Common Name:

General Information

Drimia indica is a bulbous plant first producing a flowering stem up to 45cm tall and then a rosette of leaves growing 15 - 45cm tall from the bulb, which is 6 - 8cm in diameter[, ].
The bulb is a common medicinal herb in India, where it is used in Ayurveda. It is normally gathered from the wild.

Known Hazards

Although used medicinally, if taken in excess the bulb is a narcotic, acrid poison causing nausea, slow, painful urination, and bloody urine[].

Botanical References

Range

Tropical Africa - drier areas from Senegal to Somalia, south to S. Africa; E. Asia - Indian subcontinent, Myanmar, Vietnam.

Habitat

Rocky savannah at elevations of 100 - 1,525 metres in Africa.

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Bulb
Height	0.40 m
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Not known

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

In small doses the bulb is cardiac, deobstruent, diuretic, emmenagogue, expectorant and stimulant[]. In large doses it is cathartic and emetic[]. It should be used with caution because in larger doses it is toxic[].
Research has shown that the bulb slows the heartbeat[].
A syrup made of the bulb plus some other plants is used in the treatment of spasmodic croup, acute and chronic bronchitis[].
A tincture of the bulb is used in the treatment of cardiac and renal dropsy, ascites, asthma, rheumatism, calculous and paralytic affections, leprosy and skin diseases[].
The bulb is rubbed onto the soles of the feet to relieve burning[]. The dried, powdered bulb is applied locally to rid the body of warts[].

The bulb can be used in place of the officinal herb medicine Sea squill (Drimia maritima)[]. These uses are:-

Sea squill contains cardiac glycosides which are strongly diuretic and relatively quick-acting[]. They do not have the same cumulative effect as those present in foxglove (Digitalis spp.)[]. The bulb has been widely used by herbalists, mainly for its effect upon the heart and for its stimulating, expectorant and diuretic properties[]. The fresh bulb is slightly more active medicinally than the dried bulb, but it also contains a viscid acrid juice that can cause skin inflammations[]. This is a very poisonous plant and it should only be used under the supervision of a qualified practitioner[].
The dried bulb is cardiotonic, strongly diuretic, emetic when taken in large doses and expectorant[, , , , , , , ]. It is used internally in the treatment of bronchitis, bronchitic asthma, whooping cough and oedema[] and is a potential substitute for foxglove in aiding a failing heart[]. The bulb is harvested in the autumn, sliced transversally and dried for later use[].
Externally, the bulb has been used in the treatment of dandruff and seborrhoea[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed -

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