Botanical Name : Euphorbia neriifolia auct. non Linn.
Family : Euphorbiaceae
Introduction :
Latin name: Euphorbia = after Euphorbus = physician; nerifolia = ned = oleander like, folia = leaves or E. nivulia or E. antiquorum.
It has six hundred yarieties like tridhari, chaudhari. sabarkande etc. Charakacharyahas divided it into (a) alpakantak and (b) bahukantak. The latter variety is considered to be superior. Latex is usually collected at the end of winter from a plant which is 2 to 3 years old.
Names in different Indian languages :
English : Holy Milk Hedge, Dog’s Tongue
Hindi : Sehund, thuhar
Kannada : Elekalli
Malayalam : Ilakkali, kalli
Sanskrit : Snuhi, sehundah
Tamil : Ilakkalli
Telugu : Akujemudu
Synonyms :
Snuhi, Samant-dugdhaa, Sehunda, Singhtunda, Snuk, Gudaa, Sudhaa, Vajra, Vajjri, Vajjradram, Thuuhar
Euphorbia ligularia Roxb
Morphology :
This shrub is small with trunk and branches bearing thorns.
Leaves – 30-60 cms. thick and fleshy.
Flowers – yellowish. Seeds – flat, leaves shred durirg winter.
Flowering and fruiting occurs in summer.
Distribution & Habitat :
Throughout India
Chemical constituents :
triterpenoids, euphol,3methylenecycloartenol, euphorbol hexacosonate, glut 5,10en–one, glut-3- en-5 beta-yet-acetate, taraxerol
Properties :
Guna: laghu, snigdha, tikshna;
Rasa: katu;
Vipaka: katu;
Virya: ushna;
Dosha: kaphavatahara.
Karma :
Vrana hara, kustaghna, vatavisodanam, purgative, diuretic, antiasthmatic, expectorant,
Indication :
Vrana, gulma, arsas, bagandara, unmade, meha, kusta, udara ascites, polyuria, anasarca, chlorosis, tympanitis, externally on warts, cutaneous eruptions, scabies, unhealthy ulcers
Part used :
Whole plant , resin
Dosage :
Leaf juice 10-15 ml
Powder 2-4 g
Decoction 50-100 ml
External use :
Leaves are useful in inflammatory conditions. Decoction – drops are used in earache. Latex – useful in skin diseases, toothache, impotency, piles and in preparation of ksharsutra.
Internal uses :
Digestive system : In the process of shodhan, it is used as a purgative, if the patient can tolerate strong purgatives. Also useful in ascites, hepatosplenic enlargement, anaema, leucoderma, ‘diabetes mellitus, schizophrenia, syphilis, rheumatoid arthritis and gout. Juice of snuhi mixed with boney, salt and borax is used in bronchitis and asthma.
Therapeutic Uses:
Root is useful as an antidote to poisons of plant origin
Formulations :
Vajrakshar, Snuhyadi taila
