Dronapushpi - Siru Thumbai

Botanical Name: Leucas cephalotes (Syn) Leucas Aspera

Sanskrit: Dronapushpi, Chitrapathrika, Chitrakshup

Hindi: Guma, Madhupati

Punjabi: Guldor

Bengali: Darunaphula, Dandakalas, Halaksa

Gujarati: Kubo, Kulnnphul

Sindhi: Kubo

Marathi: Tubari, Tumba, Bahuphul

Tamil: Siru Thumbai, Thumbai

Telugu: Tummi, Peddatumani

Kannada: Tumbe, Tumbe hoovu

Malayalam: Cheru Thumba, Thumba Poovu

Description:

Dronapushpi is Sanskrit name of plant Leucas cephalotes. It is a medicinal herb that grows as a weed in India and many South East Asian countries. The folk use of this herb is for treating scorpion stings, snake bite, cough, fever etc. The whole plant has fever educing and insecticidal properties. The leaves are applied externally on snake bites and scorpion stings.

Part used: leaves and flowers

Traditional medicinal uses

It has antimicrobial, insecticidal, fever reducing, larvicidal and inflammation reducing properties. It is useful in skin diseases. In malarial fever, the leaves juice is given. In some part of country, the decoction of whole plant is used for curing fever. The juice removes toxins from body. The leaves juice is applied externally for skin diseases and swelling. In cold and cough, the leaves juice is recommended.

Scorpion sting

In scorpion sting the plant is used internally as well externally. The leaves juice (few drops) is mixed with honey and taken orally. Topically, the leaves juice is applied on place of sting.

Snake bite

The folk remedy is to put few drops of whole plant in nostrils.

Skin diseases, removing blood toxins

Skin diseases mainly occur due to toxins in blood. Dronapushpi plant has ability to flush the toxins from body. In skin diseases, whole plant of Dronapushpi is used. The plant is dried. Five grams of dried powder is taken with three grams Neem/Margosa leaves in 2 glass water. This is boiled till volume reduce to one fourth. Then it filtered and taken two times a day.

Abnormally heavy bleeding at menstruation

The leaves of plant are taken a handful. These are washed and then ground to make fine paste. This paste is mixed with lemon juice and sesame oil/til oil (edible). The preparation is eaten empty stomach every morning for a week.

Asthma, cold, cough

The leaves juice of plant is taken in dose of 1-3 teaspoons.

Excessive thirst

The flowers (2 tablespoon) are boiled in water (150 ml) till volume reduces to half. This is filtered and taken thrice a day.

Cough, leucorrhoea

The leaves of plant are cooked and eaten with rice.

Cough, congestion, blockage of nose, headache due to cough, Sinusitis, Migraine, Phlegm

The juice of leaves is put in nostrils as drops. For this purpose, the leaves juice is extracted and mixed with two times water. Then the diluted juice is put in nostrils (4 dops) for 3-4 days. The flowers are heated in til/sesame oil and applied on head.

Fever (acute, chronic), Allergy

The decoction of plant (2-3 grams in boiled in two glass water till water reduces to one fourth) is used

Caution:

This medicinal herb should be used in recommended doses only. It is hot in potency and heats up body. Avoid its use in excess. The leaves juice can be diluted for putting in nose of oral use.