Botanical name : Hygrophilla auriculata (K.Schum.) Heine.

Family : Acanthaceae

SANSKRIT SYNONYMS

Kokilaksha, Ikshura

AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES

Rasa : Madhura, Kashaya, Tikta

Guna : Lakhu, Snigda

Virya : Seeta

PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES

English : Long leaved barleria

Hindi : Talmakhana, Kamtakalya

Malayalam : Vayalchulli, Chulli

PLANT DESCRIPTION

An erect semi woody, annual grows up to 1.5 meters in height. Stem quadrangular, leaves in a verticles of six at a node, two very large, bearing three straight sharp spines at each axils, flowers purple, in the axils of leaves. Fruits are linear oblong compressed capsules, seeds 4-8 per pod, smooth with mucilaginous coating.

MEDICINAL PROPERTIES

Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, ascites, hyperdipsia, rheumatoid arthritis, vesical calculi, sexual weakness, impotency, jaundice, dropsy, cough and anemia.

Useful part : Roots, Leaves, Seeds.