Botanical name : Achyranthes aspera Linn.
Family : Amaranthaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Apamargah, Mayoorah,Markatapippalee, Durgrahah
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES –
Of fruit
Rasa : Madhura
Guna : Rooksha, Sara
Virya : Seeta
Of root
Rasa : Tikta, Katu
Guna : Teekshna, Sara
Virya : Ushna
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : Prickly chaff-flower plant
Hindi : Circita
Malayalam : Vankadaladi
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A shrub that grows up to one meter height; leaves simple, opposite, obovate or elliptic; flowers bracteate and bracteolate, greenish, in spikes; fruits oblong urticle; seeds single, inverse.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated vata, kapha, asthma, bronchitis, flatulence, painful inflammations, vomiting, skin diseases, renal and vesical calculi.
Useful part : The whole plant
Photo: Dr. Eby Abraham MD