Botanical name : Cryptolepis buchanani Roem. & Schult.
Family : Asclepiadaceae; Periplocaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Svasaghni, Lataksheeri, Krishna Sariba, Jambupatra Sariba
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa    : Tikta, Madhura, Katu
Guna   : Lakhu
Virya   : Ushna
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English     : Indian Sarsaparilla
Hindi        : Anantamuula
Malayalam    : Vallippala, Palkodi, Kattupala
Distribution – Throughout India growing wild in planes, as a spreading plant.
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A slender twinner shrub. Leaves simple, opposite, fleshy, ovate- lanceolate, acuminate, flowers in umbel inflorescence, greenish, fruits fusiform, divaricate, and tapering to the apex; seeds ovate with long coma.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, cough, asthma, bronchitis, dysentery, diarrhea, skin diseases, arthritis, wounds, ulcer, hemorrhoids, hemiplegia, malignant tumor and leukemia. Root decoction stimulates breast milk production. Plant processes immunomodulatory activity.
Useful part    :    Roots, Leaves.  
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
The major constituent of the root extractis germanicol docosanoate. The roots contains cryptanoside C. The leaves gave cryptanoside A and B and a cardenolide, cryptosin.
Dosage Root-5-10 g (API Vol. IV.); infusion- 50-100 ml. (CCRAS.)

Photo : Dr. Eby Abraham MD