Botanical Name: Paederia foetida Linn.

Family: Rubiaceae.

 Introduction:

This is an anti-inflammatory drug used in Ayurvedic. 

Names in different Indian languages

Synonyms

Gañdhãdhyã, Balyã, Rãjabalã, Sarani

Classification according to Charaka, Susrutha & Vagbhata

Varieties & adulterants - (CV – controversy, AD – adulterants) 

1. Merremia tridentate - [CV]
2. Laptadenia spartium - [CV]
3. Convolvulus arvenis - [CV]
4. P. scandens [CV]
5. Prasarani – CV (north Indians calls)

Morphology

Glabrous or twining shrub.

Leaves simple, opposite ovate or lanceolate, acute or cuspidate; 6-8 cm x 2.5- 3.5 cm; petioles 2-3 cm long.

Flowers- in panicles, 15 cm long, violet coloured flowers.

Fruit- orbicular, wings pale, 1.0 cm. across.

Distribution & Habitat

Central and Eastern Himalayan ranges, West Bengal.

Chemical constituents:

 iridoid glycosides, sitosterol, stigmasterol, campesterol, ursolic acid, hentriacontane, hentriacontanol, ceryl alcohol, palmitic acid and methyl mercaptan (foul smell)

Properties:

Rasa Tikta

Guna Guru, Sara

Virya Usna

Vipaka Katu

Karma – vrishya,keshya, kandudhna, kushtaghna

carminative, antiinflammatory, astringent, spasmolytic, antidiarrhoeal, diuretic, antilithic

Srotogamitva:

 Dosha Tridoshaghni.

Dhatu Shukra (aphrodisiac), asthi (bones), rakta (vatarakta).

Mala Purisha (mild laxative), (malavishtambhaharini-relieves piles).

 Indication:

Vãta Vyãdhi, Amavãta, Mütrakrcchra

rheumatic infections, piles,cough, inflammations of the liver, spleen

Part used:

  Root, leaf

Dosage: 

Leaf juice 10-15 ml

Powder 2-4 g

Decoction 50-100 ml

External use Analgesic. anti-inflammatory. Therefore it is used in all the vata disorders. It is the best medicine for it

Internal uses:

Digestive system : It is an antiflatulent and mild laxative. So it is used in abdominal pain, flatulence and constipation with hard stool. Cooked leaves or the warm paste of leaves is given in abdominal pain.

Circulatory system : It purifies the blood by its tikta rasa and alleviates vata by its ushna veerya. Therefore it is used in vatarakta.

Reproductive system : Aphrodisiac by guru property. So used in infertility.

Therapeutic Uses:

(1) Amavãta— Prasãriñi decoction, jaggary and Lasuna are fermented together for 7 days and then given orally with Pañchakola curna (C.D.)

(2) Mutrakrichra— Prasãrini paste is taken with coconut water (V.M.)

Descriptions on  Ayurveda books / Nighandu:

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