Scientific Name Host: Pistacia integerrima Stew. Ex. Brandis syn. Pistacia kinjuk Stocks . Drug is Galls induced by insects.
Family Anacardiaceae
Used Part galls, the drug sample is of galls.
Common Uses . Galls produced on the leaves and the petioles are used in medicine and for dyeing and tanning purposes. Dry powdered galls have a very astringent and slightly bitter taste and a terebinthine odour. The galls are aromatic, astringent and expectorant and are valued in Indian medicine as a remedy for asthma, phthisis and other ailments of the respiratory tract; they are useful in dysentery. The galls, are also used in fever, vomitting, loss of apetite, nose bleeding, snake bites, and scorpion stings. Useful in asthama, cough, and other diseases of respiratory tract. It is considered very effective in pulmonary affections. The main ayurvedic preparations using Kartatashringi are Karkataadi churna,Brihattaalishaadi churna and Balachaturbhadra.
Pharmacological Effect The oil is used as a carminative. In moderate doses, it has an antispasmodic action on involuntary muscles inhibiting excessive peristaltic movements of intestine. It has a depressant action on the central nervous system of guinea-pigs and white rats when given in sub- lethal doses. The animals become deeply unconscious in about an hour. Lethal doses (m.l.d., 0.1 cc./100 g. body wt.) cause deep narcosis leading to death within a few hours. The oil has a slight irritant action on the skin and mucous membrane. It shows weak antibacterial and antiprotozoal activities. The oil is reported to possess CNS-depressant activity.
