The medicinal plants of Myanmar
Author
DeFilipps, Robert A.
Deceased
Author
Krupnick, Gary A.
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1357-4826
Department of Botany, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, MRC- 166, Washington, DC, 20013 - 7012, USA
krupnick@si.edu
text
PhytoKeys
2018
2018-06-28
102
1
341
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.102.24380
journal article
http://dx.doi.org/10.3897/phytokeys.102.24380
1314-2003-102-1
AA226A35FFF8FFBC37621A40C2518C67
1306325
Punica granatum L.
Names.
Myanmar
:
thale
.
English
: pomegranate.
Range.
Southeastern Europe to South Asia. Also naturalized, and widespread in cultivation.
Conservation status.
Least Concern [LC] (
IUCN 2017
).
Uses.
Fruit
: Used as an anthelmintic and astringent.
Notes.
The plant is widely cultivated for its edible fruit and medicinal uses: The bark is used in a gargle for sore throat, bad breath, and as a wash for nosebleed (for the first two illnesses a decoction of the rind is used); a decoction of tender leaves serves as a gargle and another of the leaves and roots is drunk as a remedy for irregular menses; a plaster of the crushed leaves is applied to itch; crushed stem is similarly used; the fruit is rich in tannin (and thus astringent); a decoction of the rinds or fruit is used for diarrhea and dysentery and may also be applied as a wash or an injection against hemorrhoid and leucorrhea; the buds, flowers, and bark of the flowers mixed with sesame oil makes a dressing for burns; the fruit is both bechic and laxative; the root bark is used throughout the East as a specific for tapeworm, and is also anthelmintic against other intestinal worms (
Perry 1980
).
The medicinal uses of this species in India are discussed in
Jain and DeFilipps (1991)
. Medicinal uses of the species in China are discussed by
Duke and Ayensu (1985)
.
Chemical constituents, pharmacological action, and medicinal use of this species in Indian Ayurveda are discussed in detail by
Kapoor (1990)
. Indigenous medicinal uses of this species in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (India) are described by
Dagar and Singh (1999)
.
The
bark contains the alkaloids pelletierine, isopelletierine, methylpelletierine, pseudopelletierine, and considerable tannin; it has also been reported that the plant has a bacteriostatic effect (
Perry 1980
). Seeds and leaves of
Punica granatum
contain the hepatotoxic compound punicalagin, an oestrogenic chemical known as oestrone, and a form of pelletierine which is used for the expulsion of tapeworms (
Lan et al.1998
).
The chemical constituents, pharmacological activities, and traditional medicinal uses of this plant on a worldwide basis are discussed in detail by
Ross (1999)
. A pharmacognostical profile including medicinal uses of this plant in Africa is given in
Iwu (1993)
. Data on the propagation, seed treatment and agricultural management of this species are given by
Katende et al. (1995)
. Details of the active chemical compounds, effects, herbal usage and pharmacological literature of this plant are given in
Fleming (2000)
.
References.
Nordal (1963)
,
Perry (1980)
.