Botanical Name : Euphorbia neriifolia auct. non  Linn.

Family : Euphorbiaceae

Identification No.: SDACH/HG/122

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 :

नुहिर्दुग्धिका प्रोक्ता वज्रकण्टकसंज्ञिता।तीक्ष्णोष्णा कटुका तिक्ता कफवातविनाशिनी॥

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

IUCN Status : Not Evaluated

Research updates :

1. Study on wound healing activity of Euphorbia nerifolia latex – 2021

2. Evaluation of antimicrobial properties of Snuhi extract – 2022

3. Phytochemical screening and cytotoxicity assessment – 2023