अम्बष्ठा - Cissampelos pareira
Name - पाठा
Botanical name - Cissampelos pareira
Description - Twining perennial shrub; leaves reniform, orbicular or cordate, 4.5 by 6.5 cm, peltate, chartaceous, 5- to 7-nerved, pubescent, base cordate or truncate; male inflorescence pendent type; flowers greenish; female inflorescence in thyroid clusters; fruits red when ripe, subtended by the conspicuous auricular bracts
Chemical Constituents- Root and stem contain hayatin, L-curine and d-isochondrodendrine. Root bark contains 11 quaternary alkaloids, 3 named as menismine, cossamine and pareirine, I-bebeerine, hyatinin, hayatin and isochondrodendrine, 5 tertiary alkaloids, alkaloid (++)-4"-O-methylcurine isolated. Plant extract contains saponin Leaves and stem contain alkaloids laudanosine, nuciferine, bulbocarpine, corytoberine and magnoflorine. Leaves contain cycleanine, bebeerine, hayatidin, hayatin and quercitol
Use - Root diuretic, antiperiodic, purgative, used in dyspepsia, dropsy and urinary troubles. The drug is bitter, Antiperiodic, diuretic and purgative. It is used in dyspepsia, Dropsy, coughs and cystitis.
