Dendrocnide sinuata
Family:- Urticaceae
Common Name:- Stinging tree, Nettle tree etc.
Vernacular name:- Pud-Rungtey
General_Information
Dendrocnide sinuata is an evergreen shrub or a tree, usually growing up to 10 metres tall, but occasionally reaching up to 26 metres. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use as a medicine and hair wash. The bark is white and smooth with lenticellate blaze. Whitish. branchlets are terete (cylindrical and circular in cross section) with glandular stinging hairs.
harmful_fact
Upon contact with skin the nettle causes a painful itch, hives, fever and chills, skin depressions and clamminess. Due to presence of formic acid, oxalic acid & tartaric acid.
Medicinal_value
A decoction of the roots, combined with the leaves of a Schizostachyum species, is drunk as a remedy for swollen limbs. The leaves are applied externally as a treatment against scabies. The plant is claimed to be used as an oral contraceptive.
The juice of the root is reported to be used in chronic fevers. The roots are also boiled in water and the decoction is given to cure jaundice. The roots and leaves are used to prepare poultice and applied to heal boils, carbuncles, wounds, burns and rashes.
Dendrocnide sinuata has been widely used as medicine for curing diverse ailments including fever, chronic fever, malaria, dysentery, urinary disorder, Irregular menstruation, swelling, blindabscesses and hypersensitivity by ethnic tribals of North East India including like Nyishi, Apatani, Adibasi, Karbis, Dimasa, Khasi, Riang etc.
Reference