Sida acuta Burm. f.

Synonym S. carpinifolia auct. non Linn f.

Habitat Throughout the warmer parts of India.

English Horn beam-Leaved Sida.

Ayurvedic Balaa (white-flowered var.).

Folk Jangali Methi.

Action Root—astringent, cooling, stomachic, febrifuge, diuretic;

used for nervous and sexual debility, haemorrhoids, biiary disorders. Leaves—demulcent;

applied to testicular swellings and elephantiasis.

The root contains alkaloids—phenethylamine, ephedrine (major), siephedrine, vasicinol, vasicinone, vasicine, choline, hypaphorine and be- tame. (These alkaloids are also present in aerial parts.) The root also contains alpha-amyrin and an hormone, ecdysterone. Whole plant, as well as the root, contains an alkaloid cryptolepine. Cryptolepine exhibits hypotensive and antimicrobial activity.

The seeds contain 0.26% of the alkaloids and roots 0.066%.

The water-soluble portion of the alcoholic extract of the plant exerts spasmodic action of the smooth muscles of ileum, trachea, uterus and heart of experimental animals. (The activity bears similarity to that of acetylcholine.)