Coleus Barbatus (Andrews) Benth.

Botanical Name:Plectranthus barbatus Andrews
Family: Lamiaceae – Mint family
Common Name:Pashan Bheda / Pathar Chur ( H )

Common Names in English:Coleus, Coleus Forskohlii, False Boldo, Forskohlii, Plectranthus
Common Names in French:Coléus à Forskoline (As C Forskohlii), Coléus De L´inde (As C Forskohlii)
Common Names in Hindi:Makandi, Pashan Bhedi, Patharchur
Common Names in Informal Latinized N: Coleus
Common Names in Japanese: Koreusu Foresukori
Common Names in Tamil:Karpooravalli (Karpuravalli), Pashanbheda, Patharchur
Kingdom : Plantae – Plants
Subkingdom: Tracheobionta – Vascular plants
Superdivision : Spermatophyta – Seed plants
Division: Magnoliophyta – Flowering plants
Class : Magnoliopsida – Dicotyledons
Subclass: Asteridae
Order: Lamiales
Genus :Coleus Lour. – coleus
Species: Coleus barbatus (Andrews) Benth. – coleus
Trade Name & Family Name : Pathar chur / Lamiaceae

Parts Used: : roots

Propagation : Seeds, Roots

Parts Used : Roots
Habitat: Subshrub , Forb/herb ; East Indies and tropical Africa. About Bombay, this species is commonly cultivated in the gardens of the natives for the roots, which are pickled.

Description:
It’s a big, honking, perennial specimen plant, totally easy & fast, to about 5’ tall. Related to Coleus, it has large, soft, toothed leaves held on thick, upright, branching stems. From Fall to late Spring, it bears large (10”), upright spikes of rich, purple-blue, long lasting blooms. The flowers emerge from fascinating buds that look like condensed “Chinese Houses.” A must for a tropical garden & would be lovely paired with Brugmansia sanguineus, the bright orange & scarlet “Angel’s Trumpet.” With rich, composty soil & average water, it will reach full height in less than a year.

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…...Herbs, sometimes subshrubs or shrubs , annual or perennial , usually aromatic . Stems and branches usually 4-angled. Leaves opposite, rarely whorled or alternate, simple to pinnately dissected or compound , without stipules. Inflorescences generally compound, sometimes flowers solitary and axillary ; verticillasters 2- to many flowered, subtended by leaves or bracts. Flowers bisexual , zygomorphic, rarely subactinomorphic, bracteolate or not. Calyx persistent , 5-toothed, 2-lipped; upper lip 3-toothed or entire (deciduous in Scutellaria) ; lower lip 2- or 4-toothed; tube sometimes hairy annulate inside. Corolla limb usually 2-lipped; upper lip 2-lobed and lower 3-lobed, rarely upper lip entire and lower 4-lobed, also rarely limb (4- or) 5-lobed; tube hairy annulate inside. Stamens epipetalous , 4 or 2, free , rarely filaments connate , sometimes one staminodial; anther 1- or 2-celled, usually dehiscing longitudinally; disc persistent. Ovary superior, 2-celled and each cell 2-ovuled and style subterminal , or ovary 4-parted and each lobe 1-ovuled and style gynobasic (from bases of ovary lobes) with 2-cleft apex. Fruit usually 4 dry nutlets . Seeds with or without endosperm.

Approximately 3500 species in 220 genera, distributed worldwide, but mostly in the Mediterranean region and SW Asia. China has 807 species in 96 genera.1

Flowers: Bloom Period: April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November. • Flower Color: light blue .

Cultivation : It grows well in red sandy loam soil. Plants grow well in hot,humid climate and tropical and sub tropical situation under irrigation.

Chemical Constituents : Forskolin

Medicinal Uses : decreases the blood pressure, cough, heart diseases. Kidny stone, Calculus. etc

Coleus barbatus (C. forskohlii) is used medicinally in Africa, Arabia, and Brazil. The root tubers of the plant are prepared and eaten as a condiment in India. Other Indian Coleus spp. are used in traditional Ayurvedic healing. Chemical studies of alcoholic extracts of the tubers of C. barbatus led to isolation of the labdane diterpene forskolin (coleonol), which has become an important research tool in studying the roles of the enzyme adenylate cyclase and cyclic-AMP in cellular physiology. The compound may eventually become a useful drug in treating hypertension, glaucoma, asthma, and certain cancers. This article summarizes the investigations ofC. barbatus.

Extracts of Coleus barbatus B. have been used in folk medicine to interrupt pregnancy. In order to evaluate if this plant interferes with embryo implantation or with the normal development of the concepts, pregnant Wistar rats were treated with increasing doses (220, 440 and 880 mg/kg per day) of a hydroalcoholic extract of C. barbatus. The rats received the extract by gavage from days 0 to 5 of pregnancy (preimplantation period) or 6 to 15 (organogenic period). Control groups received distilled water during the same periods. The animals were killed at term for the evaluation of maternal and fetal parameters. The results showed that the treatment with 880 mg/kg per day of the extract of C. barbatus before embryo implantation caused delayed fetal development and an anti-implantation effect, which justifies the popular use of this extract with abortive purposes. After embryo implantation delayed development associated with maternal toxicity was observed in the fetuses of the group which received 880 mg/kg per day.

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://apmab.ap.nic.in/products.php?&start=1

http://www.springerlink.com/content/r770360k71767484/

http://www.orissafdc.com/products_medicinal_plants.php

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T8D-41C2RT3-6&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=634276bd8c9e50bfa5d92011c4191d3d

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=COBA10

http://zipcodezoo.com/Plants/P/Plectranthus_barbatus/