Botanical name : Physalis minima Linn.
Family : Solanaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Mrdukunjika, Laghukunjika, Cheerapotha
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Madhura
Guna : Guru, Snigdha
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Country gooseberry
Hindi : Chirpoti, Bandpariya
Malayalam : Njottanjodiyan, Njodinjotta, Muttampuli
Distribution – Throughout India growing in waste lands as weeds.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
An annual herb grows up to 75 cm in height. Leaves simple, alternate, lobbed or toothed and ovate, flowers yellow, solitary and axillary; fruits green, round berries enclosed in enlarged calyx, seeds many, small and discoid.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated pitta, burning sensation, hepatitis, splenomegaly, ascites, ulcer, sexual weakness and cough.
Useful part : Whole plant.
Photo: Dr. Eby Abraham MD