plants, K. R. Kirtikar and B. D. Basu). Medicine: The stems of C. reflexa are mentioned in the Bengal Gazetteer as specially useful in bilious disorders. Baden Powell says it is purgative and used externally against itch and internally in protracted fevers, retention of wind and induration of the leaver. It is also said to produce thirst. The seeds are regarded as carminative, and for this purpose are boiled and placed over theb stomach. A cold infusion is given as a depurative (Dictionary of the Economic Products of India) Properties and Uses: The plant is considered a valuable herb for problems affecting the leaver and gallbladder. It is thought to support leaver function and is taken for jaundice. Powdered plant is used as an antifertility drug and is regarded as alterative, pergative and anthelmintic. Paste is used to cure dislocated joints, to check falling of hairs, also in the treatment of swellings of testicles and in headache. Decoction of the plant is used in constipation, flatulence, leaver complaints and bilious affections. Fruits are used in fevers and coughs. Seeds are tonic, diaphoretic and demulcent, depurative and carminative, and are given in pains and stomachaches. Water-soluble portion of fresh alcoholic extract of plant has an acetylcholinelike action. Ethanolic extract aerial parts possesses antiviral property (Medicinal Plants of Bangladesh, Abdul Ghani)