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Holarrhena antidysenterica
Apocynaceae Easter Tree, Ivory Tree, Conessi, Kurchi
A tropical Asian tree with hard white wood and bark formerly used as a remedy for dysentery and diarrhoea.
Described as charming is this small to medium sized, deciduous tree found in some abundance in the forests of India and, for conservatory owners, having the advantage of flowering abundantly when quite young and small. Blooming for a couple of months or so every year, conveniently around Easter and used for church decoration, it produces in clusters hundreds of waxy, white, highly-scented, Jasmine-like flowers. When not in flower, it is a handsome foliage plant with large, rich green, pointed, oval leaves up to 12 ins. in length.
It is a well known herb for gastric disorders. The flowers improve appetite. The seeds are cooling, appetising and astringent to the bowels. Well known for its ant diarrhoeal activity was studied for its effect on diarrhoeagenic Escherichia coli. Different dilutions of the decoction of the plant were assayed for its effect on the adherence and toxin production of 2 groups of E.coli.... The decoction was more effective in inhibiting stable toxin production as compared with labile toxin production.