Botanical Name : Vernonia anthelmintica Willd.
Family : Asteraceae
Introduction : Seed very much useful in intestinal worm infections.
Names in different Indian languages :
English : Purple Flea-bane, Achenes
Hindi : Baksi, kalijira
Kannada : kadujirage
Malayalam : Krmisatru, kattujirakam
Sanskrit : Aranya-Jiraka
Tamil : Kaattu seerakam, Cittilai
Telugu : Adavijilakarra
Unani : Kamoon barri.
Synonyms :
Vanajiraka, Kaalijiri, Karjiri. Somaraaji
Centratherum anthelminticum Kuntze.
Morphology :
Annual herb, grows 40-60 cm height
Leaves- simple, alternate, hairy , serrate, lanceolate
Flower-purple,
Fruit – achenes
Distribution & Habitat :
All over India, waste lands
Chemical constituents :
Delta-7-avenasterol, Centratherin and germacranolide
Properties :
RASA-kashya, tikta
GUNA-laghu
VIRYA-ushna ( according to dhanathari nigandu – sita)
VIPAKA-katu
Karma : mutralam, deepana,netryam, stamba
Anthelmintic, stomachic, diuretic, anti inflammatory, anodyne, purgative,
Indication :
Kushta, kandu, sopha, gulma, krimi, swasa, kasa, vrana
Skin disease, asthma, cough, leprosy, leucoderma, colic, fever, worms
Part used :
Fruits
Dosage :
Leaf juice 10-15 ml
Powder 2-4 g
Decoction 50-100 ml
Therapeutic Uses :
Fruit paste in resin of papaya along with honey useful in intestinal worms.