Botanical Name: Convolvulus pluricaulis
Family Name: Convolvulaceae
Identification No. – SDACH/HG/267
Vernacular Names:
- Hindi: Shankhpushpi
- Marathi: Shankhavali
- Bengali: Shankhaphuli
- Gujarati: Shankhavi
- Tamil: Vishnukiranthai
- Telugu: Vishnukranta
- Kannada: Vishnukrantha
- Malayalam: Shankhupushpam
Synonyms:
शङ्खपुष्पी तु शङ्खाह्वा माङ्गल्यकुसुमापि च |
(Bhavaprakasha Nighantu, Guduchyadi Varga)
Classical Classification:
- Charaka: Medhya Rasayana
- Sushruta: Not directly mentioned
- Vagbhata: Medhya
- Bhavaprakasha: Medhya, Rasayana
Habitat & Distribution:
Commonly found throughout India, especially in the plains. Grows in dry, open, grassy areas and along roadsides. Native to India and distributed in tropical and subtropical regions of Asia.
Morphology:
- Habit: Diffused, spreading herb with prostrate or ascending branches
- Leaves: Small, 1.3–2.5 cm long, ovate or elliptic, base truncate
- Flowers: Solitary, pale blue or violet, funnel-shaped resembling a conch shell
- Roots: Slender, branched
Varieties:
- Some texts identify Vishnukranti (Clitoria ternatea) or Evolvulus alsinoides as variants or substitutes in some regions.
Substitute/Adulterant:
- Evolvulus alsinoides
- Clitoria ternatea (frequently mistaken)
Phytochemicals:
- Alkaloids: Shankhapushpine
- Glycosides
- Coumarins
- Flavonoids
- Triterpenoids
- β-sitosterol
- Kaempferol
- Ceryl alcohol
Rasa Panchaka:
- Rasa: Tikta, Kashaya
- Guna: Laghu, Snigdha
- Virya; Shita
- Vipaka; Madhura
- Prabhava: Medhya
- Dosha Shamakta: Tridoshaghna, mainly Kapha-Pitta hara
Karma (Rogaghnata):
- Medhya (brain tonic)
- Rasayana
- Anxiolytic
- Anticonvulsant
- Neuroprotective
- Antidepressant
- Nootropic
- Balya
- Grahniroga hara
Amayika Prayoga / Therapeutic Uses:
External Use:
- Paste applied on skin disorders and inflammations
- Decoction for eye washing in certain conditions
Internal Use:
- Memory enhancement (Medhya Rasayana)
- Anxiety, depression, epilepsy
- Insomnia
- Digestive disorders
- Improves speech and intellect in children
Part Used:
Whole plant (sometimes mainly aerial parts)
Dose:
- Powder (Churna): 1–3 grams
- Juice (Swarasa): 10–20 ml
- Decoction (Kwatha): 50–100 ml
- Extract (Satva): 250–500 mg
Yoga/Formulations:
- Shankhpushpi Syrup
- Medhya Rasayana
- Saraswatarishta
- Smriti Sagar Rasa
- Brahmi Vati
- Shankhpushpi Churna
- Manas Mitra Vatakam
IUCN Status:
Not Evaluated (NE); Commonly available and cultivated
Research Updates :
1. Neuroprotective Role in Alzheimer’s Disease Models
- Journal: Journal of Ethnopharmacology, 2021
- Findings: Ethanolic extract of Convolvulus prostratus significantly reduced beta-amyloid plaques and improved cognitive function in mouse models.
2. Effect on Anxiety and Depression
- Journal: Phytomedicine, 2020
- Study: Demonstrated anxiolytic and antidepressant effects through modulation of GABAergic transmission.
3. Nootropic and Cognitive Enhancer Activity
- Journal: Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 2019
- Result: Improved learning and memory retention in scopolamine-induced amnesia models, with effectiveness comparable to standard nootropics.
