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Anthopogon
Common Name: Dwarf rhododendron
Vernacular Name: Sunpati
Botanical Name: Rhododendron anthopogon D. Don
Family: Ericaceae
Description
An evergreen, strongly aromatic shrub-let to 60 cm to 1 m tall. Leaves simple, alternate, short stalked, oval to ovate, 2.5-4 cm long, densely scaly beneath and aromatic characteristic smell when crushed. Flowers white or yellowish tinged with pink, 4-6 in compact terminal clusters. Fruits capsules, about 3 mm long, encircled by persistent calyx.
Flowering period: May-July
Parts used: Leaves
Distribution: The plant occurs throughout Nepal as alpine shrubberies in open slopes and gregarious areas at an altitude 3000-4800m.
Propagation: The plant is propagated through seeds.
Anthopogon oil is obtained by steam distillation of the aerial part of Rhododendron anthopogon D. Don.
| Specification of Anthopogon |
| 1. Organoleptic Properties |
| Appearance |
Fluid liquid |
| Color |
Pale yellow |
| Aroma |
Sweet herbal, faint basamic |
| 2. Physico-chemical Properties |
| Specific gravity |
0.8630 to 0.8804 at 150C. |
| Optical rotation |
[-] 10.05º to [-] 32.9º at 15º C |
| Refractive index |
1.4785 to 1.4881 at 150C. |
| Acid number |
1.54 to 4.06 |
| Ester number |
5.40 to 25.92 |
| Ester number after acetylation |
8.23 to 45.78 |
| Solubility |
Soluble in 95% alcohol |
3. Chemical constituent
Leaves give ursoleic acid and quercetin. Leaves produce aromatic oil containing ?- and ?-pinene, d-limonene, 3-cyclohexene, linalyl propanoate, butanoic acid, caryophyllene, copaene, caryophyllene oxide, guaiol, ?-selinene 2- nephthalenemethanol and naphthalenamine. |
4. Uses:
Leaves are aromatic, stimulant and also administered to produce sneezing. Its decoction is used in cold, cough and chronic bronchitis.
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