Achyranthes bidentata Blume

Family _ Amaranthaceae.

Habitat _ The temperate and subtropical

Himalayas from Kishtwar

to Sikkim at 1000-1200 m, Khasi

hills.

Ayurvedic _ Shveta Apaamaarga.

(Rakta Apaamaarga is equated

with Achyranthes rubra-fusca

Hook. f. and A. verschaffeltii Lam.,

synonym Iresine herbstii Hook. f.)

Siddha/Tamil _ Naayurivi.

Action _ Astringent, diuretic,

spasmolytic. Plant is given

in whooping cough, roots in

hemicrania.

A water-soluble oligosaccharide,

composed of six glucose units and

threemannose units, has been isolated

from the roots. It enhanced immune

response and prolonged survival time

of mice bearing Ehrlich carcinoma.

The roots contain free oleanolic acid

and its saponins. An

alcoholic extract of the root showed

presence of amino acids, steroids, triterpenoids,

alkaloids and coumarins.

The seeds afforded achyranthin.

Extract of the plant—antimicrobial.