Botanical name : Hemidesmus indicus (Linn.) R.Br.

Family : Asclepiadaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS

Sariba, Anantamoola

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya, Madhura,

Guna : Lakhu, Snigda

Virya : Ushna

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

English : Indian sarasaparilla, Country sarasaparilla

Hindi : Ananthamul, Magrabu

Malayalam : Naruneendi, Nannari

PLANT DESCRIPTION

A perennial, slender, laticiferous twinning or prostrate shrub with woody stock and numerous slender stems. Leaves are simple, opposite, linear lanceolate. Flower greenish purple, sub sessile cymes in the opposite leaf axils. Fruits are slender follicles, cylindrical, 10 cm long tapering to a point at the apex, seeds are flattened, black, ovate-oblong with silvery white coma.

The tuberous root is dark brown, with transversely cracked and longitudinally fissured bark. It has a strong central vasculature and pleasant smell and taste.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, vata, skin diseases, burning sensation, leukoderma, pruritus, bronchitis, asthma, hyperdipsia, diarrhea, dysentery, hemorrhoids, leucorrhoea, arthritis, fever and general debility.

Useful part : Root.