Botanical Name: Vinca rosea
Family Name: Apocynaceae
Identification No.: SDACH/HG/305
Vernacular Names:
– Hindi: Sadabahar, Baramasi
– English: Madagascar Periwinkle, Rosy Periwinkle
– Bengali: Nayantara
– Tamil: (Nithyakalyani)
– Telugu: (Bildagilabi)
– Kannada: (Sadapushpa)
– Malayalam: (Shavanthi)
– Gujarati: (Sadaphul)
Synonyms
“सदापुष्पा नित्यपुष्पा विषघ्नी क्षयनाशिनी।
रक्तपित्तहरा शीता तथा च मधुमेहनुत्॥”
Classification in Classical Texts:
– Charak:
– Raktapittahara(Bleeding disorder alleviator)
– Kushthaghna(Skin disease remedy)
– Sushruta:
– Tikta Skandha (Bitter group)
– Bhavaprakash: Classified under Guduchyadi Varga
Habitat & Distribution:
– Native to Madagascar
– Naturalized throughout tropical regions including India
– Commonly cultivated in gardens
Morphology:
– Type: Evergreen subshrub (30-100 cm tall)
– Leaves: Glossy, oval-oblong (2.5-9 cm long)
– Flowers: 5-petaled, white/pink/red (2-5 cm diameter)
– Fruits: Paired follicles (1.5-2.5 cm long)
– Roots: Fibrous with strong taproot
Varieties:
1. White-flowered (Alba variety)
2. Pink-flowered (Rosea variety)
3. Red-flowered (Atropurpurea variety)
Phytochemicals:
– Indole alkaloids (vinblastine, vincristine)
– Flavonoids
– Tannins
– Phenolic acids
Rasapanchaka:
– Rasa: Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent)
– Guna: Laghu (Light), Ruksha (Dry)
– Virya: Sheeta (Cooling)
– Vipaka: Katu (Pungent)
– Prabhava: Raktapittahara (Bleeding disorder remedy)
– Dosha Karma: Pitta-Kapha shamak, Vata vardhak
Therapeutic Uses (Amayika Prayoga):
External:
– Leaf paste for wasp stings
– Flower juice for eye irritation
Internal:
– Leaf decoction (30-50 ml) for diabetes
– Root powder (250-500 mg) for leukemia (under supervision)
Parts Used: Whole plant (leaves most potent)
Dose:
– Leaf powder: 1-2 g
– Decoction: 30-50 ml
Formulations (Yoga):
– Sadapushpadi Kwatha
– Nityakalyani Rasayana
IUCN Status: Not evaluated
Research Updates
1. 2021: New alkaloids isolated for cancer research
2. 2022: Hypoglycemic effects confirmed in clinical trials
3. 2023: Nanoparticle drug delivery studies
