Hydrophilia

April 23rd, 2008

Botanical Name: Hydrophilia spinosa
Family Name : Acanthaceae
Common Name : Kulikhara, Kokilaksah, Long Leaves Barleria

Common Indian Names:
Languages/Regions Names
1) Gujarati: Ekhara, Gokhran, Talamkhan
2) Hindi: Gokhal Kanta, Gokshura, Talamkhana
3) Kanarese: Kalavankabija, Kolavalike
4) Marathi : Talimakhana, Vikhara
5) Sanskrit: Ikshura, Kak-Kolilaksha, Srigalghant, Vajrakantaka
Part Used : Roots, Leaves, Seeds
Habitat : In india it is common in tropical and sub-tropical regions.
Product offered : Fruits

Synonym: Asteracantha Longifolia.
Parts Used: Root, seeds, dried herb.
Habitat: India, widely distributed in the sub-tropical regions of the world.

Description:This is an annual herb or under shrub, it grows to a height of about 60 cms. Generally the plant is found on wet places. The stem is square and thickened at nodes and hairy. The bark is dark brown. The leaves are elliptic-lanceolate, hispid and sessile. The flowers are bluish purple. The capsules are 1 cm. long, linear oblong, pointed glabrous, and about 8 seeded. The seeds are dark brown, hairy and spherical. The powdered seeds with water forms a gel. The flowering season is September-March.

The name is derived from the Greek, and refers to the medical doctrine of fluids in the body. It has tapering roots, a number of rootlets, and upright square stems; leaves and branches opposite, nodes swollen near them; the stem and leaves have three- to five-celled stiff hairs. Flowers, four pairs awl-shaped and like leaves in shape. Corolla glabrous on lower lip. Fruit has four to eight flattened brownish seeds, which contain a quantity of strong mucilage. The drug has no special odour or taste.
Constituents: Chiefly mucilage, fixed oil, phytosterol, and a trace of an alkaloidal substance, properties similar to Couchgrass.

All leaves are with straight sharp yellow spine in its axil. Flowers are in whorls of 8 (in 4 pairs) at each node. The colour of flower is purple blue (Aghrakar, 1991). During the floristic surveys by the team of Society For Parthenium Management (SOPAM) flowered variety of this useful weed was observed. The occurrence of this rare varity in Chhattisgarh and many parts of India has not been reported in available scientific literatures. Hence, this is a new record of occurrence of white variety of Asteracantha longifolia. To find out the occurrence of this rare variety in different parts of newly born state Chhattisgarh and also to list out the traditional medicinal knowledge about this useful weed, a detailed ethnobotacinal survey was conducted during 2001-2002.

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Uses : Roots are sweet, sour, bitter, refrigerant, diuretic, anti-inflammatory, analgesic, haemopoictic, hepatoprotective and tonic. It is useful in inflammations, hyperdipsia, strangury, jaundice and vesical calculi. It is also used in flatulence and dysentery. Leaves are haemopoictic, hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic, antidiabetic, stomachic, ophthalmic, diuretic and liver tonic. It is used in hepatic obstruction, jaundice, arthritis, rheumatism and diseases of urinogenital tract. It is useful in flatulence and other stomach related diseases. It is useful in anemia and for treating blood diseases. It is used to lower the blood sugar level. Seeds are gelatinous, febrifuge, rejuvenating and nervine tonic. It is used in burning sensation, fever and headaches. It is also used in diarrhoea and dysentery.

Medicinal Action and Uses: Demulcent and a diuretic for catarrh of the urinary organs; the dried herb and root, or rhizome, has long been used in India for dropsy, especially when accompanied by hepatic obstruction. It is a popular aphrodisiac. In Southern India the root is the commercial part, but in Bombay the seeds are mostly used.

In Ayurveda the leaves, seeds and the roots are used for treatment of rheumatism, and urinary tract infection. powdered seeds taken with milk is said to increase libido.(increase in sexual desire)

Preparation: Decoction, 2 oz. of root to 3 pints of water boiled down to 1 pint. Dose, 1/2 to 2 fluid ounces. Official in India and the Eastern Colonies.

Disclaimer:
The information presented herein is intended for educational purposes only. Individual results may vary, and before using any supplements, it is always advisable to consult with your own health care provider

Resources:
http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/h/hydphi47.html
http://www.motherherbs.com/asteracantha-longifolia.html
http://www.botanical.com/site/column_poudhia/01_white_flowered.html

http://www.herbsnspicesinfo.com/medicinal-herbs/asteracantha_longifolia.aspx