Morphological information

Herb with ovate or ovate-lanceolate lobed or coarsely toothed leaves 7.5- 15 cm long, tapering into the petiole and handsome light purple flowers 2.5 cm or more diameter, terminal and becoming leaf opposed or axillary. Sepals overlapping and making the calyx 5- angular, somewhat cuspidate, over 2.5 cm in fruit. Corollawith somewhat campanulate tube and spreading limb.

Flowering                     : July-October

Fruiting                        : September-February

History                        :

Parts                           : Root.

Status                         : Low risk

Phytochemistry

Seed oil cointained cholesterol, campesterol, stigmesterol, sitosterol and 24-ethylidenecholestrol (An. Asoc. Quins. Argent. 1980, 68, 109; Chem. Absr. 1981, 94,117762g); withaperuvin En and nicandrin β isolated from roots and characterized (Phytochemistry 1984, 23, 853); daturalactone-2 (12-oxowithaniolide) identified as minor component of seeds (J. Indian Chem. Soc. 1984, 61, 173).

 

Medicinal

The plant is diuretic, insecticidal and anthelmintic, used as a food-poison. The root is considered as the aromatic, antispasmodic, stimulant, antiseptic, epilepsy, hysteria, and palpitation of the heart. Oil from the root is applied on the hair for its improvement in the colour and growth. It is used in eprosy in the combination of Sesamum oil as sedative. The scorpion sting can be cured if applied externally. (Chopra et al 1986). The Santali tribals use this herb during the treatment of the epilepsy, unconsciousness after child birth, madness, small pox, ulcer, cholera, dry-cough and bronchitis (lain & Tafalder, 1969). In Madagascar, a decoction of the leaf is used to destroy pediculi capitis. The seeds with suet are thrown on a red- hot place put to inhale for toothache.

 

 

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