Botanical name : Osbeckia wayanadensis C.B. Clarke
Family : Melastomataceae (Rosaceae)
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Jaleshani, Kharapatri, Svabhrapushpi
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya
Guna : Lakhu, Rooksha
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Indian Rhododendron (Big variety)
Hindi : Bada Laakheri
Malayalam : Valiya Atiranipoovu, Valiya Atiranipoo, Vankadalipoo, Vankadali, Valiyakadali poov.
Distribution – Growing wild in Western Ghats, along river banks.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An erect perennial shrub grows up to 2 meters in height. Leaves simple, opposite, ovate-lanceolate, acute, and prominently veined, both surfaces are scrubby. Flowers bright red to pink colored and showy. Fruits fleshy hips enclosing small and blackish seeds.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, inflammation, urinary tract infection, hemorrhage, menorrhagia, hemorrhoids and leucorrhea. This plant is on the verge of extinction due to water pollution and manmade destructive activities.
Useful part : Whole plant
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
The plant contains the flavonoids, quercetin, kaempferol and hydrolysable tannins, besides gallic acid, methyl gallate and ellagic acid. The flavonoids and tannins showed antioxidant activity. Ellagic acid suppressed increase in lipid peroxidation induced by CCl4 and Cobalt-60 irradiation and this effect was more than that of alpha-tocopherol. Gallic acid showed anti-inflammatory activity against zymosan-induced acute footpad swelling in mice.
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