Rock Sugar ( Misri )

The seeds are credited with acrid, alexipharmic, anodyne, appetiser, aromatic, astringent, bitter, cardiac tonic, carminative, depurative, digestive, diuretic, expectorant, febrifuge, fragrant, liver tonic, stimulant, stomachic, sudorific and thermogenic properties and are prescribed for the treatment of indigestion, vomiting, biliousness, abdominal pains, halitosis and rectal diseases.

This species does not contain the toxic alkaloid Aconitine and so it is said to be non-poisonous. Tuberous root is acrid, analgesic, anti inflammatory, antiperiodic, antispasmodic, aphrodisiac, astringent, bitter, carminative, cholagogue, digestive, expectorant, febrifuge, stomachic, thermogenic and tonic.

Karkatashringi (Pistacia integerrima) tree is indigenous to India and is found in the outer ranges of the North-Western Himalayas at an altitude of 500 to 2500 meter. For medicinal purpose, mainly the galls present on the leaves and branches are used. Galls are not the growth of tree but these are formed by insect Aphis (Dasia asdifactor).

It has a large variety of bioactives, with the water extract showing promise at improving left ventricle function of the heart without any observable toxicity of side effects.