Botanical – amaranthaceae

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• English : Prickly chaff-flower plant
• Hindi : chirchidi
• Kannada : Uttarani
• Malayalam : Katalati Vankatalati Valiyakatalati
• Sanskrit : Apamargh
• Tamil : Katalati Nayuruvi
• Telugu : Apamargamu

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Throughout India wildly growing.

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An erect, much branched suffruticose or diffuse shrub upto one metre in height with quadrangular striate pubescent branches, thickened just above the nodes; leaves simple, opposite, exstipulate, velvety tomentose, orbicular, obovate or elliptic, 10 cm long and 7.5 cm broad: flowers bracteateland bracteolate, greenish, deflexed, in slender spikes often 45 cm long; fruits easily disarticulating oblong urticle: seeds single, inverse.

According to ayurveda it is of two types:-

• Shwet or the white variety
• Rakta or the red variety

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Seeds contain saponin A & B. Unripe fruit, saponin C & D. Eedysterone (polypodineA) from roots and two oleanolic acid based sapoins from fruits and ecdysone from roots.

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Tablet made from herb paste with fruits of Piper longum reported to cure effects of bite of mad dog. Alckaloids and aquas extracts are antibiotic in nature and fights against micrococcus pyogenes, micrococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. Achyranthine-alkaloids identified as betaine helps in lowering Blood Pressure, depresses heart rate, causes vasodilation, increases respiration and is slightly antipyretic (lowers the temperture), it is spasmodic on rectus muscle thus helps in resolving the pain in abdomen. It also acts as diuretic agent thus is effectve in urine related disorder. It is a strong purgative and is given in chronic constipation.

According to ayurveda it contains

• Gunna (properties) – ruksh (dry), tikshan (sharp) and laghu (light)
• Rasa (taste) – tickt (bitter) and katu (pungent)
• Virya (potency) – ushan (hot)

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It has no toxic effect on human body if taken in limited amount. If taken in excess it may cause nausea, vomiting, extremes of diarrhea, convulsions, spasms in abdomen and dehydration.

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The whole plantis used especially the roots and seeds.

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1. Bacterial infections
2. Antifungal
3. Heart related problems
4. Blood pressure
5. Pain in abdomen
6. Chronic constipation
7. Fever
8. Urine related disorders
9. Diabetes

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• Herb – decoction made from whole plant is useful in pneumonia, cough and kidney stone. It is also useful in diabetes. Also useful in hemorrheoids. It is also effective in menstrual disorders
• Powder – it is used as diuretic and is very helpful in urinary tract infections. It is also effective in skin disorders. It is also given in abdominal pains. It is also used in treatingthe disgestive disorders. It is also effective in treayting the heart related disorders and increased blood pressure.
• Juice - it is widely given in cases of eczema and leprosy. It is also useful in cataracts and tetanus. Apamarg is used in wounds, insect bites and used in ear and eye trouble.
• Paste – it is applied to remove opacity of comea, and to wounds as haemostatic. It is used in abdominal tumour. It is also used in mouth sores, toothache and syphilitic sores. Seed- paste applied to insect-bite. Paste from leaves, Seed and twigs are used in bronchitis. Various parts used in atrophy, cachexy, rheum, scabies, syphilis, labour complaints and blindness to cattle.

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