Botanical
Name: Andrographis Paniculata
Hindi:
Kalmegh
Sanskrit:
Kalmegh
Tamil:
Siriyanangai
Marathi: Kadu
kirayata
Bengali: Kalmegh
Gujarati:
Kariyatu
Andrographis
Paniculata is traditionally known as kalmegh. The plant belongs to family
Acanthaceae, native to India and Sri Lanka. It is an erect annual herb
extremely bitter in taste in each and every part of the plant body. It grows
erect to a height of 30-110 cm in moist shady places with glabrous leaves and
white flowers having rose-purple spots on the petals. Flowers are small,
solitary in panicles. Fruit is approximately 2 cm long. Seeds are numerous,
yellow-brown in colour. The flowers of Siriyanangai looks like a snake cobra.
This medicinal plant is used for snake bites in some villages.
The plant
grows in waste grounds and prefers moist habitat. The herb is bitter in taste
and has weak odour. The whole plant may be used in medicine. It is widely
cultivated in southern Asia, where it is used to treat infections and some
diseases, often being used before antibiotics were created. Mostly the leaves
and roots were used for medicinal purposes.
Both in
Ayurveda and Unani, it is often confused with 'Chirayita' (Swertia chirata),
but both are different plants. It is widely available in Arabia and It is given
for fever along with several herbs.
Properties and
uses of Siriyanangai
Siriyanangai has been found to be an effective anti-biotic, anti-viral,
anti-parasitic and immune system stimulant. It has anti-inflammatory and
anti-tumor properties. It has been described as antipyretic and
hepatoprotective.
1. It is
used for fever and liver disorders.
2. It has
beneficial effect in reducing diarrhoea.
3. It is
used in treatment of Jaundice.
4. It is
used in case of diseases like flu, sinusites, upper respiratory tract infection
and cough.
5. Used as
one of the best remedies for Malaria.
6. It acts
to dispel heat and remove toxins.
7. It is a
blood purifier, so used to cure torbid liver, jaundice, and dermatological
diseases.
8. It is
used in viral hepatitis, children’s bowel complaints, gastric acidity, liver
congestion, flatulence.
9. Tincture
of roots is tonic, stimulant and aperients.
10. Kills
intestinal worms and support intestine.
11.
Siriyanangai is also used for snake bites in the villages of Tamilnadu, Kerala
and Karnataka
12. It is
also used in Ayurvedic Preparation which is used to treat vitiligo.
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