Botanical name : Mussaenda frondosa Linn.
Family : Rubiaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Sreeparna, Rajatari, Sreepatri, Sreemati
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Kashaya, Tikta
Guna : Teekshna
Virya : Seeta
Vipaka : Katu
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Wild mussenda
Hindi : Bedina
Malayalam : Vellila, Vellilam, Vellilathali
Distribution – Throughout Western Ghats; also cultivated in gardens.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An erect much branched shrub grows up to 5 meters in height. Bark grey; leaves simple, opposite, ovate, acuminate at apex, white tomentose beneath; flowers yellowish green outside and orange inside, found in terminal cymes. One of the calyx lobes become enlarged to white leaf like structure. Fruits globose or ovoid green berries.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, pitta, inflammation, cough, bronchitis, fever, wounds, ulcers, leucoderma, prutitus, jaundice, dandruff and urinary system diseases. Leaves crushed in water used as herbal shampoo.
Useful part : Whole plant.