PHYSALIS ANGULATA

Linn.

Family ► Solanaceae. Habitat ► Native to tropical America; cultivated in Indian gardens in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu; also grows in moist places as a weed. Action ► Plant—diuretic.salin B and F have been isolated from the ethanolic extract of the whole plant. Both physalin B and F are reported to inhibit the growth of several human leukaemia cell systems.Aerial parts yielded seco-withano- lides—cleaved steroidal constituents containing physalins. In Taiwan, phy- Family ► Solanaceae. Habitat ► Throughout India, ascending up to 2,300 m. English ► Sun-berry. Ayurvedic ► Tankaari, Parpotikaa, Chirapotikaa. Siddha/Tamil ► Sodakku thakkali. Action ► Berries—diuretic, aperient, alterative. Used for gout and urinary diseases.Quercetin 3-O-galactoside, isolated from the crude extract of the leaves, is reported to exhibit anti-inflammatory activity comparable to phenylbutazone in carageenan-induced rat paw oedema.Physalis minima Linn. var indica C. B. Clarke is common weed in irrigated fields and bunds.The plant contains withasteroids, physalindicanols, withaminimin and withaphysalin, 3-O-glucosides of kaempferol and quercetin, in addition to beta-sitosterol and its glucoside.The diuretic action of Physalis minima leaves is attributed to the high content of potassium nitrate (8-10%).