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12. Sanssurea lappa Clarke, Comp. Ind. 233. (Fig. 130).
Aplotoxis lappa Dene.—Aucklandia costus Falconer.
COMPOSITAE
Sinh. Godamahanel, Pushkaramula, Suwanda-Kottang; Tarn. Goshtam, Kostum,
Putchuk; Hindi Kot, Kur, Kust, Kut, Pachak; Sans. Agada, Amaya, Apya, Bhasura, Dushta,
Gada, Gadakhya, Gadavha, Gadavhaya, Haribhadraka, Jarana, Kadakhya, Kakala, Kashmirja,
Kaubera, Kinjalka, Kushtha, Kuthika, Kutsita, Niruja, Padmaka, Pakala, Pakalam, Paribhadraka,
Paribhavya, Pavana, Rama, Roga, Rogavhaya, Ruja, Ruk, Utpala, Vaniraja, Vyadhi,
Vyapya.
A tall, robust, perennial herb; stem 1.2—2 m high, pubescent above with radical and
cauline leaves; radical leaves very large, 06—1.2 m long, triangular, with a long, lobately winged
stalk, terminal lobe about 30 cm* diameter; cauline leaves 15-30 cm long, stalked or stalkless
with 2 half-stem—clasping lobes at the base, membranous, scaberulous above, glabrate beneath,
irregularly toothed; flower heads subglobose, 2.5—3.7 cm diameter, sessile, hard, in axillary
or terminal clusters of 2—5; involucre bracts many, purple, ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, rigid,
squarrosely recurved, glabrous; corolla 2 cm long, tubular, dark blue-purple; stamens free,
anther tails fimbriate; achenes curved, compressed, 0.8 cm long, margins thickened, one rib on
each face, top contracted and cupped, pappus of double hairs 1.6 cm long, brown,.feathery.
Illustrations. Blatter, Beautiful Fl, Kashmir 1: pi. 33, fig. I. 1927; Kirtikar and Basu,
Indian Med. Plants, pi. 551B. 1933.
Distribution. Grows in Kashmir between 8,000 and 12,000 feet altitude. It does not
grow in Ceylon.
Composition. The chief constituents of the root are an essential oil, an alkaloid called
saussurine, resin, traces of a bitter substance and small quantities of tannin, inulin, potassium
nitrate, sugars, etc.
Uses. This drug is extensively used in Ceylon and is imported from India. The roots
of this plant enter into the composition of preparations used for treatment of leucoderma,
abdominal colic, dropsy, piles, asthma, coughs, anaemia, enlarged liver, diarrhoea,
urticaria, insanity, epilepsy, impotence, carbuncles, fistula, syphilis and nervous, urinary
and blood diseases. It is also prescribed in the advanced stage of typhous fever.
The drug is a cardiac stimulant, expectorant and diuretic. It relieves asthmatic attacks
and is useful against persistent hiccough.
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