Aranya-Jiraka

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.

Hindi »