Botanical name : Alternanthera sessilis (Linn.) R.Br.ex DC ((A. triandra Lam.) A. triandra Lam., A. denticulata R. Br., A. repens Gmel. Non-Link.
Family : Amaranthaceae
SANSKRIT SYNONYMS
Matsyaksi, Matsyagandhaa, Matsyaadini, Minaakshi, Bahli, Gandali, Gartkalambukaa, Vaahlikaa, Matsyaakshika
AYURVEDIC PROPERTIES
Rasa : Tikta, Kashaya, Madhura
Guna : Guru, Snigdha
Virya : Seeta
PLANT NAME IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES
English : sessile joyweed
Hindi : Gudrisag
Malayalam : Meengani, Ponnangani, Ponnankanni keera.
Unani : Machhechhi.
Distribution – Throughout India in moist places, growing wild and often cultivated
PLANT DESCRIPTION
A profucely branched prostrate herb, grows spreading over ground; leaves simple, opposite, fleshy, lanceolate, linear-oblong, acute, sometimes obtuse, glabrous, shortly petiolate; flowers small, white, in axillary clusters; fruits compressed obcordate urticles, seeds sub-orbicular and small.
MEDICINAL PROPERTIES
Plant pacifies vitiated kapha and pitta, burning sensation, diarrhea, skin disease, dyspepsia, hemorroids, liver and spleen diseases and fever.
Useful part : Whole plant.
CHEMICAL CONTENTS
Young shoots contain protein 5% and iron 16.7 mg/100 g. Leaves also contain a good amount of alpha- and beta-tocopherols. The plant gave stigmasterol, betasitosterol, a saturated aliphatic hydrocarbon and aliphatic ester.
Dosage - Whole plant—2–6 g powder. (API Vol. II.)
Photo : Dr. Eby Abraham MD
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