Aakhukarni

Botanical Name : Evolvulus nummularius (L.) L.

Family : Convolvulaceae

Identification No.- SDACH/HG/150

Names in different Indian languages :

English : Round leaf Bindweed

Malayalam : vishnukranta

Sanskrit : Vishnukranti

Synonyms :

“विष्णुक्रान्ता शंखपुष्पी मंगल्या क्षीरपुष्पिका | 

मेध्या स्मृतिप्रदा हृद्या सरा तिक्ता हिमा लघुः ॥”

Akhukarni, mushakarni

Morphology :

Perennial herb. Stems prostrate, pubescent, rooting at nodes. Leaves orbicular to orbicular-obovate, 5-20 mm long and broad, apex obtuse or retuse, base truncate to subcordate, glabrous or sparsely pubescent beneath; petiole 1-8 mm long, pubescent, canaliculate above. Flowers solitary or rarely paired, axillary; peduncles up to 5 mm long, recurving. Sepals ovate to elliptic-ovate, 2.5-3.0 x 1.5 mm, subacute to acute, pubescent or glabrescent with ciliate margins. Corolla white, subrotate, 4.5 mm long, 6 mm wide, deeply lobed; lobes obovate, 1.5-2.5 mm long, 1.0-1.5 mm broad. Capsule globose, 3-4 mm in diameter, 1-locular, bivalved, (2-)4-seeded. Seeds subglo-bose, 1.5-2.0 mm long, brown to black, shiny. 

Distribution & Habitat :

This species is indigenous to tropical America as well as tropical Africa and Madagascar and is introduced in India. It reaches its southernmost point of distribution in the most tropical part of the FSA area, namely northern KwaZulu-Natal. It seems to occur mostly in short grassland on sandy soils. Also found in dry forest and dense thicket or even on waste ground. 

Chemical constituents :

β sitosterol, d mannitol, oleanolic acid, stigmasterol, ursolic acid

Varieties  

1. Based on species: 

• Evolvulus alsinoides (Blue-flowered) 

• Canscora decussata (Pink-flowered) 

2. Regional variants: 

• Northern (larger leaves) vs Southern India types

Substitute/Adulterant 

Substitutes:

• Convolvulus pluricaulis (Common Shankhapushpi) 

• Clitoria ternatea (Aparajita) for blue flowers 

Adulterants:

• Other Evolvulus species (E. nummularius) 

• Dried Centaurea cyanus (Cornflower) petals

Rasapanchaka

Rasa:

• Tikta (Bitter), Kashaya (Astringent) 

• E. alsinoides has Madhura (Sweet) undertone 

Guna: 

• Laghu (Light), Snigdha (Unctuous) 

• Virya:

• Shita (Cooling) 

• Vipaka:

• Madhura (Sweet) 

• Prabhava:

• Medhya (Brain tonic) 

Dosha Shamakta:

• Balances Pitta-Kapha 

• May aggravate Vata in excess 

Karma (Rogaghnata)

1. Medhya Rasayana: Enhances cognition and memory 

2. Manasadoshahara:Mental disorder management 

3. Vrishya: Aphrodisiac properties 

4. Shothahara: Anti-inflammatory 

5. Jvaraghna: Antipyretic 

Amayika Prayoga (Therapeutic Uses) 

External Uses:

• Paste: Leaf paste with honey for skin lesions 

• Oil: Medicated oil for hair growth (E. alsinoides) 

internal Uses:

• Juice:5-10 ml fresh plant juice for epilepsy 

• Powder: 1-3g with milk for memory enhancement 

• Decoction: 50-100 ml for urinary disorders (C. decussata) 

Part Used

• Whole plant(both species) 

Dose 

• Powder: 1-3 g (therapeutic), 500 mg (prophylactic) 

• Juice: 5-10 ml 

• Ghrita: 5-10 g 

Yoga/Formulations 

1. Shankhapushpi Syrup(Memory tonic) 

2. Smritisagar Rasa(Cognitive disorders) 

3. Vishnukrantadi Kashayam (Neurological conditions) 

4. Brahmi Ghrita (Contains E. alsinoides) 

IUCN

E. alsinoides: Least Concern (LC)

C. decussata: Not Evaluated (NE)

Research Updates (Past 5 Years)  

1. Neurogenesis (2023): E. alsinoides extract stimulated hippocampal neurogenesis (J Ethnopharmacol, 2023) 

2. Anti-Alzheimer’s (2022): Showed acetylcholinesterase inhibition (Phytomedicine, 2022) 

3. Hepatoprotective (2021): C. decussata protected against CCl4-induced damage (J Ayurveda Integr Med, 2021)