Family Verbenaceae.
Habitat The Himalayas, Khasi and Lushai Hills, Bihar, West Bengal, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra.
English Vervain, Pigeon’s Grass. Unani Saal-ul-hamaam, Faristariun.
Action Plant—nervine, antidepressant, anticonvulsant; prescribed in liver and gall bladder complaints (spasm of the bladder and strangury), nervous and menstrual disorders; also for bronchitis, asthma and febrile affections.
Included among unapproved herbs by German Commission E.
The plant contains an iridoid glycoside, hastatoside; loganin; methyl-
cyclopentane monoterpenoid, verbenalin; verbascoside and eukovoside. The stem and roots are quite rich in stachyose. Aerial parts gave lupeol, beta-sitosterol, ursolic acid, aucubin and artemetin.
The herb is credited with weak parasympathomimetic activity. Verbenalin exhibited mild purgative activity in animal studies. Emetic in high doses.
Vervain tea decreased absorption of non-heme iron by 59% in human subjects. (Sharon M. Herr.)
Vernonia cinerea Less.
Family Compositae; Asteraceae.
Habitat Distributed throughout
India. Common in waste places and
road side.
English Ash coloured Fleabane, Purple Fleabane.
Ayurvedic Sahadevi, Uttamkanyaka, Dandotpalaa.
Siddha/Tamil Naichotte Poonde.
Action Plant—febrifuge, diaphoretic (infusion of herb, combined with quinine, is used against malaria).
Used as a specific herb for leucorrhoea, dysuria, spasm of bladder, strangury and for haematological disorders, as a blood purifier and styptic. Also used in asthma.
Seeds—anthelmintic, antiflatulent, antispasmodic; used in dysuria, leucoderma, psoriasis and other skin diseases. Roots—anthelmintic; decoction used for colic.
The Ayurvedic Pharmacopoeia of India recommends the plant in inter-
700 Vernonia javanica DC.
mittent fever, filariasis, pityriasis versicolour (tinea versicolor), blisters, boils, vaginal discharges and in cases of psychoneurosis.
